Comments on: Crikey Says

By: Mirek

Mirek — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It didn`t take long to realise that Rudd government is just a continuation of the hated Howard era: the worst of the WorkChoces are retained, the seemingly bizarre and punitive NT Intervention is being extended, the `Apology` a distant and ironic past, the euphoria and hope in signing Kyoto, dashed by indifference to climate change and environmental destruction (it affects profits, after all), Haneef cover-up continuing and David Hicks still under `control orders`. And this just the beginning of `me-tooism`, we have `economic conservetism`, media manipulation and new stunts on the offing, such as the Henson affair. Clearly, the Australian people long for, but don`t have a political alternative to the current neo-liberal concensus, the cutting of social services, job loss and precarity, the widening gap between the priviledged and the poor, degradation of the environment, conflict and war. Clearly, we deserve much, much better, and most of all, a political alternative that gives voice to the broad population, and expresses their interests. Otherwise Crikey will be writing a similar editorial in four years` time. Plus ça change?

By: Kevin Charles Herbert

Kevin Charles Herbert — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

So Crikey commissioned High Ground Hugo (HGH) to write this editorial.

Now we’re all waiting breathlessly for your roll out of Crikey’s revolutionary New Australian Political Plan (NAPP)……which I understand HGH needs to do more often these days…..and no plaigiarising Ken Thomas’s paper.

Where do you think we are……the Netherlands?

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Almost no-one gives a toss though.

By: JamesK

JamesK — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

"Clearly, we deserve much, much better" says Mirek. Do we? And the "hated Howard era"? Presumably that was because he duped us, we who apparently "deserve much, much better".
If we deserve so much better, Mirek, why don't you offer reasoned argument or interesting observations, preferably novel?

For my tuppence 'hapenny's worth: I think australians want good management. Howard's government gave that until the porkbarelling and complacency got too much. The other thing they want is leadership and not necessarily silliness or 'leadership' for leadership's sake.

The 2020 summit, calling for the blowtorching of OPEC, an asian union, giving $70 million of our money to Toyota shareholders, threatening Japan with the international courts and then reneging, removing support to the private health system without public health infrastructure to manage the change and the flipflop removal of government subsidy to solar power home conversions is definitely not the style or substance of the leadership that I would like to see.

Up until recently Rudd has managed public relations well. Spin, however, only goes so far.