As pointed out in my last post, I've seen fifteen federal elections - enough of them to notice a clear pattern.
As of yesterday, the Coalition's back in power after a six year hiatus. During this six years the country changed for the better.
Every school I work in is accessible to kids in wheelchairs thanks to the BER.
There will be a National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Real school reform is ahead - a legacy of the Gonski Report.
We saw six years of growth despite the worst global financial disaster since the Great Depression, and dodged a recession.
The policies listed above are now bi-partisan, but none would have become reality without Labor being in power. The Coalition has simply been left with no choice but to embrace them.
The only black mark on the outgoing government's record is their signing up for the bi-partisan brutality on asylum seekers.
I was around when McMahon, Fraser and Howard were defeated. I also saw the demise of Whitlam, Keating and now Rudd.
I observed a fundamental difference between progressive and conservative government which becomes stark when viewed at the end of a period in power.
Apart from the end of the Coalition government in 1972, during which term I was dragged into the army without the privilege of having a say in it, nothing around me really changed during any conservative administration.. This conscription aberration marks the only exception.
On the other hand, when Labor lost power, invariably there was something positive left to show for their period of government.
In Whitlam's case, it was human rights and disability legislation; after Hawke/Keating, an industrial accord, Medicare and superannuation reform, and after Gillard/Rudd, the BER, schools reform (Gonski) and the NDIS.
After McMahon, Fraser and Howard departed government, nothing that fundamentally improved the lives of ordinary Australians, especially those suffering some form of disadvantage, was palpable. There was, of course, the GST - a tax, after all - introduced by the Howard government.
I guess it's a product of the culture of conservative government. By their very nature, conservatives are concerned with the preservation of the status quo. Unfortunately, this is usually to serve vested interest, because vested interest has the money (and therefore the power) to buy votes.
If you doubt that, check the Palmer phenomenon. It's frighteningly similar what happens routinely on the other side of the Pacific..
The other positive note about this election is that the change of government occurred without strife or bloodshed. This should never be taken for granted.
The worse it gets is childish vandalism as observed in my last post.
I'm going to enjoy the spectacle of Metronome Tone trying to keep his promises. Given the likely weirdness in the new Senate, that will be fascinating.
It's always possible, of course, that the Coalition will pull a Noddy Newman and break all their commitments. Look out for a commission of audit.
Watch this space.
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11 comments:
Labor did not campaign on its achievements, but rather decided to demoninse Abbott.
To say that Labor is responsible for programs that are yet to be funded, completed and implemented is a bridge too far.
Labor are responsible for these initiatives Cav, and because the Coalition has gone all bi-partisan on school reform, and disability support, they will have to implement them to honor their election promises.
Unless they're liars, of course.....
You need a reality check.....all dreams and utopian ideas are just that, until the hard yards have been made up and the ability to pay has been realised.....at the moment just in the planning stage and the new Govt will have to do the hard yards and find the money to make your dream a reality. Labor is all care and no responsibility. Labor's idea of balancing a credit card is to get another card to pay the debt.
So human rights legislation, universal health cover, and superannuation for ordinary workers (to quote a few examples) were dreams and utopian ideas.
funny that - I must have dreamt the last forty years......
"I must have dreamt the last forty years.".....
You must have been in a deep slumber for the last six years or the dreams would have been nightmares. No matter how bad things are your glass is always half full.....much like the milky bar kid during his 'abdication' speech.....treating a massive loss as if it was a postive achievement.
The last six years have left most Australians better off by any measure.
People with disabilities (17.7% of our population by ABS statistics) are going to be much better off after the initiatives developed by Gillard and Shorten. But I guess in your estimation, they don't count.
You're the one who been dozing.
BTW, I have no idea who the "Milky Bar Kid" is.
Is it Noddy Newman by any chance?
Google....images.....Milky Bar kid.....it won't take you long to work it out.
Until the grand plan is fully funded and fully implemented you won't get a pay rise on your contract. You are right, I don't think Julia and Brutus count for much.
The last 6 years have seen the collapse of the building industry, manufacturing has suffered (remember Oxford Refrigeration) if not closed up altogether. Unemployment is over 6% and you think we are all better off......try removing your rosé coloured glasses.
Suggest you check the facts.
Average unemployment rate between 2007 and 2013 is lower than it was from 1996 until 2007.
I believe the Coalition was in power between 1996 and 2007.
And that was when mining revenues were flooding in and there was no GFC.
You're the one who needs glasses......
By the way, it was Orford Refrigeration (not Oxford ) that went belly up - and that was before the Carbon tax).
Check out the Coalition's policy on industry assistance.
If they implement it we will say goodbye to motor manufacturing in Australia.
Now there are two of me giving you a bit of stick don't confuse 1900 and 2041 on 09092013.
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