Wednesday, June 25, 2014

GROUNDHOGG DAYS IN SENATE


Oink! Oink!Oink!  The  Punxsutawney , Pennsylvania , Senate scene  as  people eagerly  look  to  see which  way   the  emerging  Groundhog   will  turn.  President  Hogg ,  no relation  to  the  critter  , with  Polish  drop in , has  pen  poised to record  the   momentous occasion . Laughing Penny Wong believes  the  cute Groundhog would  make a  nice soft  toy.
 
CANBERRA : If  you are a masochist , like me,  and have been  watching  Senate  debates  on TV of  late ,  you  soon  understood  why  Paul  Keating referred  to  the   Upper House as “unrepresentative swill ”the way the government side stuck to  the repetitious  message ad nauseam .  Talk  about  deja  vous ... over and over...again and  again ...Coalition  slogan  after  slogan . Senate  President   John  Hogg , like  a  recording : Order! Order ! Order ! Order ! Order !..  Hogtied  Hogg , time  and  time again,  stated  he  cannot   force  a  minister  to  answer  the  question  and  supplementaries . If  that be  the case , what is the use of  asking  a  question and   what  is  the  use  of  the  Senate? Ditto in the House of  Reps.


 In  a much  needed  piece  of  slight  relief , the  head  of  a  visiting Polish  (pork?) sausage  eating   political  delegation  was   allowed  to  share   the   throne  next  to   Hogg .  Before  that  elevation , the   Poles   probably  thought  the  Senate  resembled   one of those rowdy  strike meetings  outside  the  Gdansk Shipyard   which saw Lech Walesa  rise   to  international  fame, become  the  Polish  PM  and  receive a  Nobel award.  Looking somewhat  apprehensive  at  times, the Polish visitor  soon stepped down  and  departed  the chamber with  the  rest of  the  bemused  party. It  would have been interesting to learn what they  thought about proceedings. 


 After  continually shouting  order  and   repeating again and again  that he  cannot  force a minister to answer a  question, the  stressed President  normally  steps  down  for  his deputy so that he  can  take a  Bex  and  a well deserved  rest on a pig- leather  couch  to  watch  Bill Murray in  The Ghost Busters.   

The  soon to be sworn  in (and at ) new Senators -one holding a struggling  Groundhog-who will  have  the  balance  of  power  in  Canberra.