I'd back a University of Life graduate over a know-all leader every day

One problem we face in living our lives to the fullest is the constant barrage from a managerial class whose confidence is, I think, seriously misplaced.

These people like nothing more than to tell others what's best for them. They after all have "an education ". But it's from a university, and not from life. A university education is a good thing if you recognise its limits.

All too often we see, hear and read commentators, our would-be-if-they-could-be life tutors, mouthing off about stuff way beyond the limits of their formal education. They use the fact of having a degree to establish their credibility and then practise expertise creep.

The consequence of this barrage of tut-tutting and advice, coupled with ridiculously excessive regulation is the man in the street is more likely to ask what he can do rather than to tell you what he wants to do or worse, just plod on with life as though opportunities just aren't there. People are living lives where they see limitations rather than opportunities, restrictions rather than freedom.

You have to wonder if these managerial know-alls ever read the United States Declaration of Independence and if they did what meaning they attribute to "all men are created equal".

Clearly it doesn't mean we are all the same. We've all got varying amounts of different skills and attributes. In science, art, music, oratory, organisation, pleasantness, beauty and more in which we differ from each other. But we should understand that each of us has the same right to help choose who governs us. And we share an equal right to have our own view and to express it as to what policies we would prefer our government to adopt.

The problem arises when one group looks down on another for thinking what they think because, of course, the know-alls know better. Hillary Clinton's famous remark about Donald Trump supporters being "deplorables" comes to mind. Clinton and other democrats have simply created a larger base for Trump. Trump just has to hint at how the know-alls ignore the voters and they are his.

A common view among the managerial class is that the everyday person in the street just isn't interested in politics and government. Once in a Melbourne laneway, I was reminded of how untrue that is. It was Chinese New Year and as minister for immigration I was a part of the celebrations.

A big, tough looking bloke in hi-vis gear was controlling traffic. The Comcar was about to back out and find another way. This guy saw my face, smiled and said confidently "Hey, you're the lady with the kick-arse job, come through". Clearly big burly guys in hi-vis-vest jobs do follow politics.

What gets lost in all of this is if politicians speak to the people's concerns people will listen. But if politicians just denigrate each other, the voter frankly can't be bothered. They have lives to live, jobs to keep and families to feed. The slanging match is a circus they have little time for.

We, as regular citizens, have an equal right to be included in the conversation about where we as a society want to go. A slanging match between two or three sides isn't a conversation.

The university of life should not be underestimated. Remember, some people have to go to a class to learn about respecting each others rights. Others learn it simply by living, often with their rights trodden on. They do not need to read a textbook to understand about rights, influence and power. You tell me who's the dummy.

And yet this mass of people who study daily at life's university have been cajoled into thinking they don't know enough to know what's good for them or good for Australia. Rubbish. If you give people the information in a digestible format they'll process it like anyone else.

But the managerial class don't really want that. They want to control the information flows, to tell you the information they think is important. This isn't some conspiracy theory, there's too many of them around. The know-alls are not editing the information they give in order to deceive. They simply have an unbreakable belief in their superior intellect.

Where's the confidence in the common man? The know-alls don't have any. The common man needs a makeover and the confidence boost that will come with that. The recent referendum reminded voters that they have real power, if they choose to use it. For many, it felt good to remind the government that the people are paramount. I hope the memory stays fresh.

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Usually, it is not governments who forget that. It's the managerial class and in many cases public servants. We, all too often, see the headline "Minister ignored advice" as if the minister and government is meant to be just a rubber stamp for any proposition put forward by the public service. That's just crazy for three reasons.

First it relies on an impossible dream of all bureaucrats being completely detached, unbiased and ego less. That's a fantasy.

Second it ignores the fact that there are usually a number of reasonable and viable policy options. As in our normal lives there is very rarely just one option with no possible variations. So what if the minister chooses a different option?

But third, and most importantly, the minister has to take into account what the public are prepared to support. For the managerial class, it's an awkward, inconvenient and inappropriate limitation on their power. We the people are the dross that tarnishes their shining brilliance. Long may it be so.

Bureaucrats, self-appointed experts, media commentators and general know-alls need to remember all men are created equal, and have a say in how we're governed. The collective will of the common man will trump a smarty pants any day. Every now and then I raise a glass to the hi-vis guy in Melbourne.