In the aftermath of the election, I noticed a lot of comments from people in the parties that used to be known as the Coalition about the need to keep fighting. Stupidly, I presumed that they meant to keep fighting the government, but it seems that they meant each other.
Now, it’s probably too soon to presume that the Coalition is gone, just because a leader of one of the parties announced it… although it may be argued that it was too soon to announce it, given subsequent events. After all, a long relationship doesn’t end just because one of the parties doesn’t want to continue… oh wait, yes it does.
A contract… that’s what I’m thinking of. A contract needs both parties to agree for it to be terminated. And given that this was a new contract – the Coalition Agreement – being negotiated, then of course either party can say: “Nah, that’s not for us.”
At first glance, what the Nationals wanted was quite reasonable: They wanted the Liberals to commit to a number of policies, while they retained the right to not support any policy that they didn’t like and not have to resign from the shadow front bench. Rather like saying to your partner that you want an open relationship but that they have to be monogamous…
Now a lot of people have criticised David Littleproud for going to Albury while Sussan Ley was dealing with her dying mother, but there was a certain urgency for the Nationals to negotiate while the Liberal leader was new to the job and distracted by her personal circumstances.
Of course, it could be argued that it’s not good for a country not to have an effective Opposition but plenty of countries have done just fine without one. North Korea, for example. You won’t find any citizens of that country saying a bad word about its fearless leader…
On the other hand, one has to ask exactly what makes a party an effective Opposition. Is it the “Just Say No” approach of Abbott and Dutton? Is it the blocking of everything that a government is attempting to do, leading to a paralysis of effective action… or even ineffective action. That approach makes it easy for an Opposition to approach an election with the argument that the government has achieved nothing, even though the obvious response is: That’s because you blocked every move they made, ya clowns!
Behind the pantomime of Parliament, many MPs get along quite well with those on the other side of the chamber; it’s their own party where they have deep and irreconcilable differences. As Winston Churchill once told a new MP, ““That’s the opposition, dear boy. The enemy is behind you.”
So we wait patiently, wondering how long it will take the Liberals and Nationals to get their act together, or whether the task of being an effective Opposition will fall to the Greens and/or the Teals…
I do have a certain reluctance to refer to the Independents who are sitting in “Liberal seats” the Teals, owing to the fact that they aren’t a political party, in spite of the way the media and the Coalit… whoops, Liberals and Nationals talk about them. Perhaps I should refer to them as the “Gucci Greens” as Senator Sarah Henderson did. It was quite an interesting little tirade from the unelected Senator* where she complained that they were pretending to be independents but were really greens in disguise. The disguise being expensive clothes which enabled them to steal seats that actually belonged to the Liberals under the Divine Right Of Kings which is older than the Magna Carta.
In the meantime, there’s going to be a lot of finger pointing but the simple truth is that the PWUTBKATC (Parties That Used To Be Known As The Coalition) failed to give people a single reason to vote for them. Sure, they gave a lot of reasons NOT to vote Labor but that’s like giving you all the things that are wrong with the house you’re living in. It may not be perfect but you want to hear about what will be better if you move.
Of course, the whole copy of Trump’s copy of Reagan’s, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” didn’t resonate… Yes, I know that they creatively adapted it, workshopped it and came up with “Are you better off than you were three years ago?”, but I think we can agree that it was pretty much based on the Republican slogan, in the same way that “Let’s Get Australia Back On Track” was a less ambitious version of “Make America Great Again”. Although I did wonder whether one image of the slogan with a picture of a dirt track was sending the right message about belonging to the 21st Century. Whatever, I suspect that part of the reason the question didn’t resonate was that if you asked most people to remember three years ago, they’d be reminded of why the voted against Scotty from Muckinitup. Also, inflation was much higher and petrol prices have fallen slightly since then, so – if I think about it – maybe I am…
As for nuclear, well, even if you agree that it’s necessary for net zero and even if you believe that it’ll actually be cheaper, it’s hardly going to help you with next month’s power bill. Yes, we heard the Liberals tell us about Albanese promising to lower power bills by $275 and how he didn’t deliver, but don’t worry you can trust us when we say that will get them down some time in the 2030s thanks to a nuclear program that we can’t start until we get the ban repealed.
I could mention that the current concern about Labor’s superannuation tax on balances over $3million is unlikely to concern anyone whose current balance is only a few hundred thousand. “You mean I’ll have $3 million one day? Awesome!”
Anyway, the Liberals have a lot of soul searching to do. Hopefully they find one that wasn’t sold to Rupert, Gina or Lucifer.
*In case you’ve forgotten, after losing her seat of Corangamite in 2019, she was parachuted into the Senate a few months later, when Mitch Fifield resigned.
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LNP signed Australia up to the UN Agenda 2030 , the blueprint for one world global government. They never told Australians not gave them a mechanism to have their say. I think it is important for Australians to know how these politicians have betrayed Australians. Many complain about the WOKE ideology. But when they have to pay for a fourth level of government who will tax the ##$%@& out of people so WEF ‘s statement We will own nothing is fulfilled it will be too late.
ALP LNP GREENS TEALS all support globalism. But don’t blame them. If you voted for them it is all on you.
Seek treatment, Bev. Poulos; it can even work on extreme cases, e.g., neurotic unawareness, malnourished education, bilious outbursts, conspiracyphobia, violent nightmares, fear of life. Best wishes. Meanwhile, forget the inferior opposition, as they have forgotten how to see, learn, admit, observe truth, decency, consultation, educated outlook. Some will go, only to be replaced by worse…
It’s almost three years till the next election, about two years and nine months for the LNP to sort their respective houses out and come to the campaign with an almost coherent set of policies.
As regards the removal of concessionary tax on super returns on balances over $3 million, I see that SKY after Dark are outraged so obviously there is a rort involved – my question is why wouldn’t those folk with all that money sloshing around transfer their surplus super into real estate which they can negatively gear and get concessional tax treatment on their capital gains when they sell ?
Serious question……….!
IMHO, an effective opposition is one that improves proposed legislation of the government. One who submits superior proposals.
Oh Terry, it is sooooo unfair to tax those with so much, they deserve every cent they can scam or steal from where ever because they are truly worthy of having every benefit of living in good old Oz, without needing to contribute to benefit this less worthy.
Sky is nothing but a garbage can full of half witted anger merchants,squawking from the master’s twisted songbook.As for Sarah Henderson…she is a wonderful example of the quality of the Opposition’s remaining personnel.No need to wonder why they got such a shellacking.