Reality sinks in for rebellious Ross
It’s a cliche´ but it is apt. The business of politics does make for strange bedfellows. What is peculiar is that, no matter how long the association, the level of fantasy and self-belief by some in the game still comes as a surprise.
The saga of Jami-Lee Ross is yet another chapter in the book of bad behaviour by elected representatives who are not only convinced they are in Parliament because of their extraordinary talent but also seriously believe they can confront a political party machine and win the day.
True, Winston Peters is the exception, but he plays by rules only he has access to.
The machine may be creaky and badly maintained but inevitably it will roll over the miscreants and move on. Unfortunately for the rest of us, there will be a number of hacks and frauds still clinging to the undercarriage to ensure vitriol and venom continues to fuel some elements of political behaviour.
And yet the reality is that the vast majority of folk involved in political parties are not deluded fantasists with a chip on their shoulders.
Most really believe the barrow they are pushing contains the answer to problems the rest of us don’t recognise and, despite the fact ‘‘the other lot’’ have a barrow with pretty much the same load on board, they convince themselves that only their cargo is a solution to the nation’s problems.
The voting public get on with life, and generally only pay real attention every three years, when we exercise the option to reconfigure the mix . . . or not.
The enthusiasts, who believe they can make a difference and seem convinced that one party has the answers, step up and dive into waters that tend to turn a tad murky after the first few laps of the pool. But the excitement is still pumping, and despite having to make some adjustments to the dial, the determination to do the best possible usually continues as long as the game is played.
There is no question about the challenge parliamentary life presents to the players, the families and the friends of those involved in the peculiar life of an MP. The further up the chain of command, the more challenges present themselves, and more pressure comes on families and friends.
The concept of the ‘‘selfrighteous’’ pitted against the ‘‘pleased with themselves’’ is isolating on several levels, and it does not take long for MPs to realise that even their closest political friends have an agenda that often involves kneecapping their colleagues.
Sure, that’s the case in many of life’s pursuits, but the difference is that the political environment is toxic for some and, occasionally, it will turn Dr Jekyll into Mr Hyde.
And it is never pretty. In Ross’s case, he has wounded his leader, and the jackals will be circling while mouthing the mantra of loyalty. For the MP from Botany, the game is over and he needs to find a place to hide.
If he has learnt anything from his ‘‘too soon and too fast’’ life on the Hill, it should be to avoid any further dealing with the jackals that live on the periphery of political life, feeding on the angst and ambition of those in the limelight.
And now, internal investigations and general scurrying around pointing fingers are not going to achieve any sort of meaningful resolution to the question of transparency and funding of political parties.
Despite the political static, both major parties have crossed the funding line on occasions, and the operatives in the game will always find a way to bolster the party treasury.
Despite this reality, New Zealand enjoys a remarkable history of prudence when it comes to brown paper bag funding in the hope of future considerations.
‘‘See no evil’’ is the watchword, and generally, secret donors will eventually be rewarded with a big thank you – passing recognition, but very little else of real consequence.
The truth is, we do have a system of checks and balances that works relatively effectively within the body politic, and suggestions of rampant corruption or significant deal-making from conspiracy theorists tend to dissolve like the morning mist when they are actively pursued by anyone driven to do so.
‘‘Dirty politics’’ is a passing reality, but it is anything but the norm in this country. Those who pursue evidence of it need to be applauded rather than demonised but, despite the best efforts to prove otherwise, we are not a nation that has a significant history of corruption in politics.
However, there are any number of instances of inept, deluded or stupid politicians operating at a level that is destined to end in tears and damage to all concerned.
The pity is, those who have encouraged and colluded with them in their vain ambitions disappear like Scotch mist, only to reappear in some other ridiculous advisory role, or in charge of a key board that spits out bitterness, bad temper and bile for anyone deluded enough to believe.
Meanwhile, the coalition government, led by a prime minister who has embraced ‘‘relentless positivity’’ as her catchcry, appears to be hitting its straps after a year devoted more to finding its pace rather than leading the field. Perhaps Ross and his friends might like to reflect now on how helpful their efforts to disrupt have assisted in bolstering the Government’s poll ratings.
‘‘There are any number of instances of inept, deluded or stupid politicians operating at a level that is destined to end in tears and damage to all concerned.’’