Friday, March 14, 2014

Confession of an accidental voter for Tony Abbott

I have almost always voted Liberal. This gave me conservative governments, which I didn't always agree with, but which had principles and which - broadly - carried on with the necessary Hawke-Keating reforms.  I voted for Tony Abbott's mob because I though they could do better than the implosion which was the ALP. Tony would "change" when he became PM. No he didn't. Liberal principles are honoured in the breach. Governing for all Australians has gone out the window (vide the food health website). Instead, we are being treated to parochialism, vindictiveness, pettiness and just wrongheadedness that is only beaten by NSW's last ALP government. What a shame.

When the Emissions trading system came in, something went haywire. Here was a market-based trading solution (the most efficient), a fundamental Liberal approach, being espoused by a Labour government. And what were the Libs doing? Well, depending on the day of the week, Tony was either pushing for "direct action" (which is bullshit to anyone with economics training, but lawyers think they can change the rules of human behaviour by fiat) or for a tax, a (usually inefficient) Labour approach. WTF? The world has turned upside down.

I though Tony would "man up" in government. If it were just more slogans, I could live with it. But now he is politicising both the armed forces (re refugees) and the public service (re Parkinson). The ALP was bad, but not this bad. Unless things change, next time - for the first time in around 20 years - the ALP will have my vote.

Man up Tony!  Be a Liberal!

#tonyabbott,#australia,#bipartisan,#politicisation,#conservative,#liberal

http://www.smh.com.au/business/comment-and-analysis/please-mr-abbott-stick-to-the-facts-20140314-34q9r.html