Australian politicians: staggeringly out of touch

[Bunk Moreland]

Both major parties have an issue with this.

Their representatives just seem to have less and less in common with those they purport to represent.

Housing is a key topic in point.

Some say the PM buying a $4m beachfront house in the middle of a housing crisis shouldn’t affect him electorally. Personally I’d say that’s extremely naive.

The register of interest shows we have a parliament full of housing speculators. This is further and further removed from the reality of many people.

I feel there’s been a bit of a change in how this is viewed of late. Once upon a time people saw somebody owning multiple residential properties as a success story to be congratulated.

But now, with so many people actually not being able to afford a home - or knowing someone who can’t - attitudes seem to have shifted somewhat.

Today we have this absolute shocker from NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson. When it comes to the price of milk this can seem like cheap gotcha questioning. When you’re talking about a core living requirement - and you’re a housing minister, no less - it looks really, really bad



The median unit rental price in Sydney is around $700 per week.

A quick search on realestate shows not a single property in Greater Sydney for $200 per week. The search returns only car parks or shared bedrooms.

 

[King Patty]

 

[Carn The Berries]

Both major parties have an issue with this.

Their representatives just seem to have less and less in common with those they purport to represent.

Housing is a key topic in point.

Some say the PM buying a $4m beachfront house in the middle of a housing crisis shouldn’t affect him electorally. Personally I’d say that’s extremely naive.

The register of interest shows we have a parliament full of housing speculators. This is further and further removed from the reality of many people.

I feel there’s been a bit of a change in how this is viewed of late. Once upon a time people saw somebody owning multiple residential properties as a success story to be congratulated.

But now, with so many people actually not being able to afford a home - or knowing someone who can’t - attitudes seem to have shifted somewhat.

Today we have this absolute shocker from NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson. When it comes to the price of milk this can seem like cheap gotcha questioning. When you’re talking about a core living requirement - and you’re a housing minister, no less - it looks really, really bad

View attachment 2164148

The median unit rental price in Sydney is around $700 per week.

A quick search on realestate shows not a single property in Greater Sydney for $200 per week. The search returns only car parks or shared bedrooms.

That's not a gotcha question for the Housing Minister (I'd argue that all state pollies should have some, broad, idea about this, even if it isn't their portfolio). She should be relieved of her duties for a stuff up like that.

I have no issue with the PM buying his new place. He's damned if he did and damned if he didn't. If he had gone to the 'burbs and spent $800k-$1.5m on a place there would have been people having a crack at him for taking a house away from someone who can't afford any more than that. It's a complete non-issue.

 

[King Patty]

I don't mind Albo spending money. but should have bought a French mansion, more bang for his buck

As for not knowing the price of rent within ballpark, thats shocking and shows they have either never rented? Or been in no circles with renters at all. are they even aware of the housing crisis? must be in a nice bubble.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Today we have this absolute shocker from NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson. When it comes to the price of milk this can seem like cheap gotcha questioning. When you’re talking about a core living requirement - and you’re a housing minister, no less - it looks really, really bad

View attachment 2164148

The median unit rental price in Sydney is around $700 per week.

A quick search on realestate shows not a single property in Greater Sydney for $200 per week. The search returns only car parks or shared bedrooms.

She then had a hissy fit because the interviewer interpreted "a couple of hundred bucks" to mean $200 and she accused him of putting words in her mouth. Embarrassing episode for her. I also doubt the stuff at the bottom end of the market is very close to a train station.

 

[MarcMaverick]

She then had a hissy fit because the interviewer interpreted "a couple of hundred bucks" to mean $200 and she accused him of putting words in her mouth. Embarrassing episode for her. I also doubt the stuff at the bottom end of the market is very close to a train station.

I mean, that's what "couple of hundred" means. 200 exactly.

For instance, if I said that I am coming to Brisbane to meet you in a "couple of weeks" that means I am going to be there on November 27.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

She then had a hissy fit because the interviewer interpreted "a couple of hundred bucks" to mean $200 and she accused him of putting words in her mouth. Embarrassing episode for her. I also doubt the stuff at the bottom end of the market is very close to a train station.

It doesn’t really even matter that she got it wrong.

It’s that she got it so staggeringly wrong.

It’s like saying you can buy a new car for $5000. It’s not even in the ball park.

How can someone so clearly have no idea at all? Like not even the slightest bit of portfolio knowledge? It’s alarming.

 

[The Punter]

Look, the price of milk is harder to avoid. You would literally have to avoid being the person to buy milk. It's why it is reasonable for anyone to know the price of milk: it is something I think it is reasonable to expect all people do. Bread the same.

Not everyone is a landlord, and these things are often managed externally by a third party. So IMO this is not so much about that other species of creature, the politician, not being in touch with the humans, but bad staff work. The Housing Minister should be across her brief which includes the rental market.

 

[MarcMaverick]

It doesn’t really even matter that she got it wrong.

It’s that she got it so staggeringly wrong.

It’s like saying you can buy a new car for $5000. It’s not even in the ball park.

How can someone so clearly have no idea at all? Like not even the slightest bit of portfolio knowledge? It’s alarming.

And then tripling down on her wrong.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I mean, that's what "couple of hundred" means. 200 exactly.

For instance, if I said that I am coming to Brisbane to meet you in a "couple of weeks" that means I am going to be there on November 27.

That's how I see it too, it seems like common sense to me. But I was talking to a friend this morning, and he said when someone talked about a couple of hundred bucks, in his head it meant up to $300-400. And this friend is generally pretty level-headed and not a rusted on Labor voter. So I assume there are many others who don't interpret it the way you and I do. But it still looks silly for Jackson to react in this way.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

How can someone so clearly have no idea at all? Like not even the slightest bit of portfolio knowledge? It’s alarming.

Probably, they've not had to struggle for a long time and don't bother to put themselves in the shoes of those who are struggling.

I get that Max Chandler-Mather is not everyone's cup of tea, and I can understand disagreeing with his views on renting. But to his credit, he chooses to keep renting so that he stays in touch with the experiences of renters. I'd like to see more politicians do that.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Look, the price of milk is harder to avoid. You would literally have to avoid being the person to buy milk. It's why it is reasonable for anyone to know the price of milk: it is something I think it is reasonable to expect all people do. Bread the same.

Not everyone is a landlord, and these things are often managed externally by a third party. So IMO this is not so much about that other species of creature, the politician, not being in touch with the humans, but bad staff work. The Housing Minister should be across her brief which includes the rental market.

Nah can’t let her off the hook in any way on this.

If you’re gonna be housing minister you need to make it your business to immediately learn how many houses we have, how many we need, what are the forecasts versus population forecasts, how much do they cost to rent or mortgage and how does that compare to wages.

Very basic stuff. It’s housing. It’s numbers.

What it clearly shows is we have ministers who aren’t the least big interested or engaged in the portfolio they purport to manage.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Probably, they've not had to struggle for a long time and don't bother to put themselves in the shoes of those who are struggling.

I get that Max Chandler-Mather is not everyone's cup of tea, and I can understand disagreeing with his views on renting. But to his credit, he chooses to keep renting so that he stays in touch with the experiences of renters. I'd like to see more politicians do that.

I wouldn’t even ask that they live it. Just walk your ****ing beat and learn it. It’s what you do when you start any new job.

 

[The Punter]

Nah can’t let her off the hook in any way on this.

If you’re gonna be housing minister you need to make it your business to immediately learn how many houses we have, how many we need, what are the forecasts versus population forecasts, how much do they cost to rent or mortgage and how does that compare to wages.

Very basic stuff. It’s housing. It’s numbers.

What it clearly shows is we have ministers who aren’t the least big interested or engaged in the portfolio they purport to manage.

I don't disagree with any of this post, but the criticism I would make is "she is bad at her job" (being satisfactorily briefed is her responsibility as she is the Minister), rather than "she is out of touch".

Having said that, it's probably a good idea for all MPs at both levels to be regularly briefed on rental prices in their electorates as housing affordability is a massive issue.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Register of interests shows she did own an investment property that was rented, she sold it last year.

2 bedroom house at 73 Queen Street, North Strathfield.

Sold for $2 million.

Purchased in 2011 for $683k.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Register of interests shows she did own an investment property that was rented, she sold it last year.

2 bedroom house at 73 Queen Street, North Strathfield.

Sold for $2 million.

Purchased in 2011 for $683k.

And rented it out for a couple of hundred a week I'm sure....

 

[MarcMaverick]

And rented it out for a couple of hundred a week I'm sure....

That equates to $400+ right?

According to Rose Jackson.

 

[Saint]

Housing is one symptom, but the general lack of awareness of what Cost of Living is doing to people is showing up. The ALP refusing to do anything about it, when they should be treating all of CoL as a national emergency (including house prices) shows that they're out of touch.

Nearly everybody is worse off financially since 2022, I guess with the exception of ALP Cabinet members and members of mostly the top 20% of wealthy people.

The fact the ALP has chosen to do next to nothing on CoL since the last budget shows how out of touch they are. They're losing polls because of it.

They don't know about CoL because they charge all their meals to the Govt or their partner at home does the shopping and cooking and doesn't bother them about it.

The ALP truly have no clue what they're walking into. The economy is teetering on recession (per-capita recession in full swing), housing is unachievable and underemployment is going up. And the ALP look like they're going to go into the election the same way the US Democrats did saying "what a great job we've done at bringing recession down, now we're all in celebration mode" and buying houses and aren't we all so happy.

Unemployment is up from 3.5% in July 2022 to 4.1%
Wages are up about 7% over the same period.
Inflation (CPI) is up 12% over the same period.
Dwelling prices are up 9% over the same period.

There are zero measures which look good for the ALP, all are trending horribly for them (dwellings and inflation higher than wage growth still, underemployment is up another 1% on top of this.

 

[Rotayjay]

I agree that it's a problem with both major parties.

When you:

• went to a private school
• send your kids to a private school
• own several investment properties
• own your nice house outright or with a low mortgage because you bought pre-1999
• have access to Commcar
• have private health and can get elective surgery immediately if needed
• live 15 minutes from your workplace

Then you probably won't really understand or feel:

• Public schools being under-resourced
• Trying to live on social security
• Struggling to find a place to rent or struggling to pay the rent or mortgage
• Public hospitals being under-resourced with long, long surgery waiting lists
• Crappy clogged roads, long commutes and crappy public transport.

 

[MarcMaverick]

I agree that it's a problem with both major parties.

When you:

• went to a private school
• send your kids to a private school
• own several investment properties
• own your nice house outright or with a low mortgage because you bought pre-1999
• have access to Commcar
• have private health and can get elective surgery immediately if needed
• live 15 minutes from your workplace

Then you probably won't really understand or feel:

• Public schools being under-resourced
• Trying to live on social security
• Struggling to find a place to rent or struggling to pay the rent or mortgage
• Public hospitals being under-resourced with long, long surgery waiting lists
• Crappy clogged roads, long commutes and crappy public transport.

Not to mention having those private school kids having a seat in the political table. Nepotism.

 

[Rotayjay]

She then had a hissy fit because the interviewer interpreted "a couple of hundred bucks" to mean $200 and she accused him of putting words in her mouth. Embarrassing episode for her. I also doubt the stuff at the bottom end of the market is very close to a train station.

It's splitting hairs, but I believe the widest possible interpretation of 'a couple of hundred' is $150 - $350, being generous. Really, a normal person would say it's a number with a 2 in front of it.

 

[tandino]

Both major parties have an issue with this.

Their representatives just seem to have less and less in common with those they purport to represent.

Housing is a key topic in point.

Some say the PM buying a $4m beachfront house in the middle of a housing crisis shouldn’t affect him electorally. Personally I’d say that’s extremely naive.

The register of interest shows we have a parliament full of housing speculators. This is further and further removed from the reality of many people.

I feel there’s been a bit of a change in how this is viewed of late. Once upon a time people saw somebody owning multiple residential properties as a success story to be congratulated.

But now, with so many people actually not being able to afford a home - or knowing someone who can’t - attitudes seem to have shifted somewhat.

Today we have this absolute shocker from NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson. When it comes to the price of milk this can seem like cheap gotcha questioning. When you’re talking about a core living requirement - and you’re a housing minister, no less - it looks really, really bad

View attachment 2164148

The median unit rental price in Sydney is around $700 per week.

A quick search on realestate shows not a single property in Greater Sydney for $200 per week. The search returns only car parks or shared bedrooms.

Jesus what hope do people have.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I agree that it's a problem with both major parties.

When you:

• went to a private school
• send your kids to a private school
• own several investment properties
• own your nice house outright or with a low mortgage because you bought pre-1999
• have access to Commcar
• have private health and can get elective surgery immediately if needed
• live 15 minutes from your workplace

Then you probably won't really understand or feel:

• Public schools being under-resourced
• Trying to live on social security
• Struggling to find a place to rent or struggling to pay the rent or mortgage
• Public hospitals being under-resourced with long, long surgery waiting lists
• Crappy clogged roads, long commutes and crappy public transport.

It’s hard to make a case for Rose Jackson

• Daughter of a playwright and the late Liz Jackson of the ABC
• Went to “Newtown High School of Performing Arts”, an incredibly selective public school
• Studied Economics and Law
• Very heavily involved in student politics
• Became a local councillor
• Worked for an MP
• Became an MP

She (perhaps with a partner, unclear) bought a $600k investment property in her mid 20s in 2011, and sold it for $2m last year.

This is the modern ALP. They’re just never going to get it.

 

[Saint]

The underlying problem is that 100 years ago, politicians saw it as a public duty to provide their wit and acumen to the public for a while before going back to their career. Being a mayor or MP was somebody who was revered in society as doing a service.

Now we just assume the local MP and mayor are doing mostly what the local property developers are funding their campaign to do. Local MPs rarely come from their electorate, most of them are lawyers and privately educated. Many of them have no other career other than becoming a politician and are supported by the party apparatus in the mean-time, either through the union (ALP) or Daddy's company or philanthropic org (IPA), before working in a pollies' office. People like Lehrman and Higgins on six figures with no discernible skills or social benefit.

The distance between rich and poor has expanded and so has the gap between wealthy, elite politicians and most of their constituents.