You Need to Stand for Something

Have you ever thought that your body had been completely drained of energy, and yet you still had so much more to do? If so, I am feeling your pain!

Moving house is stressful enough without the removal company failing to show up and then having to spend hours phoning around for a replacement.

As luck would have it, we found a super chap who was happy to help us out, albeit over several days due to his other commitments.

His lads turned up today, and they were cracker guys who seemed to love their job. The chap in charge even had some experience with the Canberra political bubble, which made for some hilarious stories.

I asked him how he felt after a day of moving furniture, and he said it was a walk in the park compared with politics. I had to agree with him, but alarmingly, he seemed to know more of the peccadilloes of politicians than I did!

It made me realise that good things can come from almost any circumstance, and by the time this hits your inbox, I hope to be back in a Zen-like state!

However, to achieve that peaceful goal, I'll have to ignore the dystopian fantasies of SA Premier Steven Marshall. He courageously confessed his dream-like state at Tuesday's Australian Hotels Association luncheon.

I use the term 'courageously' in tribute to Sir Humphrey Appleby.

After joining the growing list of premiers completely overreacting to Coronavirus, Marshall had the audacity to boast of his successes while ignoring his litany of failures.

He was particularly proud of stopping the 'brain drain' from South Australia to other states this year. He proclaimed:

"We are keeping our best and brightest here in SA."

It all sounded terrific until a wise man close to me muttered, "That's only because you kept the borders closed, you fool".

It reminded me of the boy who dared speak of the Emperor's non-existent new clothes.

How any politician can open themselves up to such ridicule in a scripted speech to a usually sympathetic audience is beyond me. However, it demonstrates how our state political leaders are removed from real-world consequences.

None of them have suffered any loss as they closed down thousands of businesses.

Their tax-payer-funded chauffeur still picks them up, the monthly salary keeps rolling in, and the bubble-like adulation from sycophantic staff continues unabated.

The Premier's perception of greatness was only reinforced by the polls showing how grateful the brainwashed public was.

However, I now sense a subtle change in public sentiment.

Many in the business community now realise how weak and hopeless many state premiers have been and are openly considering the alternatives. In some cases, it is the Liberal alternative; in others, they are open to Labor.

It's a different story at the Federal level though.

The PM is total mastery of his domain.

Partly, that's because the Albanese-led opposition could be more robust, but it is also because Morrison seems to read the public mood very well.

I am the first to admit the Feds haven't done everything right, but they have been a darn sight better than their state counterparts. The real challenge for them going forward will be our economy and jobs.

In the end, that is how the electorate will judge them.

It's been a consistent refrain from me that we shouldn't put COVID or Climate Change before jobs; however, we cannot afford to put jobs before China.

The Chinese attack on our exports is a form of war. We cannot afford to surrender, but we also must be very mindful of the consequences. The longer the trade war continues, the more painful it will be for many Australian industries.

However, the sooner we can wean ourselves off the Chinese teat, the better off we will be in the long run.

Managing that transition will be the greatest challenge for the Morrison government. How that plays out will determine every Australian's political and personal fortune.

It brings me back to the adage, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."

Our government and all Australians need to stand together in the face of oppressive bullying from a totalitarian state.

Our independence, our sovereignty and our self-determination are not for sale. It never has been, and it never will be. Now is as good a time to remind the Chinese Communist Party of that.