Anniversary of ‘new paradigm’ nothing to celebrate
7th September, 2011
“THE Independents who handed power to Julia Gillard a year ago today now sit idly by as the country descends into chaos,” Leader of The Nationals Warren Truss said in Rockhampton today. “Federal Labor is besieged on all fronts, mired in its own lies, policy failures, scandals, in-fighting, finger-pointing and, yet again, leadership tensions.“Last week marked the one-year anniversary of Julia Gillard and Bob Brown exchanging vows. Today it’s the birthday of the ‘new paradigm’ that saw an oddball brood of Independents foist their will upon an unsuspecting public.
“We thought the election itself was chaotic. Little did we know how dysfunctional this duct-tape lot would prove to be in government.
“It’s worse than a hotchpotch of fringe political self-interests, with the Independents now complicit in Labor’s litany of lies, policy stuff ups and scandals. At no stage have they made a stand to hold Labor to account.
“A year on, Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor have failed to deliver anything of substance for regional communities. It’s the paper anniversary of an agreement not worth the paper it’s written on, especially the much-touted new deal for regional Australia.
“Instead, the so-called Independents have backed Labor on every major issue in the parliament. There have been token votes on matters of little consequence, but at every major challenge to the direction and accountability of the Gillard government the Independents have fallen into line behind Labor.
“Policy disasters over the failed Malaysia deal, the rollout of the exorbitant NBN, and the still unfolding live cattle ban catastrophe are now their shared political baggage.
“Gillard and the Independents are more symbiotic than a year ago – relying on each other for political survival. The Independents dare not seriously challenge the Prime Minister on any major issue lest the government fall and they too risk seeing their political fortunes crumble.
“But what is the cost to the nation of this desperate bid to cling to power? A nation paralysed in policy limbo, business and consumer confidence at depths seldom seen before, and families grappling with mounting bills and the very real possibility of job losses.
“With the best terms of trade in 140 years, our economy should be firing on all cylinders. Instead it is wallowing in a series of Gillard government-induced dampeners, with a carbon tax and mining tax about to fall on the economy and sweep up every Australian.
“I have no doubt that an Australia freed from these shackles can achieve anything we want. That’s why I launched The Nationals’ Regional Investment Strategy last month. It’s a positive plan for the future to provide more Australians with better opportunities and higher living standards.
“Business and families alike seem to be waiting for the next election in the hope that a change of government will get our country back on track. We are positive about the future and regional Australia’s role in unclogging congested cities while reinvigorating and populating regional areas.”
[ENDS]
