One dire and dismal term of Tony Abbott may be just the medicine to make Australians remember the fair go values we once stood for, writes Jeff Schiller.

With the Four Years of Hate behind us, people are starting to wake up to who they took home. Moreover, people are wondering why they ever disliked Gillard so much. Her price on carbon proved to have had little impact on the voter's wallet.

By removing it, Abbott will only further prove this point.

On the other hand, changes to Medicare, GST, worker wages and entitlements – all of which are on the cards – will hurt Aussies. Changes here will disproportionately impact poorer Australians than the top end to boot.

This government has made it clear. They are closing shop on our cultural identity of the 'fair go'.

Now, it is all about “personal responsibility”. We only have ourselves to blame if we can't pay our home loans and utility bills and medical bills and for our groceries and...

read more: http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/one-term-of-tony-will-be-good-for-the-country,6197

An alcohol harm reduction body has accused the federal government of an ''appalling level of transparency'' after it refused to release documents explaining why it axed the nation's drug and alcohol body after almost 50 years of operation.

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education had its freedom of information request denied on the grounds it was ''not in the public interest''.

Drug bodies are desperate to understand why the sudden funding cut occurred, and fear more is to come.

After making the cut the government has now decided to review funding for every advocacy and research body it funds.