The Labor Party’s first Federal budget for many years certainly didn’t please everyone and left many older Aussies out in the cold.
There’s no doubt retirees and pensioners were bitterly disappointed, and I really couldn’t see where Rudd and Swan could boast that it delivered for working families, a fact they were strongly reminded of in Liberal leader Brendan Nelson’s right of reply.
And I certainly can’t see where it will help ease the cost of living, another factor Dr Nelson reminded them of in no uncertain terms.
Even in his promise to find $10 billion for health the treasurer gave no real indication of where it would be spent, and now we find that a so – called incentive scheme to counter the chronic shortage of mental health nurses is to actually lose $188 million over five years.
What’s more, even in his vow that education would receive $11.6 billion apart from mentioning money for university restructures and the like there was no definite plan of attack.
While it might be good local news that the University of Wollongong will receive a $9.7 million funding boost to mainly assist in building infrastructure where were the funds for primary and public schools?
Who out there after all really cares about producing a few more PhDs and Masters Degrees?
Isn’t it time we started to review whatever happened to apprenticeships?
Your Opinion Counts. Click here >>>>>>>>>>>>> I’m sure we’ve read it before
Took time to digest the City Council’s Draft Management Plan 2008 – 12 and I’m sure I’ve read it all before.
There was mention after mention of The Blue Mile proposal – so, contrary to rumour it hasn’t been put on the shelf – and other old favourites such as revamping the mall and tidying up Western Crown Street also popped out to greet me.
Probably the most mentioned was the controversial West Dapto development, but here again there were no real actions put forward. Just more discussion, and the expressed hope that developers would contribute substantially to whatever it is the WCC finally decide upon.
Roads and footpaths only received fleeting mentions, and there was no suggestion we might get a thinning of the ranks at city hall.
Your Opinion Counts. Click here >>>>>>>>>>>>> The bees are not buzzing as much
It’s a funny thing but until it was suggested to me recently that the normal garden bee population seems to have dropped off I hadn’t given any thought to the fall off of bees in my garden.
Seems that with a 30 per cent drop in the bee population in the United States we Aussies have been exporting the creatures over there in abundance.
It’s all got something to do with global warming so I’m told, and the worry is if you don’t have bees you will lose your greens.
Anybody out there with more info on this subject?
Your Opinion Counts. Click here >>>>>>>>>>>>> Boring, boring
I don’t know about you but I’m now finding Paul “Fatty” Vautin and his fellow footy commentators very boring.
Same old hackneyed remarks, laughing at their own poor jokes and generally causing me to turn them off.
But, it’s not just confined to “Fatty” and the NRL, other sports are tending to become the same.
Do we really have to listen to 30 minutes of drivel before the televised games get under way?
Your Opinion Counts. Click here >>>>>>>>>>>>> What a waste
Then there’s the trip across the United States by our State’s Police Minister AND the Minister for the Illawarra David Campbell and two of his staff that has cost taxpayers an estimated $40 000.
The trio were on a so – called visit to police operations in New York, Washington and Los Angeles and the $40 000 costs included monies spent on laundry, ironing and grooming, food, flights, hotels and Minister Campbell’s taste for Evian water at $US 5.40 a bottle.
Enough said!
Your Opinion Counts. Click here >>>>>>>>>>>>> | 
