AUDIO
 |
Archbishop Peter Jensen's Christmas Message 2011 on the centrality of Jesus to human history
|
The year’s final parliamentary sitting week in Canberra always yields surprises. Last week’s shock resignation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Harry Jenkins, was up there with the best and left everyone in shock and awe.
Shock, because it came completely out of the blue. There was nothing Machiavellian in this decision. Anyone watching Harry Jenkins’ resignation speech could see that he was deeply committed to public service and good government. He has been an excellent Speaker and is well-thought of by all sides of politics. That Jenkins found the Speaker’s Chair constraining is understandable: by and large, people enter elected politics to make a difference and engage in policy debates and decisions to achieve a public good. Despite its prestige and prominence, the role of Speaker severely limits these opportunities.
Awe, because it was a brilliant political play. That night, Tony Abbott battled unconvincingly through an interview on the ABC’s 7.30 Report. But when reminded of the Howard Government’s deal with Labor Senator Mal Colston, which delivered Colston the position of Senate Deputy President in 1996, Abbott could not keep a straight face. Whatever he might think of Liberal turncoat Peter Slipper, from the perspective of pure politics it was a master stroke.
More serious for the Opposition, however, is the unraveling of their political strategy. New Speaker Peter Slipper’s defection to the role of an Independent delivers the Gillard Government an extra vote on the floor of the House, as Jenkins now re-joins the Labor backbench. The Government is less reliant on the vote of all Independents for the successful passage of its legislation.
More broadly, provided that Peter Slipper can come through any inquiries into his parliamentary spending, the Government looks to have shored up its numbers until the next election. With the Opposition’s strategy predicated on trying to force an early poll through destabilizing the parliamentary arena, an early election is now more remote than ever.
However, the Government has dangerously tied itself to the behaviour and political opportunism of Peter Slipper. His actions in defecting from the Liberal Party have only served to re-enforce the public's poor perception of a struggling Government and of politicians more generally.
One unfortunate consequence is that Andrew Wilkie’s bargaining position on poker machines has been diluted. For community activists and churches pursuing gambling reform, this has suddenly become harder. With these new numbers, it is likely that the Government will ‘go slow’ on the issue or try for a watered-down version of Wilkie’s original proposals.
Time to get writing to your local MP over the summer.
PS We heard a timely sermon on Romans 13:1-7 in our church last Sunday. Politics elicits strong reactions and robust debate is healthy, but please remember Paul’s words when posting a comment ‘This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honour, then honour.’
Public awareness of the damage being done will galvanise action - perhaps more slowly if Wilkie's deal fails - demanding something to be done.
There is more than one step that could be taken to reduce harm. Just take the Greens recent call simply to put a $1 max bet limit on all pokies. Another good idea, which the Clubs hate. Other steps could be explored like compulsory pokie shut-downs every hour, removal of ATMs further away, getting all gambling ads off TV, esp. in sport and viewing hours where children watch.
We also need to pressure the state parliament over the issue. The new L-NP coalition is giving clubs an easier ride, e.g. allowing pokies to move back to Fairfield LGA from north shore, which will raise them more tax revenue, all from the LGA which can least afford it.
So another thing church ministers especially can do is to make an appointment to visit their local MP (state and federal) and ask them to take every step to minimise harm.
Christians who are club members could be brave and stand at their club's AGM and ask what effective steps their board is taking to reduce problem gambling.
And we could sell shares in companies that profit majorly from pokies such as Woolworths!
And Robert you are also right, there is a point at which Governments lose public respect. The polls show that the electorate has largely made up its mind about the Gillard Government, in all likelihood for the reasons you have outlined, and others. That judgement will fall upon them at the ballot box. Trouble is, the voting public is not that fond of Tony Abbott, either ...
Gillard may be bad but Abbott isn't making a lot of progress either. People are getting sick of his constant opposition of the government yet without offering any policy, like an alternative government should do.
It is very important that as Christians, we need to make our voices heard, for example on the issues of pokie tax. We know where Tony Abbott stands and the Clubs have been pressuring the government to give in.
In this article, on the one hand, you're effusively praising Julia Gillard's government for the politics involved in the change of speaker which are favourable to her government, but on the other hand you acknowledge that this will make it more difficult for Christians to achieve gambling reform, so you encourage them to lobby their MPs more fervently.
This is contradictory.
@Andrew, as an observer of the political process, I found the machinations of last week fascinating to watch from the sidelines. I would have felt exactly the same if the Coalition had managed to woo someone from the Labor side. From the perspective of pure politics it was a game-changer and completely flat-footed the Opposition. It does not mean that I admire the motives, but one can understand why the Government would be keen to shore up its numbers. We can all agree that Peter Slipper's decision was very disloyal to his colleagues and the party which supported him into office. Unfortunately this has also re-enforced the public's general opinion of MPs. I cannot judge the motives of the participants, but Harry Jenkins is known as an honourable man. I have read very little media commentary over the last week which casts him in a bad light.