January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Election ‘07 / Satire
What we know: UBP's not always united, PLP's not progressive
So after nine years of PLP Government, what do we know now that we didn't know then?
We got a chance to see behind the curtain at the "Great and Powerful Oz" that was the UBP Government and this exposed several myths. We have removed some illusions and delusions and taken our first steps towards becoming a mature democracy.
We now know that a change in Government is not "The End of the World". The UBP are not the only ones who can keep our economy going and the only colour International Business really cares about is green. In fact some might argue that the PLP have let the economy expand too much - favouring growth and development over quality of life and the environment.
We also now know that a PLP Government does not equal "Emancipation" no matter what their campaign slogan says. Not everyone is making pots of money and living in their own home: unless, of course, you're in the Cabinet or at least related to a Cabinet minister. The emergency housing list is still full after nine years while millions of dollars have been spent on two different homes for two different Premiers and thousands more earmarked to fortify the home of a third. The more things have changed, the more they have stayed the same. It's all very "Animal Farm".
We now know that having a Labour Government does not guarantee good Labour Relations. Local Unions still show the same lack of respect for the contracts they sign as they always have. Just look at the various walkouts and go slows by the bus and ferry operators and the garbage "collectors". And promises made to police and teachers are reneged on as they are made to wait years just to get to arbitration. You'd think that with the former head of the BIU as Minister of Labour workers would get better treatment than that.
Not only are they not really a Labour Party, we now know that the PLP is not progressive either. A progressive party would want to extend the protections of the Human Rights Act to ALL people. But the PLP wouldn't even DISCUSS adding "sexual orientation" to the Act.
And after all the resignations a few months ago, we now know that the UBP hasn't always been as united as their name suggests.
We now know that, like good help, good leaders are hard to find. Both parties are on their third leader since 2003 and I think it's questionable whether either one has actually upgraded from what they had in the first place.
We now know that it's senseless to vote for an individual just because you agree with his views. If they are not in the Cabinet then they have absolutely no influence on Government policy, so their views are irrelevant. And even if they are in Cabinet they are only there at the pleasure of the Premier so what he says goes.
Dale Butler is a case in point. First there was the Cuban Memorandum - he was against it until he got into Cabinet then he was for it. Then there was the fight for Gay rights - he was in favour of including them in the Human Rights Act but he was overruled. A candidate's individual beliefs and integrity only matter if they are in line with the Premier's.
And if there's one thing we now know for sure, it's that neither party has the monopoly on competence. Just look at the way public education has been screwed up since...Well since there's been public education. We've all done stupid things that seemed like a good idea at the time, but I can't imagine how closing "Tech" EVER made sense. Did they think we had all the plumbers, mechanics and electricians that we'd ever need?
The UBP built Cedarbridge apparently without thinking the air conditioning system all the way through and then the PLP did them one better with the new Berkeley - $120 million not including legal fees. And the number of graduates continues to fall.
Of course, there through all of this was the ironically named Department of Education. Civil Self Service at its best. Sir Humphrey Appleby would be proud.[[In-content Ad]]
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