Orangutans Revealed as Non-Core Promise
Remember that creepy election campaign video of Howard being conspicuously affectionate towards young Daniel and his toy monkey?
As it turns out, Daniel’s father is now shocked, shocked to learn that his disabled child has been ruthlessly exploited for election propaganda and then tossed, tossed aside. Apparently the promise to Save the Apes will not now be honoured, as it is rightly viewed within the bureaucracy as a last-minute barrel’o’pork:
Heritage Strategy Branch assistant secretary Greg Terrill withdrew the funding commitment in an email.
“The minister’s decision to provide new funding to support the work of the orang-utan protection units was made during the caretaker period and is considered by the department to be an election commitment,” he wrote.
I suppose now Rudd will make moves to override the public service and honour the promise, because it’s a fairly impossible PR situation, but REALLY. Sad for the kid, and probably for the apes or whatever, but do you know what? The video was and is foul, its intent was obvious, and more fool/shame on the family for letting it go ahead.
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