Stuff of Politics

‘Never trust a politician.’ Was the advice Henry’s mate gave him; which seemed strange because is mate was a politician. Their friendship had nothing to do with the cronyism of politics they shared similar interests and Henry didn’t if the subject was broached, as long as I didn’t go on too long, anyway if it did, he would slope off home.

Politics is not the exclusive realm of politicians and parliament, it pervades through society and is no different to the pecking order in a hen-house. But in the greater context, whatever or wherever politics rears its head money and power are sidekicks and whether it is money, power or both, there seems to be an agenda.

In large cities, there is a housing crisis. It’s termed ‘housing’ but really it is land – land prices will always rise, simply because they aren’t making any more. And, if the climate change theorist are right, there’s going to be less.

It stands to reason then, most land is a good investment, resulting in the trend for people with equity to borrow and reinvest in additional properties. This is happens because interest rates are very low.

We are told that at retirement, you need to have around a million bucks ‘to support a reasonable lifestyle’. How then is someone on wages going to do that when their savings accrue a low interest rate? Currently property accrues at a far more rapid rate.

When it comes to interest rates who is controlling them – politicians or the banks? If money is a commodity of supply and demand, how come all the governments of most nations have huge deficits, owing undreamed-of amounts, yet if Joe Blow saves, he attracts a meager interest? What happened to the universal theory of supply and demand?

If you happen to be on a low income, how are you going to accrue a million bucks for your retirement? Most likely the politicians don’t give a toss, but low incomes come from the competitive environment they promote.

Take cleaning as an example. If you work for a commercial cleaning company and they tender (or offer a price) to clean a school for a year. The boss will offer the lowest price possible to win the contract. Therefore there is not enough fat in the price to offer the workers a reasonable wage. All very good for the school, but stalemate for the workers.

We hear the old platitude from the politician, ‘I know how tough it is on a low income, I was raised by a solo parent in a state house.’

Kids though do not manage a household budget and are mostly unaware of the hardship their parents face.

There is a difference between an employer and a boss, but without dwelling on the difference, workers face problems because their bosses do not understand or adhere to the labour laws. Often, the boss doesn’t recognise the need to take appropriate breaks, does not pay for extra time worked and has an unrealistic expectation of what a worker can do in a day. To some extent this comes through bosses not working up through the ranks and experiencing ‘the working life’, instead becoming the boss through owning a certificate or a degree.

Henry was stirred into writing to his local MP in the 1980’s (unhappily vindicated) when a so-called leftist government under a regime nicknamed ‘Rogernomics’ privatised government departments and began the selling off of state assets. Fundamentally changing the financial structure of the country, the policies also created widespread social change. The ‘trickle down’ theory where ‘if the rich became richer, those riches would trickle down to the poor’, turned out to be a crock.

It is an example where personal and political philosophy outweighs sound management.

This Roger fella [stupidly] said he would rather toss money into the sea than invest in forests.

The ‘corporatisation’ of the forestry industry saw a skilled workforce demobbed, which effectively caused a loss of jobs in rural area and the demise of small towns. Included were ethnic minorities and workers with skills not required elsewhere. Meantime corporate offices became lavish and consultants provided expensive advice but without accountability.

The corporation process was across the board over all government departments causing a social experiment that is ongoing and unable to be fixed adequately three and a half decades later.

The 1980’s reform was like a watchmaker making repairs with a sledgehammer. Perhaps government departments needed fixing – so why fix them? They threw the spuds out with the peelings!

Discrepancies rancor Henry and he reckons it’s obvious something is out of kilter when the top football player earned 80 million USD in 2014 while the Filipino woman working in a rest home earns 10.65 USD per hour equaling 22 152 USD per annum.