Our once admired and respected public leaders.
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It doesn’t seem that very long ago that corruption, cheating and reprehensible behaviour by public figures was something that we heard about in overseas news. We prided ourselves on the integrity of our political, corporate and social leaders. Clearly that is no longer the case.
Our politicians lie in order to cling to their jobs and unashamedly exploit every loophole available to benefit themselves. The Royal Commission into Australian Banks is revealing unconscionable, unethical and illegal behaviour on a previously unimaginable grand scale. On that basis can we possibly accept that at least some of the politicians who resisted the setting up of the Royal Commission were not privy to these practices and were motivated to leave them covered up?
There always were and always will be corrupt individuals holding positions of power, however what is emerging is far more worrying. While the Catholic and other churches initially ran the bad apple explanation for child abuse within their institutions, that ceased to be a viable explanation when the widespread nature of the abuse was exposed. Similarly, our banks will struggle to explain how deliberate corrupt, and illegal practices were approved by those at the highest levels of our most powerful and wealthy financial institutions. Their Boards of Directors are not made up of easy to hoodwink Mum and Dad investors, but rather by some of the most socially prominent and financially successful citizens. As financial commentators are beginning to note, it is not possible for the banks to have acted as they have without their Directors’ approval or turning of a blind eye.
That the imposition of relatively minuscule fines on companies for deliberately cheating consumers or competitors appears to have become so common that reporting is often confined to a paragraph secreted in the depth of newspapers, may itself be symptomatic of our cynicism if not acceptance that at best these people will receive a slap of the wrist.
So why have we become a country whose leaders appear to have little regard for honesty, integrity, and ethics? And, why have we become a country that accepts red tape and technicalities as justifications for not ridding our public institutions of their infestation by these sad excuses for prominent persons. A deliberate cheat and liar does not cease to be that just because their salary and fringe benefits run into millions of dollars annually. Why are these people permitted to avoid repercussions by resigning (and getting paid out more than the GDP of many small countries). After all, we are not content to allow burglars to retire on their ill gained wealth.
Our politicians apparently still don’t recognise that lies or deliberate withholding of truth is not a trait admired by the public. Thankfully we are not yet replicating the behaviour of cheering Trump supporters who seem to be in awe of their idol’s ability to blatantly lie and contradict himself
Isn’t it about time that we started talking about this alarming aspect of what we have become. If we don’t begin to reverse this trend, it is a trait that embarrassingly will associated with Australia just as the loud and aggressive stereotype of Americans so unfairly tarnishes the majority of that country’s admirable citizens.
We once debated what it means to be Australian. It seems to have become a win at all costs, stuff the effect you have on others and don’t allow hang-ups about honesty, the spirit of the law and service to others get in the way of your self importance. I for one would prefer to live in an Australia, a poorer Australia if need be, than one enriched by such despicable behaviour
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