RESPECTED Canberra commentator, Paul Bongiorno, known for his even-handed reporting of the Canberra circus, recently wrote in The Saturday Paper: “Who would have thought the Abbott government’s first year would be the hash it was?”
Bongiorno continued: “Labor has begun to show a political adroitness many thought beyond it and maybe (Bill) Shorten's political luck has returned.”
Maybe, but that's not the information the column is receiving.
Voters wherever I go are mostly fed up with politics, politicians, major parties and their policies.
Here's a sample from a woman reader in Brisbane, a former Liberal pre-selector and party official who quit, who calls this period “the despicable saga that is Australian politics in the 21st century”.
She wrote: “In light of today's hypocrisy from Tony Burke (August 7), aided and abetted by Christopher Pyne, I have a question I would love answered, because I have not read it anywhere in the various editorials or opinion pieces I have scoured”.
“And, since I am but a mere citizen and taxpayer, hibernating within the confines of my mere citizenry existence, I turn to you to put that question out there for people to consider.
"I've noticed over the past few days, a reference that is gaining traction from these hypocrites, which is this: ‘We need to wait and see what the community expectations are’.
"I'm speechless. In other words, it would appear that they were just waiting to see how much they could get away with.
"Are these the type of people who can claim any credibility at all in their representation of us, the citizens?
“So, I ask, are we fed up enough yet?"
Yes, and there are enough valid reasons for a new political party (and/or more Independents) rather than to continue consistently returning mediocre party-political hacks who can't either give a straight, truthful answer to journalists or stand up to weak leaders, let alone be bothered taking advice from “a mere citizen and taxpayer"” within their electorates.
Ross Gittins, economics editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, wrote recently that while the MPs perks scandal was shameful, "a problem more significant" was that our governments have been making an awful hash of mental health which effects 3.7 million and other issues like climate change and environmental damage all of which (with these other issues) effects the economy.”
Why should our MPs worry about these essential issues when they can, as The Sydney Morning Herald’s columnist, Harold Mitchell, revealed, use their $141,000 special allowance (more in some electorates) for communications and printing to peddle their party's latest fabrications and mis-information?
I put my reader's question again: "Are we fed up enough yet?"
