Posts filed under 'politics'
Costello ignored inflation warnings: Swan
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has stepped-up his attack on the Opposition’s economic credibility, ahead of next week’s Budget.
It has been revealed that six months before last year’s Budget, Treasury warned former treasurer Peter Costello to curb spending, or risk fuelling inflation.
Mr Swan says that advice fell on deaf ears and it now falls to the new Government to deal with that legacy.
“These documents prove conclusively that Peter Costello ignored warnings,” he said.
The Treasury warning has been released in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Channel Nine.
An ABC request last week on the impact of Labor’s workplace laws was blocked by Treasury. Opposition treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull is calling that double standards and has defended the Opposition’s record.
“Treasury said that the surplus should be 1 per cent of GDP. Peter Costello took that advice,” he said.
He says Mr Swan is being misleading by not releasing the requested Labor documents, but the Treasurer says FOI requests are controlled by bureaucrats, not ministers.
Add comment May 5, 2008
Nelson’s approval rating drops: poll
Support for Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has slipped back into single figures in the latest opinion poll.
The Newspoll in the Australian newspaper has Dr Nelson’s rating as preferred prime minister down one point to 9 per cent, while Prime Minister Kevin Rudd maintains a massive lead on 72 per cent.
In the two party-preferred stakes, support for the Opposition has jumped four points to 43 per cent, which is the highest rating since Dr Nelson took on the leadership.
The Government has secured 57 per cent of the vote.
Add comment May 5, 2008
More Criminals Caught In ‘Operation Relentless’
New Zealand Police in Upper Hutt continued relentless action against people evading fines or involved in drug offending yesterday.
Seven search warrants were executed.
From one property Collections Officers seized two cars, a computer, TV, DVD player, other electrical equipment, clothing, swords and firearm parts, says Acting Area Commander Inspector Mike Hill.
“As well as removing dangerous weapons from the address, the seized goods will help to pay back thousands of dollars owed in unpaid fines.
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“Three people, all connected to the same address, collectively owed $25,000 in unpaid fines, the majority relating to traffic offences.
“It’s annoying having to follow up people who are not paying their fines and are not prepared to front up to their offending. They shouldn’t get away it and we’re determined that they’re not going to,” says Inspector Hill.
Search warrants were also executed on properties where police knew cannabis offending was taking place.
Five people were charged with either possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis utensils or possession for supply.
Crime was down in Upper Hutt during 2006. Recorded violence, drug and antisocial offences, theft and burglary decreased in Upper Hutt during the last six months of 2006 compared with the same period in 2005. However, Inspector Hill says police need to keep changing tactics to keep it that way.
Add comment April 28, 2007
IIM admissions get govt nod, word on OBCs ‘later’
New Delhi: The long-standing deadlock over the long-standing admissions in Indian Institutes of Management seems to be finally over.
Giving in to mounting pressure from all quarters, Government on Thursday asked IIMs to go ahead with the admission procedure for the general and SC/ST category seats as per schedule.
While this directive applies to General and SC/ST category, the call on contentious 27 per cent OBC quota in elite educational institutions will be taken after the Supreme Court hearing on May 8.
The move comes as a much-needed relief for thousands of IIM aspirants whose future was hanging in balance while Government and judiciary argued over implementation of 27 per cent OBC quota.
On Wednesday night, the Government failed to take a decision on OBC quota after differences have surfaced among UPA partners with key allies DMK, PMK and even the RJD turning down the Government request to allow admission without OBC quota.
The ruling UPA partners and the Left parties decided to meet on Thursday to find a way out.
Union Railway Minister and RJD supremo, Lalu Prasad said, “The UPA and the Left will meet again to discuss the issue.”
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had been asked by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convince the allies.
Coalition partners insisted they would allow admission provided the Government sent the right signals to the OBC electorate.
Add comment April 26, 2007
