The Financial Times UK’s economics editor, Chris Giles, tweeted:

'Sign of the times. [Iran's President Hassan]Rouhani packed out the hall. Everyone is leaving before Tony Abbott explains Australia’s ambitions for the G20 in 2014.'

Abbott’s speech confirmed the nagging suspicions many have had since he assumed the prime ministership, following one of the most manipulated media campaigns in any democracy in living memory.

It repeated all the trite slogans that worked in Western Sydney:

“You can’t spend what you haven’t got.”

“Markets are the proven answer to the problem of scarcity.”

“No country has ever taxed or subsidised its way to prosperity.”

“People trade with each other because it’s in their interest to do so.”

“Progress usually comes one step at a time.”

Unfortunately, I am not making this up.

Riddled with indicators of ignorance, the speech confirmed Abbott knows little about contemporary economics.

He quoted, for example, statistical measures from China:

“China’s growth is moderating, but likely to remain over seven per cent.”

He seems quite unaware that economists no longer trust statistics from China.

The Financial Times UK’s economics editor, Chris Giles, tweeted:

'Sign of the times. [Iran's President Hassan]Rouhani packed out the hall. Everyone is leaving before Tony Abbott explains Australia’s ambitions for the G20 in 2014.'

Abbott’s speech confirmed the nagging suspicions many have had since he assumed the prime ministership, following one of the most manipulated media campaigns in any democracy in living memory.

It repeated all the trite slogans that worked in Western Sydney:

“You can’t spend what you haven’t got.”

“Markets are the proven answer to the problem of scarcity.”

“No country has ever taxed or subsidised its way to prosperity.”

“People trade with each other because it’s in their interest to do so.”

“Progress usually comes one step at a time.”

Unfortunately, I am not making this up.

Riddled with indicators of ignorance, the speech confirmed Abbott knows little about contemporary economics.

He quoted, for example, statistical measures from China:

“China’s growth is moderating, but likely to remain over seven per cent.”

He seems quite unaware that economists no longer trust statistics from China.

Then, a subsequent government decided that the Crisis had changed the rules and that we should spend our way to prosperity. The reason for spending soon passed but the spending didn’t stop because, when it comes to spending, governments can be like addicts in search of a fix. But after the recent election, Australia is under new management and open for business.”

Two stupidities.

First, it was precisely that extensive rapid spending through the GFC which saw Australia rise from 10th-ranked economy in 2007 to the world's top ranking by 2012, a reality all those present with an awareness of the G20 economies would have known.

Secondly, attacks on domestic opponents are never acceptable abroad.

In New York last October, Abbott was roundly condemned for a political attack on Kevin Rudd.

American Academic Clinton Fernandes said he created an image of

“... coarseness, amateurishness and viciousness."

Political scientist Norman Ornstein surmised:

“Perhaps you can chalk it up to a rookie mistake. But it is a pretty big one."

Clearly, Abbott has learned nothing from that humiliation three months ago.

Abbott then continued to spruik domestic politics — the commission of audit, paid parental leave, cutting the numbers of pensioners, and infrastructure, especially roads:

“... because time spent in traffic jams is time lost from work and family.”

He concluded with a final hypocrisy — following his attack on Labor for spending so much on infrastructure during the GFC.

He gobsmacked anyone still listening with this:

“Then, there’s the worldwide 'infrastructure deficit', with the OECD estimating that over 50 trillion dollars in infrastructure investment is needed by 2030.”

From within the Davos Congress Center, you can see skiers racing down the slopes outside of the World Economic Forum. Looking at the snow outside, some participants might wonder why there's so much talk about global warming.

Not so Christiana Figueres. Standing in the snow, the UN climate chief said she is pleased the topic is so high on the agenda at Davos.

"The risk of increased natural events is there, the risk of a water crisis and the risk for a food crisis," she told DW, adding that there was economic fallout associated with failing to deal with climate change and its effects.

"If we don't address it, it's a major risk to the global economy, but if we do, it's a real promoter of global economy because it can bring new jobs," she said. "It can bring new sectors, energy security and it will help health and so many other factors."

Climate change and Coca Cola

Many companies have become aware of such issues, among them Coca Cola.

http://www.dw.de/cost-of-climate-change-high-on-davos-agenda/a-17385764

I believe that any of this crucial information, you won't see in the main mediocre mass media in Aussieland... Note that our own village idiot who was clowning in Davos does not believe in "climate change"...

Abbott's bodyguards in the Murdoch media are embarrassingly attempting to rewrite his dismal Davos performance as some sort of triumph, writes Matthew N. Donovan.

THE ABBOTT PRAETORIAN GUARD at Rupert Murdoch's radical rightwing broadsheet The Australian– and, indeed, all his other newspapers – have closed ranks around their man in The Lodge — a man under siege from all sides. 

He seems to accrue baggage every single time he opens his mouth. The outrage on social media is palpable. 

The Australian likes to conveniently disregard Twitter as being 'Left biased'.

The same, however, can't be said for Facebook, with its much larger user base. Facebook is also lighting up with fury over the regressive agenda of the Coalition.

The nationwide community organised rally movement March in March has been gathering momentum — almost entirely on Facebook.

People are unimpressed and they are angry about Abbott's vision of helping the big end of town at the expense of the social safety net that everyday Australians rely on. There is a widespread feeling we deserve better than the lot we have in charge now.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/shanahans-unimpressive-drivel-about-abbotts-davos-debacle,6105

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Gus: as a joke, Abbott started with a joke — apparently he said that Davos was considered "Woodstock for intellectuals" — one can only wonder about the style of music they play there... The sound of cash registers? A bit passé if you ask me. It's more like the sound of silence... Since the days of trading cash via the high speed internet, cash by the billions goes without a sound apart from a possible "ting" at the end of the bowel movement should one has the vulgarity of doing transactions oneself. More than likely, the boffins of Davos would instruct their minions to press the buttons according to the rule of thumb: Gambling on the roulette is designed to favour the "bank". Gambling on the stock and money markets is designed to favour those punters who "own" the bank...

Meanwhile, the man in the street is outraged at the way the main mass mediocre media is reporting the glory of crap when they should in fairness report on the embarrassment... And the number of man in the street is growing fast, including women.

THE STRONGEST ARGUMENT I have heard recently for an Australia republic was delivered recently in Davos by Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the World Economic Forum.

His speech said all that a republican Australian needs to hear about the argument for a President to represent the country overseas.

Like many Australians, I reckon we need a statesman or woman to represent us overseas — not a politician. Mr. Abbott demonstrated clearly in Switzerland that he is not a statesman. His trivial reference to insouciant domestic politics was demeaning to himself and an insult to all Australians. His audience looked bored and bewildered. Many of them would disagree with what Mr Abbott was saying about the Australian economy. Most of the audience members relish Australia's economic performance since the global financial crisis. Our triple A ratings are envied around the economic world.

Abbott himself seemed out of his depth, as he also did when he met with fellow prime ministers Netanyahu and Cameron. It seems true, in these distinguished gatherings, what has been written about him in the past, that he is a schoolyard bully. His body language appears, if not stilted, then aggressive and domineering. His Davos speech certainly showed he was talking down to his audience in his newfound slow delivery manner, on a subject he clearly knew less about than they did.

read more: http://www.independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/a-plea-for-an-australian-republic-from-prime-minister-abbott,6139

Now we have to acknowledge here that Tony is a Pom... A royal pom in the neck and his wife is a kiwi apparently... I heard it on the grapevine... It could be wrong... I did not bother to check...