Author: Kev

Wayne Swan has two bob each-way

“The good news is that Australia is well placed to absorb a slowing in the world economy which may be caused by a more protracted US slowdown,” Mr Swan said. “The truth is that the fundamentals in the Australian economy are strong.

Well, that’s good. he has acknowledged that the Libs left him a sound economy. Oops, he thinks…have to change that…must get the message across that the Libs really stuffed up the economy…God! What was I thinking.

“Australian families have had something like six interest rate rises in the past three years as a result of rising inflation and the complacency of the previous government when it came to addressing key capacity constraints in the economy,” Mr Swan said.

There, that’s better. You need to lift your game, local member of mine.

From DD McNichols Strewth in todays Australian WHILE Kevin Rudd is enjoying his summer hols on beautiful Sydney Harbour at Kirribilli House, his supporters (or perhaps detractors) are beavering away to boost his image. Following the now-collectable Kevin07 T-shirt comes the Viva la Kevolution T-shirt in three fetching shades – red, green and white. The brainchild of Sydney artist Graham Brown and his poet mate Adam Gibson, the shirts feature the PM’s unmistakable jowls and rimless spectacles under a communist-star embossed beret. The image is a shameless knock-off of the still popular Che Guevara image from the 1960s. Brown, who tells Strewth he is a sucker for a bad pun, reckons it is the ideal summerwear for everyone from yummy mummies to latte-sipping lefties. The T-shirts, which are a rather pricey $40 each, can be ordered from…find out yourself if you want one – I’m not going to tell you……oh, all right….www.plastikzen.com. And while we’re talking about Kevin Rudd enjoying his holidays what happened to “Taking only Christmas and Boxing Day off”

Many ministers appeared to have ignored his pre-Christmas edict – perhaps said tongue in cheek – that his team was only allowed Christmas Day and Boxing Day off.

In todays press some are listed as working but the man who said Christmas and Boxing day only is not. Under the “Howard Lied” rules Kevin has clearly told another porky. Get used to it.

Australia’s Chief Clerk, KEVIN Rudd will clamp down on overuse of foreign-owned ships to transport freight around the nation’s coastline in a bid to bolster the shipping industry.

Transport Minister Anthony Albanese told The Australian last night: “This review will be about boosting Australia’s international competitiveness and finding ways to increase coastal shipping’s share of the domestic freight market.

What Anthoy means is the review will be all about reinstating the power of the Maritime Union of Australia enabling them to run our coastal shipping and not any damn politician from Canberra. Mr Albanese’s comments came as the Maritime Union of Australia said it expected Labor to deliver on its policy platform, requiring stronger laws to protect cabotage – the principle that nations should protect domestic shipping routes for domestic shipping fleets. The way to protect cabotage is keep shipping costs to a minimum so shipping companies will want to be involved but that’s not exactly the forte of the MUA or their wharfie cousins. Expect higher costs but no increase in Australian ships – at least not privately owned ones.