So, i'm sitting at the first ever Facbook party that Malcolm Turnbull
has organised. Phenomenal tool: Facebook RSVPs were used for the 2nd
most important person in the australian opposition used Facebook to
organise a big rally.
We're talking about the budget. Again. I know I said i'd said i'd
stop, but I can't help it: I find this stuff fascinating. I won't bore
you with the details: Malcolm is the Shadow Treasurer of the
Australian Government, and has a duty to discuss this sort of thing.
Best quote ever: The government is awash with money.
'The general assessment is that the budget is slightly inflationary'—
Ross Gittins/Malcolm Turnbull
Theres a lot of talk about infrastructure, and this is the main
question about what to do with the surplus thats coming out of the
Australian resources boom thats happening; One of the big suggestions
is to reduce spending in any way, to be able to remove money from the
economy and get rid of inflationary pressure: however, due to
international financial issues, this is not really possible.
The main issue in todays media is about the alcopops tax: the 3
billion dollar revenue boost that makes pre mixed rum and coke more
expensive. Malcolm makes the right comment: the idea of the tax is
that it will reduce consumption of these drinks, but the budget papers
assume a 25% growth in revenue per year over 4 years: Why isn't this
part of what we talk about.
The baby bonus: The Liberal government made the baby bonus non means
tested because they wanted to make a broad social statement.
Now ... on to more important issues ... why is it that men in power
attract hot chicks? As I look around the room, I see an abundance of
young conservatives in suits - to be expected. How is it that this
same crowd attracts hot chicks, of which there are multiple? Anyone?
Bueller?
As an aside, it looks like the Facebook crowd have started to fall
asleep,.. surely some budding entrepreneur could have thought of
selling pillowS?
So: Facebook, it's going to give
Question time
No end of hands up for this ... none of the girls with their hands up,
i notice...
Question 1 is something about blocking stuff in the senate. Longest
question ... ever. THe word mandate has been used at least 3 times in
20 seconds - anyone know if this is a record?
Answer - waiting ... waiting ... something about blocking the RTD
tax ... tangent ... tangent ... taxes and spending.
Question 2 - to Ruth ... we're on a first name basis now? Ruth's
actually quite cute... no surprises there.
The question is on immigration - not sure what that's got to do with
the budget, but there's nothing sexier than a hot chick who wants to
talk immigration...
immmigrations, birth rates, lets have a bit of xenophobia... some
smiling wanker asking about the government we all deserve, being
funny, and how petrol pricing would change everything. Give him an
opportunity to get going, and a big opportunity about tax and how
everything the government takes out is great. More tangents about how
tax is going to change the cpi, and my goodness, this is getting in
depth.
Next Gen Broadband : From some smiling guy, claiming that 98% of aus
population doesn't even get power. No aspiration from government: He's
skeptical. However, this is Malcolm, and asecondary question on who
owns it, who pays, who gets the cash: no cute girls asking about the
internet. Isn't that a surprise? And now he's throwing back to the
times he was working with Chris Corrigan about internet in the 90s to
Paul Keating; So now, he's railing against the last government, and
this labor government. Brilliant, good job Malcolm.
And now an exciting question on the GST: The guy who asks reckons his
name is Bamble. Like the male version of Bambi? Asking once again on
the 'lets simplify taxation, tax less, tax more!' . And after 30
seconds or so of answering the question of wanting to simplify and
reduce taxes, is talking about a complete tangent about how
inefficient taxation is today on the federal level.
By the way, all the hot chicks are looking really bored right now, yet
still smiling graciously. A question from the only 50+ year old in the
audience: what about health! Talking about the ludicrous federal /
state split of cost burden of hospitals and GP centres.
Comparing health spending versus his federalisation of the murray
darling basin to get the management of hydrology to match the
governance. And back to health about private health cover changes.
Suggests investing in the sharemarket versus investing in private
health insurance.
The last question: Defence. And the girls in the crowd look more bored
than ever.
Liz asks (she's a hot chick) : Who from the other side would you have
a coffee with? who do you like the most?
Answer: Jenny George, Former head of the ACTU . Far left, but a
practical pragmatic person. That s a quote. But there's lots —
parliament isn't as convivial as it should be, too big. Is this like
the Emirates? Now the arsenal fans don't sit on top of each other,
they've lost all the atmosphere out of the statdium? Apparently
parliament is the same…
And now: Lets get rid of concessions; and make umbrellas a tax
concession. How do you simplify the tax system without hurting
existing investors? Every incremental change just increases entropy,
and big changes become harder.
Thanks, citizens of wentworth, till the next time
(End)
( A joint post with shtinetime.blogspot.com)
--
Robert Schonberger
rschonberger@gmail.com
