The perks of office

Here’s something for you to consider.
 
Cast your mind back a few weeks and you may recall the significant public protest regarding the fact that TV coverage of Euro 2004 was only available on pay TV.
 
The Government's response was to play a straight bat, and do nothing. We were graciously informed that the Government has only just made up a new anti-siphoning list ( a schme which protects free TV's access to the broadcast rights to certain sporting events), and it will do just fine for now, thanks.
 
Fast-forward a few weeks and a ‘senior Minister’ complains because he missed one hour of the British golf Open (due to the scheduling of the late night movie), and the Government instantly announces a review of its  anti‑siphoning list - yes that's right, the one they reviewed just months ago and intended to be in place until 2010.
 
Now, according to the previous Minister’s press release, the point of the anti‑siphoning scheme is to:

protect the access of Australian viewers to events of national importance and cultural significance on free-to-air television by giving priority to free-to-air television broadcasters in acquiring the broadcast rights of those events.

  
From the turn of events over the last 6 hours or so, it seems the point of the scheme is to protect the access of senior Ministers to free coverage of every stroke in overseas golf tournaments.
 
Makes your stomach turn, doesn’t it.