Join us for look into the intricate and often contentious world of Australian politics, where we question the decisions, scrutinise the policies, and hold leaders accountable for their actions.
Zali Steggall showed considerable principle by calling the behaviour for what it was. If we had more MPs like her we’d be in a better place. Dai Le too when she said the rhetoric was triggering, speaks for many Australians. General muted statements from the ALP and vague lines about ‘division’ will not cut it. Mehreen Faruqui is an excellent orator and is a powerful advocate for justice.
I disagree regarding the criticisms of the Greens on the housing bill. Holding out on supporting the bill in the senate saw the Govt magically find a billion dollars down the back of the sofa to add to other housing projects. If the Greens had rolled over we would be in a worse position than we already have. For young people like myself, the ALP and LNP has done zero for housing because they are beneficiaries of a broken system. The Greens have no obligation to wave through flawed neoliberal legislation, as the analysis of Dr Cameron Murray shows - an eminent mind in housing economics.
The ALP negotiating with the LNP on disability legislation is their choice and not the fault of independents or the Greens. It shows giving the ALP a majority is meaningless - they could have passed any bill they wanted in the lower house and yet watered it down before it got to the senate. Let there be a minority Govt because the ALP is unwilling to use its majority.
Your point about the NT election is very relevant in how the ALP tacked to the right on the environment and crime, with a disastrous result to their primary vote. Why go for ‘diet-Liberal’ when the voters can get the real thing? The fact the Greens and Independents will gain significantly in the NT speaks to how the ALP vote is increasingly difficult to get into 40% territory. Had they sought to update the electoral system to be more proportional, they would not have had such a wipeout. Instead they will play a risky game of forming majorities with only 29-35% of the primary vote (hardly a mandate for change).
Definitely I think the Greens have to be careful. I do think they have played it shrewdly for now, and we will see if they are rewarded for it in the next election.
Thanks as always for your comment, John. I’ll have to chase up Cameron murray. And yes, the word circling round the back of my mind was ‘duoploly’. ALP and Liberal/National are different but when their interests align, they align. This is as it should be I guess but it’s rarely for the best of the country, but for themselves.
I think I’ve been consistent on my view that the greens should have and stick to their own principles. But they lose the messaging war. It is hard to win a war when the enemy is so large. It’s not just Labor but liberal and the media. The greens need to rethink their PR strategy I think.
As the party system declines into irrelevance and anachronism, we’re seeing strange results. Quite possibly the first government to not use its majority. The Northern Territory has shown a nightmare scanario for Labor. While there are no safe seats and majority governments are unlikely, nothing is impossible. The alp needs to find a chifleyesque or whitlamesque courage.
Good episode Eddy and David.
Zali Steggall showed considerable principle by calling the behaviour for what it was. If we had more MPs like her we’d be in a better place. Dai Le too when she said the rhetoric was triggering, speaks for many Australians. General muted statements from the ALP and vague lines about ‘division’ will not cut it. Mehreen Faruqui is an excellent orator and is a powerful advocate for justice.
I disagree regarding the criticisms of the Greens on the housing bill. Holding out on supporting the bill in the senate saw the Govt magically find a billion dollars down the back of the sofa to add to other housing projects. If the Greens had rolled over we would be in a worse position than we already have. For young people like myself, the ALP and LNP has done zero for housing because they are beneficiaries of a broken system. The Greens have no obligation to wave through flawed neoliberal legislation, as the analysis of Dr Cameron Murray shows - an eminent mind in housing economics.
The ALP negotiating with the LNP on disability legislation is their choice and not the fault of independents or the Greens. It shows giving the ALP a majority is meaningless - they could have passed any bill they wanted in the lower house and yet watered it down before it got to the senate. Let there be a minority Govt because the ALP is unwilling to use its majority.
Pa That should have been signed DL
Hi David thanks very much for your response too.
Your point about the NT election is very relevant in how the ALP tacked to the right on the environment and crime, with a disastrous result to their primary vote. Why go for ‘diet-Liberal’ when the voters can get the real thing? The fact the Greens and Independents will gain significantly in the NT speaks to how the ALP vote is increasingly difficult to get into 40% territory. Had they sought to update the electoral system to be more proportional, they would not have had such a wipeout. Instead they will play a risky game of forming majorities with only 29-35% of the primary vote (hardly a mandate for change).
Definitely I think the Greens have to be careful. I do think they have played it shrewdly for now, and we will see if they are rewarded for it in the next election.
Thanks as always for your comment, John. I’ll have to chase up Cameron murray. And yes, the word circling round the back of my mind was ‘duoploly’. ALP and Liberal/National are different but when their interests align, they align. This is as it should be I guess but it’s rarely for the best of the country, but for themselves.
I think I’ve been consistent on my view that the greens should have and stick to their own principles. But they lose the messaging war. It is hard to win a war when the enemy is so large. It’s not just Labor but liberal and the media. The greens need to rethink their PR strategy I think.
As the party system declines into irrelevance and anachronism, we’re seeing strange results. Quite possibly the first government to not use its majority. The Northern Territory has shown a nightmare scanario for Labor. While there are no safe seats and majority governments are unlikely, nothing is impossible. The alp needs to find a chifleyesque or whitlamesque courage.