I'm straight, and I make a point of it. You hate me for that, therefore you dislike heterosexuals.

the next time either of you comment I make a huge spam dump...

Congrats Thomas, you are the 2nd most annoying person on here.

Colonel pls learn some facts before you speak. I hate you for being a moron, not being straight. My family and friends are straight and I love them all.

Then you must be a heterosexual in denial.

Wtf is wrong with you? How much did your government fuck you up? Jesus Christ, I can't even hold a fair debate with you anymore... It's just pity for you at this point.

I warned you...

2014 Australian federal budget
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2014 Australian federal budget
‹ 2013
2015 ›
Australian Coat of Arms.png
Submitted 13 May 2014
Submitted by Abbott Government
Submitted to House of Representatives
Parliament 44th
Party Liberal/National Coalition
Treasurer Joe Hockey
Total revenue $385.8 billion[1]
Total expenditures $412.5 billion[1]
Deficit $29.8 billion[1]
Website www.budget.gov.au/2014-15/
‡Numbers in italics are projections.

The 2014 Australian federal budget is the current federal budget to fund government services and operations for the 2014/15 financial year. The 2014 budget was the first delivered by the Abbott Government, since the Coalition's victory in the 2013 Australian federal election. Treasurer Joe Hockey presented the budget to the House of Representatives on 13 May 2014.

The budget features significant structural reform to redress a growing deficit. This includes a dramatic downsizing of government bureaucracy. It also contained significant changes to welfare, new initiatives for a medical research fund and spending on roads. A budget surplus was not expected until 2023.

The austere budget faced widespread criticism and was overwhelmingly rejected by the Australian public as reflected in several opinion polls after its release.[2][3][4] Opposition to "unfair" budget measures came from the opposition and cross-bench, pensioners, economists, the union movement, students and welfare, community and disability groups with some taking to the streets in protest. The budget included several changes which were contrary to pre-election commitments or promises made by members of the Abbott Government,[5] including a 1% cut in funding to the ABC and SBS. Opposition in the Parliament of Australia has resulted in no savings being forecast in its first year.[6]

Contents

1 National Commission of Audit
2 Forecasts
2.1 Deficit
3 Revenue
3.1 Taxation
4 Expenditure
4.1 General government
4.2 Social security and welfare
4.3 Infrastructure, transport and energy
4.4 Education
4.5 Defence
4.6 Health
4.7 Community services and culture
4.8 Science
5 Opposition and crossbench response
6 Critical reception
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

National Commission of Audit

The Abbott Government commissioned a National Commission of Audit in October 2013 to recommend measures to reduce government spending.[7] The Commission made 86 recommendations, including a slowing of increases in the age pension, an increase in the retirement age to 70 by 2035 and the inclusion of the family home in new means testing from 2027.[8] These Commission's recommendations were adopted in the budget.[9] Other controversial recommendations include copayments of Medicare bulk billing, besides other.
Forecasts

Before the budget's release Treasurer Joe Hockey signaled the budget would contain widespread spending cuts in response to what he described as an unsustainable growth in government expenditure.[10]
Deficit

In August 2013, in a budget update before the forthcoming federal election, the Australian Treasurer under the Second Rudd Government forecast a $30.1 billion deficit for 2013/14. In December 2013, the Australian Treasurer under the Abbott Government forecast a $47 billion deficit for the same period, due to the new government's decision not to implement savings and revenue measures put forward by the Rudd Government before the election, and an unexpected injection of $8 billion into the Reserve Bank.[11] The four-year forward estimates project a difference of $68 billion. More than half of that difference has been attributed to lower government revenue from taxation.[12] A surplus was projected for 2023/24.[13]

The budget forecast a deficit for 2014/15 of $29.8 billion.[1]
Revenue
Taxation

The budget introduced a "deficit levy" of 2% on higher income earners, payable on incomes over $180,000,[14] which was expected to apply for one year and raise around $2.5 billion.[15] Legislation to impose the levy was assented to on 25 June 2014.[16] The levy, called the Temporary Budget Repair Levy, commenced on 1 July 2014 and will apply for three years.[17]

The corporate tax rate will decrease by 1.5% from 1 July 2015 to 28.5%.[14]

The National Commission of Audit recommended that the Family Tax Benefit Part B be abolished. It will now be means tested to a new threshold of $100,000.[18] Families will cease being eligible for the payment when their youngest child turns six.[19]

The indexation of the federal fuel excise was reintroduced.[15] The adjustment will be made twice a year and is expected to raise $3.7 billion in its first four years. Indexation had been abandoned in 2001.[15] The change took effect on 10 November 2014, increasing the base rate to 38.6 from 38.14¢ per litre.
See also: Fuel taxes in Australia
Expenditure

In April 2014, Joe Hockey made it clear the budget would see a significant tightening of federal government expenditure which would be felt by all sectors of the community.[20] More than three quarters of the savings in the 2014 budget were the result of cuts to government spending.[21]
General government

A number of federal government services and approvals will increase in price and new fees will apply including some provided by Austrade and Geoscience Australia.[22] Funding for foreign aid is being frozen leading to a saving of $7.6 billion over five years.[5]

Federal politicians and public servants will have their salary frozen for one year. Post retirement benefits for federal politicians are being reigned in. This includes limitations on travel expenses, staffing arrangements and working entitlements.[23] 3,000 positions within the Australian Tax Office will be lost with thousands of staff retrenched from other major federal departments.[13] The Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency and the Australian Water Commission are to be abolished.[22] 76 government agencies will be abolished a small number merged or privatised.[24] These cutbacks are expected to save $500 million over four years.[25] The budget for the CSIRO was reduced by $146.8 million over four years.[26]
Social security and welfare

"The age of entitlement is over."
Speech by federal Treasurer Joe Hockey [27]

The Newstart Allowance for those seeking work will not be available to people under the age of 25. The unemployed under the age of 30 would not qualify for any payment for six months, after which the Work for the Dole program would be required. If after another six months there is no employment, the six-month cycle of off/on payment starts again.[14] The Schoolkids bonus is to be abolished. A Paid Parental Leave scheme is being introduced.[14] The Seniors Health Card will not be eligible to retired couples with more than $1.4 million in assets.[28] The indexation for pensions will be lowered from 2017 onwards, after it is linked to inflation rather than male average earnings.[29] New funding for the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) ceased on 1 July 2014 with funding for tenanted NRAS properties continuing.[30] The First Home Saver Accounts scheme will be abolished leading to savings of $134.3 million.[31]
Infrastructure, transport and energy

The budget allocated significant funding for road infrastructure in western Sydney, including for the WestConnex motorway and for roads to Badgerys Creek Airport [32] as well as significant funding for Melbourne's East West Link. There was also funding for two major road projects in South East Queensland – the final section of the upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway and the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing[33]

The budget slashed government support for renewable energy and climate change-related programs.[34]
Education

Over the next four years $4.7 billion of funding will be stripped from higher education. On average the Commonwealth's contribution to the funding of university degrees is being cut by 20%.[35] From 2016 the interest rate charged on HECS debts, which is currently linked to the consumer price index will be charged at the same rate as government long-term borrowings.[36] HECS debts will now have to be repaid once an individuals income reaches $50,638.[37] Universities will be able to set their own price for courses under a new deregulated fee system. Modelling conducted by Universities Australia indicates the fee to study at an Australian university will on average double in cost.[38]

$245.3 million is being spent on continuing the school chaplaincy program.[39]
See also: Tertiary education fees in Australia
Defence

Before the budget was released the Abbott Government announced Australia's biggest ever military purchase of 58 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II which are to be delivered in 2018.[40]
Health

A controversial $7 co-payment to see a bulk billing doctor, receive x-rays and get a blood test is planned to save $3.4 billion over five years, however $5 of it will go toward medical research.[41] All 61 Medicare Locals—organisations established to plan and fund extra health services—are going to close.[5]
Community services and culture

Funding for the ABC and SBS is being cut by 1% leading to costs savings of $43.5 million.[42] This is despite repeated comments by the Abbott Government that funding to the ABC would not be cut.[42] The ABC's contract to operate the Australia Network was cancelled after its first year of a 10-year contract. The Australia Council for the Arts had its funding cut by around $30 million.[43] Screen Australia is losing $38 million over four years.[44]

More than 150 programs, grants and activities designed to assist Indigenous Australians are being replaced by five broad-based programs with cuts to funding of $534 million aimed at reducing duplication and waste.[45] The next three years of funding to the National Congress of

I'm so confused... yesterday Colonel said he's a trans lesbian and now he's a heterosexual male???

MSF is an alts' best friend

mental health of all clans right now:

Lawlz, my government (the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) was run during my childhood by a group of leftists known as "New Labour". They wrecked Britain, her economy and her future.
Now I live elsewhere. My views have not changed. My views are shared by the majority of my non-Muslim relatives.

hmmmm Lawlz Vs. Colonel


who do i root for....?

I guess the one that doesnt hate gay people.

MSF as a clan are like what this video is to Psy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ZSZbNfSpk

That's the only way I can describe it.

Nobody is clicking that. Just saying. If you need a video to say how something is then you suck at jokes. :)

Edited 3/29/2015 15:15:22

burrrrrn


kinda like what colonel wants to do to every hieratic that disagrees with him.

Thomas, let's make a system. You can make 1 meme per day.

EDIT: In regards to this thread, I think people should be rating every clan, on a 1-5,1-10 rating scale.

Factors like Forum Reputation, Clan Consolidation, Inter-Clan Communication, Organization and Leadership/Members should be accounted for. Each category should be responsible for 2 of the 10 point.
Clan tiers:
S "The 'Apex' Tier", 9-10
A "The Preferred Tier", 7-8
B "The Average Tier", 5-6
C "The Wolves Tier", 3-4
D "The Illuminati Tier", 1-2 (in reference to the Old Illuminati)
F "The 'Murica Tier", 0

My personal ratings of a few clans:

The Lost Wolves - 3/10
Forum Rep. - 0/2
Clan Cons. - 1/2
I-C Comm. - 1/2
Organization - 1/2
Lead./Memb. - 0/2

Forum reputation is down the tubes. I remember some clan consolidation, but I think the old fleets system is gone with such poor leadership and so many "lost" members. The way I hear it, Wolves has pretty active Clan forum, but I imagine it's not all very productive. Organization is crappy, but there, thanks to a decent system of succession.


Current Illuminati - 7/10
FR - 2/2
CC - 2/2
ICC - 1/2
ORG - 1/2
LEAD/MEMB - 1/2

This is a bit of a rough estimate on the 1/2 region, but anyway, analysis.
Good Rep, despite older Illuminati being trash. Good consolidation, a few dozen members makes events easy. I imagine communication is good, but I'm not sure if it's picture perfect for everyone. Organization looks good, but I don't recall a well-defined system; not necessarily a bad thing, but just means it's not a clan for people who want very convoluted hierarchies. Leadership is certainly great, but without samples of their Members, will have to exclude. A Preferred Clan indeed.

Edited 3/29/2015 20:04:21

i prefer the butthurt-o-meter.

i give genghis a 9/10

forum grumpiness - 10
clan masturbation - 9
inter-clan finger wagging - 3,000
butthole clenching - 9
perspective - 0

S "The 'Apex' Tier", 9-10

Pulsey is back, I wonder how long it will take for him to say something about this.

Pretty sure he'll make his own list once he sees this.

Pretty sure he'll be like: apex trying to be funny.

here's a sample of the lost wolves forum:


they look pretty productive to me...