Pork-barrelling has become a new addition to the everyday Australian vernacular. This term, to break it right down, basically means throwing money at a constituency to ensure their votes go one way or the other. The issue is this is exactly not what governments are suppose to do, the budget should be spread relatively evenly amongst constituencies, even favouring those that need it most in an ideal world.
Scott Morrison however has no concept of doing anything with moral substance, when asked directly about articles written on the glaring disparity between Liberal & Labor seats where grants awarded are at ministerial discretion are at a near four times awarded in favour of Liberal marginal seats. The PM skirted the questions and gave a complete #scottyfromarketing answer which actually reveals more about his true thoughts on the matter than I believe he intended.
He’s seems to have completely missed the brief there, it should be along the lines of “vote for us because we keep our promises”, he’s given away his hand by saying essentially, I’ll only keep my promises if you vote for me. Just like the promise of a federal anti-corruption body, oh wait you didn’t keep that promise either, add it to the ever growing list. His flippant response & continual justifications for an exorbitant difference in spend is beyond a joke.
For further reading on the incredible depths of disingenuity & of moral laxity by the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his ministerial cabinet:
- https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/pork-barrelling-in-coalition-seats-worrying-study-20211128-p59cva
- https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2021/12/liars-puswad-politics-spreads-mutiny-and-disgust/
- https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/16/sorting-facts-from-spin-in-the-coalitions-response-to-grants-pork-barrelling-claims
Addendum
The complete disregard by the Prime Minister Scott Morrison of even the possibility of pork-barrelling within his party shows a deep-seated disregard for the moral nature of the office he holds. He may espouse Christian faith and values but his actions and consistent inaction show a much more truthful display of character than the facade posed by the photo ops and rhetoric of #scottyfromarketing.