Geo,

It takes a fair bit to raise my ire but this government is really starting to piss me off for all the reasons you have given plus a lot of others.

No doubt we need to tighten our belts and change many of the ways we go about things but this government just does not understand the Australian people and how to deal with them. It appears to live in some esoteric and rarefied place far removed from those it supposedly represents.

We do not need government of this style, it is abhorrent and has no place in this country. We need competent managers, Australian thinking managers, not idealogues who have little idea as to what will serve this country best.

SD

Bump

Why did Abbott feel he had to tell the lie about "no cuts to the ABC or SBS"? Obviously he thought that the majority of Aussies would not take kindly to hearing what he really had in mind. So why is he doing something that most don't want done? Is it spite? Can't be to save money since he can readily find bucks for chaplains, wars and searching for Malaysia's lost plane. He can happily spend tax payers money on fraudulent claims. I think it is spite. The LNP has had it in for the ABC for a long time and Abbott has avoided interviews, Q&A and the like for the last 4 years. He hates and avoids the ABC because being a liar he is more likely to get caught out by quality interviewers who refuse to push his propaganda and rightfully search for truth. 

Excellent Micha. Particularly love "the Minister for stealing things from children". I will adopt that name for slimy Pyney from now on.

And yes, regional Australia, at least in my region, is NOT impressed with the National Party. Do they know we exist?

Tony Abbott, before the election, promised no cuts to the ABC, education, health and pensions and to bring the budget back to surplus. At the same time, he proposed to reduce the government's income by abolishing the carbon and mining taxes and increase its expenditure with the introduction of his paid parental leave scheme and direct action policy on climate change. He now pleads "changed circumstances". Either he lied before the election or his financial management skills would not qualify him to look after a kid's piggy bank. 

Barry Spooner Minnamurra

SMH letters

We are losing some of our finest research scientists as CSIRO loses financial support. Those very same researchers bring money to Australia with their inventions, instead suggesting a GP Co- Payment when cutting back on these scientists makes no sense at all.

The suggested "co-payment"is just another tax......governments of all persuasions have a solid history of instituting taxes and then funneling funds away from the intended projects and using them to shore up poor decision making and bad financial management.

Whether you like the Drum or not, this is a good read:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-02/lewis-and-woods-this-ship-of-state-may-not-be-seaworthy/5934046

Abbott's ship may be sinking, he should be worried, very worried.