On the campaign trail Yesterday gave us a masterclass in Morrisonism. It had it all: a blatant lie testily tossed at questioning journalists; plenty of playing up to the cameras; gratuitous hi-vis; making various meals, and getting a haircut. As if that didn’t scream “campaign mode” loud enough, we’re also being treated to a whole new tranche of slogans.
After the refrain “technology not taxes” accompanying his nothing-much of a climate policy, today he added that climate action will be led by “can-do capitalism”, not “don’t do” government policy, which definitely means something.
But most striking of all has been the emphasis on “choices not mandates” — he used the word “choice” 12 times in the course of a single answer in yesterday’s press conference.
But surely no politician in the COVID era can use the word “mandate” as a pejorative and not know what they’re doing. The prime minister has of course dragged his feet on any kind of vaccine mandate, and given the vax rates across the nation perhaps it feels like a safe enough bet to wink at the ever-shrinking number of holdouts against getting vaccinated voluntarily.
Bringing it back Yesterday gave us two instances of a phrase we were happy enough to see in the dustbin of history. Warren Entsch on the confected voter ID problem: “You’ve got the democratic right to vote — why wouldn’t you show who you are? We’re not a Third World country.” And then Bill Shorten simultaneously attacking and taking credit for the government’s electric vehicle policy: “Australia is in danger of becoming an automotive Third World.”
Why are politicians bringing this terminology back? Partly because we suspect if you were to use “developing nations” or “global south”, the old-fashioned and frankly unsavoury connotations of the phrase might be a bit clearer.
Ruddocracy Here at Tips, we’re deeply reluctant to call attention to, let alone praise, the non-Crikey work of any of our colleagues. But if you’ve not caught it yet, Murdocracy, a podcast about the influence of Rupert Murdoch and News Corp hosted by our very own Cam Wilson with comedian Sami Shah is well worth a listen.
The latest episode features an interview with Kevin Rudd. Apart from describing Murdoch as someone without much interest in what Rudd calls “the world of the mind”, Rudd tells us of his “dilemma” regarding the show Succession. Rudd hasn’t watched it yet (he has to finish The Good Doctor first), partly on account of who owns the network airing it in Australia. Following a recommendation from his daughter, he apparently said “What’s that on, Binge? That’s owned by Murdoch. So do you mean I’ve got to become a subscriber to watch it? Well, bugger that.”
Magic numbers By common agreement, there’s a magical quality to Scott Morrison’s 2050 net zero plan, which relies on new technology descending from heaven to save us from global heating — especially as he refuses point blank to release the modelling behind the plan.
But there’s nothing as magical as the sorcery unveiled by Fairfax journalist Rob Harris.
His piece about a purported “New $1 billion fund to back Australian companies to develop low-emissions technology” shares the claim that government “expects to leverage $3 to $5 for every dollar invested — or up to $126 billion in total public and private investment over a decade”. Huh? Even accepting the idea that $500 million will be coupled with another $500 million from “private investors”, $5 for every dollar invested is, um, $5 billion, not $126 billion. It’s even more bizarre given that the piece goes on to note that the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has so far spent $9.5 billion (or nearly 10 times the new fund) to leverage $33 billion in investment.
Of course, Nine is far from the only one to do this — as Renew Economy‘s Michael Mazengarb points out, several publications credulously repeated the $1 billion claim, ignoring the part where the government kicks in only $500 million.
A match made in heaven for those dedicated to misinformation – Morrison the marketing man with Campaign Director Brian Loughnane and his ever-so-helpful wife – Peta Credlin of Sky Noise After Dark and of not-so-fair-and-balanced infamy.
Austerity for the hoi polloi and awards plus contracts for the fellow chaps……….right Scottie ?
I read somewhere this morning that David Gazard, former parliamentary aspirant and still close besties with Scotty has just won a contract for a consultancy on something or other that Scotty wants backing for.
Oh yes, and fully conforming with the all new bright shiny Boris Johnson decline in standards with contracts for ‘contributing’ chaps of useful standing .
If only a good journo would pull Morrison up on his emerging “choices not mandates“ mantra. How many times have we heard this government tell us they took a certain policy about something to the last election and therefore have a mandate when in fact the topic they’re talking about was never mentioned and effectively a policy free zone.
And they can’t change the 26-28% emissions reduction by 2030 target because that was the mandate they got at the last election. And they’re not taking anything different to the next one because the Australian people have spoken, via that election result. Funny thing but I don’t recall voter ID or social media rules being taken to the last election as a policy, although I do remember something about a Federal Integrity Commission.
Imagine if such a stupid approach had been applied to lead-based petrol, or seat belts, or air bags, or speed limits etc etc. “choices not mandates” is a recipe for absolute disaster, and the government knows it.
Of course ‘mandate’ however mendaciously used, was intended to be a claim of having democratic support for a process (whether true or not). So when Scomo tells us he’s opposed to mandates he’s telling us he’s opposed to democracy. This is surprisingly (no doubt unwittingly) honest – and fully aligns with the insights into his, er, ‘character’, that Crikey’s series on his religious predilections (that indicate he is, conceptually, opposed to the human-world evils of democracy (they subvert god’s will….which is, apparently, whatever the voices in his head tell him!), together with the addition of details from his own uni masters thesis on how to infiltrate and subvert such institutions). Plenty of politicians in power have seen democracy as a nuisance, but few have been this blatant in their indifference to, and contempt for, it.
The anti-vaxxers and anti-Dan demonstrators now have impetus to keep up the fight with approval from coalition MP’S support.
Reminds me of the USA attack on the Capitol. Supposed to be the ignorant, uneducated who formented that event, but according to The Atlantic and I think, The New Yorker, (written shortly after event) main instigators were from the financial elites of America.
Victoria has a Labor govt, also getting major approval for handling the covid pandemic. Plus infrastructure projects completed and still in progress.
Victorian state opposition will do deals with anyone in order to win seats for LNP govt. – at state and federal level.
Immoral, business oriented and into constant pork barrelling – not a likeable cohort.
May go well with voters – fed up with covid issues- not interested with current health/hospital/staff shortages and not wanting to face the future of living with covid.
Find myself swearing quietly when Scomo’s smiling face now constantly on media.
I cannot recall ever seeing a ‘smile’ on SmoKo’s face – smirks, snarls & sneers aplenty but nary a smile.
Agree – I used the wrong word! Prefer Scomo’s smirk! Thanks for the correction.
Succession:
Or he could have watched the original Korean drama on which the (much inferior) US version is based. Was available on SBS on Demand, but sadly no longer there.
Agree, SSR. I think a black comedy rather than a laugh out loud one. Yes, family structure and source of wealth mirrors Murdochs but that’s about it. The one person who does refer to what the Murdochs have done, but without naming them, is Logan Roy’s largely estranged brother, who editorialises once or twice a series on their evil influence on the world and society.
“Weapon of Choice” – by “Fat Boy Scomo” and the government that :-
a) Made the choice of letting the Ruby Princess through without proper investigation of the recorded circumstances of that cruise?
b) That chose to under-order on vaccines – in numbers and variety?
c) That made the choice of rorting sports, UCF, Safer Communities, and ripping off the M-DBA?
d) That when it came to subsidising action on climate or fossil fuel donors chose the latter?
e) That chose to “break up with Macron” by proxy?
f) “Fat Boy” himself – when he could choose to come clean and accept responsibility for his actions or dog it, for a litany of documented lies – goes panting off into the sunset?
….. Very courageous.