The Editor, John Surname, Ant Rogenous and Jeremy Sear discuss:

* Brendan Nelson’s budget reply
* Alexander Downer’s retirement cocktease
* eBay’s PayPal monopoly rip off
* Boys, an Xbox, a credit card, hookers and a hoax
* Alan Jones vs. John Laws in the GrodsThink naked cagefight

** Because Jeremy Sear is still talking passionately to the microphone even though it’s turned off use only the “Play in popup” link or the “Download” link. **

 

 GrodsThink 17 (20 May 2008) [29:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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I’ve been a very bad blogger this week because I missed the budget speech (GrodsThink recording) and the budget reply speech (GroupthinkFC match.) So I’ve arrived home this evening at 9pm keen for news on Nelson’s last moment in the spotlight before he’s surely disappeared by the Liberals.

First I check the ABC and learn that the opposition will use its Senate majority to oppose alcopop tax rises and changes to the Medicare levy threshold. Conspicuously absent from the list of things that Nelson will oppose is the baby bonus means test which he’s kinda, sorta but not really been opposing (or supporting) since Tuesday.

Next I check the transcript of his speech which has me alternating between bashing my head on the table and yelling “drink!” before I even go a handful of paragraphs.

Mr Speaker. Australians expected a lot with the election of a new government.

Last year they listened to what the now Prime Minister and Treasurer had to say.

They heard them say they were going to be good economic managers.

They heard them say that they would do something about grocery prices.

Drink!

They heard them say they would do something about the price of petrol.

Drink!

They heard them say they would do something about home interest rates.

Drink!

They heard a lot.

Every Australian should now ask themselves this question:

Will this budget make it easier to keep my house, fill the car with petrol, put groceries in the trolley and keep my job?

Skol!

And then I read through the rest of his speech and could spend the next hour destroying it line-by-line with my rapier wit (and I’ll probably have a crack at the education section of his speech tomorrow) but I’ll simply note right now that I was relieved to see that Bren-doc didn’t miss the opportunity to insert a small anecdote about his medical practice to remind us, once again, that he’s a doctor.

Alcohol abuse is a problem. It is a real problem, confined not only to some young people, but right across society. I spent much of my medical life seeing its human consequences.

I’m Dr Brendan Nelson. I used to be a doctor. I’m here to help. I’m here to criticise the Labor government for not doing things in six short months that the Liberal government had eleven long years to do.

Opposition leader Dr Brendan Nelson commenting on a Kevin Rudd post-budget interview.

[Kevin Rudd] sounded like one of those recorded messages you get when you’re actually trying to get real information.

Here’s Doctor Who? in the same interview.

We want to make sure that we have a Budget which makes sure that Australians are more likely to be able to afford their homes, to put petrol in their car, to buy groceries.

Drink!

…is the Budget going to make it easier for me to balance my household budget, to afford my home, put petrol in the car, to buy groceries…

Drink!

And here’s a different Nelson interview on the same day.

…is this Budget going to make it easier for me to pay my mortgage, put groceries in the trolley, to put petrol in my car…

Drink!

And Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull’s even playing the drinking game.

It is not a Budget that lifts a finger to help Australians battling with rising costs of living – petrol, groceries, private health insurance and home interest rates.

Drink! Drink! Drink!

The Editor, John Surname, Ant Rogenous, Wah and Craig discuss:

* The budget — baby bonus, luxury car tax, Medicare etc.
* Victorian Liberal party shafting itself
* Tim Blair’s commercial blog move
* Justice Kirby vs. Alan Jones in the GrodsThink naked cagefight

** Because Jeremy Sear is using all of Australia’s bandwidth to play XBox online in regional Victoria use only the “Play in popup” link or the “Download” link. **

 

 GrodsThink 16 (13 May '08) [33:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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