Hey folks, have you heard what former treasurer Joe Hockey had to say about entitled politicians? According to him, they’re like a cancer on our community. Hockey recently spoke at the Institute for Economic Affairs in London, where he had previously given his famous speech about the end of the age of entitlement. And guess what? He thinks things have only gotten worse since then. He believes that politicians who prioritize popularity over cutting government spending are the real problem. They feel entitled to hold on to power and be popular at any cost. Can you believe it?
Hockey, who proposed spending cuts and ended government subsidies during his time as treasurer, pointed out that his controversial 2014 budget had actually been implemented. But he also warned that Western democracies, including the United States, were drowning in debt and struggling to make tough decisions. He blamed this on the sense of entitlement that politicians have, thinking they can give people everything they want without consequences. And let me tell you, he’s not wrong.
When asked if the media was to blame, Hockey defended freedom of the press and said they weren’t the problem. He stood by his decisions to end the Australian car industry and cut public sector jobs, even though he acknowledged the hardship it caused for many. But he argued that it had no significant impact on service delivery, and where necessary, more people were employed.
Hockey also defended his failed attempt to introduce a GP co-payment, citing the example of Britain’s NHS. He claimed that a publicly funded system without means testing doesn’t meet the community’s needs and ends up hurting the poor. He argued that a means-tested co-payment would help sustain and improve the service, but apparently, feeling good about a ‘free’ entitlement is more important than actual health outcomes.
Now, here’s an interesting twist. Hockey, who now runs his own strategic advisory firm, Bondi Partners, revealed that the bureaucracy in big business is even worse than in the public service. Can you believe it? So, it seems like entitlement isn’t just a problem in politics, but also in the corporate world.
So, what’s the bottom line? According to Joe Hockey, entitled politicians are a real problem. They prioritize their own power and popularity over making tough decisions and curbing government spending. This sense of entitlement is like a cancer in our community, and we will all pay the price. It’s time for politicians to step up, put the needs of the people first, and stop thinking they can give us everything without consequences. Let’s hope they listen.