http://aspirecq.com/?p=80
Lies, damn lies, then there’s statistics. It’s amazing what can be done with figures. Practically halve the unemployment rate for one. Roy Morgan Research figures claim Australia’s unemployment rate is 8.2% not the Governments 4.9%. One reason for the discrepancy is apparently Government figures don’t include people not actively looking for a job, but who don’t have a job! Add to this figure those with a job, usually part-time or casual, but want extra hours – the underemployed; the percentage is 17.2% of the workforce. So approximately 1 in 6 people eligible to work are either under or unemployed. 2.1 million Australians, according to Roy Morgan Research. With a mining boom creating thousands of jobs why are possibly over 2 million Australians under or unemployed? Is it the education system, the amount of government benefits, pay rates, delivery of training schemes, workforce moveability, an aging workforce or apprenticeship schemes? While the government creatively uses statistics to derive an unemployment rate under 5% we don’t challenge them as to why.
It’s not just unemployment we allow the Government to go unchallenged about. Our expectation for the government to provide fair, honest and free elections is another issue that needs to be challenged. This paper reported on alleged incorrect instructions being issued to voters in the local government elections. Mayoral aspirant Tim Griffin wrote to the Electoral Commission on the instructions he received from ECQ staff and what others advised him. “I have noted the examples you listed in your correspondence, but am not in a position to make any authoritative response without concrete evidence”, was part of the reply. Apparently quoting what happened is not concrete enough.
Cynicism of government grows – “they’re as bad as each other”. Maybe it would be different if we started to expect more from them. There are major issues we should be interested in like unemployment, the environment, the amount of debt, CSG mining practices, election practices and farmers land rights for example. All of us need to take a more active interest. Politicians need to be reminded that Government is more than a game of power; it’s listening and doing the right things for us, now and for the future. If we aspire a better future, than we have to play an active role.