Last week, The Juice Media published a YouTube video, Honest Government Ad | How to rig elections.
It pointed out how little difference there is with the two major parties: Labor and the Liberal-Nationals coalition.
The lack of difference on the following don’t appear to be in contention: both parties support tax cuts for the rich, the endless spending on armaments (i.e. nuke subs), outlawing peaceful protests, screwing refugees and whistleblowers, giving their mates plum jobs and ‘doing whatever Santos tells us to do’.
Juice Media made the point that excluding other political voices appears, by far, the overriding bond that both parties share.
Another point was that the Labor and the Liberal-Nationals coalition allegiances to large tax-dodging corporations provides them with the war chest to keep the corporate media manipulation/charade/hypnosis/clown show operational. And in control.
It takes a lot of cash to say ‘look over there’ while cheerfully destroying the joint.
Anyway, Juice Media’s source was recommendations from the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters around the ‘Conduct of the 2022 federal election and other matters’.
They examined the interim report, which appears to be somewhat different from the final report, which was released last week.
According to the final report, some of the committee recommendations around preserving the two party oligarchy were dropped, and instead more transparency is proposed.
It’s enough to make the average entitled political tyrant MP choke over their Dom Perignon Rose Gold Methuselah.
Final recommendations
The final recommendations include ‘real time’ disclosure requirements for donations to political parties and candidates; lowering the donation disclosure threshold to $1,000; amending the definition of ‘gift’ in the Electoral Act; introducing donation caps for federal election donations; and the introduction of measures to govern truth in political advertising.
Would such recommendations, if enacted, instil more confidence in the political process?
UK comedian David Mitchell makes the point that one way to reform politics is paying politicians ‘a lot more’, while making sure they ‘can’t do anything else, and that includes after they retire’.
This, he says, would ensure the unfair influence of lobbyists is massively reduced. Yet he admits it’s an unpopular manifesto that will never be put into action.
Whether political donations are in the public interest is the key.
With the election of the independent Teal candidates in 2022, it proved that when enough individuals donate to a political cause, it paves the way for political reform.
Pointing out the inherent corruption of politicians being paid for favours just doesn’t seem as effective, does it? After all, corruption exists, and will always permeate, throughout all levels of society, from low-level public servants to national leaders.
Hans Lovejoy, editor
Jesus Hans,
You have outdone yourself !
I am astounded to see the truth of what we are sold as Democracy, in this the fifty-first state of the US, PRINTED.
While I am heartened, as this is the most honest and unexpected, spin-free analysis of Australia’s political situation post-Gough, I cannot help, in all seriousness, being very concerned for your well-being. As you know there are many sinister forces at work in our country with much to loose, you only have to see the look of terror in the PM’s eyes these days to be convinced of their capabilities.
Maintain the Rage, but don’t go skydiving,
Best wishes, sincerely, G”)
“UK comedian David Mitchell makes the point that one way to reform politics is paying politicians ‘a lot more’, while making sure they ‘can’t do anything else, and that includes after they retire’.”
A reasonable idea with one slight problem.
What happens if the politician turns out to be a one-term wonder, what happens next?
Do they shift to Byron in their campervan, illegally parking overnight whilst collecting the dole for the rest of their lives?
Go got it Jimi, there are a few too many ex politicians and judges in the wonderful green lefty Shire of Byron. Funny how all the southerners end up going there and inflict their sick and twisted ideology and ridiculous narrative upon all of us. What a very special place with very special people. Our fine regional areas don’t need them.
It’s an amusing and clever number. Satire that’s punchy and effective. But Hans, did you not notice – it’s comedy! There’s always truth in satire but it’s hardly an in-depth serious discussion of all the issues raced over and doesn’t have to be – that’s comedic licence. The same licence is not granted to serious journalism But you’ve used this as the pièce de resistance of your editorial? Not groundbreaking!
“It pointed out how little difference there is with the two major parties: Labor and the Liberal-Nationals coalition”. Mm Hans – you have a VERY short memory I’d suggest.
Now what would a similarly satirical piece about the Greens and ON look like?
Anyone that cannot see the clear difference between Labor and the Dutton leftover’s Noalition, shouldn’t be voting! That former Morrison Govt was hands down the most catastrophic, deceitful Govt this country has ever been inflicted with. 16 of these deplorable LNP just went to a London “Anti-environment Cooker conspiracy crazies fest” run by hedge fund billionaires, where they talked about stopping any attempt to save the environment from fossil fuels and that any attempt to do so was stupid, “Tony Abbott”. While Dutton was in India, drumming up donation from coal mining billionaires. And Morrison and many others are still right there waiting to do it to you all over again, if you’re stupid enough to allow them! Well, are you stupid, thats the question?
I’m sure that’s true if your reality is TV. They certainly talk as if they are different. But in the real world, we ‘know them by their fruits’. The owners divide their minions up into red shirts and blue shirts, and roughly divide up their agenda items into two lists for them to play out. Their media then provides a blue narrative and red narrative for the peasants to fight about. Anything real is a conspiracy theory, even if you are quoting from their own publicly available writings that are never reported on. You will own nothing, and have nothing, so just eat your bugs in your pod, and complain about the latest ‘thing’.
Who’s the puppet master?
Tweed, Noalition?, how’s about Albonomics and Bowenblackouts?, Clueless Clair O’Neil, Mark Doofus ?.
Gregrrrrrtttrrrrr, Sydney had a blackout last Wednesday (14/12/23) night and it wasn’t anything to do with Chris Bowen; it was your black electrons – that 24/7, reliable, fair dinkum coal power, that couldn’t deliver when it mattered the most.