Australia under new mismanagement?

Aided by a frenzied scurrilous and frequently biased press an unscrupulous opposition and the previous government's own inconsistencies, Australians intoned that the Labour Government, was a complete 'shambles' The press and citizens learnt the largely unchallenged propaganda electioneering mantras.

That the ALP Government was not only unstable but also wracked with leadership jealousies, and plots.

They had conspired with the Greens to destroy our coal based economy.

The ALP failed to stop the boats and lied about a carbon tax.

That the science regarding the threat of climate change was exaggerated and if not crap , it was undecided.

The ALP were also deemed to be terrible economic managers, despite retaining a triple A credit rating.

As with the fallen Julius Caesar, the press came to bury, not to praise and the ALP were masters of their own undoing , despite having achieved some important reforms. The previous Government were the ultimate non Brady Bunch family of politicians, failing to present a flawless cohesion. They, bravely revealed their insecurities failings and struggles.

Having begun their incumbency with an apology to the first peoples of Australia, and ratified the Kyoto Protocol they simultaneously agreed to accept responsibility for the past and the future. Yes Australia was constructed on the genocide and displacement of our aboriginal brothers and sisters. Yes we had a responsibility to safeguard the planet for future generations. Kevin Rudd declared climate change to be the great moral challenge of our generation.

Rudd later trashed his own record of integrity in his second tilt at the leadership, by seeming to contradict his own moral stance on asylum seekers and climate change. To her credit Julia Gillard supported by the independents and the Greens, managed to legislate a price on carbon in 2012.

The Gillard Government also legislated for a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2013.

Not bad for an incompetent government.

Sadly a kind of cruelly competitive bipartisanship reached its zenith as both parties sought to outdo each other in regard to horrendous treatment of refugees seeking asylum by boat.

When Tony Abbott declared the Coalition victory in September it sounded more like an announcement of a receivership takeover, than an assumption of democratically won office.

Of course there were the usual and obligatory things said about Government being chosen by the people and governing for all Australians. However what was of note, and unusual, even when seen internationally, was Tony Abbott's proclamation that: "I declare that Australia is under new management and once again open for business"

But if Australia is now a business not simply a nation; are we no longer mere citizens?

Do we all now live in Australia Inc. and are we shareholders, employees assets or liabilities?

Abbot has declared she should not be judged on his words but his deeds, on several occasions .

Despite having abolished a ministry of science in his cabinet he addressed scientists at the Prime Ministers prizes for science awards and professed great enthusiasm for scientists and their work. He declared on November 2^nd, "judge us by our performance , not by our titles," and  "none of us should ever underestimate the power of science" and its importance in the modern world.

Six days later on November 8^th breaking news announced the Abbott government cuts to 25 per cent of the staff of the CSIRO (Commonwealth Industrial and Research Organisation), established in 1926.

But words matter as well as deeds. Words are powerful and influential. Abbott or his advisors, know this well. That is why all his ministers must now get "clearance" through the Prime Minister's Office before speaking to the press.

Abbott has promised to be trustworthy and stable, and that his would be a no surprises Government. He has sworn in blood to abolish the carbon tax and his first act was to instruct the preparation of the carbon repeal legislation. Operation Sovereign Borders was set up to ensure that the boats were stopped. Or to ensure that they at least stopped making the news. A very limited commentary regimen was imposed on press briefings The press now reports that the Abbott government has become a government of "no comment" about  "on water operations".

It may be self evident, that I am not a fan of Tony Abbott. This is not just because he at times comes across as a kind of Maxwell Smart. His slogan driven rhetoric verges on buffoonery and his secrecy, like a cone of (ministerial) silence becomes a feeble attempt at failed concealment. Nor is it just because Abbott and some of his key ministers fail to say the right thing at the right time. These are important failings in the leader of our country who is meant to tread the world stage. A lot of damage can be done by insensitive diplomacy or clumsy rhetoric. The Indonesians were reportedly angry at Tony Abbotts declared intention to buy back (smugglers) boats.

My concern is Tony Abbott's lack of awareness, refusal to heed expert advice, his propensity to heed eccentric nutters, his lack of empathy, and his wilful ignorance and the impact of his failings on the lives of others.

But wait there's more.

In a BBC interview Environment Minister Greg Hunt was confronted with Tony Abbott's infamous line , that "climate change is absolute crap" . Hunt became indignant at the language used saying, that it had been taken out of context. Why only today the Prime Minister said that 'as he had often said , climate change is real.

Hunt was also mocked with his use of the secondary and unreliable source of Wikipedia to back up Tony Abbott's refutation of the links between extreme weather events and global warming. Abbott had disparaged UN Head of climate change negotiation Christiana Figueres as "talking through her hat". In an interview on Fairfax radio Abbott disputed her assertion of the clear links between the fires in NSW and global warming.

Nor are we sending our Environment Minister Greg Hunt, or a senior government official (with the authority to negotiate) to the UN Climate talks in Warsaw. Instead Hunt must stay t home like a poor Cinderella scrubbing away and busily repealing the carbon price

This is a huge snub by Australia to global cooperation on setting emissions targets. Australia has the highest per capita emissions of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development) countries and some of the highest world wide.

Furthermore Abbott has announced the scrapping of twenty advisory boards, including the Advisory Board on Positive Aging. This committee is just 6 months away from completion of a report.

I have wrestled with my depression and despair at the election of Tony Abbott for the highest position in the land. I have not seen evidence that he is up to the job; ethically intellectually; internationally, and in terms of a vision for all Australians.

The recent speech by John Howard in London could have been a matched blue print to Abbott's current espoused intentions and his style.

Howard has said that he is agnostic when it comes to climate change. He considers the claims about global warming ( of the majority of world scientists) to be "exaggerated".

Howard confesses that he has read only one book on global warming by notoriously scientifically inaccurate sceptic Lord Nigel Lawson.

Howard prefers to go on his gut feelings. and scoffs at the over use of experts, ( except of expert deniers) to advise government. Howard did not explain if he would apply this credo to (the science of ) medical treatment , for himself or his family.

Howard also confessed to going with global warming as real and an emissions trading scheme because he perceived this to be an electoral necessity in 2006. But he never really believed.

Abbott denies having read the Howard speech titled "One Religion is Enough" (presumably his own) but its not a long shot to assume he has heard the words before. He refused to speak to the Fairfax journalist but received a comforting departing pat on the shoulder by another of his mentors Allan Jones.

I am not the only one to suggest that Abbott should "ignore stupid old men", like John Howard, who now openly confesses without a trace of conscience or shame that he dissembled to suit political expediency. Was this also his credo with regard to invading Iraq?

In saying this John Howard is confessing to a preparedness to sacrifice the lives of millions and to decimate the future of his own children and grandchildren. All for the sake of strutting the stage, full of sound and fury. All for the sake of vacuously exercised power.

My advice and probably vain hope is that Abbott will turn on the corrupt king makers who have installed him. The little coterie, of anti science anti humanistic oddballs, that include Andrew Bolt and other shock jocks as well as the Murdoch Press IPA and mining interests.

But failing that; and because maybe it's a big ask - Its hard to give up old buddies - I advise him to retain scientific and other advisors with real expertise.

To not appoint old climate denier cronies just for old times sake.

To heed the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, in framing his policies.

To care about the vulnerable.

To strive for a fair and just Australia.

To preserve our moral gains.

To not destroy the environment, by massive mining approval.

To not approve mines that export masses of unpriced CO2 that will add irremediably to the global emissions footprint.

Here are two 'messages in a bottle' to Tony Abbott PM and The Labour Opposition, They are written by two ordinary Australian citizens

Dear Bill Shorten etc

I have been massively let down by your combined ethical cart wheels over the last

six years. It has been a roller coaster ride of hope and despair. Your treatment of asylum seekers has been appalling. You have botched the climate change challenge , but you do at least seem to have tried. Now you are stuck on the other side of the House of Representatives. Please do not be wimps. Hold the Government to account. Be strong and fearless. Don't let me down. Although I didn't vote for you

Yours sincerely ,disillusioned voter.

...

Dear Tony Abbott,

I write this on the eve of the resumption of parliament on the 12^th of November 2013.

I am disappointed to hear that you will not be attending the whole of the first parliamentary sitting .

You are in now the top job, and not looking very happy after all. You have a sizable chunk of influence and responsibility in direction and decision making. You have some power of life and death over current and future generations. You are a custodian of this earth for your term in office. There is not much time left, if we are to avert catastrophe. Tony you have three lovely daughters, who will have children of their own, so somewhere deep inside I have to believe that you care about their futures.

You have seized the prize. Use it well and wisely.

Govern for me, and all Australians, as you have said you would,

(even though I didn't vote for you).

Yours sincerely ,

concerned citizen, mother and grandmother.