You may not know Liberal MP Jason Falinski – he’s the guy that ousted Bronwyn Bishop for preselection in Mackellar and went on to win the 2016 election.
There is also a significant chance that he is a dual citizen as his father travelled on a Polish passport. (Groan)
The SMH described him as “the Liberal’s attack dog” in an article about how he questioned a bank boss about his previous employment before quickly backing off when challenged by said bank boss to withdraw any question about his reputation. I would call him more a confused puppy chasing after the wrong toy.
In July, Falinksi accompanied Craig Kelly and George Christensen on a trip to Japan funded by the Minerals Council of Australia-linked Coal21 Fund, to meet with coal-fired power station operators.
Today, Mr Falinski has excelled himself, saying businesses had shown a lack of leadership by paying more attention to social debates than economic arguments.
“They say they don’t want to get involved in political or policy discourse, but they’re happy to get involved in the same-sex marriage debate,” Mr Falinski said.
“When was the last time we had a business leader come out on tax issues, or regulation issues, or industrial relations issues?”
Apparently, Mr Falnski has missed every business leader, every time they speak publicly, calling for lower taxes and less regulation. Perhaps he is unaware that business lobby groups make submissions to the Fair Work Commission on all industrial relations matters.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was even more obvious in his plea for business leaders to spruik the government’s economic policies.
“It is business that must advocate the importance of a low-taxing, fiscally responsible government which creates the environment in which the economy will thrive,” he told The Australian on Monday.
Business groups hit back at the government, with Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox saying there had been a “deep frustration” at the coalition’s inaction on workplace relations.
All stakeholders have highlighted the lack of energy and climate policies as a handbrake on the economy.
I think what the government is trying to say is “We can’t sell our policies so can you?”
Falinski’s slur that the corporate sector should stop “virtue-signalling” on social issues underlines that the people of Australia mean nothing to men like him. Society is reduced to production units. Value is measured in dollars. And all this apparently functions outside the general well-being of the people.
[All those fossil fuel groups that have joined up with an unknown NFP who was given half a billion to save the reef “because they could leverage industry funding” are apparently not virtue-signalling.]
This is a government with a dollar sign for a heart, an ear only for profiteers, and a brain that cannot extend beyond short slogans.
Get rid of them and elect people who will govern for the people.
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Lib Governments always expect big business to come out and support them publicly, and they express frustration and fury when big business does not behave according to their dictates. What a shame. Fair makes your heart bleed.
The Liberals are trapped by their own philosophy that Government can stand back and the business sector will do what’s best for business unfettered by red or green tape. This magical thinking has underpinned much of the Federal Government’s activity, and is endorsed by the current US administration. Our current PM is particularly enthralled by the simplicity of a philosophy that treats society and environment as inputs to an economic perpetual motion machine.
Having businesses calling for Government leadership when all this Government wants to do is support business to be free and autonomous is leading to absolute paralysis.
Bit rich when LNP, IPA, NewsCorp, PHON etc. promote freedom of speech, choice, low corporate taxes and small(er) government, the classic corporatist objectives. This is in parallel with whipping up hysteria in the electorate about Nativist cultural wedge issues whether gay marriage, immigration, need for more Conservative Christianity, respect for the monarchy or ‘western civilisation’.
Seems clear, our imported US style of corporatism is joined at the hip with Nativist or cultural ideology to retain the status quo and power for mostly wealthy ageing WASP men, and some women.
US, UK and Australian Conservatives are paranoid about demographic change impacting the status quo and feel compelled to preserve their privilege e.g. gerrymandering in the US, young Conservative to Supreme Court, stacking Victorian Lib branches with Mormons, Brexit lies etc.
However, one does think QANTAS head Joyce is quite conflicted when rightly publicly supporting gay marriage for which he was told to move on and/or shut up, on behalf of shareholders, staff, suppliers and travellers. But then he is also happy in promoting corporatist/nativist economic trickle down effect to supposedly benefit wages (without evidence), without any criticism?
Now today Virgin announces US style priority boarding for veterans…..PR fail in trying to present nationalist credentials and enforcing respect of returned veterans….. what were they thinking? Shows the disconnect that ‘top people’ or corporates share with many MPs and media, regarding the rest of society who may not fall for all these media constructs or PR masquerading as societal needs.
Morrison is campaigning in Queensland this week in the Scomo Bus travelling from the Gold Coast to Townsville (evidently no to Cairns which they look upon a safe seat).
The question that Morrison seems to be reluctant to answer is, as this is clearly a Liberal party push for votes in marginal seats, can he assure us that it is Liberal party money that is funding this roadshow and not taxpayers.
The question has been put to him several times and so far he has just said that it is quite normal for the prime minister of Australia to meet the people……
Andrew,
People have fallen for the tokenistic PR, populist policy, and concerted misinformation campaigns before.
This lot are just so crap at it that people are saying hang on…..
Terence, all parties are guilty of that to a degree. Until a campaign is officially launched, it’s just pollies out and about meeting the people (at our expense). In my opinion, local members are far better placed to actually listen to their constituents and understand the local picture than a travelling roadshow accompanied by cameras.
…. but sending an ABC crew on the bus WOULD be a waste of public money.
New govt should challenge any dodgy dual citizenship people who get elected. Believe you have 40 days after
election in which to challenge them?
The purpose of government is to serve the people.
This government use the people to serve themselves.
Anybody else detect a suggestion of panic in conservative politics lately….I suspect the end is nigh.
Can’t wait for a Fair Dinkum Government.