This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/jun/04/treasurer-joe-hockey-says-recession-talk-is-dead-wrong-politics-live
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Treasurer Joe Hockey says recession talk is dead wrong – politics live | Treasurer Joe Hockey says recession talk is dead wrong – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, on the existence or otherwise of clown persons. | |
| The treasurer says that people who criticise these figures or who are pessimistic about these figures are clowns. Well if I was Joe Hockey I wouldn’t be using the word clown very often. Most people associate the words clown and Joe Hockey in a way that he wouldn’t appreciate. | |
| He needs to be very clear with the Australian people about what his economic and budget plan is. | |
| Shalailah Medhora | |
| Joe Hockey was mobbed by journalists after leaving the ABC studios this morning. Despite our valiant attempts, he would not be drawn on who exactly are the “fools” and “clowns” talking down the Australian economy. (The treasurer invoked the clown description yesterday during his press conference about the national acounts.) | |
| Hockey: | |
| I think you can just have a look around. Have a look at the front pages of newspaper articles, of website articles yesterday even. The most dangerous language you can use at the moment is about dark clouds on the horizon for the economy or recession, and there have been a number of commentators using that language - totally foolish because in the last three months we’ve had the fastest growing economy in the G7 and one of the fastest growing economies in the world. | |
| In through the nose. Out through the mouth. More lovely early work from Mr Bowers. Protest setting up down the front. I saw this through the pre-dawn gloom this morning. Wondered what it was. Shivery little cut-outs. | |
| Breathe lady blogger. Breathe. Look at the lovely picture Mr Bowers sent you of the moon over our place of daily business. | |
| During his interview on the ABC, the treasurer was also asked for his view on the citizenship proposal that has been causing the government all kinds of grief this week. Host Fran Kelly wants to know whether Joe Hockey would support people who are not dual nationals being stripped of their citizenship – the possibility flagged in the government’s discussion paper – the one communications minister Malcolm Turnbull characterised yesterday as a bridge too far. | |
| Hockey is determined not to give a view on this point. He sticks to the proposal that has been approved by the cabinet, stripping dual nationals of their citizenship if they take up arms against Australia. He’s asked whether a person should lose their citizenship at the stroke of a minister’s pen or whether this should be a decision for the courts. Hockey says there will be judicial review. Which doesn’t exactly address Fran’s point. | |
| Another senior Coalition voice – Arthur Sinodinos – said late yesterday if people are suspected of terrorist activity, take that to court. | |
| As I’ve already flagged, Hockey has this morning deployed a variant of the language bandied about by the prime minister for much of the week – if people take up a knife or a gun against us then they don’t deserve to be citizens. | |
| Right about now, I’ve had enough of this rhetoric. | |
| I’ve had enough because this phrase sounds very impressive as a grab on talkback radio but it doesn’t actually mean much specific at all – except to foster a very clear sense of ‘us and them.’ | |
| Language like that divides countries and communities. Keeping Australians safe from the very real risks of terrorism and violent extremism requires communities to be brought together, for law enforcement to have clear lines of sight and communications into communities where radicalisation is a problem. | |
| It doesn’t require grandstanding and posturing, it requires goodwill, patience, persistence and vigilance. It requires concrete proposals to consider, not empty fighting words. | |
| What did Malcolm Turnbull say yesterday? | |
| National security is not a bravado exercise? | |
| Good morning politics tragics and welcome to Thursday. It’s minus six in Canberra, clear skies, slim chance of sanity. | Good morning politics tragics and welcome to Thursday. It’s minus six in Canberra, clear skies, slim chance of sanity. |
| The day is beginning in orderly fashion, a polite sort of jog. | The day is beginning in orderly fashion, a polite sort of jog. |
| RT @WJCLibrary: Happy #NationalRunningDay! Here's a photo of President Clinton out for a little jog in April 1993. pic.twitter.com/2NWx0hBNox | RT @WJCLibrary: Happy #NationalRunningDay! Here's a photo of President Clinton out for a little jog in April 1993. pic.twitter.com/2NWx0hBNox |
| Sorry. Perhaps that was a bit early. | Sorry. Perhaps that was a bit early. |
| The main story in the political news cycle is the state of the economy after the release of national accounts data yesterday. The government expressed satisfaction with 2.3% annual growth, Treasurer Joe Hockey pointed out this was the fastest growth rate in the G7. Anyone who thought otherwise was a clown. But while positive economic growth is always welcome, annual growth of 2.3% is below trend. Perhaps the aftermath of the GFC means we all need to revisit what constitutes “trend” growth. | The main story in the political news cycle is the state of the economy after the release of national accounts data yesterday. The government expressed satisfaction with 2.3% annual growth, Treasurer Joe Hockey pointed out this was the fastest growth rate in the G7. Anyone who thought otherwise was a clown. But while positive economic growth is always welcome, annual growth of 2.3% is below trend. Perhaps the aftermath of the GFC means we all need to revisit what constitutes “trend” growth. |
| Labor says the GDP number is based on growth in exports rather than any specific government strategy. The government says positive growth is all part of the plan, and the stimulatory elements of the recent budget, particularly small business tax breaks, will help put a spring in the economy’s step. This morning, the treasurer would like us to look at the trend rather than the quarterly result. | Labor says the GDP number is based on growth in exports rather than any specific government strategy. The government says positive growth is all part of the plan, and the stimulatory elements of the recent budget, particularly small business tax breaks, will help put a spring in the economy’s step. This morning, the treasurer would like us to look at the trend rather than the quarterly result. |
| Joe Hockey: | Joe Hockey: |
| When people talk about dark clouds or recession, they are just wrong. Dead wrong. | When people talk about dark clouds or recession, they are just wrong. Dead wrong. |
| They are made to look like complete fools. | They are made to look like complete fools. |
| Hockey is asked on the ABC about falling income growth. He says living standards are not falling. The size of the economy is increasing. Asset prices are rising. The treasurer says everyone’s wages are not falling. | Hockey is asked on the ABC about falling income growth. He says living standards are not falling. The size of the economy is increasing. Asset prices are rising. The treasurer says everyone’s wages are not falling. |
| The treasurer is asked about the housing bubble identified by his departmental head earlier this week – the one the prime minister has been backing away from in an effort to buy himself a cheap free kick against Bill Shorten. | The treasurer is asked about the housing bubble identified by his departmental head earlier this week – the one the prime minister has been backing away from in an effort to buy himself a cheap free kick against Bill Shorten. |
| Hockey, creeping out very carefully to state the bleeding obvious: | Hockey, creeping out very carefully to state the bleeding obvious: |
| If you have a home, you are already there, even with a mortgage, you wonder how your children are going to get there. | If you have a home, you are already there, even with a mortgage, you wonder how your children are going to get there. |
| The best way to respond to elevated prices is increasing supply. You’ve got to have more supply. | The best way to respond to elevated prices is increasing supply. You’ve got to have more supply. |
| Hockey says different things are happening in different markets. You’ve got to be very careful in any policy response. | Hockey says different things are happening in different markets. You’ve got to be very careful in any policy response. |
| Don’t you people be careful. Get loud. The comments thread is open for business, and you can talk to us on the Twits @murpharoo and @mpbowers | Don’t you people be careful. Get loud. The comments thread is open for business, and you can talk to us on the Twits @murpharoo and @mpbowers |