Wanted: executive director, Institute of Public Affairs
EXCLUSIVE: After the news that IPA executive director John Roskam is moving on, Crikey has gotten ahold of the completely legitimate, very real job ad for finding his replacement.
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Tips and Murmurs Editor @theshufflediary
Charlie Lewis pens Crikey's Tips and Murmurs column and also writes on industrial relations, politics and culture. He previously worked across government and unions and was a researcher on RN's Daily Planet. He currently co-hosts Spin Cycle on Triple R radio.
Socially, the IPA would like to return us to somewhere around 1949-66. However, that age was characterised by strong unions, rising wages, improving worker conditions, progressive taxation, a strong ABC and state ownership of many essential services. They certainly don’t want the economic and labour environment of the Menzies era. They want to dismantle what’s left of the post-war settlement. In fact, they would dismantle most of the social and industrial reforms of the 20th Century if they could. Economically, it’s somewhere around 1900 that they long for.
I have a feeling that the IPA many have left a couple of requirements off the job description advertisement.
The ideal candidate for this position will no doubt need to be committed to upholding the law (that is, The Law of the Jungle) and be dedicated to accelerating the widening gap between rich and poor as well as between incomes.
Another key requirement will also to be able to put spin on the need to pay, for example, hospital and educational executives (maggots and parasites called by any other name) obscenely high wages (it is what the ‘market’ demands you know!!) while nurses and other essential medical staff and teachers are casualized and paid ‘peanuts’. All this of course, in the name of ‘increased efficiency’ and ‘world’s best practice’!!
Also, at the risk of being labelled a pedant, I think that the advertisement has a misprint. Unless I am mistaken, shouldn’t the last line in red in fact read:
Time management is a must. In particular managing to make the time (something like) 1849 – 1866 again?
as I understand that one of the prime reasons for the existence of the IPA is to return us to some sort of Dickensian Utopia (as they would see it).
That’s only a way station en route to their preferred preWilberforcean labour conditions – a hundred years earlier.
I will not argue with that Phryne!
How much does it pay? Or that a secret too – like their buoyancy donors?
…. To which safe Liberal Party seat is Roskam bound?
Any constituency that voted Roskam in would be a dead rubber for sure…but perhaps Murdoch needs someone gifted to run a torture chamber.
“Rupert’s House Of Bondage” – does have certain ring about it…..
If there were any justice, it would be the Siege Perilous – those unworthy of it perished ‘orribly.
A key criteria is missing. Must be able to deliver an article to The Financial Review each week – month after month, year after year – making essentially the same argument about the ‘ correct’ approach to the economy – with just the right slight touch of current issues to seem relevant.
Yes – by any objective measure their arguments are outdated and mostly irrelevant. They ignore contemporary issues because it does not suit their fixed ideas and overarching ideology of small government, private not public, demonising unions, fiscal restraint ( debt and deficit!!!) Of course, in spite of the Morrison Govt now running the greatest debt ever the tune does not change. However, due to the massive and secret funding they are powerful and influential, and dangerous!!
They should be rename the Idiocy of Pathetic Arseholes.
Sounds like a genuine add to me .I have a mate who could be interested . He is extremely careless with the truth in fact many of his friends call him an outright liar. He never lets the facts interfere with his constant ambition to make a dollar but he does give 10% to the cult each week . His only fault and this may not be true because I heard it from a friend is he once helped an old lady cross the road.
Sounds like the perfect candidate. Eric!!
Where’s that old lady now? Are they still looking for her?
As you probably have guessed she did not to want to shake hands or cross the road and he was just attempting to get a photoshoot to further his career I believe she has lodged a complaint alleging assault.
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