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The Forum > Article Comments > Under new management; we'll be with you shortly > Comments

Under new management; we'll be with you shortly : Comments

By Tom Lucas, published 11/11/2013

For a government faced with what it proclaimed an 'emergency' the new government's response has been ponderous and opaque.

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This points to the old adage "don't believe what politicians say".

I think Australian cynicism about politics and politicians is a democratic strength.

Besides, with the Labor-Green majority in the Senate (until July 1, 2014), no sensible legislation the Abbott Government puts up will get passed.

So Abbott still has over 7 months of postponing false statements of "national emergency". Even from July 1, 2014 Abbott will suffer the full weight of Palmer - which is a lot.
Posted by plantagenet, Monday, 11 November 2013 9:33:41 AM
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When I heard Abbott warning us over and over about the LABOR Party and the national emergency, I started building an Ark.

I drew my thousand dollar fortune out of the bank, went down to Coles and spent the lot on canned beans and long-life milk.

I even went into a Church and prayed that some benevolent God would save us from Tony's prediction of calamity. Some rafters fell from the roof when I crossed the threshold of the Holy Place and I put $5 in the restoration plate to help with the costs.

But what floored me was after the Election, Tony suddenly disappeared. I wondered whether he was building an Ark too albeit a Catholic one. You can tell a Catholic Ark by the number of cabins for small boys and girls.

Yeah, struth, what happened to Tony? I mean, one minute he was on tellie 24 hours a day and next minute he was gone! I did send an email to Putin asking him if he'd seen Tony but all I got was a bottle of cheap vodka and a bullet.

Anyway, my agony is nearly over and Tony, our Saviour, will appear on Tuesday complete with his mumbling Apostles including Saint Morrison who disappears boat people between his weekly briefings.

I can't wait to hear Tony stammer his way through Question Time with Bronnie's hair holding his hand. "Yes, dear," she will say, looking regal, "take your time. There's no hurry. And watch that 'suppository' word. The LABOR Party thought it up to trick you. The word is 'repository', dear and you go to sleep there!"
Posted by David G, Monday, 11 November 2013 9:56:15 AM
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This really gets to the heart of a major problem in Australian political debate - the disconnect between political rhetoric that is the election campaign and the reality of good policy and its implementation. Abbott was deemed, particularly in the Murdoch press, to have run a well disciplined, strong campaign. Effectively, this meant that the Liberal party was able to mislead the voting public with much greater alacrity than the now Opposition through the campaign. Creating fear and the threat of an imminent crisis constitutes good campaigning; the fact that it has no connection with reality appears not to have any negative connotation in the political debate.

The fact that Australia's debt reduction, which was such a government imperative just weeks ago, no longer appears such a problem (in fact is likely to increase)and that there is no need to keep our citizens informed about our border protection efforts (it seemed we were on the cusp of being invaded)is testament to the nonsensical rhetoric peddled by our politicians both during election campaigns and thereafter.

What is more concerning is that politicians can only get away with this while the level of media scrutiny continues to deteriorate and the debate about significant issues and ideas in Australia does not rise above the tabloid threshold. This article accurately highlights how political rhetoric misleads rather than informs.
Posted by The doubter, Monday, 11 November 2013 4:36:04 PM
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Hi David G

Looks like the highest calling of politics is comedy - as that great philosopher of peace Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, said.

On comedy there was no matching Keating as Prime Minister. Two minutes into this youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpgFlsceKNQ - responding to a question from Costello - Keating even has the Opposition hooting.

Archival footage of Abbott and Costello in action is sorely needed.

Regards

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Monday, 11 November 2013 5:16:00 PM
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Methinks way too many people became addicted to Labor "feeding the chooks". I think it is a bloodly great relief that we are not constantly bombarded with thought bubbles and sound bites trumpeting the great achievements of the week, day, minute.

As for being tardy, the seat of Fairfax, has only been recenlty announced and the parliamnet could not sit until this count was completed. Hardly Mr Abbott's fault.

Once you are charged with addressing a crisis or emergency you don't prattle on about it. You put your head down and address how best the situation can be remedied. We are just not seeing the knee-jerk reactions and ill thought solutions we were used to under labor. This does not mean the new government is not doing anything. Rather I expect they are carefully analysing the situation they have been left with and devising a reponsible way forward. A very refreshing change from the last six years.
Posted by Sparkyq, Monday, 11 November 2013 6:05:27 PM
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DavidG, thanks for a good laugh: )

I too have wondered where Tony has slunk off to.
I was thinking he probably has too many extracurricular activities to indulge in rather than concentrating on his proper job?

I would have thought Abbott would be standing by Scott Morrison as he bumbled his way through his fight with Indonesia over who would take the boat people...and lost.

But no, Abbott was obviously extremely busy elsewhere...stopping the boats.
Posted by Suseonline, Monday, 11 November 2013 7:47:06 PM
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