Now before you indulge in très grande panic with Dr. No - actually look at the 2011-12 MYEFO

Don't rely on the spin - knock yourself out with a bit of 29th November number crunching!

"The Mid‑Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2011‑12 (MYEFO) has been prepared in accordance with the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998. The Charter requires that the Government provide a mid‑year budget report which provides updated information to allow the assessment of the Government's fiscal performance against its fiscal strategy."

Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2011‑12 1.7 MB

Preliminaries and Foreword 205 KB

Part 1: Overview 147 KB

Part 2: Economic outlook 221 KB

Part 3: Fiscal strategy and outlook 254 KB
Attachment A: Sensitivity of budget estimates to economic developments 122 KB
Attachment B: Tax expenditures 100 KB
Attachment C: Supplementary expenses table and the Contingency Reserve 119 KB
Attachment D: Australia's Federal Relations 406 KB

Appendix A: Policy decisions taken since the 2011‑12 Budget
Revenue Measures  293 KB

Expense Measures 566 KB
Capital Measures 163 KB
Appendix B: Australian Government budget financial statements 296 KB
Appendix C: Statement of risks 218 KB
Appendix D: Historical Australian Government data 182 KB

Laughing at Abbott all the way to 2013

A hat tip to Your Democracy for this item:

Abbott's positively negative

in the words of Mike Carlton …..

Dear Sir/Madam

Congratulations! The moment you've been waiting for is here. It's the once in a lifetime opportunity for your business, workplace or sports club to join Tony Abbott in his fight to say NO to the Brown-Gillard socialist government.

You've seen it on television. Every day, Tony is out there at shops, farms, mines, factories and athletic events around Australia, demonstrating his genuine understanding of real Aussies in every walk of life. It might be making sandwiches, laying bricks, driving a backhoe or even running a marathon: there's nothing he won't try. In Afghanistan recently he even donned an army bomb disposal suit for the cameras.

Now you can be part of this exciting TV campaign. Your place of work or leisure might be an ideal location for Tony to visit. See how many of these boxes you can tick:

❏ Yes, we want to say NO to the Brown- Gillard socialist wreckers.

❏ We would welcome a Tony Abbott TV appearance at our business or sporting event.

❏ We have a hard hat and fluoro safety vest for Tony to wear (or other uniform/protective clothing).

❏ Tony could appear in Speedos, cyclists' Lycra or other sports gear as appropriate.

❏ We have a tractor/forklift/hammer/bicycle/surfboard (or other equipment) for Tony to pose with.

❏ Anyone hostile to Tony can be kept away from the cameras.

❏ We are not connected to any gay, lesbian, feminist, Islamic, refugee, trade union, environmental or other left-wing group.

If this is you, then seize the moment. Say YES to say NO. Contact Tony's office at Parliament House, Canberra, and we'll arrange a visit. And please note, too, that Tony is also available for private lunches or dinners with selected conservative media commentators.

Sincerely,

Brian Inane,

Federal Director (Photo Opportunities)

Liberal Party of Australia

O'Farrell apes K-K-Keneally according to Buckingham

MEDIA RELEASE 24 November 2011
The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Jeremy Buckingham has condemned the O’Farrell Government’s move to cancel this week’s Private Members Business sitting day as a cynical manoeuvre to avoid a vote on the Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill.
The Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill was next in the order of business due to be debated on Friday morning, the last sitting day of the year.
“Last year Barry O’Farrell condemned Kristina Keneally for her decision to prorogue Parliament in an attempt to avoid scrutiny on the electricity privatisation, yet now he has canned the last sitting day of the year to avoid a vote on the Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.
“With the ban on fracking expiring on December 31, it will be back to full speed for the coal seam gas industry over summer because the O’Farrell government was too gutless to debate the merits of a moratorium or vote on it.
“Regardless of the government’s procedural tricks, the coal seam gas industry has not earned a social licence to operate and the community will use direct action, such as the Spring Ridge blockade, if they try to roll out.
Contact: Max Phillips – 0419 444 916

Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis has a side step to match that of Reg Gasnier's

A voter in the Clarence electorate asked Chris Gulaptis a question about climate change but the then would-be MP sidestepped it. Now that he's in the big league it behoves the local MP to answer the constituent's question.

C'mon, Chris Gulaptis MP, you're playing politics now, not football. Answer the question!

 
Didn't answer

At the Meet the Candidates meeting (prior to the by-election) I asked the following question of the National Party candidate, Chris Gulaptis.

"The International Energy Agency, a conservative advisory body relied on by the fossil fuel industry for data on emissions and energy, announced last week in London that we now have only five years to avoid dangerous global warming of more than two degrees Celsius. If you are elected, to what extent will you, with the future of our grandchildren in mind, work tirelessly to bring a real sense of urgency about climate change to this State Government and this electorate?"

Chris Gulaptis did not answer the question, merely making brief reference to a past action. This is an important issue to which he should have been able to respond directly.

Stan Mussared, Waterview

Sources:  Letters, The Daily Examiner, 28/11/11

                      Image, The Northern Star