What would a Dutton Liberal leadership mean for the Liberals and the country?

[SBD Gonzalez]

18 May 2019 was one of the worst days in recent decades in Australia. It was the election that killed bold policy platforms for what I think will be a long time. And I should say that house prices would be at least 10% lower today - if not a lot more - had Labor won.

And today we learn this.

House prices were already spiralling in 2004: Here’s what Howard and Costello did about it

In 2004, house prices in every capital city were surging to unaffordable levels. The Howard cabinet considered its options – and did nothing.

www.smh.com.au

Better economic managers my fine trim arse.

 

[peetoo]

My house in inner east Melbourne increased over six fold in 11 years to 1988.

It’s estimated it’s only risen ten fold in the thirty years I’ve been here, which is closer to average 1994 2024

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

And today we learn this.

House prices were already spiralling in 2004: Here’s what Howard and Costello did about it

In 2004, house prices in every capital city were surging to unaffordable levels. The Howard cabinet considered its options – and did nothing.

www.smh.com.au

Better economic managers my fine trim arse.

A nice little attack campaign Labor can use there.
Dutton was part of that government.

 

[Gavin Excell]

A nice little attack campaign Labor can use there.
Dutton was part of that government.

Except Labor under Albo has done diddley squat too

 

[Juddism]

Persisting with the referendum when it was DOA 2 months before the vote took place.

Too busy "rescuing" the Bali cohort rather than solving the cost of living crisis. Sure Albo can say he did rebates, but prices still rose to offset those rebates.

He'll claim that HE fixed inflation, when the RBA naturally decides to lower interest rates.


It's going to be single term Albo before long and that's what the inept politician deserves.

Cost of living or households not managing debt? Half this ****ing country is living beyond their means and somehow it's a government problem?!

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Cost of living or households not managing debt? Half this ****ing country is living beyond their means and somehow it's a government problem?!

But why are they living beyond thier means?

House prices and rents are the problem

 

[Gralin]

But why are they living beyond thier means?

House prices and rents are the problem

Yep unaffordable housing is a massive issue

Extra 10,000 Australians becoming homeless each month, up 22% in three years, report says

Almost half were couch surfing or living in short-term accommodation, UNSW and Homelessness Australia say

www.theguardian.com

10k people a month are becoming homeless right now I reckon that's something the government needs to take responsibility for

 

[Crankyhawk]

Name a couple

failing to (magically) fix the cost of living crisis and the housing issues - never mind that the issues are structural and product of years of poor taxation policy - and the LP complicit media quite happy to pile it on as all ALP fault (and conveniently omit that the LNP both contributed to it and also have NFI how to solve it)

 

[Crankyhawk]

Yep unaffordable housing is a massive issue

Extra 10,000 Australians becoming homeless each month, up 22% in three years, report says

Almost half were couch surfing or living in short-term accommodation, UNSW and Homelessness Australia say

www.theguardian.com

10k people a month are becoming homeless right now I reckon that's something the government needs to take responsibility for

well, i can tell you that the health system will not take responsibility for it. I see people who express mental health distress etc because they have no housing. THe only response I have is "sorry, cannot help you". The hospital system cannot be a housing of last resort - no matter what those who might call it an "extended duty of care" would say.

 

[Gralin]

They all know how to solve it, the problem is that they don't want to solve it

 

[Gralin]

well, i can tell you that the health system will not take responsibility for it. I see people who express mental health distress etc because they have no housing. THe only response I have is "sorry, cannot help you". The hospital system cannot be a housing of last resort - no matter what those who might call it an "extended duty of care" would say.

Ok bro I don't remember asking you to fix it though

 

[Crankyhawk]

And in many ways the proposals weren't bold at all - the changes to negative gearing and capital gains taxes were not going to be retrospective and so the impact on existing home owners would be zero. But that is not the way it was painted in the press.

And don't get me started on the BS front page scare campaign over proposed changes resource royalties and to franking credits to fund increased funding to public education, welfare and a future NDIS:

View attachment 2196064

I thought they were not going to grandfather existing investment properties and the non retrospectiveness was just that they would not pursue retrospective tax debts for previous sales... SO it would encourage people to sell up during the period before laws were changed - in effect creating a buyers market and lowering prices

 

[Crankyhawk]

Ok bro I don't remember asking you to fix it though

well the homeless people coming to the hospital seem to expect me to.

 

[Gavin Excell]

They all know how to solve it, the problem is that they don't want to solve it

Don't want to solve it or don't have the courage to?

 

[Gralin]

Don't want to solve it or don't have the courage to?

Don't want to, they're not there to fix it they've there to keep it going as

 

[Gralin]

well the homeless people coming to the hospital seem to expect me to.

And your compassion for their situation is evident

 

[Crankyhawk]

And your compassion for their situation is evident

so tell me genius wtf do you think can be done? since you are so smart with all the damn answers

 

[Festerz]

Perhaps the only way is to enact reform in office without announcing during an election campaign

While you could argue it's somewhat deceptive to the public, it can be a way of getting around Murdoch

Remember the front page attack ads when the Government amended the Stage 3 tax cuts after saying they wouldn't in the election campaign? No one gives a toss now because it was recognised as good policy but at the time it very nearly didn't happen.

The new real politik sees Murdoch and Stokes SevenWest media sending reporters to election press conferences armed to the teeth with coalition designed gotcha one liner questions that are designed to tie up any future Labor government with do nothing agendas. Ministers/Shadow Ministers refusing to give explicit answers to questions about what they will do in major policy areas immediately becomes a front page scare headline...e.g.:

'Minister X refuses to rule out scrapping/changing tax benefits for housing if re-elected - Millions of homeowners likely to lose hundreds of thousands off their home value'.

And it gets even worse on social media platforms - Facts and the Truth has no role to play in this stuff.

And NO Government is going to be elected with a majority in both houses in the near future. Heck the likelihood of a minority government is a strong likelihood in 2025 meaning any policy change requiring legislation will have to be negotiated with a swathe of independents with vastly differing policy perspectives. For every Pocock wanting to talk sense there's a Babet wanting to cause mayhem.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Remember the front page attack ads when the Government amended the Stage 3 tax cuts after saying they wouldn't in the election campaign? No one gives a toss now because it was recognised as good policy but at the time it very nearly didn't happen.

The new real politik sees Murdoch and Stokes SevenWest media sending reporters to election press conferences armed to the teeth with coalition designed gotcha one liner questions that are designed to tie up any future Labor government with do nothing agendas. Ministers/Shadow Ministers refusing to give explicit answers to questions about what they will do in major policy areas immediately becomes a front page scare headline...e.g.:

'Minister X refuses to rule out scrapping/changing tax benefits for housing if re-elected - Millions of homeowners likely to lose hundreds of thousands off their home value'.

And it gets even worse on social media platforms - Facts and the Truth has no role to play in this stuff.

And NO Government is going to be elected with a majority in both houses in the near future. Heck the likelihood of a minority government is a strong likelihood in 2025 meaning any policy change requiring legislation will have to be negotiated with a swathe of independents with vastly differing policy perspectives. For every Pocock wanting to talk sense there's a Babet wanting to cause mayhem.

As an aside, after seeing some of the dreadful behaviour of certain "journalists" at Albos press conferences at the last election, it wouldn't surprise if their brief involves causing disruption to give impression of chaos in the ALP camp v the respectful calmness of the LnP

 

[Festerz]

As an aside, after seeing some of the dreadful behaviour of certain "journalists" at Albos press conferences at the last election, it wouldn't surprise if their brief involves causing disruption to give impression of chaos in the ALP camp v the respectful calmness of the LnP

Former Sky News and later Ten News political reporter Stela Todorovic instantly became the cover girl for every aspiring tabloid columnist in the country when she asked Albanese that gotcha question about the cash rate during the 2022 election campaign.

This is what we call good political 'journalism' in the 2020s and there will be more of it to come in this years election campaign.

But imho it's on political leaders to be able to be clear and consistent about what they stand for and to have the wit and passion to bat off such inane questions with ease by calling out the empty BS questions and getting the subject back on track to what matters.

Since becoming Opposition Leader in 2022, Dutton has only released details on ONE of his policy platforms - nuclear energy- and he has been absolutely destroyed by all but the Murdoch and Seven media outlets for its lack of accuracy and misleading statements. No chance he will make that mistake in coming months. It will be back to his identity politics and rhetoric. Let's see if the press hold him (and Albo) to account or go back to their old game playing gotcha nothingness.

 

[peetoo]

Remember the front page attack ads when the Government amended the Stage 3 tax cuts after saying they wouldn't in the election campaign? No one gives a toss now because it was recognised as good policy but at the time it very nearly didn't happen.

The new real politik sees Murdoch and Stokes SevenWest media sending reporters to election press conferences armed to the teeth with coalition designed gotcha one liner questions that are designed to tie up any future Labor government with do nothing agendas. Ministers/Shadow Ministers refusing to give explicit answers to questions about what they will do in major policy areas immediately becomes a front page scare headline...e.g.:

'Minister X refuses to rule out scrapping/changing tax benefits for housing if re-elected - Millions of homeowners likely to lose hundreds of thousands off their home value'.

And it gets even worse on social media platforms - Facts and the Truth has no role to play in this stuff.

And NO Government is going to be elected with a majority in both houses in the near future. Heck the likelihood of a minority government is a strong likelihood in 2025 meaning any policy change requiring legislation will have to be negotiated with a swathe of independents with vastly differing policy perspectives. For every Pocock wanting to talk sense there's a Babet wanting to cause mayhem.

They want one term labor govts who do nothing but take all the blame for policy failure by conservatives over decades

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

They want one term labor govts who do nothing but take all the blame for policy failure by conservatives over decades

It's almost like some people in power (often the ones with umpteen flags behind them and their hands on their hearts) don't actually want a better Australia for the greatest number of Australians.

 

[Crankyhawk]

It's almost like some people in power (often the ones with umpteen flags behind them and their hands on their hearts) don't actually want a better Australia for the greatest number of Australians.

well, umpteen minus 2 (the ATSI flags)

 

[nut]

It's almost like some people in power (often the ones with umpteen flags behind them and their hands on their hearts) don't actually want a better Australia for the greatest number of Australians.

….. every country Murdoch has a media presence in, has an unstable political environment.

 

[QuietB]

But why are they living beyond thier means?

House prices and rents are the problem

Inequality is the problem.

The entire system is broken when one section of society can afford to buy literally everything and the rest are living pay cheque to pay cheque if they are lucky enough to have stable employment and have not been thrown to the gig economy or similar.

In addition to this the people living pay cheque to pay cheque are expected to carry the majority of the tax burden for the whole country while those who can afford to buy literally everything get tax relief at every step along the way, sometimes paying no tax at all. And then we have the corporations

Government is 100% captured no matter who it is and the entire system is a joke.