In a political system based on spin and obfuscation, clarity and honesty are rare indeed. This is why recent talk of throwing Joe Hockey to the wolves is worrying. When Hockey tells Sydneysiders to get a good, well-paying and secure job if they want to enter the property market, he is telling us what this government really thinks. If you don't have a job that pays much better than the average wage then you don't deserve to own your own home. If the best you can do with your life is be a teacher in a public school or a nurse or a waiter then you're not worthy of his concern or interest. Get a better job, then come talk about your problems.

Hockey's unscripted moments of truth and clarity combine with his budget measures to leave us with no doubt that looking after those with wealth and privilege at the expense of those without is the overarching guiding principle of this government. Of course, he would have his own internal justification for this stance that would sound a lot less aristocratic but if exposed to critical scrutiny it would be unlikely to hold water. This, of course, is why such views are not exposed to public scrutiny except in those lovely moments when Hockey has a slip-of-the-truth.

Treasurer Joe Hockey addressed the CEDA conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday 22 June 2015. Photo: Andrew Meares Credit:Andrew Meares

Hockey represents those who don't need to even think about housing affordability. He knows lots of people who are buying in Sydney. He knows lots of people who own lots of houses in Sydney. 'How can it be unaffordable if people are affording it?' he earnestly asks.

There are two kinds of people in Hockey's world; the 'lifters' who have money and power and the 'leaners' whose primary role is to provide the goods and services to those with money and power. Only the former really matter. If you're not up to the task of gaining money and power then don't come knocking on Joe Hockey's door. By contrast, if you're wealthy enough to have clever accountants who can funnel your large income through trusts, companies and self-managed superannuation funds then Hockey's your man in Parliament. He's keen to cut government expenditure on anything that benefits the 'leaners' but massive government tax concessions for the 'lifters' are out of bounds in the crusade to balance the budget.