State elections: more promises, more let downs

We have State elections coming up in a few weeks’ time, much to the excitement of the public, I’m sure; we all love a good election, well aware that things are going to be much better once it’s all over. Or so the politicians tell us! Both sides, here in Victoria, have already started promising us everything they can think of that they believe we will want from bigger, better schools (including more teachers); new railway lines, especially one to Tullamarine Airport; tunnels to get the centre of Melbourne jammed up with even more vehicles than it is now and hospitals staffed it might appear from their spiel, by nothing but qualified surgeons and matrons!

At the same time that they are promising all this (and much more), which takes up about half their time, they spend the rest telling us how it is impossible for the other side to pay for it all without either getting us deeper and deeper in debt or putting up taxes by astronomical amounts! And I’m not aiming at any one party here – they are all as bad as one another as far as I am concerned. Labor wants to spend, spend, spend; the Liberals want to tax, tax, tax, and the Greens, well who could guess what the Greens are thinking.

The trouble is most members of the public seem to be getting pretty fed up with all this. Instead of trying to run the country, make it work and keep it in good order, the politicians on each side of the house seem much more concerned with slating each other, scoring points and ‘proving’ that their own lop-sided figures are much more accurate than the other side! Particularly when we have a Parliament which has no clear leading party, nothing constructive seems to be able to get done; the House of Representatives passes a bill in Parliament and then the Senate shoots it down – time wasted, money spent; result – NIL!

The politicians are very lucky we are compelled to go out and vote; otherwise they might discover just what the public thinks of them. Even with compulsory voting, it will be interesting to see how many people turn up at voting stations because they have to, and then purposely spoil their vote! As a matter of interest, did you know that you don’t have to go and vote if you are over seventy five years old? This only applies to State elections, not Federal, but it does give us an opportunity to give vent to our feelings, should we wish to, though I prefer the other method, of hoping my vote will count, myself.

Critics will undoubtedly say I am generalising here and I suppose I am to a certain extent. But I’d be among the first to admit there are many excellent ‘pollies’ representing us, (A), who work extremely hard for us all, whichever side of politics we are on. Unfortunately it is the comparatively few snipers, (B), who establish the reputation of the whole house. These people don’t have a good political word to say about any thing or anyone, even members of their own party – they’re there simply to fulfil their own, personal dreams of fame, plus a not inconsiderable bit of fortune as well. What we need in politics is a few more of group ‘A’ and a lot less of group ‘B’, then we might actually see some work getting done in the halls of power, instead of the lacklustre results we have to put up with now.

Do you agree with Brian? Is your State having an election soon? Where will your vote go? Let’s chat today!