Bill Shorten. Federal ALP Leader, announces new Ministry for Tokenism at ALP Conference.
The Labor Party are the big hitters on change. They are determined to challenge the status quo. And you can bet, that with the election of a Shorten government there’ll be big changes. They’re not content to let the metaphorical water flow under the bridge. Not for them the lazy politics of complacency and being asleep at the wheel. Labor is committed to change. They’ve got a quota system that sees 48% representation for females, and some of them (even if they win the next election) will have exciting portfolios on the front bench. Minister for child-minding, Minister for Aboriginal health and well-being, Minister for “wellness”, Minister for Aboriginal spiritual maintenance regimes, Minister, for ‘Life matters’ and Minister for “The well intentioned incarceration of Aboriginal Australians for their own good’, and another new portfolio, the Minister for place names and the Minister for an ongoing enquiry into equity, banking and the superannuation industry
All embraced under a Super-Ministry, the Ministry for Tokenism.
All ministers get to wear a token, and the public don’t get a look in. That would corrupt the purity of thought. And by association deem the token, (to be worn proudly together or singly with the Order of Australia) to be worthless. Cos as stated in the legislation, ‘the wearer of the token is entitled to a lifetime of free travel, sinecures on boards, grotesquely generous pensions and attendance at all taxpayer events functions and launchings by upholding the sacred principle of the status quo’.
Ministry of Tokenism Building. A Great Leap Forward. More significant, (arguably) than the Order of Australia in challenging the Status Quo.
Don’t they know that; ‘Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to loose’.
So it was good to see at the State Labor Conference the vexed issue of refugees and poor bastards rotting in detention centres, given the flick. Good to see live debate shut down by the right wing trade unions, and great to see the leader of the party, fade from the stage, (like he wasn’t there) overwhelmed by the silence he created, for a love that dare not speak its name. Those who rot.
Not for humanity modern labour.
Of the right to strike? shut down,
On superannuation? shut down.
Gender inequality? shut down,
Heading up the super ministry, former PM Kevin Rudd.
New start allowance? shut down.
Working with Big Business, Order of Australia, and Ministry of Tokenism merit badge recipients to keep the Status Quo.
The Labor MP Andrew Giles, the shadow assistant minister for schools, said it was “beyond disappointing that some delegates chose to shut down debate on important issues”.
“In Labor we pride ourselves on our culture of debate – of working through tough questions respectfully and openly, not hiding from these or from scrutiny of our positions,” he said.
“We can’t take this for granted. This goes to the heart of our challenge, which isn’t just to to set out an alternative policy vision but to reject cynicism towards politics by building a movement in which all of us can have a say in shaping our future.”
(from the Guardian
Nup, by unaminous consent the conference issues will be put off, after the super saturday by-elections. Don’t want to let policy get in the way, and perhaps with a bit of luck after the next federal election. Like Bill, it may just dissapear.
Note: all members of token inner sanctum are reminded to get their itineraries sorted for the UK Labor conference tour, and accept that flights will be tax deductible as business class. And to remind that taxpayer funded free entry to all museums, galleries and cultural institutions, (including meals) will be pegged to only ONE partner per person. (children and extended families are unrestricted).