Based on Historical evidence is Australia's economy and living standards better now than it was under labour.

Answer 1

Jack, do you just cut and paste the same answer to every question?
I think the living standards are better, but I also feel that my personal living standards are worst off due to my stupidity (credit cards etc) all the banks want to give you one but then you've got pay for them. So I don't see my situation as a Govt problem. Remember nothing in life comes easy or for free.

Answer 2

Economic Management issue is the main point of the whole governments catch cry, what a lot of B.S. The same people the same advisers that are in the treasury will more than likely be the same who ever is in power, so it is a bit misleading and egotistical to suggest that the man up front is the guy with all the knowledge. As long as you listen to advise and it is good advise not too many things can go wrong!!!! But out of all the combatants that are in the running this time round there is only one who went off on his own “egonomics” tangent that is the one and only John Howard. When John Howard was treasurer against all advises around him set Australia into the deepest recession we have ever known with 22% interest rates which was the start of this whole Economic cycle.
Then it did take some really good Economic Management and vision to get Australia out of it, things like floating the dollar, overhauling tariffs, liberalising the financial systems, managing industrial relations through the accord and enterprise bargaining – massive changes that transformed our economy. The Economic Management cycle of reform is very much different than when we are in a boom period of Economic growth.
Economic Management is not just pulling out billions dollars in tax cuts at an election parade that are not really tax cuts!!! Strange when we have national financial problems with hospitals and education all the same billions held back from the states……… but that would bring the thoughts back to government of the country wouldn’t it?
Best not to go there I guess…………..
So we end up with the dynamic duo running the country “Yesterday man & Yes man” one a proven failure has treasurer and the other controlled by the proven failure!!!!
The Howard Government came into being in March 1996. Since that time, what has the Howard Government done on the issue of:
Aboriginal reconciliation?
What have they done about broadband and Internet technology?
What did they do about getting an Australian citizen out of solitary confinement in an illegal American military jail in Cuba?
When it became known that the AWB had been paying Saddam Hussein to secure wheat sales to Iraq, what did the Government do?
When there was a public inquiry about Government involvement in all this, none of the public servants who knew anything about it had to give any evidence of any kind. What had Prime Minister Howard given to each of them?
Deputy leader Peter Costello said he was promised the leadership, what did John Howard do what he was asked to make good on that promise?
The Howard Government has been criticised for its failure to address global warming, but what have they actually done about it?
What did the Government do about the Kyoto Agreement?
What have they done about being less dependent on coal for our energy needs?
Four and a half years ago John Howard committed Australia to the Iraq war despite the fact the vast majority of Australians were opposed to it, what is a democracy?
They’re spending $3 million a week on advertising?
(plus the brownbag cash from the brethren)
Yes it true to say “The boom has done more for John Howard than John Howard has done for the Boom”
The standard of living for John Howard maybe fine and his Ego because he and the wife wanted to live on the harbour at our expence of $600,000 last year, but hey he's intouch with all that and we have never been better off.

Answer 3

Labor did implement the reforms necessary for us to benefit from the global economic boom, from which the Liberals have enjoyed the windfalls. It depends what you regard as "better living standards". Sure, we had access to an influx of cheap goods from Asia and banks are offering us loans the size of football fields. So we may have an abundance of stuff.

However, when a government doesn't spend and invest wisely in public goods you end up with lots of poorly educated people, desperate hospitals and a sick agricultural industry.

Due to not having made the necessary equitable reforms to the tax system, pandering to greed and sitting back and letting the cost of housing skyrocket we also have families struggling to pay obscene mortgages (that banks should never have been allowed to offer), both stressed out parents having to work and not seeing enough of their kids. That's not such a great standard of living. And neither is working for less money and feeling insecure under Work Choices.

As for "you've never been better off". I would like Howard to explain exactly how the dubious economic trickle down effect reaches most Australians. Because not much wealth being made at the top is trickling down the bottom, it seems. So people are feeling rightfully conned.

Wayne Swan, Labor treasurer, is a qualified economist who is listening to the RBA about dealing with our skills shortage/education to improve productivity as a way of dealing with inflation. I'm looking forward to seeing what Wayne can do. Howard is just making a jerk of himself, throwing around money, because he'll be gone in a few months anyway and won't have to deal with the inflationary consequences.

The Libs aren't thinking of the future living standards for our children, that's for sure. They just want to stay in power and maintain their own living standards.

Answer 4

The current standard of living in Australia is as bad as or worse than the Menzies era. It will take an immense will for change to raise us from the low position we now have by world standards . In the important fields of education, housing affordability, and health, our standards are all well below other developed countries. As for the level of foreign debt, we now rank as bad as most third world countries. [ this is not a proud legacy of our hard work , rather a disgrace, that our grand-kids will have to pay]The historical evidence is showing a gradual decline in the standard of the individual, and a rise in the wealth of corporations, in a more liberal world this is a big worry.

Answer 5

The Rich are getting richer the poor are getting poorer. Under this Government.
Jack you may answer Questions with similar Answers. But your answers are based on FACT.
Wake up your living standards are better maybe because of the over use of credit which is a false economy

Answer 6

The Liberals have done so much damage to this country and all they can talk about is the economy. The economic reforms of the Hawke/Keating Labor Governments are the reason why everything has been scooting along quite nicely for the Liberals. That and the happenstance of the current mining boom. A drovers dog could have run this economy, anyone with any sense can see that.

..........John Howard is mean , tricky & desperate

Answer 7

hell specific labour all the way, little johnny howard has ruined australia, the prosperous get richer and the undesirable get poorer, he only keeps putting taxes on good of taxes, ya pay tax at artwork, then ya pay tax on each and everything ya purchase on the supermarkets, im 27 years old and choose for to purchase a house yet cant arise with the money for it, residing costs are too intense below liberal government, so vote hard artwork an saturday to have a greater helpful destiny ,

Answer 8

The standard of living has drastically improved in Australia nowadays. See the activities of the people which the living evidence of the improvement.

Answer 9

get real tomcat we are poor in recards to health compared to other developed nations??? go to the US without healt insurance and the will let you die without treatment if you can't prove you can pay left wing fools like you don't know how well off we are . I bet you vote labour because your father did and so did his father so mindlessly you must too.