Politics seems to have reached a new level of absurdity this week. The last parliamentary sitting week of the year kicked off with another wacky Greens idea about children’s toys.
According to Greens Senator Larissa Waters, trucks for boys and Barbies for girls lead to domestic violence and pay inequality! Such a daft suggestion received the public response it deserved but it’s little wonder politics is on the nose with the voters when such ideas are put forward by anyone elected to parliament.
It’s just another example of why pollies and politics is at such a low ebb. We saw another result of this disillusionment with the major parties with the Victorian election results. A first term government that balanced the budget and had a generally positive track record was thrown out after only a single term.
In the same election, it appears that up to six minor parties or independents may be elected to the upper house – including representatives of the S*x (that’s to get past the spam filters) and Shooters parties. At least they have promised not to hold the elected government of the day to ransom.
The same can’t be said of the new independent in the Federal Parliament.
Senator Jacqui Lambie refuses to vote for any government legislation until she gets what she wants. It’s probably easier for her to do that rather than actually try to understand the Bills we are voting on but, in my opinion, it is still an abrogation of her responsibilities as a Senator. Perhaps the Christmas break will allow her to reflect on how to make a more positive contribution to public life.
On a broader level, the challenges now facing the government are huge. Our national revenues have dropped massively due to the collapsing iron ore price whilst many of the government’s budget savings measures have been blocked.
Next week we’ll learn just how big the impact is when the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) is released.
Newspaper reports suggest we have a deficit circa $40 billion to contend with. It’s clear to anyone with even half an ounce of economic knowledge we simply cannot continue down the deficit path without experiencing a financial shock at the end.
We do our children a disservice by accumulating debts to fund the lifestyles of today which they will have to repay. And yet, there appears to be scant regard for this premise from many of the modern crop of politicians.
The Labor Party in particular has been completely hypocritical and irresponsible in its approach to matters of our national finances, seemingly more intent on gaining personal power and reward rather than serving the national interest.
And this lack of concern for the future is part of why people believe politics is full of self-serving individuals. While there are many good people in our Federal Parliament there is an uncomfortable element of truth in the humour of Henry Kissinger when he said “Ninety per cent of them give the other ten per cent a bad reputation!”
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
