{"id":1939,"date":"2013-03-02T17:32:07","date_gmt":"2013-03-02T06:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com\/?p=1939"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:24:21","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:24:21","slug":"is-the-liberal-in-the-liberal-party-a-case-of-false-advertising","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/is-the-liberal-in-the-liberal-party-a-case-of-false-advertising\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the &#8216;liberal&#8217; in the Liberal Party a case of false advertising?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1L66KhP0jYg?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>By <a title=\"Noely\u00a0Neate\" href=\"http:\/\/australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com\/noely-neate\/\">Noely Neate<\/a><br \/>\nMarch 2nd, 2013<\/p>\n<p>When I was young I would see something I thought was unfair, have a rant about it\u00a0 (obviously have not changed over the years)\u00a0 and my dad would mutter under his breathe &#8216;bloody bleeding heart liberal&#8217;.\u00a0 As a youngster I never really knew what that meant, though I did get the gist that my dad thought I was being soft.<\/p>\n<p>Reading about the highly anticipated or dreaded <a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.commissionofaudit.qld.gov.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Costello report<\/a>\u00a0,\u00a0depending on how you feel about the future of Queensland,\u00a0\u00a0it was pretty clear that the Atate I love is about to be parcelled up and sold to the highest bidder.\u00a0 In a nutshell Mr Costello is telling his liberal mate Mr Campbell Newman to <a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.brisbanetimes.com.au\/queensland\/sell-assets-and-outsource-health-services-costello-report-recommends-20130301-2fa36.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sell assets and outsource health services<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So where does that leave the people?<\/p>\n<p>Kay Rollison has expressed my concerns very well in her recent article: <a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/victoriarollison.com\/2013\/03\/01\/privatisation-coming-to-public-schools-and-hospitals-near-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Privatisation: Coming to Public Schools and Hospitals Near You<\/a>. \u00a0She \u00a0infers that the LNP Queensland Government is setting the blueprint for what an Abbott Federal Government is planning to do to the country as a whole.\u00a0 I have a terrible feeling she may be right, and again I ask, what about the people?\u00a0 The people who can\u2019t afford private schools, the people who can\u2019t afford a private hospital, the people who are already struggling to pay their ever increasing electricity bill. Are we destined to a future of the rich being wealthier, healthier and educated, whilst the less affluent become poorer, die waiting for a hospital bed and more ignorant due to poor public education standards?<\/p>\n<p>Is this what a so-called Liberal party should be doing? Let&#8217;s see how the party so proud of it &#8216;Liberal Party Values&#8217; stacks up against the definition of the word &#8216;liberal&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>Being an old fashioned sort of girl, I hit the dictionary for the\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/oxforddictionaries.com\/definition\/english\/liberal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">definition of liberal<\/a>\u00a0and you know what, the political party does not seem to fit the definition that the trusty old Oxford Dictionary shows me.\u00a0 Let\u2019s see&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>willing to respect or accept behaviour or opinions different from one\u2019s own<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong>I don\u2019t think so. The demonisation of asylum seekers is not liberal by definition.\u00a0 Recent comments by Morrison and Abetz display exactly how \u2018accepting\u2019 the Liberal Party is. Personally I would prefer to be warned that Morrison or Abetz was living next to me than an asylum seeker trying to start a new life with the family. \u00a0(<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/opinion\/politics\/facts-flee-as-politicians-take-low-road-on-asylum-20130301-2fbjb.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">their words and views<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>open to new ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gee that is a funny one. I&#8217;m pretty sure that the LGBT Australians are pretty sure there will be no gay marriage under the Liberals. In fact,\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.couriermail.com.au\/news\/premier-campbell-newman-expected-to-repeal-laws-granting-civil-unions\/story-e6freon6-1226392900908\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dialling back Civil Unions<\/a>\u00a0was on the top of the LNP&#8217;s list when they rocked into power last year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>favourable to or respectful of individual rights and freedoms<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong>Well if Mr Abbott has his way, women definitely do not have\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/newswithnipples.com\/2012\/10\/08\/some-of-tony-abbotts-best-friends-are-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reproductive rights or freedoms<\/a>?\u00a0 Now get back in that kitchen and make your husbands dinner, unless of course you work for or are related to Mr Abbott, because you are obviously one of the \u2018good\u2019 women&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>(in a political context) favouring individual liberty, free trade, and moderate political and social reform<!--more--><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Free Trade I will give them, hell, they will sell anything for a buck to the\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.couriermail.com.au\/news\/queensland\/outsourcing-of-government-services-key-to-costellos-155-tips\/story-e6freoof-1226588788210\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">highest bidder<\/a>\u00a0and their focus on the economy and industrial relations.\u00a0\u00a0Social reform not so much- hitting the poorest with lowering the tax threshold and whatever Mr Abbott renames \u2018Work Choices\u2019,\u00a0 is not exactly socially caring or responsible. Unless they are using the term \u201csocial reform\u201d literally and the reform is to make the poor poorer&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Theology regarding many traditional beliefs as dispensable, invalidated by modern thought, or liable to change<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Oh I am sitting here laughing again.\u00a0\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.liberal.org.au\/latest-news\/2013\/01\/23\/coalition-will-repeal-carbon-tax-and-welcomes-carbon-farming-progress-example\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Climate Change Denial<\/a>, no further explanation needed on that one.\u00a0 Plenty of cash for\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.edu.au\/pages\/school-chaplains\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">chaplains in schools<\/a>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0don\u2019t worry if the kid can\u2019t afford lunch, they have a chaplain to understand how desperate their life is. But have to ensure that we stay white and Christian, so get that indoctrination in young. UGH!<\/p>\n<p><strong>(of education) concerned with broadening a person\u2019s general knowledge and experience, rather than with technical or professional training<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ah, my personal favourite.\u00a0 Well common education reform is \u2018<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mysunshinecoast.com.au\/articles\/article-display\/give-up-on-gonski-langbroek,28869\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gone-ski<\/a>\u2019 if Mr Abbott wins power, so again, maybe the Libs are only using this definition to broaden the \u2018general knowledge\u2019 of the rich, as they are the only ones who will be able to afford a quality education for their kids.\u00a0 I won\u2019t even start on how much money\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.theaustralian.com.au\/opinion\/yes-minister-there-is-a-crisis-in-higher-education\/story-e6frg6zo-1226588532000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the previous Lib Govt ripped out of Universities<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>(especially of an interpretation of a law) broadly construed or understood; not strictly literal<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This may be the only part of the definition of liberal that this party truly subscribes to. They are very liberal with legalities, little things like it being\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.independentaustralia.net\/2013\/politics\/mal-broughs-dry-gully\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OK for a liberal candidate to steal pages from a MP&#8217;s diary<\/a>, n<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/opinion\/political-news\/abbott-must-act-on-sinodinos-says-dreyfus-20130301-2fcg8.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ot declare pecuniary interests<\/a>\u00a0and, my personal favourite, the use of the term &#8216;<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/opinion\/political-news\/abbott-called-on-illegal-slur-20121121-29qa8.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Illegal<\/a>&#8216;\u00a0for asylum seekers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>given, used, or occurring in generous amounts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I suppose they would get a 50% mark on this one, as we can see in Qld that the LNP is very generous to their donors, with quite a few are getting nice outsourcing contracts. \u00a0However taking away the\u00a0<a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.sbs.com.au\/news\/article\/1732055\/School-kids-bonus-out-under-Coalition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">School kids bonus<\/a>\u00a0from families already struggling is not exactly generous. \u00a0As long as you are rich you will still get your extra on Super and Private Medical, oh and the extra for your private school. So apologies, the liberals are very generous as long as you are already affluent.\u00a0 The rest of the population&#8230;\u00a0 yeah, sorry, stiff bikkies, no generosity for you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>a person of liberal views<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The fact that Mr Abbott has backed what Morrison and Abetz have said wipes this one out and the fact that the charming <a title=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2012-09-19\/controversy-over-cory-bernardi-bestiality-comments\/4269604\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cory Bernardi<\/a>\u00a0is still in the Senate illustrates that Mr Abbott&#8217;s Liberals do not fit this part of the liberal definition.<\/p>\n<p>Now maths is not my strong point, but according the definition of liberal in my old mate Oxford, I don\u2019t think the Liberal Party of Australia even fit 25% of that definition. Is the naming of this party false advertising?<\/p>\n<p>Then again, I am just a punter. Let me know what you think. Maybe you have some other examples for me &#8211; toss them below in the comments if you do :)<\/p>\n<p>Cheers<br \/>\n<a title=\"Noely\u00a0Neate\" href=\"http:\/\/australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com\/noely-neate\/\">Noely @YaThinkN<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Noely Neate March 2nd, 2013 When I was young I would see something I thought was unfair, have a rant about it\u00a0 (obviously have not changed over the years)\u00a0 and my dad would mutter under his breathe &#8216;bloody bleeding heart liberal&#8217;.\u00a0 As a youngster I never really knew what that meant, though I did [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3434,72,75,36],"tags":[82,147,180,293,294,295,2598,2604,403],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t0mw-vh","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1939"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1939\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}