Self-interest at heart of politics
YOU’RE probably like me when you see politicians sidling up beside celebrities for photos or dropping in on prime-time TV shows just to chew the fat and have a laugh.
You smell a rat. Your suspicions are aroused. And so they should be.
Like me, you know these pollies don’t usually come out in public unless they have to — either to fight off nasty allegations or to do something that might help get them re-elected.
This is why my BS-meter went off like a police siren when I saw Saints superstar Nick Riewoldt alongside Daniel Andrews.
The Premier was announcing a $2 million grant for a bone marrow research centre in honour of Nick’s sister Maddie, who died of aplastic anaemia.
Now I don’t have any problem with taxpayer money going to good causes, that’s where it should go. But how come celebrities’ causes get money before others?
When I saw the long-winded coverage the Riewoldt story received, I started thinking about pollies cashing in on celebrities — especially where the heartstrings are being tugged good and hard.
There’s no doubt the Maddie’s Vision campaign for bone marrow research is a worthy cause. But I have to say I’m stunned at the speed of its success.
How many other worthy causes achieve wins like this in such a short time-frame?
I ask because aplastic anaemia affects 140 of Australia’s 25 million people a year. Compared with the thousands affected by so many other health issues desperately needing more research, it’s a small player.
But Nick Riewoldt’s not a small player. He’s a heavy hitter and Daniel Andrews knows it. Which is probably why Nick looks so uncomfortable in the whole TV coverage — on one hand he’s rapt to get the money for such a deeply personal cause, on the other he’s clearly awkward being used as a political tool.
But Daniel Andrews is in election mode. Just have a look at his budget and its billion- dollar promises for Geelong.
There’s not a one of them you can trust. Just look at what he did before the last election. Promised no new or increased taxes. Then hit us with 12 new or increased taxes. Liar, liar, pants in fire, Dan. But don’t call the CFA, they still won’t help. Haha!
And the convention centre he was going to spend $150 million on is actually set for $10 million next year. That won’t build the dunnies. There’s still no agreed site by both side of politics. And just wait for Andrews to call on the Feds to finance it, too.
Political promises in an election year. Not worth two bob.
You have to see the Reiwoldt stunt is just spin. I’m totally suspicious about the motives of the money and the media coverage.
If Andrews was fair dinkum, he’d hand the money over quietly, without the media stunt, well away from the cameras. After all, if every $2 million his government spent really deserved a photo op that’s all he’d ever be doing with his multi-billion budgets.
The question here is whether the bone marrow centre would have received the two million if it didn’t present a perfect Nick Riewoldt photo opportunity. Of course not.
Question number two: Is the Government spending your money on its re-election campaign instead of party money? Absolutely. From level crossing works to new schools to roads and trains, everything is costed and prioritised according to political selfinterest and which electorates are likely to reciprocate the generosity with votes. It’s blatant.
We really need to take the politics out of charities. After all, why isn’t it the public’s choice who gets money — not the Government’s re-election prospects?
Where’s the independent regulator on this stuff?
What if I don’t like where the Government’s giving money away? What if they decide they want to save the orang-utan, or tigers or some rainforest, instead of the sick people?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to bash Andrews because I don’t like him, it happens with both sides of politics. And it’s wrong on both sides of politics.
But just for the record, I really don’t like Andrews. He’s not working for Victoria’s best interests. Or Geelong’s either.
His Government’s efforts stand out like a sore thumb. With all the flak they’re copping he wants some good news coverage.
We’re being conned for a PR stunt to get Daniel Andrews on TV with someone with far greater credibility than he has — a football pin-up champion, a community hero through tragedy, a bloke whose cousin just won an AFL flag, a bloke who’s sporting royalty.
The Government and politicians — and, again, I’m talking about both sides, not just Dan Andrews — have lost the sense of looking after citizens properly.
Local MPs, pollies right across the state and the country, ignore the basic idea of looking after their citizens. It’s all been replaced by trying to keep their jobs and their super-fat pensions secure.
Just look at how safe seats are taken for granted.
Geelong’s northern suburbs get nothing because they’re guaranteed safe Labor seats already. The Libs ignore them for the same reason; they’re safe Labor, why waste dollars there?
The exact same goes on in safe Liberal seats. That’s the cynical but sad truth about politics. Your honourable members of parliaments aren’t always so honourable. They can be an absolute disgrace.
But exploiting human misery, and those good and great souls who try to fight it — especially after going through awful personal tragedies — is about as low as you can go.
But you know what? With a political manipulator like Daniel Andrews, I always think he’ll find a new low. He’s good like that.