Australian Federal Election 2025

[wayneL]

Bandt has now conceded.

Leadership race is gonna be an amusing @#$& show.

The member for the Caliphate and the member for low IQ early favourites.

 

[Knobby22]

Very dangerous for the Libs. This reminds me of the Victorian Libs. Each election loss worse than the last. Why would I a disaffected Liberal like me want to vote for a party wearing Maga hats? But maybe I am wrong about her. Time will tell. I just note the Nationals don't seem unhappy to lose her.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says she believes she'll be more effective as a member of the Coalition if she sits with the Liberal Party, "especially as the party faces a significant rebuild after Saturday".

"A rebuild I feel obliged to play a robust part in," she says.
"I want to bring back our core values of liberty, individual freedom and responsibility, the rule of law, free market and economic prosperity, minimal government intervention, a fair go and most of all, love for our nation, Australia."

She concludes her statement by saying she wants the Liberal Party to "stop whispering our values and start declaring them again, not as fringe ideas, but as the foundation on which this country was built".

"Let this serve as a reminder that our duty is not to win favour with the few, but to stand united with the many – those who Menzies recognised, those who Howard defended, and those we must fight for now," she says.

 

[wayneL]

Even saltier than Liberal saltiness

"Former Greens Leader Bob Brown says that the Prime Minister has “the grace of a cockroach” for dancing over the party’s political grave."

Bob has obviously read Matthew 5:13

 

[Bellcose]

Bandt has now conceded.

My, my. How generous of him.

While I know little about the dude, one thing which struck me was his refusal to compromise. Politics involves that if you want to achieve your aims. Sure, you may not get the outcome you prefer but at a minimum you will achieve a portion of your policy as well as being seen to be able to work with others to achieve an agreed position.

 

[sptrawler]

Very dangerous for the Libs. This reminds me of the Victorian Libs. Each election loss worse than the last. Why would I a disaffected Liberal like me want to vote for a party wearing Maga hats? But maybe I am wrong about her. Time will tell. I just note the Nationals don't seem unhappy to lose her.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says she believes she'll be more effective as a member of the Coalition if she sits with the Liberal Party, "especially as the party faces a significant rebuild after Saturday".


She concludes her statement by saying she wants the Liberal Party to "stop whispering our values and start declaring them again, not as fringe ideas, but as the foundation on which this country was built".

The Libs will be fine, when they get someone with a brain up front, a bit the same as Labor was when Bill lost the 2019 election.

Jacinta with a bit of polish, could very easily become the first aboriginal PM, let's be honest Albo got there and she has a lot more cred than him IMO and I'm not being racist. You decide which way to float that one. LOL

Anyway I've seen Price twice, once during all the voice issue and the second time the other day, when IFocus mentioned about an ABC interview which I then watched.

It would have been very easy for her to have lost her cool as the reporter was way out of line, but she didn't.

As for the Maga hat issue, I read up a bit on that and it sounds like it was taken off a social media site from a party she was at.

Let's be honest Knobby, some of the pictures you've posted up, you wouldn't want put on national T.V and if people judged you on what you post up at a party, would you really be upset if they didn't like it.

I'm sure you wouldn't let a silly photo like that decide your voting preference, well i would think you are smarter than that.

I said a while back that I thought the Libs were bereft of talent at the top, it is time for them to start and hand the baton to the next generation, I would be surprised if Frydenberg isn't pushed back into play to mentor the next generation.


Time will tell, but the Libs are going to have to get someone up and running before super smooth Chalmers arrives, god help us then.

 

[wayneL]

It is clear that the centre right pinning their hopes on the minor parties has been and will be absolutely fruitless. Therefore our only hope is actually the coalition.

Therefore I whole heartedly agree with Jacinta, with the caveat that they do actually have to figure out what party they want to be, and and who their constituency actually is.

This view that the liberals have moved too far to the right is absolute tosh, and the view of the Victorian poster above the road to perpetual failure of the coalition, nonsense of the greatest magnitude.

No, we do not want goose stepping Nazis, but we certainly do not want Labor Lite, post-modernists pandering to the corrosive agenda of the globalist shills, and critical theorists. Something along the lines of St Javier would be amazing.

Unfortunately the apparent rise of heretics like SuSSan Ley will perpetuate the rot and leave the party in the political wilderness ad infinitum, figuratively roaming the desert and building golden calves, but without chance of electoral redemption. Philistines, the lot of them (pardon the mixing of metaphors)... and it could be decades of socialist malaise, just like Argentina.

 

[sptrawler]

It is clear that the centre right pinning their hopes on the minor parties has been and will be absolutely fruitless. Therefore are only hope is actually the coalition.

Therefore I whole heartedly agree with Jacinta, with the caveat that they do actually have to figure out what party they want to be, and and who there constituency actually is.

This view that the liberals have moved too far to the right is absolute tosh, and the view of the Victorian poster above the road to perpetual failure of the coalition, nonsense of the greatest magnitude.

They just need to be able to get some people at the top, that actually have been at the bottom and the rest will fall in place.

Canberra is top heavy, with politicians that have been nowhere else but politics, since they started work.

IMO politics, to a lot of them, is like a game of chess about keeping the job and moving up.

To the plebs, the decisions they make, decides whether they have food on the table.

 

[SirRumpole]

It is clear that the centre right pinning their hopes on the minor parties has been and will be absolutely fruitless. Therefore are only hope is actually the coalition.

Therefore I whole heartedly agree with Jacinta, with the caveat that they do actually have to figure out what party they want to be, and and who there constituency actually is.

This view that the liberals have moved too far to the right is absolute tosh, and the view of the Victorian poster above the road to perpetual failure of the coalition, nonsense of the greatest magnitude.

No, we do not want goose stepping Nazis, but we certainly do not want Labor Lite, post-modernists pandering to the corrosive agenda of the globalist shills, and critical theorists. Something along the lines of St Javier would be amazing.

Unfortunately the apparent rise of heretics like SuSSan Ley will perpetuate the rot and leave party in the political wilderness ad infinitum, figuratively roaming the desert and building golden calves, but without chance of electoral redemption. Philistines, the lot of them (pardon the mixing of metaphors)... and it could be decades of socialist malaise, just like Argentina.

Well I think the basic problem for the Libs is that people are now addicted to handouts like childcare, energy bill relief and whatnot, and Labor has a very effective wedge that Liberal 'values' of small government will remove those benefits.

Just like John Howard's poison chalice to the Budget bottom line, CGT deductions and tax free super pensions, the middle class welfare is now set in stone and the Libs will have a hard time explaining how they are going to repair the sins of the past.

 

[wayneL]

Well I think the basic problem for the Libs is that people are now addicted to handouts like childcare, energy bill relief and whatnot, and Labor has a very effective wedge that Liberal 'values' of small government will remove those benefits.

Just like John Howard's poison chalice to the Budget bottom line, CGT deductions and tax free super pensions, the middle class welfare is now set in stone and the Libs will have a hard time explaining how they are going to repair the sins of the past.

Indeed, hence my view things are going to have to really turn to crap, and they will.

 

[sptrawler]

Well I think the basic problem for the Libs is that people are now addicted to handouts like childcare, energy bill relief and whatnot, and Labor has a very effective wedge that Liberal 'values' of small government will remove those benefits.

Just like John Howard's poison chalice to the Budget bottom line, CGT deductions and tax free super pensions, the middle class welfare is now set in stone and the Libs will have a hard time explaining how they are going to repair the sins of the past.

Actually tax free super pensions, were in the original roll out Rumpy, you need to move on from Howard he and Costello actually achieved a lot.
Keating brought in super and was chucked out soon after, Howard had to make it work for older workers, that hadn't had any.
So they allowed leniency so older peopl eto get some in, the fact that has been abused isn't all their fault, that was 20 odd years ago.
Plenty could and have changed it, since then, sometimes people need to move on.

But I would love to debate it with you and IFocus, if your up for it.

 

[IFocus]

I believe it was from her own Facebook page.

As for the Maga hat issue, I read up a bit on that and it sounds like it was taken off a social media site from a party she was at.

Price was a train wreck for the Liberals campaign as were the Nats generally repeating lines from Gina MAGA BS and forever playing the victim, running culture wars. The Libs don't need her rubbish they need people who actually relate with todays generations.

I personally think Australians were happy to hide behind the Price and Dutton's No Voice campaign as they generally dislike Aboriginal's but don't actually warm to that style of politics.

 

[SirRumpole]

Actually tax free super pensions, were in the original roll out Rumpy, you need to move on from Howard he and Costello actually achieved a lot.
Keating brought in super and was chucked out soon after, Howard had to make it work for older workers, that hadn't had any.
So they allowed leniency so older peopl eto get some in, the fact that has been abused isn't all their fault, that was 20 odd years ago.
Plenty could and have changed it, since then, sometimes people need to move on.

But I would love to debate it with you and IFocus, if your up for it.

Well, it comes down to means testing again I think.

Taxing super pensions above the median wage , maybe at a reduced rate would seem fair, why should people on a $200k pension get it tax free?

But of course, it would be like taking a dummy away from a baby. Some people might have to cut down on their cruises.

 

[Bellcose]

Well I think the basic problem for the Libs is that people are now addicted to handouts like childcare, energy bill relief and whatnot, and Labor has a very effective wedge that Liberal 'values' of small government will remove those benefits.

Just like John Howard's poison chalice to the Budget bottom line, CGT deductions and tax free super pensions, the middle class welfare is now set in stone and the Libs will have a hard time explaining how they are going to repair the sins of the past.

On the tax free pensions bit, it was a mishmash. Before that was introduced the tax concessions were overly generous. Relatively few had a few hundred thousand in concessional and non-concessional money to throw into super. Superannuation was a rare employee benefit for most Australians and confined to those in the public service, judicial and executives of large corporations. The most the peons could look forward to was the age pension. However, those who could put the funds in were, and are, inclined to claim it was for their benefit. They were far outweighed in absolute numbers by lower paid people working in retail, factories and the like.

As to the Howard/Costello policy, it was poorly designed and had little in the way of restrictions and the amounts were weighted to those who had the dosh. Gets down to the situation where our Parliamentarians of any party failed to view the very long-term and the impact on the hit to taxation revenue.

We are now at a point where that is starting to hurt and attempts are being made to turn it around. Going to be very difficult in my opinion and I don't like the way it is currently being proposed as I feel it punishes those who have not broken any laws i.e. Parliament again, but are viewed by a number of sectors as having done so.

 

[sptrawler]

Well, it comes down to means testing again I think.

Taxing super pensions above the median wage , maybe at a reduced rate would seem fair, why should people on a $200k pension get it tax free?

But of course, it would be like taking a dummy away from a baby. Some people might have to cut down on their cruises.

Absolutely, it has to be changed IMO and Labor taxing the crap out of people who have more than $3m in super is exactly what should happen. $3m in today's money supplements a pretty good lifestyle.

But to keep harping back to the early 2000's isn't right IMO, super was started and a lot of breaks were given when it was introduced.

But there were a lot of older workers, that had nothing in super and no time to put any in, so they couldn't expect any benefit from the wages they were sacrificing instead of pay rises.

I worked through that period and a lot of the older guys weren't happy, when instead of a pay rise the Govt put it in super, it was fine for the younger workers like myself.

When Howard said that people could put a one of contribution, a lot of the older guys actually took loans out and put it in super with the idea of downsizing when they retired and paying off the loan, they weren't in for a million dollars, but back then there were strict limits on what cold be put in.

Also back then there were minimum /maximum amounts you could take as a pension and it didn't affect the age pension.
So taking sound grabs on one aspect doesn't actually encapsulate the whole situation, similar to now, those people with more than for example $5m should have to move it out of super IMO.

It was designed to enhance the retirement phase of life, not be a cash cow for billionaires, the problem is as usual it is easier to demonise rather than rationalise.

The unintended consequences is, those workers who it is meant to encourage are tarred with the same brush, as those who are abusing it and a lot of young people aren't contributing any extra
That is sad fact of life in Australia, rusted on nasty bar$tards, hammering the little guy in the name of getting the big guy.

You have to remember Rumpy, there is more money taking $20,000 off 10 million people, than taking $500,000 off 100 billionaires.

 

[JohnDe]

Well, it comes down to means testing again I think.

Taxing super pensions above the median wage , maybe at a reduced rate would seem fair, why should people on a $200k pension get it tax free?

But of course, it would be like taking a dummy away from a baby. Some people might have to cut down on their cruises.

I was listening to a discussion on Radio National on the way home tonight, and they were saying that it isn’t fair for all when the family home is not taxed or taken into consideration when people retire and take all the benefits of retirement pension; discount services, bus fares, medical, etc.

Talk was of slowly educating and introducing small incremental changes, until eventually retirees are acceptable of paying capital gains tax on their $2 million + home.

 

[Knobby22]

The Libs will be fine, when they get someone with a brain up front, a bit the same as Labor was when Bill lost the 2019 election.

Jacinta with a bit of polish, could very easily become the first aboriginal PM, let's be honest Albo got there and she has a lot more cred than him IMO and I'm not being racist. You decide which way to float that one. LOL

Anyway I've seen Price twice, once during all the voice issue and the second time the other day, when IFocus mentioned about an ABC interview which I then watched.

It would have been very easy for her to have lost her cool as the reporter was way out of line, but she didn't.

As for the Maga hat issue, I read up a bit on that and it sounds like it was taken off a social media site from a party she was at.

Let's be honest Knobby, some of the pictures you've posted up, you wouldn't want put on national T.V and if people judged you on what you post up at a party, would you really be upset if they didn't like it.

I'm sure you wouldn't let a silly photo like that decide your voting preference, well i would think you are smarter than that.

I said a while back that I thought the Libs were bereft of talent at the top, it is time for them to start and hand the baton to the next generation, I would be surprised if Frydenberg isn't pushed back into play to mentor the next generation.


Time will tell, but the Libs are going to have to get someone up and running before super smooth Chalmers arrives, god help us then.

Her problem is she watches Sky News and believes it. We shall see. If they keep repeating the same mistakes....

 

[Knobby22]

I was listening to a discussion on Radio National on the way home tonight, and they were saying that it isn’t fair for all when the family home is not taxed or taken into consideration when people retire and take all the benefits of retirement pension; discount services, bus fares, medical, etc.

Talk was of slowly educating and introducing small incremental changes, until eventually retirees are acceptable of paying capital gains tax on their $2 million + home.

I think that would be suicide as long as there is a party in good enough condition to take over. Liberals need to wake up!
If they came up with a plan to help free enterprise, small business, reduce property speculation and didn't try to piss off many sections of society they would win.

 

[Bellcose]

Talk was of slowly educating and introducing small incremental changes, until eventually retirees are acceptable of paying capital gains tax on their $2 million + home.

I purchased this present residence in 1996. Although I have changed the kitchen and made a 1982 build more comfortable as a home, I haven't bought it since then so I wonder who caused the value to increase? Oh, I know, people younger than me who found the area desirable and were happy to borrow lots of money at low interest rates and probably pay inflated prices.

Their fault for being greedy, not mine.

 

[sptrawler]

Well, it comes down to means testing again I think.

Taxing super pensions above the median wage , maybe at a reduced rate would seem fair, why should people on a $200k pension get it tax free?

But of course, it would be like taking a dummy away from a baby. Some people might have to cut down on their cruises.

There are plenty of pensioners on cruises, who have a full pension and a huge mansion.
I can actually remember politicians, saying that elderly living in mansions shouldn't get the pension and should have to downsize.
How times change, when those same politicians and their supporters, get older and live in mansions. LOl

@SirRumpole how much money do you think is lost, in CGT exemption, for the prime residence exemption?

Put it another way, should the married couple who sell their house for $1million and put it in super at 5% or $50k/ annum, be punished?

When they could have stayed in the house and received $50k pension, how that would that make sense?

It's an interesting subject and for super to work, there has to be a benefit for the worker, not only for the Government.

This is 2015-2016, what do you think it is now?

According to Treasury the size of the main residence exemption is $46 billion in 2015- 16. This means that the exemption to the top 10 per cent of households was worth $17.1 billion.

 

[Bellcose]

Oh well, the oldest of the Gen X generation turns 60 this year. Such fun they will have with what some of them may have voted for.

At which point Millennials will likely be complaining about their parents.

And so it continues.