Scrap negative gearing

 

The World Today on ABC local radio, had a story today about the severe shortage of rental properties in capital cities. The report said that in Sydney, it’s not uncommon to have 50 people inspect one rental property and for some people to pay up to a year in advance to secure the property. The report also said it’s not uncommon for people to offer $40 above the asking weekly rental rate, to beat others to it.

With house prices at all time high levels, more people, than ever being squeezed out of the housing market, housing construction not being able to keep up with demand and a shortage of rental properties, then surely it’s time for the government to review or even abolish negative gearing.

The defence of subsidising people to invest money in property is that it saves the government from having to provide more public housing - not that many people on the public housing list are going to afford an apartment in Docklands.

However that rental properties are in such short supply shows that this money is being wasted. Interesting how people are offended that their tax dollars could be spent on compensation for Aborigines or a rail link in the western suburbs, but have no qualms about it being used to help enhance the wealth of baby boomers.

We shouldn’t be giving tax breaks to people making a killing from the rental market.

Scrapping negative gearing, or limiting it to people who lease out housing at the more affordable end of the market, would be incredibly politically unpopular, but it’s time the government looked at reforming the main reason for Australia’s housing crisis and is contributing to high inflation. 

Brendan Nelson deserves a one finger salute

 

Kevin Rudd’s salute to George W Bush as the pair’s eyes met across the room at the NATO summit in Brussels can be at worst be described as daggy. Mr Rudd says it was a a bit of an in joke , but the travelling Canberra hacks, bereft of any real gaffes to report on, have seized on it as some kind of … well fuck knows actually.

Enter Brendan “I’m a doctor” Nelson who, also bereft of anything real negative to seize upon from Rudd’s successful tour, says Rudd’s salute was unbecoming behaviour.

Dr Nelson told the ABC Mr Rudd should be showing he is the leader of a strong country, rather than saluting his American counterpart.

“Well I think it’s conduct unbecoming of an Australian Prime Minister and Mr Rudd appears to conduct himself in one manner when he thinks the television is upon him and another when it is not.”

What the fuck is he on about? Is the man who signed a dodgy deal to buy fighter jets off the Americans seriously suggesting Rudd’s salute was a sign of Australia being subservient to the US; just days after Rudd waltzed into the White House and told Bush Australia will troops out of Iraq?

Lets talk about your contrary behaviour, you fucking idiot light-bulb lookalike - like packing shopping bags and pretending to give a shit about people doing it tough, before sucking up to the banks and pouring your heart out to those charged with evicting people from their homes while defending their decision to put interest rates up independently of the Reserve Bank.

Fuck of and give Turnbull a chance - idiot.

Postscript: Two and a half days after the salute (at 12.45am Sunday, April 6), it’s the number one story on the Herald Sun web site, and gets a second run further down the page - yet there’s no sign of Rudd’s committment to Aboriginal life expectancy, or the story about Abbot tryong to convince Costello mounty a leadership challenge against Dr Nelson - congratulations on your promotion to Sunday Hun editor Bolt.

The terror that is Melbourne’s Western Ring Road

I’m a confident driver and my western suburbs location means I often use the Western Ring Road between Keilor and the City.

This morning I decided to drive Mrs Wah to work near the Hume Highway and ventured into what is without the a doubt the hairiest driving experience in Melbourne - the Broadmeadows segment of the ring road.

As Mrs Wah advised me which lane to take to avoid delays and/or carnage I was harassed by trucks, vans and high performance utes that changed lanes Paris Hilton changes diaphragms.

A sudden loud bang added to the unease, as something, possibly a stone or a rocket propelled grenade hit the windscreen with a louder crack than a plumber wearing fluorescent-green shorts.

I haven’t felt this intimidated since my first day of Year 7 at St Albans Technical School - by the time I arrived home the windscreen was chipped, the tag off my grey jeans had been ripped off, I had severe bruising to my upper arm and my lunch money has been stolen.’

It beats cramming into a train at 8.30am, but driving on the Western Ring Road is not for the inexperienced or the feint of heart.

Liberal rat jumps a second time

 

Liberal Senator Peter McGauran has announced his resignation after lying about his decision to leave politics, for a plum job in the racing industry, earlier this week.

This is the second time McGauran has shown contempt for the people of Gippsland, who originally voted him in as a National Party MP before he jumped ship to the Liberal’s in 2006 with John Howard’s backing, doing his old party severe damage in Victoria.

Now he stuck his fingers up at the people of Gippsland again by not serving a full time.

Get fucked and good riddance, you sleazy piece of shit.