I’m angry. Livid. Enraged. Indignant. Infuriated. Exasperated. Furious. I’m just so angry!
I’m angry that, on Sunday, Australia could have a government that will brag about being able to build dual carriageways, and pay for parental leave for the wealthy, by cutting the number of human beings to whom we grant asylum, and support with foreign aid.
I’m angry that a coalition government would attempt to remove the carbon tax, which would have become an emissions trading scheme. Instead of taking real steps to cut the amount of carbon that we release into the atmosphere, we will move backwards.
I’m angry that an Abbott government would fail to act on the recommendations of the Gonski review of school funding, which reported the need for fairer funding for schools, so that ALL Australian children have access to quality education and resources. Abbott is promising only ONE THIRD of what the review recommended, because his funding stops after four years. EVERY child loses. Yes, your child, too! But students in public schools, who need the most funding, will lose the most.
I’m angry that an LNP government would have no foresight in its implementation of technology, favouring an inferior broadband system now, for cheap votes, which will end up costing more than Labor’s high speed NBN in the long run.
I’m angry that the Liberal party is so entrenched in conservative ideology that they would prevent two people, who love each other, from uniting in marriage if that’s what they choose to do. This is a leader who thinks of same sex love as a ‘fashion’.
I’m angry that the person representing us on the world stage could be a man who couldn’t comment on the intelligence, or commitment, or skills, or work ethic of one of his female candidates, only her ‘sex appeal’, who parades his daughters as ornaments and says vote for me because I have good looking daughters, who thinks women really do the ironing, and are incapable of doing certain jobs because they’re women.
I’m angry that our economy, which is the envy of the rest of the world, is presented as a failure by the opposition and the Murdoch press, and that PEOPLE BELIEVE IT.
I’m angry that people with five TVs, two fridges, three computers, dishwashers, air conditioners and clothes dryers are complaining about the increased cost of living because they’re paying for their carbon emissions. Stop being so selfish, use less electricity, live more simply, and think about your children, and your children’s children!
I’m angry that many people care more about their own hip pockets than what is really important – human life, education, planet Earth!
I’m angry that there is no such thing as news anymore, only opinion masquerading as news.
I’m angry that the coalition is going to get away with releasing no costings on any of its policies, and people will vote for them anyway!
I’m angry that an ad made by Getup!, which points out the TRUTH about the bias of the Murdoch press, will not be aired on television because the TV stations don’t want to offend Rupert.
Most of all I’m angry that, on Saturday, fear, greed and selfishness may very well win over compassion, vision and action.
Come on, Australia! What do you really value?
Note: if you are considering commenting here that the current government’s economic mismanagement is the cause of a future coalition government’s inability to meet foreign aid commitments, accept refugees, adequately fund education, etc, then please read this article by Joseph Stiglitz, professor of economics at Columbia University, recipient of the Nobel Prize in economics, where he will outline some flaws in your argument.
Raising Explorers 
Couldn’t have said it better myself! 😦 x
I admire your passion. I’m too worn down and jaded by the whole thing to feel anything but frustration. What annoys me the most is that there has been precious little rational and balanced discussion about anything. We have simply been subjected to the same old tiresome lines like “the ALP will destroy the economy” or “Tony Abbott will throw your children down the salt mines whilst simultaneously disarming the mining tax”. (slight exaggeration but…) Please don’t get me started on the Murdoch press.
Frustration felt pretty strongly here too, Brenda. Oh, a debate that was actually a debate would be pretty cool, too!
Well said!
It says a fair bit about the intelligence of the Australian population if they are prepared to vote for a bunch of people that you claim have not released any of their policies, rather than choosing to vote for the current sitting Government who have released all their policies. I am angry that once again most of my hard earned money is sucked up in taxes to pay interest on Government debt rather than being used to build the wealth of the country, employ more people and enable more to be given back to those in need in our local and foreign communities. If the current Labour Government was managing a company, the shareholders (ie you the voters of the country) would have called for a spill of the board and an entirely new and more capable management team to be installed. You can’t seriously be promoting that they be returned to Government?
Hello Anonymous. An interesting argument re our dreadful economy. Reality check? http://m.canberratimes.com.au/comment/australia-you-dont-know-how-good-youve-got-it-20130901-2sytb.html
Hi – didn’t say that we don’t have it good. But how good could it have been if the sitting Government had even the slightest ounce of getting value for money from the money they are entrusted to manage by the Australian people? Anyone can look good by spending other peoples money – the amazing way in which the Labour Government kept Australians out of the GFC – SO very cleaver of them. But a question – who is going to pay for it and who is the beneficiary of the interest paid on the borrowed money? I would prefer the available tax dollars be invested in Australia rather than being shipped overseas to pay interest on loans. Just think, that would enable a lot more money to be spent on schools, hospitals and roads and most importantly, to look after all those Australians who are most in need.
Australia did manage to escape from the significant fallout from the GFC, primarily due to the strength of the regulatory system surrounding the products our banks were permitted to trade in. Unlike many of the European and American banks, Australian banks had limited if any exposure to dealing in the advanced and complex synthetic derivatives that brought the financial world to its knees. Was this more good luck than planning? Perhaps? Perhaps it was a matter of time until our banks also got involved in these products. Was this anything the sitting Australian Labour Government had anything to do with? I think not.
I have no issue paying taxes and are happy to pay my fair share. My issue is I would rather see the wealth I help create in this country remain in this country (as I am sure every other Australian would want as well), helping those Australians most in need. I would rather my tax dollars be spent on improving the education and health of future generations of Australians. I don’t think this is to much to ask or to hope for.
Hi, well said. All valid points. My main point is about our values as a nation. Our economy is strong. I don’t think that can be debated. This Coalition promotes sending people back to be persecuted in places of turmoil, rather than helping them. I value all human life, and am happy for my tax dollars to help people outside Australia to survive. Perhaps we differ on this. Had the government not spent during the GFC, we would be in a worse position now. The Coalition will remove the carbon tax/ETS – a user-pays system – and replace it with a direct action scheme where the government will fund “action” to address climate change. This is ridiculously wasteful, and will no doubt have less impact than the ETS. Abbott will only fund 1/3 of the recommended Gonski reforms. Who loses? Our children. And in the long run, this nation, because education is the foundation of everything. Government is a tough job, isn’t it? And tough decisions need to be made. It’s about balancing our values as a nation with what we can afford. At some point we have to say, ‘Yes, that is going to cost more, but we need to do it, because it is the right thing to do.’ My main argument is that the current values of Australia – as reflected by electing a Coalition government today – are frightening. This Coalition shows no compassion for those seeking asylum, or those suffering overseas, sick and starving. This Coalition shows disregard for public education. This Coalition does not value the environment. The leader of the Coalition believes that women don’t have the same aptitudes and abilities as men. All of these things are of concern to me, and to many people. Today, however, the majority will show us that their values fall in line with the Coalition’s values, and THAT is why I am angry. And very, very sad.
Couldn’t say better myself. Sick of hearing about selfish people voting Liberal, when Labour voters want everything their way without any thought of paying the piper.
You must have missed that stimulus package thing that built Hundreds of new buildings for schools across the nation, do you think a liberal gov would have spent that cash on our kids , not a chance , and Your Tax , not that you pay any more now than you ever did, pays for the road you drive or the tram or whatever, then there is the hospital up the road , the ambos who get you there … need i go on , if your paying too much tax , get a better accountant .Or is that too expensive too. think about it .
Well, we had Dubya in the US. The country is still reeling from the mess he created over 8 years. I have definitely had my faith in the common sense and intelligence of the average American voter tested. Here’s hoping Australians are a more sensible lot!
Hmmmmm, yes the similarities are quite marked!
Hopefully aussies have more intelligence than the Libs think. Remember I vote for the policies and not persuaded by an American media mogul he gave up his right to being Australian to become a US citizen. Media shame on you.
Unfortunately the people of Australia will get the government they deserve for their shortsightedness
Excellent piece! One thing missing is the payment to women to have babies. I would also add the refusal to fund urban rail, but I realise that might not be a national issue.
Thanks Andrew! I did think about the ridiculous maternity leave policy after I wrote this. Might just add it!
I am actually in favour of a non means-tested paid parental leave scheme. It is the high achievers who need to breed if this country is to forge ahead, not the unemployed or people who have just lobbed up.
The so-called “high achievers” can afford to have babies without hand-outs partly funded by low-income earners!
The so-called high achievers are the already-privileged. If they are indeed so clever then they are better placed to prepare and plan for a baby. Yanno, basic stuff like using contraception and, when the baby is born, living within one’s means. But no. Thanks to John Howard, these already-privileged people have become entitlement-poisoned; they want to live like the DINKs they were once and expect to maintain that level of consumption post-natally and demand that someone, anyone but them, picks up the tab.
I’m more go smacked than angry (I’m sure that will come) that people who can see what Newman is doing to Qld would consider voting for the same approach across the country. I’m gobsmacked that, in polls, people have admitted they’ll be worse off but will vote against their own interests. I’m gobsmacked that Abbott, who has paraded his daughters around the campaign trail like cheap pieces of jewelry, will consign them to a bleak future because of his climate change denialism and regressive view of science and the environment.
To say you were a swinging voter once used to mean you objectively and intelligently assessed policy in the context of what was good for all the country; that you had a socially collective conscience. Alas with the lack of policy to analyse…it has now become a euphenism for “gullible and selfish” 😦
I am so fed up that the media can control what people think and say. We no longer have a decent news service that reports the news. We now have reporters that create the news as they see it. If the media wants to control the country they should have the decency to put there own political party forward so that we can be stupid enough to vote them in.
There is no news in VIC if its footy season….. unless it relates too footy. Who would guess theres a whole world out there, let alone the rest of the country….. Good thing i grew up elsewhere and learnt to use google and can read foreign papers on-line….
The Age Editorial agrees with your Anger mate so do not lose heart.
John Ward
All the following policies have been foreshadowed.
Mr Abbott, did say“no surprises nothing hidden” so over time we have been warned, we just were not listening. He says these are precisely targeted, but nothing about collateral damage.
Are you really prepared to Give Mr Abbott a mandate to do all these things with your vote?
Lower the tax-free threshold from $18,200 back to $6000. This will drag more than one million low-income earners back into the tax system. It will also increase the taxes for 6 million Australians earning less than $80,000. Thereby;
Saving families $300 dollars a year of Carbon Tax and costing them $2,300 per year in reinstated tax.
Abolish the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB)
Privatise Medibank.
Privatise the Snowy-Hydro Scheme.
Privatise Australia Post.
Privatise SBS.
Break up the ABC and put out to tender each individual function.
Privatise the Australian Institute of Sport.
End all public subsidies to sport and the arts.
Formalise a one-in, one-out approach to regulatory reduction.
Privatise the CSIRO.
Immediately halt construction of the National Broadband Network and privatise any sections that have already been built.
Rule out any government-supported or mandated internet censorship.
Abolish the means-tested School kids Bonus that benefits 1.3 million families by providing up to $410 for each primary school child and up to $820 for each high school child.
Abolish the Baby Bonus
Repeal the National Curriculum
Introduce competing private secondary school curriculum
Repeal the mining tax
Withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol
Repeal the Fair Work Act
Allow individuals and employers to negotiate directly terms of employment that suit them
Repeal the carbon tax, and don’t replace it.
Repeal the marine park Legislation
Repeal Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act
Abolish the low-income superannuation contribution.
Abolish the proposed 15 percent tax on income from.
End preferences for Industry Super Funds in workplace relations laws
Allow people to opt out of superannuation in exchange for promising to forgo any government income support in retirement
End all government funded Nanny State advertising
Repeal plain packaging for cigarettes and rule it out for all other products, including alcohol and fast food.
Reject proposals for compulsory food and alcohol labelling
Introduce a paid parental leave scheme that replaces a mother’s salary up to $150,000.
Reduce the size of the public service from current levels of more than 260,000 to at least the 2001 low of 212,784.
Abolish the Clean Energy Fund
Abolish the Department of Climate Change
Repeal the renewable energy target
Encourage the construction of dams
Introduce voluntary voting.
End mandatory disclosures on political donations.
End media blackout in final days of election campaigns.
End public funding to political parties
Introduce fee competition to Australian universities.
Reintroduce voluntary student unionism at universities.
Means test tertiary student loans
Introduce a voucher scheme for secondary schools
Eliminate the National Preventative Health Agency.
Abolish the means test on the private health insurance rebate.
Repeal the Alcopops tax.
Means-test Medicare.
Cease subsidising the car industry.
End all corporate welfare and subsidies by closing the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.
Force government agencies to put all of their spending online in a searchable database.
End all hidden protectionist measures, such as preferences for local manufacturers in government tendering.
Introduce a special economic zone in the north of Australia including.
Lower personal income tax for residents.
Devolve environmental approvals for major projects to the states
Introduce a single rate of income tax with a generous tax-free threshold.
Allow the Northern Territory to become a state.
Remove anti-dumping laws
Deregulate the parallel importation of books.
Remove all remaining tariff and non-tariff barriers to international trade
Return income taxing powers to the states
Abolish the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)
Legislate a balanced budget amendment which strictly limits the size of budget deficits and the period the federal government can be in deficit.
Legislate a cap on government spending and tax as a percentage of GDP
Abolish the Office for Film and Literature Classification
Abolish the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Eliminate laws that require radio and television broadcasters to be ‘balanced ‘.
Abolish television spectrum licensing and devolve spectrum management to the common law.
End local content requirements for Australian television stations
Eliminate media ownership restrictions.
Rule out federal funding for 2018 Commonwealth Games
^/september 2013
The Age Editorial.
On the issue of trust, the Coalition’s own actions leave us with significant reservations. It has obfuscated and ducked critical issues, deliberately keeping voters uninformed about its savings plans or revenue-raising initiatives. Worse has been its breathtaking arrogance in cynically delaying until the last minute its policy costings – this, from the party that drafted the charter of budget honesty. When it comes to trusting Labor, we appreciate the public’s confidence may be so undone that a change of government could prove to be a circuit-breaker, injecting a short-term sense of stability. But The Age values policies above political opportunism; we do not advocate a vote simply for the sake of change.
The Age believes in economic and social progress, in liberty and justice, in equity and compassion, and openness of government. We believe the role of government is to build a strong, fair nation for future generations, and not to pander to sectional interests. It is with these values in mind that we endorse the Labor Party in this important election.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/labors-policies-best-reflect-our-values-20130905-2t828.html#ixzz2e5ByPtsa
Great piece – I think the coalition’s own costings throw their argument about economic mismanagement by Labor out the window. Our economic situation is not bad at all.
Sad sad day come sunday if they are elected. I worry where our great country is headed.
The conduct of “the media” during this campaign has been scandalous…not since Gough Whitlam has ther been such bias, and in 2013 there is no pretence….it is overt bias. Sadly too many people base their judgements on what they see in the media…..not on fact. Having said that, where has the left wing of this country disappeared to??? The “bottom line” may be important (sadly), but I still think that our social conscious is more important. We are part of our WORLD……money means nothing
Hey what about the non Government self employed people out there? Labour is killing private business, there is no confidence in the private sector, Yes Labour did produce the BER (School Halls) to prop up the building industry (and many other failed projects) but due to its poor management many Sub contractors never got fully paid and yes the schools did get new infrastructure that was so over engineered and over priced due to the bus not having a driver in the front seat with any direction.
What ever happens this weekend we will all still be in a mess which ever party gets in, but I bet you if Rudd gets in his party will kick him out before he does a full term as history shows Labour is so unsettled internally they will never lead the nation, as for work choices or what ever they call it, if you employee some one that is useless should you have to keep them on because a government law, No way!, I am one of the small business that employee real people and all my staff (11) are all paid way over any modern award to no help of the Labour Party.
Please look beyond what your Unions have told you, or is it the blind leading the blind?
We always have a surplus under the Coalition because they don’t spend on infrastructure, schools, health, disability, aged and so on. Labor has to spend when they get in to redress the imbalance, and then they get crucified at the following election because they have had to go into deficit in an attempt to fix things. I would rather have a deficit than have billions sitting in Treasury and hear the Govt crowing endlessly about a surplus. You can’t have it both ways and putting the money back into building health, education, disability and aged services has been long overdue. Same old story, the rich get richer under the Coalition, but the rest of the country suffers. I remember several downturns in the economy; if you want a surplus, then get ready for a recession under Abbott as he’s going to rip the guts out of health, education, superannuation. The upper income earners will be having the babies and the low income earners will be paying for it one way or another. I agree that the bias across all areas of the media towards the LNP has been disgraceful. Freedom of speech does not mean truthful and informative journalism.
Great article here on how the brainwashing is effectively being done with short slogans. Also of how each time we repeat those slogans it further imprints them into people’s minds…
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/wake-up-australia-youre-being-brainwashed-by-right/
This is also recommended
– http://s21.postimg.org/ul14s28fb/Murdochs_War_On_Australia_Control_of_News_Politi.png
^ It’s an article in image (png) form, can be downloaded and shared around that way.
Fantastic article! I don’t live in Australia anymore, but have lots of former science colleagues who do. I makes me angry that Abbott also says he’ll decide who does and doesn’t get research funding, instead of allowing the actual experts to decide via the long-established tradition of peer-review. Good-bye to basic research on Australian wildlife, effects of global warming, obscure but fatal diseases, and many other things the red continent really needs to remain a key world player and forward-thinking nation!
I am ,looking forward to tonight more than anything for a very long time. The Australian public have finally woken up to the fact that the Labor party have no idea how to run the country, are dysfunctional, can’t execute on anything even if they had a policy, are outright liars and scare mongrels…it’ s a RUDDY mess. Some might not like Tony Abbott but I am sure he will run the country for all, not just a few, and will be very consultative in his approach.
Sooo… Labor DIDN’T govern Australia through the GFC? Labor DIDN’T take the bold step of rolling out a national broadband network when just 3 years ago the coalition said it would stop the roll-out? Labor is the only party with any vision for the country. The coalition just wants to save money and go nowhere.
Of course you are. You also missed the entire point of my post, which is about what we value as a people. If the Australian people have “woken up” to realise that we don’t value education, or human life, or human rights, or the earth that supports us, then perhaps we are better off asleep. This nation of sheep will have the government of wolves that it deserves. You are deadly right; spot on. Enjoy the celebration.
I’m so angry that sometimes I can scarcely breathe. As Goebbels said : “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”. Ignorant people will believe it, especially when Murdoch keeps repeating it.
I’m with you! I totally agree! We are going to pay for a government run by Rupert Murdoch, Gina Rinehart and the Institute of Public Affairs. The environment is going to pay dearly which means society and the economy will pay. I think Australia has will have many deep questions to ask itself.
I think Australians need a massive reality check. I fear this is it. I fear just how much Hockey (and his puppet Abbot) can stuff things up in a few years. as after Fraser got in, I do not expect a few years later to meet even 10% of people who will admit to voting Liberal. We have become such a venal, self interested, selfish, status and wealth focussed society.
I am so far beyond anger. It spent nearly an hour at a polling booth today. This is what I wrote. For future reference, you can fit an essay of around 700 words on the back of an ACT Senate ballot paper…
Dear Mr Abbott and Mr Rudd
You both loudly and publicly profess your Christianity. I am also a theist, of no particular variety, raised in the Christian tradition. I would like you to both take the time to read the following poem, based on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Chapter 25, verses 35 and 36. The poem is attributed to Bob Rowland. I have been unable to find any details about him or to contact him. I trust that he would not object to the sharing of it.
Listen Christian
I was hungry and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger.
Thank you.
I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the cellar and prayed for my release.
I was naked, and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.
I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless, and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely and you left me alone, to pray for me.
You seemed so holy: so close to God.
But I’m still, very hungry, and lonely, and cold.
So where have your prayers gone?
What have they done?
What does it profit a man to page through his book of prayers,
With the rest of the world
Crying for his help?
When my family moved to live in Canberra I was 8 years old. A few weeks later, a friend of my mother took us to the city in her car. We drove past the South African Embassy on the way, and I remember hearing my the conversation of the two women, following the driver sounding the car horn, in support of the picketers outside the embassy. I have been interested in politics since that day. I grew up believing that the Australian interpretation of representative democracy was second to none. I saw that women and men with both convictions, and pragmatism, chose a career in political life and that there was basic goodness to be found on all sides of politics.
I am devastated by the utter absence of that basic goodness in both of you. As neither of you will stand up say “Enough!” and lead, instead of follow the mindless masses, then, for the first time in my life, I will not cast a vote in a federal election. I cannot help every homeless person in my city, or even my suburb – I can help the one that is standing in front of me as walk to the bus, or into a shop. This nation cannot help every soul seeking refuge – we can help those who knock on our door. Human rights is still the number one issue which I consider in determining how I cast my vote.
I debated with my father when I was teenager, about the merits of compulsory voting. I was opposed to the idea, and then my father successfully answered every one of my objections. My final point had been, “What if you cannot, in good conscience, vote for any candidate in a given election?” And Dad answered that the beauty of our system was that you could always stand yourself, so that you had someone to vote for.
I cannot, in good conscience, give either of you the comfort of the tiny transfer value of my vote that would be left to the one of you whose party would be second last on my ballot paper. Neither am I able to stand for election, as I live on a tiny income and cannot meet the required deposit.
I am outraged and frustrated and despairing of the direction one of you will take this country.
I know that the harshest words a parent can utter to their child are “I’m disappointed in you.” This is all I have – I am disappointed in you both.
Yours sincerely
100% agree and i too am amazed people are so selfish
It is a pity that so may people are fooled by empty political rhetoric about debt and defict, illegal boat people, the dreaded carbon tax, etc., without any considered understanding of these issues and the real problems facing this nation. I fear for the soul of this nation and am suprised at the stampede by every special interest group, in particular the entitled in society, to gouge its share of the public purse.
Aside from the fact that I am gutted that Australia believed Abbott and his spin doctors, my heart is gladdened to read that like myself there are people out there who worry about the soul of our nation and the selfishness which has crept into our lives. That people are concerned when a media mogul can influence the thoughts and beliefs of those who are unable or un wanting to think for themselves. I had been feeling very alone in my concerns about the future of our nation however I am comforted to see there are some decent, caring, thinking intelligent people left. This is not a party political issue it is a human issue and while LNP voters can comforand congratulate themselves that they got rid of those “awful left wing pollies” I hope they can live with the souless nation Abbott and his ilk will possible create. I have always felt Australia was a lucky country because of our willingness to open our hearts and minds to those in need, to give of ourselves to others. As anyone who is a giver knows, when you give with sincerity it always returns to you. Well, it works in reverse as well, if we become insular and selfish our “luck” will run out. I have lived here for over 40 years, since my parents immigrated when I was a child. Not once in that time have a I considered that there could be a better place to live than Australia. Until now – I pray that this government does not turn us into a poor mans America.
Reblogged this on Semper Quaerens and commented:
I was going to compose a posting this morning to give vent to the disillusionment and concern that I have following yesterday’s federal election…but then I found this, which says it all so much better!
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