CLP propaganda courtesy of a Senate office?

4
1520

2532 Scullion release OKBy ERWIN CHLANDA
 
Headline: CLP increases commitment to iconic Outback Way.
 
Isn’t it fantastic? The Country Liberal Party, barely clinging to life with a pathetic two seats in the Legislative Assembly, “will deliver another $160 million to seal and widen priority sections of the iconic Outback Way”. What admirable generosity.
 
But hold on, the smaller print actually says the money will come from the Coalition Government. That would be the coalition government in Canberra, right?
 
That’s what you call a long bow: The CLP is of course not part of the Coalition Government but Senator Scullion (pictured below) sits with the Nationals in the Senate and they are.
 
There is the Australian Government Coat of Arms at the head of the media handout from Senator Nigel Scullion with the message, in the largest type, being a pat on the back for the party of which he is the president.
 
So in what way is the CLP increasing its commitment to the east-west highway? Thinking about it a great deal more? Having a yarn over a beer? Or using this as a back door way to promote two of its candidates?
 
This release, coming from Senator Scullion’s office, which is financed by the Senate, quotes himself, as well as “Country Liberals Candidate for Lingiari” Jacinta Price and “Joshua Burgoyne, Country Liberals Senate Candidate”.
 
p2373-nigel-scullion-okBetween inverted commas, the statements by all three are the kind of mindless bumph the public is served up day after day by political minders.
 
Joshua who? Ah, that’s right, he is the SECOND Senate candidate of the CLP, with zero chance of being elected.
 
But, hey, this is a nifty way of giving exposure to a new CLP identity, on Senate letterhead distributed to dozens of media.
 
According to Commonwealth Coat of Arms information and guidelines “Senators and Federal Members of Parliament may use the Arms in the course of their duties as Parliamentarians”.
 
What does producing propaganda for the NT-based CLP, and disseminating the profound views of Ms Price and Mr Burgoyne about the Outback Way, have to do with Senator Scullion’s “duties as a Parliamentarian”?
 
It remains to be explained.
 
 
 

4 COMMENTS

  1. Maybe a little explanation in regards to producing propaganda for the CLP.
    Senator Scullion is Indigenous Affairs Minister after all. This is a project that will benefit many Indigenous peoples in the remotes parts of outback Australia.
    Help to make transport cost affordable, allow fresh food to be delivered to stores, help keep vehicles in a roadworthy condition a little longer, make travelling safer for all.
    All this and not even mentioning the ongoing tourism and economical benefits it will bring to many along the way.
    This is a project of such benefits to so many you would think the current Member for Lingari would have been a vocal supporter of it.
    How many years has this project been talked about? As long as the current Member has been in office maybe?
    A good indicator that Lingari needs some one to stand up and get things done for others.
    We all say they don’t do anything. So if this is getting something done, you would have to say Senator Scullion is doing his job as a parliamentarian.

  2. Lobbying for sealing the south Stuart Highway began in 1953 when the Alice’s first tourism association was formed.
    Bob Rumball raised the subject and former Brigadier, Noel “Tommy” Loutit, made the first representation to the Federal Government about it.
    The south Stuart Highway was finally sealed in 1987, so it took 34 years to achieve.
    To my knowledge, the first call for upgrading and sealing the Plenty Highway and Tanami Road was made by the newly elected Member for Stuart, Tony Greatorex, in July 1966.
    In the following month a similar call was made for the Petermann Road (now in part the Lasseter Highway) by a touring party from WA.
    So that was 52 years ago – over half a century – and still counting.
    The current “Outback Way” effort was preceded by the “Reef to Rock” campaign that began in 1984 and carried on into the 1990s, especially under former Mayor, Andy McNeill.
    The Member for the Northern Territory was granted full voting rights in Federal Parliament in 1968 (that was Sam Calder in his first term) and we got two senators in 1975.
    Seems to me a case can be made that getting this increased Federal representation has not resulted in any significant advantages for Central Australia over this time.

  3. Hi “Spot”: Thank you for your comment. We have had many reports about the importance of the Outback Highway – google this site!
    To promote this project through his office is clearly part of Senator Scullion’s job. To promote the CLP is not.
    Erwin Chlanda, Editor

  4. Rumour is that Scullion is considering stepping down and Josh Burgoyne could become #1.
    This is just Scullion warming the seat.

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