среда, 29 февраля 2012 г.

FED:Editorials, Wednesday, August 25, 2010


AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2010
FED:Editorials, Wednesday, August 25, 2010

SYDNEY, Aug 25 AAP - On Wednesday The Australian says when Julia Gillard suggested
that Townsville pie eaters should not have to pay for their sauce, it became a quirky
item on the evening news.

But the Prime Minister's populist economics deserves further examination. One day it's
pies, the next it's the $43 billion National Broadband Network emerging as a potential
deal-maker in Labor's efforts to form government. The NBN is the sauce of telecommunications,
the bonus you get when you don't have to worry too much about the cost. But just as with
so-called free sauce, Australians will end up paying even if they don't want high-speed
broadband, their taxes cross-subsidising the NBN for sectors, such as business, that should
pay themselves.

Labor has shown in the past that it's more interested in slicing the pie rather than
growing it. The independents should also remember that no matter how you slice it, there
is no such thing as a free pie, with or without the sauce.

Today's Sydney Morning Herald today asks does the NSW disease make federal Labor unfit
to govern? We believe not - or at least, not yet. Tony Abbott has yet to show that he,
too, is driven by more than polls, or stands for anything beyond slogans. His sudden,
indeed miraculous conversion to kinder, gentler politics yesterday suggests quite the
opposite. Meanwhile, Labor in other states remains less affected by the NSW disease. Julia
Gillard quite possibly understands now that the disease keeps infected governments sickly
and feeble. If she does indeed form a government she will have to act quickly to quarantine
herself from it. Closing her door more often to the NSW Right would be a healthy first
step.

In its second editorial the SMH says the idea has got about that the world is sick
of Pakistan and reluctant to help the 20 million of its 175 million people affected by
the floods. This is contrasted with the response to the 2005 earthquake on Pakistan's
side of Kashmir, when $US5 billion in foreign help quickly started flowing, US helicopters
came over from Afghanistan, and India opened border crossings for aid convoys.

Hobbled by the global financial crisis, rich countries are indeed more stingy. But
if the world is to mount more than a relief operation it is not only money that is needed
to make Pakistan more robust and win hearts and minds too.

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday says OPPOSITION leader Tony Abbott yesterday
presented his claim to become the next Prime Minister of Australia. And it was an impressively
straightforward statement - light on obvious political spin and catchphrases but containing
several winning points.

As Abbott has repeatedly indicated, and as he again indicated yesterday, the Coalition
received nearly 500,000 more primary votes in this election than did the Labor Party.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has sought to minimise the significance of this, pointing
out that Labor narrowly won (judging by counting thus far) on voting after preferences
were taken into consideration.

As we enter the fourth day of Australia's post-election deadlock, citizens (and certain
independent political candidates) have much to ponder in Abbott's words.

In its second editorial the Tele says the State Government's promise to replace dodgy
and noxious school heaters must be among the lamest promises in Australian political history.

Cabinet sources have now revealed that it will take up to 15 years for all the heaters
to be replaced with more modern units.

Yes, 15 whole years.

The Tele's third editorial says at a federal level, we've got no government. At a local
level, we've got too much of it. We're all for an active and involved Sydney City Council
but it wouldn't hurt Clover Moore if she just gave it a rest once in a while.

Ben Cousins' documentary on his battle with drug addiction is a lesson for everyone,
the main editorial in the Herald Sun newspaper said on Wednesday.

"Tonight, Such is Life - the Troubled Times of Ben Cousins airs on Channel Seven and
parents have been warned that images of the Brownlow medallist at the lowest point of
his addiction could be too much for children," the editorial said.

"Youth workers suggest parents watch the documentary in the company of their teenage
children, and be prepared for some tough questions.

"Drug addiction is a scourge on individuals, families and the community. Whether the
tell-all documentary should be seen by young children is a matter for their parents or
guardians.

"Let us hope the dominant message to everyone is that drugs can ruin lives."

The state election, and not good rainfall, was the catalyst for the Victorian government's
decision to ease Melbourne's water restrictions, the main editorial in The Age newspaper
said on wednesday.

Stage three water restrictions will be eased to stage two from September 1, allowing
Melburnians to water their gardens with hoses at any time and to wash their cars at home
for the first time since 2006.

"If the past 13 years should have taught us anything, it is that one wet winter does
not end the drought.

"Until this year, the average annual inflow to Melbourne water catchments since 1997,
when it fell to a third of 1996 levels, was 376 gigalitres, 61 per cent of the average
of 615 gigalitres from 1913 to 1996.

"Despite that ominous trend, the state government has consistently delayed tougher
water restrictions as long as possible and eased restrictions as soon as it could.

"Particularly as the time to face voters approaches, the Bracks-Brumby government has
adopted a glass-almost-half-full mentality, and this year is no exception.

"Premier John Brumby has twice announced an easing of restrictions this year: the politically
contrived stage 3A to stage three in March and ow stage two from September 1.

"The government has taken a punt that the recent trend will continue. After it expediently
dumped its 2006 election policies on water, voters are entitled to feel cynical about
its latest pre-election moves."

Brisbane's The Courier Mail today says make no mistake, the fallout from Saturday's
extraordinary election result will not be limited to Canberra. Queensland voters comprehensively
rejected the Labor brand in both its federal and state incarnations, and that has left
the Bligh Government, and its approach to too many issues, exposed. By Premier Anna Bligh's
own admission, the result was devastating for Labor in Queensland. What to do?

AAP jrd/jfm

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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