Probably because I’m an old guy, I try to treat everyone I interact with in my life, with courtesy and respect, irrespective of their age, gender, education etc. And I expect at least a modicum of courtesy and respect in return. I think this is the only way that people can form and maintain relationships in this increasingly crowded, busy and stressful world. Though when younger I was easily angered, I now see that anger gets no-one anywhere. And the same goes for a subset of anger – swearing. Of course swearing can be good-natured or abusive; I’m talking here about the abusive type. So I’ve adopted a zero tolerance swearing policy in my consulting room. To me swearing is discourteous and disrespectful within all professional relationships. So I don’t tolerate it. At all. But not so the Tasmanian Premier Bartlett, who last week said there’s no need to discipline his Infrastructure Minister Graeme Sturges (pictured) who swore at a farmer at a recent Xmas party, and refused to apologise. Mr Bartlett said there’s a line, and Mr Sturges hadn’t crossed it. Even if Mr Sturges was provoked, that attitude from the highest elected public official in the State makes me ashamed to be a Tasmanian. But even worse, it diminishes the institution of Parliament – which Parliament can ill afford in these troubled times.
