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That is what The Emperor (Kevin Rudd) thought and now they are fighting words where Fort Fumble (Federal Government) will be forced to perform yet another monumental back – flip on policy. Back to that over-worked drawing board where a 2010 federal budget is on the political rack.  The gloves are off as government and miners trade blows over tax as Wayne’s world comes unstuck which should not come as a great surprise when one looks at a government built around crumbling policy failures.

Ross Gittins in the Sydney Morning Herald wrote this  interesting story “Shonky advisers have led Rudd badly astray” It’s not just The Emperor’s reputation on the line, the Australian economy is on the nose too. The Minister for Mining, Ken Henry, who these days is wearing many hats, has a different interpretation.

Rudd’s dollar delusion – Since the end of April, the Australian dollar has been hit much harder than the euro, so for our decline to be entirely linked to the global crisis, Australia would need to be on its knees with a huge debt problem. But, of course, as Kevin Rudd correctly points out, the Australian government is in a strong borrowing position.  Leaving aside what was apparent in the marketplace, logic dictates that the mining tax had to be part of the slump.  A cavalier effort last Friday when dollar rout ‘stemmed by Reserve Bank’.

Let’s look back at The Emperor’s blackboard of back – flips: save the whales, fuelwatch, grocerywatch, kids laptops, takeover of hospitals by mid 2009, hospital reform, schools stimulus infrastructure programme, 2020 Summit (where he met Kate Blanchet), insulation program, refugees,  insulation industry, foreign investment review board removal, mining tax, childcare centre building program, carbon emissions programme and of course his “greatest moral challenge of our time” the list goes on. Is this the worst CV in Australia’s political history? In search of a photographic capture that best describes Fort Fumble’s business and economic outlook?

BUY PRINT

On Q&A this week, former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser (stole the show for mine) when he took this question from the audience and what a wordsmith he  is (and resigned from the Liberal party).

Paul Sherrington: “Controversial Melbourne columnists like Andrew Bolt and others have declared the Rudd Government to be the worst and most wasteful government in living memory, perhaps unfairly. Given a choice between the Whitlam Government, as you intimately know it, Mr Fraser, and the Rudd Government so far, which do you think is better?”

Malcolm Fraser: “Oh, you’ve got to say – I’d use different terms; “least worst”. The Rudd Government so far, but you didn’t take a very good – I don’t want to criticise journalists, because you know, some journalists have very extreme views and generally only report one side of a question, as we’ve heard, perhaps. The administrative failures of the current government, whether it’s in delivering houses to indigenous people, or whether it’s in putting insulation in roofs or building classrooms for schools with government schools costing several times what it costs private schools, or what other things they have sought to administer? They’re going to muck up the hospitals next. The administrative failures are gross and half of them aren’t pursued by the opposition and the administrative  failures are as great, if not greater, than the administrative failures in Gough Whitlam’s government. But Gough’s failures were of a different kind, of a different quality, and I don’t want to go into those now. It wasn’t straight out of administering what should have been a plain, straightforward programme, which for some reason this government seems totally incapable of doing.”

Now to those other deposits – not mineral but banking.  This week, we saw the “Big Four” banks  realise, given the current economic movements, (downwards) that they now ant your hard earned monies trapped away in their vaults – the banking oxygen of the future. Global Financial Crisis II looms if debt woes grow so it is reasonable to assume that our banks urgently require a topping up of liquid funds. Lending ratios have fallen from 100 per cent to 60 per cent in a matter of months for residential properties. The current offers are 6.00 + which is much higher than the current cash rate of 4.50 per cent. I would not lock and load in yet as it will get higher given the global demand for money. Throw in the fact that the Reserve Bank of Australia announced this week that credit card purchases rose 12.2 per cent over the year to March 2010. The value of purchases made in March was $19.9 billion, up by $2.1 billion from the previous year.

A busy few weeks for the Reserve Bank of Australia – who just released its Competition in the Deposit Market. See a pattern forming? For depositors, retribution, given term deposits are now challenging investment in the shock market, hedge funds can’t short you now and no more wild ride for Australian equities.
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We are definitely witnessing a shift where businesses and households are actively paying down debt as a direct result of the uncertain times ahead. Unsustainable home loans are of great concern where we now have a rise in middle – class bankrupts where even the Pope, ECB chief slam spendthrift governments. In Australia, we are already witnessing first hand interest rises kicking the stuffing out of auction clearance rates.

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This explains why deposit rates are suddenly attracting all the attention at the moment and in all probability will remain a major player for the foreseeable future. Work within the markets and not without them as this is not a viable time to pinch – hit profit taking models. Ever seen a correction before? Not sure if Hedge funds are actually not Dredge funds and it should also be noted that  Fort Crumble (NSW government) has successfully dredged NSW where in terms of infrastructure, it is now paralysed by parliamentary past performances. Prepare for 20 years of transport despair given it will be decades before any new roads are built.

Fort Crumble approves 4,500 new North shore houses where residents will now spend their annual leave on the Pacific Highway. Cashed – up foreigners snap up homes who spent $14.900 billion on houses and land last year. Once again The Emperor identified that he is an economic  illiterate and foreign investors selected Victoria and Queensland ahead of NSW. NSW once upon a time, like the fairytale, was the number one choice.

Sydney one of the world’s top 10 cities Australia’s other state capitals are out of the world’s top 20, but still in the top 40, with Perth ranked 21, Canberra 26, Adelaide 32 and Brisbane at 36.

• Vienna, Austria
• Zurich, Switzerland
• Geneva, Switzerland
• (tie) Auckland, New Zealand
• (tie) Vancouver, Canada
• Dusseldorf, Germany
• (tie) Frankfurt, Germany
• (tie) Munich, Germany
• Bern, Switzerland
• Sydney, Australia

As Malcolm Fraser once said “life was not meant to be easy” which he scripted from within his very own government. I wonder what it should be under the present Labor regime? A suggestion: hey “big spender” bankruptcy is our very own act of life!

The number of security clearances of asylum seekers by ASIO has risen tenfold in recent years. (Security clearances by asylum seekers up) in 2008/09 ASIO processed 207 irregular security assessments and in the period of July 2009 to March 2010 – 2028 assessments, which is attributed to KRudd border security – and guess who pays for that?

Our website sponsors announced this week - First Home Buyers offered a helping hand from Mortgageport which many subscribers to Virtual Realty News will find interesting. Also, the Balmoral Burn is on this Sunday and this event has become an iconic Sydney event.

Cheers ^__^

This week’s sales Mosman real estate, Beauty Point real estate, Clifton Gardens real estate, Balmoral real estate, Cremorne real estate, Cremorne Point real estate, Neutral Bay real estate, Cammeray real estate Click Here

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28.05.10Robert Simeon9 Comments »

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Here we go again – Mad Monday wiped $40 billion from our shock – markets and once again, hedge funds ran amok with an  insatiable desire to short stocks. Throw in the calamities of Europe, a highly sensitive super tax on mining and  a federal election and we see emotions running high.  What is abundantly clear is, that financial markets now, more than ever before, will dictate property markets results for quite a few years to come.  As they say “money makes the world go around” and it would be fair to suggest that currently, it is spinning much slower.

With world economies delicately poised and many drowning with self induced sovereign debt,  parts of Europe are crawling on the banking bridge of bankruptcy. Greece laid low by its decadence it was quick to blame US banks for debt woes. Brace for China’s heavy breaking was concerning also given the revelation that Germany still fears a meltdown.

What we are presently seeing from China will play a dominant role on the Australian economy, since China is trimming its commodity shopping list – hence a weaning off Aussie minerals. This suggests that Fort Fumble’s (federal government) resources super profit tax will be revoked due to international circumstances. Not exactly a great week for The Emperor (Kevin Rudd) when shares hit a nine – month low then our Aussie dollar nosedives as Europe worries bite. It should be noted that plenty of investors are actively buying up US dollars (USD) – the CCC – Current Calamity Currency.

BUY PRINT

Not a great week for Fort Grumble (federal opposition) Abbott put to the sword over ‘gospel truth’ gaffe which I thought was best summed up with even the honest ones find it hard to lie straight in bed. Whichever way you look at it the next federal election will be a brutal contest, won or lost in Queensland which I don’t necessarily agree with as this election is about money – Rudd’s budget trick: pie in the sky when you die.

Much is being said about what is happening in the Australian property markets so let’s attempt to clear the picture. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released Recent Developments in the Housing Market and its Financing by Luci Ellis Head of Financial Stability Department – now that would be one tough job. “Housing is a big deal. It’s the biggest purchase most of us will make. It’s an asset class worth almost $4 trillion, accounting for around 60 per cent of household assets in Australia. Loans to buy property account for nearly 90 per cent of all household debt and around 40 per cent of the assets of Australian banks and other deposit – takers.”

Now it gets interesting as “housing prices in Australia have more than recovered from their small decline in 2008. In the first three months of 2010, prices were growing quite smartly.”

Demand – side Drivers

Unprecedented low interest rates marinated with Government policies of First Home Buyer Grants where the RBA has raised the cash rate by +0.25 per cent from six of its last seven meetings. The HIA/Commonwealth Bank survey of first – home buyer affordability dropped four per cent in the March quarter to its lowest since the September quarter of 2008. HIA senior economist Ben Phillips predicted that the RBA’s  interest rate rises in April and May would probably see housing affordability sink to the record lows of 2007 when mortgage rates rose above 9 per cent.

The First Home Owners Grant was introduced in July 2000; the Australian quarterly weighted average median house price was $220,443. The Australian weighted average median house price in the most recent quarter for which data is available, December 2009, was $514,599.

With interest I read this week in the Macquarie Economics Research Report

• The RBA recently upgraded its medium – term inflation forecasts to three per cent, which suggests that there is certainly more work to do regarding the tightening of monetary policy in this cycle.
• As a result, we expect that the RBA will recommence tightening later in the year, taking the cash rate to 5.00 per cent by the end of 2010 and 6.00 per cent by the end of 2011.

That  said, I would  like to hear its views given that Wayne Swan predicted (in current budget papers) that it would remain around 2.5 per cent in 2011. I will make a prediction of 3.5 per cent for the June 2010 quarter, 4.2 per cent for the September quarter 2010 and 5.0 per cent for December quarter 2010. Who would have thought double – digit inflation a possibility?

The Role of the Supply Side

“Together with these demand – side drivers, the supply side is important. The supply of housing is always going to be quite sluggish: most of it is already there. The additional amount of new supply is inherently small relative to the stock.”

Bear in mind banks on global hunt for $ 125 billion where pre global financial crisis long – term funding used by the major banks to finance mortgages, personal loans and business credit will have to be replaced at much higher prices between now and September next year. This signals that the cost of money is getting more expensive, rents will go through the roof and we expect vacancy rates to hit all time lows. Brace yourself for some financial turbulence ahead.

Property market clues are RBA warns lenders and borrowers to be prudent combined with top homes take double time to sell a natural response given the economic environment. With the Aussie dollar in freefall as our share market smashed down to lowest in nine months which is certainly not helped as European and Japanese investors are selling down due to Fort Fumble’s new mining tax which is significantly affecting the sovereign risk of Australia – the huge bear raid on Australia.

Here is a classic example of why our property markets performed so differently during the global financial crisis. With subprime, the banks in America could not chase on default.  In Australia they can – with vigour and dire consequences, otherwise  known as bankruptcy.

The Financial Stability Perspective

“Even if household balance sheets were to become overstretched to some extent, historical experience suggests that this, on its own, is unlikely to pose significant risk to Australia’s financial system.

“If we focus on the group of households with debt that have higher repayment burdens and high loan – to – valuation ratios, we can see that their numbers have risen over time. But overall percentage has remained very low. This was true even in late 2008, the latest available data, when mortgage interest rates, and thus repayments, were at their peak.”

The Key Role of Lending Standards

“Only a minority of recent home loan borrowers started with a loan – to – valuation ratio above 90 per cent. First home buyers have long faced greater risk than more established home owners who have more equity in their home.” This was clearly evidenced in Mosman during the global financial crisis where ‘mortgagee in possession’ sales could be counted on just two hands (with spare fingers).

This is definitely not a time to be carrying high debt ratios given all that is happening globally and yes, the cost of money is going up due to unprecedented sovereign debt collapses.

Memo to: The Emperor

Subject: Resource Super Profit Tax (RSPT)

We are faced with market suicide – “mining tax ‘contagion’ set to spread globally your resources tax was not designed to frighten, but investors may be scared anyway.  Just take a look at what is happening to the Aussie dollar whacked as debt crisis bites. The global financial crisis not over yet, just delayed so stop upsetting the mining companies and let them – (not you) lead this great nation back down the road to recovery. We need them in Australia – not out of it!

Welcome home – Jessica Watson.  Can you tell The Emperor, that no other Prime Minister has ever sailed solo around the world (clue) and a Pink Lady awaits him for his voyage.

The Real Estate Institute of NSW has just announced that it has secured an undertaking from Barry O’Farrell that he will repeal the ad valorem tax should the NSW Liberals and Nationals be elected in the upcoming state election.

Cheers ^__^

This week’s sales Mosman real estate, Beauty Point real estate, Clifton Gardens real estate, Balmoral real estate, Cremorne real estate, Cremorne Point real estate, Neutral Bay real estate, Cammeray real estate Click Here

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21.05.10Robert Simeon17 Comments »

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Somewhat dejected your Virtual Realty News scribe  (again) did not receive an invitation to Fort Fumble’s (Federal Government) budget lock down. Bugger!  Ten years of delivery and yet again we are ignored as a  non – political friendly identity.

A three ingredient budget (sounds like a cook book) red, being iron ore, black being coal and smoke meaning cigarettes, with  these two big new  taxes  (cigarettes and mining)  both less than one month old. Again, more economic policies consistently on the run.  It definitely looked that way when The Emperor (Kevin Rudd) threw a hissy fit on the 7.30 Report – Here (scroll down to you see The Emperor)

The Super Profits Rent Tax (SPRT) is subject to Senate approval yet it remains the nucleus of the budget. We know in real estate, that ‘subject to approval’ means absolutely nothing as Alan Jones reminded Wayne Swan on Wednesday here is the audio – a beauty.  Rudd may be the blip in selling mining tax given Rudd in freefall: voters lose faith. What a difference a year makes. Last year, Wayne Swan refused to mention the budget  ‘D’ word and kept muttering 58 without mention of the next word, namely ‘deficit’. Kevin07 stages election comeback although he is on notice given his party warns PM Kevin Rudd: no more U – turns.

It won’t be easy as Anna Bligh warns of super tax threat to LNG industry as each day goes by it is looking highly likely that the mining companies will lead a massive capital strike in the lead up to this year’s  Federal election.  As well,  the inflation genie is now growing at a rapid rate. The twenty five per cent increase on cigarettes will reap havoc on inflation. A massive mineral shut down would bring Australia to its knees so The Emperor has picked a fight well above his fighting weight. Knock out?

BUY PRINT

Who’s next to cop a super tax? A question that needs to be asked should the SPRT be blocked in the Senate. Don’t forget Europe on the brink: the web of debt that threatens the world although we should note that Wayne Swan apparently now considers himself as the leading global economic treasurer. On an economic roll Wayne Swan boasts economic management gave Australia greater clout in G20 so rest easy Australia to withstand Greek crisis – Wayne Swan when he stopped short or serving up his special (Moussaka) economic recipe. A strong possibility that Greece’s debt problems could spread throughout the continent which would significantly increase global borrowing costs – higher interest rates? Europe debt could hurt growth: Lowe.

Market turmoil sparks rates cut talk although the cash rate is significantly based on what is happening to the consumer price index which was 1.3 per cent for the September quarter 2009/10, 2.1 per cent for the December quarter 2009/10 and 2.9 per cent for the March quarter 2009/10.

Follow the bouncing ball where inflation is growing rapidly and don’t forget the new Rudd tobacco tax where in all probability, inflation should currently be around 3.5 per cent. Bear in mind that the Reserve Bank of Australia has an inflation comfort zone of between 2.00 and 3.00 per cent. I would also add that in this week’s Federal Budget – Wayne Swan has factored inflation at being 2.5 per cent next year.  The bouncing ball shows that CPI keeps jumping 0.08 per cent each quarter so June would come in at 3.7 per cent and December at 4.5 per cent. We need to reduce spending although The Emperor has a different view on that Greek crisis bolsters need for stimulus spending. The Emperor knows a thing or two about building when insulation clean – up cost hits $430 million and we have asylum refugees residing in four star hotels and costly exercise: asylum seekers’ private jet flights cost $5.6 million.

Stop the reckless spending The Emperor demanded in 2007 – no budget cuts for Kevin Rudd’s own department. Then sham budget built on two great fiddles Terry McCrann in full flight “The Government’s claim to fiscal rectitude is an utter sham. Wayne Swan’s budget is built on two great fiddles.” Then Peter Costello responded to the 2010 Fudge – it Swan’s balancing act won’t add up which was more like ‘ liar, liar – pants on fire’.

The tradition continues – Hit by another sneaky fee NSW Labor (Fort Crumble) introduced yet another property tax on top of the other countless property taxes that continue to retard property investment /development in NSW. Another day, another property tax where our latest property tax took aim at Australia’s most incompetent government new tax on property under fire which was announced immediately after the Federal Budget – ‘hide n seek? Our NSW government is hopelessly bankrupt and even more hopeless with astute economic policy.

A government in total disarray where the Sydney Sunday newspapers reported Premier Pristine (Kristina Keneally) is headed off to Canberra and Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid retiring which suggests that there is no more milk in the NSW cash cow. Time to mooo – ve on it would appear. Then ALP braces for ‘massive flogging ‘in disgraced MP’s seat where Fort Crumble is bracing for a massive 30 per cent swing against them. Not exactly a great platform for The Emperor as he maps his election announcement strategy in 2010. At the next election we could see a Guinness Book of Records entry for a government that records the highest swing against it by the electorates – both Forts Fumble and Crumble.

Whilst on swings – I did a comparative analysis with our March quarter 2009 and March 2010 sales results which draws some interesting conclusions. March 2009 Mosman’s highest recorded sale for the year 6 Buena Vista Avenue Mosman and March 2010, Mosman highest recorded sale (thus far) 19 Morella Road Mosman both subscribers too. Subscriber sales to Virtual Realty News now sit at $949,404,220. Our average house sale value in March quarter 2009 was $4,637,000 and whilst we increased turnover by 89 per cent in March quarter 2010, our average sale price came in at $4,610,937. For apartments, we averaged $653,611 in March 2009 and in March 2010 it jumped to $1,242,000. Apartment sales increased by 18 per cent from March quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010 and apartment sales volume increased by 188 per cent over the same period.

Also on the increase is our population as Marize and Michael Bellomo delivered their first child, Chanel Helena Bellomo and Jacqui and Mike Rowland Smith delivered a brother to Will – Riley Rowland Smith. Marize and Jacqui are doing well as are their beautiful babies (who I will soon subscribe,once they connect to the internet).

Thoughts on the Federal budget or, was it a fudge – it? My concerns are directed to the Consumer Price Index as inflation is sky rocketing. Forget Fort Crumble as everyone appears to be abandoning that sinking ship. Someone should tell Kevin Rudd to stop spending  rate rises in doubt as markets melt down and more importantly arrears rise as rates climb. Spare a thought for mortgage stress hits hundreds of tenants and Fort Crumble’s latest property tax will dampen property market sentiment. Leading data points to housing lull: economists – batten down the hatches the Moussaka economics are showing signs of double dipping – no stimulus this time either.

Inflation is much like a politician’s ego – although this economic measure could also result in their downfall. Should inflation climb to greater than 3.5 per cent during the June quarter 2010 then it could be at 5.00 per cent by the end of the December quarter which then, will create havoc with interest rates. To put this into greater perspective, in the September quarter 2008/09 the CPI hit 5.00 per cent and the cash rate target was 7.00 per cent – today the cash rate is 4.50 per cent.

So it is just not the cigarette tax that went up in smoke and Wayne Swan’s prediction that inflation will be 2.5 per cent in 2011,has as much chance as the Melbourne Storm winning the NRL premiership in 2010.

Cheers ^__^

This week’s sales Mosman real estate, Beauty Point real estate, Clifton Gardens real estate, Balmoral real estate, Cremorne real estate, Cremorne Point real estate, Neutral Bay real estate, Cammeray real estate Click Here

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14.05.10Robert Simeon10 Comments »

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With interest, I noted that Fort Fumble (Federal Government) released its Henry Tax Review – Australia’s future tax system just hours before the Logies and just two days before Reserve Bank of Australia announced rates rise again. Here is what governor Glenn Stevens had to say Monetary Policy Decision.

Much like the decision to withdraw its disastrous and totally incompetent Home Insulation program which again, was conveniently announced just 30 minutes after Torah Bright won gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in the half pipe. As they say timing is everything! Tempers flare as Wayne Swan clashes with shock jock on air this was Gold. Then Rudd lied to us, say insulation installers in Parliament house protest. “In February the Prime Minister met a group of installers protesting outside Parliament House in Canberra and said he would restart the home insulation program by June 1.” Alas, “Courageous Kev” Rudd to defy Senate request to give evidence on home insulation program – snakes and ladders?

The Emperor (Kevin Rudd) is now running with just three policies Health, Henry and the Building Education Revolution (BER) as the rest have now (conveniently) been placed in his growing recycle bin. Both Health and Henry are less than one month old and the BER is copping plenty of flak audit slams Rudd’s primary school building program expect that to be binned also. These decisions are not just a case of ‘missing in action’, rather, policies with distractions which sends a clear message that our elected Federal Labor Government requires more stimulus to its own intelligece quotient. BER audit finds problem but ‘value for money’ of individual projects outside scope… surprise surprise. The Mad Monk (Tony Abbott) also marked the report BER delivers a fail mark.

Having been in receipt of the Henry Tax Review since late December 2009 (five months later) and Fort Fumble does it again – Did Kev and Wayne even read Ken’s Review? On Business Spectator Alan Kohler wrote It’s politics, not reform “It is a great document – probably the best tax review ever produced in this country. Amazingly, the government has almost ignored it. After five months of leaking and spinning since the report was handed to him. The Treasurer has picked up exactly 1.75 of its 138 recommendations, or a bit over 1 per cent.” Total: 1.75 accepted; 136.25 rejected or put off without any transparency. Why, am I not surprised? Rudd’s election rebate where the Henry Review brings higher superannuation, small business changes but no tax fit. Henry tax review dumped into the dustbin then Terry McCann’s explanation “Kevin Rudd is running scared – clammy palms, hair bristling on the back of his neck, whole body shivering: scared, scared, scared.”

Now it gets even more interesting – “rather than release flagged changes on savings tax and simplifying tax returns, the Government has saved those changes to release later in the year, most likely to use in the run – up to this year’s federal election.” Wayne Swan leaves door open to more tax hits from Henry tax review – From the mines to the banks, The Emperor’s ‘fat tax’ grab goes on.

BUY PRINT

Charlie Aitken wrote on Under the Southern Cross “Robin Rudd and his merry men; banks will be next; switch to the USA. I just believe Australian banks have a giant target painted on them and as we get closer to an Australian Federal election later this year that Robin Rudd and his merry men will announce some sort of super tax on bank profits. I am very, very suspicious that the bank sector avoided any sort of punishment in the Henry Review. Ask yourself what the biggest vote winner in Australia is? Yep, you guessed it taxing banks.” Such a move to tax would remove bonuses which in turn would decimate top – end property markets. Australia is now entering the Rudd Financial Crisis – nothing achieved when policies deceive.

On Business Spectator Alan Kohler wrote Rudd’s mask is off “Kevin Rudd has done something unforgiveable in politics, and he will not be forgiven either by his party or the electorate. He has allowed the disguise to fall.” Then “the latest effort is the Resources Super Profits Tax – a national embarrassment. Those who don’t even understand why it’s a bad tax are asking: why do we need the money? We understand the need for the community to get a fair share etc, but Australia is the best performing economy in the world, so what have you guys done with all the money that you jeopardise our most successful industry to raise more?”  And “there will now be an early election – probably July. What does Kevin Rudd stand for? He is becoming an opposition leader in government, simply opposing the other side and engaged in nothing but marketing.”

The Emperor should be cleaning up his own backyard first – Kevin Rudd’s Department of Hot Air costing taxpayers $90 million. Hi – ho, hi – ho it’s off to health he goes! Australia went into euphoric celebration mode when Julia Gillard announced: Rudd will lead Labor to election. Making unpopular decisions part of my job: Rudd obviously The Emperor has policies confused with performance. In time we get the nasties – but not just yet so have a listen to what John Stone had to say to Alan Jones on 2GB about the Henry Tax Review.

Mining tax like communist policy – Palmer on Australia’s greatest ever tax reform all 1.75 per cent. This comment on Crikey by Niall Clugston, grabbed my attention. “While the criticism of Kevin Rudd’s caution is fair, the contrast with the 1980(s) is exaggerated. The Hawke – Keating reforms were part of a global crusade of privatisation and deregulation spearheaded by the Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher. Today there is no sweeping change of economic orthodoxy. Nor is the Pale Imitator who inhabits the Lodge likely to receive any international guidance from the incompetently honest Gordon Brown or the temporary messiah, Barack Obama.” Ouch!

Again on Business Spectator Robert Gottliebsen wrote A mammoth capital strike looms “At this stage it’s just private words to selected journalists and few decisions have been made, but Australia is on the brink of the greatest capital strike in its history and one of the largest ever seen in the world. In the vicinity of $100 billion of resource projects that were almost certain to go ahead are now headed for mothballing until the resources tax is either abandoned or severely modified. If the private words to me and other journalists are converted to action and a new mining capital strike is launched, then almost certainly Kevin Rudd will not win the next election. The economies of Queensland, WA and South Australia would be decimated.” And finally “and in the middle, we have a series of blunders led by insulation and education building and botched emissions trading scheme. Oppositions don’t win elections, governments lose them.”

Based on a capital strike trade deficit surges to more than $2bn where Australia’s trade balance remained in deficit for 11 straight months, a strike would be of catastrophic proportions.

Aussies go cold on Kevin Rudd with industry predictions that The Emperor’s resource tax will kill the golden goose prompting our miners fury at double tax burden. Coalition MPs will decide stance on mining tax next week which will be interesting given admirers suffer a Rudd awakening.

As quick as a flash first miner scraps project on tax concerns a fait accompli given logic and political reality collide. But, what about super idea, but hardly tax reform back to Business Spectator – Twiggy’s root and branch shakedown. “The sharemarket has delivered a brutal assessment of who it thinks were the winners and losers from the Henry tax review – and mining entrepreneurs are in the gun. A staggering $12 billion was wiped off the value of Australian mining shares.” Australia has moved from the global financial crisis to a Rudd financial crisis. You can trust politicians … to do exactly what’s best for them then “I’m going and now I’m back” Malcolm Turnbull wrote Memo to Sir Kevin: a brave decision, Prime Minister and where it hurts us all Super hit by resources sell – off and Rio Tinto shelves billions in projects. Common sense prevails Coalition to oppose mining profits tax.

Julia Gillard denies misleading parliament on BER cost blowout another $1.700 billion now needs to be found as it was underfunded based on the initial $12.400 billion allocation. Much of the work is yet to start – auditor rocks basis of BER stimulus boost. Obviously, a distraction as Gillard denies eyeing Rudd’s job. It just gets worse!

Property markets too have been in the spotlight this week.

Housing market will implode warns Edward Chancellor Edward is no relation to the Sydney Morning Herald property editor Jonathan Chancellor. Australia is in the midst of an unsustainable housing bubble that could burst at any time, warns the man who predicted the global credit bust of 2007. We will see busts in the First Home Buyers Grant (otherwise known as the First Home Sellers Grant) as they buy back when mortgage defaults escalate due to rising cash rates. Another rate rise, another blow for PM and economists warn that more pain is on the way – the raw nerve being rate rise to crush 90,000 families.
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Not wasting any time the big four banks match Reserve’s rate rise and the housing industry blast RBA rate rise obviously they are not observing Australia’s inflation genie. Then the obvious Rudd attacks interest rate hikes by ‘greedy’ banks –  of course he is not. Although, he is on the springboard about to attempt yet another back flip as he may capitulate to miners appropriate that he is digging Australia into an almighty hole.

The most naive commentary of the week banks safe from govt tax torch, Westpac: dumb and dumber. In just over twelve months, Kevin Rudd, Wayne Swan, Lindsay Tanner and Julia Gillard have transformed a A$19.700 billion surplus into a A$32.100 billion deficit and 2010 is an election year. The majority of policies are now languishing in their much owned, self – imposed recycle bin.

Incompetence personified – where the inheritance went down the gurgler in the blink of an eye!

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Next week, (unless Fort Fumble has another policy implosion) we will explain why the cash rate still has another 2.00 per cent of increases ahead. A clue: Fort Fumble and Fort Crumble contuinue to inflate that inflation genie. Tell us what you think on the blog – is The Emperor right with his Resources Super Profits Tax? Will he be re-elected or will he end up in his recycle bin too?

Cheers ^__^

This week’s sales Mosman real estate, Beauty Point real estate, Clifton Gardens real estate, Balmoral real estate, Cremorne real estate, Cremorne Point real estate, Neutral Bay real estate, Cammeray real estate Click Here

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7.05.10Robert Simeon8 Comments »