There’s a reasonable expectation among voters, political party members and the media that governments will have our best interests at heart and be doing their best to improve our lives.
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Unfortunately, all too often lately we’re seeing the fruits of bad behaviour which provide plenty of evidence that politicians don’t have our best interests at heart.
In cases like these, a gentle reminder at the ballot box is what’s going to remind them to adjust their priorities.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recent edict that all citizenship ceremonies have to be held on Australia Day, runs counter to most people’s expectations.
Leeton Shire Council already holds citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. So does Griffith and Bland Shire and others.
Some councils don’t hold them on Australia Day due to the baking heat.
Some cities hold more than one citizenship ceremony, such as Wagga Wagga which has 10 to 11 ceremonies, including one on Australia Day, where around 10 to 20 people take part.
What is supposed to be a special day, all of a sudden becomes a lot like a production line if up to 200 people are becoming new citizens.
The mayor of Wagga also points out their ratepayers foot the bill for events – it is after all, about welcoming new citizens, but Mr Morrison hasn’t been forthcoming with funding to help councils pay for citizenship ceremonies if they’re held on the government’s new terms.
So you might ask what was the point of the PM’s announcement if councils are doing citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day anyway?
It’s a disingenuous attempt to win votes ahead of the federal election.
It’s taking what should be a day of pride for new citizens and turning it into a cheap political stunt.
If this is the quality of ideas being generated in the Liberal Party room, there is a deep, deep problem that changing prime ministers isn’t going to address.
Mr Morrison might have that rare distinction of making Malcolm Turnbull appear as one of the Liberal Party’s competent leaders and then paving the way for Bill Shorten to become Australia’s next Prime Minister.
Of course, the PM wants to avoid electoral oblivion, he could always start looking into serious issues like water management and the Murray Darling Basin.