Do we really need a policy on every damned thing?

Governments’ continued love affair with policies sucks out life faster than Dracula at a Red Cross.

The world is being smothered in red tape.

LIFE is supposed to be fun, spontaneous and a touch controversial.

But I can’t help but feel this is being sucked away with the enthusiasm of Dracula at a Red Cross thanks to a passionate bureaucratic love affair with “policy” and box ticking.

Of course this isn’t a specific council issue.

Governments across the world seem to take perverse pleasure in making rules.

It’s like playing Monopoly with someone who thinks the rule book is about 40 pages too short.

Some people believe this game dioes not have enough rules.

And like Monopoly it’s bound to end in tears, fights, and the silver dog being run over by a real-life car.

Yesterday’s town hall protester is a good example.

A decision on commemorating a family with clear key community ties stalled because there was no policy to fall back on.

So instead of a “good news about a history-making family” story, we’ve arrived at the “frustrated man takes to CBD with a loudspeaker” one.

Steve Jensen protests continued delays to his request for a memorial plaque for his parents, which was stalled because the council was still working on its policy.

Do we really need a carefully curated document to justify decisions on every damned thing? When do we say enough is enough?

I don’t know, but I’ve no doubt someone, somewhere is writing a policy for this.

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