What a sharp and uncomfortable contrast with Scott Morrison and his government, for whom obligation is some thing to be handed off to other individuals, as if they are higher than reproach. Nothing at all to see here. Be aware the blatant, multi-billion-dollar expenditure on pork-barrelling – the automobile parks, the sports activities amenities, the regional and other rorts. Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, who’s intended to law enforcement government spending, tells us: “In a parliamentary democracy, aspect of the approach is neighborhood MPs advocate on behalf of their electorates.”
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Unless you are living in a corner of our democracy that gets no attention.
Very little to see in this article, yet all over again, with the unquestionable things-up of the vaccine rollout. Nor in the federal government’s apparent abrogation of its constitutional responsibility for quarantine. Nor in failing to offer effectively with allegations of rape, bullying and other appalling parliamentary conduct. Nor in conference the climate or aged treatment issues.
No admission of duty, faults or neglect. Relatively, the likes of Barnaby Joyce and Bridget McKenzie are returned to cupboard, rewarded. There are no penalties for flaunting acknowledged expectations of conduct bar a stint in the sin bin, say, for McKenzie adhering to the sports activities rorts scandal – but not for the rort, alternatively a conflict of fascination. And no countrywide ICAC.
It’s a countrywide shame when NRL players, so quickly dismissed as “thugs” or “meatheads”, set our politicians to disgrace. They, at minimum, have made their apologies and copped their punishment.
John Hewson is a professor at the Crawford Faculty of Community Policy, ANU, and a previous Liberal opposition chief.