I’ve looked at “Strong Choices” but only found what the Gov. wants to do, then they say they don’t really need our comments as they wont change anything! I’m disappointed as I have a “Strong Choice” to make and that is to SACK this mob of Parasites sucking off the Public Purse and being totally INCOMPETENT through BAD MANAGEMENT over the past 30 years…WHY wasn’t that an Alternative???

Having moved to Queensland from New Zealand 5 years ago I see that the PPP (public/private partnership) funding model that is a key part of NZ politicians’ privatisation-by-stealth modus operandi is alive and well (or should that be alive and sick?) here.
e.g. Perth’s new Fiona Stanley Hospital has international corporate greedy Serco raking in the millions while stuffing up the project big-time. Recent developments include long delays in the hospital’s opening while Serco have around 200 staff there whose “duties” include “welcoming” people (but no patients until next March!). The delays have cost over $300 million including over $ 50 million extra for Serco. Now the W.A. government has had to cut Serco out of major management areas and return them to the health department – who should obviously have had them in the first place. Crazy or what?
Serco – and a whole horde of corporate vultures are getting in on similar acts around the world. The U.K health system is a prime target and has caused untold wastage and chaos there. And still the politicians tell us that PPP funding is the way to go. The ultimate hypocrisy in NZ politics is that the current health minister, Tony Ryall, has announced that he will leave parliament at the elections later this year and is looking forward to going into what he describes as the “dynamic” private sector. No wonder he issued all the district health boards with the instruction to consider PPP funding of their building projects. Should be some lucrative openings for him with the contacts he takes into the private sector!
David Tranter

Let’s keep on topic, people. The last two posts are idealogically inspired rubbish – diametrically opposed, but both rubbish nevertheless. And neither is remotely helpful to the point of this thread.

Keith Biles
You really should study more (or read what you write before sending)
Socialism has NOTHING to do with Control of anything or anyone……Your talking Capitalism or Communism (Both being opposite ends of each meaning)… You my friend have listened to, too much of American Propaganda (the Yanks Are the ONLY country in the WORLD that believes 100% that both are one?)…and there is an ultimate reason for that, but you need to research that for yourself.
Fascism (Hitlers belief) is one opposite to socialism
Socialism is what occurs after Communism collapses or capitalism.
Its the Road between the two, After America won the war of Independence, They don’t like to admit it but it was a socialist county,This is what their Human rights and Democracy was based on, and with a constitution to finalise the embodiment of their socialist beginning’s.
But as with all country’s, In time the rich prosper and become affluent, with this come’s GREED,( The need to keep one’s earnings to oneself with the desperate desire for More at any cost resulting in STATUS,BIGOTRY and CORRUPTION.)….This leads to a System and CONTROL called CAPITALISM.
This is what America has Evolved to.
This is What Australian Politicians are So Desperate for Australians to become.
This is why we are going down the pathway of Privatisation.
Australia by the Way Is the “ONLY COUNTRY IN THE ADVANCED WORLD THAT HAS NO HUMAN RIGHTS”.

Socialism is to do with Looking after the people with equality and Human rights at the forefront of it’s Idealism, and all else is built around those fundamental beliefs, For example: The right to life over all things is the number one rule. This means no matter how poor you are you have a right to eat in order to live and have shelter you call a home with water to drink at NO COST if it comes to that, This is why Australia was ALWAYS called the Lucky Country! We once had those rights.
NOW This generation of people are so content with their life, They don’t give a shit what Governments do….
We need a recession in this country to remind people what it is like to have nothing I’m sorry to say.
Because if we don’t’, and we allow them to Erode our system as we know it in favor of Capitalism, Then it will be too late.
You have heard of a saying , “The quiet achiever”This was loosely derived from socialism, where someone cares and bares the burdens of life and battles on without a whimper, that’s socialism, Where we look after the elderly, the sick,the children,and the underprivileged with utmost respect at any cost, THAT MY FRIEND IS SOCIALISM !
And I am A SOCIALIST and PROUD of it, Because Socialism is where you stand up for your mate and is as AUSSIE as Football meat pie’s Kangaroos and Holden Cars.
True BLUE THAT’S AUSTRALIAN.
My suggestion old Mate is if you want to embrace those ANTI SOCIALIST Attitudes and cant cope with it…Then you are FREE TO CHOOSE to move to Good old US of A, anytime you want.! Because THAT"S SOCIALISM.
Regards DENNIS A LANGSHAW.

This Queensland Government has proven by actions ; with out any doubt to be a Labor/Self Socialist attitude movement.. WITHOUT ANY REGARD for a Democratic Rule i.e.. A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE/ BY THE PEOPLE/ FOR THE PEOPLE.. Deceitful display of contempt for/ with supreme control ; with only SELF MONETRY GAIN ADVANCEMENT..(SNOUT IN THE TROUGH) As history has before perversely demonstrated.. Recall just recently the adverse (without any consideration for the comfort of the citizens) EMMERSON..(Transport)…SPRINGBORG..(Health)…..At the next Election…. COMPLETLY PURGE THE PEOPLE’S STATE OF QUEENSLAND…..OF THIS MORALY DEVOID “GARBAGE”

Privatisation will always cost more in the long run and you can bet your boots it would be relatives and friends of the Premier to get the contracts.

I wouldn’t be concerned about Cosgrove, who has no real power and has repeatedly proved himself to be a decent and honourable man. Newman is a different matter, but we have only ourselves to blame. We (but not I) elected him.
Privatisation will cost the public money. It always does. Every time.

I Agree with Louise Noble…..EXCEPT for the ex army bit, I see that as an advantage , not a negative. “Only thing is it is working against us at this stage.”
We all complain about spineless politician’s who have not got the Guts to make the Hard decision’s, (And we have had a few of those), But one thing can be said for both….They will stand firm, Right or Wrong. The Issue here is WE AS A SOCIETY MUST RALLY AGAINST WHAT IS WRONG. !
If we Don’t Stand up and Be counted…Then We deserve what we get.

State and Federal LNP governments have been completely hijacked by corporate interests. The Labor Party has also at times been guilty of the same charge. It is abundantly clear that both the Newman and Abbott governments are acting solely in the interests of their mates and corporate donors. We have only the illusion of democracy. Politicians simply supply the rhetoric and spin to convince the public of the merit of their proposals which are clearly NOT in the public interest. The use of public funds to support political advertising should be banned as should the donations by corporations to political parties. Lobbyists have far too much power and Costello and others of his ilk serve only themselves and their mates.

I am disturbed by the number of military persons who currently occupy positions of power (eg. Newman and Cosgrove) and fear that the current thinking is seriously heading towards anti-democratic and totalitarian governments. Spin, control of the media, use of public funds for political advertising, curbing of freedom of association, banning of street marches, gagging of whistle-blowers and public servants…the list goes on.

I am deeply, deeply concerned by the actions of our current governments.

privatisation will put necessary utilities in hands of mates of governmemmnt , eg water board to J. Sowley

FACT….Privatization Costs More than Public cost’s…..Murry river water is Proof of this, I Paid $60 per Megalitre for untreated muddy water delivered to my House….Government Promises were Privatisation would be cheaper due to competition.
Fact … After Privatisation The FIRST BILL was $580 per Megalitre ?
You work it out.
When we Complained The Government had changed the RULES to OUR OWN OMBUDSMAN, Because privatisation has NO NEED for an ombudsman, And so cut the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
Regards Dennis Langshaw JP (Qual) QLD

What politicians give themselves every year after out of office is obscene! Most people would never see that much money in a lifetime. Most of them seem to be unconscionable liars anyway!

ALL politicians are the same if you look you will find they DON’T WORK FOR US THE PEOPLE go search the imfo is there

If you sell your house to pay your bills, you have NO house left and NO assets to get a loan if you need one! That’s called BAD MANAGEMENT just like paying politicians we sack I.E. Anna Bligh and co. WHY is she STILL sucking a lifetime pension from the State When it was her Government that put us in the Debt in the first place. If you really think that selling assets is the answer then maybe you should run a Successful Business first to qualify in making decisions/choices you are obviously not qualified to make. YOU should take responsibility for your actions and the consequences of your actions and resign…No payout, No pension, No free travel, get a real job you CAN DO! You are nothing but Career Parasites with NO IDEA of how to run a Successful State… How about we SACK the lot of you… Now that’s a GOOD IDEA that would save the State Millions… I find your choices OFFENSIVE as a hard working citizen who has paid his dues all his life…My PENSION is a RITE NOT WELFARE ; I and others like me deserve better than Parasites to lead us in this time of World Austerity YOU give yourself a 20% & 40% Pay increase…My Aged Pension went up $10.00 per fortnight…that’s $5 a week just in case you can’t work it out, 0.71 cents per day…WOW I’m overwhelmed with the generosity of this so called WELFARE your mates in the Canberra LNP have given us after their 20% & 40% Pay increase which you are tied too… The REALITY is we are SCREWED every day by your INCOMPETENCE…

Why sell anything that is making money or is there for our benefit

Once it’s sold you never get it back,Newman crucified Anna Bligh for this and he is doing the same thing,when you sell something off to private enterprise it always the poor hard working people that pay the price,Australians have worked hard in this country to build up all these assets and you get some idiot in power that stuffs it for every one.

Community services should be in the hands of the community ie the people who work for the community our government both local and state NOT private companies who are profit driven. These services should be accountable to the people who need them. If they are privatised who will have the say in what is provided and where and how much they will cost us?

What a hypocrite. Newman slaughtered Anna Bligh for privatisation. It’s up there with the no job losses promise.

The government’s “solutions” are based on ideology and a couple of lies – that government debt is inherently evil and that anything that issued from the (once again ideologically based) was a true representation of the facts