April 02, 2015
PM Tony Abbott found himself being lectured to over the renewable energy target by 2GB broadcaster Alan Jones. Courtesy: 2GB/The Alan Jones Breakfast Show Play video
Alan Jones had a long list of ‘suggestions’ for the Prime Minister today. Source: NewsComAu
IF Prime Minister Tony Abbott today heeds suggestions from the man known as his 31st minister, his predecessors will be stripped of their pensions and the GST will rise almost immediately.
Sports Minister Sussan Ley might be moved on, the $100 billion aimed at renewable energy projects redirected to drought relief, and workers aged over 65 given tax cuts.
The suggestions, which sounded more like instructions, were delivered during a 20 minute, largely one-sided radio engagement between the Prime Minister and Alan “I’ve known you for 100 years” Jones of Sydney’s 2GB.
“Every day when I come to work I think I am incredibly privileged to have this job,” said Mr Abbott. He might have had better starts to a working day than this.
The PM learned that an increase in the GST to 15 per cent was OK but a tax on bank deposits held by the “lifters” of society was not on.
The chief executive of the drugs-in-sport watchdog ASADA, Ben McDevitt, was “that thug” and the Prime Minister might have a look at his job, too
Mr Abbott was put under the pump on radio this morning. Source: News Corp Australia
Mr Abbott’s problem was he couldn’t dismiss the notions of Jones, a long and strong Liberal supporter, like he might other radio hosts, and his responses were mainly along the lines of, “ That’s a very fair point Alan,” and, “It’s a very, very good question.”
Should he disagree, the PM was set straight by a counter argument delivered “with respect”.
It wasn’t just this Prime Minister Jones wanted to target. He took aim at Labor’s Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard and urged Mr Abbott to punish them.
“What they don’t understand out there is that Gillard and Rudd trashed the economy,” said Jones.
“Yet they walk away into the sunset with $180,000 a year for life. Should they be getting that now? ... There’s a change. They trashed the economy. Why should they be getting it?”
Mr Abbott explained, in effect, because it was the law.
Why can people get their superannuation at 55 but can’t get the age pension until 65? Jones then added, racing down another burrow. “Because super is their money”, Mr Abbott replied.
Jones read the heartbreaking words of a woman in a drought stricken area: “Maybe if more farmers shot themselves in public it would get some help from media and the Government.”
“Can’t we mobilise something to give these people hope?” was the plea from Jones.
Mr Abbott agreed the situation was desperate but warned, “There’s no easy answer Alan, there’s no easy answer.”
That earned him a double “with respect” admonition from Jones who then came up with a brace of solutions, one being a levy similar to that used to help Queensland recover from floods.
“Julia Gillard, for all her weaknesses, got out there,” said Jones.
“That’s a very fair point,” said Mr Abbott, also acknowledging the “terrible, terrible tragedy”.
When he pointed to the additional burdens from cyclones Jones intervened: “ But on the other hand, PM, we’re providing $100 billion between now and 2030 for a renewable energy target, to subsidise wing turbines and solar panels.
In pained tones he continued: “ $100 billion, to do what? To disfigure the environment and jack up the price of electricity.”
And finally, Sports Minister Ley, whose response to the ASADA furore hadn’t met the Jones standard, had transgressed further.
“If the minister Sussan Ley could answer the letters that have been written to her some time ago about these victims of ASADA — young Australians, who if they can’t rely on government who can they rely on — that correspondence is unacknowledged and unanswered,” said the broadcaster.
“Emm,” replied Mr Abbott. “Well Alan, they will be.”
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