A record of achievement.
Another year of Coalition Government bites the toxic dust
advertisingnotallowed/politics/politics-display/another-year-of-coalition-government-bites-the-toxic-dust,15831For what non-self-serving legislation or achievements will this Government be remembered? Managing editor Michelle Pini takes a look at the Morrison Government's record to date.
IT WOULD BE presumptuous to assume that Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s fate is now sealed and his Government rendered to the scrap heap, for, as we know, it ain’t over until the wily media mogul declares it so.
Nonetheless, it is difficult to think of a more tumultuous Federal Parliament in recent history and yet, strangely, it is also tough to produce a government with fewer accomplishments. But Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his band of merry (mainly) men has managed to achieve this questionable twin milestone.
Electoral annihilation is looking more and more likely, however. After all, even wily media moguls can only cover up the stench for so long once a government is really on the nose.
And this Federal Government is undeniably on the nose since it has consistently attempted to set records for:
- the least number of days in parliament;
- the most rorts and scandals;
- upsetting as many trade partners/allies/world powers as possible;
- helping the least amount of people;
- producing the most fantastical fabrications;
- accepting the least amount of responsibility of any Australian Government, ever, in living memory; and
- the most unavailing legislative agenda.
The 2021 Parliamentary year ended largely as it had begun, with the Morrison Government struggling to get its biggest bills passed and with Parliament set to sit for the least number of days possible in the lead-up to the mandatory May 2022 Election — just ten days in total until August.
Obfuscation and avoidance appear to be the only tools left in the floundering PM’s arsenal. With the indignities mounting up and even the establishment media having the odd go, avoiding scrutiny in the hope that things will blow over and all will be forgotten after a nice bit of plum pudding and a rest from those most sexually harassed of parliamentary annals, is all that remains. That, and some more prayer, of course.
LEAST NUMBER OF DAYS IN PARLIAMENT
UPSETTING AS MANY TRADE PARTNERS/ALLIES/ WORLD POWERS AS POSSIBLE
China — by Australia the self-appointed judge in the coronavirus investigation, jeopardising ;France — by billions of dollars in submarines, then reneging on the deal but forgetting to tell the French, lying to French President Macron about it, then lying about lying and finally, releasing private text messages from the French leader to the media;most European nations — by the European Union (EU) for not releasing enough vaccines when the Morrison Government neglected to order them;most European nations, again — by first refusing to summit, then turning up only to undermine efforts and finally refusing to make any substantial commitments, plus being as a liar by President Macron;most remaining trade partners — by participating in the arrangement, which benefits the English-speaking nations of the UK, U.S.A. and, luckily, us;China, again — by allowing to speak at all and then letting him spew forth with pre-election warnings of “dark clouds” and “1930s mistakes” and the threat of ; and
This Morrison regime has managed to piss off:HELPING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE
Angus Taylor — attempted to discredit by citing a falsified document in Parliament, which was allegedly falsified by his own department, despite knowing the document was false, thereby misleading Parliament;Andrew Laming — he took "humorous" photos in a work setting. Of an unsuspecting woman's underwear. As she bent over. And of another woman. In a park. While he hid in the bushes. Hilarious!Josh Frydenberg — "We're back on track and back in the black!"... ... Later... Maybe;Scott Morrison and Hawaii — to be in Australia, when he was in Hawaii and then, “I told Albo where I was going… I was on leave!” … but in Hawaii;Scott Morrison and France — “I didn’t lie to President Macron!”;Scott Morrison and vaccines —“We’re at the !” ... “ I never said that”... “It’s the EU’s fault.”;Scott Morrison and EVs — " are crap!" ... "I never said that!" ... "EVs are the bomb!";Scott Morrison and WA — “We did not sue the WA Government!” Except . With mining magnate ;Scott Morrison and ICAC — "ICAC is a kangaroo court!" ... "We would've passed a Federal ICAC if it wasn't for Labor!" Except the Government has , or even produced a model for one; Scott Morrison and "Shanghai Sam" — “I Shanghai Sam 17 times … but I think I got away with it!”Scott Morrison versus the world — “I never said any of the above and you can’t prove it.”
FANTASTICAL FABRICATIONSOVERSEEING THE MOST UNAVAILING LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
All of which leads us to label this Morrison Government a do-nothing government, with only one overriding aim — to stay in power at all costs. We may be wrong, but we cannot think of a government in modern Australian history with a more ineffectual legislative agenda than this one.
Looking back, every administration preceding Morrison’s managed to achieve at least one piece of memorable legislative reform.
Malcolm Turnbull had the 'Same-Sex Marriage Bill' and the 'Banking Royal Commission'.
Even Tony Abbott – the master undoer and possibly the next most under-achieving PM after Morrison – had the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
Among a record number of legislative measures, Julia Gillard is remembered for the 'Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse' and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Kevin Rudd ratified the Kyoto Protocol and made a formal apology to the Stolen Generations.
There was a lot wrong with the Howard Government but Johnny will still be remembered for his landmark National Firearms Agreement, as well as the Goods and Services Tax.
Paul Keating led a reform agenda among which the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act and the Native Title Act inspired by the Mabo case, are highlights.
Even Malcolm Fraser, sandwiched between the majorly transformative Labor administrations of Bob Hawke and Gough Whitlam, managed to establish the Human Rights Commission and the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).
Apart from repealing acts, like Medevac, wielding a big stick via acts like the 'Social Media (Anti-Trolling) Bill', the paradoxically named 'Religious Discrimination Bill' – which seeks to discriminate – and the 'Voter ID Bill' (none of which have been passed or ratified), or avoiding promised legislative reform, like the establishment of a Federal ICAC (now pending for over 1,100 days), for what non-self-serving legislation will this Government be remembered?
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