Pity the poor forecaster. It is as certain as anything can be that the forecasts underpinning tomorrow’s budget will be wrong. The chaos about to engulf Europe will see to that. The government needs to start back-tracking on its budget surplus commitment ASAP.
One lesson from Greece. When the public loses faith in established political parties, new ones can emerge very quickly. Labor especially should consider that. The German Pirates Party points to the same thing with its appeal to the tech-savvy young.
And a Tasmanian hint. From 43% in 2006 to 19% at the weekend. That was the Labor effort in the election for the Legislative Council seat of Hobart. The Greens with 22% pushed Labor into third place behind the likely winner who stood as an independent.
Not a little but a lot. Hypocrisy and politicians are a natural fit but jovial Joe Hockey takes the mating to an extreme level. After joining in the chorus to besmirch Peter Slipper’s reputation without waiting for any trial, he is now attacking Labor for casting aspersions on the Speaker’s accuser.
I suppose it was what we should have expected. The Liberals after all pounced on the allegations about cheating on expenses without a thought to how all those years ago they were happy to have the Labor deserter Senator Mal Colston’s vote when he was actually facing criminal charges.
Such is the morality of political life.
I note with interest the comments from Barnaby Joyce of all people in the LNP
Fron todays Age.
These details emerged as the Nationals leader in the Senate, Barnaby Joyce, hit out at Mr Ashby, saying ”he seems only slightly less dodgy than Slipper”.
Senator Joyce said the question was what Mr Ashby was doing at Mr Slipper’s house – where some of the inappropriate conversation was alleged to have taken place. ”He wasn’t dragged into the house,” Senator Joyce said, adding that Mr Ashby was ”not a boy in his teens but a man in his 30s’.”
I lurve the way Sloppy is now advocating decorum & silence about the matter. Nothing whatsoever to do with the twisting & turning of Chrissy Whine & Malodious Gruff as Ashby becomes Goblin Wretch#2.
And all the while MM is not pressed on his “no specific knowledge” as to what his non specific knowledge was. A case what didn’t he know and when didn’t he know it?