52. Scott Morrison

Hi. I am Greg and I want to grumble about last week’s grumble!

Last week I took a cheap shot at the new Federal Minister for Social Services, Scott Morrison. Now it is true that his record in overseeing our immigration regime – where secrecy ruled and meta-policy goals appeared to override any compassion for desperate individuals – does not fill one with hope that understanding and appropriate support for vulnerable people will be cascading down through Centrelink offices any time soon.

However, my grumble was bad politics – not because now that he is Minister we should speak nicely and announce our willingness to work constructively with him, but because it cedes the Minister too much power.

Anyone remember Graham Richardson – right-wing headkicker in the Hawke-Keating government? He did not have an environmental bone in his body, but as Environment Minister he protected swathes of precious old growth forests. Why? Because community groups mobilised to make it politically attractive to protect those forests.

So if we want to promote the interests of vulnerable and disadvantaged people, we need to stop begging whatever Minister is in power to do the right thing – or hoping that we get a “nice” Minister.

We need to mobilise popular support for the values that promote community over competition, or at least an inclusive growth that leaves nobody behind.

We need to make targeting the poor politically unpalatable.

If we do that, then it won’t matter – or at least will matter far less – if the Minister is a hard arse, a conservative Christian or a supposed social democrat who still believes that punitive and paternalistic Income Management is a good thing.

It’s called power. Exercising it is not always nice, and it is harder than whinging, but it trumps policy and compassion every time.

So yes, I am grumbling about Scott Morrison as Minister, but I am grumbling more about the fact that we let it matter.

I am Greg and I am grumbling.

This Grumble can be heard online or by podcast.
First Broadcast: 27 January 2015