Darron CharlesworthOMG. A nightmare unfolding before us
August 20th 2010 07:20
Category: No Category
Less than 24 hours to the polls opening and there is no clear winner or clear better option.
Gillard should be the favourite. The bonus of incumbency is always a positive. However, the performance of Labor over the past 3 years has been dismal to say the least. There have been countless policy failures, numerous back-flips, and no clear vision or agenda for the future.
From where I sit this election campaign has done nothing to improve Labor’s position. The party has failed to set out a clear agenda. There have been no announcements worthy of comment. The only clear differential is the National Broadband Network (NBN) on which Labor is miles in front.
Yet the dominant message from Gillard is that there will be lots of consultation on policy ideas. Why? Can this Government not think for themselves? Why do we pay these public servants and Ministers so much when they need to consult? This reeks of a continuity of Labor spin witnessed over the past Rudd led Labor and in several Labor states including South Australia and New South Wales.
Sorry Julia but I do not think I can stomach any more consultation. There has been enough consultation. If you do not get it now then more consultation will not help. This Labor policy of ‘all spin and no action’ will not lead Australia anywhere and most definitely will not see us ‘move forward’.
But then there is the challenger; Tony Abbott. Where to start? One thing is for sure he has conducted himself impeccably throughout this campaign. This does not however negate the multitude of statements, policy objectives and ideological imperatives which have dogged him historically.
Clearly Abbott is a Neo-liberal. His core beliefs are minimal government, privatisation, individual responsibility and minimal intervention. Many of Abbott’s agenda indicators lead to anti-social policy. His key stance has been shown to be very far to the Right of the political spectrum. For me this is where he is a serious risk.
No matter how he now appears Abbott has shown himself to have an agenda inconsistent with social norms. A noted climate change denier and a proud supporter of ‘work choices’ there is little about Abbott which indicates any caring nature sufficient to risk endorsement. Once in power is it not inconceivable that funding would be cut from many socially empathetic areas such as health, education, disability support or mental health. Abbott is not a socialist in any way, shape, form, or fashion: quite the opposite in fact.
So here are the choices; a Labor government with no credible track record, no economic credentials, irresponsible financial management, poor foresight and no real vision or, Abbott’s socially conservative, economic scrooge, corporate apologist Liberals.
Can I just go and slit my throat now?
The only shinning light is that the Greens should hold the balance of power in the Senate. While the Greens have yet to prove themselves in a significant parliamentary role they should at least stop the two majors from doing anything too stupid or ill-conceived. We can only hope.
Gillard should be the favourite. The bonus of incumbency is always a positive. However, the performance of Labor over the past 3 years has been dismal to say the least. There have been countless policy failures, numerous back-flips, and no clear vision or agenda for the future.
From where I sit this election campaign has done nothing to improve Labor’s position. The party has failed to set out a clear agenda. There have been no announcements worthy of comment. The only clear differential is the National Broadband Network (NBN) on which Labor is miles in front.
Yet the dominant message from Gillard is that there will be lots of consultation on policy ideas. Why? Can this Government not think for themselves? Why do we pay these public servants and Ministers so much when they need to consult? This reeks of a continuity of Labor spin witnessed over the past Rudd led Labor and in several Labor states including South Australia and New South Wales.
Sorry Julia but I do not think I can stomach any more consultation. There has been enough consultation. If you do not get it now then more consultation will not help. This Labor policy of ‘all spin and no action’ will not lead Australia anywhere and most definitely will not see us ‘move forward’.
But then there is the challenger; Tony Abbott. Where to start? One thing is for sure he has conducted himself impeccably throughout this campaign. This does not however negate the multitude of statements, policy objectives and ideological imperatives which have dogged him historically.
Clearly Abbott is a Neo-liberal. His core beliefs are minimal government, privatisation, individual responsibility and minimal intervention. Many of Abbott’s agenda indicators lead to anti-social policy. His key stance has been shown to be very far to the Right of the political spectrum. For me this is where he is a serious risk.
No matter how he now appears Abbott has shown himself to have an agenda inconsistent with social norms. A noted climate change denier and a proud supporter of ‘work choices’ there is little about Abbott which indicates any caring nature sufficient to risk endorsement. Once in power is it not inconceivable that funding would be cut from many socially empathetic areas such as health, education, disability support or mental health. Abbott is not a socialist in any way, shape, form, or fashion: quite the opposite in fact.
So here are the choices; a Labor government with no credible track record, no economic credentials, irresponsible financial management, poor foresight and no real vision or, Abbott’s socially conservative, economic scrooge, corporate apologist Liberals.
Can I just go and slit my throat now?
The only shinning light is that the Greens should hold the balance of power in the Senate. While the Greens have yet to prove themselves in a significant parliamentary role they should at least stop the two majors from doing anything too stupid or ill-conceived. We can only hope.
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