Surely no surprise at the result
IS there any non-party hack surprised by the result of the Federal Election? From the moment the Liberal Party bowed to the poll results, submitted to the blindingly obvious that Tony Abbott was on the nose, and installed Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister, the Federal Election was Malcolm Turnbull’s to lose. And didn’t he come close. Rather than gather up the middle ground, the small “l” Liberals and the swinging progressive voters, he dithered, flip flopped and back tracked. He was hamstring by both his lack of decisiveness and the hard right of his own Party.
The traditional Coalition ideologies of border protection and economic management were conspicuously muted in the campaign, replaced by the inane “jobs and growth” mantra.
Turnbull never looked comfortable when mounting a negative attack at Labor and opposition leader Bill Shorten. Being an attack dog was and isn’t in his nature, and his body language showed his unease in that role.
Business tax cuts offered nothing for the average PAYE voter. The continual motherhood statements about pivoting to innovation and nimbleness (again more inane vagueness) did nothing to engage the disadvantaged, under employed or struggling lower middle class. No wonder the public switched off mid campaign.
Then, rather than refocus his strategy on tangible and credible policies, Turnbull lectured the public on the dangers of voting for any independent candidate, claiming minor parties would “wreak havoc” and “chaos” on Australia in “another power-sharing fiasco” with Labor.
If there is one thing the average Australian hates it’s a lecture on how to behave, let alone vote. The backlash was therefore inevitable.
The Double Dissolution gamble has backfired spectacularly. Rather than the broom being put through the “feral senate” and the way smoothed for the industrial relations bill to curb bullyboy Union power, Malcolm in the middle has a senate split between right-wing nut jobs, centralist independents and single agenda contrarians.
Malcolm Turnbull managed to snatch the barest of victories from the jaws of defeat, a defeat itself lethargically eased from the jaws of what would have been a landslide victory nine months ago.
Whilst the Clive Palmer prototype anti-politician imploded in a haze of bluster, the public proved they are tired of the two Party monopoly, with its lecturing scare tactics. And who could blame them. It has been near to 10 years since Kevin ‘07. Kevin Rudd came to power after the public’s fatigue with John Howard, a Labor leader who was not a traditional union apparatchik, but someone perceived as having the right leadership characteristics.
The moment he was done over by negative polling and backroom scheming, Australia was set on the path of revolving door leaders, wafer thin election results and political inertia.
Contemplate this – what has either side of party politics achieved in that near to ten years?
I’m not referring to the minutiae of daily government, which is achieved by public servants anyway, but the visionary social capital achievements.
Gonski education funding reforms? Too partisan.
Federal Health funding restructure? Budget emergency - too bad if you are a leaner or aging baby boomers.
Mining tax alternatively known as the Mineral Resources Rent Tax? Poorly executed and negotiated, easily defeated by vested interests.
National Broadband Network? Too extravagant and expensive, who wants to be the clever country anyway?
Carbon tax and renewable energy rebates? Ideologically abhorrent.
Infrastructure? Build more roads and lease Darwin harbour to the Chinese.
Indigenous disadvantage? Too hard to fix from Canberra, lets send in the military.
Environmental Protection? The Reef and the Liverpool Plains are replaceable right?
National Disability Support Scheme? A rare and long overdue admission of past neglect that may or may not improve the lot of those needing its support.
No wonder the public are disillusioned and seeking alternatives.
Neither party has displayed an ability to provide stable grown-up government. Both are distracted by internal power struggles between factions. Both parties are beholden to their respective political masters, the union movement and corporate sponsors.
Instead they both default to scare campaigns, such as children overboard, Mediscare, $100 roasts, Whyalla wiped of the map. But in this modern age of social media the public respond quickly when they see straight through that nonsense. Treating voters with contempt can only lead to their own demise.
Now Turnbull has to govern a notionally majority government and deal with independents he so earnestly sought to oust via the Double Dissolution, whilst fighting a rearguard action within his own party against the fundamentalist conservatives to his right. All the while claiming a “mandate” for what?
Ten more years of the same on the horizon?
Malcolm Turnbull has declared “it is vital that this Parliament works.”
Now that would be a surprise.
Instead they both default to scare campaigns, such as children overboard, Mediscare, $100 roasts, Whyalla wiped of the map. But in this modern age of social media the public respond quickly when they see straight through that nonsense. Treating voters with contempt can only lead to their own demise.