Childish complaints which would be at home in the playground

From Ray McCredie.

IT was very noble of Senator Ben Shenton to make a complaint against Deputy Bob Hill relating to the Deputy’s comment stating that the Chief Minister, Senator Terry Le Sueur, was ‘not to be trusted’.

However, when the Chief Minister became aware of it, he appeared to be disinterested by the whole incident, merely commenting in a rather nonchalant manner saying: ‘Such is the nature of politics.’

Last year, when Senator Jim Perchard made a scurrilous attack on Senator Stuart Syvret using the most unparliamentary language and a lewd suggestion that would have just as easily easily been identifiable had it been read from the script of Channel 4’s Shameless, Senator Shenton must have considered this to have been acceptable as he made no complaint regarding the incident. In fact it was more debased than anything that Deputy Hill has said.

Is it perhaps that the victim was Senator Stuart Syvret, seen by some as ‘fair game’ to which the normal rules, regulations and conditions are not applicable?

There have been other incidents when a complaint would have been more justified than the one directed against Deputy Hill.

This type of childish, petty, ridiculous complaint would normally occur in a playground, and would be swiftly dealt with by the infant school teacher in charge.

As Senator Shenton finds it necessary to record his telephone calls, then whom exactly does he himself trust?