Yesterday Bernard Keane wrote a piece asking “Why did Treasurer Josh Frydenberg feel the need to co-opt the Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe last Thursday for a photo-op to spruik the strength of the economy?” Today, Crikey readers share their thoughts:
Jim Feehely writes: The blessed economy will be what it will be, given this government’s refusal to do anything about the “fundamentals” that are clearly pointing toward recession. Do these muppets really think that it’s all about messaging and not reality? I fear we will have a recession we did not need to have, all because of this government’s unshakeable belief in neo-liberal dogma, despite now 30 years of evidence of what that has done to our and many other economies.
Marilyn Peters writes: Yet again Bernard has saved my sanity. I was perplexed when I read Lowe’s comments after meeting with Frydenberg. I thought I must have misunderstood all that was said by Lowe around the two interest rate cuts. But no, just more spin generated by a government that seems completely out of its depth. If they can raid the “free” press, I guess telling the head of a so-called independent entity to pull his head in and change his tune is not all that surprising. Yet again I am staggered the Coalition won the last election.
David Harris writes: The sight of of the head of the Reserve Bank saying Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir to Frydenberg would have been even more sickening if it had not also been so transparent as to be hilarious.
I used to be much more sympathetic to Frydenberg. He seemed intelligent. But he’s burned all his credibility with me, and this interview extinguished the last embers in the ashes, for me.
Annalise Lampe writes: On that photo op. What a pic. Three Aussie flags behind the beaming duo and a star gracing both their heads. Still, it doesn’t convince me that the economy is ticketyboo. So disappointing that Josh hasn’t dropped his frequent references to the “retirement tax” that never was, at the same time happily ripping off pensioners via the artificially high deeming rate for a few years and during the election campaign.
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Lowe appearance with Frydenberg is reminiscent of the media stunts communist North Vietnam put on when it shot down a US airman during the Vietnam war. In those cases the unfortunate flyer would be coerced into a totally unconvincing denunciation of the war and the US. Unlike Lowe he at least didn’t smile during the charade.
The smile on Phillip Lowe’s face is the same one I have seen on the face of a man I knew who disarmed IED’s in Afghanistan.