Abbott/Liberal Govt Watch

[mighty_tiger_79]

Anything is possible

[shoe boy]

So Tony has bigger issues than same sex marriage . But knights and dames are a priority!

The far right religious movement wouldn't have anything to do with that ???

[stan]

I wasn't justifying it.
I was simply pointing out it makes no net financial difference.
Perhaps the federal pollies should have a maximum housing benefit ceiling for their accommodation away from home.

On the other hand I'm currently doing a contract job in Perth and the WA government has me in a FREE 3 bed 2 bath lake-front Unit in the SE suburbs, and are providing me with a Hyundai Accent at no cost for the 10 week stay.

It makes no net financial difference? That's correct unless course you refer to the issue of him living in a house he owns and getting additional rent relief.

Maybe that needs to be means tested?

[stan]

[quote="stan"]Joe Hockey om Q&A last night. Got a roasting, did okish but some of his answers worried me a bit.

For starters what he and all politician's believe double dipping is almost scares me. Referring to his living allowances that he pays to his wife for the house they own and the use of maternity leave. The issue is this is ome that both sides of politics exploit. Just shows where the country is at.

Exactly.
Try this on for size: Couple with kids lives apart because they can get more money from Centrelink that way. Say they are no longer together, but in truth, they are. Centrelink finds out, prosecutes and politicians tell us "these are the people we are trying to catch out, bludgers in the system", we all nod our heads and say, "they deserved to be caught". Both couples are playing the system to take advantage of government resources - one is just better connected and richer than the other.

Disgraceful from Hockey for defending it. Disgraceful from any politicians that are doing it.

I just couldn't believe the way he came out and said it and was like "is there a problem wih that". Almost unbelievable.

Its funny because he is probably using he system within he law. But he believes a mother who has a job which provides additional maternity leave and claims he government maternity leave, which is also within the law, are routing the system and double dipping. Which I have no issue with if your from the private sector. If you have got a good job with a good company which provides good benefits, then good luck you.

The hypocrisy is almost as good as Mark Stevens amd his Will Minson tweets.

Let me be clear, I am by no means a Labor voter. This just really runs me the wrong way.

The net cost to the tax payer, and the net return to Joe Hockey's wife, would be the same if Joe rented a house from some other owner, and his wife rented her house to a stranger, but it is not a good look.

On the other hand, she gets a good tenant and he gets a good landlady!

Sorry Psyber but what a load of rubbish. How you could possibly justify this is just ridiculous.[/quote]
Bang. 4 runs through the covers.

[shoe boy]

So Tony sits TEAM Australia down and informs we MUST be a team.

Then calls it a "come to jesus moment" FFS

[GWW]

Idiots - https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and ... 729356.htm

[bennymacca]

Idiots - https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and ... 729356.htm

What the actual fk

[Q.]

"We've had a terrific set of numbers that came out today and those numbers have proven that there are some clowns out there that are talking about recession and dark clouds on the horizon," Mr Hockey said.

He was quite happy to be one of those clowns when in opposition.

[Psyber]

I wasn't justifying it.
I was simply pointing out it makes no net financial difference.
Perhaps the federal pollies should have a maximum housing benefit ceiling for their accommodation away from home.

On the other hand I'm currently doing a contract job in Perth and the WA government has me in a FREE 3 bed 2 bath lake-front Unit in the SE suburbs, and are providing me with a Hyundai Accent at no cost for the 10 week stay.

It makes no net financial difference? That's correct unless course you refer to the issue of him living in a house he owns and getting additional rent relief.

Maybe that needs to be means tested?

The Feminist movement may object to the idea that he owns it because his wife does.
She may have more money than him like K Rudd's wife.

However I do think there should be limits on what can be done and that such arrangements should be at arm's length.
Then again, if his wife owned it inside company he was not a co-director in it would still be technically at arm's length.
It is difficult to legislate to cover every arrangement possible...

In his place I'd have been more discreet, rather than just strictly legal.

[Bully]

Idiot Hockey this week with his "get a higher paying job to buy a house"

See....i can admit when someone in the party i support is a fool....unlike a certain someone ..

[Q.]

He's having a bad run is ol' Joe.

If he was in touch with reality, he would have said "get a second job"

[Gozu]

Idiot Hockey this week with his "get a higher paying job to buy a house"

See....i can admit when someone in the party i support is a fool....unlike a certain someone ..

Easy to say when his wife's worth tens of millions, Hockey's an imbecile.

[Booney]

891 this morning said that federal pollies can legally use their travel allowance to pay off mortgages on their properties they have purchased in Canberra? W the actual F?

They're on 6 figure salaries with concessions and allowances galore, surely if they choose to buy a home in Canberra to live in then the travel allowance is no longer required?

[Dogwatcher]

It's not them buying their house, Booney, it's their wife or partner.
Very different.

[stan]

891 this morning said that federal pollies can legally use their travel allowance to pay off mortgages on their properties they have purchased in Canberra? W the actual F?

They're on 6 figure salaries with concessions and allowances galore, surely if they choose to buy a home in Canberra to live in then the travel allowance is no longer required?

Might have to list Joe Hockey as a dependant on my tax return.

[stan]

I wasn't justifying it.
I was simply pointing out it makes no net financial difference.
Perhaps the federal pollies should have a maximum housing benefit ceiling for their accommodation away from home.

On the other hand I'm currently doing a contract job in Perth and the WA government has me in a FREE 3 bed 2 bath lake-front Unit in the SE suburbs, and are providing me with a Hyundai Accent at no cost for the 10 week stay.

It makes no net financial difference? That's correct unless course you refer to the issue of him living in a house he owns and getting additional rent relief.

Maybe that needs to be means tested?

The Feminist movement may object to the idea that he owns it because his wife does.
She may have more money than him like K Rudd's wife.

However I do think there should be limits on what can be done and that such arrangements should be at arm's length.
Then again, if his wife owned it inside company he was not a co-director in it would still be technically at arm's length.
It is difficult to legislate to cover every arrangement possible...

In his place I'd have been more discreet, rather than just strictly legal.

Joe needed to settle down the fat cat approach that night om Q&A. If he actually took the time to explain what he is trying to say rather than the appropriate of "is there a problem with that" then perhaps he would be better received.

[Leaping Lindner]

But Andrew Bolt thinks he makes sense.....
Seriously ..and this guy gets paid for this writing this garbage

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victor ... 7392030958

[Leaping Lindner]

891 this morning said that federal pollies can legally use their travel allowance to pay off mortgages on their properties they have purchased in Canberra? W the actual F?

They're on 6 figure salaries with concessions and allowances galore, surely if they choose to buy a home in Canberra to live in then the travel allowance is no longer required?

Might have to list Joe Hockey as a dependant on my tax return.

You could claim eleventy percent off.

[stan]

The issue about housing is that Joe does have a point and is correct but once again he opens himself up to todays gotcha journos because he does not explain things well.

In Sydny and inner Sydney you will need a high paying job to afford a house here. No kidding really. But want he neess to also indicate is that if thats not affordable then you'll need to lower your expectations and look further out or smaller.

Then he needs to talk about hard work to get those jobs etc.

If he takes that approach rather than simply saying you need to get a high paying job, then he would come across a more relatable character.

[Psyber]

Apropos house prices, I read a recent report that average prices in Sydney are currently about 6 times average income, and in Melbourne 5.7 times and that this was evidence of a recent property bubble.

I recall that the 30 year old 2 bedroom house my parents bought in Adelaide's western suburbs in 1956 cost 5700 Pounds a little more than 5.7 times my father's annual income of 999 Pounds at the time. They then had to find the money to move the laundry into and enclose a back lobby to turn the laundry into a third bedroom for me.

So what has changed?

I guess the same houses today are a bit further out from the CBD...