Wish I could be like an MP & not bothering to go to my desk
to work as I feel I have more important things to do.
If you missed it, see this “awe inspiring rant by Mr Richard
Chirgwin” from last night in regard to the Coalition not
bothering to turn up for the introduction of the DisabilityCare
Bill, I suggest you do. I had hoped that our media would
report this lack of respect to the disabled this morning,
unfortunately, all they seem to be interested in is Mr Abbott’s
Budget reply speech tonight.
Speaking of which... Did you know that Mr Abbott’s reply
speech to the budget is more important than a mother taking time
off work to care for her sick baby? Well, yes it is,
Michelle Rowland was not afforded the use of a “pair” member to
fly home to care for 14 month old baby. Simon Benson has
reported here: "Opposition blocks bid to be with sick
baby".
So let’s
re-cap. In one 24 hour period, our Coalition Opposition and
soon to be ‘Rulers’ as the Australian media keep telling me
(personally I would prefer to actually vote first, obviously that
is an optional extra in our democracy), have insulted every
disabled person in this country by not bothering to attend the
Bill introduction. Now I am sure that by the time I have
uploaded this ‘opinion’ piece that the Coalition will backtrack
on Ms Rowland’s dilemma, there will be excuses of “Not being
aware of the seriousness of the pairing request... blah blah” as
they have the opportunity to backtrack.
What the Coalition cannot backtrack on is their non-attendance in
Parliament yesterday. Yes, a budget is important, but it
happens every year, this historical Bill is a one-off. This
should have been a day of celebration for the disabled, their
families & their friends, a celebration of our Nation, shared
by all!
The relief for so many in this country, who live in fear that
they will die and not be able to care for adult disabled children
is more important than a budget response.
The fact that a family with a disabled child will be able to move
State to better their circumstances if the opportunity arises due
to standard nation-wide care is more important than a budget
response.
The simple promise that carers of the many disabled in this
country has some surety about the future of their families is
more important than a budget response.
I could give many more examples. The very least the
Coalition could have done was attend this sitting to show that
they supported these people.
It has been suggested this morning that the ‘No-Show’ is not
really that big a deal as it has already been made clear
that they would support it, so no biggy... I am sorry, but
I disagree. Our MP’s are employed to represent US, the
Australian people in the Electorates where they were priveledged
enough to receive a vote of confidence from the ‘people’ that
they would represent their interests to the best of their
ability. Unless all these members that did not bother
turning up for Parliament do not have any disabled in their
electorates, I fail to see how that is representing your
electorate?
Mr Abbott will have nothing to offer in his Budget reply except
to say “This is a bad Government”, “This Government can’t be
trusted...” blah blah. You can guarantee that all of the
Coalition will be there, bums on seats to cheer Mr Abbott
on.
The media in this country are already setting the stage for Mr
Abbott’s wonderful reply speech, as it will be, just ask
them. It has been the lead story on all the TV
stations. Not one whimper about the total lack of respect
afforded the disabled community yesterday, barely a mention of
the decline of the pairing arrangement, though anyone want to
take odds when they invariably backflip on that there will be
plenty of airtime given to it? The producers of these News
shows that decided the lack of support for this bill and blatant
disrespect shown to the Disabled by the Coalition, was NOT News,
should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.
If this is the state of our Nation, where our elected members of
Parliament are allowed to behave in this manner and the media
will just shrug off as a political ‘tactic’, it is not a Nation I
want to be part of. I have discussed on this blog in the
past my feelings about the ‘lack of empathy that Mr Abbott has shown
in the past’ and the attitude displayed in the past 24 hours
has not changed my opinion.
The disabled I have spoken to are hurt & disappointed when
they have discovered the no-show, worse, they are now
worried that by not bothering to turn up, the Coalition in fact
plan to wind back the NDIS as they don’t really support
it... This is not the sort of worry that these people need,
they have enough worry in their lives as it is. Politics
and political gamesmanship should NEVER be more important than
“PEOPLE”. No segment of our society should ever be
disrespected the way they were yesterday in Parliament. No
mother should ever have to stay away from their sick child to
satisfy a political game.
It is
time for the media to scrutinise Mr Abbott. It is time for
the media to show the sheer ambition and lengths that Mr Abbott
will go to, just to gain power in this country. It is time
for the media to let the Australian public know exactly how much
Mr Abbott values them, as obviously, his political ambition is
more important than we, the public, are. After working in
very large companies, I fully comprehend that the ‘tone’ &
‘attitude’ of a company filters from that of the CEO at the
top. Therefore this attitude can only be coming from Mr
Abbott, having said that, it does not excuse the fact that the
other Coalition members blithely followed instructions to not
attend. You should all be ashamed of yourselves!
Sincerely
Noely (YaThinkN)
A punter who despairs for this nation if this sort of heartless
behaviour is considered ‘acceptable’
PS. If you would like to see the full version of Kiera's
wonderful graphic, here it is: https://twitter.com/KieraGorden/status/334586381424791552/photo/1
IMPORTANT: 11.00am I guess I am psychic,
all over TV about generous the Opposition are in allowing Ms
Michelle Rowland to be paired... Mr Pyne waffled with
rubbish saying "Did not know Ms Rowland's child was
sick..." the whole debacle is best described in "MP's sick
child furore: Abbott still doesn't get it, says PM" by Jonathan
Swan.
The talented people over at "Exposing Tony Abbott & The LNP -
Memes & Stuff" also very quickly came up with a wonderful
frame for the Warren Entsch letter of decline, see above, well
done!
