Enjoyed your article immensely TD, and 99.99% in agreement. Lots of things stand out by the para:
'The bottom line in all this is that whoever ends up in power is going to have to realise that the job is serving the people, not pandering to special interests and entering politics merely to be part of the staffer-advisor-safe seat candidate-junior ministry-minister-corporate lobbyist gravy train.' is true especially for the likes of the old guard of Albanese, Dutton & co. I can only presume there'll be more Teals/Indies like Zoe Daniels and Monique Ryan. Re: Zoe Daniels, I can absolutely not take any credit for her election to parliament, but I recognized early on after she retired by ABC and started tweeting & writing short articles that she had great intellect, a sense of fairness and world experience and might be angling for a move to something expansive. I can say I encouraged this by reading, commenting and retweeting to all 1000 or so followers (whoopy do) and she often replied. It was fantastic to see her nominate as an Independent and go onto win Goldstein. I can only say if anybody sees a person like Zoe Daniels who gives off 'vibes' that they might be putting their hand up for election, go ahead & give them encouragement. Cheers
Another great article Tim. Proportional representation is rarely discussed in the mainstream media (no surprises because it helps to mask the general unpopularity of both major parties).
Although I don’t see Australia likely embracing a completely party list proportional representation, I do think something like New Zealand’s MMP system with local members and List MPs being adopted. Alternatively a nation-wide system of multi member electorates could produce better outcomes. Either or it’s far better than the current system of single member electorates which see the ALP and Liberals forming large majorities with less than 40% primary vote.
The political class has managed to adapt to the idea of a minority government, negotiating with independents and small parties in both houses. For example, the reliance of the Minns government on independent support hasn't attracted much attention. For some time to come, we're more likely to see a gradually expanding crossbench. As long as one party has a clear plurality, things will go smoothly. It's only when the numbers are very tight, as in Tassie, or when the crossbench gets large enough that its members can demand ministries, that we'll see a really big shift.
Thanks Tim. I read Dutton's speech. As always, he was playing to the lowest common denominator.
Have a listen to Simon Birmingham's interview on RN yesterday, where he claimed "Penny Wong has announced the end of our Bi-Partisan policy on Israel."
The major parties have bi-partisan policies on foreign affairs, defence, security and everything else that Labor don't wish to be any different on. That's how we end up with Aukus .
Australian governments copied Thatcher and opted out of public housing, flogged off most of the stock and left the provision of shelter to the market. It took 40 years for the leaders of the nation to understand that the market is owned by developers whose interest is maximising shareholder returns rather than providing shelter for Australians in need. One would think a working class bloke like Albanese, who politicised his social housing upbringing and his welfare dependant mother, would make a difference for the homeless, but no, the Labor party he leads is more interested in the continued financialisation of everything and chose to establish a fund.
He has nothing meaningful to say to the 100,000 Australians sleeping rough now. A number that will get a lot worse before it gets better.
When Labor came to power, one of the first promises Albanese attended to, was the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The libs had reneged on this promise for years, and rather than stand on Duttons neck and destine the conservative parties to the dustbin, Albanese invited Dutton to negotiate the formation of the NACC, and so another bi-partisan policy established the commission without public hearings. It must be that way, lest we shame the powerful.
Tim, I was reading the latest polling the other day, the Libs lead Labor who've gone backwards, as have the Greens, One Nation is on the rise.
How will it be when Australians in their droves decide that neither of the major parties give a genuine stuff about them, they gave Labor a chance and discovered they are led by neocons, so give the balance of power to the likes of Pauline Hanson? Its happened across Europe!
On every issue, that I believe is important for the nation, there is little difference between the actual policies of the two major parties. What is the point of Labor?
As I wrote earlier, at elections we should vote for the BEST government, not the nicest.
Young people are absolutely furious and severely disillusioned with the major parties. They're quite aware of how badly they're being served, and they are hungry for alternatives. This won't go away, won't be resolved, there's no return to normalcy, they've already jumped out of the plane.
The old saying that people get more conservative in their old age is not happening as much.
I've always been a solid lefty and wanted left wing governments to actual govern to look after people but these days I am getting more anarchic. I believe the established conventions need to be ignored and different forms of government are essential. Less centralised decision making. Labor are now too establishment and have lost their zeal in their embrace of 'pragmatism'.
Peoples' well being should be more important than gains on the stock market or real estate investments. The markets are a subset of the environment, they should take a distant second place for continued 'civilisation'. Desperate people can get suckered by glib populists and vote against their own best interests.
To borrow from Audre Lorde, The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House Tim. It's all about POWER to the major parties, and careers for the party apparatchicks.
The leaders of ALL the western powers have failed to take genuine action on climate change and instead keep the corporate world happy by investing in preparation for the inevitable wars over scarce resources.
At election time we should be voting for the best government NOT the nicest. When push comes to shove Labor is little different to Dutton's mob. The last six months has proven that beyond doubt.
Enjoyed your article immensely TD, and 99.99% in agreement. Lots of things stand out by the para:
'The bottom line in all this is that whoever ends up in power is going to have to realise that the job is serving the people, not pandering to special interests and entering politics merely to be part of the staffer-advisor-safe seat candidate-junior ministry-minister-corporate lobbyist gravy train.' is true especially for the likes of the old guard of Albanese, Dutton & co. I can only presume there'll be more Teals/Indies like Zoe Daniels and Monique Ryan. Re: Zoe Daniels, I can absolutely not take any credit for her election to parliament, but I recognized early on after she retired by ABC and started tweeting & writing short articles that she had great intellect, a sense of fairness and world experience and might be angling for a move to something expansive. I can say I encouraged this by reading, commenting and retweeting to all 1000 or so followers (whoopy do) and she often replied. It was fantastic to see her nominate as an Independent and go onto win Goldstein. I can only say if anybody sees a person like Zoe Daniels who gives off 'vibes' that they might be putting their hand up for election, go ahead & give them encouragement. Cheers
Another great article Tim. Proportional representation is rarely discussed in the mainstream media (no surprises because it helps to mask the general unpopularity of both major parties).
Although I don’t see Australia likely embracing a completely party list proportional representation, I do think something like New Zealand’s MMP system with local members and List MPs being adopted. Alternatively a nation-wide system of multi member electorates could produce better outcomes. Either or it’s far better than the current system of single member electorates which see the ALP and Liberals forming large majorities with less than 40% primary vote.
The political class has managed to adapt to the idea of a minority government, negotiating with independents and small parties in both houses. For example, the reliance of the Minns government on independent support hasn't attracted much attention. For some time to come, we're more likely to see a gradually expanding crossbench. As long as one party has a clear plurality, things will go smoothly. It's only when the numbers are very tight, as in Tassie, or when the crossbench gets large enough that its members can demand ministries, that we'll see a really big shift.
Thanks Tim. I read Dutton's speech. As always, he was playing to the lowest common denominator.
Have a listen to Simon Birmingham's interview on RN yesterday, where he claimed "Penny Wong has announced the end of our Bi-Partisan policy on Israel."
The major parties have bi-partisan policies on foreign affairs, defence, security and everything else that Labor don't wish to be any different on. That's how we end up with Aukus .
Australian governments copied Thatcher and opted out of public housing, flogged off most of the stock and left the provision of shelter to the market. It took 40 years for the leaders of the nation to understand that the market is owned by developers whose interest is maximising shareholder returns rather than providing shelter for Australians in need. One would think a working class bloke like Albanese, who politicised his social housing upbringing and his welfare dependant mother, would make a difference for the homeless, but no, the Labor party he leads is more interested in the continued financialisation of everything and chose to establish a fund.
He has nothing meaningful to say to the 100,000 Australians sleeping rough now. A number that will get a lot worse before it gets better.
When Labor came to power, one of the first promises Albanese attended to, was the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The libs had reneged on this promise for years, and rather than stand on Duttons neck and destine the conservative parties to the dustbin, Albanese invited Dutton to negotiate the formation of the NACC, and so another bi-partisan policy established the commission without public hearings. It must be that way, lest we shame the powerful.
Tim, I was reading the latest polling the other day, the Libs lead Labor who've gone backwards, as have the Greens, One Nation is on the rise.
How will it be when Australians in their droves decide that neither of the major parties give a genuine stuff about them, they gave Labor a chance and discovered they are led by neocons, so give the balance of power to the likes of Pauline Hanson? Its happened across Europe!
On every issue, that I believe is important for the nation, there is little difference between the actual policies of the two major parties. What is the point of Labor?
As I wrote earlier, at elections we should vote for the BEST government, not the nicest.
Young people are absolutely furious and severely disillusioned with the major parties. They're quite aware of how badly they're being served, and they are hungry for alternatives. This won't go away, won't be resolved, there's no return to normalcy, they've already jumped out of the plane.
The old saying that people get more conservative in their old age is not happening as much.
I've always been a solid lefty and wanted left wing governments to actual govern to look after people but these days I am getting more anarchic. I believe the established conventions need to be ignored and different forms of government are essential. Less centralised decision making. Labor are now too establishment and have lost their zeal in their embrace of 'pragmatism'.
Peoples' well being should be more important than gains on the stock market or real estate investments. The markets are a subset of the environment, they should take a distant second place for continued 'civilisation'. Desperate people can get suckered by glib populists and vote against their own best interests.
To borrow from Audre Lorde, The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House Tim. It's all about POWER to the major parties, and careers for the party apparatchicks.
The leaders of ALL the western powers have failed to take genuine action on climate change and instead keep the corporate world happy by investing in preparation for the inevitable wars over scarce resources.
At election time we should be voting for the best government NOT the nicest. When push comes to shove Labor is little different to Dutton's mob. The last six months has proven that beyond doubt.