Monthly Archives: January 2013
Who Does Law and Order?
Tonight I sat and watched, as I always do, the nightly edition of The Drum. The topic turned to gun violence in our own backyard, with the Gillard Government foreshadowing plans to tackle the recent spate of highly publicised gun-related crime, mostly gang related, across Sydney’s west. It was an interesting discussion, coming so soon after the Newtown massacre in the United States of America and in the same week as a report which found that the level of gun ownership in Australia has returned to pre-buyback levels.
Ostensibly, what was actually announced by the Prime Minister today was an examination of what could possibly be achieved by the government under the present legal arrangements. Prime Minister Gillard has given Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare that task and has asked him to bring a list of options to the cabinet table.
Crime is an emotive issue. Talk about cracking down on crime and criminals plays to something deep in our psychological make-up. We as humans love to feel safe. We love to feel as if we are being protected not just by ourselves, but by others, by a sizable and powerful police force there to watch over us.
Now, we all know it’s an election year and law and order is often an election issue. The trouble is, that law and order, under the Australian Constitution, is a concern for the states to wrestle with. And state political parties do make battling crime a big focus at election time and throughout the electoral cycle. The commonwealth government does however have the Australian Federal Police and Customs under its purview, so in that sense, it is not strictly true.
There is something that the discussion seemed to forget and that is what John Howard did in the first year of his time as Prime Minister, after the indescribable horror of the Port Arthur massacre which saw 35 people gunned down. He was not a state Premier, but through discussions with his state colleagues, was able to secure a national ban on automatic weapons and a uniform gun buyback scheme.
By virtue of the fact that law and order and policing is largely a state issue, there really is little that can be done by the federal government on its own. The Gillard Government can however try to negotiate a package of measures with the states for them to implement in their own jurisdictions.
There is however one thing that the government can do unilaterally. They’ve cut funding to Customs and they can, since they no longer wish to return the budget to surplus, restore funding to the crucial agency. Alternatively, or at the same time, extra funds could also be directed to the AFP.
The question of what the states and the federal government can do in terms of powers in a more broad sense is interesting. It would appear that traditional state/commonwealth roles are becoming increasingly blurred, with the commonwealth appearing to want more power and resources at the expense of the states.
And that shift clearly extends to law and order issues, with politicians at the federal level wanting to affect change, or at least be seen to be trying to reduce crime.
Law and order will be an issue during this federal election year and beyond. We just have to get used to it.
Market Deception is Not Funny or Justifiable
I had been doing my best to avoid writing about the Whitehaven Coal hoax perpetrated by Johnathan Moylan which we have all now heard about. But today I read a piece about the elaborate hoax and I decided that I just had to chime in. The wonderful piece was written by Mungo MacCallum and has to be the strangest take on the radical and irresponsible act that I have read to date. In short, MacCallum’s stance places him places him in a small and exclusive group- with a few Greens MP’s.
For those of you who have lived under a rock since last week, the disgraceful act perpetrated by Mr Moylan involved him issuing a fake press release purporting to be from ANZ, saying that the bank had reconsidered and was withdrawing their support of Whitehaven Coal. The stupid stunt fooled the press and the markets. Whitehaven shares dropped 9% on the news, an extraordinary slump by anyone’s estimation and the company lost $300 million in value before the ridiculous ploy was revealed.
But back to the post in question. The blog starts off with an introductory line about the media and standards, though one easily detects more than a hint of sarcasm in that line. This was followed by almost a whole paragraph where neither the act, now being investigated by ASIC, nor the man behind it was mentioned. Indeed, it is only the last two words which introduce us to the key player in the affair and not the event itself. That is outlined in the next paragraph.
The paragraph after that, at first glance, appears innocent enough. MacCallum talks about the money lost by investors and almost appears to call out Mr Moylan for his dumb and fraudulent act. Almost. But if you know Mungo’s work, then you should quickly realise that the sarcasm present early on will likely infest the whole article, and it does. The subtle quip about private property in that same paragraph should have given the game away for me- he’s perhaps not much of a fan of such indulgence.
From the next paragraph it becomes painfully obvious to all and sundry where the argument is headed. All doubt is from then on easily cast aside. MacCallum goes on to make excuses for Moylan, somehow equating how rumours influence the market with a deliberate act intended to deceive the market. But all deliberate attempts to deceive the market are simply unjustifiable, no matter how commendable or otherwise, the cause behind them is.
The piece becomes even more laughable when, in the second last paragraph, Mr MacCallum states that the stockmarket “thoroughly deserves having the mickey taken out of it as often as possible”. It is thoroughly wrong and not at all humorous to characterise what Mr Moylan did as some fine and dandy little piss take of the market.
Mr MacCallum, the carefully planned actions of Johnathan Moylan were not simply “a bit of satire to make an environmental point”. The only people laughing are you and a few Greens MP’s silly enough to quickly shun a transparently fake attempt at trying to appeal to the mainstream. There are probably a number of Greens supporters that applaud Moylan’s actions too, but frankly that number is likely so inconsequential.
The rest of us are not amused.
The Latest Ruddvention
‘Ruddvention’- a word to describe the all-too-common intervention of Kevin Rudd in matters of national and/or international importance. These dalliances with the media, above and beyond those of any other lowly backbench MP, have taken place a number of times since the former Prime Minister was deposed. And the latest display of self-important politicking, surprise surprise, takes place just after Prime Minister Julia Gillard reached a rather uncomfortable milestone, perhaps for both of them- the same amount of time in office as former PM Rudd.
At least this time Mr Rudd picked an area of policy close to his heart and that is foreign affairs. The former PM and one-time Minister for Foreign Affairs today released a statement on the Syrian conflict, now two years old. Rudd believes now that the Syrian rebels must be armed in order to bring a more swift end to the internal conflict which has seen approximately 60,000 die.
The problem with Kevin Rudd coming out and pleading with everyone to realise just how smart he, in his mind believes he is happens to be two-fold. There is the policy-based disagreement with the official Labor line on Syria and then there is the distraction that it provides and the cannon-fodder it gives the Coalition, as if they were in need of any more election year ammunition. In the scheme of things both effects are minor. But the point is that in an election year, both impacts are unnecessary from someone who should release he needs to further the Labor cause, not his own selfish interests.
In terms of the policy itself, former PM and Foreign Minister Rudd, as stated earlier, believes that the Syrian opposition forces must be armed. Kevin Rudd has pointed out, quite rightly, that the situation in Syria is already far beyond a humanitarian crisis. The Assad regime has clearly perpetrated crimes against humanity, mind you, opponents of his regime appear to have engaged in much the same brutish and barbaric, downright inhumane behaviour too. This position is very similar to the viewpoint he pushed in the international community regarding the civil war in Libya, while Minister for Foreign Affairs
It is here where his position and the government’s are at loggerheads. With the UN Security Council unable to reach an agreement on any meaningful action, and with Australia no longer willing to get so involved in a far-off internecine battle- the Gillard Government, along with the rest of the world, is continuing to try to tread carefully yet meaningfully down the diplomatic pathway. Senator Bob Carr and the government want both the Syrian Government and the opposition to talk to each other. They want, in a case of vain hope, some kind of amicable end to the scenes of chaos and devastation.
This latest disagreement between Rudd and his party, though slight in the scheme of politics, will add to the library of election material that the Liberal Party has surely amassed over the past two-and-a-half years. Added to the litany of examples, it all amounts to a story of internal division. It’s the kind of thing the Labor Party do not need in an election year. Labor do not need distractions. The ALP need discipline and at least an air of togetherness and harmony, whatever the real story within the caucus.
It might be lucky for Labor that the latest Rudd flirtation with the media has occurred at the start of the year. All but the most politically attuned are paying attention to the political discourse at present. However, the story has already been written on the Rudd problem and any future Ruddvention, like that today, can easily be added to the election 2013 plot, no matter how insignificant. Any undisciplined and self-serving plea for media attention after the middle of the year would be a big problem.
What to Look Forward to in Australian Politics This Year
Okay, so for some the title of this post will perhaps be a bit of a misnomer. There will be some that are really looking forward to what 2013 means in terms of Australian politics, and there will be others that have greeted the start of 2013 with a sense of dread. Regardless, it’s going to be an epic year on the frontline of the political battle, with the coming months a winner takes all period in politics.
So why will some think of politics in 2013 with a sense of foreboding, and others with a feeling of political glee? In short, it’s because of an event, an 8 letter word starting with ‘e’. Give up? Of course you don’t. You’re thinking, well duh, he’s clearly talking about the federal election. And you would be 100% correct.
Coalition supporters and those swinging voters that have long switched off Labor are itching to have their say at the ballot box. On the other side, you have some Labor supporters that think the job can still be done, who are relishing the contest. Then you have others who feel the election is lost- and it almost certainly is.
The election year will bring something that was conspicuously absent in 2012 and that is serious policy announcements and refinement of existing policies. The politics of personality will still be played and pursued with the same level of vim and vigour as it was last year, but at least there will be a much more positive side to the political discourse as the election- likely sometime from August, approaches.
But with the good of an election year also comes the not so good. Promises will be made and most kept. However, some will inevitably be broken. In years gone by, we had ‘core’ and ‘non-core’ promises, but this has been replaced. We still have policies readily announced, to be implemented as soon as possible, but now in the political lexicon we have a little something called ‘aspirational’ policies. The latter are policies that are usually big commitments and worth implementing, but because of fiscal concerns will be flagged as something for the future. But like non-core promises, surely some will never, ever be introduced.
This election year, do not expect big-spending promises- well, at least not new ones anyway. Expect the Opposition, as they have since the early days of the Labor Government, to spend a significant amount of time focusing on the budget position. According to the polls, good economic management is something strongly associated with the right side of the political spectrum, so why wouldn’t the Coalition take every chance to prosecute this?
Election years also bring carefully targeted spending commitments from governments struggling to maintain their grasp on power and that will not be any different, despite the poll result appearing to be a fait accompli.
Aside from the budget, expect taxation, chiefly the carbon price and the Minerals Resource Rent Tax, to continue to be a major feature in the political to-and-fro. According to the polls, the former is becoming less of an issue for the government, though still it still at this stage presents a problem.
Budget and taxation aside, the election campaign, which feels like it has already been going for some time will largely be a case of both sides of the spectrum trying to position themselves as stable and able to provide effective government.
Like any given year, whether there is an election pending or not, parliamentary sessions take place. Expect the commonwealth parliament to be a slightly different beast, but not altogether foreign to those of us who observed parliamentary politics in 2012. Undoubtedly there will be much more substance in the parliamentary debate this year, but the same noise and antics will be an ever-present feature, with the theatre that is parliament convening for the first time this year in early February. But of course, the election is all that just about anyone in the general public cares about.
It’s only early January and things are yet to heat up, apart from the weather. But do not let the relative silence fool you, because 2013 is set to be one frenetic year. The election is the event to look forward to this year. Then again, maybe not.
Falling in Love with Sydney All Over Again
The Sydney part of the family roadtrip is over and there’s an empty cavity in my heart. Why? Because Sydney is simply stunning. Sydney has all the things you want in a city, plenty of restaurants, myriad shops, sights and sounds, and for the water-lovers, beaches.
The first part of the day was spent travelling to Sydney and then settling in at Haymarket near Chinatown. Unfortunately we were located near the offices of those wonderful Sussex Street inhabitants, the Labor Party- politics just could not stay away from me for more than a few days. Then it was time for a gut-widening lunch and a quiet dinner.
The first full day we had a quiet morning, aside from a futile search for the giant duck, with the plan being to journey to the Northern Beaches where my father lived from his early years until his 20’s. Instead we took the wrong road and ended up in Bondi which turned out to be simply gorgeous- a wonderful mistake for the chief navigator to make.
After lunch and a paddle in the slightly chilly water of Bondi, we ventured around the elegant and expensive eastern suburbs a little more. We drove past his old unit in Vaucluse and stopped off at his favourite old watering hole in Watson’s Bay. The day was just magical. I was to discover that day that I was falling madly in love with Sydney again- I’m sorry Melbourne, but you really cannot compete with Sydney except for food and culture but not scenic vistas.
The next day we actually went to the Northern Beaches, the chief navigator and driver had found his bearings. Newport was the destination for the day. Where dad grew up. We went to visit his old home only to find a new one in its place. Dad was happy to find that Keith Miller’s house (yes that Keith Miller), who drove him to school, was still standing. And what’s more, the home was still inhabited by a member of the Miller clan. We then drove back to Sydney, passing many picturesque beachside locations, with my love for Sydney growing even more.
Sadly that was the last night in an all-too-brief stay in Australia’s biggest and most beautiful city. I could seriously move there, but do not fret Queensland, Maroon blood still courses through my veins. I would still be one of the most vocal loungeroom supporters during the Origin series, even with the fear of doing so resulting in attempts on my life.
Until next time, Sydney, my love, au revoir.
Memories from Mount View
The all too brief sojourn in the Hunter Valley is over for the family and I. And on we have moved to the slightly busier city of Sydney for three nights. After that it’s on to Pretty Beach before heading back to Brisbane and the realities that being back home will entail.
The trip to the Hunter has created many memories. There’s the night in Tamworth, a place I’ve stayed in or driven through many times over my 28 years. And then there’s the wonderful stay in Mount View where we spent some time with my great aunt and her family over three days.
The Mount View part of the trip has produced the fondest of memories. I have spent the last three days catching up with my great aunt and her husband, one of their children and their children’s children.
Over the last few days we’ve visited wineries and gardens and stayed for the duration at Bonnay, a gorgeous French style farm cottage next door to Aunty Nita and Uncle Ron’s place.
Over a few lunches and dinners we have shared photos and memories, all fondly remembered. In particular, the ones I remember most are a photo of me, all of two years old ‘steering’ Ron’s boat. The other was of me using the boat’s radio as a phone, apparently because I dad had a car phone and I couldn’t tell the difference!
One thing in particular has dawned on me over the last few days- Ron and Nita feel like grandparents to me. Perhaps that is because of some subconscious void in my life, with all my maternal and paternal grandparents gone- the only one who remains is my step grandfather in Bundaberg. Or perhaps it’s because I feel so loved by them. Either way I will cherish my time with them.
I will not forget my time with Dale, Kelvin, Jade and Jenna either and the memories and laughs shared just as much with them as with Nita and Ron.
Yesterday we also spent a little time with another great aunt and uncle- Ron and Joan. That too was special as we have not seen them for well over a decade. But it was also sad. Joan is very frail and Ron in the early stages of Parkinson’s- a big change from their health during the last visit all that time ago.
I will cherish my short stay in the Hunter Valley. And I will never ever take for granted the beautiful, loving and caring extended family that I am blessed to have been born into.
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