Anna Bligh didn’t make a big deal of this anti-corruption, maybe trying to preserve the goodwill of the party by sparing them a media circus. But it seems to have destroyed any support she might have on the right, and definitely from the AWU, stop her enjoying the support of her party.

Which is a shame, I think.

In the March 2009 Queensland elections, called early and conveniently before the Auditor General’s damning reports on Health and Transport, Labor clung to power by concealing the likely privatisation of publicly owned assets and promising to maintain the state fuel subsidy. Regaining office, the fuel subsidy went, charges for registration and public transport rocketed and a $15 billion public asset fire sale was announced – although opposed by 79% of the Queensland public – to pay for the cost of government-engineered population growth – again, without consultation.

This is not democracy. This is not honest. It is not even polite. Help create a ground-swell by signing the E-petition calling for a new election. Not sure? Read why in this article.

In recent years our supposed democracy has become one in which so many straightforward things that should be done (or not done) as a matter of course by any sensible Government have to consume the weekends and evenings of people for sometimes months or years on end to achieve.

Who remembers all the time and effort consumed just to convince Anna Bligh not to proceed with her insane plan to entomb half of the Brisbane River adjoining the CBD at the North Bank under concrete high rise apartment buildings?

Any thinking political leader of good will would have yielded to the public outcry against this outrageous proposal in less than a day, but not Anna Bligh.

Whether she ever intended to proceed with the North Bank development or not, the time spent by community activists trying to stop this was time that could have been spent on a good many other critical struggles for conservation, democracy or justice.

No doubt leaving laws like the abortion laws in place has enormous future potential to tie up the time and efforts of activists.

The only sure-fire guarantee against such abuses by by such grossly irresponsible Governments is the introduction of Swiss-style Binding Citizens Initiated Referenda.

As an Independent Candidate, I intend to put that proposal to the voters of Brisbane and I encourage all other candidates to do likewise.

James Sinnamon
Brisbane Independent for Truth, Democracy,
the Environment and Economic Justice

Australian Federal Elections, 2010

Doesn’t that just about sum up all of Crikey’s stuff? Everytime I’ve read Crikey reporting on an issue I actually know something about, important facts have been wrong.

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And then, of all whacky throwbacks – Privatisation. LOL – its just so retro!! Hey, I know a groovy new band called the Stone Roses, vote for me. Emails has just been invented, Ive got Windows 95, and I just saw another person with a mobile phone.

Joe Samaras, I’m looking at YOU.

The same Brain Dead Talent Pool Syndrome affected Alan Carpenter in WA, is creeping in in Victoria and apparently now afflicts Qld too (by the sound of it).

The government’s dying, and only a real policy-smart Premier with Midas-like political skills will save it….got any of those?

In this instance, I am with Craig Johnstone. Crikey’s reporting on ALP factional stuff has been scarily inaccurate for most of this year, running rumour after rumour that have all ended up being unfounded.

Most likely, there is a majority willing to be knife-holders. The issue for me is whether there is enough votes for any one particular outcome.

In politics 101, there is a view that oppositions don’t win gov’t, the incumbents lose it. And, the incumbents will ever only lose if the alternative is credible. One this, Bligh didn’t win office, there was no credible alternative.

I suggest the same might apply to the ALP leadership.

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I don’t like the proposed privatisation at all.

I also don’t like a land-use planning minister calling in developments to reward his mates.

I also don’t like the total disregard for the environment in the gov’t decisions (on this, I suggest the ALP is worse than the LNP).

I don’t like a SEQ water grid that’s being developed so it can be sold off to a French firm – especially when ratepayers built the assets and get nothing in return.

I could go on and on.

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The problem is not Bligh, I doubt there’s anyone more capable.

The problem lies in a series of ministers both incompetent and incapable of being anything other than yesmen/women to vested interests.

In effect, Bligh is doing a good job mushrooming the public to cover for bulk ministerial incompetence. And, because of the way the ALP selects its electorate representatives when it is in office, it will always be hamstrung with incompetence.

Cheers