Right Pulse

Looks like Senator Xenophon has killed the ’stimulus’ package, for now at least. The Greens and ‘Family First’ voted with the Government.

But it (ALP) rejected the one change independent Senator Nick Xenophon insisted would win his backing for the package – his plan to bring forward money allocated for water buy-backs and irrigation projects in the ailing Murray-Darling Basin.

What a water money-buy back has to do with getting the economy going again is unclear. The disappointing aspect is that none of the minor parties were/are opposed to the package in-principle. They just want/ed their pet projects to get up, regardless of the consequences for tax-payers.

The puzzling thing is that the ALP has already shown it loves spending other people’s money, so i don’t understand what’s stopping the ALP giving into Xenophon by spending a bit more. I can’t imagine they’ve had a sudden feeling of guilt. Hey, the ships going down regardless so just pile on some more weight and get it over with quickly. Xenophon probably knows this, so he figures the money will talk in due course.