Rudd is f***d...

re;thread title rudd is ****ed.hes actually increasing his lead each day

 

I'm in debt up to my eyeballs currently so I am all for recession lol... How much do you know about economics? I am interested in learning to a basic level. I understand some basic concepts from working within banking, but only what I really need to. Would be interested to learn more.

 

It's not really a lot, I know a bit about a lot of things, I tend to retain a lot of info (probably all the times I watched the news hour with Jim Lehrer as a kid, Spellbinder sucked arse), just ask Oztriker about my memory

That said recession may drop interest rates but it'll also generate unemployment, and put downward pressure on wages, AWA's are currently great because the economy is hunky dory, but they've got a downside and you'll see it when there's downward pressure on wages with more people competing for the same positions. Whether or not it's good for you depends on what you do for a crust, i,e, job security, how strong your position is on the negotiating table (if there are plans for you to go on an AWA), own a business (well recession is generally bad in this case, less people employed and often less money to spend)?

 

Thats exactly right Dekkers and exactly why Howard needs outing. Howards logic is completely nieve especially for someone who ran such a terrible economy as treasurer. The new workplace laws are acceptable provided the economy stays strong. Problem is the economy is as you say cyclic. It is inevitable that the economic cycle will go down. And when unemplyment is high, those workplace relations laws will be disasterous for workers. Howard was given enough rope to hang himself, he got drunk on power, he is over.

 

In fairness though, there is a rationale behind what Howards' doing whether or not people agree with it (trying to make Australias' labour force more competitive with asias' long term, as well as taking pressure of business during the downturn so they'll be there to employ during the upturn).

The ethics of that and whether or not there's any other way, is a whole other can of worms though.

 

I think we should form a close alliance with the Japanese.

 

The Government, or the Geishas and table top dancers :think

 

No men allowed!

 

Muttley's right though, it was a bad political move, he atleast needed a Clinton style knob polishing to close out this election

 

As Dekkers pointed out AWA's were created to make australia more productive and in turn more competitive. This is not just for our trade relation with china but to lessen our national trade deficit with all countries.
AWA's promote upskilling, training and increasing efficiency. However while making us a much stronger workforce they also widen the gap between high and low income earners and make it very difficult for people in low bargaining positions.
under the centralised wage fixing system the AFPC is able to nationally control the supply of employment and use the blunt instrument of the minimum wage to control our pay. This can be very useful to control inflation and to minimise the wages sector of GDP. One of the main problems for this centralised system is that everyone always wants a pay rise, and if there is a pay rise below inflation (as there has been for the past few years) then everyone whinges about it. This system also provides pay rises for everyone regardless of wether they deserve it or not.
All in all if you want a stronger economy then AWA's are the way to go.
However if you want to look after people nationally then awards are the key.


btw although the government has an influence, it cannot control interest rates. that is the job of the RBA. the labour government missed a big opportunity in the last election when the liberals stated that they would keep interest rates low.
if interest rates are high it basically means our economy is going well and that the RBA is trying to slow it down to control inflation.
there are however exceptions to this.

 

First intellegent response on this topic since it started....

BTW i like how people comment on Howards poor treasury skills back in the Fraser days now.....peanuts only mentioned it now because it was written in Howards Biography recently as a comment made by Costello..............Nobody ever mentioned it in the previous 10yrs.

 

Actually Kel, it came up from time to time during the last election. But for some reason the labor leader had in mind that he wanted a positive campaign. It turned out bad and now labor is joining the libs in the America style negative trash campaign. It has been the response in parliament for a couple of years now when Howard has baged on about Labors interest rate history. Howard has remained pretty quiet out of shame when the response has been made. I dont expect Labor to drive this home to hard because as anyone with an understanding of interest rates and economys knows the interests rates of the time are always linked to the rest of the world and the conditions of the time. Labor implemented some tough economic initiatives and the result was painfull for a time, but is the main reason why our economy has run so well for the past ten years. Howard has been lucky for ten years. Its over for him now though, he is gone. Which is great because he is a racist old peice of shyte.

 

Another vote for Little Johnny i take it

 

I voted for him once, in 01. And I've felt unclean ever since.

 

Im gonna mix threads right now. Just came back from a club in coffs and saw a bunch of jap chicks with some nasty tops on. One of the the chicks was wearing a top that said "I Desire to get high to Inspire"

Is this the type of chicks that melts your heart Pecks :think

PS - She was hot