By Richard O’Brien
“The politics of envy [and] just another smear“.
– Malcolm Turnbull’s response in October to criticism of his government’s decision to exempt large private companies from tax disclosure laws and questions about his investments in the Cayman Islands.
“Envy (noun)
1. a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck.”- Oxford Dictionary
If the politics of envy means a being discontent and resentful of the qualities of the Turnbull government, then sign me up.
Because I am discontent and resentful of a prime minister who thinks it’s okay to circumvent the tax system which pays his very generous salary. I’m resentful of a parliament that doesn’t pursue him over this matter because many of them do it as well.
I’m discontent and resentful that while wage growth in Australia is now the lowest it has been since records began in 1960, the average MP’s salary has increased by over $50,000 in the last three years, making them some of the highest paid political representatives in world. I’m resentful that this pay increase was justified on the grounds that it would bring better quality people into parliament (hello Clive and Jacqui).
I’m discontent and resentful that this government’s majority is largely made up of useless, bigoted, backbenchers who are paid $200k a year to do little more than provide the occasional tweet or sound bite denigrating people who receive a fraction of what taxpayers give them. Find me one Australian worker earning less that the likes of George Christensen who doesn’t work harder than him.
I’m also pretty discontent and resentful that a third of Australia’s largest companies pay no tax, and that the government’s response is to call for more secrecy, lower corporate tax rates and a 50% hike in the GST. And I’m bloody discontent and resentful of the owners of many of these tax-dodging companies, and their overpaid political allies, calling people on welfare “bludgers”, “leaners” and “double-dippers”.
So if being discontent and resentful with the politics of self-interest, inequality, and economic and social neglect is the politics of envy, then that’s my kind of politics.
