Kevin Rudd throws cash at real estate developers, whilst taking money from pensioners

Kevin Rudd’s government is planning to give real estate investors $8000 per dwelling in tax credits to encourage discounted rents.[1]

Yet, at the same time, the government has plans to slash benefits for pensioners and carers. Such people are “doing it hard” already, so why would a Labor government – supposedly a party who is there to look after poor and low income people – start to kick pensioners in the teeth?

Where are Rudd’s priorities? Of Rudd’s government, one journo wrote:

“I can find lots of talk about climate change, indigenous Australians, young people and education, farmers and parents and children and even reducing poverty in our region through foreign aid. Pensions and pensioners don’t get a look-in.”[2]

The fact is that Rudd does not care about the Australian people. He is more interested in speaking in Chinese, to win over friends in Asia; in fact, he is internationally known for having a pro-China fetish. He is more interested in throwing our tax dollars in foreign aid to Third World countries in Asia and the Pacific. Indeed, Rudd has just increased foreign aid to Papua New Guinea by another $38 million, on top of the $355 million that taxpayers (you, that is) already give PNG every year.[3]

$393 million!!! How many ordinary taxpayers would it take to raise that amount of money? Work out how much tax you pay per year, then multiply it until you get to $393 million – you’ll soon get the idea. When can we start focusing on spending our money on our own people instead?

Whilst Rudd throws our cash away to foreign countries, our hospitals are in desperate need of funding – for buildings, equipment, staff, and training. While Rudd is giving our money away, Australians are dying because our hospitals can’t afford to place properly trained staff on all shifts nor afford adequate supervision for inexperienced nurses. In one recent case, an Australian mum died whilst giving birth to her third child because the nurses were so inexperienced that they could not recognise post-natal hemorrhage, could not operate surgical equipment, and the vital blood treatment equipment wasn’t working anyway. That same hospital has serious design and construction problems, including an emergency alarm system that doesn’t meet requirements, as well as a pipe that was leaking raw sewage into the maternity ward.[4]

Thanks, Kevin Rudd – thanks for nothing!

We say that it is time to protect the Australian people, not to crush them with unfeeling bureaucracies that take money away from them. A Protectionist government would protect poor and low income people, and look after them properly.

References:
[1] Cold water thrown on cheap housing plan, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 March 2008
[2] Humiliating a proud generation, Daily Telegraph, 10 February 2008
[3] Warm welcome as Rudd announces more aid, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 March 2008
[4] Woman’s death blamed on staff, equipment, The West Australian, 5 March 2008
Mother dies after chain of blunders, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 March 2008
And see:
Carer bonus the ‘difference between eating and not eating’, ABC News, 7 March 2008
Angry backlash to proposed cuts to Carers bonus, ABC News, 7 March 2008
Seniors bonus in line to be scrapped, Sydney Morning Herald, 8 March 2008
Rally call goes out to save carers’ bonus, Herald Sun, 7 March 2008