Page 2140 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 2 August 2016
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I think it is safe to use the words of a former Labor Chief Minister to back up my view in this context. Mr Stanhope has come out publicly slamming what he calls Labor Party corruption and stated:
The concentration of power in the hands of unions and factions has corrupted the party, robbed it of talent, discouraged people from joining and ultimately will leave it devoid of relevance.
There is no doubt that there is a clear feeling in the community that the current government is well out of touch. Many constituents I speak to are fed up. A common feeling expressed often to me is that the government has been in power for far too long.
The other longstanding perception that comes across to me when talking to residents out and about is that this current Labor-Greens government looks after its mates and has a long history of doing so. This is a challenging legacy for an incoming Liberal government and there is no doubt about that. There are longstanding practices in place and a bureaucracy that has been slowly and surely infiltrated by significant numbers of ex-Labor staffers and Labor Party members as time has gone on. It is a legacy that my colleagues and I are well aware is before us should the ballot box reflect what I believe it will if the electorate’s disdain for this government is expressed on 15 October. However, that will be a good problem in my view and it will be a good challenge that my colleagues and I savour the opportunity for.
The Canberra Times editorial of 14 May this year titled “Government by Cronyism” referred to “the air of patronage and cronyism that has swirled about the Barr government in recent months”. The editorial concluded with the same sentiment:
The chief minister’s “nothing to see here” rhetoric is remarkable for its stubbornness. Plain ignorance or oversight of the rules of government—the failure to observe the unsolicited development proposal guideline that “no approaches will be made to ministers or other officers within the ACT government … prior, during or after the phased process” being just one instance—may be a factor.
The more probable cause is that Mr Barr’s long stint in the corridors of power (which goes back to 2002 and a job as an adviser to John Hargreaves) has bred in him the firm belief that he can do no wrong.
Another issue in a long line of issues that relate to the integrity of this government lies in the Brumbies debacle and the KPMG report relating to the sale of the Brumbies’ Griffith headquarters and subsequent move to the University of Canberra. The perceived stench around the connections and the headlines borne out of this issue is testament once again to this government’s approach to integrity.
The Australian newspaper of 28 May this year heralded this loudly and clearly via a headline that read:
Former ACT MP brokered Brumbies deal that benefited his firms.
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