analysis Yesterday Tony Abbott took to the airwaves on Sydney’s 2UE radio station to discuss Labor’s flagship National Broadband Network policy. But unfortunately, aided by a rather sympathetic host, the Opposition Leader got a few facts about the project wrong. So it’s up to us to correct them.

Before I begin this dissection of Abbott’s comments, let me state that I don’t see this article as being an opinionated one or one biased towards either side. As I have previously noted, there are many things to like about the Coalition’s more minimalist telecommunications policy which it is promulgating as a response to the NBN, and at Delimiter we strive to report fairly on the national NBN debate so that both sides of politics can have their say.

However, that discussion must be based on facts to be useful and move forward, and Abbott’s comments yesterday demonstrated either a lack of knowledge about the subject which he was discussing or a willingness to mislead the public about several of the underpinnings of the NBN project and the recent debate surrounding it. While it’s important to report their views, it’s also important for the media to point out where politicians have published misleading statements. With that out of the way, let’s go through some of Abbott’s statements, which can be heard in full online here.

1. “The news today that there’s about 2500 fibre subscribers and about 1500 wireless subscribers just confirms that this is going to be one of the all-time great white elephants.”

What Abbott appears to be alleging here is that NBN Co is progressing too slowly with respect to its ability to attract subscribers to its network infrastructure; the numbers, the Opposition Leader is implying, are not high enough.

However, if you closely examine NBN Co’s corporate plan, it seems relatively clear that the company is actually more or less on track with respect to the numbers of “active subscribers” which it has signed up, through retail Internet service providers, to use its network. As we detailed yesterday, NBN Co had not, by June 2011, planned to sign up any customers, apart from those who are using fibre networks in areas such as new housing estates — networks that may have already been built by other companies and used by NBN Co.

read more: http://delimiter.com.au/2012/01/04/the-five-nbn-misconceptions-of-tony-abbott/

The vote was lost 68 to 73

THE SCORECARD

Number of MPs kicked out: Two (from the Coalition)

Number of minutes before Coalition stopped QT to suspend standing orders: 47

Number of times the Coalition have moved to suspend standing orders this parliament: 44

Number of couples canoodling in the gallery: One

Meanest heckle: ''Hold the monotone, Jenny. Never waver!'' (Opposition to Jenny Macklin, who was answering a Dixer on paid parental leave)

Best pun: Carr wreck (Julie Bishop referring to the ministerial shuffle so far)

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/blogs/question-time/it-was-all-carr-kittens-and-carbon-tax-20120301-1u5br.html#ixzz1nr7cZoBa

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If that's the best Julie Bishop can do, she should get a day job... 

Employee jeers Abbott during workplace visit

Updated March 01, 2012 16:40:54

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was confronted by frustrated worker Steven Bailey when visiting a building supply company in Canberra.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-01/employee-jeers-abbott-during-workplace-visit/3862954?WT.svl=news4

The Opposition has criticised Mr Carr's appointment, saying it leaves Ms Gillard's "credibility in tatters".

"All week Julia Gillard denied that she had played any part in a deal to bring Bob Carr to Canberra," Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said in a statement.

" The Prime Minister's lies are accumulating with every day."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-02/gillard-announces-new-ministry/3864686?WT.svl=news0

When the sausages are being made, when politics are in a flux, one can deny putting too much pepper in the mix, until the sausage is on the barbecue... Little Tony can go as blue in the face as he wishes and clamour his own integrity (which is so small it's non-existent), it won't stop the fact that an extra dimension has been added to the taste of Caberranean politics... Whether one likes Carr or not, he has far more to offer Australian political's future than say a Tony Abbott or a Joe Hockey or a Julie Bishop or I forgot the rest-of-them-lot-Libs (conservatives) — all of whom have been like old neigh-saying nags, kept at the stables of Mr Murdoch... . 

Farmers across the country will see healthy results this financial year despite recent widespread flooding, with official figures suggesting profits will rise for the first time in three decades.

Research by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) forecasts that farm export earnings will rise 9.4 per cent this financial year to $35.5 billion.

Rain and strong commodity prices were behind the result, says ABARES executive director Paul Morris.

But now it is a case of too much rain rather than too little; flooding has damaged some properties and reduced harvests such as cotton, of which around 10 per cent has been lost.

"It's important to note that we were expecting a record crop of cotton this year, and so while there may be some reduction as some result of the floods it's still likely to be a very high production level," Mr Morris said.

Mr Morris says it is the first time in 30 years that farms in all states and territories will turn a profit.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-06/farmers-set-for-profits/3871014

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Of course the opposition will claim the government is incompetent as the economy is booming nicely and the reserve bank left the rates on hold... Good to note too that the weather in Sydney is SUNNY... Should the opposition carry on like a two-bob watch and the media not pointing out this idiocy of the opposition, then this will be a straight indication that the oppostion and the media are in bed together... Of course one can never claim absolute in this game of disinformation but should the media lambast Julia 70 to 30 per cent, then you know where the love from the media is buttered...  Meanwhile this is another knock in Tony's pearlies...

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is to be sued for defamation for an ''outrageous smear'' against a senior Victorian building union official.

Mr Abbott last month accused John Setka - assistant Victorian secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union - of turning up at the homes of builders uninvited. The CFMEU said Mr Abbott had implied that Mr Setka was trying to ''stand over'' people.

...

''Those home visits we know take place. We know they take place because people like Mr Setka have told us that they take place.''

The comments, broadcast on Sky News, were in response to a question on how employer groups should campaign to save the Australian Building and Construction Commission from being scrapped by Labor.

They came just two days after a criminal case against Mr Setka collapsed after building watchdog inspectors admitted destroying evidence and changing key parts of their stories. As a result, a number of assault-related charges against Mr Setka were dropped and he was convicted and fined $750 for behaving in an offensive manner in a public place.

Slater and Gordon's Ben Hardwick wrote to Mr Abbott on February 21 demanding damages,

BUSINESS leaders have expressed concern at Tony Abbott's promise to increase company tax to fund a paid parental leave scheme, arguing it could hurt productivity and competitiveness.

As Mr Abbott and his senior frontbenchers found themselves defending the policy for a second time in a week, both the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia expressed misgivings.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/business-sounds-alarm-over-abbotts-parental-leave-plan-20120306-1uifh.html#ixzz1oMx4Ajyo

GET RID OF TONY ABBOTT...

The Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has backed away from his support for the GST to be carved up on a per capita basis. 

In Western Australia earlier this week, Mr Abbott said the Government should seriously consider distributing GST revenue on a per capita model as proposed by the bigger, Coalition-held states.

"I think it makes a lot of sense," he said.

Such a move would strip Tasmania of up to $700 million.

On a visit to Tasmania, Mr Abbott denied he was in support of a per capita distribution.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-03/abbott-backs-away-from-gst-changes/3988068

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We all know what Tony does... He has no clue about what should be done, except throwing silly ideas to suit each occasion and then denying doing it... Nothing new in his erratic lying tactics... Throw burley in the water and see what fish comes... then buy fish and ships at the shop...

See toon at top...