Unthinking and uncaring

It's amazing how little our state politicians know -- or care -- about government agencies.

Imagine that you are planning a party. A new years eve party, for example. You look at the total cost and think, Uh oh, I can't afford to spend two thousand dollars... So what do you do?

You think, food... it's a barbeque... let's have more sausages and less steak. You think, drink... more soft drink, less spirits but more beer. You think, shelter... we're starting early, it'll be hot and sunny, the rented shadecloth is essential.

In other words... You look at the various costs and decide which ones -- if any -- can be reduced.

If you were a politician you would say... cut five percent off everything.

Five percent less steak. Five percent less sausage. Five percent less soft drinks, spirits, beer. Five percent less shade cloth!?

Oh, you'd be thinking, five percent less guests...? Wrong!

A politician would say, five percent less food, drink and shelter... but the same number of guests.

What if the guests don't enjoy themselves? They're thirsty, hungry and sunburnt... Well... too bad... says the politician.

Next year they can all pay for their own new years eve drinks... in a privately owned pub.

Why would a politician make such ridiculous budget cuts? Because they don't care about the service being provided. Because they only care about being reelected. Because they don't understand how their own organisations operate.

Because organisational budgets are complicated. Politicians are simple. It's difficult to understand operational costs and service delivery. It's easier to listen to a treasury official who says, five percent cost reduction may win you the next election.

After all, it's not as if the politicians will lose any of their own income. It's not as if the politicians will lose any sleep over the budget cuts.

Nope.

It's just public servants who will work harder. Or be sacked. And it's just the public who will get less service.

So who cares.

Not the five percent fantasy politicians. That's one hundred percent certain.

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Problems ? Solved