Not surprised, PM says teachers back to work

 Whilst it must be noted that our Prime Minister is notable for his many gaffs and for doing little to counteract the perception that he’s a marketing expert who is more ‘influencer’ than leader. 

The key takeaway from our pandemic years ought to be not limited only to these facts. Just as students now understand what a Pandemic is, what a Premier (and a Chief Health Officer) does, what Federalism means in a catastrophe and many other things besides. We as teachers, as professionals should have one clear take-away around politics and how it interacts with our work and how it’s managed.

Our Prime Minister’s actions are not an accident, he is THE figurehead for our neoliberal capitalist economy. 

Broadly speaking, Neoliberalism is the reduction of Government influence, sometimes called ‘small Government’. It’s personal responsibility as mantra; it’s limited handouts and small or no Government owned structures and infrastructure. It’s economy first, everything else second. 

So when, as recently, he noted ‘RATs would not be free’ and, in essence: ‘not our job’. This is not an anomaly, but a feature of his role as face of the Government. 

Whilst I personally have, at times, made use of these jolts, that show just how far removed his worldview is from my own, and that of most teachers. It’s best to see these as examples of being ‘shocked, but not surprised’. 

A feature, not a fault or flaw of the system. 

So next time the PM fumbles over the core values of a Neoliberal leader, be shocked, but don’t be surprised. 

The key takeaway from this pandemic ought to be, as the Government stepped out of the way of helping in ways we as a populist expect. This is not an error, but a clear ideology in practice. We must grow to greater understand this ideology, and fight to defend our own in the face of it. 

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