Another thing pissed me off today, surprise surprise.
The Liberal Candidate for Eden-Monaro Peter Hendy was talking about the whole superannuation speculation that's going on saying the Government alsways makes changes to a system that is supposed to remain as it is for certainty's sake. First off that's bullshit, politicians are continually dealing with superannuation. It operates within the financial domain, withing the market, there's nothing certain about it. Every time the Reserve Bank makes a decision on official tax rates it impacts superannuation.
Anyway, Hendy wanted to point out that last year the Government passed a change to superannuation for those who earn over $300,000 a year, (those poor souls,) changing their 15% tax rate to 30% - this is simplifying things of course. This only applied to concessional contributions though Hendy failed to mention that. What Hendy wanted to point out how bad the Government was to sneak this through and how it shows the Government as always messing with people's super funds.
First off, it wasn't under the radar, it was widely reported. In fact Bill Shorten and Wayne Swan both talked openly about the move. They weren't shy about it, why would they be? It was a very Labor move that appealed to the Labor base. Secondly it's a pretty minor change. Like I said, (and Hendy didn't,) it's for concessional contributions, it doesn't effect the savings of dear old Mum and Dad with their $300k+ income, it just effects their employer's contribution.
But lastly, if you're complaining that the Government was evil and slimy for passing a change under the radar, (even though it was not passed under the radar,) one has to ask where the fuck the Opposition was in all this? Eh? Isn't it in your fucking job description to hold the Government to account? To pick up on any unscrupulous changes you feel are not in the interest of the people. Where the fuck were you if this change was so damn terrible? No need to answer, I'll tell you - most of the time you had your head up Craig Thomson's backside, the rest of it you spent fueling claims of a Rudd leadership takeover.
The Coalition is a fucking joke.