Steve Bracks - going, gone?

[bmwofoz]

How about:

1) Stripping the powers of the Auditor General.

2) Removing the right of workers to sue for injuries reviewed as a result of negligence at work.

3) Removing the right of homeowners to sue for compensation for damage to the property caused by government building programmes (CityLink, Grand Prix, and probably more).

4) Putting a quasi-Liberal Party campaign slogan on every new licence plate in Victoria.

5) Stripping money from health and education, while at the same time spending large amounts of money on unnecessary monuments and events. (Were we in a debt crisis or not? You can't have it both ways.)

I'm sure others can add much more.

1. Kennett was wrong to restrict the Auditor General, while Bracks returned some powers to that office, he was happy to play smoke and mirrors on several issues.

4. Melbourne was on the Move

5. Kennett left office spending more per addum on Health than when he came to office, the problem was the way the system was set up was ad-hoc, Casemix was poorly managed, but is the system better run today I will leave that up to others to say.

 

[CharlieG]

Something REALLY fishy going on when a deputy resigns just as the top post opens up, and when premier and deputy both resign.

Scandal coming.

Except that Thwaites' retirement can be easily attributed to his disappointment at not being able to become Premier. His chances always depended on Brumby retiring before Bracks. Now that this hasn't happened, he's decided to move on.

 

[MightyFighting]

How did a thread about Steve Bracks retiring turn into another round of pro-Kennett Stockholm Syndrome?

 

[Hawk Dork]

major thing i regret Brack never did
was the promised Royal Commision on Kennett

 

[Captain Sensible]

How about:

1) Stripping the powers of the Auditor General.

2) Removing the right of workers to sue for injuries reviewed as a result of negligence at work.

3) Removing the right of homeowners to sue for compensation for damage to the property caused by government building programmes (CityLink, Grand Prix, and probably more).

4) Putting a quasi-Liberal Party campaign slogan on every new licence plate in Victoria.

5) Stripping money from health and education, while at the same time spending large amounts of money on unnecessary monuments and events. (Were we in a debt crisis or not? You can't have it both ways.)

I'm sure others can add much more.

Removing a painting of Henry Bolte from his office and relocating it to his home.

 

[Financialpanther]

Steve Bracks - the Accidental Premier.

 

[Ghost of Punt Road]

major thing i regret Brack never did
was the promised Royal Commision on Kennett

That's because Bracks new perfectly well everything was above board.

If anything it is Bracks who has 'jobs for mates' and won't release any information on his deals.

Bracks did run six 'enquiries' on the Kennett government and came up with nothing.

The people who voted Bracks in were sucked in by a lot of labor spin.and fake talkback callers.

 

[finders]

That's because Bracks new perfectly well everything was above board.

If anything it is Bracks who has 'jobs for mates' and won't release any information on his deals.

Bracks did run six 'enquiries' on the Kennett government and came up with nothing.

The people who voted Bracks in were sucked in by a lot of labor spin.and fake talkback callers.

Now THATS a big call! can I have some of what you are on?

 

[Footylover1]

John Thwaites you'd be thinking, maybe.

Apparently Thwaites has retired as well. Man, I hope Brumby doesn't back down to Howard's demands now on the water issue.

 

[Captain Sensible]

That's because Bracks new perfectly well everything was above board.

It's more likely to be because Bracks and Kennett did a deal for Kennett to move on without a fight.

 

[kolchak]

Leaders generally step down because something is going wrong, I hope this is not the case.

 

[wally funk]

Apparently Thwaites has retired as well. Man, I hope Brumby doesn't back down to Howard's demands now on the water issue.

yeah. bracksie and thwaitsie were the ones pushing the water issue for all its worth really. really hope brumby stands up to the federal govt.

 

[pazza]

Bracks never had the balls to make any tough decisions or calls

Brumby has had it easy - swimming in money from GST revenue and record pokie and speed camera intakes

and yet still there is not one major achievement you can look back on the 8 years of Bracks rule

Spencer Street - overbudget and 2 years late

Hardly a vote winner either way there.

VFTs - 'fast' trains slower than the old ones - $1billion over original budget

And yet - the trains themselves are wonderful to travel on. Why take half measures and the get the thing absoultely right.

Hospitals & Ambulances - innercity & country hospitals falling down, failing to build new ones as promised (Knox), waiting list and ambulance calltimes worse than under Kennett

Only delay on the Knox project is getting suitable land for it - the Austin redevelopment is a great result for everyone concerned. Next is the Childrens (which Kennett never remotely cared about perplexingly)

Trains - failure in planning for future rollingstock growth, South Morang backflip

The selling off of public transport is the primary responsibilty for this problem. It was the same 8 years ago - when you were working in it as I was back then, you knew the growth was happening, but, you also knew Kennett couldn't solve the problem. Craigieburn project to be running next year as forecast.

Water - failure in planning for the future. Desal plant announced in panic after rubbishing idea for 3 years previous. Bracks enjoyed frequent flyer chopper rides however

No-one on either side knew the drought would be as bad as it was. No building of dams where the water wasn't existing a wise move.

Police - Worst appointment of Chief Commissioner in history

Only error in 8 years.

Education - benchmark standards slipped in the past 8 years

More schools open - more teachers safe in their jobs so they can teach and not worry about irresponsible educationa standards.

 

[Footylover1]

yeah. bracksie and thwaitsie were the ones pushing the water issue for all its worth really. really hope brumby stands up to the federal govt.

Let's hope so mate!

 

[bmwofoz]

Pazza I seem to recall the Austin was a Kennett policy which the ALP were against I remember Thwaites at the time of the 1996 Election saying the hospital was too big and it wasn't right to put news mums next to psy patients

The selling of Public Transport as no impact, the State had a chance to reclaim the system instead broke an Election promise hurting the residents of Melbourne's poorest areas around Dandenong.

Public Transport is a clear failure, but I will be fair, the system has been a disgrace for years.

There was land set a side for the Knox Hospital

 

[MightyFighting]

Pazza I seem to recall the Austin was a Kennett policy which the ALP were against I remember Thwaites at the time of the 1996 Election saying the hospital was too big and it wasn't right to put news mums next to psy patients

Kennett government policy was to privatise the public hospitals. Now that would have been an unmitigated disaster!

 

[bmwofoz]

Kennett government policy was to privatise the public hospitals. Now that would have been an unmitigated disaster!

No that wasn't the policy, what Kennett wanted to do was have a private management but the State would have remained in control, in other words the State was wanted out of the funding of the Hospital I will add the ALP were against its size.

 

[MightyFighting]

No that wasn't the policy, what Kennett wanted to do was have a private management but the State would have remained in control, in other words the State was wanted out of the funding of the Hospital I will add the ALP were against its size.

Un-mit-ee-gated.

 

[camsmith]

No building of dams where the water wasn't existing a wise move.

Where have you been the last 6 months ?

 

[Hawkamania!]

He qualified for his pollie pension. I believe he'd be on 75% of his current salary for the rest of his life.

Time to end the pollie pension plan and put all the bastards on what we would get.

 

[Bombers 2003]

Steve Bracks - the Accidental Premier.

Nah.the accidental human being.When that other nuff-nuff Blair resigned Stevie had no choice but to resign

 

[drew_j]

This smells worse then 3 week old fish. The two most seinior reps of the Vic Government out on the same day. Why? Reminds me of Peter Reith.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Maybe it's as simple as Steve and John want to spend more quality time with each other.

 

[Footylover1]

Nah.the accidental human being.When that other nuff-nuff Blair resigned Stevie had no choice but to resign

Craig Hutchison is the accidental human being.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Steve wasn't a bad bloke, just an insipid politician.