Does the Rudd Government deserve a tick for its stimulus package?
2. Could you live on $228 a week? How Australia compares with the rest of the world 3. What about when businesses go belly-up? Guaranteeing workers’ entitlements 4. Fat cat payouts 1. DOES THE RUDD GOVERNMENT DESERVE A TICK FOR ITS STIMULUS PACKAGE? Australia has so far avoided a technical recession, suggesting that the government’s stimulus package has worked rather than, as the Coalition appears to think, that it wasn’t needed. Most economic indicators remain subdued, with unemployment up by 180,000 over the past 12 months, hours worked continuing to fall, and hidden unemployment rising. All of this indicates that the stimulus continues to be needed and that talk of winding it back is premature, a sentiment echoed by Treasury boss Ken Henry. Of course, we can argue the finer points about whether all the money was strategically targeted. The point is, for the stimulus to work money needed to be spent quickly, not perfectly. KRudd—Tick! However, there certainly is scope to learn lesson
