Janet Collins
Billy MVictoria's Deadly Secret
November 27th 2006 03:07
Problem Premier: Steve Bracks
But as all Victorians knew, the outcome was never going to be win/win. After a month which saw promotional slogans such as "DON'T TRUST LABOUR" plastered on billboards and "Don't risk the Liberals" on the major broadcast channels, the latest four-year cat-fight was exactly that - a bitter fight to the dying minutes at the polls. And as in all meaningless little tiffs, the 'combatants' were there for themselves.
The popularity polls reflected the story to the letter, when The Social Critic hit the streets for vox pops: “The Greens got the second most votes in Brunswick, you know?” They only polled 12%, but that’s a record in the party’s 30 year history. But it wasn't all fun and games. It was repetitive, albeit dangerous, work when we asked about the main contenders: “Steve Bracks is a tosser” and “It just annoys me. Ted Baillieu’s the devil. He’s the devil!”
The options are - and always have been - pathetic. Former Premier Jeff Kennett – regarded by many as Victoria’s best premier - lost office in 1999. He closed 350 schools and numerous hospitals and mental health facilities. Under Steve Bracks for the past 8 years, Victoria's public transport situation has been deplorable, with a daily average of 4 train cancellations and thrice as many delays. As early as last week, 5 trains were being tested for shoddy brakes, which could potentially have caused accidents. That came after Bracks spent 30 million on making a train running from Geelong to Melbourne 3 minutes faster. Wasteful with money? Or not spending it correctly? Either way, good leadership is hard to come by.
The Social Critic would have you believe that politics, by nature, yields little in way of positive change but never fails at the provision of propaganda. And that may be true, but others, like Jonathan Green from The Age, are more circumspect: “If nothing else in this landmark election, a poll that marked 150 years of parliamentary democracy in Victoria, we were spoiled for choice, with something for everyone, from shooters to socialists and lesbian separatists.” Whether the problem is politicians driven by secret agendas or not enough intelligent politicians; the issue remains the same: Victoria’s political landscape has nothing on the horizon.
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