Political Double Standards

On October 1st, 2021, Gladys Berejiklein resigned as Premier of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state.

The resignation was unexpected, to say the least, coming just days before New South Wales began to lift restrictions after three months in Lockdown after an outbreak of the Delta COVID-19 Variant. Hours later, the action was explained by an announcement that ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) had launched an investigation into the Premier's actions three years ago, revealed by the ICAC investigation into former Senator Darryl McGuire. The public reason was that Gladys was sticking to her own principles, having previously been quoted that any Politician under investigation for corruption should step down.

Speculation by many members of the public was that given the 2018 revelations, Gladys was stepping down before she was dismissed in disgrace, and thus keeping her Pension and Benefits.

Previously, speculation had revolved around whether Gladys was an unwitting accomplice, or knowingly involved in the actions of her then-secret boyfriend, given then-Sports Minister Stuart Ayres's abrupt backflip from refusing to fund Mr McGuire's projects when Ms Berejiklien initially referred them to him, to approving them a few weeks later.

There's no debate that Ms Berejiklien's actions were wrong, or that she should have resigned as early as 2018, when the conflict of interest was made public. Considering the other political scandals of recent years, however, and the lackluster investigations and complete absence of consequences of those incidents, One does have to wonder at the double standards. It doesn't take a microscope, or even a magnifying glass, to see where the affected politicians differ.

In early 2021, multiple Federal Ministers were accused of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment. Evidence emerged that when a female staffer came forward with accusations of having been drugged and raped after a staff party, the only response was for her superior to order the office steam-cleaned immediately, conveniently removing evidence. When these accusations came to light, the staffer was fired and doxed, ultimately having to move interstate. Her superior, then-Minister for Defense Linda Reynolds, was demoted to Minister for Government Services and NDIS.

The male Ministers who were revealed to have committed the act, or similar acts, and participated in the cover-up, refused to step down, and were provided taxpayer-funded lawyers to launch a counter-case for defamation.

A committee was formed to investigate the "toxic sex culture", but the Government refused to implement nearly all of the suggestions, although they did agree to an optional 1-hour seminar on consent and workplace behaviour.

How very progressive of them....

Compared to those incidents, Gladys Berejiklien's actions are undoubtedly a Breech of Public Trust, and certainly questionable, but its equally clear that she's co-operating with ICAC and doing the right thing in the circumstances. Also, the ongoing debate about rural councils requiring more infrastructure, funding and support, while governments prioritize the voter-heavy cities and swing-seats, is an old one, and not really comparable to widespread instances of assault.

Ms Berejiklien is replaced by Domenic Perrottet ('Pear-oh-tay', but don't worry about pronouncing it, no-one cares), first choice of the Party Room back-benchers, and no-one else. He's a former Treasurer, father of six-soon-to-be-seven, and passionate supporter of Prime Minister Scott Morrisson's plan to open boarders immediately and prioritize the economy above Australian lives. He's also heavily religious, and with several important votes on reproductive rights and equal civil rights for non-straight and disable couples coming up... not everyone is so keen on him calling the shots.

The same morning he was confirmed as replacement Premier, the agreed-upon cautious re-opening plan, particularly in regards to those too young to be vaccinated returning to school, was scrapped in favor of getting all children back in schools as quickly as possible.

With six kids at home, some of them doing Remote Distance Learning, it's not hard to see why Mr Perrottet would be a fan of that idea, but it was even harder to miss the protests from teachers and frontline health workers, who warned about opening too fast, too soon.

Mr Perrottet isn't a fan of people who disagree with him. Perhaps that was why the State CMO stopped appearing at the daily Press Conferences, shortly followed by closed captions and sign language interpreters. Political commentators are sharpening pens and settling in for op=eds that write themselves.

With the NSW opposition Jody McKay having stepped down earlier this year, over a similar scandal sparked by nebulous claims of 'bullying', and no-one able to remember her replacement's name, no few voters are hoping for a negative ICAC result.

I have exactly zero objections to Politicians and Public Figures being held accountable for their actions. I'm just very sick of that accountability only happening when the offender has breasts.

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