Many of us would be forgiven for waking up this morning and feeling like we have just entered a dark tunnel. Many of us would be forgiven for feeling violated. After all, the country’s wealth and riches have just been cruelly and foolishly plundered by the men too many voters put in charge last September.
Tony Abbott’s government left no stone unturned in last night’s budget. It feels like everything we hold so dear has been violently torn away from us. The #Budget2014 was confirmation for me that our country has been taken over by some frighteningly dangerous men.
These men from the Liberal Party, these right-wing neo-liberal ideologues, are doing the bidding of some of the country’s and the world’s most powerful elite. Those who have made their riches from mining our sovereign wealth and building our city’s congested tollroads and skyscrapers will be slapping each other on the back when next they meet in the country’s boardrooms, airline lounges and gentlemen’s clubs. You can be guaranteed that the lads from the Institute of Public Affairs will be clamouring to join them.
The so-called Budget is a disgrace:
$10billion to roads. None to public transport. Slap, slap.
The Renewable Energy Agency, the carbon tax, the mining tax scrapped, billions in fossil fuel subsidies to big miners kept. Slap, slap.
16,500 public servants to go, $20billion gone from health, $4.2billion taken from students and higher education. Smash that pesky, interfering government. Slap, slap.
$230million from the ABC and SBS. Choke dissenting views and diversity of voices. Slap, slap.
Bring out more Dom Perignon and more cigars!
The image that went viral last week of Liberal Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann each smoking a cigar reeks of wealth, privilege and power. Hockey and Cormann had spent many days prior to this photo being taken in interview after interview warning the budget was in crisis, it was going to be tough and that everyone had to share the burden, including the sick, the elderly, the unemployed, the young. Yet the image said they were mighty thrilled with themselves. It was disgusting. If Tony Abbott wasn’t such a fitness freak he would have been there too.
So last night they gave birth to a monster and this morning the ruling elite of neo-liberal ideologues couldn’t be more chuffed. Our beautiful country has been taken over by a few men intent on violently smashing open the social fabric of our nation so that their wealthy mates in big business can access the spoils.
There is a light at the end of the dark tunnel we have just entered. It’s the next election. Bring it on.
Green Cate 
I agree completely Cate. This budget is a hateful business. It shows how much the Coalition hates ordinary people. Comparatively Rudd and Gillard are saints! But what really breaks my heart is that anyone paying any attention at all will know that this was always the intention of the incoming Coalition.
Back in 2012/2013 so called progressives would sit around Leichhardt and Brunswick dinner tables and swish bistros whining about Gillard and Rudd and saying how “they are all the same”. It was so clear we were stumbling into this dreadful landscape. Australia voted for this.
Why people continually vote against their own interests amazes me, and we can’t blame it all on right wing cheer squads/news limited, loathsome as they are.
Yes Cate we warned and warned but big media wins out every time. You can bet the Telegraph is singing praises today. Our only hope is that some measures will be blocked in the senate. The LIBNATs are probably counting on that so they lay some blame on the Greens and Labour.
Love your informal writing style.
John Vernon