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BearCave.Biz
Learn from yesterday, Live for today, Hope for Tomorrow
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(j) Joe Hockey
Hockey abhors excessFont Size: Decrease Increase Print Page: Print July 02, 2009
Article from: The Australian
The shadow treasurer is properly focusing on the deficit
JOE Hockey told a conference on Tuesday he missed being addressed as “minister” and it showed in the way he talked like a treasurer, interested in protecting the nation’s finances. While making the case for the Howard government’s middle-class welfare payments, Mr Hockey also expressed regret that Mr Howard and his ministers had not made a better case in the boom years for squirrelling more of the surplus into investment funds dedicated to public sector superannuation plus health, education and infrastructure. While he also made it clear the opposition supported yesterday’s $3.4 billion reduction in income tax - because “the Liberal Party believes in lower taxes” - Mr Hockey added the size of the deficit created by the global financial crisis provided a case against the cuts.
Coming from a member of a government that used to shower its supporters with increased welfare benefits and continually claimed the Liberals were the party of lower taxes, this was a political stumble. But it was a sure-footed policy response to the government’s present problems. Like the Liberals, The Australian believes in lower taxes. This newspaper is especially opposed to the tax rise by stealth that is bracket creep, which occurs when rising incomes push more of an individual’s income up the taxation scale. But the way to responsibly reduce the tax take is to increase the size of the economy and reduce the size of the public sector - neither of which is occurring now. And with the Prime Minister projecting Canberra’s net debt will peak at about $200billion, 13.8 per cent of GDP, there is a case against tax cuts on top of the government’s cash grants to low- and middle-income earners.
If Kevin Rudd had not promised to honour all his election commitments, despite the global financial crisis and if John Howard had not made tax cuts a core commitment at the last election it is easy to imagine Treasury making a strong case against yesterday’s reduction before the budget - a case both sides of politics could have accepted as being in the national interest. Wayne Swan’s budget promise, however optimistic, to cap spending increases at less than 2 per cent in the next three years, demonstrates the government also accepts the country needs no more debt. While Mr Hockey copped criticism for his comments, the opposition can only get back into election contention by warning against the deficit the government is running up. In appearing to indicate tax cuts are off the agenda until the economy recovers, Mr Hockey is accepting the outcome of his own argument.
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(s) Steve Ahern
Digital radio guru Steve Ahern addresses SAJAA members
Neeraj Nanda | Jun 22, 2009 | Comments 0
Steve Ahern (fourth from left) with SAJAA activists
By our community reporter
Melbourne: Members of the South Asian Journalists Association of Australia (SAJAA) were addressed by Steve Ahern, author of the well known radio text book Making Radio, international trainer and consultant specialising in radio formats, digital radio and multiplatform broadcasting. In the 2009 Queen’s Birthday honours list he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM). Steve addressed a select gathering of SAJAA members at the Tandoori Junction Indian Restaurant, Glen Waverley on 21st June on the digital revolution engulfing radio broadcasting and the impact of internet or new media on the ethnic media. He also explained how the ethnic media could survive along side the mainstream media.
The lecture was attended by representatives and editors of different South Asian ethnic media here. The guest was introduced by Preeti Jabbal, Indian Link and General Secretary SAJAA and many including Manpreet, SBS Punjabi program asked lively questions. Vote of thanks by moved by Neeraj Nanda, President SAJAA and Editor South Asia Times.
The media that was present included India @ Melbourne, The Page, Indian Link, Uthayam, Asian Tribune, G’Day India, South Asia Times, SBS Punjabi program, SBS Urdu program, Radio 88.3 and 97.7 FM, Indus Age, Bharat Times and a few free lancers
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(s) Stripe
June 23, 2009 12:00am
GLENN Wheatley’s Stripe mobile radio initiative has tanked.
Stripe - Australia’s first mobile radio network allowing subscribers to download individual radio stations to their mobile phones and computers - was launched last October.
But the network has closed down after disappointing subscription levels.
It was Wheatley’s comeback business venture after serving a jail term for tax fraud.
The music industry identity worked on the Stripe launch while serving home detention.
Stripe offered about 30 radio stations, from disco to heavy metal, at a charge on top of the usual mobile phone rates.
It was planned to make 100 channels available to Optus and Telstra users.
“Stripe will revolutionise radio as FM did in the ’80s,” Wheatley claimed at the launch last year.
Investors included Little River Band frontman Glenn Shorrock, Channel 9 presenter Richard Wilkins, fashion designer Collette Dinnigan, comedian Billy Birmingham, and radio tycoon Alan Jones.
Wheatley’s own company TalentWorks put a 12 per cent stake in the venture — which cost about $420,000 to launch.
Wheatley would not comment, except to say it was not his decision to close.
