Pom in Oz with Derek Goforth: Automatic gratitude to our politicians can be dangerous and misguided

In recent years, since the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve seen a growing sentiment that we should be thankful when the government provides basic services or infrastructure.

Whether it’s new roads, public health initiatives or education funding, there’s an implied expectation that we should express gratitude toward our government officials. In particular our local upper and lower house State members.

But here’s the truth: we shouldn’t be grateful for the government doing its job. After all, they are spending our tax dollars — not out of the goodness of their hearts, but because it is their duty. It’s not from their back pockets, it’s very much from ours.

All levels of governments are elected to manage and allocate resources in a way that benefits society as a whole. These resources come from the taxes we pay, which means that when the government builds a new school, repairs a road or funds healthcare, they are merely redistributing our money back to us in the form of services.

The idea that we should be thankful for this is akin to thanking a cashier for giving us the change we’re owed after a purchase. It’s a transaction, not a favour.

How many simpering Facebook posts do we have to see from our pollies expressing what “they” are doing for us? Great, just do your job, stop expecting me to bow down in thanks.

This bizarre notion of gratitude can dangerously shift the relationship between the government and its citizens. We elect officials to represent our interests, not to be benevolent providers.

When we start thanking them for fulfilling their basic obligations, we lower our expectations of what they should be doing. It creates a culture of complacency where the bare minimum is celebrated, and we stop holding our leaders accountable for more significant, meaningful progress. Does the most delayed building project in WA ring a bell with anyone?

This isn’t to say we shouldn’t appreciate good governance and good, hard-working, self sacrificing officials. Effective, transparent and efficient management should be recognised and supported.

But there’s a fine line between appreciation and gratitude. Appreciation acknowledges a job well done; gratitude implies that something extra or unexpected has been given. When it comes to government services, there is nothing “extra” about it — they are simply delivering what they were elected and paid to do (in some cases very badly).

When citizens feel thankful for every basic service, it can distract from systemic issues that can often go unresolved. If we’re busy being grateful for a new road (that leads to nowhere) we might overlook the fact that our healthcare system is underfunded or that education inequality persists. By focusing on the small wins, we risk losing sight of the bigger picture and the need for continuous improvement.

I suppose while it’s natural to feel pleased when new services are rolled out or infrastructure projects are completed, we must remember that these are not gifts from the government — they are obligations.

Instead of gratitude, what we should cultivate is a culture of accountability and high expectations, ensuring that our tax dollars are used effectively and efficiently to create the society we all deserve.

So the next time one of our pollies posts something about what “they” are doing, perhaps just pause before you default to the “thank you” response.

Derek Goforth is an expat and father-of-three living and working in Geraldton.