PLEASE NOTE the following information is brought to you via Twitter sewers and various public records.
Let’s hope people listen to Scott Morrison’s latest election slogan because it is unlikely truer words have ever escaped his mouth.
Says Morrison:
“This election is a choice between a government you know and a Labor opposition you don’t.”
A government we know. We certainly do. And if we don’t, then it shouldn’t take more than ten minutes on Twitter to bring us up to speed. That’s the “sewer” where real people share information that regularly upsets the delicate sensibilities of the establishment media and their politician buddies.
But back to the PM and his election campaign. Once again, it falls on us to report the facts since the mainstream media chorus continues to set the narrative smack bang on the Morrison Government’s pre-determined and shall we say, imaginatively manoeuvred official talking points.
Talking points such as:
MORRISON: Judge me by my economic record.
MEDIA CHORUS: It’s great!
PEOPLE SUBMERGED IN TWITTER SEWERS: What’s great about it?
MORRISON: The um, economy things. Plus, what has Albanese ever done?! What are his policies?
MEDIA CHORUS: Yeah, those things! And unemployment is the lowest ev-ah! Plus, Albanese can’t even tell you the cash rate! And also, he has no experience.
PEOPLE SUBMERGED IN TWITTER SEWERS: But neither can Morrison, since the one he reeled off was actually incorrect. Also, he couldn’t tell us the price of bread. Or Milk. Or petrol.
And hasn’t Albanese been in parliament for 26 years and wasn’t he Deputy PM?
Plus, the national debt has doubled.
And the cost of living has skyrocketed.
But we see what you mean about the unemployment rate, which is supposedly at four per cent. Because, obviously, you're not counted as unemployed if you work for two hours on a one-off catering job at $10 hour. On this, you should be able to feed a family of five (probably even nine), save hundreds of thousands and just buy a house, thereby eliminating the need to be evicted from your rental property for failing to pay the rent, which has doubled.“
Following Morrison’s election announcement this week, the media chorus, in tediously predictable style, has come out waving flags for the Government, pointing fingers at imagined failings of the Opposition, covering up and/or reframing the Government’s monumental negligence, while simultaneously denigrating anyone and everyone who remembers the facts or dares to question the narrative, and still managed to find time to attend secret drinkies hosted by the PM.
Some astute Twitter sewer people also pointed out that in all the glowing media reports about his alleged "successes", the PM is usually fondly referred to by his chosen nickname, "ScoMo". while the Opposition Leader is referred to as Anthony Albanese.
Because, you know, it’s about “balance”. Obviously.
It’s also about making sure the Coalition wins at all costs because, well, cushy jobs with free drinks thrown in are hard to come by.
And so, we bring you seven key ways in which to remember Scott Morrison and the Coalition Government “we know” versus Anthony Albanese and the Labor Opposition we supposedly don’t know.
As well as being brought to you via Twitter sewers and public records, in the interests of “balance”, the PM will hitherto be referred to as "Morrison", while the Opposition Leader will be referred to as "Albo".
1. LIES
As already mentioned, the PM lies. As we summed up last week, this is not only borne out by his daily actions, some very well-known people attest to his alleged pathological lying, most of them from his own party:
After putting his best dirt diggers on it, however, the best example of Albanese “lying” that Morrison could come up with (hold the presses!) was that the Opposition Leader remembered enjoying Streets Viennetta for dessert as a child, when, according to the PM, it hadn’t been created yet. Only it had, in fact, already been created.
2. THE ECONOMY
Morrison and his intrepid Treasurer Josh Frydenberg ventured out and promised to bring the budget "back into the black". Only they did not. Instead, the budget deficit has tripled and the debt has more than doubled.
But the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison Government has only to live up to their best money managers moniker. And Morrison has only been Treasurer for three of those years and then PM for another three. Twitter sewer people like us can be so demanding!
On the other hand, Albo served as Minister for Infrastructure and Deputy Prime Minister when the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd Labor Government brought Australia’s economy into international repute. During this time, Australia was declared the ‘world’s top economy in 2009 and 2011. And, in 2012 and 2013, the best-performed economy the world had ever seen’. But there was only a Global Financial Crisis with which to contend at the time.
3. CORRUPTION
Prior to the previous election, Morrison promised to establish an anti-corruption commission but then his Government voted against this 31 times. Meanwhile, as we have often reported, the rorting and corruption have been unparalleled under this Coalition Government.
If the previous Labor Government, in which Albo was a minister, had displayed anywhere near this level of corruption, one can only imagine the media cacophony that would have ensued.
4. COVID & HEALTH POLICY
This Coalition Government under both Morrison and his predecessors promised to leave Medicare and the cost of prescriptions alone but has instead systematically set about dismantling Medicare and removing essential medications from the PBS.
Morrison also consistently undermined every precaution taken by the National Cabinet, favouring a "let-it-rip" strategy, but then took credit for Australia’s COVID response, led by the state premiers, anyway.
The previous Labor Government, in which Albo was a minister, simply performed better on health, full stop.
5. CLIMATE CHANGE
Morrison and co promised to reduce emissions but instead have remained true to their fossil fuel magnate friends at every opportunity, even opening new coal mines and approving gas exploration.
On climate, the previous Labor Government, in which Albo was a minister, developed a comprehensive climate change policy and successfully implemented a carbon tax, before it was repealed by the Abbott iteration of this Coalition Government.
6. DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Morrison promised to assist bushfire affected communities but then withheld funds, leaving countless victims destitute and still living in tents.
Promising to help flood victims after the most recent disaster, Morrison has instead held on to the $5 billion disaster fund expressly set up for this purpose and offered a means-tested maximum of $2,000 per person in two payments. But only for those in Liberal and marginal electorates.
The previous Labor Government, in which Albo was a minister, declared a national emergency and unconditionally offered disaster relief in a coordinated national response during the Black Saturday bushfire event. No one was means-tested. Liberal voters were not exempted.
7. GAFFES
Morrison has, as usual, been given much media mileage on Albo’s recent cash rate and unemployment “gaffe”. Albo admitted not being able to cite these facts and apologised.
Interestingly, however, Morrison’s arrogant answer, widely reported as correct, was actually incorrect.
In fact, according to the chief economist at the Centre for Independent Studies Peter Tulip, Morrison’s answer was:
Wrong! 0.10 is the "cash rate target".
The correct answer, as per RBA Table F1
is 6 basis points.
Morrison also claimed $2.1 trillion has 12 zeros (!) and was completely clueless on the price of milk, bread and even petrol — the latter commodity perhaps of the most interest, given his claims of reducing its cost.
Then there’s the “small” creative accounting error of $60 odd billion by his Treasurer, but hey, what’s a few billion between friends, eh media chorus?
After 26 years in parliament, including a stellar economic record in government, we should know all we need to know about Albo. After all, Morrison's one term as prime minister has given us more than enough cause to vote his Government out.
You can follow managing editor Michelle Pini on Twitter @vmp9. Follow Independent Australia on Twitter at @independentaus, on Facebook HERE and on Instagram HERE.
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.
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