Cockeyed views

We’ve recently been through a week of horror as the cool calm and collected Pell (the ultimate bureaucrat) was questioned by the Royal Commission. Pell’s performance was nothing other than remarkable on many fronts. Only once did he let the Mr. Hyde side take over in an unconsidered statement of not being interested in his “mate” abusing (mating with) kids. Very little came out of Pell that we didn’t know already, nor was there that classic “got-ya” moment where the witness breaks down and admits to everything. Apart from Pell hiding from Australian justice and making it difficult (if he is genuinely sick, he should retire and come home) – a la Skase – nothing really seems to have been achieved by that whole procedure. Pell may or may not have been involved in such activity – there has not been any proof of it – he may or may not have been aware of it happening – once again no direct proof. But on the second issue, he would have had to be the only human on “Earth” (Well, the Christia...

If ever you wondered which level of politics you should enter, the answer is blatantly obvious – it is undoubtedly councils. Yes, it’s grubby, it lacks any sophistication or intelligence and the people deals with (or compete against) are the most corrupt, but that’s how you make money and making money is the name of the game. Long gone are the days when individuals entered politics with the genuine desired to make a change and improve the community, state of country. It is now a career – a highly paid career. In fact Australian politicians are amongst the highest if not the highest paid politicians in the world. I believe the Australian prime minister is paid more than the president of the US. See, whilst higher levels of politics have a greater impact on the future of the nation, there isn’t much money in it. These levels of politics set strategy and high level policy, but the money is really at the coal front where the detail policy and business deals take place. There is no doubt th...