North Coast pensioners took your advice, Kev - so how about it?

The Prime Minister gave pensioners a one-off bonus payment in December 2008 and told them to go out and spend to help the Aussie economy.
As far as I can tell on the NSW North Coast they did just that.
They spent it at the dentist, at the vet, buying clothes, sheets for the bed, tyres for the car, a new fridge, shoes for the grandkids and extra Christmas groceries - simple things like that which sent money straight into the tills of local businesses.
So Rudders not including a commitment to Aussie pensioners in his latest stimulus package anounced this week was a little alarming.
Is the Rudd Government going to put the promised mid-year payment increase for single pensioners on the backburner as it did paid maternity leave?
I second Senator Bob Brown when he called on the Rudd Government to once again include pensioners in the stimulus package by ensuring that they get a pension increase this year.
On the North Coast pensioners and seniors (besides being the backbone of many not-for-profit community groups and the bulk of the population in some areas) are what makes the money go round. I kid you not.

Australian national political donations: who gave to which party in 2007-2008

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) released the 2007-08 annual returns for political donations and expenditure this week.

Here is a brief breakdown:

Australian Labor Party [National] - 81 donations listed
Biggest donor Village Roadshow Limited at $205,000

Liberal Party of Australia [National] - 66 donors on record.
Largest donor Brickworks at $250,000

National Party of Australia [National] - 20 donations are recorded
Largest donor Hong Kong Kingson Investments at $250,000

Australian Greens [National] - 1 donation listed
Only donor Mr. Russell Thompson at $20,000

Family First [National] - 1 donor
Only donor Grocon Pty Ltd at $5,000

Christian Democratic Party [National] - 0 donors

In addition: the Business Council of Australia spent $2.3 million on political publication and broadcasting and the Australian Council of Trade Unions outlaid around $15.8 million across the spectrum.

AEC Search

• Party
• Party Group
• Donor
• Associated Entity
• Political Expenditure

Monsanto fruit?

From Animal Magic: or what happens when graphic artists get bored

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.

Australian senators' financial interests now online

Open Australia is in the process of putting all senators declared interests online at its website.
All senators can be found here. Just follow the links.
Starting with the "A"s and continuing downwards it is remarkable to see the number of senators declaring a laptop computer given to them by that notable 2008 corporate collapse ABC Pty Ltd.
It's also fascinating to see just how many senators appear to be living on their parliamentary income alone, like Senator Conroy who (from memory) states a mortgaged family home and a single savings bank account along with that ubiquitous laptop.
However, others like Senator Coonan give a gentle hint at cash investments, jewellery, antiques and a handful of 'freebies', while Senator Heffernan presents a fairly typical country MP profile of investments, shares in own and other companies, trusts, and land a little land and starry skies above.

Rudd's $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan outlined

The Prime Minister announced today a second stimulus package which includes these key elements:

• Free ceiling insulation for around 2.7 million Australian homes
• Build or upgrade a building in every one of Australia’s 9,540 schools
• Build more than 20,000 new social and defence homes
• $950 one off cash payments to eligible families, single workers, students, drought effected farmers and others
• A temporary business investment tax break for small and general businesses buying eligible assets
• Significantly increase funding for local community infrastructure and local road projects

More offical detail can be found here.

Crickey has graphs showing which electorates will get the bulk of child and school related payments and funding at Kevvie Cash Rewards

Red face for Nationals Luke Hartsuyker over fuel prices

Despite a great deal of wasted ink, Nationals MP for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker just could not support his contention that the Rudd Government was wrecking all for North Coast motorists and businesses.

Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker has slammed the country's Petrol Commissioner and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for failing to help local motorists still forking out unnecessarily high prices for unleaded fuel.

First the Petrol Commissioner told him that the difference between Kempsey and city unleaded petrol average retail prices was only around 4 cents a litre for the second half of 2008.

Now according to The Land on Saturday:

The difference between city and country fuel prices is no reason for alarm, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
This is despite calls for a full investigation into the price gap by country MPs last week.
The ACCC says some country petrol prices last week were cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne prices.
ACCC commissioner and petrol spokesman, Joe Dimasi, visited Central Queensland last week to talk to angry country motorists and see for himself what was going on with petrol prices.
The visit followed a formal request from Nationals leader, Warren Truss, and Opposition spokesman for competition, Luke Hartsuyker, for the ACCC to thoroughly investigate the disparity between petrol and diesel prices, and city and country fuel prices.
Mr Truss said diesel was traditionally much cheaper than petrol, and its current high price was flowing through to the cost of transport and food.

It would appear the Mr. Hartsuyker is not beginning the year with any political flourish.

'Truffles' Turnbull's latest tack

Dear Voter,
I'm writing to let you know that Edward Gough Whitlam is alive and well and heading the country as Australian Prime Minister in 2009.
You may have been a little confused because his official biography doesn't mention him being a rather younger, chubby fellow hailing from Queensland.
But do not be fooled - the PM is really Gough after a clever makeover paid for by Unions Australia.
If Gough-in-disguise comes to your door asking for your vote it would be wise to have lots of garlic and holy water handy to ward him off.
Australia's economy depends on returning to government all those politicians who so enthusiastically supported a deregulated global financial system.
Julie, Joe and Tony join me in saying: Remember, greed is good for the nation.
Sincerely,

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull

P.S.
This letter was paid for by donations from my friends Bankers International and Big Business.