Scott Morrison’s loss of form over bushfires shows he’s only human after all

Illustration: Eric Lobbecke

Our Prime Minister does not make many mistakes. He has been a steady hand on the tiller and the electorate has rewarded him with a historic election victory. As a consequence, opportunities to attack him have been few and far between for Anthony Albanese.

Finally, Albo can see a ray of light at the end of the long tunnel before him. Scott Morrison has looked out of touch and out of form in his reaction to the bushfires. On the other hand, Albo has shown he has all the necessary qualities of a real leader. He showed great compassion for the victims while leading the debate on where to go to reduce the danger from bushfires. Finally, the PM revealed there was indeed a chink in his armour.

Prior to the last few weeks Morrison was regarded as a truly compassionate man. So what did he do to earn the negative coverage? Not much really. It’s just that once you are in the top job you are expected to get it right every time.

Even the most popular politicians have a use-by date. Everyone remembers Bob Hawke hitting a record 72 per cent approval rating in the polls. Few remember that by the time Paul Keating pushed him aside that number had shrunk to a miserable 27 per cent.

All politicians overstay their welcome and the only exception to that was Neville Wran, who got out just in time. Had he waited another minute he knew the Huns and Visigoths would break down the walls of his castle.

For all Wran’s success, he may well lose the crown of greatest Labor state leader to Daniel ­Andrews. The Victorian Premier does not know how to put a foot wrong. His soothing words to the victims of his state’s bushfires hit exactly the right note. When compassion is real and not feigned, it is a powerful political tool. I will not be surprised if he sets records for longevity as a premier provided he has the patience and the will to continue.

Voters are largely unimpressed with politicians throwing money around in times of crisis. The pollies can never win. They are expected to stump up the cash in telephone numbers and to turn up to show their care and concern. Any wrong move will be pounced upon because no margin of error, no matter how limited, is ever allowed for in difficult times.

You would have to wonder what makes anyone want to stand for election to our parliaments. Your best moves are taken for granted because the Australian voters are not easily pleased or satisfied. I don’t envy the PM as he moves among people who have been deeply wounded. It is so easy to offend those who are at the end of their tether.

One bloke, whose home had burned down, was adamant that he was not going to rebuild in the same spot. He was determined to move somewhere that would provide him with some certainty that he would not have to face this horror again. Were I in that situation I would be right with him in making the move. How often do we rebuild in a forested area and see the same destruction a decade later? Perhaps it is the zoning laws we should be questioning. If you ignore history you are doomed to repeat it. When human life is at stake then decision makers at any level of government are bound to err on the side of caution.

The same argument can be advanced when it comes to how sharks are treated. It is pretty useless to claim lamely that the ocean is their territory when you know people are jumping into that ocean from beaches all over Australia. We lose a few precious lives every year to sharks and if we need to put out nets or use other means to keep them at bay, then I am all for it. I am writing this column from Townsville where the stingers prevent you from swimming in shallow water, the sharks keep us out of the deeper water and the brown snakes and taipans keep us out of the bush.

For all the natural hazards presented by nature in our land, nothing beats something else that was introduced to us from abroad which kills too many of us at a frightening rate. I refer of course to the car. More than 1000 Australians die on the roads every year. Even the average moron can work out speed is a factor yet suicidal mugs with death wishes still manage to wreak havoc. The legal system in recent years has improved in some respects, like actually putting in prison those whose lack of concentration or flippant attitude still cause the deaths of innocent road users. But those who continue to drive on suspended licences still get away with slaps on the wrist.

There are simply too many recidivists who repeatedly transgress. They are maniacs behind the wheel and are accidents sure to happen. Magistrates find it far too easy to forgive and overlook dreadful driving records. A points system does little or nothing to deter those who have lost their licence multiple times and continue to flout the law. If ever a cohort of low-lifes like this existed in breaking any other law on a regular basis, they would visit a place of detention paid for by Her Majesty.

One of the things I have come to despise is a stupid law which prevents you from parking in front of your own driveway. If you live in a crowded city where parking is at a premium, your own driveway is a pretty attractive option. After a few losing arguments with the grey ghosts who patrol my suburb’s back lanes looking for miscreants, I finally gave up the practice.

You can’t beat City Hall.