Senator Assange?

[Justtristo]

There is gross financial irresponsibility federally and in some states. However many US states have been quite financially responsible and managed to balance their budgets without raising taxes (Wisconsin comes to mind, where the Governor overcome public sector union opposition to push through severe budget cuts). I don't think Tony Abbott or most of the Liberal and National parties have the desire to push through severe budget cuts (including cuts to social security benefits) to get the budget balanced.

And when was the last time Labor delivered a balanced budget? The ALP gets into power after the Coalition has cleaned up and repaid their debt, and then goes on a spending spree, happens every time they get into power.

I get the impression that an Abbott government is going to be a different beast than the Howard government was. So far what the Coalition has promised is not going to cut the budget deficit significantly. Especially given that corporate tax receipts have declined significantly since the onset of the global financial crisis. If the Howard government had been re-elected in 2007, the federal budget would have still gone into deficit.

Also I cannot imagine an Abbott government declaring a lot the promises they have made as non-core promises and embarking on a path of serious austerity. A serious austerity programs would involve cuts (around 20 billion dollars to the annual federal budget) to various government programs and payments (including centrelink payments), as well as the elimination of tens of thousands of public service jobs. Unless such a government were to adopt a long-term strategy of losing a few battles, however winning the war so to speak.

In my view while the Rudd-Gillard government has been an pretty incompetent government, (although the Gillard part has done some worthwhile achievements, like the NDIS for example). However I don't believe an Abbott government is going to be much better.