Australian politicians: staggeringly out of touch

[Carn The Berries]

MPs are on reddit for the same reason they're in twitter or insta.

The fact they are even responding suggests thier data is showing its becoming an issue electorally

As I said before, responding does more harm than good... It keeps it in the news cycle and has done absolutely zero to improve her credibility. If it's been identified as an issue, this isn't helping.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

As I said before, responding does more harm than good... It keeps it in the news cycle and has done absolutely zero to improve her credibility. If it's been identified as an issue, this isn't helping.

Damned either way at this stage. She’s been caught out with an absolute shocker and it’s all just fumbly damage control at this point.

Can see this one sticking to her, it’s such a momentous and signature stuff-up regarding her own portfolio.

Lesson: get informed about the job you’re meant to be doing. That shouldn’t even need to be a “lesson”, but here we are.

 

[Saint]

What is #2?

When interest rates go up, it does two things. It gives those with wealth a big boost (people with paid-off homes and cash in the bank).

It gives those without a massive whack. Mortgages and rents go up, so does the price of everything and wages didn't keep up this time, they rarely do.

So, the Government should compensate for these impacts by adjusting things in their control. So put more means testing on pensions or middle class welfare and give more to lower classes.

Increase corporate tax rates and increase the tax free threshold (by $10k). Re-balance the imbalance caused by interest rate hikes.

Maybe even tax our fossil fuel exports we're literally giving away. Why won't either of the major parties even discuss this, do you think?

There are solutions. And pretending there's nothing they can do is going to be the ALP's biggest problem. At least the LNP will pretend they have an answer.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

When interest rates go up, it does two things. It gives those with wealth a big boost (people with paid-off homes and cash in the bank).

It gives those without a massive whack. Mortgages and rents go up, so does the price of everything and wages didn't keep up this time, they rarely do.

So, the Government should compensate for these impacts by adjusting things in their control. So put more means testing on pensions or middle class welfare and give more to lower classes.

Increase corporate tax rates and increase the tax free threshold (by $10k). Re-balance the imbalance caused by interest rate hikes.

Maybe even tax our fossil fuel exports we're literally giving away. Why won't either of the major parties even discuss this, do you think?

There are solutions. And pretending there's nothing they can do is going to be the ALP's biggest problem. At least the LNP will pretend they have an answer.

Because both parties are completely captured by vested interests.

This is why parliamentary reform is needed. Duopolies should be busted.

 

[QuietB]

That's not a gotcha question for the Housing Minister (I'd argue that all state pollies should have some, broad, idea about this, even if it isn't their portfolio). She should be relieved of her duties for a stuff up like that.

I have no issue with the PM buying his new place. He's damned if he did and damned if he didn't. If he had gone to the 'burbs and spent $800k-$1.5m on a place there would have been people having a crack at him for taking a house away from someone who can't afford any more than that. It's a complete non-issue.

Where the hell can you buy a house for $800k? Other than Moe.

 

[QuietB]

When interest rates go up, it does two things. It gives those with wealth a big boost (people with paid-off homes and cash in the bank).

It gives those without a massive whack. Mortgages and rents go up, so does the price of everything and wages didn't keep up this time, they rarely do.

So, the Government should compensate for these impacts by adjusting things in their control. So put more means testing on pensions or middle class welfare and give more to lower classes.

Increase corporate tax rates and increase the tax free threshold (by $10k). Re-balance the imbalance caused by interest rate hikes.

Maybe even tax our fossil fuel exports we're literally giving away. Why won't either of the major parties even discuss this, do you think?

There are solutions. And pretending there's nothing they can do is going to be the ALP's biggest problem. At least the LNP will pretend they have an answer.

Except governments represent the oligarchs and do not represent the people they are supposed to.

 

[Saint]

Except governments represent the oligarchs and do not represent the people they are supposed to.

It's themselves first. It's just the oligarchs offer to fund their parties to keep them in power. Also, their interests often align.

It's not a deliberate or organised thing. It's just a systemic problem that successive Governments on both sides have further entrenched and exacerbated.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Where the hell can you buy a house for $800k? Other than Moe.

Fair few options in the Dandenong area. Underrated part of the world, need Dutton and the Vic Libs to throw out another anti-African racism festival to keep the investor class away longer.

 

[Rob R]

The non entity that is Senator Pocock in Canberra has decided that at a time when Australians despise pollies more than ever and want money spent on cost of living, he wants more senators. Not just two extra for the NT and ACT which at least had some logic and fairness behind it although it would be better to just make the ACT what it really is a council in NSW and gives it two spots to the NT. He wants four extra for each to ensure Independents (ie. himself.) can get elected. Perhaps he should have done some actual work rather than ask for more seats if he really wanted to keep his cushy job.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[HairyO]

Housing is one symptom, but the general lack of awareness of what Cost of Living is doing to people is showing up. The ALP refusing to do anything about it, when they should be treating all of CoL as a national emergency (including house prices) shows that they're out of touch.

Nearly everybody is worse off financially since 2022, I guess with the exception of ALP Cabinet members and members of mostly the top 20% of wealthy people.

The fact the ALP has chosen to do next to nothing on CoL since the last budget shows how out of touch they are. They're losing polls because of it.

They don't know about CoL because they charge all their meals to the Govt or their partner at home does the shopping and cooking and doesn't bother them about it.

The ALP truly have no clue what they're walking into. The economy is teetering on recession (per-capita recession in full swing), housing is unachievable and underemployment is going up. And the ALP look like they're going to go into the election the same way the US Democrats did saying "what a great job we've done at bringing recession down, now we're all in celebration mode" and buying houses and aren't we all so happy.

Unemployment is up from 3.5% in July 2022 to 4.1%
Wages are up about 7% over the same period.
Inflation (CPI) is up 12% over the same period.
Dwelling prices are up 9% over the same period.

There are zero measures which look good for the ALP, all are trending horribly for them (dwellings and inflation higher than wage growth still, underemployment is up another 1% on top of this.

The worst look is the blowout in both the number of public servants and the payrises for public servants, with payrises in the private world falling far behind.

 

[peetoo]

The worst look is the blowout in both the number of public servants and the payrises for public servants, with payrises in the private world falling far behind.

Some getting a pay rise is a cost of living issue?

 

[Rob R]

The worst look is the blowout in both the number of public servants and the payrises for public servants, with payrises in the private world falling far behind.

We actually need more public servants, the trouble is we are getting more ses level public servants not delivery staff

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[HairyO]

We actually need more public servants, the trouble is we are getting more ses level public servants not delivery staff

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

1 in 5 people employed are public servants. Where do you think the money comes from to pay for the public servants?

Some getting a pay rise is a cost of living issue?

When 20% of the people are getting more than inflation and 80% are getting less, inflation can still go up but it hurts the majority.

 

[peetoo]

1 in 5 people employed are public servants. Where do you think the money comes from to pay for the public servants?



When 20% of the people are getting more than inflation and 80% are getting less, inflation can still go up but it hurts the majority.

Taxes and ‘user pays’

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The non entity that is Senator Pocock in Canberra has decided that at a time when Australians despise pollies more than ever and want money spent on cost of living, he wants more senators. Not just two extra for the NT and ACT which at least had some logic and fairness behind it although it would be better to just make the ACT what it really is a council in NSW and gives it two spots to the NT. He wants four extra for each to ensure Independents (ie. himself.) can get elected. Perhaps he should have done some actual work rather than ask for more seats if he really wanted to keep his cushy job.

On SM-A136B using BigFooty.com mobile app

Anything that weakens the political duopoly in Australia is probably a good thing.

Most of the ills in Australia are a result of it.

 

[kickazz]

I wouldn’t even ask that they live it. Just walk your ****ing beat and learn it. It’s what you do when you start any new job.

Yeah, how hard would it be to get a weekly report with some basic metrics, to read it and know it?

Vacancy rates, median rent in each suburb, blah blah

 

[kickazz]

Even if he hadn't forgotten the experience today would be vastly different than back then.

I very much doubt he's off to university today.

Yes the big difference is that today, it is much harder to live a simple existence. Yes there are great opportunities for some, but the "entry fee for life" - rent, food, energy - is just so high now. I don't know how a single lowish to medium income family can get by.