I agree with the hypothesis insofar as Trump simply provides the moniker for a broader global trend toward nativism, authoritarianism and, yes we can apply it in many instances, proto-fascism. One could make a case for calling it Putinism given the widespread adoption of certain themes and specific tactics, its end-goal of preserving a hyper-wealthy feudal oligarchy and suppressing the population.
Notwithstanding, we must remain vigilant here in Australia as this movement is growing in its consciousness and international organisation. It is extremely well-funded by powerful interests and dark money. It flourishes in the manure of a right-wing corporate mainstream and highly manipulable social media. These conditions obviously exist in Australia. Advance capitalised on the organisational opportunity presented by the Voice to Parliament referendum. Were this to start out as a Tea Party-type insurgency and subsequently provide an alternative organisational framework should the LNP falter, the structure is created for ‘the charismatic leader’ (typically an opportunist and charlatan) to emerge within a ready-made network of power and influence. This was not around in the 90’s heyday of Hanson. Not a pleasant prospect, even if it were to remain in eternal opposition on account of its threat to social cohesion and civil society.
You are correct to point out the resilience of the Australian electoral system, features of which provide a bulwark against the structural weakness of the American Republic. Notably, there is an elasticity within the representation system which allows a meaningful role for independents, minor and emergent parties -
a role that evidence shows is becoming more important.
TLDR: Australia has features, structural and cultural that provide some defence to the repulsive politics characterised by Trump. However, there is no room for complacency as this type of proto-fascist nativist movement is well-funded and better organised internationally by the day. Advance needs ongoing scrutinisation as it is the nascent framework for a fascist movement.
A well written article Tim. Your points about the strengths of Australian political institutions are well argued. The laziness of the MSM in parroting the conventional narrative while the Canberra insiders nod their heads vigorously does not inform anyone.
I would also argue that Scott Morrison’s accumulation of secret ministries means that there are also many weaknesses in Australia’s constitution that authoritarian leaders are keen to take advantage of. The lack of a constitutional bill of rights ensures that draconian legislation against asylum seekers and climate protestors and whistleblowers continue to be exercised by ALP and LNP who relish in Australia’s lack thereof despite claims to the contrary.
The fact that Government in Australia is formed by the legislature is better for the balance of powers and reminds us of the importance of local representation, although I would be an advocate of Mixed Member Proportional Representation like in New Zealand where parties like the Greens would have an accurate number of seats relative to their votes as opposed to the ALP or LNP forming government off the back of low primary votes. Nevertheless under the system we currently have, community independents are the best answer so far to the duopoly of Labor and LNP that continue to divide the community amongst itself with their neoliberal policies.
Neat article TD. I'm pretty much focussed on 'The Community Independents Movement (CIM)' and finding ways to getting as many independents into govt in 2025. Will be hard to push back against MSM ie. News, 9 Media (& now very much ABC) who are in a warped symbiosis with Lib/Labor duopoly.
This is really interesting Tim. I have been guilty of also suggesting that Trumpism is new to Australia. You're right, we had our own version long before the US did. It reminds me of when Boris Johnson was elected and I said it was the UK's Abbott moment - he would eventually be laughed out of office and indeed he was dumped by his party just like Abbott was. Maybe Australia is the 'test market' for right wing conservatism.
I view this rather differently. What we are seeing now is a globalised politics, where the old idea of "politics stops at the water's edge*" has ceased to apply*. In the past, opposition parties in country X would mostly side with their own government against opponents in other countries, regardless of political alignment. And while there was a vague understanding that (say) Australian Labor was more like the US Democrats and LNP like the Republicans, few people really paid attention to politics in other countries.
Now every politically active person knows which side they are on in every country (at least if we stick within the group of rich countries). And they will prefer an overseas party on their own side, to the opposing party at home.
It's entirely appropriate to call the rightwing version of this phenomenon Trumpism. He is the recognised global leader of the movement, supported by lesser figures like Le Pen, Orban, Duda and so on, of whom Trump himself is probably barely aware. Of course, there have been similar demagogues in the past, but that's not relevant.
Trumpism has almost completely displaced rightwing neoliberalism of the kind exemplified by Margaret Thatcher. Arguably, Mark Rutte in the Netherlands was the last major exponent of this position, and he has now been replaced by the "Dutch Trump", Wilders.
Australia's right has been overtaken by Trumpism, and the shift away from market liberalism to culture wars is now almost complete. The good news, as you say, is that Trumpism has much less support in Australia than in the US. So, the LNP needs to tone down its message to have much chance of winning. But they can still win by default, and Albo is doing his best to make that happen.
* At least theoretically, Marxists always rejected this idea
Hi Tim, I’m a voter in Warringah where we showed Tony Abbott the door - after 25 years- in 2019 and Zali Steggall increased her margin in 2022..The best description I have ever read of what happened with ‘The Community Independents Movement ‘ (CIM) - not lazy, taken by surprise MSM, who came up with ‘Teals’ . In Warringah there were at least four groups that sprang up in the community in 2019.
The different groups remained separate but together. One group was excellent at calling in friends and neighbours around the kitchen table, or meeting in a coffee shop, asking them if they had concerns about climate change and if they were being represented, Listening.
I was hopeless at that so I was in the VOTE TONY OUT T-shirt group where we patrolled Balmoral & Manly beaches early Sunday morning to catch locals, hearts in mouth initially, Balmoral is Liberal heartland but we were beckoned over ( we with tshirts, tote bags, stickers, and big smiles - no matter what! ) People were fed up with lack of climate change action and in Tones case, denial. They wanted gender equality, truth in political advertising and more government transparency.
Warringah had voted 75% YES in ridiculous $22M marriage equality postal survey. Abbott refused to vote on our behalf in parliament. Not once did a MSM journalist come down to ask us what was going on. Finally, the difference with these independents and former state independents we had for 16 consecutive years in state seat of Manly, was the support group of supporters that had formed around Zali, remained with her as she found her feet and rolled along into the next election.
I think all this emphasises your theory. We are adaptable and capable of change and of pulling together, not just in fires and floods but to build a better community.
And our compulsory voting system also makes a difference, don't you think?
To give Dutton (or whoever was handling him) credit, his NO campaign during the Voice referendum was aimed at voters who aren't interested in politics and only show up to avoid a fine.
Slogans like 'If you don't know, vote NO' wouldn't work in the US.
It would become 'If you don't know, don't vote' - a rubbish slogan for pollies wanting power.
Why Morrison failed? I was thinking about that this afternoon. He took the public for mugs. I thought they were buying it too. The media certainly were!
It wasn't till well into election night I realised he'd been told where to shove his bloody toxic charades.
This is a great piece Tim, and it speaks to how poor Australia's media diet is that we so frequently refer to American politics, let alone Trump himself, to explain our own. I suspect this might be a new form of cultural cringe, but the better explanation is probably that American politics is so much more 'exciting' and high stakes. Clicks, clicks, clicks, in other words.
Here's another consideration: Greater Sydney and Greater Melbourne together account for 40 per cent of the Australian population. Imagine how US politics would be different if 40 per cent of its population lived in Greater New York and Greater Los Angeles, and partook of the political cultures of those cities.
As i read your important point about what Australia politics has exported to the world, i flashed back to Trump telling Turnbull “you are worse than we are”. Our immigration cruelty and horrors have been admired and adopted.
I still think it's correct to call what's happening here 'Trumpism', with the understanding that it didn't begin or originate with Trump, rather that it's the same phenomenon. The right are certainly encouraged & inspired by the response has Trump has whipped up among the Republicans. It gave Morrison, Dutton & their media friends the impetus to go in a lot harder, I think.
Thanks Tim Dunlop. Dutton draws his political posture from the much more entrenched theories/ political posture of the neo cons - much more effective in our national political framework.
Just a quick note to remind the reader the TSP is part of Schwartz media which is an explicitly zionist publisher who has a history of silencing Palestinian voices. If you are opposed to genocide don’t read TSP, The Monthly or 7am pod etc.
Agree, although I believe if Dutton were elected, he'd prove to be pretty much a squib, much like Abbott, rather than somebody who could lead us into a dystiopian future. He's very good at the No's, not so good at developing and implementing good positive policy. Just look at the messes he has made of his various departments: Health, Home Affairs, Defence. He would probably be turfed out by the electorate after one term - if the Libs resisted a change of leadership.
I agree with the hypothesis insofar as Trump simply provides the moniker for a broader global trend toward nativism, authoritarianism and, yes we can apply it in many instances, proto-fascism. One could make a case for calling it Putinism given the widespread adoption of certain themes and specific tactics, its end-goal of preserving a hyper-wealthy feudal oligarchy and suppressing the population.
Notwithstanding, we must remain vigilant here in Australia as this movement is growing in its consciousness and international organisation. It is extremely well-funded by powerful interests and dark money. It flourishes in the manure of a right-wing corporate mainstream and highly manipulable social media. These conditions obviously exist in Australia. Advance capitalised on the organisational opportunity presented by the Voice to Parliament referendum. Were this to start out as a Tea Party-type insurgency and subsequently provide an alternative organisational framework should the LNP falter, the structure is created for ‘the charismatic leader’ (typically an opportunist and charlatan) to emerge within a ready-made network of power and influence. This was not around in the 90’s heyday of Hanson. Not a pleasant prospect, even if it were to remain in eternal opposition on account of its threat to social cohesion and civil society.
You are correct to point out the resilience of the Australian electoral system, features of which provide a bulwark against the structural weakness of the American Republic. Notably, there is an elasticity within the representation system which allows a meaningful role for independents, minor and emergent parties -
a role that evidence shows is becoming more important.
TLDR: Australia has features, structural and cultural that provide some defence to the repulsive politics characterised by Trump. However, there is no room for complacency as this type of proto-fascist nativist movement is well-funded and better organised internationally by the day. Advance needs ongoing scrutinisation as it is the nascent framework for a fascist movement.
Excellent reflection Tim. And a welcome upbeat read after last week :)
A well written article Tim. Your points about the strengths of Australian political institutions are well argued. The laziness of the MSM in parroting the conventional narrative while the Canberra insiders nod their heads vigorously does not inform anyone.
I would also argue that Scott Morrison’s accumulation of secret ministries means that there are also many weaknesses in Australia’s constitution that authoritarian leaders are keen to take advantage of. The lack of a constitutional bill of rights ensures that draconian legislation against asylum seekers and climate protestors and whistleblowers continue to be exercised by ALP and LNP who relish in Australia’s lack thereof despite claims to the contrary.
The fact that Government in Australia is formed by the legislature is better for the balance of powers and reminds us of the importance of local representation, although I would be an advocate of Mixed Member Proportional Representation like in New Zealand where parties like the Greens would have an accurate number of seats relative to their votes as opposed to the ALP or LNP forming government off the back of low primary votes. Nevertheless under the system we currently have, community independents are the best answer so far to the duopoly of Labor and LNP that continue to divide the community amongst itself with their neoliberal policies.
Neat article TD. I'm pretty much focussed on 'The Community Independents Movement (CIM)' and finding ways to getting as many independents into govt in 2025. Will be hard to push back against MSM ie. News, 9 Media (& now very much ABC) who are in a warped symbiosis with Lib/Labor duopoly.
This is really interesting Tim. I have been guilty of also suggesting that Trumpism is new to Australia. You're right, we had our own version long before the US did. It reminds me of when Boris Johnson was elected and I said it was the UK's Abbott moment - he would eventually be laughed out of office and indeed he was dumped by his party just like Abbott was. Maybe Australia is the 'test market' for right wing conservatism.
I view this rather differently. What we are seeing now is a globalised politics, where the old idea of "politics stops at the water's edge*" has ceased to apply*. In the past, opposition parties in country X would mostly side with their own government against opponents in other countries, regardless of political alignment. And while there was a vague understanding that (say) Australian Labor was more like the US Democrats and LNP like the Republicans, few people really paid attention to politics in other countries.
Now every politically active person knows which side they are on in every country (at least if we stick within the group of rich countries). And they will prefer an overseas party on their own side, to the opposing party at home.
It's entirely appropriate to call the rightwing version of this phenomenon Trumpism. He is the recognised global leader of the movement, supported by lesser figures like Le Pen, Orban, Duda and so on, of whom Trump himself is probably barely aware. Of course, there have been similar demagogues in the past, but that's not relevant.
Trumpism has almost completely displaced rightwing neoliberalism of the kind exemplified by Margaret Thatcher. Arguably, Mark Rutte in the Netherlands was the last major exponent of this position, and he has now been replaced by the "Dutch Trump", Wilders.
Australia's right has been overtaken by Trumpism, and the shift away from market liberalism to culture wars is now almost complete. The good news, as you say, is that Trumpism has much less support in Australia than in the US. So, the LNP needs to tone down its message to have much chance of winning. But they can still win by default, and Albo is doing his best to make that happen.
* At least theoretically, Marxists always rejected this idea
Hi Tim, I’m a voter in Warringah where we showed Tony Abbott the door - after 25 years- in 2019 and Zali Steggall increased her margin in 2022..The best description I have ever read of what happened with ‘The Community Independents Movement ‘ (CIM) - not lazy, taken by surprise MSM, who came up with ‘Teals’ . In Warringah there were at least four groups that sprang up in the community in 2019.
The different groups remained separate but together. One group was excellent at calling in friends and neighbours around the kitchen table, or meeting in a coffee shop, asking them if they had concerns about climate change and if they were being represented, Listening.
I was hopeless at that so I was in the VOTE TONY OUT T-shirt group where we patrolled Balmoral & Manly beaches early Sunday morning to catch locals, hearts in mouth initially, Balmoral is Liberal heartland but we were beckoned over ( we with tshirts, tote bags, stickers, and big smiles - no matter what! ) People were fed up with lack of climate change action and in Tones case, denial. They wanted gender equality, truth in political advertising and more government transparency.
Warringah had voted 75% YES in ridiculous $22M marriage equality postal survey. Abbott refused to vote on our behalf in parliament. Not once did a MSM journalist come down to ask us what was going on. Finally, the difference with these independents and former state independents we had for 16 consecutive years in state seat of Manly, was the support group of supporters that had formed around Zali, remained with her as she found her feet and rolled along into the next election.
I think all this emphasises your theory. We are adaptable and capable of change and of pulling together, not just in fires and floods but to build a better community.
And our compulsory voting system also makes a difference, don't you think?
To give Dutton (or whoever was handling him) credit, his NO campaign during the Voice referendum was aimed at voters who aren't interested in politics and only show up to avoid a fine.
Slogans like 'If you don't know, vote NO' wouldn't work in the US.
It would become 'If you don't know, don't vote' - a rubbish slogan for pollies wanting power.
Why Morrison failed? I was thinking about that this afternoon. He took the public for mugs. I thought they were buying it too. The media certainly were!
It wasn't till well into election night I realised he'd been told where to shove his bloody toxic charades.
This is a great piece Tim, and it speaks to how poor Australia's media diet is that we so frequently refer to American politics, let alone Trump himself, to explain our own. I suspect this might be a new form of cultural cringe, but the better explanation is probably that American politics is so much more 'exciting' and high stakes. Clicks, clicks, clicks, in other words.
Here's another consideration: Greater Sydney and Greater Melbourne together account for 40 per cent of the Australian population. Imagine how US politics would be different if 40 per cent of its population lived in Greater New York and Greater Los Angeles, and partook of the political cultures of those cities.
As i read your important point about what Australia politics has exported to the world, i flashed back to Trump telling Turnbull “you are worse than we are”. Our immigration cruelty and horrors have been admired and adopted.
I still think it's correct to call what's happening here 'Trumpism', with the understanding that it didn't begin or originate with Trump, rather that it's the same phenomenon. The right are certainly encouraged & inspired by the response has Trump has whipped up among the Republicans. It gave Morrison, Dutton & their media friends the impetus to go in a lot harder, I think.
Thanks Tim Dunlop. Dutton draws his political posture from the much more entrenched theories/ political posture of the neo cons - much more effective in our national political framework.
Just a quick note to remind the reader the TSP is part of Schwartz media which is an explicitly zionist publisher who has a history of silencing Palestinian voices. If you are opposed to genocide don’t read TSP, The Monthly or 7am pod etc.
Agree, although I believe if Dutton were elected, he'd prove to be pretty much a squib, much like Abbott, rather than somebody who could lead us into a dystiopian future. He's very good at the No's, not so good at developing and implementing good positive policy. Just look at the messes he has made of his various departments: Health, Home Affairs, Defence. He would probably be turfed out by the electorate after one term - if the Libs resisted a change of leadership.