Unless the self-proclaimed “fixer” Prime Minister actually fixes the election, the chances of a Morrison Government being returned on Saturday appear slim.
The Prime Minister, seemingly unperturbed, however, continues to spew forth apologies, promises of changing his "bulldozing" ways and even claims of having "saved" Australia.
Of course, at Independent Australia, one of the few things on which we take a conservative stance is possible election outcomes — especially this one and most especially after the last one. This is largely due to the fact that when the media cheerleaders are firmly on your side, as they decidedly are in the case of the Coalition, anything can happen.
We have noted with dismay that the gap in the polls, according to the mainstream media sideshow, is suddenly, magically “narrowing” or “tightening”.
Like a ghost from elections past, it is impossible to know if there is any truth to this position, though IA fervently hopes Dr Scott Burchill’s assessment when referring to the PM's election chances, shared on ABC Breakfast this morning, is accurate:
“Mr Morrison is toast.”
We also hope the toast is served hot with lashings of appropriate toppings, like the removal of toxic MPs from electorates such as Dixon, Kooyong, Goldstein, Wentworth and others.
However, in order to help facilitate the toasting process and with just three sleeps to go until we discover whether Australians have woken up to the PM’s inability to fix anything at all, we want to ensure everyone remembers the Morrison Government’s big-ticket diabolical stuff-ups and actual breakages that could not even remotely be described as “fixed”.
And so, because we take our civic duty very seriously at IA, we’re getting the table settings ready. Indeed, we are guiding towards the toaster any remaining undecided voters that may have found their way to our hard-core truth-telling site, with the following cheat sheet.
1. BREAKING THE HOMEOWNERSHIP DREAM
Let’s start with this one because Morrison’s media fan club is pushing his 11th-hour “solution”, which involves decimating people’s super in order to purchase a modest home in an over-inflated market.
The experts agree that this will only push property prices even higher. On top of this, young people who are unable to purchase a home, generally also have no significant super to pilfer, as well as HECS fees to pay. Thus, they can only expect interest rates to increase as they struggle to pay back their mounting debts as the cost of living continues to rise on their way to the poor house, since they will also have no superannuation to draw on in retirement.
2. BUSHFIRE COMMUNITIES BROKEN
Not only did the bulldozing PM desert the nation at the height of the bushfire crisis, two years on and a royal commission notwithstanding, many devastated victims are also still living in mobile homes and the promised funding is yet to materialise.
3. FLOOD VICTIMS BROKEN
Despite pledging there would never be a repeat of the above emergency mismanagement, there have only been endless meaningless denials on the part of Morrison and his motley crew. Like the bushfire disaster, there has been an absence of any practical assistance, let alone funding relief.
As well, the Federal Government doesn’t even bother to hide its complete lack of interest in flood-affected communities — particularly those not in Coalition or marginal electorates, declaring that billions set aside for emergency assistance should just accrue interest instead.
4. THE COVID CATASTROPHE
Despite our remote geographic advantage coupled with a (mostly) common desire on the part of the state premiers to manage the pandemic responsibly, Australia now leads the world in COVID infections.
This monumental stuff-up rests squarely on Morrison’s shoulders due to the following:
- allowing infected cruise ships to disembark, spreading the virus;
- delaying and undermining lockdowns and mask mandates;
- refusing to order vaccines in a timely fashion and then not ensuring sufficient supply;
- delaying supply of RATs tests;
- pushing incessantly to “open up” so we could "live with the virus" before putting in place sufficient safeguards.
5. WOMEN'S SAFETY STUFFED
It is far easier to list the ways in which the Morrison Government has "fixed" women's safety because there are none. Despite his claims to the contrary, assault, rape, domestic violence and gender inequity have all thrived under Morrison's misogynistic Government.
6. THE DEBT AND DEFICIT DEBACLE
After nine years and much heaping of blame on the previous Labor Government, the Coalition doubled Labor's $184 billion debt even before COVID and is now 'hurtling toward $1 trillion'.
7. BULLDOZING A FEDERAL ICAC
The Morrison Government promised an integrity commission at the last election. However, it has voted against an effective anti-corruption commission 31 times.
8. FIXING RORTS, LIES AND CORRUPTION
Meanwhile, the rorts, cover-ups and alleged corruption notched up under this regime continue to exceed those of any previous administration.
9. DEFENCE DEBACLE
It's hard to know whether to start with the submarine fiasco, Morrison's constant diplomatic blunders or his negligence in the Solomon Islands. Suffice to say, the Government's record on defence is a diabolical failure.
10. AGED CARE BROKEN
Abuse and neglect now characterise Australia's aged care sector. It is a shameful failure which the Morrison Government continues to ignore.
11. CLIMATE CHANGE CALAMITY
Morrison's oft-articulated proud commitment to fossil fuels, echoed by every minister tasked with energy, environment or disaster management, has determined the Government's direction on climate policy.
The Coalition's "policy" has therefore been characterised by a dismal failure to meet its domestic or international obligations, which continues to contribute to the frequency and severity of climatic disasters and the escalating destruction of our natural environment.
12. BULLDUST EMPLOYMENT FIGURES/BULLDOZED WAGES
Each iteration of this Coalition Government has fiddled with unemployment figures until the reported total is as devoid of substance as the Government's own employment stance. When people are counted as "employed" if they help out in a shop or cafe for one hour a week, or if they attend a TAFE course while looking for work, only a confected meaningless statistic results.
This, coupled with the increasing casualisation of the workforce and a dogged refusal to raise the wages of our lowest-paid workers means that Australians are worse off than ever before.
BREAKING BAD
Scott Morrison and his gang have decimated Australia's economy, natural environment and international standing. And we haven't even mentioned the deliberate erosion of social service mechanisms such as Medicare, the PBS, superannuation, the aged pension and the NDIS; or the cruel attacks on our most vulnerable via schemes such as Robodebt and the cashless welfare card.
This Prime Minister has fixed nothing, while blissfully bulldozing his way through almost everything. Let's ensure Morrison and his gang are toast on Saturday.
This editorial was originally published as part of the Independent Australia weekly newsletter. These editorials are usually only available to subscribers and may be read online in the IA members-only area.
You can follow managing editor Michelle Pini on Twitter @vmp9. Follow Independent Australia on Twitter at @independentaus, on Facebook HERE and on Instagram HERE.
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