Australian Political Futures: More Strident Labor Values Versus Strategic Commitments to Political Folly?

The Albanese Government should be basking in the rewards from those four years of cautious financial policy priorities. The benefits of prudent economic management, avoidance of unnecessary military engagement and outstanding energy transition agendas have still been lost on large sectors of the electorate under the burdens of cost-of-living pressures. Regrettably, One Nation is temporarily benefiting from this resentment.

Thousands of Australians are sleeping rough and scavenging in bins for cans and drink bottles to cash in at recycling plants to cover the costs of food and rent as landlords complain about the loss of negative gearing perks initiated by John Howard in 1999.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers offered some cheer to residents of Stone’s Corner social housing units in Brisbane’s Griffith electorate on 1 June 2026. The Albanese Government currently spends $2 billion nationally on its main Housing Support Programme.

This slender social housing budget could be spread more widely by financial incentives to incorporate sections of affordable housing in commercial investments in new units, offices and retail functions in transport-oriented development (TODs) investment in inner metro suburbs.

West End’s Montague Road in Brisbane in the Griffith electorate is in profound a demographic change as ugly industrial sites are being sold for redevelopment. Billionaire Anthony Pratt of Visy Glass will be one beneficiary of the changes.

Here too, Francis Baker as MP struggled to gain and retain the new electorate of Griffith in 1934.  Frank studied law during his parliamentary career He was destined to become a minister in John Curtin’s Government but died in a car accident in South Brisbane in 1939. Even Prime Minister Lyons suspended parliament for the afternoon out of respect for his commitment.

Frank was a survivor of fake news from the mainstream commercial media and ridiculous promises from minor far-right parties like Social Credit. The old newsprint files have faded with age but media manipulation has intensified in these AI times.

Attempted Media Manipulation in the 1930s (Courier Mail 2 October 1936)

Frank Baker’s Close Final Election Victory for John Curtin’s Labor Unity Team in 1937

Ironically, the United Australia (UAP) brand name has been redefined by Clive Palmer’s Party with captions to promote this blast from the past appearing as paid advertisements in newspapers. The strategy keeps electorates like Longman, Hinkler and Capricornia in LNP hands after the distribution of preferences from the far-right parties. Even the factory smoke stacks in the poster defiantly emit fossil fumes as a sign of economic recovery.

Old Populist Advertising Frames Persist

If an extra floor can be allowed on redevelopments for the aesthetic value of a pool and roof-top garden precinct, why not another exemption for a mix of social housing apartments with appropriate financial compensation for developers from state and federal authorities as a Win-Win option for social justice?

Today’s Lost Social Opportunities Versus More Outrageous Unit Prices (Image: Montague Markets)

The alienation of the electorate from mainstream politics showed up in the latest RedBreidge Group Polling:

A new poll from RedBridge Group/Accent Research for the Financial Review is the strongest yet for One Nation from any pollster, recording a four-point increase on last month’s result to 31%. This puts them well clear of Labor, who are down three to 28%, and particularly the Coalition, who are down two to 20%, while the Greens are down a point to 12%. Respondent-allocated two-party measures have Labor with leads of 51-49 over both One Nation and the Coalition, which are respectively in from 55-45 and 54-46 last time.

A more strident united front with the crossbench would be appropriate without compromising mainstream Labor values.

Treasurer Jim has showed everyone that modest reforms are possible but still within the highly restrictive prescriptions from the RBA Board. DFAT is fully aware of the constraints which commitment to AUKUS has imposed on both our national sovereignty and economic diplomacy as telegraphed by Professor James Laurenson in Politics and Society.

The Alternative Economic Straitjacket of Controls on Chinese Investment

Australia can broaden these trade and investment projections if it takes the social democratic aspirational road with a commitment to our own national sovereignty and economic diplomacy without these inappropriate security restraints.

Relief to illogical policies might be on the way from debate at Labor’s National Conference between 23-25 July 2026.

The power base at National Conference is based on 50/50 Split between the industrial and political wings of the broader Labor Movement. With support from the Left and progressive wings of the rank-and-file Labor Party, members can demand more aspirational change agendas compatible with Labor values with the support of trade union delegates from across the political spectrum from the CFMEU, ASU, SDA, and AMWU. The more conservative SDA might indeed join the ranks of the Left unions to isolate some of Forum Factions less flexible MPs who like to trip the AUKUS road with the zeal of Dorothy and Dog Toto in the Spirit of Oz because it is the obvious and conventional path available.

My uninformed guess is that Treasurer Jim would be delighted to compromise on AUKUS and its impact on our financial future in ASEAN countries and beyond. Even the far-right government of Sanae Takaichi would probably welcome better commercial ties with China as in desperation with the problems in the Persian Gulf it has permission from the US to buy Russian oil from across the Soya Strait (42 kilometres) with upgraded oil pipelines to nearby Sakhalin in the 2030s. Japan has no reason to hassle Chinese shipping from US vessels and surveillance planes operating from Okinawa for the last eighty years.

Before President Trump left office after his defeat in November 2020, conservative political insiders including Boris Johnson encouraged Scott Morrison to take the AUKUS route. The decision was made by the conclave of the LNP’s National Security Council rather than the wider Cabinet while Scott Morrison was still at the helm. The incoming Albanese Government was offered a done deal with more financial penalties for breaches of contract as with the French submarine orders. In fairness, did the incoming government have any real alternative as military brass and intel services controlled the advice available to incoming Albanese Government?

16 SEPTEMBER 2021

Joint media statement:

· Prime Minister, The Hon Scott Morrison MP

· Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne

Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have agreed to the creation of an enhanced trilateral security partnership – AUKUS.

The security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region have grown significantly. Military modernisation is occurring at an unprecedented rate and capabilities are rapidly advancing and their reach expanding. The technological edge enjoyed by Australia and our partners is narrowing.

AUKUS will build on the three nations’ longstanding and ongoing bilateral ties, and will enable the partners to significantly deepen cooperation on a range of emerging security and defence capabilities, which will enhance joint capability and interoperability.  Initial efforts under AUKUS will focus on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities.

This is an historic opportunity for the three nations, with like-minded allies and partners, to protect shared values and promote security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Albanese government paid $850 million to France for breach of contract over the cancellation of the diesel submarine deal plus $3.4 billion on planning work completed on Scott Morrison watch (ABC News 11 June 2022).

The logic of AUKUS is fading despite the joint statement from the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore (UK Ministry of Defence 30 May 2026):

Today the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Honorable Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of War, and the Right Honourable John Healey MP, UK Secretary of State for Defence, met at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore and re-affirmed their commitment to delivering the AUKUS partnership…

…  The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries acknowledged Australia’s planned investments of up to AUD 8 billion at SRF-West for infrastructure and logistics support at HMAS Stirling, along with Australia’s initial down payments of AUD 3.9 billion to deliver the new Submarine Construction Yard in South Australia and AUD 12 billion for the Henderson Defence Precinct—including to support the delivery of contingency docking and depot level maintenance capabilities.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Secretaries welcomed the proposed approach to streamline Australia’s acquisition of Virginia-class submarines (VCS), simplifying supply chain management, operational and maintenance requirements, and maximising cost efficiencies. This approach would enable Australia to acquire three in-service VCS in lieu of a mixture of new and in-service VCS variants.

Perhaps National Conference can be more convincing than the media releases from the Shangri-la Dialogue. The switch to three used Virginia class submarines should be compensated by a demand for a refund on the billions wasted on this project with no guarantees that Britain will ever deliver the detestable hardware that will require maintenance costs of lethal nuclear wastes.

The Win-Win alternatives include more investment from Asian countries like China. ASEAN countries already benefiting from China’s Belt and Road Investment initiatives (BRIs) with new land transport routes to Malacca in the 2030s with improved ferry connections and infrastructure upgrades to Sumatra in Indonesia across 160 kilometres of the Malacca Strait.

Our Australian sovereignty is being compromised by the clumsy AUKUS arrangements. In the traditions of the Barcaldine strikers of the 1890s. the Union bloc at National Conference should respond appropriately (7.30 Report 2 June 2026).

A Sad Postscript to the Shangri-la Dialogue Versus Win-Win Scenarios for Peace in Our Region

Denis Bright (pictured) is a financial member of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA). Denis is committed to consensus-building on the critical issues raised in each article. Your comments on this and related articles can be recorded on theaimn.net site.