The Down Under Lounge

[Australis]

I liked 26. Gum nuts. Nature's lego.

I have one wrod for you: bindiis.

 

[Australis]

As a poor person who does not drive a car I don't think I am that qualified to speak on Smoking Joe's latest statement "Poor people don't own cars or if they do they don't drive far".

However I do know many poor people who do need cars especially friends who do not live in a city.

That's an absurb statement. The wrongness of it is so obvious to me I'm a bit lost as to how to respond.

Except with WTF?

I can't believe he actually said that. It shows just how out of touch with the average Australian he is. Most of our population live in the suburbs and as such a car is vital to our way of life. The difference between rich and poor is what we drive.

Why you would say such a thing in this freaking HUGE country full of vast distances and non-existent public transport in many places I don't know. It especially doesn't jell with all the hoopla about how many jobs people need to look for etc.. there are many places you cannot look for jobs if you don't have a car.

I'm sure he'd tell people to move or somesuch.. well the closer you get to excellent public transport the more expensive rents can be and the less likely you can do this if you are poor.

Well, he doesn't pay for his transport, he just gets wafted about the place. And yes, both points about urban life and huge distances are spot on.

The fact he said it, and stands by it, is the amazing part. It WILL lose them the next election. It overwhelms any good feeling from the Ukraine recovery effort.

 

[Marc]

As a poor person who does not drive a car I don't think I am that qualified to speak on Smoking Joe's latest statement "Poor people don't own cars or if they do they don't drive far".

However I do know many poor people who do need cars especially friends who do not live in a city.

That's an absurb statement. The wrongness of it is so obvious to me I'm a bit lost as to how to respond.

Except with WTF?

I can't believe he actually said that. It shows just how out of touch with the average Australian he is. Most of our population live in the suburbs and as such a car is vital to our way of life. The difference between rich and poor is what we drive.

Why you would say such a thing in this freaking HUGE country full of vast distances and non-existent public transport in many places I don't know. It especially doesn't jell with all the hoopla about how many jobs people need to look for etc.. there are many places you cannot look for jobs if you don't have a car.

I'm sure he'd tell people to move or somesuch.. well the closer you get to excellent public transport the more expensive rents can be and the less likely you can do this if you are poor.

Well, he doesn't pay for his transport, he just gets wafted about the place. And yes, both points about urban life and huge distances are spot on.

The fact he said it, and stands by it, is the amazing part. It WILL lose them the next election. It overwhelms any good feeling from the Ukraine recovery effort.

Over a 4 year period Sloppy Joe Hockey cost tax payers over $200,000 for car travel.

$66,000 for Comcar
$57,000 for use of private motor vehicle
$54,000 for hire car
$30,000 taxis

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

What a piece of shit.

 

[Australis]

Hey, don't speak so badly of shit!

I'm reminded of a line in a book about Scottish soldiers, referring to one of the men, and delivered in a braod accent:
"Yon's a bad man, good is not in him".

 

[Jono]

Over a 4 year period Sloppy Joe Hockey cost tax payers over $200,000 for car travel.

$66,000 for Comcar
$57,000 for use of private motor vehicle
$54,000 for hire car
$30,000 taxis

This is Hockey's brilliance at work. $50,000/year on car travel. It proves you need to be rich to drive a car.

 

[Australis]

In an update: all the Lib pollies between Port Stephens and the south end of the Central Coast are in deep doodah, with at least 2 by-elections to be held. More, as they say, to come.

ETA: back to Hockey for a minute. I saw a truly funny cartoon today, from Warren in the Daily Terror. I tried to find a copy to post here but no joy. Made me laugh like hell.

So, it's titled 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous', and has a bunch of cars in a traffic jam, everyone with bored, fed-up, cranky expressions, and in one car, one says to another, "I wonder what the poor people are doing?"

 

[Marc]

I see the stupidity in the current Australian government starts at the top down.

According to that arsehole Abbott, those in favour of Scottish independence are enemies of freedom.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BvHLk2rCAAAuYIF.jpg:large

 

[Miss Chicken]

It is a pity that Abbott's parents weren't so pro-British to have stayed in the UK instead of migrating to Australia with their shitty kid.

 

[Jono]

Scots enemies of freedom, Australia was terra nullius before the Brits got here, what next from Abbott? Maybe he'll ask the UN Security Council for a military intervention in Ireland to bring it back under Mother England.

 

[Australis]

Although I was born in Scotland, and still regard it as an important part of who I am, I am not weighing into the independence debate - I don't live there and it's not my place to say, much as I might want to. Unlike our PM.

The disappointment I feel in the politicians around here, State & Federal, is significant - why are they all, every one, so determined to feather their nests and "help their mate"? It's terible, the quality of people attracted to the job.

 

[Commishsleer]

Over a 4 year period Sloppy Joe Hockey cost tax payers over $200,000 for car travel.

$66,000 for Comcar
$57,000 for use of private motor vehicle
$54,000 for hire car
$30,000 taxis

This is Hockey's brilliance at work. $50,000/year on car travel. It proves you need to be rich to drive a car.

People on benefits don't have 'portant' things to do.
Like drive kids to school.
Or buy groceries.

I live 3km from the nearest school or shops. I suppose I could put the 5 year old on public transport and send her to school.
I know Joe Hockey understands.

 

[Marc]

In an update: all the Lib pollies between Port Stephens and the south end of the Central Coast are in deep doodah, with at least 2 by-elections to be held. More, as they say, to come.

The N.S.W Libs are now saying they won't contest the Hunter Valley seats in the By-election as "atonement".

Think anyone with half a brain would call bullshit on that one.

They know they'll they'd be absolutely thumped and by not running a candidate they save face.

 

[Australis]

Watching 'Insiders' this morning, one of the talking heads suggested that the Libs aren't contesting because the don't want to know just how big the swing against them would be. Also one of them called for a Federal ICAC. Interesting idea.

 

[Marc]

Watching 'Insiders' this morning, one of the talking heads suggested that the Libs aren't contesting because the don't want to know just how big the swing against them would be. Also one of them called for a Federal ICAC. Interesting idea.

too much vested interest on both sides for there ever to be a federal ICAC.

Things could have been improved in Labor had managed to roll back Howard's massive increase in the declaration limit for political parties.

Supposedly was to improve things but lying rodent never explained how. Now as the law stands through various branches and levels you could donate upto $107,000 without having to declare it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_donations_in_Australia#2006_law_change

The IPA is big driver of Liberal Party policy but there's nothing to show they donate (which would allow tobacco money to be funnelled to the Libs). But then with that sort of limit it would be very easy to hide.

 

[Australis]

 

[jaz'a]

Absolute brilliance.

 

[Australis]

ICAC: Tony Abbott - ALP to blame for Liberals' shame

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/2496776/icac-tony-abbott-alp-to-blame-for-liberals-shame/?cs=305


Really Tony? REALLY?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Once again Aus scores big in the worlds most livable city list with Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne all in the top 10.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/19/travel/most-liveable-city-2014/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

And Melbourne wins for the fourth year in a row.

Auckland got tenth. Everyone I've ever met from Auckland has said it's a dump? Though admittedly everyone I've ever met I've met because they left and moved here

Port Moresby has moved up in the list from a few years ago when it was last, it is now only 138th!!

 

[Jono]

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQRZXM-4xI[/yt]

Come on dickheads, don't be a bunch of drongos and watch this shit.