Sunday, July 29, 2012

Newmania: The Might Do State

King Campbell promised the voters that he was a Can Do Leader, with a Can Do team. The voters threw their support behind the Can Do brand and the promises implied therein, but the Can Do brand lied. The people of Newmania expected too much. Just yesterday, the rending of Newmania into those who held the faith and those with broken hearts was tweeted:

Ratbaits: @omega_bunny can you tone down the language towards @Can_do_Campbell - he is here to save the world and that is hardly wasting oxygen.

There are those still waiting for the CanDo miracle, and those whose expectations have been grounded with the speed and grace of Alan Joyce running a national airline...and know how that worked out for Qantas. Don't assume that because someone promises that they Can Do, that they'll follow through. King Campbell is the Can Do leader of Newmania. For many Newmanians, the truth is Can Do...But Won't.

In fairness, Can Do has kept his some promises to get Newmania back on track. Strictly speaking. It's about how each person interprets those promises. Newmania is definitely back after 4 months with King Campbell. It's undeniably on track too, although the direction isn't clear to everyone.

Clive Palmer knows that Newmania supports mining as part of the pledge to "Grow A Four Pillar Economy". King Campbell has pledged $300,000 to help Palmer's High Court Challenge against the Federal Government's Mining Tax. King Campbell is very generous on behalf of Newmanians, throwing our money at the one Newmanian who least needs help. It's symbolic support at best.

In contrast, those Newmanians who most need help continue to miss out. Our disabled get nothing, because we're the Spain of Australia and can't afford it. Even worse, King Campbell's tight-arsedness is blocking the NDIS for all Australians who need this vital help. For the record, Newmania is not bankrupt, and if King Campbell isn't sure, he should talk to his own Treasurer, who's been promoting Queensland as a state wirh a healthy, stable economy. King Campbell could support the NDIS on behalf of all of us, if he wanted to. Can Do...but Won't.

Some special Newmanians are a lot more comfortable. The ACL knows that King Campbell's team will support conservative values, even though King Campbell himself doesn't actually believe in them. He doesn't have to do anything - he could leave things the way they are, but no: he's doing what he can do to undermine LGBTI support and equality. In fact, the $300,00 dollars for Clive Palmer's High Court hijinks could've been redirected to support proven campaigns like Rip'n'Roll. Could've been, but wouldn't. 

It's so hard to make predictions. The LNP promised to "Grow a Four Pillar Economy". Part of that is support for the resources and mining industries, but the policy also states that it supports agriculture. 

A CanDo LNP government will revitalise front line biosecurity services as a key part of our plan for a four pillar economy to provide our regions with jobs and hope.

How did that work out for Nothern Newmania?

UP to 20 Townsville-based jobs could be lost after funding for a state-of-the-art biosecurity facility at James Cook University was scrapped by the State Government.

The $18 million facility, which was proposed by the former Labor government, would have brought together the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - which enforces biosecurity laws - and university researchers at the forefront of animal disease prevention.

The State Government has also decided to close the current facility at Oonoonba because it would cost too much to renovate.

So, Queensland's biosecurity was a MightDo initiative that didn't make it. Like gay equality, it's worse now than it was six months ago.

I recall a lot of pre-election Can-Doing about lowering the cost of living for all Newmanians. Much of that seems less certain now. Car Registration is going up. The ClimateSmart Home programme, which saved households up to $480, has gone. 

The reality has been that my household's cost of living has increased since King Campbell started his reign...and let's not mention the financial pressures on former public servants. I'm sure King Campbell thinks that converting 20,000 public servants into 20,000 unemployed people is somehow cutting waste.

If there's a theme present through King Campbell's priorities, it's that people matter less than, well, everything else - unless those people are high profile LNP supporters, family and friends. They will enjoy legislative, employment and financial support. But what about the ever-increasing list of vulnerable Newmanians: the disabled, LGBTI, even women. They've all been bundled into the one Ministry under Tracy Davis who has ministerial responsibility for Child Safety, Communities, Disabilities and Women. (Funny how a group with just over half the population as members can be treated as a minority, but that's another brainblurt.)

For them, it's No Can Do.

No comments:

Post a Comment