• Do [Australian] politicians know what it's like to do your job?
    11 replies, posted
[t]http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/9469630/data/malcolm-turnbull-former-goldman-sacs-md-data.jpg[/t] [t]http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/9450564/data/peter-dutton-former-policeman-data.jpg[/t] [t]http://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/9450622/data/keith-pitt-former-sugar-cane-farmer-data.jpg[/t] [quote=ABC News]There are many under-represented professions in Australia's Parliament. One of them is nursing. There are 220,000 nurses in Australia — more than one in every 50 workers. Yet not a single MP came to Parliament from a nursing role. Nursing is second only to sales assistants in a list of Australia's most popular occupations. However there are far more former businesspeople, lawyers, lobbyists and political staffers walking the corridors of power in Canberra. Does your MP's past job really matter? Jill Sheppard, from the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University, says there are two arguments. One is that Parliament should broadly reflect the community. The other, which she says is, "maybe a little bit more optimistic … is if they can do their job well, it doesn't matter". Dr Sheppard says there is no evidence that, for example, a farmer in Parliament will better represent pastoralists and graziers. On the other hand, she also claims there is little to demonstrate the current mix is delivering the best outcome for Australians. Parliamentary Library records show not a single MP worked as a nurse prior to their election. Annie Butler, from the Nursing and Midwifery Federation, believes few understand nursing nearly as well as nurses themselves, and the make-up of the Parliament results in poor policy. She argues the Government doesn't always make the best use of taxpayer money when it comes to providing cost-effective care. "Governments are always looking for savings, but they don't do it seriously," Ms Butler said.[/quote] Read the rest of the article at [url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-09/politicians-professions-do-mps-know-how-to-do-your-job/9360836[/url] in the article you can also search for any Australian federal MP and read their resume. Eg my local member was an auto electrician for 12 years, then worked in the MP’s office of his predecessor for 6 years, before being elected himself. Mods, I am not sure if this kind of thing fits in this section. It is a news piece posted by ABC News and is not classified as ‘opinion’ nor ‘analysis’, but of course it’s not typical news.
They should be, because if they come from the same sources the rest of us come from they'll at least understand the stress and struggles of our lives. We see why this is important by looking at Capitol Hill, US. None of those motherfuckers have ever worked a day in their lives, if they have, it's been so long ago that they've forgotten what it's like to toil with your hands for half a penny every day.
I'm an American butcher at a local supermarket. Probably not.
[QUOTE=Zakkshockv2;53191209]I'm an American butcher at a local supermarket. Probably not.[/QUOTE] hang on whats so special about being an american butcher rather than any other kind
[QUOTE=Elstumpo;53191283]hang on whats so special about being an american butcher rather than any other kind[/QUOTE] Americans are a pain in the ass to butcher.
[QUOTE=Extronic;53191105]let's not exaggerate. it's around 40-60 bucks a day before tax for working your fucking ass off and by the time you get home you're too tired to enjoy anything.[/QUOTE] Yah, that's [I]before[/I] tax. :v:
Not even my managers know what my job is half the time.
[QUOTE=TestECull;53188920]They should be, because if they come from the same sources the rest of us come from they'll at least understand the stress and struggles of our lives. We see why this is important by looking at Capitol Hill, US. None of those motherfuckers have ever worked a day in their lives, if they have, it's been so long ago that they've forgotten what it's like to toil with your hands for half a penny every day.[/QUOTE] While I imagine that’s ideal, I think it’s undeniable that people from some professions would be better-suited for being politicians, compared to people from other professions. Eg a few years ago a former timber worker was elected to the Australian Senate through a bizarre preference whispering deal that saw him elected with 0.5% of the primary vote. But when he had his first ever media interview as a Senator, it was an absolutely cringeworthy train wreck. And no one should be surprised, because becoming a Senator is a big change from his previous occupation. But if he couldn’t perform a simple, friendly media interview, there was little hope in hell that he would be able to effectively participate in deadly-serious Senate Estimates hearings. I think he eventually wised up to the role, but yeah, he was never re-elected. Another thing too is that people with backgrounds in business, law etc will intrinsically have a better understanding of the intricacies of existing and new legislation, and the operations of government. And that better understanding may assist them in better meeting the needs of their constituents. Eg I would rather trust tax reform or international trade to a bunch of former lawyers, than I would a former hospitality employee or boiler maker.
If you go to a community that thrives off of tobacco, and talk to the people, they'll largely insist that tobacco is pretty safe and that big government needs to fuck off. Coal miners will often deny/minimize climate change, etc.. All these people have is perspectives which are useless on their own without analysis. They don't necessarily have any grasp of law, economics, history, etc.. These people should be INVOLVED in the political process, with politicians frequently interacting with their constituents, listening to their concerns and perspectives and trying to get at the root of their feelings, but not really as the lawmakers themselves just for the sake of background diversity.
[QUOTE=BF;53191780]Another thing too is that people with backgrounds in business, law etc will intrinsically have a better understanding of the intricacies of existing and new legislation, and the operations of government. And that better understanding may assist them in better meeting the needs of their constituents. Eg I would rather trust tax reform or international trade to a bunch of former lawyers, than I would a former hospitality employee or boiler maker.[/QUOTE] you have far more trust in your elected officials than I do, then, because the only thing I trust lawyers and businessmen to do is fuck me in the ass every last way they can come up with that'll enrich themselves at my expense. They don't give a shit about people like me, who barely make ends meet and struggle, toil, slave away for whatever scraps they can. They don't give a shit what's right for everyone, what's fair, what improves society. Only thing they give a shit about is getting another S-class. They've proven this time and time again. Doubt me? Just look at the state of US healthcare. I'm sick and tired of lawyers and businessmen who've never worked a day in their lives running the show. I'd rather have a bunch of people who are a bit awkward on TV but genuinely care about the plight of the poor and the lower middle class sitting in the halls of Congress, because at least then there's a slim chance of some sensible reform getting passed.
[QUOTE=TestECull;53193191]you have far more trust in your elected officials than I do, then, because the only thing I trust lawyers and businessmen to do is fuck me in the ass every last way they can come up with that'll enrich themselves at my expense. They don't give a shit about people like me, who barely make ends meet and struggle, toil, slave away for whatever scraps they can. They don't give a shit what's right for everyone, what's fair, what improves society. Only thing they give a shit about is getting another S-class. They've proven this time and time again. Doubt me? Just look at the state of US healthcare. I'm sick and tired of lawyers and businessmen who've never worked a day in their lives running the show. I'd rather have a bunch of people who are a bit awkward on TV but genuinely care about the plight of the poor and the lower middle class sitting in the halls of Congress, because at least then there's a slim chance of some sensible reform getting passed.[/QUOTE] Honestly, if all politicians were solely self-serving, the country would be in FAR worse condition than it is right now. Far, far, far worse.
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