Australian Senators Smug and Stupid - Qualities We Can Do Without

19th April 2016

The Senate vote ‘negativing’ the motion to debate the Australian Building and Construction Industry Bill showcases the utter stupidity, hubris and smug self-importance of Senators’ Madigan, Lambie, Muir and Lazarus. I could add the other so-called independents to the list of shame, but as these four dills decided to step forward of their own accord, to vote down this Bill, it is appropriate to single them out.

It must be self assuring walking into the Australian Senate having won less than 5% of the popular vote (even less on a national scale). All of a sudden everyone is paying attention to you, hanging off your every word. Where previously you were ignored, now you appear on the television. You really must be important if all that attention is centred on you. Don’t worry about the fact that you dumped the political parties that funded your election and that you didn’t express a view on workplace regulation before you fluked your way into Parliament. All that attention must make you feel like Kings and Queens of your domain (or maybe President for the republicans). Unfortunately for the Australian population, the reality is something entirely different.

I have written previously on the importance of workplace relations reform including the institutional framework propping up union power in Australia’s economy despite its ever decreasing membership. Legislative reform is necessary if for no other reason than unions are not capable of reforming themselves. Lead by the economically illiterate and the morally challenged, they continue to pursue protectionist measures and inflexible work practices guaranteed to lead Australia down the path of stagnation.

Of course unions are not the only institutions that require reform. Competition policy in banking and finance, construction, transport, retail, health and education need a major shake up as does taxation. However, is it too much to ask of our Australian Parliamentarians to recognise some reforms are so glaringly obvious that even the most dim witted of them should get on board and do the right thing by all Australians for once. If not, it is at least reassuring to reflect on the inevitable demise of the Senators too smug and too stupid to even vote in their own self interest.