By PHIL JARRATT
I REFRAINED from commenting on the Federal Election before the poll because I figured you would be getting those opinions elsewhere – and how! But now that everyone who cares has juggled that humongous Senate form and cast a vote as best they can, may I offer the opinion that we seem to have created the most ridiculous form of democracy seen since Federation.
As I write (on Sunday night) it appears Malcolm Turnbull’s LNP coalition will probably be able to govern in a minority with the assistance of pledges to support supply from a few people that we didn’t elect to have a casting vote, and whose policies we probably don’t like. True, we are not virgins in the matter of hung parliaments, but this one looks even worse than the last.
Not a great result for the Libs, but by the time you read this, the tide may have turned enough for them to govern in their own right. However, across both houses in last weekend’s double dissolution election, we have seen a substantial increase in the vote for people who cannot directly influence policy, who can only obfuscate the delivery of it.
I’m not talking about the Greens here, who under the leadership of Richard De Natale seem to be creating the structure of a legitimate third party again. Maybe I can even accept that Nick Xenophon and friends represent a legitimate small “l” liberal constituency.
No, I’m talking here about independents who stand for basically nothing other than their personal brands. I’m talking about Pauline Hanson, Derryn Hinch, Fred Nile, Jackie Lambie and Glenn Lazarus, among others. All of the above named will be represented in the new Senate and none will assist in the deliverance of good government or the democratic process to the house of review.
The election night commentators were referring to the new pack of Independents as the “circus animals”, which might seem a bit cruel, but is in fact a true assessment of the only role that can be played by them in our political system. They can cause pause for thought, which can be a good thing, but they can also be bargaining chips, which is a very bad thing. There should always be a place for independent thought in what is primarily a two-party system, but until the Senate quota is sorted out, what we have in place is a mess.
Derryn, by the way, is a former colleague and friend, but the “Human Headline” claims to have never voted in his life, so I’m afraid I don’t see why he should tip the balance on my vote or yours.
Here’s to Billy Wallace!
The godfather of surfing in Noosa turns 90 very soon, but Billy Wallace is going to be celebrating in a new home at Ozcare Noosa Junction, following a nasty incident involving the ingestion of an amalgam tooth filling.
The episode rendered Bill a little bit weak and needy, so he’s finally decided to put his feet up and take it easy in care.
And, as it happens, he’ll be within cooee of old mate and surfboard industry colleague Ray “The Admiral” McKeon, also having a well-earned rest, so they’ll have plenty of time for a chin-wag.
It’s been more than 40 years since Bill pulled up stumps in Sydney’s Brookvale, where he’d been one of the famed “Brookvale Six” pioneers of the surfboard industry, and brought his craftsmanship to Noosa.
For many years he plied his craft in Noosaville, and then in retirement made a spectacular re-emergence as a wood surfboard craftsman, making replicas of his creations from the 1940s and ’50s.
I’ve been a mate of Bill’s since the ’70s, so it’s given me a great sense of pride and satisfaction to have worked with Shaun Cairns, of Tewantin’s Panga Productions, over the past year to produce a documentary film that celebrates and honours the true pioneers of the modern surfboard industry – Bill Wallace, Gordon Woods, Scott Dillon, Barry Bennett, Denny Keogh and Greg McDonagh.
Now that film is almost complete and will be screened on Foxtel’s History Channel over the summer.
The old boys are still all with us, but they’re getting fragile, and it was wonderful to be able to screen an early cut of “The Men of Wood and Foam” for them at the Laguna Real Estate Noosa Festival of Surfing in March.
Now the film really does them proud, and I hope Billy and all of the others are able to attend the premiere in December.
Hey Bill Watson tells me that all of Billy’s mates are rallying to wish him well as he recovers, so if you consider yourself on that long list send your message to Ozcare.
