The Down Under Lounge

[Miss Chicken]

I read a story the other day about two old soldiers in their 90s who have been invited to have dinner with Abbott and David Cameron. Problem is that they live in WA and it would cost them $2000 in fares and accomodation to attend as the government won't pay it.

Yet Abbott and his ilk seem to get all their travel expensive paid and will for the rest of their lives.

Edited to add link to story.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-10/no-free-lunch-for-wwii-bomber-brothers-who-won-highest-honour/5880230

 

[Australis]

Yeah, Abbot is a cheap ass.

 

[Marc]

It is trash. Really smelly trash.

At one point, it and Today Tonight (Trash tornight) were the most complained about programs on Australian tv.

They're pretty much the gossip mags of journalism where the truth doesn't matter as long as they get the ratings.

But the 6:30pm time slot was such as wasteland. My mother was reduced to watching friends re-runs on Foxtel becasue it was really the best of a bad bunch.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Just read that the Australian public has raised more than $7000 to send the two old guys and their wives to Canberra. Maybe they could snub the lunch with Abbott and just have a good time on their own.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

So more crap on ACA. Glad I don't watch that crap.

 

[Jono]

In honour of the media frenzy about four Russian warships chilling in the South Pacific.

 

[Australis]

HAHAHAHAHAAAA!

 

[jaz'a]

In honour of the media frenzy about four Russian warships chilling in the South Pacific.

Love it.

 

[Marc]

In honour of the media frenzy about four Russian warships chilling in the South Pacific.

News Limited really does seem to be getting rather hysterical over them.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Yeah they do, it's embarrassing.

 

[Australis]

News Ltd these days nis embarrassing full stop. I remember when the Daily Telegraph was a sober and informative read. Yes, I'm old.

 

[Australis]

And speaking of this, Abbot was flat out embarrassing when he sat there in front of a bunch of people trying to halt climate change and say he was proud of stopping the carbon tax. How embarrassment. Gaaahhh.

 

[jaz'a]

As someone local to Brisbane, I for one am glad we had the G20.

Ended up with the entire week off, 10 days in a row, using only 2 days annual leave. It has been wonderful. I am relaxed and ready to get back into it.

If putting up with Abbott saying dumb crap is the price for that.. let's do it all again next year. Please.

 

[Australis]

Yes, true (my son works in Brisvegas, he had the week working from home), but all the rest of us get is the dumb crap.

 

[Marc]

And the nastiest government in Australian history continues to show how nasty it can be.

After setting up a royal commission over the 4 workplace deaths during Labor's pink bats scheme it's now starting it's green army program costing $10s of millions and driven by a desire for politcal revenge rather than giving a damn about those who died.

A program that will see those involved paid half minimum wage and exempt from various acts relating to pay, conditions and workplace safety

Of they'll also be providing cheap labour and probably be costing some-one else their paid job.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...aid-half-the-minimum-wage-20140301-33st7.html

 

[Australis]

Colour me surprised.

DO NOT get me started aboiut the cuts to the ABC. Maybe if we're so poverty stricken we should bring back the TV license.

 

[Marc]

Colour me surprised.

DO NOT get me started aboiut the cuts to the ABC. Maybe if we're so poverty stricken we should bring back the TV license.

Isn't that called a foxtel subscription?

 

[Miss Chicken]

Colour me surprised.

DO NOT get me started aboiut the cuts to the ABC. Maybe if we're so poverty stricken we should bring back the TV license.

I got so annoyed at some Abbott supporters who justify the cuts to the ABC because they say that the ABC has a left wing bias. They seem to have no problem with how right-winged commercial TV is.

 

[Australis]

That's because they don't have to pay for it. And both sides of Govt have complained about bias at different times, I remember Hawke being particularly incensed at one time.

Another broken promise btw.

Marc, I'd happily pay for a license if the ABC brought back in-house production, we got some of our best dramas from those days. The BBC is a powerhpuse not just because of the money it generates but because of the license fee. 90% of the population could wear a $25/houseold/year license, I think. It wouldnn't generate a huge sum, but it would bolster it a lot.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

If it was opt in, sure.