Sunday, August 08, 2010

Beware of Pollies Bearing Showbags

As a kid I, like most others, attended the Royal Easter Show at least every few years. The biggest attraction and the one that required the most comtemplation, was located in the Horden Pavilion. My dilemma, which of the seemingly hundreds of different showbags would comprise my two, my parents' imposed limit.

I would be escorted up and down the aisles, weighing up the pros and cons of the various bags. Some contained sweets that would give short-term satisfaction but be gone before we got home. Others contained plastic toys that might last marginally longer. Still others included magazines and puzzles that one could enjoy for weeks at least. My parents would advise but ultimately it was my decision. It was a difficult choice and a taxing one for a child from a poor family who was determined to make best use of his limited budget.

Recently I watched Tony Abbott announce his party’s aged care policy- spend the same as Labor but slightly differently would be a good summation. Then I saw Julia Gillard promise more money for something or other. Later I watched Bob Brown deliver The Greens campaign launch speech; real vision for a future Australia. All this prompted memories of my childhood and my visits to the Hordern Pavilion.
As a kid I often made the mistake of choosing the lollies or the cheap plastic toys but as I matured I increasing opted for the bags with more satisfying, less ephemeral inclusions.

As this election campaign unfolds, if you are feeling you are being treated like a kid; being promised $ here and more $ there but the adult in you knows it’s actually a con to get your vote, then ask yourself which pollie’s showbag would you advise for your children’s future.