Editorial
One of the recurring frustrations of running an independent, left-leaning site is the reaction we invariably receive when we publish articles that are critical of a Labor government.
The response across social media is almost predictable.
“At least they’re better than the Coalition.”
That may well be true. Many of our readers believe it, and on many issues we may agree. But that is not the question being asked.
If an article examines a particular government policy, then the discussion should be about the merits of that policy – not whether the alternative government would have been worse.
Those are two entirely different conversations.
Democracy depends on scrutiny. Governments should expect their policies to be examined, questioned and, where necessary, criticised. That principle doesn’t change simply because the government happens to be one we broadly support.
In fact, it becomes even more important.
If independent media only scrutinised governments they opposed while giving a free pass to governments they favoured, they would cease to be independent. They would simply become another arm of partisan politics.
Holding governments accountable is not an act of disloyalty.
It is an act of democracy.
The same issue arises whenever we publish articles examining the policies of politicians who are unpopular..
A recent example involved Pauline Hanson.
The article was not an endorsement. Quite the opposite. It was a careful examination of her policies and the claims surrounding them.
Yet many of the responses were familiar.
“Don’t give her oxygen.”
“I’m sick of hearing about Pauline Hanson.”
To be honest, many of us are.
But being tired of a politician is not a reason to stop scrutinising their ideas.
There is a legitimate discussion to be had about whether excessive media attention can amplify controversial figures. However, refusing to critically examine a politician’s policies does not make those policies disappear.
Ideas do not become harmless simply because journalists stop writing about them.
If anything, controversial ideas deserve greater scrutiny – not less.
Independent journalism has never been about promoting personalities.
It is about testing ideas.
Whether those ideas come from Labor, the Coalition, the Greens, One Nation or an independent should make no difference. Good policy should withstand scrutiny. Poor policy should not escape it because of the logo on the candidate’s corflute.
Unfortunately, social media often rewards tribal thinking over critical thinking.
Many people respond not to the argument itself, but to the identity of the person or political party involved.
Criticise Labor and some assume you must secretly support the Coalition.
Write about Pauline Hanson and some assume you are promoting her.
Neither assumption is true.
Criticism is not endorsement.
Scrutiny is not promotion.
These distinctions matter because democracy relies upon citizens being willing to examine ideas on their merits rather than deciding whether they agree before they’ve even read the article.
The AIMN has never claimed to be politically neutral.
We are left-leaning.
We make no apology for that.
But being left-leaning does not mean abandoning intellectual honesty. It does not mean suspending critical thought whenever a government we generally support makes a questionable decision. Nor does it mean refusing to examine the claims of politicians we dislike.
If anything, our values require us to do exactly the opposite.
Independent journalism is not about protecting political parties from criticism.
It is about protecting the public from poor decisions – regardless of who makes them.
If that occasionally disappoints those looking for ideological cheerleaders rather than independent commentators, then so be it.
We did not establish this site to tell people what they wanted to hear.
We established it to encourage people to think.
In the end, governments change. Political leaders come and go. Parties rise and fall.
The one principle that should remain constant is this:
No one should be above scrutiny.
Not because democracy is failing.
But because democracy depends upon it.
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Thankyou – I completely agree.
OK Michael, I accept the basic premise ….. now let us discuss the stupid unthinking LABOR policy on gambling advertising on televised sporting events.
The late Peta Murphy MP conducted a review which had the outcome proposals accepted by all sensible politicians ….. except Albanese.
So an almost useless weak as water policy has properly been dispatched to a Committee for ”approval” and preferably amendment to the Murphy proposals of a complete ban on advertising gambling during televised sporting events. We await with bated breath to see if Albanese ”enforces” his will to benefit the vendors of one of our social scourges, the other big one is alcohol. Both gambling and alcohol provide considerable ”political donations” to both major parties and now appear to be calling in the favours.
Remember, it was the Sydney casino that was white washing dirty money on commission, and has been in serious financial difficulties since those illegal activities were counter-acted. So why is the Albanese LABOR government even thinking about encouraging such damaging activities among our community??
All true, and a welcome commentary. But I don’t care if you’re left or right. I certainly don’t think that I’m left wing. Or if I am, I’ve gone so far left as to meet up with the right wing. For example, I’m in tune with the very right-wing Cato Institute who want to cut back on military spending. And as for the politicians, well, they’re still human beings. I loved David Marr’s recent account of how helped Pauline Hanson to buy gumboots. I just wish that people would calm down a little, and, as the editorial advises, just look at the ideas and policies. Labor’s actions certainly deserve scrutiny, ever since they’ve adopted the theme of “being a small target”, not being too Left, seeing what happened to Gough Whitlam.
Independent sites like this are essential in countering the continual flood of bullshit by vested interests, through their mainstream propagandists and billionaire owners, who have a demonstrated loathing of us ‘ordinary citizens’, despite the lies they mouth.See:Rinehart,Hanson,Palmer, the IPA,Murdoch,etc.Or have a look at the omnishambles that is America.
That poison is killing our planet and millions of innocent people.
NEC, left-wing doesn’t necessarily mean blinkered Labor lover.
I’m left-wing but didn’t vote for Labor in the Farrer by-election. That was a first for me. I voted for an independent.
@ Roswell: Naturally you voted for Michelle Milthorpe at her second attempt to bring better representation to the voters of Farrer. It was 1,000km too far for me to participate on her behalf, so a small ”political donation” was the best that I could do. I trust you and her Community Group will encourage her to run for a third time, remembering that Malcolm Fraser took three attempt before success.
We experienced left wing ”blinkered Labor lovers” back in 1976 when we got the late Bill McCarthy elected to Northern Tablelands, and dragged the rusted on NOtional$ into the 20th century, screaming in protest.
Still, the rusted on NOtional$ supporters whinged without thanks for the improvement in government services and the about 110 government jobs put into Armidale.
The 1988 Nick Greiner NSW COALition ripped out those jobs over night while the then representative of the NOtional$ sat on his hands until booted out of the sinecure in 1999 by our Independent Richard Torbay, who achieved more during his about 14 year tenure than the NOtional$ got done since the retirement of McCarthy.
Still Karma has its own way because six (6) weeks before the 1999 NSW elections, the NOtional$ own polling showed their imminent demise.
Regional Independents get things done for their communities.
What do NOtional$ or PHONeys do??
I agree with NEC.
The last government I ever voted FOR was the Whitlam Labor government. Since then I cast my vote AGAINST the worst of an increasingly bad lot.
NEC, I may have been a bit vague. By the blinkered folk I mean those who will valiantly endorse every – EVERY – Labor policy no matter how shitty it might be.
As a (former) Labor voter I was generally happy with how they performed in government.
Without entering into a 100-year-war with anybody, the Albanese government doesn’t stack up against previous Labor governments.
The question of the ‘best’ Labor government is somewhat moot, at both state and federal levels. Born a croweater, and defiantly oppositional to everything my father represented, it was inevitable that I would become a Labor supporter, and as a young man in Adelaide during Don Dunstan’s time, albeit not highly political, I was aware that he was cut of different cloth from those who had preceded him. Whitlam’s ascendancy also, a time of great hope and encouragement that this country would break free from its moribund past and get cracking on positive reforms.
For the true believers, anything less than the benchmarks set by these two men is bound to be a disappointment of sorts. We’re not good at getting the best into the top jobs in this country, a point made by Donald Horne in 1964 and still true today.
And yes, every criticism of Albanese seems valid… a leader with a massive majority could institute great change for the betterment of all Australians, instead, he seems diminished rather than enlarged and fortified by his unimpeachable position.
I agree with uncletimrob.
It is odd, loyalty is regarded as a trait of conservatism. Yet, are we now seeing critisism of Labor policy or action as disloyalty to the Labor party?
Has Labor moved so far towards conservative politics that its supporters now share the same traits as Coalition supporters, a disdain for facts and figures, just show loyalty and chant the talking points?
@ Max Grosse, Roswell, Canguro, Thommo: Agreed. Could the problem be that the young firebrand Albanese who entered feral politics fresh from his Inner West Housing Commission home to let the COALition know that working voters mattered?
Perhaps the accumulation of an about $8.2 MILLION real estate portfolio during his incumbency, including a new multi-million dollar primary residence on the Sydney Northern beaches, has ”matured” his political thinking into being more sympathetic to the bosses approach??
This betrayal of the working class was never seen in my experience in teaching. At that time the NSWTF was run by strongly committed card carrying Communists. The workers ALWAYS came first – regardless of the situation. A great time to be in teaching.
A LABOR government that does nothing when it has no Opposition from a disintegrating COALition AND the BIGGEST MAJORITY since Whitlam, is a ”no contest” with the over-charged Whitlam years. Five years of nearly nothing on important matters like gambling advertising, as just one of too many under-achievements, and is no guarantee that LABOR will win the next 2028 feral elections.
Get off your hands Albanese and get on with the policies our talented Ministers need to make Australia a fairer, better place for the workers!!
The Minns NSW Labor government is forced to take action against the gambling super-casino Clubs.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/super-tax-grassroots-labor-revolt-forces-minns-into-tougher-response-to-pokies-epidemic-20260704-p60ckw.html (paywall).