More Pork!

From the ABC

"Animal liberationists have accused Wasley's piggery north of Adelaide of subjecting its pigs to abject misery. . .

Animal Liberation executive director Mark Pearson says Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone is a major shareholder in the company which owns Wasley's piggery.

He says although Senator Vanstone is not directly responsible for the pigs' treatment, she should act."

Senator Vanstone has issued a statement saying she is simply one shareholder in the business and has nothing to do with the running of it.

She says any suggestion that she supports cruelty to animals is untrue and defamatory."

Pete's Points:

No wonder Bob Hawke, when caught in the street the other day, responded with a chorus from the musical "Oklahoma"

"Oh what a beautiful morning", he chirped.

All that was happening at the time was the commencement of the Howard vs Costello tussle.

Hawke no doubt remembered that this was the same sort of tussle he had experienced with his treasurer and also how that tussle ended.

Was there not some accusation made about that treasurer's involvement with a piggery?

Piggeries seem to be the business of choice for some politicians at least. It probably has nothing to do with pork barrelling of another kind, that sometimes comes within the ambit of political debate.

There does not have to be any substance to a story these days, nor indeed any truth. The mud (common in most old fashioned piggeries) is likely to stick.

Forget the truth, some politicians seem to have already done so, in spite of claims about the teachings of their parents..

Perhaps this is the beginning of a new series of reality TV.

I can almost hear certain politicians who are climbing in the ratings saying something like: "Take that "Big Brother". We can do better than mere "Turkey slapping!""

I can hardly wait to see the (political) knives flashing and the (politically) wounded carried off the (political) stage - perhaps to live and fight again another day or perhaps to vanish into obscurity like some other politicians we can no longer remember.

Gough Whitlam who recently celebrated his 90th birthday must be having the time of his life.

At some point I almost expect to hear that famous voice - undiminished by age it seems - come out with a comment like

"Oh that I lived to see this day!"

A more interesting headline for this article on the ABC news might well have been "More Pork".

The text could have included something like:

"Amanda denies support for cruelty to animals. Nothing concerning her views about cruelty to people claiming refugee status, held in off shore detention facilities, was raised during the interview."

I fully expect to see a sketch on one of the comedy shows that will explore this and similar themes.