What we're talking about

Pauline on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS have destroyed my own family. They failed in their duty of care to provide a baby moniter for the deaf , thousands of ... more
Christine on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' isn't it funny how DHS don't recognise the psychological effects of domestic violence on children and continue to allow ... more
Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' There is a family In the Cairns Area who are Foster Carers.Atherton Child Safety have threatened the carers and own ... more
duncan on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i have spent time with this family. it is a house full of love. "mum", grandfather and older sblings.this cannot be an issue ... more
Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Family Law is different from the rest of the law in this country.. Ie. Family Law is based on probability: ie if it might ... more
carol annetta on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' having known this family for some time i am disgusted with the treatment she has received. it seems more of a witch hunt ... more
Maureen Hillary on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn,I have counselled traumatized parents as a result of DHS staff.There are great staff workers who care but they ... more
Janet Tavener on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I am a visitor to this country.My attention was drawn to the case of these children and their foster mother by a relative of ... more
sam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Happening in Tasmania also.Wewon a court case over 8 months ago and due process still hasn't been done.We spent 17,000 ... more
Anne Glover on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I just cannot believe what the DHS has put the Foster Mother, and the children through - I thought the DHS was supposed to ... more
Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS are the most disgraceful organization I have ever had the displeasure of becoming involved with. They are so ... more
Vicki on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn,I have known this carer since primary school, she has always put others above herself. Being a carer myself I know ... more
Gran'ma Pam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' As any of us with any sense know, these children should NEVER have been taken from this lady (mum) in the first place, they ... more
Dominic Lombardo on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I see my daughter every six months DHS are conducting a vendetta against me I have not been told why I can only see her ... more
cassy houghton on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hello Derryn,Firstly i would like to thankyou for your support and the willingness to help this beautiful family.I ... more
Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Im a carer also in Qld. I see this happen way too much from our Government. They are starting to use Carers own children as ... more
paul on "I'll pay the fee," says Hinch I believe what Liberal Party has done is stupid. But I feel for candidates like Joh Bauch and James Buonopane who want to ... more
Andrea on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Why are these public servants allowed to blatantly flout the law without the same consequences the rest of society faces? I ... more
birth mother on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i am the birth morther of these 4 children and i just want to say dhs dont care they just want the kids in care so they can ... more
Frances Goff on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn, Firstly, Happy BirthdayHaving worked in a primary school for 15 year I have seen some terrible things regarding DHS ... more

'Shafted' Hinch behind the 'bull----'

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 2 July, 2010 - 3:58 PM

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan at today's announcement.

Today's announcement. Photo: Andrew Meares

PLAYING NOW: Resources Minister Martin Ferguson speaks to Derryn Hinch on Friday afternoon.

HINCH: There was an important issue hidden away in this morning’s announcement by the three wise monkeys and the Gillard Government’s backflip over the ‘super profits’ mining tax.

Gillard and Swan, the Gang of Two survivors from Kevin Who?’s Gang of Four, announced a deal which hopefully, for them, gets the mining issue off the election table.

There was a bullshit quote from the great survivor, the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer, Wayne Swan. He told SKY News, with a straight face, that small business people ‘are the engine room of our economy’.

That was just after he casually tossed a spanner in the engine. As part of the deal with the big mining companies – the people he accused of being ‘ignorant liars’ only a couple of weeks ago – Swan has shafted small business.

Remember, back when he announced that employers’ contributions to superannuation would forcibly go up from 9% to 12%? He offered the carrot that company tax would be cut from 30% to 29% and then to 28% to help pay for it.

Not much, but it was a bit of a sweetener to the million small businesses which have struggled through the GFC. Those small business owners who find themselves working longer hours personally to keep their businesses afloat.

Those people whom first the Howard Government and then the Rudd Government turned into form-filling, time-consuming, tax collectors.

Today, and they tried to gloss over it, the Gillard-Swan duo dumped the 28% figure. Yep, you will get a company tax rate cut of 1% but I suspect hell will freeze over before they go any lower.

And, in the middle of all this, they continued to roll out the canard that the mining tax – which they’ve now softened dramatically anyway - was vital to your increased super funds.

That increase was never coming from the Government. That 3% increase comes from your employer. And with the broken promise over company tax cuts you can bet it will affect pay increases.

The bosses will look at the 3% extra they have to find and they’ll be telling employees that it means an effective pay rise.

The other breathtaking and brazen thing about today is the way the Gang of Two are almost pretending that they had no say in the original mining tax – which was the brainchild of Swan and the Treasury’s Ken Henry. Even though only days ago they were bashing the miners. Promising no retreat. Calling the miners ignorant liars. No ... it was all that awful Mr Rudd’s fault.

They were innocent bystanders.

Oh, and one more thing. I was wrong saying there was no connection between the mining tax and super. There was. The Gang of Four’s savage attacks on the mining giants pushed the share market down which carved thousands of dollars off everybody’s super funds.

RELATED 3AW AUDIO:

A week's a long time in politics

HINCH BLOG: "Less than a week later he is 'former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd'. And last night the Ruddster, Therese, the kids, the chickens and the cat and the dog moved out of The Lodge. From today he's not Kevin '07. He's Kevin Who?"

Blog comments

When will the Federal Government ever get the Balls to fix up all that's wrong here first before sending/spending money over seas. Clean up your own backyard before helping others. Only after that has been done do we consider helping other countries. So much money is needed here in our homeland. Pensioners, Police, Nurses, Schools, Hospitals, Welfare, Transport to name but a few. I'm sick to death of the Bull---- and lies Government expect us to swallow. They will be old one day and will they be our situation? I think not, they all have their collective 'Snouts in the trough' to get out of the system what they can while they can. Never trust the b---ards! Ever!

Unlucky Phil Friday 9 July, 2010 - 3:04 PM
Great article Derryn. At least we have one journo doing his job and holding Labor accountable.
Phillip Hudson, Laurie Oakes and McCrann hang off her every word with oooo's and aaaaah's. Let's not forget Neil either - he's more interested in winning her over so she'll appear on his show regularly, than to ask any tough questions.

Jason Sunday 4 July, 2010 - 9:22 AM
Gillard and Swan are still the partners in the decisions please do not forget this

ian Saturday 3 July, 2010 - 11:58 AM