The 1999 Australian Federal budget

Wednesday 12^th May 1999

Initial impressions: rural Australia is given some pitiful reasons not to thrash the coalition at the next federal election; a dogged insistence to subsidise private health insurance is maintained; Medical research funding is increased to support even more dubious experiments.

"We want young people to make health insurance a habit", says the treasurer. Yet the new system of age-based premium penalisation is a stern kick up the backside of all those recalcitrant oldies who are relying on the public system. How dare they! The inability of private hospitals to fill up their spare rooms when public hospitals are breaking at the seams is a demonstration of the failure of the private system, and yet, we are seeing more government carrot and stick antics to shove people into a system they are clearly not interested in.

Work for the dole you bludger! As Paul Kelly pointed out to the treasurer on the 7:30 report on the ABC, this was a trump card for the last round of coalition chest-thumping and to re-use it in this budget is governmental sidestepping from the important issue of industrial relations reform. When it comes down to it, where are the jobs??? But you see, we can't go around giving people jobs, because that would mean putting more money into peoples pockets. And what do people do with money?? They spend it.

You see, the economic growth is due to people spending money. A consumption based growth. If more people came on board spending up on things, then the CPI may start reflecting a different reality. Not to mention an increased demand on imported stuff.

The beauty of work for the dole, is that you increase production, but don't put any extra money into the system!

And so my friends, another round of illusions passes by and we ruminate and gesticulate and pontificate. In the end, it's back to our jobs, if we've got one and earn the rent.

end of rant.