Mid-week roundup

More fun and games in Canberra, with mining magnate
Clive Palmer announcing both his plans to run for
parliament and the construction of the Titanic II. 

Business as usual this week in Canberra, with more media attention being given to scandal and rumour than to analysis of policy, or for that matter anything else. The suspension of MP’s Craig Thompson and Peter Slipper for their alleged misdemeanours (can’t believe there hasn’t been a “gate” suffix added yet to describe the scandals) dominated early in the week, with calls again made for the removal of Julia Gillard from office. It seems odd to me that the same people shocked by the idea of removing one prime minister, would be so in favour removing another. Fortunately for those not interested in the “revelations” that politicians are disingenuous and morally bankrupt, Slipper-gate at least (there I did it) has been put on the backburner following the discovery that Liberal MP Christopher Pyne had been in contact with Mr Slippers accuser before the allegations were made.

The ALP gained further respite this week following the surprisingly large interest rate cut on Tuesday. Something I don’t understand is why governments (not just the current one) claim, and are allowed to claim credit when interest rates drop, and conversely are attacked when they are raised.  The Reserve Bank of Australia monitors the official cash rate, and is of course independent of the Federal Government. Even more bizarrely, the cutting of interest rates is a sign of a struggling economy, so why does everyone express their relief? I don’t want to come across all Joe Hockey, but perhaps he was right in suggesting people should stop living beyond their means, especially when a new study suggests that we think we are entitled to more than we have. Labor were further aided this week, though not off their own bat, thanks to Tony Abbott’s eyebrow raising call for former mendicant state WA to receive a greater share of GST revenue, and by Indonesian government officials for slamming the Coalition’s immigration policy as “arrogant” and “rigid”.

It seems to me that neither party at the moment really has to do anything to put its opponent under pressure, they are more than capable of doing it to themselves whenever they opening their mouths.

State political journalists had their day in the sun this week with the release of the Victorian State Budget. In the typical style of the Baillieu Government, it was mostly inoffensive, yet is unlikely to do anybody any real good. The main sore points were the axing of more public sector jobs and the slashing of education funding. The public service is a bit of a free target for governments, with the response to the cutting of more than 4000 jobs barely ripple compared to the reaction following losses of smaller numbers from the manufacturing industry. There is a worthy increase in the funding for vulnerable children, as well as the usual funding for infrastructure (read roads). Everything else is pretty much as you were. Of course what must be noted is that the state is facing a period of, in not recession, slow economic growth and falling revenue somewhat limited Treasurer Kim Wells, as did the government’s unshakable commitment to producing a surplus. State governments never really worried about budget surpluses or deficits according to Prof Brian Costar, but it apparently now has become an electoral issue. I tend to agree; I’d much rather a government spend our money to improve our lives, even to the point of running a deficit, rather than have a government take austere measures and increase traffic fines just to balance the books. The Baillieu Government has been described as a “do nothing government” as this budget does nothing to change that impression.

But while analysts and political reporters were going over the budget with a fine-tooth comb, Melburnians were discussing a far more serious issue: footy. It five rounds in, at the natives are starting to get restless. The big issues again this week were the Match Review Panel and the standard of the football broadcast on Channel Seven. The weekly lottery of suspensions, reprimands and no charges included Geelong star Joel Selwood in a friendly exchange with Lion Andrew Raines, his brother Scott as a victim and an apparent case of false charges against Saint Leigh Montagna.  The most controversial was the Selwood-Raines exchange, with Selwood no charged with landing the first blow, while Raines was suspended for returning fire. When added to Daniel Jackson suspension for an apparently legitimate bump on Scott Selwood, some cynics (me included) suggested that the Selwood’s were a protected species in the AFL. The AFL’s overruling of the ‘independent’ review panels decision to suspend Montagna completed this week’s circus.  On the broadcasting front, I won’t say much; I’ll leave it to Rohan Connolly and the legion of commenters. But here are some examples of what the coverage used to be like. What I think is left unsaid though is that Melburnians again are uncomfortable with the idea of two non-Victorian clubs at the top of the ladder. Not that they’d admit to it. What they say instead is that they are now “credible” premiership chances, or we now “have to take them seriously”. It makes me wonder why we bothered with a national competition.

One final thing I’ll round off on is the latest worldwide figures regarding sporting club's wealth and attendance figures. The AFL ranked 3^rd for average attendance, which I think is remarkable given the size of Australia’s population, and the much larger finances of other clubs and leagues around the world.