Darron CharlesworthRudd's Record: FAIL
April 21st 2010 21:40
Category: No Category
After two years of Labor rule the time has come to look back at Mr Rudd’s achievements as Prime Minister and his ability to deliver on promises. As the health funding saga again looks to be much less than was idealised there is an apparent consistency in the Rudd Government: FAIL. The Government has failed on every major decision and policy that they have tried to implement and cannot be seen to be doing anything on others. Promises made at the last election appear a useless as any other previous government’s – not that that should be surprising – and those that have been achieved have done so in such a weak fashion that they may as well not have bothered. A quick look back shows this Government’s record of failure which is outstanding for one term in Office.
FAIL: To create an effective Carbon Market or to implement any real change to emissions output, lower government output or place pressure on industry to change the way they operate. Not only has the Government failed on this the issue has disappeared from the Government’s agenda. Global Warming and Climate Change have barely been mentioned particularly in the lead up to this year’s Federal election. Let us hope that the Greens will make this an issue and highlight the Government’s complete failure in this area.
FAIL: To develop a strong education platform, effectively introduce a workable national curriculum, generate strong support from teachers or the teacher’s union. In fact the opposite has occurred. The ‘My School’ website has come under heavy fire from teachers and their union, not for the information it contains, but for the way that information is presented and can be interpreted. As is correctly pointed out, there are so many factors present that direct comparisons are difficult to make.
FAIL: To deliver on the promised Broadband network across the country.
FAIL: To properly manage the Insulation installation program. The Government plundered twice on this program. In the first instance the Minister failed to heed advice given about dangers inherent in the installation process. This led to some serious accidents and the potential for many more to occur. Secondly, the PM failed to hold the minister to account over this failure. Under the Westminster system of government there a directive for Ministerial Accountability: a Minister, as a CEO, is responsible for the conduct and department in their charge. The duty of the Parliament is to remove from Office a Minister who fails in this duty. The Government failed to do this despite a very clear breach by the Minister which cost human lives.
FAIL: On the management and planning of the BER. This program has been plagued by corporate greed, mismanaged projects, cost over-runs, services not being properly assessed, funding going to schools due to be closed, insufficient funding to schools desperately in need, too much funding to schools which do not need any funding assistance, ignoring advice and recommendations from those who would be using the facilities, and over-turning local planning laws to push through construction in inappropriate locations. In all this scheme has cost much more than needed due to the haste in its implementation and there are still many schools whose needs will not be met because the planners and Government departments would not listen to those on the ground.
FAIL: To activate the promised Federal take-over of the management of the Murray-Darling Basin. This entire region is still under threat and due to recent rains seems to have forgotten by the Government. After two years the Rudd Government has not decisively acted to take control of the Basin or to implement an effective management plan.
FAIL: To take over control of the health system from the States. This was a major promise coming into the last election which has not come close to being acted on. In the latest chapter the Commonwealth has negotiated agreement with the States and Territories – accept for WA who are yet to sign up, unfortunately this agreement leave management of the system primarily with those now managing them. This is a serious failing. The entire point of a Federal take-over was because the States have shown that they cannot effectively manage the system. The threat of a take-over was due to this mismanagement. If this newly negotiated agreement does not take management away from those now managing then it is unlikely that there will be any change to the way the health system is being run. Given that taking management away from the States was the point of the exercise this indicates a serious failure on the part of Mr Rudd.
The summery, then, of the first term of Labor rule is FAIL, FAIL, FAIL. No significant policy implementation, no major change to the way things run. In fact there is very little that has been done except give King Kevin a tax payer funded tour of the World. While Tony Abbott has a very long way to go to prove to voters that he is worthy of the job of PM, Mr Rudd has a very long way to go to prove to voters he deserves to keep the job.
FAIL: To develop a strong education platform, effectively introduce a workable national curriculum, generate strong support from teachers or the teacher’s union. In fact the opposite has occurred. The ‘My School’ website has come under heavy fire from teachers and their union, not for the information it contains, but for the way that information is presented and can be interpreted. As is correctly pointed out, there are so many factors present that direct comparisons are difficult to make.
FAIL: To properly manage the Insulation installation program. The Government plundered twice on this program. In the first instance the Minister failed to heed advice given about dangers inherent in the installation process. This led to some serious accidents and the potential for many more to occur. Secondly, the PM failed to hold the minister to account over this failure. Under the Westminster system of government there a directive for Ministerial Accountability: a Minister, as a CEO, is responsible for the conduct and department in their charge. The duty of the Parliament is to remove from Office a Minister who fails in this duty. The Government failed to do this despite a very clear breach by the Minister which cost human lives.
FAIL: On the management and planning of the BER. This program has been plagued by corporate greed, mismanaged projects, cost over-runs, services not being properly assessed, funding going to schools due to be closed, insufficient funding to schools desperately in need, too much funding to schools which do not need any funding assistance, ignoring advice and recommendations from those who would be using the facilities, and over-turning local planning laws to push through construction in inappropriate locations. In all this scheme has cost much more than needed due to the haste in its implementation and there are still many schools whose needs will not be met because the planners and Government departments would not listen to those on the ground.
FAIL: To activate the promised Federal take-over of the management of the Murray-Darling Basin. This entire region is still under threat and due to recent rains seems to have forgotten by the Government. After two years the Rudd Government has not decisively acted to take control of the Basin or to implement an effective management plan.
FAIL: To take over control of the health system from the States. This was a major promise coming into the last election which has not come close to being acted on. In the latest chapter the Commonwealth has negotiated agreement with the States and Territories – accept for WA who are yet to sign up, unfortunately this agreement leave management of the system primarily with those now managing them. This is a serious failing. The entire point of a Federal take-over was because the States have shown that they cannot effectively manage the system. The threat of a take-over was due to this mismanagement. If this newly negotiated agreement does not take management away from those now managing then it is unlikely that there will be any change to the way the health system is being run. Given that taking management away from the States was the point of the exercise this indicates a serious failure on the part of Mr Rudd.
The summery, then, of the first term of Labor rule is FAIL, FAIL, FAIL. No significant policy implementation, no major change to the way things run. In fact there is very little that has been done except give King Kevin a tax payer funded tour of the World. While Tony Abbott has a very long way to go to prove to voters that he is worthy of the job of PM, Mr Rudd has a very long way to go to prove to voters he deserves to keep the job.
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