Well, Mr Hockey’s first budget is over. TV has killed the budget speech itself. You don’t need to listen beyond getting a a rough feel.
In a comment to a blogging friend, I said go through the budget speech and rule out all the rhetoric. You have to leave in some things that may be cast in rhetorical terms but are critical to following the thread. Look how little there is.
Think I’m wrong? This the budget speech. Try it.
5 comments:
I'm watching all this from my property which is just 1 hr 50 mins from Sydney airport, in a little valley.
I have no water supply, except rain or tanker, nor garbage collection, nor sewerage - except by sceptic tank. And my internet connection is just outside the 'rim' which would allow viewing of ABC iView - so I don't watch that - but not to worry, I prefer reading to viewing anyway.
But do I dirnk and smoke, so there's that I suppose, and I will continue to so 'contribute'! And my petrol hasn't been under 165c since at least 18 months now, because my nearest Coles or Woolies is 40 minutes, thus removing any chance of 'saving' by shopping with them - and thereby contributing to the death of our agricultural industries.
But this is not a complaint; more just I think I have somehow slipped through the net, and I have to say I wouldn't trade my place with any of yours.
That off my chest, may I quietly record that tomorrow (Thursday) in Canberra will occur the funeral of Air Marshal Sir Neville McNamara. I met him several times as his daughter was my wife's closest friend. (She spoke eloquently at my wife's funeral, and his granddaughter was the soloist)
Jim, I don't suggest this as a task, but his autobio 'Quiet Man' is well worth a read. He was in charge, and negotiating that mess called Canberra, when we decided to purchase the FA-18. And I think his view from the 'pointy end' of military procurement is no less valid than the occasional recordings you make of the protocols from the administrative/departmental end.
He was a fine man, and I was pleased to know him. And I continue to take great pleasure in the sometime company of his daughter and granddaughter.
Pardon my reflections.
kvd
My comment is simply a quote from an article I read this morning.
David Frith makes the point very well: “Treasurer Joe Hockey's speech last to Parliament last night introducing the Abbott Government's 2014-15 Budget ran to 4868 words. How many times did they include terms like ‘information technology’, ‘communications’, ‘Internet’, ‘innovation’ ‘cloud’ or ‘smarter Australia’? Not once.”
http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/c-level/64082-budget-an-attack-on-it?utm_source=iTWire+Update&utm_campaign=79859e8fa7-2012100810_8_2012&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ab978d1b5-79859e8fa7-35472845
Jim, a couple of further thoughts.
First, when I go looking for information about the budget I expect I will look at the Statements rather than the speech itself.
Second, we now seem to have a system in which most of the contents of the budget is announced beforehand, so perhaps it is reasonable to view the speech itself as a theatrical performance.
My apologies all for my slow response.
kvd, you have indeed slipped through the net! Air Marshal Sir Neville McNamara sounds an interesting man, and one obviously close to your heart for understandable reasons. The wikipedia piece on his seems pretty good - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neville_McNamara. I haven't read the book but will do so.
Yup, Noric. We are now old fogies for even considering such things!
That's probably right. The switch in style and content came with the move from radio to TV broadcasts, if with a lag.
I left Winton out of my last para!
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