They had to be forced into investigating the ruthless and criminal behaviour in our banking and insurance sectors. Liberal’s Daryl Maguire and Labour’s Dan Dastyari have both been caught out in fraudulent behaviour that would have landed the ordinary citizen in jail. They walk around penalty-free because we don’t have a national ICAC to convict them. Labour, to it’s credit is calling for one, but the Liberals refuse to consider it.

This government has killed off the NEG, Australia’s only attempt in recent years at a climate change policy. 

The government has said they want to trade deal with the European Union. Best of luck with that. The EU is currently drafting a law which says “No trade deals with countries not actively doing something about climate change”. Effectively, that means us.

The South Australian Royal commission into massive water theft along the next few months will hear vital evidence from whistleblowers prepared to testify to this. The Liberals have combined to make sure the commission is not given the time necessary to hear these witnesses, despite repeated appeals from that body.

So the thieves walk free, the taxpayer (that’s you) is rorted for millions and already dangerously low rivers are left to go to hell in a toxic algae-ridden bucket. All the while, Scott Morrison has just appointed as Environment Minister, a man who has publicly stated that he doesn’t believe in climate change. 

Well, I suppose that public brawling, bullying moderates and female party members, supporting the coal lobby and financially strangling our national broadcaster are all so much more fun than making responsible policy and offering the electorate vision.

And who really runs this obstructionist shambles of a government? The same who threw Turnbull out of office when he tried to bring in a NEG which smacked (however faintly) of climate policy. That’s who.

It is difficult to comment about the dismissal of Michelle Guthrie or indeed the plight of the chairman of the ABC from outside the corporation.

There is, however, something to be said about the ABC. For most of its life, the ABC has been applauded for its integrity in presenting an impartial and fair interpretation of the news and events of the day. These attributes, together with their independence and unbiased presenters, have been the hallmarks of the ABC over many years.

I believe this independence has been undermined by the influence of the Greens-Labor alliance. Gone are the days when news readers unemotionally, and with straight face, delivered their reports irrespective of the content.

The ABC, which was once loved because it had no advertisements, has now resorted to promoting itself, endlessly telling us “it’s our ABC. Trust us.”

This is obviously a response to bolster its tarnished image. 

Now that that independence and trust have gone, then the ABC should rebrand itself to the Australian Labor Broadcasting Corporation.