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I haven't done a thread for a while, so indulge me for the next 20 or 30 minutes, while I offer you my thoughts on corruption, dinkum Aussie style.
It's one of my favourite topics and I think I've developed, over the last decade or so, a pretty keen insight.
So here goes...
It's one of my favourite topics and I think I've developed, over the last decade or so, a pretty keen insight.
So here goes...
Many people believe Australia to be relatively corruption free. In my experience, this nation is anything but. It is simply that Aussie corruption is concealed by the "mates network". Money is not passed over (much) in brown envelopes, but mates do mates a favour. And so it goes.
There is so much of this soft, hard to police, systemic corruption a fascinating academic book has been written about it, 'The Game of Mates', by Prof Paul Frijters and Dr Cameron Murray. https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/game-of-mates-exposing-the-corruption-club,11278
Essential reading if you ever wonder why things are so screwed up.
Essential reading if you ever wonder why things are so screwed up.
Of course, the little publication I began a little over 10 years ago, @independentaus, has concentrated on exposing Australian corruption - and we have had a fair bit of success. We were the ones who exposed Kathy Jackson, we wrote the Ashbygate book.and we outed Barnaby Joyce.
In short, if you aren't one of the #insiders - you don't have the right mates or have become persona non grata to the mates' club - life is much more difficult than if you can find a way to step aboard this gravy train. It goes without saying that merit and worth is irrelevant.
The mates' network extends into ever part of our society: judiciary, media, politics, church, police and ever authority you care to mention. Some people, of course, are honest, straight and incorruptible, but most are malleable to a lesser or greater degree.
*every* x 2
