The Commission of Audit laid out the blueprint. The budget is implementing a bunch of it. It’s a plan for a future in which the rich get richer and the average worker falls further behind. It’s being dressed up as tough love, but the comments of those who support it reveal the truth of what the rich in this country actually want.
Piers ‘If you haven’t been abducted, harden the fuck up’ Akerman
(Murdoch press poodle)
“I am unable to get into the spirit of doom and gloom ... My wrath is almost entirely focused on the Islamist terrorists Boko Haram ... I would uncomplainingly scrimp to pay a levy or a tax if it would return these Nigerian girls to their families.”
[Ackerman wrote these words at the end of an 800 word article, “Slash public service and make us all happy”, in which he denounced “people bludging on the dole or disability support pension” and “public sector unions”.]
Jeff ‘If you’ve still got a pulse, get busy’ Kennett
(Former Victorian Liberal premier)
“I would abolish all concepts of a retirement age and encourage people to be active until they drop, or ill-health genuinely stops them from being active. As long as we have a pension age of 65 or even 67, we have a culture that prepares us to retire ... We must change that culture. I consider 66 to be midlife ...”
[Actually, the average Australian man has only another 14 years’ life expectancy from this “midlife” point.]
Amanda ‘Pay me lots to take your future’ Vanstone
(Member of the Commission of Audit)
“What we will see are articles focusing on [Commission of Audit] recommendations to reduce the cost of or abolish some benefits, to charge more for some services and generally paint a picture of horror ... We should be focusing not on what we want now but on what is fair to leave on the shoulders of the next generation.”
[What Vanstone considers fair: Lower pensions, a longer working life, fewer entitlements for the working class, greater privileges for the rich, worse healthcare for the poor, abject poverty for the disabled and the unemployed. She is currently a recipient of a parliamentary pension greater than $100,000]
Tony ‘It’s a nice view from the top’ Shepherd
(Commission of Audit chief)
“You want everyone else to suffer, not yourself.”
[Tony responding to those who think it unfair that they are going to suffer from the implementation of the commission’s recommendations.]
Claire ‘There’s no such thing as being rich’ Harvey
(Murdoch press poodle)
“[The government should] smash the bludgers. Seriously. Do it. Find every single person who is claiming the disability pension for no good reason, and punt them off their benefits ... [The government should also recognise that a yearly income of] $150,000 is not rich. I’d go as far as saying $200,000 is no longer rich in Sydney.”
[Actually, ATO figures show that if your income is $150,000, then you are in the richest 5 percent of the population. Above $200,000 and you’re in the top 2 percent.]
Kevin ‘Disabled people have had it too good’ Andrews
(Social services minister)
“The days of easy welfare for young people is over.”
[On plans to push as many people as possible under the age of 35 off the disability support pension.]
