TRACKING ABBOTT’S WRECKAGE

Tony Abbott has been in power since 7 September 2013. From that moment, he and his government have broken promises and hurt Australians. This post will be regularly updated to keep track of the Abbott Government’s broken promises and everything his Government does to hurt Australians. Each separate item will have a link to a source. Broken promises appear in bold and in a separate fully referenced list at the end.

THE LIST

478. Breaks a promise to provide a stable and unified Government – 14 September 2015 

477. Laughs at Pacific countries who’s existence is being threatened by climate change – 10 September 2015

476. Rejects recommendations to make banks pay for tax payer funded insurance – 4 September 2015

475. Wastes $55 million, including $15 million on relocating four refugees to Cambodia before the deal to resettle refugees from Nauru collapses – 30 August 2015

474. Oversees botched Border Force announcement that they would stopping people for visa checks in the Melbourne CBD – 28 August 2015

473. Splurges $10 million to rename Border Force – 26 August 2015

472. Cuts $10 million from a grant to support sufferers of an incurable disease – 26 August 2015

471. Breaks an election promise to “make no changes to the GST” by extending it to purchases made online – 21 August 2015

470. Spends over $20 million on an advertising campaign to sell it’s free trade agreement with China – 19 August 2015

469. Tries to introduce laws to stop citizens exercising their legal rights to stop big developments that damage the environment – 19 August 2015

468. Allows Scott Morrison to describe paid parental leave as a “first world issue” – 17 August 2015

467. Asks for a list of national security related things to be announced weekly until the election – 14 August 2015 

466. Blocks a conscience vote on  same sex marriage – 11 August 2015

465. Reduces Australia’s carbon emissions reduction target – 11 August 2015

464. Oversees an inquiry that recommends cutting penalty rates, lowering the minimum wage, individual contracts and giving employers more power over workers – 4 August 2015

463. Scuttles a proposal from Indigenous leaders for constitutional recognition – 3 August 2015

462. Backs speaker Bronwyn Bishop despite revelations she has rorted her travel entitlements multiple times – 31 July 2015

461. Dramatically increases the cost of applying for a divorce – 14 July 2015

460. Bans the Clean Energy Finance Corporation from investing in roof top solar panels and other small scale solar energy – 12 July 2015

459. Directs the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to stop investing in wind power – 12 July 2015

458. Launches a review of the ABC program QandA – 29 June 2015

457. Closes off the possibility of High Court challenges to offshore detention – 25 June 2015

456. Cuts the pension for low and middle income earners – 24 June 2015

455. Establishes a Commissioner for Wind Farms – 24 June 2015

454. Slashes the renewable energy target – 24 June 2015

453. Signs a free trade agreement with China which allows companies who have a 15% Chinese investor to import 100% overseas workers, undermines Australians safety and environmental standards and allows companies to sue the Australian government – 16 June 2015

452. Gags doctors, teachers and nurses from speaking out about conditions in detention centres with new laws imposing jail for speaking publicly – 4 June 2015

451. Deregulates the shipping industry removing the requirement of companies to pay Australian wages and conditions – 26 May 2015

450. Muzzles the Freedom of Information watchdog – 26 May 2015

449. Refuses to join the international effort to resettle refugees in crisis, stating “nope, nope, nope” – 21 May 2015

448. Gives the Minister for Arts the power to decide what art gets funded – 12 May 2015

447. Makes medicines more expensive for the chronically ill – 12 May 2015

446. Stops Family Tax benefit B to parents when their child turns 6 – 12 May 2015

445. Removes childcare benefits from parents who cannot work or study – 12 May 2015

444. Abolishes another 71 net jobs in the Federal public sector – 12 May 2015

443. Scraps funding to the academic website “The Conversation” – 12 May 2015

442. Cuts $12.5 million from the National Heritage Trust – 12 May 2015

441. Cuts $140 000 from the Refugee Council of Australia – 12 May 2015

440. Cuts $72.5 million for health scholarships – 12 May 2015 

439. Reduces the take home pay of those who work for charities and NGOs but cutting tax benefits – 12 May 2015

438. Cuts $3.6 million from Screen Australia – 12 May 2015

437. Slashes $403 million from the Australia Council – 12 May 2015

436. Decimates aid to Africa with a 70% cut – 12 May 2015

435. Cuts aid to Indonesia by 50% – 12 May 2015

434. Gouges almost $2 Billion from health – 12 May 2015

433. Kicks 80 000 or 46% of parents off the paid parental leave scheme and labels them “rorter” – 10 May 2015 

432. Scraps a Ministerial directive for the Australian Federal Police to consider Australians opposition to the death penalty – 1 May 2015

431. Gives $4 million to an academic who’s views align with the Prime Minister’s on climate change – 16 April 2015

430. Spends millions on a widespread advertising campaign to sell their “Intergenerational Report” which is discredited by the celebrity scientist who they paid to sell it – 15 April 2015

429. Fails to act on allegations of physical and sexual abuse of asylum seekers on Nauru despite knowing about it for over a year – 9 April 2015

428. Introduces laws to retain the metadata of Australians that 85 security and policing agencies can access – 26 March 2015

427. Axes the National Produce Monitoring System which monitors chemicals in Australia’s domestic food – 18 March 2015

426. Threatens to sack 1700 researchers if the Senate did not pass their bill to deregulate universities – 15 March 2015

425. Dismisses Indigenous culture by describing living in remote communities as a “lifestyle choice” – 11 March 2015

424. Violates the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and has found to have done so multiple times by the U.N. – 9 March 2015

423. Defends the decision of the LNP to hold an International Women’s Day lunch at a club that only accepts male members – 4 March 2015

422. Dismisses the inquiry into the treatment of children in immigration detention as a “political stitch up” and attacks Gillian Triggs the President of the Human Rights Commission – 24 February 2014

421. Tried to induce the President of the Human Rights Commission Gillian Triggs to resign before her report outlining the abuse of children in Australia’s immigration detention centres was released – 24 February 2015.

420. Pays $3.32 million to the lead lawyer for the Royal Commission into trade unions for under two years work – 19 February 2015

419. Puts at risk efforts to halt the executions of two Australians in Bali by threatening Indonesia with aid funding  – 19 February 2015

418. Bungles the tendering process for building submarines threatening hundreds of jobs – 19 February 2015

417. Dismisses a damning report into the impacts of mandatory detention of children seeking asylum as partisan and politicised, and says the Human Rights Commission “should be ashamed of themselves” – 12 February 2015

416. Breaks promise to lead a “strong, stable, accountable” government – 09 February 2015

415. Dumps his signature paid parental leave policy – 2 February 2015

414. Awards a Knighthood to Prince Philip on Australia Day – 26 January 2015

413. Undermines court system by commenting on the bail decision of a Victorian magistrate – January 16, 2015

412. Announces a freezes to the annual increases to the Medicare schedule – 12 January 2015

411. Attempts to undermine Medicare by slashing the amount doctors get for consultations – 12 January 2015

410. Votes against a UN resolution calling for the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestine – 31 December 2014

409. Spends millions on market research and TV advertisements promoting their proposal to uncap university fees – 28 December 2014

408. Slashes funding to community organisations that support tens of thousands of vulnerable families and people in crisis causing 2500 community workers to lose their jobs two days before Christmas – 22 December 2014

407. Defunds peak organisations who advocate for the poor and oppressed including Homelessness Australia, Financial Counselling Australia and National Shelter – 22 December 2014

406. Appoints a climate skeptic who praised Rupert Murdoch as the “starting point for green innovation” to the position of parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment – 21 December 2014

405. Backflips on clamping down on multinational companies who shift profits to avoid paying taxes in Australia – 17 December 2014

404. Blows out the deficit to $40.4 Billion – 15 December 2014

403. Abolishes the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency – 15 December 2015

402. Ceases payments to apprentices under Support for Adult Australian Apprenticeships program – 15 December 2014

401. Cuts funding for the National Trade Cadetships programme – 15 December 2014

400. Slashes another $3.7 billion from overseas aid – 15 December 2014

399. Cuts 26 more government bodies down to 6 – 15 December 2014

398. Abolishes the Operational Working Party which advises government on the needs of the ex-service community – 15 December 2014 

397. Cancels the National Health, Aged and Community Care Forum – 15 December 2014

396. Abolishes the Current and Former Members of the ADF Emerging Issues Forum – 15 December 2014

395. Abolishes the Australian Financial Centre Taskforce – 15 December 2014

394. Silences the National Injury Insurance Scheme Advisory Group – 15 December 2014

393. Abolishes the National Children and Family Roundtable – 15 December 2014

392. Silences the Minister’s Dementia Advisory Group – 15 December 2014

391. Cancels the Healthy Life Better Ageing Committee – 15 December 2014

390. Annuls the Aged Care Reform Implementation Council – 15 December 2014

389. Cancels the Aged Care Planning Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

388. Abolishes the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency Ltd – 15 December 2014

387. Cancels the Indigenous Development effectiveness Initiative Steering Committee – 15 December 2014

386. Abolishes the First Peoples Education Advisory Group – 15 December 2014

385. Cancels the Australia in the Asian Century Advisory Board – 15 December 2014

384. Annuls the Regional Australia Standing Council – 15 December 2014

383. Dismantles the Northern Australia Ministerial Forum – 15 December 2014

382. Abolishes the Marine Council – 15 December 2014

381. Terminates the Expert Advisory Panel on Northern Australia – 15 December 2014

380. Silences the Northern Australia Indigenous Experts Forum on sustainable Economic Development – 15 December 2014

379. Annuls the Infrastructure Coordinator – 15 December 2014

378. Abolishes the Technical Advisory Committee for the Coal Mining Abatement Technology Support Package – 15 December 2014

377. Abolishes the Gas Market – Industry Reference Group – 15 December 2014

376. Disbands the Department of Human Services Council on Strategy and Innovation – 15 December 2014

375. Disbands the Anti-Doping Research Panel – 15 December 2014

374. Abolishes the Tourism Quality Council of Australia – 15 December 2014

373. Disbands the Australia Awards Board – 15 December 2014

372. Abolishes the National Marine Mammal Scientific Committee – 15 December 2014

371. Disbands the National Marine Mammal Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

370. Abolishes the National Landscapes Reference Committee – 15 December 2014

369. Gets rid of the Indigenous Water Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

368. Disbands the Iconic Sites Taskforce – 15 December 2014

367. Abolishes the Fuel Standards Consultative Committee – 15 December 2014

366. Abolishes the Emissions Intensive – Trade Exposed Expert Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

365. Disbands the Commonwealth Environmental Water Stakeholder Reference Panel – 15 December 2014

364. Abolishes the COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water – 15 December 2014

363. Abolishes the Bureau of Meteorology Water Accounting Standards Board – 15 December 2014

362. Abolishes the Antarctic Science Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

361. Cancels the COAG Select Council on Workplace Relations – 15 December 2014

360. Wipes out the Education Investment Fund Advisory Board – 15 December 2014

359. Dismantles the Australian Qualifications Framework Council – 15 December 2014

358. Abolishes the Strategic Cross-sectoral Data Committee for Early Childhood, Education and Training – 15 December 2014

357. Dismantles the Vietnam Veterans Education Centre – 15 December 2014

356. Abolishes the research working group – 15 December 2014

355. Abolishes the Peacekeepers Study Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

354. Abolishes the Medicines Advice and Therapeutics Education Services Writing Group – 15 December 2014

353. Abolishes the Medicines Advice and Therapeutics Education Services Veterans Reference Group – 15 December 2014

352. Abolishes the Medicines Advice and Therapeutics Education Services Practitioner Reference Group – 15 December 2014

351. Abolishes the Gulf War Study Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

350. Abolishes the eHealth Technical Advisory Group – 15 December 2014

349. Abolishes the Community Nursing Clinical Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

348. Abolishes the Australian National Memorial New Zealand Advisory Panel – 15 December 2014

347. Abolishes the Anzac Centenary Public Fund Board – 15 December 2014

346. Abolishes the Official Establishments Trust – 15 December 2014

345. Abolishes the Australian Council of Local Government – 15 December 2014

344. Abolishes the Urban Policy Forum – 15 December 2014

343. Abolishes the National Disaster Recovery Taskforce – 15 December 2014

342. Abolishes the Local Government Ministers’ Forum – 15 December 2014

341. Abolishes the Inter-Jurisdictional Working Group – 15 December 2014

340. Abolishes the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics Advisory Board – 15 December 2014

339. Abolishes the Pharmaceutical Industry Working Group – 15 December 2014

338. Abolishes the National Precincts Board – 15 December 2014

337. Abolishes the Fair Work Building and Construction Independent Assessor – 15 December 2014

336. Abolishes the Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood Joint Working Group to Provide Advice on Students with Disability – 15 December 2014

335. Abolishes the Department of Defence CEO’s round table – 15 December 2014

334. Abolishes the Committee which was overseeing reform to the repair and maintenance of the Navy’s ships – 15 December 2014

333. Abolishes the Department of Defence Diversity Advisory Group – 15 December 2014

332. Abolishes the Australian Defence Force Financial Services Consumer Council – 15 December 2014

331. Abolishes the Subcommittee on Animal Health Laboratory Standards – 15 December 2014

330. Abolishes the Rabies Preparedness Working Group – 15 December 2014

329. Abolishes the New Test Evaluation Working Group – 15 December 2014

328. Abolishes the National Strategies Working Group – 15 December 2014

327. Abolishes the Laboratories for Emergency Animal Disease Diagnosis and Response Working Group – 15 December 2014

326. Abolishes the National Surveillance and Diagnostics Working Group – 15 December 2014

325. Abolishes the Forestry and Forest Products Committee – 15 December 2014

324. Abolishes the Department of Agriculture – Live Animal Export Division – Industry Government Implementation Group – 15 December 2014

323. Abolishes the Benchmarks Working Group which monitors acute hospital performance – 15 December 2014

322. Abolishes the Australian and New Zealand Standard Diagnostic Procedures Working Group – 15 December 2014

321. Abolishes the Artbank Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

320. Cuts the Development Allowance Authority – 15 December 2014

319. Cuts the Reconstruction Inspectorate – 15 December 2014

318. Cuts the Inspector of Transport Security – 15 December 2014

317. Cuts the National Advisory for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment – 15 December 2014

316. Cuts the Health and Hospitals Fund Advisory Board – 15 December 2014

315. Cuts the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority Advisory Board – 15 December 2014

314. Cuts the Climate Adaptation Outlook Independent Expert Group – 15 December 2014

313. Cuts the Biological Diversity Advisory Committee – 15 December 2014

312. Cuts the Australian Antarctic Names and Medals Committee – 15 December 2014

311. Cuts the Antarctic Research Assessment Committee – 15 December 2014

310. Cuts the Forces Entertainment Board – 15 December 2014

309. Cut the Protection Zone Committees – 15 December 2015

308. Cuts the Telework Advisory Panel – 15 December 2014

307. Cuts the Australian Government Solicitor – 15 December 2014

306. Appoints the radically right wing John Lloyd from the Institute of Public Affairs to head the Public Service Commission – 12 December 2014

305. Appoints a former National Party MP who champions an abstinence policy on drugs over harm minimisation to be the new head of the Australian National Council on Drugs – 11 December 2014

304. Imposes a $900 tax on new homes connecting to the NBN breaking election promises on taxes – 11 December 2014

303. The unemployment rate hits 6.3 %,  it has not been this high since 2002 when Tony Abbott was Minister for Employment and Industrial  Relations –  11 December 2014

302. Announces a cut of $5 to the Medicare rebate after he fails to get his $7 Medicare co-payment through the Senate – 9 December 2014 

301. Breaks an election promise to improve transparency by restricting the transparency of overseas travel expenses after media reports on Christopher Pyne’s lavish trip to Europe with his wife  – 9 December 2014

300. Breaks a key election promise to bring in 26 weeks parental leave paid at a working mother’s actual wage – 7 December 2014

299. Introduces special work for the dole rules for regional and remote unemployed people so they have to work twice as many hours as city people in a measure that will mainly affect indigenous people – 6 December 2014 

298. Hands the immigration minister unchecked and unappealable powers to prevent refugees arriving by boat from seeking protection and allows him to return people to the country from which they fled – 4 December 2014

297. Reintroduces temporary protection visas for asylum seekers found to be refugees – 4 December 2014

296. Cuts  CSIRO funding, which means that CSIRO will lose 1/5 of its workforce  – 24 November, 2014

295. Slashes funding to the ABC and SBS resulting in job cuts and the axing of programs including state based 7:30 Report and breaking an election promise 19 November, 2014 

294. Refuses to contribute to the fund Green Climate Fund, which Abbott last year described as  “socialism masquerading as environmentalism” – 17 November, 2014

293. Uses G20 platform to comment on domestic political issues such as the fact people don’t like his $7 GP fee rather than international political issues – 15 November, 2014

292. Describes Australia as “nothing but bush” prior to the arrival of the First Fleet when addressing a breakfast for British Prime Minister, David Cameron – 14 November 2014  

291. Breaks promise to  achieve a surplus in the Government’s first year in office, instead overseeing an estimated $51 billion deterioration in revenue – 11 November, 2014

290. Describes coal as “good for humanity” while opening a coal mine in Queensland  13 October, 2014

289. Extends the Royal Commission into Trade Unions for another 12 months and expands the terms of reference despite their being no requests for either – 09 October, 2014

288. Cuts spending on science and innovation to the lowest levels since the data was first published – 07 October, 2014

287. Spends an estimated $500 million yearly participating in the conflict in the Middle East –  07 October, 2014

286. Limits scrutiny of ASIO, expands protections from prosecution for ASIO officers, and allows ASIO greater powers for surveillance with reduced requirements for warrants  – 30 September, 2014

285. Signs a deal with Cambodia to accept Australia’s refugees for a payment of $40 million over 4 years – 26 September, 2014

284. Breaks an election promise to a publish a proposal for constitutional recognition for Indigenous people and establish a bipartisan process to try to bring about recognition as soon as possible within the first 12 months of Government – 19 September 2014.

283. Breaks election promise to  build replacement submarines in South Australian shipyards, spending more than $20 billion on Japanese submarines instead – 8 September, 2014

282. Fails to provide adequate medical care to asylum seeker Hamid Kehazaei who died after developing an infection from a cut on his foot – 5 September 2014

281. Delays superannuation increases for seven years costing workers thousands of dollars in retirement savings2 September 2014

280. Kills the Low Income Super Contribution payment and the Superannuation Guarantee which aimed to boost the retirement savings of 3.6 million workers who earn $37,000 per year or less2 September 2014

279. Repeals the mining tax on the profits of big coal and iron ore companies – 2 September 2014

278. Bans secular workers from the school chaplaincy program – 27 August 2014

277. Refuses temporary visitors visas for Sri Lankan trade unionists to attend a union conference in Australia because they “do not have enough personal wealth” – 25 August 2014

276. Unemployment hits highest level in 12 years – 7 August 2014

275. Breaks an election promise to amend the race hate laws – 6 August 2014

274. Directs all government departments to disclose every contact with every union for any reason over the last decade to the Royal Commission – 28 July 2014

273. Allows the suspension of payments to parents whose children do not attend school in the Northern Territory – 19 July 2014

272. Axes the carbon tax with no viable policy to address climate change or Australia’s emission targets – 17 July, 2014

271. Risks up to $1 billion in revenue through job cuts at the ATO – July 15, 2014

270. Cuts all funding to Vibe Australia, the Indigenous organisation responsible for creating and producing the Deadly Awards, Deadly Vibe and InVibe magazines, Deadly Sounds radio, Move It Mob Style TV and deadlyvibe.com.au –  July 14, 2014

269. Detains 153 asylum seekers at sea on board a customs ship for a month, despite questions about the legality of this action – July 12, 2014

268. Offends China and many Australians by praising the “skill and honour” of Japanese soliders who killed 22 000 Australians and hundreds of thousands of Chinese during World War II – 9 July 2014

267. Hands over 41 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to the custody of Sri Lankan authorities after screening them at sea and transferring them while still on the water – 07 July, 2014 

266. Creates a strategic communications branch employing 37 people  and costing $4.7 million each year, to oversee communications in the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet despite saying at the 2013 launch of the Liberal Party’s book on ALP waste, that they would spend less on spin than the previous government  – July 05, 2014

265. Describes Australia as ‘unsettled’ before the British arrived, during an address to the Australia-Melbourne Institute Conference – 04 July, 2014

264. Grants the Immigration Minister power over the granting of permanent residence allowing him to personally decide the conditions of the test and his decisions will not be subject to appeal  – 03 July, 2014

263. Breaks a promise not to grant permanent permanent residency to people arriving by boat  by granting a visa to a least one refugee – 03 July, 2014

262. Prohibits Community Legal Centres from using Government funding to advocate for policy or law reform – 02 July, 2014

261. Appoints a former Liberal MP and a conservative columnist and vocal opponent of the ABC to the ABC and SBS appointments panel – 02 July, 2014

260. Strikes out protections for consumers of financial advice before the report into the Commonwealth Bank of Australia financial planning scandal is tabled, which recommends a Royal Commission into the bank to investigate allegations of fraud, forgery and a management cover-up – 01 July, 2014

259. Refuses to confirm the existence of two boatloads of refugees reported to be currently on board customs vessels. The Government previously denied the vessels were in trouble and refuses to comment on whether the refugees will be landing in Australia – 30 June, 2014

258. Revokes the residential determination of two asylum seekers from Vietnam currently in high school in Adelaide and removes them to a detention centre, resulting in up to 7 other children, also in school, running away for fear of the same fate – 28 June, 2014

257. Cuts Dementia and Severe Behaviours Supplement, a payment to those who provide care for people with severe behavioural  and psychological symptoms of dementia – 26 June, 2014 

256.  Breaks promise that no public servants will be forced into redundancy as it is revealed that staff in Treasury in Finance will be made involuntarily redundant  – 24 June, 2014

255. Seeks to reintroduce Temporary Protection Visas after the High Court strikes down the Government’s attempt to limit the number of permanent visas available each year  – 22 June 2014.

254. Refuses to halt return of refugees to war-torn Iraq – 18 June, 2014

253. Abandons the long-held, bipartisan position of referring to Palestinian land captured in 1967 as occupied – 06 June, 2014 

252. Abolishes the Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee, which has, for 25 years,  investigated gaps in Australia’s corporate and financial markets law  and recommended ways to close them – 05 June, 2014

251. Excludes Australian shipyards from a major new contract, sending jobs offshore and threatening the industry in Australia – 05 June, 2014 

250. Cuts funding to the peak refugee organisation the Refugee Council of Australia – 30 May 2014

249. Takes money from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and gives it to the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Scheme – 28 May 2014

248. Breaks promise that no public servants will be forced into redundancy after revelations that public servants in the Department of Industry have been made involuntarily redundant – 19 May 2014

247. Scraps the National Water Commission – 13 May, 2014

246. Abolishes funding for Building Australia’s Future Workforce – 13 May, 2014

245. Abolishes the Get Reading Programme – 13 May, 2014

244. Scraps the annual subsidy to local ethanol producers – 13 May 2014

243. Slashes the Biodiversity Fund – 13 May, 2014

242. Cuts the Education Department’s Online Diagnostic Tools Programme – 13 May, 2014

241. Abolishes the Australian Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority which was established to encourage organ donation – 13 May, 2014

240.  Introduces annual reviews for veterans receiving military compensation payments due to illness or injury – 13 May, 2014

239. Terminates the Office of Water Science research programme – 13 May, 2014

238. Abolishes the Commonwealth Human Rights Education Grant – 13 May 2014

237. Abolishes funding to the Exotic Disease Preparedness Programme – 13 May 2014

236. Slashes funding from the Indigenous Health Budget – 13 May 2014

235. Cuts funding for Indigenous language support – 13 May 2014

234. Cuts funding to the Torres Strait Regional Authority – 13 May 2014

233. Abolishes the Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, the only elected representative body for Indigenous Australians – 13 May 2014

232. Breaks election promise and slashes funding to Landcare – 13 May 2014

231. Abolishes the National Rental Affordability Scheme – 13 May 2014

230. Cuts funding from the corporate regulator ASIC which oversees the financial sector – 13 May 2014

229. Axes the first home buyers savings scheme – 13 May 2014

228. Reduces funding to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency – 13 May 2014

227. Abolishes the Improving Educational Outcomes Programme – 13 May 2014

226. Cuts funding to the Child Care Early Learning Projects and the Professional Support Program which assist childcare workers gain skills – 13 May 2014

225. Reduces funding to the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership – 13 May 2014

224. Cut the Research Training Scheme, with tertiary education providers to introduce student contributions for higher degrees – 13 May 2014

223. Ends the development of the Australian Baccalaureate – 13 May 2014

222. Cuts higher education reward funding – 13 May 2014

221. Cuts the Australian National University’s HC Coombs Policy Forum – 13 May 2014

220. Cuts Australian Research Council funding – 13 May 2014

219. Abolishes tax break for mature age workers and replaces it with a payment for employing people over 50 who have been on Newstart or the DSP for more than 6 months – 13 May 2014

218. Cuts an incentive program for graduates to take up work in regional locations of need – 13 May 2014

217. Axes the National Partnership Agreement on Certain Concessions for Pensioners and Seniors Card Holders which supports state and territory concessions for senior citizens including energy rebates. – 13 May 2014

216. Kills off four grant programmes including the the Australian Community Food Safety Campaign and Outreach Support Services for Criminalised Women – 13 May 2014

215. Cuts $2.3 million in contribution to the World Health Organisation – 13 May 2014

214. Abolishes the Australian Interactive Games Fund which helped support local video game developers – 13 May 2014

213. Breaks a promise not to cuts funding to health by dramatically cutting hospital funding – 13 May 2014

212. Cuts $240 million over four years to community programs that support poor, sick or disadvantaged people – 13 May 2014

211. Cuts $25 million over 4 years (a quarter of the total) funding to Community Legal Centres who provide legal support to the poor and disadvantaged – 13 May 2014

210. Cuts the Women in Leadership program – 13 May 2014

209. Breaks a promise to have one million more solar roofs across Australia and at least 25 solar towns – 13 May 2014

208. Breaks a promise to spend $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund by committing less than half this amount in the budget – 13 May 2014

207. Orders the spending of $11.7 million to plan the privatisation of: Defence Housing Australia, the Royal Australian Mint and the registry function of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission – 13 May 2014

206. Announces 3000 job loses at the Australian Tax Office – 13 May 2014

205. Freezes the Family Tax Benefit A at a set income level regardless of the number of children – 13 May 2014

204. Cuts the Family Tax Benefit B end-of-year supplement by 15% – 13 May 2014

203. Reduces funding for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation – 13 May 2014

202. Reduces funding to the Australian Institute for Marine Science – 13 May 2014

201. Scraps a range of grant programs aimed at funding innovation and start-up businesses, including: Australian Industry Participation; Commercialisation Australia; Enterprise Solutions; Innovation Investment Fund; Industry Innovation Councils; Enterprise Connect; Industry Innovation Precincts; and Textile, Clothing and Footwear Small Business and Building Innovative Capability – 13 May 2014

200. Rips a further $111.4 million over four years out of the operating budget of the CSIRO – 13 May 2014

199. Ceases funding for National ICT Australia, which is a research centre for communications and information technology – 13 May 2014

198. Abolishes Medicare locals – 13 May 2014

197. Reduces payments to people under 35 with a disability who cannot find employment if they could work more than eight hours a week – 13 May 2014

196. Mandates religious education in schools by taking away the option for schools to opt for a secular social worker instead – 13 May 2014

195. Abolishes the ABC’s disability communities website Ramp Up – 13 May 2014

194. Abolishes the Disability Discrimination Commissioner – 13 May 2014

193. Abolishes the Better Schools Centre for Quality Teaching and Learning – 13 May 2014

192. Dismantles the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and will establish a health productivity and performance commission – 13 May 2014

191. Abolishes the Seniors Supplement – 13 May 2014

190. Axes the tax break for people with dependent spouses – 13 May 2014

189. Axes the Diagnostic Imaging Quality Programme – 13 May 2014

188. Ceases the Dental Flexible Grants Program – 13 May 2014

187. Axes the Charles Sturt University’s dental and oral health clinics – 13 May 2014

186. Axes funding for the nursing and allied health scholarships in Tasmania – 13 May 2014

185. Defers 13 Partners in Recovery programs which help people with severe and persistent mental illness and complex support needs – 13 May 2014

184. Cuts funding to the National Anti-Tobacco Campaign – 13 May 2014

183. Cuts Australia’s Animal Welfare Strategy – 13 May 2014

182. Abolishes Health Workforce Australia and cuts the expansion of the Clinical Training Funding Program – 13 May 2014

181. Axes the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health – 13 May 2014

180. Defers the National Partnership Agreement for adult public dental services until July 2015 – 13 May 2014

179. Reduces the Medicare benefit for optometry services and allows optometrists to charge more – 13 May 2014

178. Abolishes the GP Education and Training Limited and ceasing the Pre-vocational GP Placements Scheme – 13 May 2014

177. Axes industry and community clean energy programs include the Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund, the National Low Emission Coal Initiative, Energy Efficiency Programmes, the National Solar Schools Plan, Energy Efficiency Information Grants and Low Carbon Communities – 13 May 2014

176. Scraps The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) which was set up to support new and emerging renewable technologies and in doing so breaks an election promise – 13 May 2014

175. Scraps the Housing Help for Seniors scheme which provided assistance to older Australians – 13 May 2014

174. Pulls $2.5 billion from aged care, including $1.7 billion from home based support such as Meals on Wheels – 13 May 2014

173. Cuts the benefit for unemployed people under 25 by moving them onto the Youth Allowance – 13 May 2014

172. Kills off the Gonski school funding vision by cutting future funding by $30 billion – 13 May 2014

171. Reduces Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme safety nets – 13 May 2014

170. Breaks a promise to make no cuts to health with a $368 million cut from preventative health measures – 13 May 2014

169. Cuts the Family Tax Benefit A end-of-year supplement by 17% – 13 May 2014

168. Increases the fuel excise twice a year by indexing it to CPI – 13 May 2014

167. Forces students to repay their debt earlier by lowering the wage they need to earn before payments kick in – 13 May 2014

166. Increases debt for students by increasing the interest on their fees – 13 May 2014

165. Makes it harder for retirees to access the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card – 13 May 2014

164. Guts the Australia Council and Screen Australia by cutting $87 million for the Arts – 13 May 2014

163. Forces people under 30 to work for the dole if they want to receive any financial support after a waiting period of six months with no financial support – 13 May 2014

162. Imposes a six month wait for people under 30s to receive unemployment benefits – 13 May 2014

161. Cuts the Family Tax Benefit Part B – 13 May 2014

160. Cuts the old age pension by indexing it to CPI instead of wages – 13 May 2014

159. Increases the pension age to 70 from 2035 – 13 May 2014

158. Imposes a $5 increase on the cost of all medicines available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (80c for concession card holders) – 13 May 2014

157. Cuts the ‘Tools for the Trade’ program which helped apprentices buy their tools, and replacing it with a loan scheme apprentices will have to repay – 13 May 2014

156. Caps the amount of money workers can recoup in entitlements if their employer becomes insolvent or bankrupt to 16 weeks – 13 May 2014

155. Breaks a promise to only cut the foreign aid budget by $4.5 billion and cuts it by $7.9 billion instead – 13 May 2014

154. Axes funding to the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, the national peak body for young people- 13 May 2014

153. Slashes Disability Support Pensions by indexing to inflation – 13 May 2014

152. Abolishes the highly successful Youth Connections program that supports young people who have not completed, or are at risk of not completing Year 12 or equivalent qualifications also costing hundreds of community sector jobs – 13 May 2014

151. Breaks a promise of “no new taxes” by introducing a fuel levy – 13 May 2014

150. Announces the sacking of 16,500 public sector workers as whole Departments are abolished despite promising only 12,000 job losses – 13 May 2014

149. Cuts $500 million from indigenous programs over five years – 13 May 2014

148. Breaks a promise of “no new taxes” by introducing a deficit tax rise of two percentage points for people earning more than $180,000 a year – 13 May 2014

147. Scrapping a net $1.2 billion in tuition subsidies for universities – 13 May 2014

146. Scraps the Australia Network, Australia’s international television service broadcast across our region that provides news and current affairs from an Australian perspective – 13 May 2014

145. Breaks promise of “no cuts to the ABC or SBS” by cutting $43.5 million from the ABC and SBS – 13 May 2014

144. Tried to undermine Medicare by announcing a $7 fee increase for GP visits – 13 May 2014

143. Tears up the Federal Government’s agreement with states and territories to help fund increasing health costs – 13 May 2014

142. Tries to abolish caps on university fees, meaning universities will be able to charge whatever they like for degrees – 13 May 2014

141. Abolishes the COAG Reform Council — which provides information to Governments so they can track the performance of their programs – 13 May 2014

140. Sacks the National People with Disability and Carers Council — which pushed for and then helped build the NDIS – 13 May 2014

139. Releases the Commission of Audit report which recommends savage budget cuts that would negatively affect every Australian – 1 May 2014

138. Breaks a promise to introduce the paid parental leave scheme he took to the election – 30 April 2014

137. Spends $12.4 billion on new fighter jets whilst claiming a budget “emergency” and preparing to make big cuts to health and welfare – 23 April 2014

136. Abolishes the research and development tax incentives board – 11 April 2014

135. Begins dismantling GP Super clinics – 8 April 2014

134. Cuts 480 jobs from the Environment Department who are responsible for protecting places such as Kakadu, Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef – 7 April 2014

133. Forbids public servants from making political comments online, even anonymously, and instructs them to report on colleagues who do – 6 April 2014

132. Establishes a secret, publicly funded “hit squad” to target political opponents led by the man who provided a “chaff bag” for Alan Jones to auction at a Young Liberal fundraiser – 1 April 2014

131. Imposes fees and charges on people who become bankrupt – 1 April 2014

130. Axes free legal assistance for asylum seekers – 31 March 2014

129. Attempts to defund Ethical Clothing Australia that worked with industry to protect outworkers in the textile and clothing industry from exploitation and abandons the Governments ethical procurement guidelines – 30 March 2014

128. Opposes a UN resolution to conduct war crimes inquiry in Sri Lanka – 28 March 2014

127. Closes all Medicare offices on Saturdays – 26 March 2014

126. Brings back the awards of knights and dames which were abolished in 1986 – 25 March 2014

125. Cuts 400 jobs from the industry department – 25 March 2014

124. Ensures a human rights enquiry into the Manus Island detention centre is shut down and human rights lawyers are denied access to the centre – 23 March 2014

123. Abolishes one third of the jobs in Treasury costing approximately 300 jobs – 21 March 2014

122. Cuts welfare payments to orphans of soldiers – 16 March 2014

121. Moves to deny funding to artists or events that refuse corporate sponsorship for ethical reasons – 15 March 2014

120. Cuts hundreds of jobs at the CSIRO – 14 March 2014

119. Reopens 457 visa loophole to allow employers to hire an unlimited number of workers without scrutiny – 12 March 2014

118. Overturns a ban on cattle grazing in the Victorian Alpine National Park – 6 March 2014

117. Frustrated and defeated an attempt at the UN to highlight the humanitarian consequences of nuclear war – 5 March 2014

116. Axes funding earmarked to save the Sumatran rhinoceros from extinction – 28 February 2014

115. Introduces legislation to allow people aged between 17-24 years old to work for half the minimum wage and be exempted from all other work rights including health and safety laws and protections should they be injured at work – 26 February 2014

114. Axes funding to Aboriginal Early Childhood Support and Learning Incorporated, the only Indigenous peak body advising on early childhood issues for Indigenous people in NSW – 25 February, 2014

113. Misleads the Australian public about what occurred on Manus Island when asylum seekers were attacked killing one person and injuring seventy-seven. Once the information was known to be untrue, waited five days to correct the record – 25 February 2014

112. Contravenes 113 years of established practice by moving to release the previous Government’s confidential cabinet papers to the Royal Commission into the Pink Batts scheme – 22 February 2014

111. Scraps food grants program for small farmers – 21 February 2014

110. Pressured SPC Ardmona to cut the pay and conditions for workers in return for Government money – 20 February 2014

109. Blames carbon pricing for the close of Alcoa smelters and rolling mills and the loss of nearly 1000 jobs, despite the fact the company states it had no bearing on their decision – 19 February 2014

108. Breaches the privacy and puts in danger around 10, 000 asylum seekers and their families by releasing their personal details on the Department of Immigration website – 19 February 2014

107. Fails to ensure the safety of asylum seekers in our care on Manus Island who were subjected to a vicious attack, which left one person dead and seventy-seven seriously injured – 18 February 2014

106. Reverses the previous government’s decision to care for refugee children who are without an adult family member (ie unaccompanied minors) in the community and sends them to detention centres in Nauru – 17 February 2014

105. Removes poverty reduction from the goals of the foreign affairs budget –February 17, 2014

104. Appoints a climate change skeptic to head a review of our renewable energy target – 17 February 2014

103. Pays hundreds of indigenous workers in his Department up to $19 000 less than non-indigenous workers doing the same job and cuts the budget for the representative body the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples causing two-thirds of the staff to lose their jobs – 15 February 2014

102. Breaks a promise to provide fibre-to-the-premises for all Tasmanians for the National Broadband Network – 13 February 2014

101. Unemployment rate jumps to highest in more than 10 years – 13 February 2014

100. Lies to the Australian public about the reasons Toyota gave for their decision to close in order to blame the workers and their union – 12 February 2014

99. Takes down a website providing information to the Australian public on the ingredients and nutritional content of foods. It is later revealed that the person in the Minister’s office who gave this directive is married to a lobbyist from the junk food industry and was still a share holder in their lobbying company – 11 February 2014

98. Destroys the Australian car manufacturing industry by refusing to provide any industry assistance leading to the decision of Toyota to shut costing up to 30 000 jobs – 10 February 2014

97. Launches a Royal Commission into unions – 10 February 2014

96. Attempts to reintroduce temporary visas for asylum seekers found to be fleeing persecution preventing them ever settling in Australia and retrospectively applies them to 20 000 people. This is stopped in the Senate twice by the ALP and The Greens – 7 February 2014

95. Supports a reduction of penalty rates and other Award minimums in a submission to the Fair Work Commission’s review of all Awards – 4 February 2014

94. Lies to the Australian public about the wages and working conditions of factory workers at SPC Ardmona in Shepparton and uses this incorrect information to blame them for their job insecurity – 4 February 2014

93. Launches an “efficiency study” into ABC and the SBS – 30 January 2014

92. Cuts the wages of Australian troops deployed overseas by almost $20 000 per solider – 29 January 2014

91. Intervenes on the side of Toyota to support cutting Australian workers wages and conditions – 28 January 2014

90. Privatises the 104 year old Australian Valuation Office costing nearly 200 jobs – 24 January 2014

89. Seeks to wind back the World Heritage listing of Tasmania’s forests – 23 January 2014

88. Withdraws funding from Operation Newstart, an early intervention program to help vulnerable young people – 22 January 2014

87. Exempts Western Australia from national environment laws to facilitate shark culling – 21 January 2014

86. Defunds all international environmental programs, the International Labour Organisation and cuts funding to a range of international aid programs run by NGOs such as Save the Children, Oxfam, CARE Australia and Caritas – 18 January 2014

85. Violates Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty while turning back asylum seeker boats – 17 January 2014

84. Politicises the national school curriculum by appointing a former Liberal staffer and a Coalition supporter, both critics of the current curriculum to conduct a review – 10 January 2014.

83. Directs that people already found to be refugees who arrived by boat be given the lowest priority for family reunion – 8 January 2014

82. Fails to contradict or take any action against a member of his government, Senator Cory Bernardi, who makes divisive statements about: abortion, “non-traditional” families and their children, same sex couples, couples who use IVF and calls for parts of WorkChoices to be reintroduced – 6 January 2014

81. Scraps funding for the Jewish Holocaust Centre –January 3, 2014

80. Devastates Australia’s contribution to overseas aid by cutting $4.5 billion from the budget, causing vital programs supporting those in extreme poverty in our region to collapse – 1 January 2014

79. Drastically reduces tax breaks for small business and fails to publicise it – 1 January 2014

78. Appoints Tim Wilson, a Liberal Party member and Policy Director of a right-wing think tank to the position of Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission even though this think tank argued for the Commission to be abolished – 23 December 2013

77. Approves private health fund premium increases of an average 6.2% a year – 23 December 2013

76. Breaks his promise to provide the promised customs vessel to monitor whaling operations in the Southern Ocean – 23 December 2013

75. Requests the delisting of World Heritage status for Tasmanian forests – 21 December 2013

74. Cuts funding to the Energy Efficiency Opportunities Programme which makes it mandatory for large energy using businesses to improve their efficiency –17 December, 2013

73. Breaks a promise to make no cuts to health by cutting $150 million from hospital and health services – 17 December 2013.

72. Scraps the Home Energy Saver Scheme which helps struggling low income households cut their electricity bills – 17 December 2013

71. Defunds the Public Interest Advocacy Centre whose objectives are to work for a fair, just and democratic society by taking up legal cases public interest issues – 17 December 2013

70. Defunds the Environmental Defenders Office which is a network of community legal centres providing free advice on environmental law – 17 December 2013

69. Axes funding for animal welfare – 17 December 2013

68. Breaks his election promise of no cuts to education by cutting funding for trade training centres in schools – 17 December 2013

67. Abolishes the AusAID graduate program costing 38 jobs – 17 December 2013

66. Cuts Indigenous legal services by $13.4 million. This includes $3.5 million from front line domestic violence support services, defunding the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and abolishing all policy and law reform positions across the country – 17 December 2013

65. Abolishes the position of co-ordinator-general for remote indigenous services – 17 December 2013

64. Breaks his promise to unequivocally support the NDIS by changing the name of NDIS “launch sites” to “trial sites” and flags cuts to funding – 17 December 2013

63. Abolishes the National Office for Live Music along with the live music ambassadors – 17 December 2013

62. Cuts $2.5 million from community radio – 17 December 2013

61. Weakens the ministerial code of conduct to let ministers keep shares in companies – 16 December 2013

60. Disbands the independent Immigration Health Advisory Group for asylum seekers – 16 December 2013

59. Dumps the National Occupational Licensing Scheme which was designed to increase productivity by making it easier for skilled workers to work interstate – 14 December 2013

58. Axes $4.5 million from charities and community groups for the Building Multicultural Communities Program – 13 December 2013

57. Starts dismantling Australia’s world leading marine protection system – 13 December 2013

56. Scraps the COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water – 13 December 2013

55. Breaks his NBN election promise of giving all Australians access to 25 megabits per second download speeds by 2016 – 12 December 2013

54. Overturns the “critically endangered” listing of the Murray Darling Basin – 11 December 2013

53. Dares Holden to leave Australia. Holden responds by announcing its closure which costs Australians tens of thousands of jobs – 11 December 2013

52. Approves Clive Palmer’s mega coal mine in the Galilee Basin which opponents say will severely damage Great Barrier Reef – 11 December 2013

51. Demands that the few childcare workers who got pay rises “hand them back” – 10 December 2013

50. Approves the largest coal port in the world in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area – 10 December 2013

49. Removes the community’s right to challenge decisions where the government has ignored expert advice on threatened species impacts – 9 December 2013

48. Downgrades national environment laws by giving approval powers to state premiers – 9 December 2013

47. Undermines Australia’s democracy by signing a free trade agreement with South Korea allowing corporations to sue the Australian Government – 6 December 2013

46. Damages our diplomatic relationship with our nearest neighbour East Timor – 5 December 2013

45. Repeals the pokie reform legislation which was designed to combat problem gambling – 4 December 2013

44. Suspends the Wage Connect program, despite it being proven to deliver good outcomes for unemployed people – 3 December 2013

43. Axes funding to the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia, forcing the 46 year old organisation to close. It is later revealed that a staffer in the Assistant Health Minister’s office had links to the Alcohol Industry – 27 November 2013

42. Breaks his promise to support Gonski and back flips three times – 25 November 2013

41. Shifts Australia’s position at the UN on Israeli settlements – 25 November 2013

40. Damages our diplomatic relationship with the Indonesian Government by refusing to apologise for tapping the phones of their President, his wife and senior Government officials – 23 November 2013

39. Converts crucial Start-Up Scholarships into loans, increasing the debt of 80,000 higher education students by $1.2 billion – 21 November 2013

38. Gifts two navy patrol boats to the Sri Lankan government to stop asylum seekers fleeing the Sri Lankan government – 17 November 2013

37. Introduces a Bill to impose on workers who are elected onto unpaid union committees huge financial penalties and jail terms for breeches of new compliance obligations – 14 November 2013

36. Condones torture by foreign governments by saying “sometimes in difficult circumstances, difficult things happen” – 14 November 2013

35. Hides information from the Parliament and the people about the government’s treatment of asylum seekers – 13 November 2013

34. Abandons Australia’s emission reduction targets – 12 November, 2013

33. Separates a refugee mother from her newborn baby – 10 November 2013

32. Cuts 600 jobs at the CSIRO – 8 November 2013

31. Abolishes Insurance Reform Advisory Group which provided a forum for industry and consumer bodies to discuss insurance industry reform – 8 November 2013

30. Abolishes the Maritime Workforce Development Forum which was an industry body working to build a sustainable skills base for the maritime industry – 8 November 2013

29. Abolishes the High Speed Rail Advisory Group whose job it was to advise Governments on the next steps on implementing high speed rail for eastern Australia – 8 November 2013

28. Abolishes the Advisory Panel on the Marketing in Australia of Infant Formula which for 21 years ensured companies comply with agreements on the advertising of infant formula – 8 November 2013

27. Abolishes the Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee who ensured research on animals in the Antarctic complies with Australian standards – 8 November 2013

26. Abolished the National Steering Committee on Corporate Wrongdoing that for 21 years worked to make sure the law was effectively enforced on corporate criminals – 8 November 2013

25. Abolishes the National Inter-country Adoption Advisory Council which provided expert advice on overseas adoption – 8 November 2013

24. Abolishes International Legal Services Advisory Council which was responsible for working to improve the international performance of Australia’s legal services – 8 November 2013

23. Abolishes the Commonwealth Firearms Advisory Council a group of experts in gun crime and firearms which was set up after the Port Arthur massacre – 8 November 2013

22. Abolishes Australian Animals Welfare Advisory Committee a diverse group of experts advising the Agriculture Minister on animal welfare issues – 8 November 2013

21. Abolishes the National Housing Supply Council which provided data and expert advice on housing demand, supply and affordability – 8 November 2013

20. Abolishes the Advisory Panel on Positive Ageing, established to help address the challenges the country faces as the number of older Australians grows – 8 November 2013

19. Refuses to offer support to manufacturing in Tasmania, despite requests and warnings. Caterpillar announces the move of 200 jobs from Burnie to Thailand, costing around 1000 local jobs – 5 November 2013

18. Provides $2.2 million legal aid for farmers and miners to fight native title claims – 1 November 2013

17. Abolishes the 40 year old AusAID costing hundreds of jobs – 1 November 2013

16. Launches a successful High Court challenge which strikes down the ACT Marriage Equality laws invalidating the marriages of many people and ensuring discrimination against same-sex couples continues – 23 October 2013

15. Denies there is a link between climate change and more severe bush fires and accuses a senior UN official was “talking through their hat” – 23 October 2013

14. Appoints the head of the Business Council of Australia to a “Commission of Audit” to recommend cuts to public spending – 22 October 2013

13. Cuts compensation to the victims of bushfires – 21 October 2013

12. Instructs public servants and detention centre staff to call asylum seekers “illegals” – 20 October 2013

11. Appoints Howard era Australian Building & Construction Commission (ABCC) Director to help reinstate the ABCC with all its previous oppressive powers over construction workers – 17 October 2013

10. Axes the Major Cities Unit a Government agency with 10 staff which provided expert advice on urban issues in our 18 biggest cities – 24 September 2013

9. Breaks his promise to “stop the boats” – 23 September 2013

8. Scraps the Social Inclusion Board, which had been established to guide policy on the reduction of poverty in Australia – 19 September 2013

7. Abolishes the Climate Commission – 19 September 2013

6. Appoints himself Minister for Women – 16 September 2013

5. Appoints only one woman into his cabinet and blames the women for his decision, saying he appoints “on merit”– 16 September 2013

4. Abolishes key ministerial positions of climate change and science – 16 September 2013

3. Breaks his promise to spend his first week with an Aboriginal community –14 September 2012

2. Takes away pay rises for childcare workers – 13 September 2013

1. Takes away pay rises from aged care workers – 13 September 2013

The Broken Promise Count

1. Does not spend his first week as Prime Minister with an Aboriginal community – 14 September 2013. This promise was made in front of indigenous elders and participants at the Garma Festival on 10 August 2013, this is a live recording.

2. Fails to “stop the boats” – 23 September 2013. This promise was repeated so many times I can’t count. Here’s Abbott’s 2013 campaign launch speech.

3. Breaks his promise to support Gonski – 25 November 2013 and 13 May 2014. Fails to commit to future funding or to require States to match the Commonwealth funding commitment. See paragraph two from Christopher Pyne on 29 August 2013

4. Breaks its NBN election promise of giving all Australians access to 25 megabits per second download speeds by 2016 – 12 December 2013 This was the Coalition’s policy they took to the election first announced 9 April 2013.

5. Breaks his election promise of no cuts to education by cutting funding for trade training centres in schools on 17 December 2013. He made this promise at the National Press Club on 2 September 2013 and in writing on 5 September 2013 as part of their policy commitments.

6. Breaks a promise to make no cuts to health. He made this promise at the National Press Club on 2 September 2013 and in writing on 5 September 2013 as part of their policy commitments. This promise was first broken on 27 November 2013 when they cut funding to the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council

7. Breaks a promise to make no cuts to health on 17 December 2013 when they cut $150 million from hospitals and health services.

8. Fails to provide the promised customs vessel to monitor whaling operations in the Southern Ocean – 23 December 2013 Promise made by Greg Hunt – 9 April 2013

9. Breaks a promise to provide fibre-to-the-premises for all Tasmanians for the National Broadband Network. This promise was confirmed my Malcolm Turnbull on 17 August 2013 and confirmed as broken by the NBN Co executive chairman Ziggy Switkowski on 13 February 2014.

10. Breaks a promise to introduce the paid parental leave scheme he took to the election on 30 April 2014 by reducing the promised benefit for those earning above $100 000.

11. Breaks promise of “no cuts to the ABC or SBS” by cutting $43.5 million from the ABC and SBS.

12. Breaks a promise of “no new taxes” by introducing a deficit tax rise of two percentage points for people earning more than $180,000 a year.

13. Announced to sacking of 16,500 public sector workers as whole Departments are abolished despite promising only 12,000 job losses and through natural attrition.

14. Breaks a promise of “no new taxes” by introducing a fuel levy.

15. Reduction in foreign aid budget of $7.9 billion over five years despite promise to not exceed $4.5 billion and cut via indexation.

16. Increases the pension age to 70 from 2035 after promising no changes to pensions 

17. Cuts to old age pension by indexing to CPI, while it was promised there would be no changes.

18. Scraps The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) which was set up to support new and emerging renewable technologies and in doing so breaks an election promise.

19. Tears up the Federal Government’s agreement with states and territories to help fund increasing health costs despite promise of no cuts to health.

20.  Breaks a promise to make no cuts to health with a $368 million cut from preventative health measures.

21. Reduces the Medicare benefit for optometry services and allows optometrists to charge more, despite promise to not cut health budget.

22.  Axes the Charles Sturt University’s dental and oral health clinics, despite promise to not cut health budget.

23. Abolishes Medicare locals, despite promise to not cut health budget.

24. Breaks a promise to spend $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund by committing less than half this amount in the budget.

25. Breaks a promise to have one million more solar roofs across Australia and at least 25 solar towns.

26. Breaks a promise not to cuts funding to health by dramatically cutting hospital funding.

27. Breaks election promise and slashes funding to Landcare

28. Breaks promise that no public servants will be forced into redundancy after revelations that two public servants in the Department of Industry have been made involuntarily redundant since September.

29. Breaks promise that no public servants will be forced into redundancy as it is revealed that at least 30 staff in Treasury will be made involuntarily redundant.

30. Breaks a promise not to grant permanent permanent residency to people arriving by boat by granting a visa to a least one refugee

31. Breaks a promise to amend the race hate laws

32. Breaks a promise to “make no unexpected detrimental changes to superannuation” by killing the Low Income Super Contribution, the Superannuation Guarantee and delaying superannuation increases for seven years.

33. Breaks election promise to  build replacement submarines in South Australian shipyards, spending more than $20 billion on Japanese submarines instead.

34. Breaks an election promise to a publish a proposal for constitutional recognition for Indigenous people and establish a bipartisan process to try to bring about recognition as soon as possible within the first 12 months of Government.

35. Breaks promise to  achieve a surplus in the Governments’ first year in office, instead overseeing an estimated $51 billion deterioration in revenue.

36. Breaks a key election promise to bring in 26 weeks parental leave paid at a working mother’s actual wage

37. Breaks an election promise to improve transparency by restricting the transparency of overseas travel expenses after media reports on Christopher Pyne’s lavish trip to Europe with his wife  

38. Imposes a $900 tax on new homes connecting to the NBN and breaks his election promise on new taxes.

39. Dumps his signature paid parental leave policy 

40. Breaks promise to lead a “strong, stable, accountable” government

41. Breaks an election promise to “make no changes to the GST” by extending it to purchases made online

42. Breaks a promise to provide a stable and unified Government

902 thoughts on “TRACKING ABBOTT’S WRECKAGE

  1. Totally agree Nathan , but it’s not only Abbott that’s against the working class it’s the whole bunch of them . Neo- conserverties are only interested in the rich .

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  2. Wow. This is horrifying. I knew things were bad but had no idea just how bad. Thanks so much Sally. I’m inspired. At least there was something so bad it’s funny- self appointed Minister for Women! Haha! How does this happen? How could anyone keep a straight face?! Great work Sally. It’s so important that people know what is happening

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  3. Thank you very much, now tell us how to get rid of this w*****r? Can’t we go to the GG and get him to dissolve parliament – it is supposed to be for us the people

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  4. Re: World heritage listing, Is there a way that this heritage listing can be ingrained in some way in the constitution so that it can never be questioned without the agreement of the major majority of the population?

    These acts of environmental vandalism should be treated as criminal act as these beautiful forests are not theirs to decide what happens to them. They belong to the world’s people and the flora and fauna that makes its home within.

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  5. One thing you haven’t mentioned is The TCCP Agreement that he has probably already signed without informing all Australians about it. If he has then we are doomed and we as ordinary Australians will be tried by law by the USA for video piracy. Our human rights are gone we will be monitored intensely by the US PRISM Security. Snowden is a hero for highlighting what America is doing in our Country and for that he is going to be executed. We are now living in the beginning stages of a Nightmare, the last of Human kind. Revelations tells us that.

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  6. Thanks Sally, this list needs to be seen by all Australians, we also should be wondering why we elect people like Tony Abbott,
    The fact is elections are fixed, the results prove this,, after doing some research on the last election, , I found that votes were not of equal value., when you look at the total first preference votes of each party and how many seats they claimed, you will find how many votes were needed to sit on a seat in Parliament
    Individual LNP members can say their share of the total votes for their party was 61.946 votes , that says each LNP member represents 61.946 Aussies, on the other hand, the GRN member of parliament represents 1,096.444 Aussies who voted for them, we should be working to change the system so every vote counts,, I am working on this right now,

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  7. It is so unfortunate that this governments appeal to the ignorant and racist sections of Australian society is thoroughly supported by mainstream media. This economical fundamentalism that is being forced upon ordinary Australians is propagated by fear and greed, there really needs to be something done to put forward the alternative outlook for Australia’s future rather than the small minded, recidivist rubbish that is being dished up to the cringing masses. Next thing we will all be told to put our faith in god to fix the worlds problems…. yes a return to Feudalism is well on the way.

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    • yes, basically the ignorant masses are wrong. We need someone smart like you to run the place so that the blind don’t get sidetracked from the main game… socialism.

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  8. Australian Volunteers for International Development in Lebanon has been axed with less than two weeks notice. Ten volunteer positions lost. The AVID program in the Middle East has been given notice to terminate by June 2015 with the loss of a further ten positions.

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  9. Only thing i see bad is the baby striped from the mother. I am upset about the NBN because everyone deserves decent Internet but other than that i would of done the same on most occasions, need to get this country out of debt somehow and not everyone is going to agree with the hard decisions.

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    • So by getting out of debt you borrow more , raise the debt ceiling , give nearly $10 billion to the reserve bank , that didn’t need it . Great fiscal managers these Lieberals , just ask Costello how he got his surplus of $22 billion …… by selling over $70 billion in assets . We’ve just had an upgrade on our GDP up to 2.75% ,so where is the debt crisis .

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    • Nathan, you’re about as sharp as a bowling ball. Do you honestly think it’s just because we won’t be getting our new shiny, ‘you beaut’ internet that so many people are enraged at this Governments actions. You should get out more, and try and inform yourself. You won’t like what you find, unless you’re an LNP supporter with buckets of money. Fair dinkum, there’s some drongos around…people like you, Nathan.

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  10. I can’t believe this article. Lots of words but not a lot of truth nor a sense of reality. In summary it’s a blog full of whinging from a socialist union official and sympathetic labor sheep who believed what they were told by one of the most incompetent government in our nations history. Wake up and smell the stench of the Rudd and Gillard incompetency you folks. Can’t wait until July when the idiot green and labor senators lose their seats and then the Abbott government can fulfill the real wishes of the majority that voted them in. Get used to it for the next 3 and a half years you lefty do gooders.

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    • I hope you get your just desserts you Tory prick probably never worked a day in your life still clinging to mumsy and daddies coattails you idiot either that or you are just another Aussie began who hates women and refugees so crawl back into the trollop from whence you came and give normal people a break from your vile diatribe

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      • You must be joking. Asking a redneck to back up their mindless, Murdoch brainwashed sloganeering with real facts and information?? Try getting blood from a stone.

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    • I can’t believe you and your idiotic response to the KIST. it was not an ‘article’, idiot, it was a list of the doings of the worst Government in Australia since the days of the infamous ‘Rum Corps’. However, your LNP colours show through clearly. If you’re happy with Abbott’s “progress”, you’re either a millionaire, or a very, very stupid person. Somehow, I think the latter is correct, and you’re just another sucker that swallowed Murdoch’s propaganda, hook, line and sinker. Poor deluded you.

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      • It must hurt so damn bad John, just try and hang in the for a couple more elections. In the meantime you can make yourself feel better by hurling abuse at people who don’t agree with you.

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    • “The best way to take control over a people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way, the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.”

      ― Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

      LNP policy or just crazy Tony’s secret mission? You decide!

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    • There’s a reason people get labelled “do gooders”. It’s because they actually do good things. The fact it’s commonly associated with the attempted-perjorative of “lefty” just makes me glad I tend to swing left rather than right. My Liberal MLA father would be rolling in his grave at the current travesty.

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    • You “can’t believe this article”…yet you fail to dispute the claims or the evidence of the broken promises. We are talking about what we were told by Abbot and his followers during the election campaign, and the discrepancies. Did you not notice that in your pathetic attempt to turn the issues into something more palatable to yourself?

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    • They were not voted in by a majority Leigh, please do your homework. Also, these concerns are being raised by AUSTRALIAN’S, concerned about irreparable decisions damaging AUSTRALIA. Enough with the ‘we won, you lost’ mentality, it doesn’t help anything.

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    • I note again that those opposed to the facts being laid out resort to name calling and derision, and not providing even an ounce of well-thought argument or proof to the contrary. Not a word of truth? Yes, most of the article is simply a quote of Abbott’s deeds (and some of those in governance with him), so I suppose you’re right there.

      “In summary” should be used after an exposition or running statement from you, or at least should summarise the text. What we see of your summary however is a line of badmouthing and vulgarity. I also think you fail to understand what socialism is, and what an incompetent government is – IE, a government that isn’t competent to lead. Given the fact that Labor managed to produce some economic miracles during the GFC, and in fact the carbon pricing cost the average Australian very little (0.125% of business energy costs too), I’m not really certain what exactly about them that has you so incensed. Anything other than sloganeering? What exactly has impacted you so badly in their terms in government? Or is it possible that you’re more ‘sheep’ish to the Murdoch line than you realise?

      Not sure what ‘stench’ has to do with competency, unless you mean Abbott smells of roses and that’s why you voted for him. If your olfactory senses are what you use to gauge competence, then perhaps it is time to get yourself a new nose.

      I’m also quite glad you yourself realise Abbott will be a one-term prime minister, at least we’re in agreement there. Other than that, perhaps you would like to come up with a more reasoned argument with fewer words like “idiot, socialist, sheep” to fill in the gaps where your reasoning failed. Thank you.

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    • I’m still to hear a decent reply as to what’s wrong with being a ‘do gooder’ and why being the opposite is something to be proud of.
      Looking after each other is how civilisations are sustained. Of course if being civilised is not your cup of tea and you subscribe to the ‘every man for himself’ mentality, i hope you have good security. You rely on being looked after by others every second of every day of your life, Leigh.
      Oh, and the Liberals got 32% of the vote.

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  11. Welcome to the wonderful world of the NeoCons, now creating chaos world-wide but actually in power here in the UK for four years.
    Welcome to internet trolls who actually believe the crap that the neo-fascists pump out through the media (many of which trolls are actually salaried government and Liberal Party employees) and which swamp postings like this.
    The sinkhole that is now “Great” Britain is what is going to be your future if you don’t kick the Mad Monk and his ilk out of office asap.

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  12. Our corruption based political system is a farce. It’s time all political donations were made illegal and politicians were all put on the minimum wage and made to actually work for the people instead of the other way around.
    If they want to earn more money they could then be paid bonuses based on the happiness, health, education level and actual satisfaction of the people they work for.

    Also if they are all forced to use the public health system as well as the public schools for their kids, just watch how fast things would change. Plus of course their private use internet connection should be by the slowest and most expensive service available in the country.
    Perhaps then we’d have the NBN?
    After all if minimum standard living and communications is good enough for some of their employers (us) then it should equally be good enough for them.

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    • Clearly the profits of the multi national junk food industry is a priority over the health of Australians for the COALition.

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      • Sally there are some things that Abbott has done that I am also upset about. However, I hate being lied to be anyone. Please go back and remove all the duplications from your list, e.g. Tasmania and NBN, this appears more than once. Also on your list is an accusation that Tony hasn’t stopped the boats. Think he might have – perhaps that one or was it two or three in your list should be removed as well.

        Why do people feel they have the right to blame a government, any government, when their decisions as a consumer also have an impact on the economy. All they wailing and gnashing of teeth about the car industry is an example in point. Holden, Ford and Toyota would still be manufacturing in Australia if Australians had supported them by buying their product. I drive a Holden and am devastated it will no longer be an Australian car made for an Australian market, however, I am perfectly comfortable with the idea that more of my taxes are not going to follow where plenty of my taxes have been poured before. I feel very sorry for the people who are going to lose their jobs, but again, how many of them are driving a Holden, Ford or Toyota? The industry has been dying for years. It was Labor who set up the current system – see Senator John Button’s car plan. Throwing money at something isn’t always the right choice. Businesses need to be profitable. If I ran a business and it got into trouble would any of the people carry on at the moment think the government should give me money? Of course not and they would be right.

        I have to note also that one of the job losses you mention is not actually a job loss at all. The wonderful Live Music Ambassadors – who thought this one up for heaven’s sake. Ironically it was your own link to the article that alerted me to the fact that there were no actual job losses. It was one of the stupid promises made by desperate Rudd. No-one had actually ever been employed!

        Don’t decry someone as being a liar when you are doing it yourself. 100 ways Abbott is wrecking the country – too many lies and smoke and mirrors for me.

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      • Manda, you’ve left a fair number of accusations yourself, all of which unverified. And repetition is not lying, so we’re clear there. And I think the issue with the Live Music thing is that it’s yet another job/community building organisation that has been given marching orders. I’ve seen plenty of posters including yourself give it a derisive snort, but perhaps just because a particular industry has not worked for you personally, it might be of plenty importance to someone else.

        We should be encouraging young people to explore ALL avenues of employment, be it based on their natural talents in performance arts or researching the latest cancer cure. Becoming a one-track nation where the only jobs of ‘value’ are ‘money-spinners’ will mean any that don’t have the means or interest to enter these jobs become ‘losers’. There is no reason to penalise people for having different talents or aspirations. Just as you might hope no one would laugh at your profession, I think it would be kinder to think before you snort.

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  13. NSW government to sell Macquarie Generation

    ACCC’s reservations ignored. The state Liberals follow crazy Tony in selling off whatever they can.
    I bet none of the money from this goes to creating long term renewable energy jobs for Australia’s power industry workers!

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  14. Small l liberals must be shaking their heads wondering how they have got themselves into this mess. They will regret it when enough of the electorate has had enough and they get turfed out on their ears in total disarray. Just look at what boofhead Kennett did to the liberals in Victoria, 15 years down the track they are still in disarray.

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  15. People who are barely surviving in third world countries with facist dictators and no sure future,
    are laughing at our politicians, and sending ME commiserations and pledges of support.

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  16. We’re all in some serious trouble for the next few years. Labour wasn’t a great government, i think the money on the NBN could’ve been utilised on ambitious projects that would’ve had a more obvious benefit for the country. There were a few schemes that went awry, but all in all our country did well. Contrast that to the short time of Abbott and Hockey and our country will suffer immensely.
    Jobs, public assets, peoples rights, lost forever and we’ll have nothing of any substance to show for it. But we’ll have a surplus!

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    • Infrastructure on communication is very important for business, government, education and society in general. Anything other than NBN is inferior and relegating Australians into haves and have nots.

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  17. So who is a better choice to run this country??
    Like always people will point the finger and show what the elected party are not doing!
    Name someone / anyone that everyone can agree is the better choice!!
    WILL NOT happen because they are all as bad as each other!
    Make a difference?
    For things to change YOU have to change!
    Not any political party! They are all in it together it is definitely “US against THEM”
    not any particular party, the whole sorry mess of them!
    If the people really wanted this country to change it could be done, history has shown this time and again!
    They don’t want improvements all they want is someone to blame for their troubles!
    If you want to make a better country, start by becoming a better you!
    Thank You for your Time

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    • It is the blind followers like yourself that got Australia to this position. Just remember nation debt isn’t a real thing it is made up by the banks and anyone voting for this purpose is just a sheep to the man.

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    • Charles, just apologize for voting this monster into power and let the proactive citizens of this country get to work fixing your mistake.

      Keeping a record of the government’s abuse is extremely important and I thank the author for taking the time to put this list together.

      Also there are plenty of better choices to run this country and to be perfectly honest, anyone would be a better choice than Abbott.

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  18. Correct me if I am wrong, but didn’t he also raise, or wants to raise, the retirement age to 70?

    I bet he wont work until he is 70.

    Also I heard, ( from a solicitor ), that he will be taking any superannuation accounts that have been sitting idle for 10 years, without informing the account holder of his decision.

    If this is true, then isn’t that theft????

    Strangely enough, I know of a couple of super accounts that definitely did exist, all of a sudden have disappeared. ( Coincidence maybe??? )

    I think this needs some further examination and if correct, then officially made public so that the account holders can move their money into an active account, asap.

    Secrets, secrets, secrets. He appears to thrive on them.

    Come out Abbott and reveal the real you to the public.

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    • Whilst this is certainly hypocritical and embarrassing, I’m not sure it fits the definition of hurting Australians or wrecking the country

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      • I believe it does hurt Australia Sally – I understand Labor’s stimulus spending brought us through the GFC in great shape & a triple star credit rating, plus our schools benefitted enormously. By negating this fact, Abbott is in effect re-writing history = lying = hurting Australia. And by comparison the US economy is far worse off! Why should we emulate them when we have our own good economic model from Gillard Labor govt?

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  19. It also appears that local government in WA have abolished the tenants rights association so now renters have no recourse to action at a crucial time when landlords have complete control, and renters are held over a barrel, with access to housing or buying not being a possibility any more.

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    • Wonder what your response would be if you were the landlord and a tenant had just trashed what you had worked so hard to attain. Especially when you get told you can’t keep the bond to help clean up the costs.

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      • I sympathise with Landlords who experience this but your comment suggests the majority should be penalised for the damage the minority does. I mentioned it because it’s another example of LIberals disempowering low and middle income earners further. (If you are looking for a great tenant and your home is North of the river in WA we may be able to solve each other’s problems).

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      • Tenants & landlords need equal protection. South Australia has the Residential Tenancies Tribunal which seems to have very clear regulations which protect both parties.

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  20. This is terrific and I sincerely thank you for your efforts. Is there any possibility of you generating a simple Three column list of just the lies. Tony Abbott is an habitual liar and this disturbs me greatly and I would like to have a regularly updated list of his and his government’s lies. Column 1. The Date. Column 2 Abbott or govt statement. Column 3 The facts and verification source link.

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  21. Labor lost the election. Man up and work with the present govt for Australia’s sake-not against it. Half of the things on ur list were jobs for the labor boys and not needed. National Office For Live Music= what a joke. Who set that little money spinner up?

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    • Obviously you in the COALition believe that just like the automotive industry and all of its suppliers, the live music industry is another industry which Australia does not need. Part of the strategy to keep people subservient by keeping them unemployed and poor or on minimum wages.

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    • Yes the ALP lost the election through some very stupid decisions and be honest some overtly negative media manipulation. With limited real choice ie the coalition or labor I think Abbott won by default. Irrespective of how he won he is in power but that should not and will not stop me from a critical analysis of his lies and policies.

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      • Isn’t the old saying, governments don’t win elections they lose elections. I think in this case the Coalition did win by default. However, on the bright side the Coalition by their actions are almost writing the ALPs material for the next election.

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    • I’m not sure what ‘jobs for the Labor boys’ means. Live music is an important component of community cultural life which has diminished. But leaving that aside, I do not agree that half of the jobs ( committees/ offices/ advisory teams) on the list are not needed or are jobs for Labor boys (& Labor girls)? They seem to be jobs in social justice, environmental, Indigenous affairs & generally not related to big business & profits but related to ordinary people who wish to improve the quality of life for ordinary folk.
      Not something which appears to be a part of this government’s agenda.

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  22. Mr Mundine – Mr Abbott’s advisor on all things indigenous (and is indigenous himself) was talking on ABC radio on Thursday morning about placing indigenous children in Boarding School … so we are likely to see a new “Stolen Generation” in the name of getting indigenous kids to finish school.

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    • Oh dear god really? -.-

      I’d be very interested to read this if they have a transcript online. A lot of Indigenous people I know aren’t a fan of Mundine….

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  23. Interestingly not all manufacturing in Australia has ceased.
    The COALition itself is in fact probably Australia’s largest ever BS manufacturer!

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    • Curiously this has come to me at a moment when I am drawing up a list of everything Abbott has done that identiries him as anti-environmental; causes potential or direct damage to the encironment; goes against what the rest of the developed world is doing to fight global warming; and anything else to do with the environment. So far I failed to uncover anything beneficial to any aspect of the environment. EVERYTHING he has done is damaging. How bad can he get?

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  24. Abbott and the liberals whilst in opposition never voted with the Government an anything. Abbotts mantra was that it was not his job to make it easy with the Elected Government at that time. There you have it, don’t expect the now opposition to do the Governments job, the people have voted, cope it sweet. Remember when Abbott said he would lead a government that was open, honest and accountable? No surprises! Most of the current crop of government ministers have been caught lying, that might be ok with you but I’m a taxpayer and it’s not ok with me! Abbott has promised 1 million jobs in 5 years, I think he meant 1 million job losses in 5 years. Either way that would be 200,000 jobs per year or 100,000 jobs in six months. Which is it? 100,000 jobs created or lost in their first six months of office? And the reason they attacking unions, blaming unions is to soften the public up to the massive job losses. Why do they want and need the job losses and increased unemployment? Simple to put pressure on workers to accept lower conditions and pay. Why do they want this? To increase profits for private enterprise. Basically Abbott and the liberals hate workers and want them to work for peanuts. At the same time take away basic social welfare that makes Australia the lucky country. Abbott and the Liberals do not want a lucky country for workers but a lucky country for bosses and big business. cheers

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  25. While I dislike the man intensely & everything he stands for & everything he is doing, I wonder how it would look to compare his decisions to those of all governments in the sincce the sacking of Whitlam?!

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  26. Everyone who I talk to didn’t vote for abbott, I only know one person and that was my mother who says that he is a wonderful Christian man, if being a Christian is being like abbott I think that I would rather be an atheist.

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