Good Government Goes Missing

This week there have been two significant events that encapsulate the failure of Labor’s approach to government.

The first was the announced changes to the floor price of their flawed and damaging carbon tax. It shows, once again, that Labor’s policy decisions are hasty and ill-considered.

Gillard and Co have persistently lectured those who disagree with their carbon tax, saying that we risk being left behind. We have been told about the millions of ‘green jobs’ that will be generated. It has all been nonsense.

We were also lectured about the successful green economies of Spain, California and their ilk. In repeated media interviews, our Prime Minister’s claims about the economic strength of these states were accepted without question. Conveniently ignored was the accrued debt and unemployment the green policy agenda was driving. The end result is now apparent for all to see, which makes Labor’s persistent pursuit down the same path even more ridiculous now than it was then.

Labor’s backflip on the floor price of their carbon tax and decision to link it to the European emissions trading scheme is astounding. On one hand, it is an admission that they got their initial carbon tax wrong and have finally seen the damage it will do to our economy. On the other hand, rather than scrap it altogether, they have decided to link it to one of the most corrupt and ineffective schemes operating in the world today.

Europe’s ETS has been mired in controversy since inception. Allegations of corruption and tax dodges linked to permit trading abound. One pundit estimated that around 90 per cent of European ETS trades were linked to one dodgy scheme or another.

One should also look at the broader track record of Euro-zone economic management and even the most charitable assessment would call into question the wisdom of following in their footsteps.

But such is the lot of a desperate government, prepared to sell us out to justify their grip on power.

There was another grubby display of the lust for power on our front pages this week. The militant unions are back and flexing their muscle with the help of the federal government.

Many Australians would be horrified to see the motley crue of union thugs and standover men attacking police or intimidating workers. One union assistant state secretary was even alleged to have driven his car at a building site manager. Thankfully, the manager wasn’t injured.

But this latest incident of workplace warfare waged by the union movement, on top of the recent Qantas dispute (and others), should concern us all.

Overwhelmingly, most employers try to do the right thing by their workers. Yes, they need to make money from others’ efforts but the alternative is fewer jobs and less incentive for capital to be invested productively. Union militancy of the type seen this week is a step back in time that has been aided and abetted by Labor.

I am continually astounded that ministers in this government refuse to stand up to the union movement for fear of losing their positions. What benefit is it to be a minister of the Crown if your decision-making strings are pulled by someone else?

There is enough evidence to suggest that corruption, dishonesty and misuse of members’ funds is endemic in the union movement.

It says a lot that this government has levelled, at best, muted criticism of some of the goings on that have been exposed.

Labor’s ill-considered carbon tax and its tacit support for union thuggery are just two examples of the growing policy failures of this government; a government that is overseeing the slow decline of our economy and society. Australians deserve better.