It seems as if the major part of the news that comes from Canberra and our federal government is mainly about scandals or about fighting between governing parties and opposition. They are constantly circling around each other and pounce as soon as they find something that might give them an advantage among the voters.
It looks like the parties are more focused on trying to destroy each other than on governing and building up the country. Not only power corrupts, but already the desire for power. Opposition parties as well as governing parties are very much the same in this.
We are still dealing with the citizenship ‘crisis’ which was paralyzing our Parliament for a large part of the past year, and all of a sudden another scandal broke out. It was discovered that Barnaby Joyce, the leader of the Nationals and deputy PM, had a relationship with an (ex) staffer and she is expecting his child. Some time ago Mr. Joyce was pictured in the news with his wife, putting her career on hold in order to help him get re-elected. And now all of a sudden, so soon after that, this betrayal. If it would have been a Labor MP it probably had not attracted so much attention. That indicates the low level of morals of the Labor party. However, Mr. Joyce is Roman Catholic and presented himself as a defender of family values. In the political arena he is considered to be a Conservative and as such expected to defend conservative and Christian morals. His voters are hugely disappointed in this behavior of the man whom they saw as the one wo could best present their values in Parliament.
This whole affair led the PM Mr. Turnbull to the institution of a prohibition for members of his government to have a (romantic or sexual) relationship with staffers. It is sad that this was necessary. In a time in which our country and this world desperately need strong leaders, our leaders are occupied with fanning the flames or fighting the fall out of scandals caused by human sin and lust.
The recent months have shown, both here in Australia and world wide, that deviation of the Biblical norm, summarized in the seventh commandment (You shall not commit adultery) has led and will continue to lead to so many troubling situations and has brought so many men in trouble. The #MeToo movement is going through the Western world as a curse, destroying many public figures, among them several politicians, because of committed or alleged evil deeds in the past. This inevitably affects the government of many countries. This is another proof that God’s commandments are good and are a blessing for those who wholeheartedly abide by them. Nevertheless, the world does not want to acknowledge this and will not return to God.
pray!
Christians are again reminded of the huge need to pray for our governments. They have to be the leaders of our nation. Leading should not just be done in words, but also by example. Let us pray fervently if God will give our leaders the will and the strength to resist temptation and be fully dedicated to being good leaders who have the wellbeing of our country and the glory of God in mind.