Err, Phoney...nice didn't last long...

[BERT]

You know that you are voting for a coalition. They went to the election together. Have been for years.

The ALP and Greens didn't and did the deal after the election.

Big difference.

Saw it was the Age and realised it would be Loony Left Wing agenda.

[pevfan]

So Bert...anyone in the media not rabidly right wing is running a loony left wing agenda eh?

Caught Allan Jones's editorial on that great new voice of balanced political discussion, station MTR the other morning. Crapping on about the so called illegitimacy of the Gillard Government. Yes, that's right the same Allan Jones that was "involved" (and I'm being kind to him there) in the Cronulla Race Riots. You know, that sort of bile that he comes out with would be regarded as bordering on sedition in some countries. I used to think Andrew Bolt was far right wing...but so help me this Jones fella makes Bolt look like one of your loony lefties by comparison Bert.

I guess you NSW based BT'ers are used to him but now that his voice is being heard on a regular basis on Melbourne Radio...well it really does make you wonder...

[BERT]

Works when there is an article the left don't like. They attack where it came from or the author, not the article.

MTR (not that I listen to it much) is doing the same as the ABC, just on different sides.

I have lived in Sydney as well. Jones has been the highest rating breakfast show there for years in a really competitive market. (not that I listened much) I usually listened to either the sports station, MMM or JJJ

[pevfan]

Have a feeling that he (Jones) together with MTR itself will struggle to find the same audience in Victoria....a fact that is borne out by their terrible ratings thus far.

It's actually got me tossed why a new station, struggling to achieve market share, sponsors etc would deliberately set out to alienate virtually 50% of its listening audience with it's almost total right wing approach. At least the ABC, as much as they are accused of being lefties, at least they try to present a balanced view by giving just as much air time to the right as they do to the left. e.g Liberty Sanga (spelling?) and John Roscombe's weekly discussions on John Faine's show on 774. Andrew Bolt or Ackerman on the Sunday morning show with Barry Cassidy

[MH_Bomber]

I am Jon Faine listener and I can assure you he has his fair share of Liberal voters. I think this guy is very even handed. He gives everyone a going over no matter what their political persuasion. There are equal complaints about left and right wing bias by him.

Jones is full of bile. I heard an "interview" with Abbott during the election campaign. He may has well been his press secretary. Jones shouldnt even have a job after the cash for comments scandal.

BERT by any measure Jones and the Sydney shock jocks are just so far right that even you must admit they really have no place on the airwaves. As far as I am concerned they should be arrested and charged for racial vilification and inciting racial hatred.

[dodgey]

The AGE ???


does anyone still read Broadsheets anymore.... Oh yeah...Filthy when he wants some Coalition bashing stories

[j-mac31]

Age at least for the last 10 months as it has been anti-Labor, Federally and at a State level

WHat do you expect at state level?

1. The Labor government is shit.
2. Ted has done a great job of providing an even smaller target than usual.

Very hard not to be anti-Vic ALP.

[Sismis]

Very hard not to be anti-Vic ALP.

AMEN TO THAT!

[Sismis]

Yeah the c***s have done nothing in 10 years since slash and burn Kennet and still maintain a surplus (so loved by many but why?) and if you don't believe me go travel overseas ot to NSW..............this is a great place to live..............like:

An Open Government
The State Labor Government has revitalised our State’s democratic institutions. We have introduced fixed four-year terms for both the Lower and Upper Houses of the Victorian Parliament – making MPs more accountable to their electorates. We have reformed Victoria’s Upper House – the Legislative Council – to make it more representative.

In April 2005, the State Labor Government released A Fairer Victoria, a blueprint to improve access to vital services, reduce barriers to opportunity and strengthen assistance for disadvantaged groups and places.


Rebuilding our Health System

Since 1999 we have embarked on the largest health capital works program in Victoria’s history by investing $3.7 billion to build, upgrade or refurbish 58 public hospitals and health services.

How's Healthsmart going? The single most important health initiative in the state.

Supporting Industry
The State Labor Government has worked hard to make Victoria a great place to live, work and invest. We have created more jobs and allowing Victorians to enjoy the lowest unemployment since 1990.

Where in Australia hasn't this happened?

Tackling Climate
$4.9 billion will be spent over the next five years in major water infrastructure projects to boost Victoria’s water supplies.

Tackling climate change? They are building the most carbon intensive method of water production known to man! After the wettest winter in 10 years got our reserves up to whopping %40 they are rolling back water restrictions because of pressure from the water companies. After Victorians have made a remarkable paradigm shift in the way they think about water how will they be rewarded? With more expensive water.

Funding Roads and Public Transport
The State Labor Government has made significant improvements to roads and public transport as part of our commitment to making Victoria the best place to live and raise a family – and we are working to meet the transport challenges of the future.

Really how?

Supporting our police force
The State Labor Government has delivered more than 1,600 additional police officers over two terms of Government and will recruit more then 300 police officers over 4 years – this is more police than were promised when we were elected.

After they neglected it for how long? It is amazing what our streets being portrayed as warzones will do. Funny what have they done to improve the conditions of Ambos? Nothing, they don't the same press. In Victoria they are not even considered to be emergency personel and so therefore do not get same benefits as police and fireies.

Healthy budget, more jobs
We’re triple-A rated, our budget is secure and our economy is performing well, with our unemployment rate recently decreasing to levels not experienced for over 17 years.

Once again, where in Australia isn't this happening?

Supporting Regional Victorians
The State Labor Government has rebuilt services and attracted residents back to the regions, with provincial Victoria’s population now growing at a faster rate than the national average, and employment is at a record high. More than 100,000 jobs have been created in regional Victoria since 1999.

no other state has this occuring.....

New Education Achievement

There are now more than 7,300 extra teachers and support staff in our schools than there were in 1999. Since 1999, 57 new and replacement schools have been built or funded. More than a quarter of schools have received funding for major building works.

They need extra teachers because they sure as shit can't retain the ones they have. Teacher support and lack of teaching aides are burning them out.

PC Tech Wings Fact Sheet

The Labor Government is serious about improving the teaching of technical skills so our children can get good jobs in the field of their choice. Victoria needs more and better skilled people to support our skill based economy. Increasing the skills, knowledge and abilities of Victorians will support increased productivity and better workforce participation. What’s good for the economy is also good for individuals. The longer a person has trained or studied, the more likely they are to have a job, a home and a secure income.

Etc Etc Etc

But roll on Austin in the Age, that idiot on Ch 10....BOREham who does his nightly Bracks/Brumby bash every night....he has to wear glasses to look older and relevant ......Ferguson in the Volkischer Beobachter (Hun)....and so on. They only the report the small bads in the middle of a 14yr drought, natural disasters beyond comprehension...not the greater good.

Forget about economic stability, lowest unemployment in Oz, better schools/hospitals/cops/transport, cash surpluses, legal reform, bill of rights etc etc.

Yes transport.....anyone who has travelled overseas still come back and highly marks our highly diverse transport system...train, tram, buses, taxis and private cars......and our roads system. I drove in London in 83 and it was hell. Imagine it now. Myki has....apparently... been a disaster...but all the transport system ticketing systems that people say we should have bought off the shelf like HK, doesn't have our unique transport system...tram/train/buses and the mobile computer integration problems on diffident modes that are associated therein....HK is Ferries and buses.... Ergo, it has to be developed from the ground up. Or should we just wait until the old system collapses?

1.2 BILLION DOLLARS! For 15 year old technology! When exactly was metcard going to collapse? If you cannot see this as a f***-up of monumental proportions then your bias is worse than I thought. This now being used as a tectbook example of poor project management.

Most people in Oz have only known prosperity and when it gets a bit tough....whinge about the Govt and say fix it...and then whinge when they do something and call us a nanny state.

I really don't know why Pollies bother. Most would make heaps more in the World.

The government has known prosperity and it is lucky for us. Because we would have been completely f***** if they'd faced real challenge.

[BenDoolan]

Are these miserable bastards going to install a rail link from Melbourne Airport to the city like they promised 11 years ago, or are they simply going to f*** us around by continually giving in to the arsehole cab companies and the airport parking pork barrel? Traffic to and from Melbourne airport is a f****** joke, but at least it feeds the other greedy bastards at Citylink....

[BenDoolan]

1.2 BILLION DOLLARS! For 15 year old technology! When exactly was metcard going to collapse? If you cannot see this as a f***-up of monumental proportions then your bias is worse than I thought. This now being used as a tectbook example of poor project management.

I thought it was estimated at 3.9 BILLION? I had to laugh at an article several months ago (perhaps even late last year) when this was written....

INTRODUCTION of Victoria's myki public transport ticket system will cost $390 million more than NASA is spending on a 3 1/2-year mission to find life on other planets.

Analysis of Brumby Government spending on the troubled "smartcard" reveals it will cost more to revamp the way commuters catch a train, bus or tram than the US Government is paying to send an epoch-marking probe into outer space to search for extra-terrestrial existence.

=D> =D> =D> =D>

[dom_105]

Myki has....apparently... been a disaster...but all the transport system ticketing systems that people say we should have bought off the shelf like HK, doesn't have our unique transport system...tram/train/buses and the mobile computer integration problems on diffident modes that are associated therein

Actually, Melbourne's public transport system isn't as unique as you would think.

Perth uses it's smartcard ticketing system on trains, buses and ferries. Brisbane uses it's ticketing system on trains, buses and ferries as well. Sydney's smartcard system was designed (before it fell into a heap) to work on trains, buses, ferries, trams and the monorail. And that's just in Australia. New York uses a smartcard ticketing system (developed before Metcard was implemented) that's in use on four different rail systems, a bus system and an aerial tramway. And Hong Kong uses it's system for everything from the subway to student attendance records.

A system that has been delivered 3 years late, and $350 Million over budget, and still hasn't been fully implemented, can only be described as a disaster. It's been a disaster from the tending process onwards.

[BERT]

And when John Howard said that you shouted him down.

[j-mac31]

Filth, Myki is a disaster. Cost too much, is way too late and still doesn't work properly. Don't give me the unique PT system crap.If you're going to build a computer system, you can get it right.
Why do we need a smartcard system anyway? The previous dumbcard still works fine.
The only actual argument I've seen spouted as to why we need Myki is that the costs of running Metcard will greatly increase, without saying why. Presumably it's because as the system gets older, it requires more maintenance and spare parts become more expensive. Which presumably happens to all ticketing systems - including Myki. Which means we've spent $1.5 billion or whatever to postpone increasing costs.
Also, the public transport system could do with plenty of improvement - what if the wasted Myki money had been spent on infrastructure and trains, trams and buses.

Other recent f*** ups by the Vic Government include:
- dredging the bay
- north-south pipeline
- desal. plant

[Sismis]

Filth, Myki is a disaster. Cost too much, is way too late and still doesn't work properly. Don't give me the unique PT system crap.If you're going to build a computer system, you can get it right.
Why do we need a smartcard system anyway? The previous dumbcard still works fine.
The only actual argument I've seen spouted as to why we need Myki is that the costs of running Metcard will greatly increase, without saying why. Presumably it's because as the system gets older, it requires more maintenance and spare parts become more expensive. Which presumably happens to all ticketing systems - including Myki. Which means we've spent $1.5 billion or whatever to postpone increasing costs.
Also, the public transport system could do with plenty of improvement - what if the wasted Myki money had been spent on infrastructure and trains, trams and buses.

Other recent f*** ups by the Vic Government include:
- dredging the bay
- north-south pipeline
- desal. plant

Spot on. Myki is simply not an innovation. It actually makes the process of recording travel more complicated.

[j-mac31]

Filth how's the beach looking down your way? Still there? Apparently it is a complete coincidence that since the dredging beaches around the bay have lost a lot of sand and in some cases as good as disappeared.. And how many bigger ships are actually arriving?
Also there was a front page article recently about making use of Hastings' deep water port in the future. Why not do that from now instead?

North-South pipeline is a crock. Sure it can pump water the other way. But it's primary function is to take water from an area which needs every drop it can get and give it to Melbourne where we are building a desalination plant. Brilliant.
If the government was serious about the environment they would have upgraded the irrigation systems up there, as they did, and say that all savings could go back into the environment.

I don't have a problem with a desalination plant per se. However, why not recycle water and/or build more dams. Where's all that flood water going right now?
Ultimately a desal plant may be good for long term water security, but if it were combined with other projects (not a f****** pipe) a much smaller one could be built and the increase in carbon emissions would be far less.

And who's to say what a "normal" winter is anymore? Perhaps the fact that your 14 year old son hasn't had a winter like this before suggests it is no longer normal. How's that for thinking bigger picture.

[BERT]

Mornington, Safety Beach, Mt Martha all great. Best tits on the Peninsula at Mt Martha South.....so I have been told.

I've been told Filthy's favorite beach is Sunnyside.

[dom_105]

Could be Dom but I understand the problem has been the Trams in the equation. The cost has been way to high and should have been done sooner. Should, coulda, woulda.

During the process of conducting a university assignment on this very subject, I had the good fortune to have a sit down with somebody who worked at the Met back in the 90's on the process of implementing Metcard across the transport network. He left after the cutbacks and subsequently did a bit of work over in the United States doing the very initial groundwork for a system over there.

While it proved to be pretty much useless in terms of the assignment, he stated that a significant problem that they had with implementing the Metcard system on the Tram network was the fact that they never had reliable, constant communication with the control centre due to the buildings in the CBD (although this wasn't as big an issue with Metcard). Indeed, it still persists today. There are plenty of blackspots around the metro area where trains (in particular) have no contact with their respective control centres.

[j-mac31]

While it proved to be pretty much useless in terms of the assignment, he stated that a significant problem that they had with implementing the Metcard system on the Tram network was the fact that they never had reliable, constant communication with the control centre due to the buildings in the CBD (although this wasn't as big an issue with Metcard). Indeed, it still persists today. There are plenty of blackspots around the metro area where trains (in particular) have no contact with their respective control centres.

$1.5 billion was spent and none of it went to fixing this issue?

[j-mac31]

Also the whole planning system is f*****.