I am disappointed. The Howard and Costello team played a large part in growing Australia’s economy – they abolished the debt their government inherited from Labor, they took unemployment to a 33 year low, and they had the guts to implement change where it was needed. Yet the majority of Australians decided that they’d prefer a beaming, inexperienced Kevin Rudd to lead us through (at least) the next three years.
But, Australia has decided, and this is what it wants. Howard’s political career is over (prematurely if you ask me) and Costello is going to be an opposition backbencher that we’ll probably never hear from again. That’s how democracy works though, so I’m going to have to accept it!
Right up until the results started coming in last night I was still standing by my earlier prediction that Labor would pick up about 10 seats, 6 or so shy of the amount they needed to easily form government. And it never even entered my mind that John Howard would be defeated in his seat of Bennelong – but now that looks incredibly likely (I will be very surprised if he hangs on to it now, after the 5000 or so postal votes from the seat are counted).
My predictions probably were hampered by wishful thinking. So I turned out to be wrong, and disappointed at the result at the same time!
The biggest issue of this election, aside from the leadership, was undoubtedly WorkChoices. I firmly believe that the attitudes of unions and those who stand by them are uncooperative and unproductive, and it is my dream to see a workplace culture in Australia where each side – both employees and employers – can see the other side’s point of view and can work together for mutually beneficial outcomes. Of course this view comes from the fairly good working life I’ve had – from running my own micro business (although without any employees), from working in management for a small business where the owner of the company was focused on his staff before anything else (bar of course the customers), and now from working in a very small business with a manager who wants decision making to be as far down the line as possible. So I know it’s possible. I know I’ve had it fairly good. And I also know that alot of Australians don’t have it so good at work – they work for the money then go home, back into their normal life, and dread going back to work again. How great it would be if everyone enjoyed their jobs – the employers enjoyed working with the employees and the employees enjoyed working for the employers. If everyone could see what the other person’s situation was like, and could empathise with it, how much more would everyone enjoy their working life, and therefore their life in general?
It’s about being a reasonable person. And of course there are lots of people that are unreasonable, and there probably needs to be laws in place to keep them in check. I think the activities of unions are completely unreasonable, and do nothing but agitate the people on the other end of the bargaining stick which ultimately results in a very sour relationship. It is not very easy to see the other person’s point of view, empathise with them and act reasonably if they’re doing the exact opposite to that.
WorkChoices certainly wasn’t perfect, and it still left room for unscrupulous employers to have the upper hand on their employees. That’s a fault of the employer, not of WorkChoices. The employee is always free to leave their job and find an employer who actually cares about them. So sure, there was probably more WorkChoices could have done. I’m not quite sure how you solve that problem. But the thing was it was a start – it was a big start, which means it’s going to cost a lot of money for business to go back on it (and, hmm, that’s bad for the economy, isn’t it?).
So it will be interesting to see what happens to our workplaces and our economy now. I’ll be watching intently. Now that I’ve had a part in deciding the government of Australia, I’ll be watching them even closer than I have over the last year, and next election… well, I don’t know what it’s going to look like yet. With what I know now though, I am still very disappointed that Costello and Howard weren’t given the opportunity to continue the good work they have done over the last 11 years. But best of luck to the new Rudd-Gillard government.
Nicely said Tim. I fully agree with everything you have said
Tim,
the last time a Prime Minister lost his own seat was when he chose to battle the industrial relations regime in Australia – this time the same happened again. This is the first time we have had a committed Chrisitan leading the country – my only hope is that he won’t become a puppet for his deputy. We can only pray he is strong enough to lead the way God leads him and in a more compassionate way than his predessors.
Love dad
Well, I’m not too sure whether he is a committed Christian, but that’s interesting – I didn’t realise that Stanley Bruce was battling for industrial relations change as well.
Stumbled across this article and it makes for an interesting read. It seems a pretty accurate summary to me. Although I knew almost all the polls were predicting Rudd to win I to was hoping, and praying, it would not happen. Oh well the Israelites probably did not want the Philistines either! I guess it just goes to show that money and spin beat truth and common sense in politics
Minor query – Is Phil suggesting Rudd is a committed Christian whereas Howard is not??? While I am not sure if John Howard is or not I know I do not associate drinking, gambling and adult entertainment with Christianity!
Trevor,
Yes I am suggesting Rudd is a committed Christian because I personally know his mentor who meets with him regularly around times with God. Christians do make mistakes, you’ve only got to look at David in Psalm 51 to see how a man of God can fall and be forgiven. Unfortunately, Johnny only had the “religious” veneer of a church-going man but without a personal relationship – again an insight from reliable sources.
Thanks for that Phil. I can accept that John Howard is a church goer rather than Bible believing Christian, mores the pity, but I am somewhat amazed about Rudd. While I am not doubting your claims about him, everything I have read, heard or seen gives the opposite impression.
David is probably a good example of a leader, though I would prefer it if Rudd avoided sending off troops on suicide missions just to hide his adultery
The big difference I would think is that while I consider David to have been a strong Godly leader who made some monumental moral blunders, Rudd seems weak in every area bar politics. Spin seems to be his strength. My view of a leader, and doubly so for anyone claiming to be, let alone actually being, a Christian leader, is someone who tells the truth as they see it not resorting to spin. I was quite pleased for example when the current Pope came out to say that only the Catholic Church was Christian. I forget his exact words, and certainly disagree with them, but I can respect him and his position.
There are plenty of other adjectives etc to describe a good leader, strength of character, the ability to make the right/hard decisions most of which I think could be applied to David but not Rudd. I realise my own political leanings probably influence my perspective but I think of all the ALP leaders in recent years the only one I would have possibly considered Christian is Kevin Beazley. Odds are, like John Howard he is a church goer rather than the real deal. Perhaps Rudd needs to think how to let his candle shine rather than hiding it? Of course real Christians are a minority in Australia so perhaps it would be politically unwise.