-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Watch it, sunshine
1010
Beware the politician who likes to claim moral superiority above other politicians. They will likely be proven to be a hypocrite. For today’s prize winner, meet Bob Brown.
Brown likes to pretend that his party, the Greens, represent some form of new politics. They claim to stand on principle. In reality, they stand for themselves. There’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t try to con voters otherwise.
Like the Christian crusader who gets outed visiting brothels, the holier than thou political change agent who strikes the same old political deals deserves our scorn.
Bob Brown’s preference deal with Labor is particularly worthy of such scorn on two fronts: what he’s been saying and what Labor’s been doing.
For months now Brown has been saying that voters should make up their own minds about preferences. He has railed against old fashioned preference deals.
“We have a right to vote for who we want in the ballot box in the privacy of the ballot box and direct our preferences where we want,’’ he has said in numerous ways on numerous occasions. He’s still saying it, even after announcing the deal, stretching credulity by pretending the deal was struck without his imprimatur.
And yes, Brown is right. It is up to every voter to, ultimately, direct preferences according to their own wishes. But he and every other political operative know that how-to-vote cards are distributed because a large body of people follow them, largely out of a desire not to get anything wrong with their vote. The party does, in effect, allocate preferences for these voters.
In his railing against preference deals Brown even went so far as to tell the National Press Club last Wednesday that the Greens were “not a preference machine”.
Yet, within a week of these comments, the Greens non-preference machine has remarkably done the same thing it did at every other recent election: announce a preference deal with Labor.
This deal even seems to have been struck in record time, well before candidate nominations even close. Not bad for a non-machine!
There is an alternative way, pioneered by the previous balance of power party, the Democrats. For the better part of two decades the Democrats successfully got Senate candidates elected around Australia without resorting to such deals. They presented a split ticket, advising voters how to vote Democrat with options to preference either Labor or Liberal, leaving the choice totally up to the voter.
Bob Brown’s rhetoric made it sound like the Greens were about to have faith in the strength of their own vote and take the principled approach of the Democrats of yesteryear. Alas, no. The Greens still want the Labor Party to prop them up and they’re happy to jump into bed with Labor in return.
What makes this deal even worse this time is that the Greens have clearly given no consideration to what Labor has done on environmental issues over the last three years, and certainly no consideration to what they plan to do for the next three. Brown has even acknowledged the deal was done in a “policy free way”.
But are insulation businesses or home sustainability assessors better equipped to deliver energy efficiency after Labor’s disastrous home insulation and Green Loans programs? Do solar installers enjoy any business certainty after the three year rollercoaster ride of axed solar programs, changing rules and cost blowouts?
Have community environment groups relished the smaller budgets under Labor’s Caring for our Country program compared to the Natural Heritage Trust of the previous Coalition government? Have any whales been saved or is the International Whaling Commission more functional after three years of Labor’s overblown rhetoric with no follow through?
Has it helped the Murray Darling that Labor has massively underspent and under-delivered on budgeted water saving infrastructure throughout its term? And does Labor even have a climate change policy, let alone one to match the Coalition commitment to purchase abatement, regenerate our soils and support a massive expansion of solar and renewables?
The answer to all of these questions is an emphatic no. But it seems that Labor’s track record on the environment or their failure to have released any policies for the future is no barrier to a Greens preference deal with them.
Not about policy. Not about principle. This preference agreement is simply a political deal that betrays both what Bob Brown has said and what he claims to believe in.
Do the Greens represent a new approach to politics? No way. But have they struck new heights for hypocrisy? You bet.
Recent posts
The latest and greatest
Julia’s triumphant return: The story in photographs
Instead of a conventional piece of writing about today’s triumphant ALP Caucus meeting, we thought…
Gillard’s big cabinet headaches
Despite it being the dawn of the Sunshine Parliament, Julia Gillard is going to have to make some decisions…
Little rubber band gives my journalism extra balance
Great news! This article is 73 per cent more coherent than anything ever written on this website, and…
Nosebleed Section
choice ringside rantings
From: The deliverance of cash to those who squeal loudest
Michael says:
Abbott nailed it in his election launch when he said that for labor, this election was not about Australia, but about labor & their lust for power. They would do - and did give - anything for power. labor have sold out the people of Australia for the interests of a few simpleton ego maniac independents.… [read more]From: Little rubber band gives my journalism extra balance
Adam Diver says:
I have tested it and it worked for me. How it works is beyond me, but then again I have no idea how physical products such as silicon process information, does not mean this computer doesn't work. The thing is I am a skeptical person and I noticed a massive difference when I tested it, and my skepticism… [read more]Punch live
Up to the minute Twitter chatter
RT @MrTimms: Thats a keeper. @Matt_Gagger: @QuadeCooper Might have to call @kurtley_beale'Gilbert', considering it's probably still on his forehead
Awesome mashup of Wallaby win v SA http://bit.ly/cGD1aH More of the same please from @QuadeCooper@kurtleybeale& the crew on Sat #rugby
Funny piece on those Power Balance bands http://bit.ly/dcZlkZ by irrepressible sports funk writer @antsharwood (go on, follow him)
Julia's triumphant return: the story in photographs. Our new piece on the punch #auspollhttp://tinyurl.com/34tn496
Gentle jabs to the ribs
Gillard and Abbott get a digital makeover
Warning: this has nothing to do with politics. We thought we’d see how the Prime Minister and Opposition… Read more
Most commented