tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889703609429110183.post803268397847602676..comments2023-03-25T07:02:46.340-07:00Comments on CILOSOPHY: Budget Blues.cilosophyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10733313024890630138noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889703609429110183.post-40344693020305350942014-05-14T04:34:32.303-07:002014-05-14T04:34:32.303-07:00Thankyou for your input Heidi. Interested to read ...Thankyou for your input Heidi. Interested to read your book. I take your points. I really just don't want to see those most vulnerable affected the most.cilosophyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10733313024890630138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889703609429110183.post-55148203710692832192014-05-14T04:21:01.834-07:002014-05-14T04:21:01.834-07:00Sue, welcome and thankyou for this thoughtful comm...Sue, welcome and thankyou for this thoughtful comment xcilosophyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10733313024890630138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889703609429110183.post-30368869122528380542014-05-14T03:55:37.744-07:002014-05-14T03:55:37.744-07:00I didn't think this was a terrible budget. May...I didn't think this was a terrible budget. Maybe we've been reading different sound bites in the media? <br />Regarding class sizes etc, I read an interesting book recently "Free Schools" (which was a slightly gimmicky title) - it's essentially a history of education in Australia, and how we've ended up with our current system, and a look at what works in other countries. Countless studies have shown that limiting class sizes to low numbers largely has no impact on educational results (up to 40 children, then it does have an impact), paying teachers a high starting salary that then does not grow according to performance (as it does in other professions) means that you lose great teachers, and over pay under performers who cannot be sacked.. there was lots more, it made for interesting reading. Mentoring young teachers was a biggie, and had a huge impact on educational results longer term, which is not done in the current public system. Certainly, as someone that has agitated for lower class sizes for her own children, it was actually quite eye opening on a lot of fronts.<br />Back to some of your points - we have amongst the highest minimum wages in the world, benefits schemes, and education that is within reach for anyone that wants it. No, it is not utopia, and there are people that still struggle and are disadvantaged despite the limited help the government gives, and cutbacks where ever they are are felt .. and I understand that with your family background you feel this particularly strongly... but there is no where on earth that is a utopia. Look at France with its very generous welfare, work conditions etc - it's falling over economically... or Greece where everyone was doing well, until they discovered their gaping black financial hole. You also can't just tax big business constantly to fill the gap in funding - Big Business will stop hiring, or shed staff, or close up in Australia and move offshore (which has already happened). They are not bottomless pits of money, and the government walks a fine line when adding more tax to our already highly taxed business economy. It's a very easy sound bite to say that "Big Business" should pay more, and it's wheeled out a lot, but the reality is that we already tax Business in this country fairly highly - add in our high wages etc and it makes it unviable for many to operate if taxes or levies are jacked up every year.<br />I don't identify with any single political party ideology, and am generally cynical about politics in general, but I have to say we'll have to agree to disagree about this Budget. Unfortunately all the NBN, Pink Batts Schemes and $900 stimulus cheques that went almost directly to Harvey Norman and their Television department have to be paid for at some point. You should at least feel pleased that most of that in this budget is being paid for by the so- called high income earners of this country:) Heidihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01432089507602828735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1889703609429110183.post-75401556580629455502014-05-14T03:09:09.358-07:002014-05-14T03:09:09.358-07:00I agree with you. I am retired (I worked in the N...I agree with you. I am retired (I worked in the National Archives) my husband died last year and I am on a superannuation pension. I know how fortunate I am and I worry about people who are doing it tough and I feel sick when I read about jobs being lost - we are talking about people here and that seems to be forgotten. I read this in The Canberra Times this morning in the letter pages:<br /><br />"If being in the black means we lose our compassion, our environment and leave a wasteland for our children, I would much rather be in the red, thank you very much."<br /><br />So sad. <br /><br />Even worse, just to glance at the headlines in the Murdoch papers is to be confronted with an alternative universe that has no heart and soul.<br /><br />SueAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com