Barracking From the Sidelines 2016

By Greg Tuck

Dominated by a federal government, in a three-tier system of government, Australian politics is based on a constitution written in the 1890’s that is extremely difficult to change via referendums. It is a Westminster system of government that has two separate chambers that are dominated by two major parties whose ideologies differ and both the sides are very combative to the extent that agreement on issues except politician wage increase, are hard won battles. If one side thinks of an idea, the other side shoots it down in flames, whether the idea is good or not. The public have become disillusioned and feel impotent to change things and see most politicians as merely sucking on the public teat and lining their own pockets. A good few of the political rank’s behaviour does nothing to dispel that idea.
Politics changed a lot in Australia from late 2013 onwards, although many will attest to the fact that it hasn’t changed at all. There are still lies, deception, obfuscation and manipulation and these have had to become more sophisticated as social media has come to the fore. I have been adding my own comments to mainstream media and my own political blog in those years and on reflection I am amazed at the types of characters that are regularly unearthed and come to the forefront in our political climate.
Some characters have developed over that time. Some were just fleeting shadows on the political spectrum. Others rose from obscurity and some may have also have faded back into it. Characters and events overlap. Views change and political manoeuvres take place. Ideology dictates much of what goes on. Hopefully my blog entries and reflections will help paint a picture of these characters and events that dominated the political scene in this period. This is not a chronological history of the time, merely one person’s thoughts that he wanted to scream at the major players in Australian politics at the time.
However, the disappointing thing about all these comments and research is what I still really don’t understand is, that with so many pricks in Canberra, why the Canberra bubble doesn't burst?
This is the third book in the series and covers the year 2016

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greg Tuck
• Release date: Feb 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463282687

Greg Tuck

I am a former primary teacher and principal, landscape designer and gardener and now a full time author living in Gippsland in the state of Victoria in Australia. Although I write mainly fictional novels, I regularly contribute to political blogs and have letters regularly published in local and Victorian newspapers. I write parodies of songs and am in the process of writing music for the large number of poems that I have written.

Book preview

Barracking

from the

Sidelines

(My personal political commentary on politicians and political events in 2016)

By Greg Tuck

© 2020

Australian Politics

Dominated by a federal government, in a three-tier system of government, Australian politics is based on a constitution written in the 1890’s that is extremely difficult to change via referendums. It is a Westminster system of government that has two separate chambers that are dominated by two major parties whose ideologies differ and both the sides are very combative to the extent that agreement on issues except politician wage increase, are hard won battles. If one side thinks of an idea, the other side shoots it down in flames, whether the idea is good or not. The public have become disillusioned and feel impotent to change things and see most politicians as merely sucking on the public teat and lining their own pockets. A good few of the political rank’s behaviour does nothing to dispel that idea.

Politics changed a lot in Australia from late 2013 onwards, although many will attest to the fact that it hasn’t changed at all. There are still lies, deception, obfuscation and manipulation and these have had to become more sophisticated as social media has come to the fore. I have been adding my own comments to mainstream media and my own political blog in those years and on reflection I am amazed at the types of characters that are regularly unearthed and come to the forefront in our political climate.

Some characters have developed over that time. Some were just fleeting shadows on the political spectrum. Others rose from obscurity and some may have also have faded back into it. Characters and events overlap. Views change and political manoeuvres take place. Ideology dictates much of what goes on. Hopefully my blog entries and reflections will help paint a picture of these characters and events that dominated the political scene in this period. This is not a chronological history of the time, merely one person’s thoughts that he wanted to scream at the major players in Australian politics at the time.

However, the disappointing thing about all these comments and research is what I still really don’t understand is, how does the Canberra bubble still remain intact with so many pricks in it? Are there special properties of moral vacuums?

CONTENTS

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

The Australian characters

The overseas characters

The issues

January

Immigration MinisterPeter Duttonapologises for a text message in which he referred to a female reporter as a mad f—ing witch

Floods in NSW and bushfires in WA cause massive destruction

Australian share market plunges

Clive Palmer'sQueensland Nickel refinery is placed into voluntary administration

The Federal Government announces that it will set up a national framework to offer compensation to victims of institutional sexual abuse following recommendations from a Royal Commission.

10 people are killed and 15 wounded ina bombingnear theBlue MosqueinIstanbul.

TheInternational Atomic Energy Agencyannounces that Iran has adequately dismantledits nuclear weapons program, allowing theUnited Nationsto lift sanctions immediately

30 people are killed and 56 injured interrorist attacksinOuagadougou,Burkina Faso.

When the price of iron ore drops, revenue drops for the government. To balance the budget, the treasurer has the courage to attack those who need support but lacks the courage to take on those who don't. Is this a conversation he would prefer not to have or maybe just at another time?

If the Senate has said no to some legislation. It is up to the government to come up with a workable solution so that changes can get passed. What doesn't Pyne get about how our democracy works?

Will bracket creep in HECS kill off enthusiasm?

The Australian Cricket team spoils the game with their sledging. Is it time that we threw off the Sir Les Paterson, Shane Warne, Brad Haddin and federal parliament attitude and the players didn't display the cultural cringe that puts many people off?

Will the politicians even answer any of the fracking questions? All we get is diversional spin.

Someone would have it that living out in the country and remote places is merely a lifestyle choice. If that is the case should Australians forego the bush culture and heritage and just sell the farms and cattle-stations to overseas buyers so people can move to where services can be more easily provided. But having a house would be a lifestyle choice wouldn't it?

Perhaps we could get Apple and Ikea to use the super tax shelters here to keep the money in Australia.

Can I get a degree which allows me to say Do you want fries with that? far more eloquently.

If we increase the age that people can retire, they will have more time to pay off their HECS debt and youth unemployment can slide gently into unemployment for the age.

Do we educate solely for employment?

Was Joe Hockey as Treasurer only concerned about his own unemployment?

How many retiring politicians pick up their government funded pension before they turn 65? Different rules for those in charge

Senate crossbenchers (and some of them are very cross) are duly elected members of Parliament and need to be respected by all political parties. Should they be blamed for negating/blocking the government's legislation or should the government be blamed for putting forward legislation that is not meeting the needs of Australians as determined by the majority of senators?

Many people took umbrage at being labelled either as a lifter or a leaner. Throughout their lifetime most people will at times lift and at times lean depending on their circumstances. The culture and essence of an Australian is that you help your mates who may be down on their luck, as what goes around comes around.

The thought bubble of using your super to help you get into the housing market is bad long-term economic planning for Australia and the individual. It would be a massive drain on the public purse as those people who use up their super will not have enough for retirement without a massive supplementary pension. An individual loses out badly as super is a better investment than property. Has the treasurer got any other bright ideas?

Thank heavens that the old two-seater couch used for female MP's in the Cabinet Room became inadequate and a number of lounge suites were purchased

February

TheHigh Court of Australiarejects a legal challenge to the validity of the immigration detention centre on Nauru

Former Governor-General and Archbishop of Brisbane,Peter Hollingworth, formally apologises to a child abuse victim at theRoyal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

Federal TreasurerScott Morrisonrefers to anxious Coalition MPs in marginal seats as bedwetters over their concerns over a GST increase.

Philip Ruddockleaves Federal Parliament. He is given the job of Australia's first Special Envoy for Human Rights.

Malcolm Turnbullconfirms that the Federal Government is looking at privatising elements of Medicare

Nearly $43 billion is wiped off the value of the Australian share market with shares falling by nearly 3 per cent to the lowest level in two and a half years

The Closing the Gap report is released, and shows that little progress has been made on increasing the life expectancy of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

The Federal Government abandons a plan to increase GST to 15%

Agriculture MinisterBarnaby Joyceis elected unopposed as Leader of the National Party

Federal Human Services MinisterStuart Robertresigns from the frontbench after a review by the Prime Minister's Department finds that he breached ministerial standards

Federal Opposition LeaderBill Shortenannounces plans to change negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount if theLabor Partywins the next federal election

Federal TreasurerScott Morrisonannounces that the Federal Government will not be assisting the States with the rising cost of health.

The Federal Government agrees to review the Safe Schools programme, which is designed to eliminate bullying in schools, after complaints by Liberal SenatorCory Bernardi

The Federal Government allocates $195 billion for new defence equipment, including submarines, drones and a strategy to counter cyber attacks

Will the government use a plebiscite to find out if they should call a double dissolution? They would get a majority of Australians voting yes for sure who would like to maximise the opportunity to get rid of as many of the incumbents from all sides of politics at the one time.

There's a problem with fixing matches in tennis apparently.

It draws national attention.

But when it comes to fixing federal preselection you see

It hardly gets a mention

Australia's economy is in emergency status. Joe Hockey was right all along. More than a third of the top 1500 corporations didn't make even enough money to pay tax! Just shows that the Coalition aren't good for private enterprise either.

With Labor and the Coalition, for the public a double dissolution should be better phrased as doubly disillusioned.

Remember the oath of allegiance at primary school that we mouthed without understanding the words? How different it soon could become.

"I love God (of my choosing if indeed I believe in one) and my country (that we haven't acknowledged by treaty with the indigenous owners). I honour the flag (which still bears the emblem of another country on it). I serve the Queen (but not if we become a republic shortly) and cheerfully obey my parents (who are not allowed to marry if they are a same sex couple), teachers (whom the government expects to cure all of the ills of society for a mere pittance of a salary in badly underfunded non private schools) and the laws (which celebrities, corporations, unions, politicians etc seem to not have to pay heed to)

To try to get the Building Industry watchdog up and running again, the Government is allowing one member of the greens and one from Labor to read a redacted version of the Building Unions Royal Commission report and they must not discuss it with anyone in their respective parties. Now that makes a lot of sense! These two people will go back to their parties and suggest their party votes a certain way but won't be able to say why. Who thought that one up? Baldrick?

Abbott's strength and commitment are not in dispute. It was his judgement that people on all sides of politics had an issue with.

If, as Malcolm Turnbull insists, The Liberal Party is a broad church, is he hoping that Tony Abbott will fall on his broadsword?

Obviously, the word plebiscite has two meanings. It depends on whether you choose the dictionary from the shelf on the far right or not.

Do we really want a republic? The US is a republic and they might soon elect Donald Trump as president. Do we really want to risk something like that? We can't compete with such stupidity, although what's Warnie doing when he finishes milking the cash-cow of celebritydom?

Perhaps they would have been better off attending an economical church service because the budget hasn't got a prayer when it comes to being passed by the Senate.

Speaking of politicians who have removed facial hair as they went back to work; when you think about it the dwarfs in Snow White all went to work with beards on. The only one who didn't was Dopey. Enough said.

Just wondering about who will be the fly-in captain's picks that parties will choose in rigged pre-selections later this year. How many will want to do a Mal Meninga and say I'm a Celebrity. Get me Outta here!?

Have just changed my mind about wanting to sack Brough. There is no way Cory Bernardi and I think alike!!!

Was Abbott singing this old Searchers song as he walked in

I’ve got the same old expression on my face

I can feel a lot of tension in the place

I can hear the sound of everyone’s silent boos

At the exact time I walk in the room

I close my eyes for a second and pretend

It's me they want

Meanwhile I try to act so nonchalant

I’m now from the far right with K. Andrews

And they all cheer when I walk in the room

Here's some trivia for Josh Frydenberg. The number of votes needed to pass legislation freeing refugees in detention may be more than he receives at the next election, if he can't convince his colleagues to do the decent humane thing.

Because of the high number of seagulls in the Dunkley electorate which includes Frankston (Franger to the locals) constant cleaning of cars is required. Therefore, Bruce Billson must be always cleaning their calling cards off the Tarago or perhaps like a lot of other politicians that doesn't stick

It's great that we have an election coming up. What sadly is not so great is the fact that we don't have a great number of people with