Response to Grattan in The Conversation: Scott Morrison is not telling the Australian public anything of note, but it seems that people will be informed anyway. Theres no way of silencing people on Manus Island, Nauru or Christmas Island. The minister seems to forget that we live in the age of mobile phones, instant pictures and internet. Information leaks are as common as leaky hoses and leaky boats. Scott Morrison is quickly losing the respect of Australians, as well as diminishing our credibility as a nation by his insistence on his terms: particularly his insistence on calling asylum seekers “illegal maritime arrivals”. People flee their countries because of actual dangers: they use whatever mode of travel is available to them - foot, boat, or plane. Most of the world knows that wars have created an immense increase in the numbers of people seeking asylum. Scott Morrison is creating yet another despicable LNP myth by pretending that people will comply with his arbitrary rules. Theres something very strange and sinister about a government that wants to exercise as much control over information as possible. It would be different if Australia was at war. But we are not, and Tony Abbott will have to come clean, sooner or later, about why such control is desirable or necessary. Suppressing problems does not make them go away. Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott had six years to access information about the economy. I would have thought they would be much better prepared to take the reins of government. Their reluctance to provide information, or to make public appearances, makes a mockery of their claims of budget emergency during the LNPs election campaign. If Joe Hockey was really up to the task of being Treasurer, he had ample opportunity to study Treasury documents tabled in parliament at budget time, and the up to date economic statement prior to the election. Any accountant or economist worth his (or, dare I say, her) salt would be able to revise and update budget figures on a weekly or monthly basis. (Even with a change of government Treasury staff have the same obligations to provide basic information). What appears to be lacking is a competent minister who understands this data, and has the competence and confidence to modify figures incorporating the LNPs election promises. That he still needs to consider and reflect on the contents of the incoming government brief as he prepares to implement the government’s election commitments indicates Joe Hockey could be a dud. In relation to trust, it seems that the electorate was fairly disillusioned before the revelations of over-claiming and rorting of parliamentary entitlements. Tony Abbotts efforts as a volunteer putting out fires (and being filmed taking control of a big truck) could pale into insignificance when insurance companies determine the next round of premiums following the damage caused by the unseasonal bushfires in NSW. Even if every Australian was co-opted as volunteers to plant a tree, Tony Abbotts underfunded direct action on climate change could well prove him to be a dud too when it comes to sustainable environmental policies which really address climate change issues.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 01:41:19 +0000
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