Monday, July 11, 2005
Leaders? Not!
I am infuriated and insulted when media reports refer to state premiers, the prime minister and their opposition counterparts as being our "leaders".
Under our system of government there is no such thing as a national or state leader as such. The nearest thing we have are the state Governors and the Commonwealth Governor General. If we are to be honest with ourselves, the only "leader" we can point to with any certainty is Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.
The fact is our state premiers and the prime minister are not state or national leaders by any stretch of the imagination and nor should they be referred to as such.
None of our state premiers or our prime minister are elected as such by voters and any one of them can be removed and replaced by their respective parties without reference to voters at any time.
These people are not even leaders of the political parties they represent. What they are is nothing more than the leaders, elected by the parliamentary members or the caucus or whatever body in whatever party as applicable, of the parliamentary wing of their respective parties.
Given the state of some of the minor parties (e.g. the Nationals in W.A.) one has real reason to question whether there is any reason for pride (aside from the pay-cheque) in being "the leader" of one of our political parties.
Given the quality of the current current crop of ALP and Liberal pollies in Western Australia and the methods by which members from both sides were imposed upon people of that state, it's no great shakes to be elected "leader" of either of those groups.
From my point of view I don't want or require a "leader" of any calibre. I especially don't want a "leader" who is prepared to lie and cheat and get into bed with lobby groups to win office.
A real leader shouldn't need to work the "numbers" to hold their position. They should inspire others to follow their example by acts of integrity and honesty and bravery (even political bravery).
Perhaps if some of our state premiers, their opposition counterparts and their federal equivalents took this approach then some of us might be inclined to follow their example and they might just earn the title "leader".
"Leader"? Yeah right!
Under our system of government there is no such thing as a national or state leader as such. The nearest thing we have are the state Governors and the Commonwealth Governor General. If we are to be honest with ourselves, the only "leader" we can point to with any certainty is Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.
The fact is our state premiers and the prime minister are not state or national leaders by any stretch of the imagination and nor should they be referred to as such.
None of our state premiers or our prime minister are elected as such by voters and any one of them can be removed and replaced by their respective parties without reference to voters at any time.
These people are not even leaders of the political parties they represent. What they are is nothing more than the leaders, elected by the parliamentary members or the caucus or whatever body in whatever party as applicable, of the parliamentary wing of their respective parties.
Given the state of some of the minor parties (e.g. the Nationals in W.A.) one has real reason to question whether there is any reason for pride (aside from the pay-cheque) in being "the leader" of one of our political parties.
Given the quality of the current current crop of ALP and Liberal pollies in Western Australia and the methods by which members from both sides were imposed upon people of that state, it's no great shakes to be elected "leader" of either of those groups.
From my point of view I don't want or require a "leader" of any calibre. I especially don't want a "leader" who is prepared to lie and cheat and get into bed with lobby groups to win office.
A real leader shouldn't need to work the "numbers" to hold their position. They should inspire others to follow their example by acts of integrity and honesty and bravery (even political bravery).
Perhaps if some of our state premiers, their opposition counterparts and their federal equivalents took this approach then some of us might be inclined to follow their example and they might just earn the title "leader".
"Leader"? Yeah right!
# posted by Yakbladder @ 7:30 AM 
