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Enough is enough, Malcolm

Dear Malcolm,

It’s been a while since I’ve written an Open Letter. Please don’t think this is due to any apathy on my part; it’s more to do with being too busy to write to you every time your behaviour warranted correspondence. In a way, it’s a sly strategy on your part; move onto the next scandal, the next mistake, the next example of gross incompetence, before we all have a chance to respond fully to the last. But today Malcolm, today I finally felt compelled to pause and type. It’s not that I think you’ve hit rock bottom – I’m too much of a realist to expect you won’t get any worse. No, it’s more that this blog has become a historical account of the political landscape, and I feel your most recent actions need to be properly condemned on the public record in a way that the mainstream media, for the most part, won’t dare to do.

Let’s get something straight right up front. You are the Prime Minister. I’m only reminding you of this because there’s no evidence of you being aware of what this means. Never before has Australia had a Prime Minister who is so scared of his own cabinet as Prime Minister Turnbull. Never before has a Prime Minister been so cowed by his backbench, so neglectful in his command of leadership to put his foot down and say ‘I’m in charge here’. Never before have we seen the games of internal division, backstabbing, sniping, placating and hiding away so destructive to the national interest.

What’s that? I hear you mumble something about Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. Not that you will ever acknowledge the fact, but really, the way Prime Minister Gillard managed to run a productive, reforming, legislatively impressive government with a one-seat majority in a minority government and an undermining rat-Rudd to contend with has just makes you look worse in comparison, not better. So I would leave her out of this if I were you.

People do say that it is the largest struggles in life which are the making of a person; that someone’s true character comes to the fore when they’re challenged. Gillard’s character stepped forward like a Daenerys Stormborn-warrior; brave, unflappable and more determined than ever to win an argument. You, on the other hand, or should I say, other planet, have shown that when nudged, you go to water.

I must say, it’s not that surprising that you’re so hopelessly equipped to stand up to your colleagues, to do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing, to put the public interest ahead of your personal strategizing. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the very rich is that they are deeply disappointed when life is hard. Innate wealth and privilege is meant to insulate people like you from challenges. But when those challenges just keep getting harder and less easy to buy your way out of, well, it’s no wonder you just want to shirk away into the mansion and cry into your cash. That’s the only explanation I can reasonably come up with to explain how badly you are managing the job of Prime Minister, Malcolm. It’s kind of me to give you such an easy excuse, isn’t it?

To be fair to you, of course I will never agree with your ideological positions; your corporate tax cuts, your bashing of unions and in turn the working people they represent, the cuts to pensions and attacks on health, welfare and education. We have different political values. Everything you stand for, I stand against. So, I can’t say I’m disappointed that you’ve done all this stuff I disagree with, because I expected you, given the chance, to do all those things. But what it is fair enough for me, and everyone else in Australia who either voted for you or didn’t, to feel deeply disappointed in is your total lack of morals. Your total lack of character. And your cowardice, your selfishness, and your cruelty this lack of moral character promotes.

Let’s look at your morals. Not once in your time as Prime Minister, not once, have I found myself saying ‘well I disagree with him on most things, but I respect the decision he’s made this time’. Not on climate change policy – how do you sleep at night? Not on hate speech and embracing anti-immigration dog-whistling – you’re an absolute disgrace in everything you do to court Hanson voters.

This week you’ve made the call, through saying nothing at all, by hiding away, by pretending you don’t need to comment, to support your Immigration Minister Dutton’s blatant lies, designed to demonise asylum seekers by accusing them of paedophilia. We all know it’s messy for you to call Dutton out, to say he’s lied, to take responsibility for sacking him as Immigration Minister; he’s just as dangerous to you as Abbott. But Malcolm, just because something is messy and hard and takes a bit of bravery, doesn’t mean you need to rule it out. Were you never told as a child that nothing worthwhile was ever easy?

And what about your friend, your supporter, Kelly O’Dwyer? As you no doubt have guessed, I’m no more a fan of O’Dwyer as I am of you. But for the sake of humanity, I am offended on her behalf at the thought of a mother at home with a week-old baby finding that a collective of millionaires are colluding with two people I’m fairly safe to assume you don’t think much of, Abbott and Credlin, to steal her job. I get that you must be seething about this turn of events and that O’Dwyer probably knows she has your support in private. But you’re the Prime Minister, Malcolm. The public need your support too. The public need to see you standing up for yourself, standing up against bullies, standing up against liars and haters and connivers, who undermine public confidence in the government, who undermine your ability to run the country. Photo ops wearing camouflage just show how desperate you are. What’s next, an ever-growing array of Australian flags following you around? Your desperation stinks Malcolm. It is as humiliating to us, as it is to you.

So, enough is enough Malcolm. Since you won’t say anything, I will. You’re not cut out for the job. You’re not built of strong enough stuff. There is zero evidence you have any interest in the national interest. All we see is you taking the path of least resistance to give yourself a cosy job. You’ve let me down. You’ve let yourself down. You’ve let the country down. Resign before any more damage is done.

16 comments

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  1. Roscoe

    mmmm if daddy hadn’t left him a few mill to get started in life I wonder how he would have fared if he had had to go out and earn his money from an early age? how did he ever succeed in business where he was supposed to make decisions, did others do it for him perhaps as most CEOs have minions to do the work while they direct? I often go to the beach for sunrise, when it is a disappointment I call it a ‘Malcolm sunrise’, everyone knows I mean disappointing

  2. RonaldR

    ENOUGH IS ENOUGH take more care in who you vote for Most people know more about sporting teams than those they vote to control their lives.
    A VOTE FOR ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: LNP – ALP – GREENS The all serve the same foreign masters and Voting for One Nation and these other parties that don’t have a clue how to fix the country and make it a great place for all. BUT WAIT there is an alternative the 5th Largest Federal Party(on membership numbers) that has been registered since 1988 almost 30 years but you don’t hear about them as they have had a media blackout for more than 28 years and the Liberals and Labor have pulled every dirty trick in the book against them. They have stopped the Government from doing some very nasty things against the people of Australia they have done a lot to save the Banks but NOTHING to save the Australian people from the Banks.
    In in 2015 the Liberal & Labor party pushed through draconian anti-Terrorist laws to stop Terrorism but these laws can be used against all Australians (example Our Economy completely crash thanks to the Banks but then the Banks use Changes to Banking Legislation by Turnbull to Steal your Deposits and Super (doing what the Government says is ok) The Australian People take to the Streets and these laws are used against you and Turnbull is working to make them more Draconian he is adding the Use of the Australian defence force against people and the SAS training special police squads.
    They have been used against Australian Citizens already –These were the only laws available to shut up a Federally Registered Political Party and they used them on the 14/11/2015. The Federal Police and WA State Police.
    After reading this item most of you won’t go to the party web site to learn about them but you will Google them and this will take you to the Liberal /Labor bullshit about the party.
    On the same day organising for the party I can be called Far Right and Far left, a Fascist and a Communist all by people that don’t know CEC Policy and what they stand for or people that do and don’t want people knowing the Truth about what is destroying Australia.
    Have you ever wondered why there has been no large infrastructure projects built by Government since Snowy Mountain Scheme (there are projects needed to stop water shortages and wide spread flooding killing Australians) Have you wondered how all our big companies are Foreign owned (including big 4 banks), How nearly all our Manufacturing has vanished. How the population is Growing and the number of Food producers are reducing (not counting export grain and sheep & cattle for live export)
    The Party is The Citizens Electoral Council ww.cecaust.com.au

  3. CocoNero

    Yes unfortunately Malcolm hasn’t demonstrated himself to be made of the steel required for someone in the role of Prime Minister. At the point of removing Abbott he spoke with enthusiasm and apparent commitment but unfortunately these attributes faded into history once it became apparent that those installing him did so as a puppet Prime Minister to be manipulated and tugged in whatever direction the puppeteer so desired. Malcolm still has the opportunity to “steel up” and disentangle himself from the puppeteers strings if he has the resolve to do so otherwise he will be doomed to become the historical Pinocchio Prime Minister of Australia

  4. bob

    One comment only on this brilliant article? How disappointing! However, I tend to follow the George Carlin angle. Politicians are there to make you think you have a choice. You don’t! Every day I see evidence of the fact the we do not count, and the people who actually run the country, and it’s not the politicians, don’t give a toss about us, the people. Does anyone seriously thing that the Labor Party is a credible alternative to the dreadful Coalition? They’re not! Bill Shorten – really?

  5. Freethinker

    RonaldR, I quote one of the policy initiatives of the The Citizens Electoral Council and will be enough to dismiss them by the fellow bloggers.
    Quote
    Energy Policy: Save People, Industries from Climate Change Hoax
    and start with: “Man-made global warming is a fraud. The so-called scientific “consensus” is a lie, ………….”

    Just wonder if Donald Trump is a honorary member in that party…………..
    I hope that they will never have one single member in any state or federal government.

  6. Jaquix

    Enjoyed your piece Victoria – so true, so true. You’re the only one I’ve seen comment on the lack of Turnbull standing up for sitting MP – O’Dwyer being attacked by miserable old skinflint millionaires. Not a peep out of him. Apart from having no backbone, most of what he does comes under the heading of what Paul Keating said “Turnbull has no judgement”. He proves it over and over. Currently over with the troops looking ridiculous all rigged out in flak jacket etc. Troops look unimpressed, esp. with the fist pumping. Love the cats face!

  7. Barry Thompson.

    The best post I have read in a long time Victoria.
    Turnbull is the weakest PM since Billy McMahon in my opinion.
    Pity the mainstream media do not call it as you have.

  8. babyjewels10

    RonaldR can you explain how the Greens answer to foreign masters? I would like to see some examples. LNP and Labor yes. But the Greens?

  9. helvityni

    Excellent post, Victoria.

    I have noticed that Mal often says MY government, as if he’s desperately trying to convince us that it’s HE who is in charge.
    Confident PM says OUR or Australian Government, but not Mal.

    Menacing Dutton stands next to him,and all Mal’s confidence disappears; maybe he has never come to terms with his mum’s leaving…

  10. 245179

    worst govt in my lifetime. The “bar” of truth / respect / competency, has never been lower, infact they have archived it…..gone. How much more of this example of gutter governance before we hit the bottom. I’m waiting for 10…20 new embassy’s to be opened, then these self indulgent creatures can abandon this sinking ship, and relocate to the high life, further sucking off the canberra purse. Worst govt, in my lifetime……..

  11. Frank Smith

    Why doesn’t Turnbull rein in the despicable Dutton? Because he knows his Irish history very well – if you don’t respect spuds you end up with a famine so, given the lack of moral courage, he hasn’t much option.

  12. helvityni

    Frank, I have to give you three smilies for that… 🙂 🙂 🙂

    I like my potatoes, but after getting to know Dutton, they have to be sliced or mashed before I eat them…. It also helps to have potato-free days and to consume more rice and pasta.

  13. Graeme Henchel

    Welcome to AustraLIAR
    a land where lies abound
    and truth is such a rarity
    it’s seldom to be found

    You wonder how it’s come to this
    a land once young and free
    is now a place of fraud and fear
    and stark dishonesty

    Our useless lying “leaders”
    are the best that can be bought
    by multinational billionaires
    whose ethics count for nought

    Welcome to AustraLIAR
    unless you are the needy
    our common wealth is not to share
    except amongst the greedy

    We’re now the land of double speak
    of broken trust and failure
    While honest folk just shake their heads
    lamenting lost Australia

    Yet still the polls belie the fact
    the country’s in a mess
    The proles it seems believe the lies
    they read in Murdoch press

    Welcome to AustraLIAR
    a land that once was proud
    We’ve now become a global joke
    our innocence deflowered

    There’s those who say they’re all the same
    all parties show bad form
    but never in our history
    has lying been the norm

    So what to do to stop the rot
    and turn the ship about
    For fairness and integrity
    we must kick these liars out.

  14. Matters Not

    Why doesn’t Turnbull rein in the despicable Dutton

    Because it’s the despicable Dutton who’s holding the reins – and has the metaphorical whip hand as well. Malcolm is just the prancing ‘show pony’ pulling the political sulky.

  15. stephengb2014

    I just have to say that that letter is an absolutely correct description of a puppet.

    I doubt anyone could be more precise.

    Thank you for putting into words my own fears and disgust at this excuse for a man!

  16. Michael Taylor

    So, enough is enough Malcolm. Since you won’t say anything, I will. You’re not cut out for the job. You’re not built of strong enough stuff. There is zero evidence you have any interest in the national interest. All we see is you taking the path of least resistance to give yourself a cosy job. You’ve let me down. You’ve let yourself down. You’ve let the country down. Resign before any more damage is done.

    Says it all, Victoria. Great summation of a great post.

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