Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Victorian State Government

Reaper

Tells it like it is.
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
6,493
Reaction score
11,463
Points
113
Location
SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Members Ride
RG Z71 Colorado, 120 Prado , VDJ200, Vantage
For a government who have been in power for over a decade, it appears to me their becoming less and less professional. I would have thought professionalism would get better with experience. Two big examples lately have hit the headlines:

Several weeks ago the health minister announced they were going to roll out health checks for all employees of businesses in Victoria. All fine and dandy, it is a noble cause and a great way to get the Premier and Health ministers smiling mugs on the front of the daily newspapers. Problems started when asked about the content of the checks and how the program was to be implemented. The response was along the lines of: Errrr ummmm..... you want to know what???? ahhhh..... well those details are yet to be considered....... we are here today to make the announcement so we can all feel warm and fuzzy....

Then yesterday Mr Brumby announced a raft of new measures to counteract problem gambling. Amongst them was reducing the limit from $10 to $5 on a single spin of a pokie machine due to be phased in over the next few years. When asked which machines it will apply to both the Premier and Gaming Minister on several occasions said "all". This was news to the execs at Crown who have a $10 limit as part of their casino contract with the state governement that is valid for many years into the future. Several hours later a statement was relased acknowledging that Crown was exempt from the new limits.

Also as part of the announcment self imposed betting limits for problem gamblers, limiting their losses for the day/week/whatever. Again, great! However once again, when pressed for detail the response was - well ummm actually we have no idea how we are going to do it but we thought we will make the announcement anyway.

My confidence in the Government is getting very shaky. Any minister making an announcement should be totally accross the detail. Anything less is disgraceful. Further more, to make announcements out of the blue about stuff you have no idea how you are going to implement is plain crazy and not the mark of any competent manager.

Add to this the public transport ticket fiasco - already a year late and probably another 2 before it starts to be rolled out, costing at least $500million (nobody has come clean on the true cost). Plus our teachers, ambulance men, police, nurses and firefighters all either taking or considering industrial action for one reason or another. I really think managing this states affairs is beyond Mr Brumby and his team. Everywhere you look there are examples of short sighted reactions and lack of propper planning and thinking concepts thru.

Reaper
 

Tom_1569

Ecotech Power
Joined
Nov 19, 2006
Messages
2,236
Reaction score
52
Points
48
Location
Gippsland - VIC
Members Ride
'14 SR5 Pusslux
Dont forget the new P-plate laws :p
 

jules

we like the bun
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
1,149
Reaction score
18
Points
0
Members Ride
pimpin
Vic Labor have recently managed to avoid disasters that plagued the previous Labor Cain/Kirner govts. stuff ups like those mentioned by Reaper above are common.

voters didn't like Kennett's perceived autocratic style and despite arguably doing a pretty good job in many areas, they prefer the softer, cuddly Labor party at state level.

the major concern is not gaffes like those above, it's the growing strategy of state govts being paralysed by fear, i.e. doing nothing to avoid major screw ups. the problem is it works with voters, the gradual build up in infrastructure demand caused by lack of govt investment doesn't hit people between the eyes and they learn to accept it. spending $1 billion on a new fwy or rail line, while arguably needed, is much riskier.

voters need to learn to judge govts on what they didn't do, as much as what they did but didn't get quite right.
 

Jesterarts

Your freedom ends where mine begins
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
3,817
Reaction score
105
Points
48
Age
38
Location
Victoria
Members Ride
2010 Nissan X-Trail ST-L
^^^ Agree with that...

When the federal election was on Labor was burning John Howards arse when he mentioned interest rate increases...

Since the new government has come in the interest rate has gone up 3 times!

But people voted for them because "They didn't like John Howards" or "Its time for a change" or "Kevin 07 has a nice ring to it..."
 

Reaper

Tells it like it is.
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
6,493
Reaction score
11,463
Points
113
Location
SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Members Ride
RG Z71 Colorado, 120 Prado , VDJ200, Vantage
Vic Labor have recently managed to avoid disasters that plagued the previous Labor Cain/Kirner govts. stuff ups like those mentioned by Reaper above are common.

voters didn't like Kennett's perceived autocratic style and despite arguably doing a pretty good job in many areas, they prefer the softer, cuddly Labor party at state level.

the major concern is not gaffes like those above, it's the growing strategy of state govts being paralysed by fear, i.e. doing nothing to avoid major screw ups. the problem is it works with voters, the gradual build up in infrastructure demand caused by lack of govt investment doesn't hit people between the eyes and they learn to accept it. spending $1 billion on a new fwy or rail line, while arguably needed, is much riskier.

voters need to learn to judge govts on what they didn't do, as much as what they did but didn't get quite right.

Your point is well made and stems back to the underlying issue that is our state governments decision making procedure is flawed. You are right about infrastructure too.

Till the desal plant earlier this year (which was catagorically off the agenda according to the ALP during their state election campaigne), No extra water capacity has been commissioned in this state since the Thompson Dam was completed in the early 80's. Several years of below average rainfall and a near disaster has finally prompted this government to act. Of course their solution was to blame the people - use less water they say. The public went nuts installing water tanks and minimising their usage but that can only go so far in a city with such a fast growing population.

It was only when the water Minister's back was to the wall that he decided a desal plant wasn't such a bad idea. Mind you, the Mitchell (?) river in SE Gippsland which was earmarked by the Bolte Governement of the 60's as a good site for a dam was discounted as it doesn't provide enough water and the associated environmental lobbies enevitable protests. Anybody remember which river was the first to flood when we had a downpoor last July? And again in September (or whenever it was)? The Mitchell River.

Reaper
 

levymetal

TURN MY HEADPHONES UP
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
1,259
Reaction score
31
Points
48
Location
Earth
Members Ride
HSV ENHANCED VP CALAIS
How about Kevin Rudd's language? His choice of words are poor and he really doesn't sound smart when he is talking. Sounds like a 5th grader to me. Although I don't have any examples, every time I hear him on the news I just laugh at him fumbling with his words. He runs this country...
 

vlv8vic

<---Brad Quaid = internet stalker
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Messages
3,774
Reaction score
83
Points
48
Location
Australia
Members Ride
M5
Try living in south west Vic, the state government doesn't even consider anything this side of Geelong to be part of the state.
A while ago brumby suggested that we (the only part of victoria without access to a close based rescue helicopter) were in need of a chopper.
Now that he is in power he wont talk to any of us about it. No matter how many letters or pickets we do he still doesn't care.
It is way to easy to make statements when you aren't in power... and then do nothing about them when you finally have the chance.

Brumby is bad for the state.
 

arrow224

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2007
Messages
196
Reaction score
5
Points
18
Location
Melbourne
Members Ride
Subaru Liberty
Ahhh yes, the labor government. Should've voted Liberal eh?
 

minux

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
6,929
Reaction score
245
Points
63
Location
Melbourne
Members Ride
2017 SSV Redline
*sigh*

I see the Federal government has just named ANOTHER new authority...the Murray Darling Water Authority...
This is about the 10th new authority that will do nothing and will have no power. When the hell are Labor going to start actually governing this country rather than just introduce new authorities and studies etc....pathetic, really pathetic.
 
Top