September 16, 2004

COMPANIES AREN'T JUST PROFIT-MAKING THINGS

Miranda Devine in the SMH:

The more we see of Mark Latham the more it seems that underneath some admirable qualities seethes the heart of a hater, consumed with a clotted class envy that will be his downfall ... The Opposition Leader's driving passion is not to create a ladder of opportunity for all but to smash the rungs out from under people as they climb. It is the politics of vengeance.

And right on cue, Mark delivers:

Mark Latham has complained that a proposed 66 per cent pay rise for Qantas directors was "pretty crook", and said a Labor government would urge restraint in executive pay.

The Opposition Leader also promised to announce new measures during the campaign to promote greater "social responsibility" among Australian companies.

He said Labor would urge companies to exercise restraint in paying executives, and take steps to encourage social responsibility. "You've got the principle of decency - that companies aren't just profit-making things, they're part of society ... and how they behave and how they discharge their responsibilities has an impact on the community in which we live. We'll be talking about that as part of the Labor campaign."

Please do.

Posted by Tim Blair at September 16, 2004 10:11 PM
Comments

Mmmmm, but Libs are often no better. I can remember Pete Costello on more than one occasion gleefully joining in on the CEO bashing.

Posted by: TimT at September 16, 2004 at 10:20 PM

Let's remember that Latham was a member of the left faction of the ALP - hence his co-authoring with Lindsay Tanner.

Posted by: Louis at September 16, 2004 at 10:27 PM

Actually Louis, Latham has always been NSW Labor Right (although not as close to the Richo/Carr majority faction within the Right).

Tanner and Latham both wrote turgid books in Opposition in attempts to position themselves as being the bright young things of their respective factions.

The fact that Latham in nominally of the (Labor) Right makes his Castro-esque take on the role of the company even less excusable.

Posted by: yarraside at September 16, 2004 at 10:39 PM

Maybe he should have used the coalition code-word of "inflationary pressure" which is used when workers/unions demand pay rises.

Posted by: Andjam at September 16, 2004 at 11:49 PM

If somebody smashes the rungs out from under me as I climb, doesn't mean I get to stay up high?

Twitness and incoherence - they go together!

Posted by: Brian Jones at September 17, 2004 at 12:58 AM

Brian,

Have you heard of gravity?

But, seriously, the whole point is that the lefties are secret feudalists really. Thety don't want the great unwashed to become property owning capitalists. What they want is some of the oppressed classes to become apparatchiks in the public service and academia. These people can then perpetuate a low-rent "elite". The rest of us are then supposed to look up to this group of shysters as being far more sophisticated than us and worthy of respect because of their greater compassion. All this is because these people can't actually make it in the real market, so they go for power elsewhere.
The good news is that J-Ho is going to win and see the buggers off agian.

Posted by: Toryhere at September 17, 2004 at 09:27 AM

In a related note, is it just me or has Ken Layne come completely unhinged?

Posted by: Eric Pobirs at September 17, 2004 at 10:25 AM

"You've got the principle of decency - that companies aren't just profit-making things, they're part of society ...
Does that apply to Centenary House?

The hate and envy in Latham's policies is easy to see.

Posted by: scott at September 18, 2004 at 12:27 AM

I have just found a great badge on John Howard and Mr Bush at www.topicalbadges.com
An aussie site.
I would also like to let you know that both
G W BUSH & J W HOWARD will be with us this time next year so I am really saddened to know this is the reality and we all seem so powerless to do anything about it. The evangelical vote will get bush back in (thats the only vote he needs)
and the rich will get Johnny back in.Look out 2005 it is going to be a black year.

Posted by: fredtell at September 18, 2004 at 11:10 AM

I'm crying a real tear for you, fredtell. Oh wait -- that was something in my eye. Never mind.

Posted by: Andrea Harris at September 19, 2004 at 01:37 AM