This government has proven a couple of things here, the first is its chops in foreign policy and negotiation.
The second is proof that when Labor decides to act on something and get it done, it can. Therefore there should be no reason why issues such as a 25% gas export tax and a genuine long term solution to the housing problem (which underwrites the CoL one) can’t be done or in the case of housing, something done with the states.
Labor’s never had problems writing legislation or doing a job, it’s the will and the lobby that is their issue.
The second is proof that when Labor decides to act on something and get it done, it can.
Getting a supply of petrol is a skill issue. Labor wins 10 times out of 10 on skill issues. A gas export tax, fixing the housing crisis, gambling reforms, and Israel are political issues. Labor, with so much of the country rigged against them, almost always loses when it comes to political issues.
rigged against them
Labor are responsible for their issues politically. Saying the country is rigged against them is a bold claim as well if the last election result federally is anything to go by. Either they have a solid grip, proven by the vote as is claimed or the country’s rigged against them, as is claimed. Both can’t be true.
The media are, certainly. Labor get a better deal from them than those further left or independent though, to the point where the population now believes perpetuated lines about those groups. Shit like ‘can’t govern’, ‘haven’t proven…’ and ‘obstruct’, put to the public by ‘sensible, pragmatic thinkers’ who work well with a poor media.
The policies are tepid; the housing policies have helped nobody except the banks, investors and those who were buying anyway, but that’s as designed. Now it looks as if we might have a heap of people carrying the can on these 5% deposit loans (the one that helps those buying anyway). That’s fine, Albo will help them into a Build to Rent rental.
Gambling reforms; if you mean gambling advertising, they’re the ones wanting to keep advertising. It’s the right thing to do to oppose Labor’s stance on this. The same exists for the Middle East crisis; Labor has a weak position here as well. As usual.
We see Labor’s weaknesses right now with Senate enquiries into the PRRT along with the garbage lines that people don’t understand the tax, it’s the future we look at, changing the tax will stop investment. All of it demonstrably false.
Now they’re cutting the NDIS, selling it under ‘removing fraudulent operators’, the stuff you expect from low grade individuals like Scomo or Anus. After giving away over 100b in tax cuts that don’t help everyone.
The rest, such as wage issues and healthcare fixes are expected from a centre left workers party. That’s their bread and butter; if they fail to deliver there, there’s not a lot of point in the party.
Labor are pretty dogshit. They’re better than the Coalition but that’s not a high bar.
2022 election: Labor vs. Scott Morrison. 2025 election: Labor vs. Peter Dutton.
That’s why Labor won. They had an incompetent opposition. Also in 2022 there was a sense in the press that they wanted the LNP gone so they started accurately representing the choices. Labor needs to be on edge because if the LNP find someone competent to lead them then they’ll be on the ropes going forwards (probably won’t lose the next election though).
And the NDIS reforms aren’t really them being right-wing, it’s them being competent. The NDIS is growing in cost ludicrously, and has become a haven for fraudulent service providers. It needs urgent reform, even if it pisses off Labor’s left flank.
this is like punching yourself in the face multiple times and then congratulating yourself for getting to hospital.
We’ve been warned since the 1970s this was an issue, at least every decade since there’s some major upset in this regard, not least during covid just recently.
We’re the biggest user of diesel of any nation on the planet per capita, we have some of the busiest short haul aircraft routes, with the Melbourne -Sydney route being the busiest on the planet and produce no jet fuel and little to no diesel, we export most of the raw food we grow then reimport it as processed food. We have the longest coastline of any nation on the planet and import 70% of our seafood, We call our biggest trading partner our enemy. We neither fuel, nor feed ourselves (nor house ourselves) and our foreign and defence policies are based in the 1950s.
We have all of this wrapped up in the blanket of climate change which is unlike any calamity humanity has faced before, likely collapsing civilisation and destroying the biosphere
Confronted with all this, we choose to do nothing but deny and make it all worse
Yeah, I can’t argue with that view, despite the fact they’ve proven they can do a job when they want to.
You’re spot on. We’ve been warned for years about it, we’ve been told for years that we could drive a revolution in renewables and the use of EVs if we wanted and we’ve sat on our hands through the lot. Things like solar on all rentals and public houses; all that should have been done years ago. We know why, too, Punter was in the Senate the other day showing us why.
We are indeed a lucky country, led by second rate men sharing the luck running on other people’s ideas. It’s a shame we have to be that way because they’ve proven they can act fast when they want to.
Sorry what?
My Mrs makes great fried rice therefore there’s absolutely no reason why she couldn’t build me a new boat. She can obviously make things when she puts her mind to it.
Indeed, as you only have one missus where Labor has several, apparently very experienced politicians who are repeatedly talked up by their PR people. As you talk your partner up I guess.
Na that can’t be true. Liberal politicians told us we’d completely run dry in 30 days because we only have 30 days of fuel. More cant be added to the local supply, can it? Surely their dog whistles to panic buy weren’t intended to make the situation worse? /S
P.s. Does anyone want to buy fuel? Bulk discount on 200L or more! (Also /S obviously but you never know here.)
I guess everyone finished hoarding.
Prices have dropped a fair bit as well. All those dinguses filling up Jerry cans when prices peaked must feel like right idiots. At least I hope they do.
Good work on behalf of the government, but I do wonder whether this news and falling fuel prices (partially as a result of the cut to the excise tax) Australians might be getting a bit complacent again. These are short-term improvements to a problem that could be long-term and is out of our control. Now is the time to be thinking long-term about how we can prepare for the worst case scenario, including making changes to our individual lifestyles, not sticking to our usual routines of driving everywhere for everything and then suddenly panicking again if things take another turn for the worse.
I agree that its always a great time to buy an e-bike.
However, i don’t think we should be making long term policy decisions on the basis of the current crisis.
I don’t think the federal government necessarily has to make long-term policy decisions right now. My concern is more that short-term decisions can and will influence public behaviour to the point that more significant responses may be needed in the longer term. We don’t seem to be willing to adapt to the crisis or learn to live with it. Instead it’s either pretending everything is fine and ignoring the problem or panicking and demanding the government do something about it, which results in short-term “solutions” like cutting the fuel excise tax so we can all go right back to pretending the problem doesn’t exist or affect us when it absolutely will at some point.
Hmm… the primary cause of recessions is a collapse of public sentiment.
Like 3 weeks ago if everyone thought “oh wow this is really terrible we better hunker down and not go away for easter”, you basically have an immediate recession.
Sometimes a recession is really necessary - like if this crisis lasts for a year or more then yeah, our economy will probably need to shrink in order to adapt as you say.
On the other hand if reason can prevail for a minute and things settle down with Iran, or even if we can get a good arrangement with the countries receiving our LNG to keep us topped up with Diesel, then we might be able to sail through this.
This post claims that we have more fuel now than we’ve ever had. At this moment the whole fiasco is a problem of public sentiment.
Cutting the excise and telling everyone to go away for Easter was a way to soothe public sentiment. Everyone just cool down, keep doing what you’re doing, and we’ll adapt as necessary as the situation unfolds.
I guess I’m saying that for the moment, we do want people to pretend the problem doesn’t exist because in a way the problem has been misunderstood.
supply chain is the issue
long term supply of plant fertiliser will determine much of our fate
Yeah I was never concerned about fuel. Plenty of stretch and slack in that space. Fertilizer production is a behemoth that can’t just stop and start on a dime, and it has wide and lasting ripple effects downstream for months or years
DoN’t PaNiC! sToP HoArDiNg!
What are you scared of mate?
I’m just scared of all sorts really.
War.
Well, and inflation.
But besides, war and inflation, the true cost of living.
And unaffordable housing.
So, there’s war, inflation, the cost of living, unaffordable housing, hmmmm and it seems like the financial markets are gonna tank, so let’s just put it under a big umbrella of recession.
And if you mention the “R” word, then maybe the big “D” for depression is due.
Besides the above, excluding climate change and the threat of AI, no wuckas.
And you’re gonna prepare for this by buying an excess of fuel during its peak in price?
Meh, sarcasm and wit is dead.
And I killed it.
Correct me if I’m wrong but you saying “don’t panic stop hoarding” sarcastically would imply that you think panicking and hoarding were good ideas.
And still far less than guidelines say we should have, and far less than every other developed country.
The government don’t get congratulated for only cutting off 8 fingers instead of all 10.
