There is definitely a two-tier system in Australia.
No, I am not talking about wealth inequality, or the profit on capital compared to wage rises, or the private vs public health and education systems, or life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians – though the gaps in our society continue to widen.
It is the level of scrutiny and accountability, of expectations and evaluation, that has really shifted into a two-tier structure.
When Labor knifed Kevin Rudd and then reinstated him, the electorate showed their disgust.
When the Coalition gave us three different PMs in under five years, they are rewarded with a third term buoyed by the spin that they are a united team.
When Labor increased the debt limit in order to stimulate the economy to get us through the GFC, the Coalition declared a debt disaster. They were “spending like drunken sailors”.
When the Coalition won government, they immediately moved to abolish the debt ceiling entirely and, despite record commodity prices, have more than doubled the debt.
When Labor failed to deliver a surplus in the 6 years following the GFC, they were liars and hopeless when it comes to the economy.
When the Coalition also ran deficits for their 6 years in office during a period of global recovery, they are deemed the better economic managers.
When Labor introduced a price on carbon, they were sending a wrecking ball through the economy that would make power unaffordable and do nothing to reduce emissions. The economy continued to grow and emissions went down.
When the Coalition abolished the carbon price, emissions started to rise again and power prices skyrocketed, in part due to uncertainty about energy policy. And we are now officially in a per capita recession with the very real threat of further economic downturn.
When Labor suggested rolling back some of the tax concessions enjoyed by “the top end of town”, they were lambasted for “class envy”.
When the Coalition increased the income tax rate on the top bracket by 2%, it was sensible fiscal policy contributing to budget repair.
Labor’s proposed tax concession changes were excoriated as a “tax on retirees”.
Yet when Scott Morrison, as Treasurer, introduced retrospective changes to tax concessions and rules for superannuation, it was to “create a more sustainable system.” Never is there any mention made of those retirees who have money in term deposit accounts which are paying virtually nothing due to emergency level low interest rates.
When Labor was in government, Tony Abbott stated that the Opposition’s job was to oppose, and oppose he did.
The Coalition, with just over 40% of the first preference vote, demand a rubber stamp claiming a mandate for changes that will not even be introduced during this term.
When Julia Gillard spoke about misogyny in parliament, she was condemned for playing the gender card.
When Liberal women spoke up about bullying and Nationals women spoke up about sexual harassment, they were silenced. And Barnaby bumbles on triumphantly.
When Peter Slipper spent $900 on comcars when visiting wineries in Canberra, he was reported to the AFP, criminally prosecuted, and his life destroyed.
When Tony Abbott spent over $9,000 on a book promotion tour, he eventually, when forced to, paid it back. He then got elected Prime Minister.
When Senators Stephen Conroy and Louise Pratt asked questions in Senate estimates about the NBN and the Dutton au pair scandal, their offices were raided by the AFP. Recently the AFP have also begun raids on the media to find who is leaking information.
When someone who may have looked very much like Peter Dutton leaked classified advice to The Australian to try and undermine the Medevac legislation, and when Michaelia Cash’s chief of staff admitted to tipping off the media in advance about AFP raids on union offices, the investigations were abandoned “due to the limited prospects of identifying a suspect”.
When Chris Bowen can’t put an exact dollar figure on the cost of Labor’s emissions reduction target for 2030, he is widely criticised, not just by the government but also by the media.
When the government is asked how they will meet their target, their answer of “in a canter” is accepted.
Are we truly so taken in by the packaging that we don’t bother opening the parcel to see what’s inside?
I cannot finish without giving a special shout out to some of our religious organisations and individuals who expect:
- Government subsidies for their profit-making business ventures with the right to pay no tax.
- The right to sack teachers who do not agree with their philosophy but will give millions to a multi-millionaire in his legal battle against Rugby Australia’s right to do the same.
- Their right to religious freedom to be enshrined in law as they campaign against mosques being built.
- To be protected from victimisation when people disagree with their view that homosexuals will burn in hell.
- To be able to dictate what is taught in all schools.
- To impose their morality on everyone through the legal system
- To protect the reputation of the church at any cost
I say to those who work on the ‘it’s ok when we do it’ philosophy, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
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