Politicians maybe are wrongfully blamed for perceived Machiavellian behaviour …
The recent change of leader within the Liberal Party however, resulted in a marked gain in the polls for Malcolm Turnbull as preferred Prime Minister.
The new Prime Minister is, as before, only representing business as did the previous one. But the new one, apart from his frozen “have nice day smile” seems to be perceived to have what it takes.
The perception by the electorate that his business acumen is now the most desirable attribute … and not border security is interesting.
Could it be that the media has an influence on the collective thinking?
Why is his business experience seen to be a quality now needed to lead a country’s government, whilst his predecessor in the past was chosen for his thorough stance in dealing with asylum seekers and border control and denial of climate change?
Is it his alleged business acumen and his past business experience which is going to create a better society for all or is it his ad-nauseam statements that we live in exciting times?
We understand that these are exciting times for Malcolm Turnbull after his successful coup d’etat and achieving his life’s ambition to become Prime Minister of Australia. But are they exciting times for the unemployed?
Is it the free market unaffordable housing in Australia’s major cities for the low income earners that makes us excited?
Is it the refugees and children locked up in detention in Manus and Nauru with no future in sight who share Malcolm Turnbull’s excitement?
Is it the low-income earners and those on unemployment benefits who anticipate a 5% increase in the GST who share the excitement with Malcolm Turnbull?
As far back October 2011, during the tax summit, the Business Council of Australia campaigned for an increase in GST but at the time failed, but almost 5 years later the same policies are now dutifully reintroduced by the business party (Liberal Party).
Tony Abbott’s homophobic lead …
What was suggested then as now, is that individuals and families could take a 5% cost-of-living increase so companies that pay CEOs millions (and have billions in profit) pay less tax.
Is it the gay community, who found that Malcolm Turnbull is following Tony Abbott’s homophobic lead in delaying same-sex marriage, who share his excitement?
Is it that Malcolm Turnbull changed his views and shares Tony Abbott’s view that burning coal is beneficial to the world and the opening of another coal mine by overseas investors in Australia is good for society as a whole that makes us excited?
Is it the recent privatisation of Medibank, which in time may lead to the abolition of Medicare, a Liberal Party ambition under the Howard’s Neo-Liberal Government, which makes us all excited?
Is it the 99 year lease of the Darwin Harbour to the Chinese government that makes us excited?
If it isn’t the above it must be his enthusiasm for innovation which makes us excited – demonstrated by the funding cuts of almost 500 million dollars to the many research organizations in Australia.
On closer inspection it may reveal that Malcolm Turnbull is not such a breath of innovative political fresh air.
Despite his monotonous rhetoric about innovation, the policies championed are still the old conservative ones of the previous ideologue, Tony Abbott.
Malcolm Turnbull will represent Australia at the climate conference in Paris with his conversion to ‘Direct Action, a policy he once described as, ”fiscal recklessness on a grand scale.”
Five years later as a re-born right wing Prime Minister he is going to proclaim its resounding success.
In his endeavor and deals he had to make with the extreme right to achieve his ambition to become Prime Minister. And he had to amend his principles.
Our Malcolm has principles, but if you don’t like them or if he has to change them for ambitioned expediency, he has others.
Bob Lubout is a ‘climate refugee’ from Perth WA. He has been living in Penguin on the NW coast of Tasmania with his artist partner Sandra and their two dogs, Tessie and Winston since 2013. Bob’s work history includes owning his own TV/Electronic repair and maintenance business for many years and travelling all over the world servicing and installing analytical mining and industrial X-ray equipment. He went to Curtin University as a ‘mature age student’ where he gained a Bachelor of Education majoring in Sociology and Politics and then onto Murdoch University where he gained a Graduate Diploma of Science and Technology Policy. This led him to a career as a TAFE lecturer, teaching electronics, maths, science and aviation. Bob now enjoys spending his time researching and writing and flying around this beautiful part of the world in a small aircraft.
