SURPLUS
The only thing that we achieved in office under Howard was to accumulate a surplus. This felt good, and so we want to keep doing it because it makes us look good.
Scare Tactic: “Families know they have to spend within their means.”
Reality Check – Services and infrastructure needs to be keep up to date and able to accommodate changing needs of the population, and these things come with a price attached.
Families that are good with their money understand the difference between debt that invests in the needs of the family into the future and wasteful debt buying useless things they can’t afford and have no value over time.
For more explanation of the numbers and surplus and position of both, this is a good article that covers off on the detail:
Tony Abbott's economic action plan doesn't add up (The Australian)
National Broadband Network
We don’t really understand technology either how it works, or what the uses for it into the future might be, but we like to save money and the internet is a bit interesting but while it is nice to have it is not really important.
Reality check:
Uses for the internet are developing in ways that we cannot predict, but will fundamentally change the way that we do business. Reliable high-speed broadband is important particularly for remote Australia, and providing services to regional areas with our sparse population means that private companies are not likely to be motivated to deliver to remote areas.
While people are using wireless on their phones etc, this is not an indication that wireless technology is suitable for a national broadband network. The NBN is not about downloading games, or trivial matters, and it is more akin to building a freeway for safe, speedy travel, compared to using a two-lane suburban road to travel between major cities.
More details here from those involved in the rollout of the NBN and in a position to know the facts of the merit of the NBN and the financial aspects. Quigley openly slams Coalition’s broadband policy