High Office Should Mean High Standards.

When people are elected to high office, the very act of election and responsibility of representation places a burden of high standards on their shoulders.

A responsibility to be better. A responsibility to exhibit the very best of what we would want ourselves to be. A responsibility of equal concern for every citizen under their influence.

They have a responsibility and a duty of care that extends beyond themselves; into the world, country, electorate and communities that they are elected to represent and support.

Communities being represented, have a right and a responsibility to hold those in high office accountable. Not simply accountable to doing things we like - high office comes with tough decisions that not everyone agrees with - but at the very least, accountable in the long-term to the decisions being made in the best interests of all of us.

They should be accountable to a high level of care, humanity and understanding. Accountable to the highest levels of integrity, transparency, consistency, honesty and due diligence. They should be vigilant - preventing corruption, hypocrisy, favouritism, cronyism and non-equal concern for different individuals and communities.

Sometimes leaders, like our parents, make decisions that we don't like because they are uncomfortable or frustrating for us - and sometimes, we can reflect on those decisions and ultimately understand that they made them with good intentions and believed them to be in our best interest.

Other times, leaders make decisions in their own best interest. Looking after themselves, shirking responsibility, and taking advantage of their positions of responsibility and power. In those times, we cannot accept the insidious moral decay that comes from those in high office eroding the trust of the people in that office. We cannot accept the amplified dehumanising effect that policy made in the best interests of a few has on the many. We cannot accept a consistent posture of division and partisanship - victim blaming instead of support.

The federal leadership in our country currently needs to do better. They aren’t doing us a favour by doing the right thing, it is the bare minimum requirement as holders of high office. We can demand better - and we must.

If you are looking for ways to integrate meaningful positive impact, character, custodianship and courage into your organisation, get in touch with any questions and stay up to date HERE - We'd love to have you on board.

If you'd like to support our work, and ensure that we don't leave anyone in-need behind, you can do so by joining our community of subscribers who are committed to the best possible outcomes for those in need here. It helps us continue to write, share and work with those in need.