Speaking at the ACTU Congress in Sydney, former boss Bill Kelty commented that he could not understand why the present Federal government was so unpopular. One of those reasons was staring him in the face.
When an average citizen is accused of a crime the legal system springs into action. There is an investigation - usually followed by an arrest and a court appearance - or if no evidence can be found - the matter is dropped.
The Craig Thomson-HSU affair has been running for years and we are now told that it will probably continue well past the 2013 Federal election. The investigators just don't seem to be able to put together a cohesive file of evidence and follow normal procedure - and few voters believe that this isn't spin to protect a politician whose single vote it critical to the government staying in office.
This investigation was carried out by Fair Work Australia ( FWA ) and that is a creature of this government.
If the FWA people can not bring an investigation of the misuse of union funds to a proper conclusion, then the blame can be sheeted back to the very people who created it - and that is what is putting mistrust and apathy into voter's minds.
Now a new factor has entered the equation. There is a suggestion that a two year time limit exists under the Workplace Relations act of New South Wales, and even if FWA or the police finally produce evidence to take the matter to court - it will be struck down as " out of time ".
Is it any wonder that in some quarters the voting public claim to have lost confidence in the Federal government's ability to govern this country - and some wags have insisted that it would probably have difficulty successfully " raffling a duck ".
The old adage that " justice needs to be done - and be seen to be done " is missing from this investigation, and there is a pervading political stink about the whole affair.
No amount of spin can cover the fact that obstacles have been deliberately put in the way of reaching a judicial conclusion !
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