Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Labor, how do I loathe thee?

By John Mikkelsen - posted Tuesday, 7 May 2024


I'm probably not alone in finding it surprising that Federal Labor still had around 30 to 32 percent primary support in recent polls - an all-time low. But how low can they go?

To borrow the latest trending courtroom term which fits all the recent political own-goals and stuff-ups, it's an "omnishambles" from the top down.

Yes, Prime Minister Albanese, I blame you, along with Immigration Minister Andrew Giles, Home Affairs Minister Clair O'Neil, Attorney General Mark Dreyfuss, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Education Minister Jason Clare and the rest of your hapless acolytes.

Advertisement

You brought this into the spotlight when you reduced a young woman, Sarah Williams, to tears at the domestic violence rally in Canberra by claiming you were asked not to speak. Ms Williams, who organised the rally, had just recounted her own harrowing experiences. She stood beside you weeping and repeating "that's a lie" but you turned a tin ear and continued speaking against hecklers in the crowd who really didn't want to hear your platitudes. The '80s hit What About Me might still be high on your Spotify playlist, but really, it's not all about you.

The next day you denied Ms Williams' claims, but audio emerged of you telling her, "I'm the Prime Minister."

I'm reminded of a quote by legendary Tory British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher: "Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."

Even your normally supportive national broadcaster, the ABC, found your performance seriously wanting. Prominent presenter Annabel Crab wrote:

The world is full of imponderables at the moment. And for Australian women, you can add a new one to the list: How long is it going to take for us to get a prime minister whose response to reasonable female anger isn't to trip spectacularly over his own tackle?

The footage of Anthony Albanese attempting to cope with the febrile environment outside Parliament House at Sunday's domestic violence rally is nearly unwatchable…

Many of us now despair at how badly you and your ministers run things. Take the ever-increasing cost of living crisis and housing debacles largely due to your unachievable and costly green energy policies and an immigration Ponzi scheme to shore up an economy slipping towards recession. You say you will cut the high levels which according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics saw migrant arrivals last year increase by 73 percent to 737,000 from 427,000 the previous year. But a new monthly record of 105,460 was established in February.

Advertisement

No doubt the growing number of frustrated potential home buyers and rent seekers who can't afford the limited supply available, along with the homeless living under bridges, sleeping in cars or camped in tents on riverbanks, will be anxiously awaiting any change in their circumstances. My advice - don't hold your breath.

Then there's our worsening personal security - particularly for the elderly, women and girls (especially those in outback indigenous communities) and our Jewish residents who are subjected daily to protests and anti semitic hate speech on university campuses and in vile social media posts. We have even seen young children encouraged to call for an "antifada" (violent uprising) and chant "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" while the authorities including university chancellors and vice chancellors turn a blind eye, because it's "free speech".

Our highly paid eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, also ignores the racist rants by Islamic hate preachers, but has banned the video of an alleged terrorist knife attack by a teenager on a Christian Bishop in Sydney because it's "too violent". Even the victim, Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, believes the video should be available to anyone who wishes to see it, and the head of X (formerly Twitter) Elon Musk has resisted moves to ban it internationally, despite a tirade of personal abuse from you and your ministers.

Again, they have found an unusual ally in the ABC's usually left-wing Media Watch, where presenter Paul Barry actually agrees with Musk, the Bishop and even right-wing commentator Andrew Bolt (shock horror!)

More recently, we had the horrific attack and robbery of an elderly woman, Ninette Simons, in her own home allegedly by one of the 154 former detainees released into the community, including 37 sex offenders and 72 violent offenders including an assasin, following a High Court ruling last year.

Your ministers originally claimed your government had opposed his release on bail but that was subsequently found to have been a lie - he had been arrested and released back into the community no less than three times including a few days before the alleged attack, with no opposition to bail.

He had also not been required to wear an ankle bracelet but you blamed your so-called independent Community Protection Board for that decision even though your minister has the ultimate say and responsibility for board decisions.

For days after the attack, Ministers Giles and O'Neil ducked for cover, prompting a quip from Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, "It's easier to find the ex-detainees than the responsible ministers…"

As if all the above isn't enough to turn a large percentage of the public off, we also now have the spectacle of how you splash taxpayer funds by the industrial skip load to support highly questionable, virtue signalling private business start-ups.

These include $1billion for the Quantum Computer facility in Brisbane proposed by a company based in the US (PsiQuantum), pushed by Labor-mate lobbyists, and with the Queensland Labor Government of grinning Steven Miles also on board.

This follows $1 billion for the solar panel manufacturing business in the NSW Hunter Valley that billionaire shareholders Mike Cannon- Brookes and ex- PM Malcolm Turnbull apparently couldn't risk with their own funds to launch, the green hydrogen pipe dreams in Gladstone, Townsville and elsewhere - you name it, if it's claimed to help get us to "net zero" you and Chris 'Blackout' Bowen will back anything; except reliable and safe modern nuclear power. This still remains on the banned list despite growing public support here, and its proliferation in many other overseas states and nations which recognise "renewables" don't align with reality and reliability.

But it's ok to purchase three nuclear submarines under the Aukus deal, which will be berthed and serviced in Australian ports. Go figure..

Finally, to plagiarize Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous poem, How do I Love Thee, to sum up your government's performance, just change one crucial word :

How do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways.
I loathe thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I loathe thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light

 

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

20 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

John Mikkelsen is a long term journalist, former regional newspaper editor, now freelance writer formerly of Gladstone in CQ, but now in Noosa. He is also the author of Amazon Books memoir Don't Call Me Nev.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by John Mikkelsen

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of John Mikkelsen
Article Tools
Comment 20 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy