Alabanese not up to the demands of difficult job
AFTER the first week of the official federal election campaign it was painfully obvious, surely even to the most rusted-on loyal Labor voter, that a huge question mark hung over Anthony Albanese and his ability to handle the pressure of the most important job in Australia, leading this nation as our prime minister in challenging times ahead.
His inability to even have a remote idea of our cash rate or unemployment rate is completely unacceptable for someone who wants to be our prime minister.
When Albanese had to self isolate for a week after catching Covid, one would think responsibility to lead the campaign would fall to his deputy, Richard Marles.
Timing is everything in politics, both good and bad, and unfortunately for Marles, it was all bad, as he was trying to keep a low profile in the background due to his China speech coming back to haunt him.
With Penny Wong and Kristina Keneally still on the backfoot in damage control over the alleged ‘mean girls’, virtual political unknown Jason Clare stood up to the plate for Labor, and within one minute of his first press conference, showed up to the Australian public how incompetent both Albanese and Marles are, and despite being leader and deputy, were not even remotely close to being the most competent person in the ALP. Labor’s factional, good old-fashioned seniority mentality, long abandoned in both public and private enterprise employment, is alive and well inside the Australian Labor Party.
Also missing from carrying the torch for Labor while Albanese was in Covid isolation was Tanya Plibersek, not because of any political errors or lack of ability, but because she is viewed by Albanese as a political rival for the leadership.
When Albanese spent his week in Covid purgatory, everything went surprisingly smoothly for Labor, and upon his return, one wondered when the inevitable would eventuate, and the wheels would fall off the Albo
stagecoach. Over and over, Australians heard Albanese repeat his favourite saying “we have a plan”.
Their was never any details of any sort, just the nauseating “we have a plan’. Then on 5 May, we all witnessed Albanese unable to name the six points of Labor’s plan for NDIS.
Excruciatingly embarrassing to watch, hopelessly out of his depth, stumbling and fumbling on his words, and being rescued by an adviser handing over a copy of the policy plan.
Just 10 minutes later, Albanese was at it again, unable to list Labor’s five point plan for aged care.
This time no rescue mission from an adviser, just refusing to answer.
Michael Kroger, admittedly a former president of the Victorian Liberal Party, summed it up
beautifully on Sky, “everyone, even those inside Labor, knows Albanese is simply not up to the job”.
Remember Albanese is the same bloke who when questioned during this campaign on Labor’s policies on turning back the boats, gave one answer and 10 minutes later was back contradicting his first answer.
If this bloke, who acts more like a character out of Keystone Cops then an alternative prime minister, ever gets his hands on the keys to the lodge, then it a very sad day for all Australians, irrespective of which political party you support.
BARRY DAVIES,
Cranbrook.
ELECTION ISSUES
Pre-poll for the upcoming federal election starts on Monday, 9 May.
What are the issues facing the people of Herbert?
Insurance and climate change are probably the biggest. Both are interlinked and both affect Townsville. The 2019 floods put us squarely on the dartboard for extravagant cost increases in insurance, for both houses and units, with the unavailability to insure for many. How does this interact with climate change? To many of the long-term residents of this city, a notable difference in temperature has occurred over the past 30 years.
Wet seasons have come and gone as usual changing in intensity, depending on Pacific and Indian Ocean oscillations in wind patterns, currents and sea temperatures.
Our first taste that something had
gone amiss with the weather occurred in 2019 with the floods, more than $600m of damage occurred during that event.
Ask the residents of Herbert whether this past summer has been one of the hottest on record, ask those same residents if seeing over 300 millilitres of rain at the end of April is unusual?
Some 600 millilitres for Bluewater in total for the month as well.
Over the past two years insurance premiums have risen astronomically for the household, this is only the beginning. Any net zero plans for Australia by 2050 is irresponsible with these observations in Townsville alone. A net zero target by 2030 or close to it, I believe, is more in tune with public opinion.
One of the more obvious effects of this change will be in sea level rises.
I once lived near Boundary St in South Townsville, which even now floods on king tides, could you image the effects of a housing development in the South Rail Yards with council approval, as outlined in the TB (5 May)? How do you cut red tape with a looming crisis on our hands?
PAUL JACOB,
Bluewater.
THOMPSON A FAILURE
TOWNSVILLE needs a fierce advocate who puts the community first and themselves second. If this is the test of a good representative, it is one the local member Phillip Thompson has failed.
Mr Thompson has proven himself to be out of his depth and interested in only one job – his own. When faced with a problem, Mr
Thompson’s instinct is never to take the lead and fix the problem. It’s always someone else’s job or fault.
He couldn’t keep his promise to fund Stage 2 of the Haughton Pipeline. He literally muddied the waters. As a spin doctor, he gets top marks. On delivery, he fails.
Instead of building a record of his own – he lashes out at other levels of government to distract from his failures.
In the absence of a local record – what is the record of his party nationally?
– Higher debt, taxes and spending – Harder to see a GP (impossible at Magnetic Island)
– Cost of everything going up – Real wages going backwards
– No promised independent corruption body
And there is more pain to come for ordinary workers.
The LNP will scrap the Lower to Middle Income Offset (worth up to $1080) and increase the petrol tax by 22 cents a litre in just a few months.
And as the cost of living continues to increase, so will the cost of your mortgage with rising interest rates.
While ordinary people are paying the price – those earning $200,000 per year will pocket an additional $9000 in tax cuts they don’t need.
If you earn $45,000, you get nothing.
A vote for Mr Thompson is a vote for more of the same.
TIM ROSS, Pimlico.