Today’s address by Greens Senator Christine Milne to the National Press Club was everything a political address should be.
“An economy that serves people and nature” was big picture stuff. It was positive, relevant, informative, and offered the nation an optimistic outlook where peoples’ happiness should be included as a national criterion.
If the latter sounds like a typical ‘motherhood’ political statement, it wasn’t. It was well supported by plenty of policy detail – including the need to shift the tax system towards Ken Henry’s aspirations for Australia’s future tax system.
“Oh, but they can say these high-minded things because they’re unlikely to attain political power in their own right!” doesn’t quite cut it any longer when Milne painted such a all-encompassing picture, so markedly different from that of the Labor and Liberal parties.
That the Greens are having their programs costed also sets them and Labor apart from the Libs. [Wha …! Greens having their policies costed now?]
Maybe Milne’s address–no doubt to be nit-picked by nihilist journos in tomorrow’s newspapers–might even herald a long-awaited change from the major parties. [Michele Grattan, unable to resist dropping the tag “frustrating party” on the Greens, was handled well in response by the Green’s leader.]
Instead of abuse and game-playing, a bit of vision from all parties, as expounded today by Christine Milne, would go a long way with Australia’s voters, if not its media commentators.
Sure, I’ll admit to being utterly biased in this case. I don’t recall any of those premises being wrong in the past though, so it gets regularly reinforced. In Tasmania, we get a lot of it.
Still, people have a habit of reinforcing beliefs, and ignoring evidence to the contrary that I suspect I’m not immune to.
But yes, as to your point, everything that comes out of a politicians mouth, especially in public, has to be taken in the context of their interests. If you assume that in general each political party serves the parasites it hosts, then you can parse things pretty well.
Where the Greens are different is that the party itself is the parasite, and those who have a concern for the environment are the host. You can tell an honest environmentalist easily – they are happy when stuff happens that is win-win. Greens are only happy in a win-lose situation.
Nonsense! Except insofar as you could say that about ANY of the political parties. What she said today made a lot of sense, and had more than a little vision, although I didn’t agree with it ALL. I’d recommend you get to see it, Chris, except I think you’d be watching from an unduly jaundiced view. In fact, you’re sounding a little nihilistic yourself today?
Vision is good. Nihilism is bad.
Rule #1 of making your way through the relentless barrage of opinion – If the Greens say it, it is a lie. If there is an element of truth, it is there only to support the lie. If the Greens support a policy, it is because they believe it will further their goal of ending civiliastion. If they support something you supported first, it is a good time to reconsider your beliefs; they have found a way to turn it towards the end of all things.