I was bewildered recently when I read of the Transport Accident Commission's (TAC) plan to sponsor low alcohol beer from brewers see here . Not by the scheme itself, but by Premier Baillieu's extraordinary intervention to kill it as an issue, just because (shock horror) the Herald-Sun was going to run a front page story on the plan.
The Baillieu Government has been very slow in making decisions (on anything) since coming to power, in fact verging on paralysis on occasion, but this little saga is a dangerous precedent that Baillieu is setting for himself. You have to govern by conviction, not just kill off every out of the box idea because the News Ltd tabloids are going to write a beat up on it. Instead Baillieu should've praised it as an "innovative idea" that's worth trying in the road toll battle etc etc.
You know it just never ceases to amaze me that despite all the evidence to contrary, politicians keep thinking that pleasing the tabloids will bring electoral success. Well it won't, the electorate will reward conviction every time (assuming arrogance is kept in check?).
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