The Coalition in policy-free nudist colony conundrum?
Well apologies, but this uncharacteristically provocative opening salvo from Age press gallery stalwart Michelle Grattan has me puzzling about where her head is at in relation to Canberra’s parliamentary “hot property”:
Parties that have lost elections quickly find themselves shivering in the changeroom, policy clothes stripped off and wondering how much of their philosophical underwear has also become unwearable.
Ooh, er. Despite the quizzical opening, Grattan’s latest column is one of the best from her I have read in some time. The point that she makes is not a particularly profound one, but does a fine job of rounding up all the recent evidence we have to consider about the Federal Opposition, arguing in a compelling fashion that they have lost the plot policy-wise. At the moment, we have no idea what the Federal Coalition stands for. Having taken the opportunity to rubbish at virtually every juncture the policy position of the previous government (e.g. Kyoto, WorkChoices, “saying sorry”, tomorrow will no doubt bring more), one could be forgiven for thinking that Kevin Rudd might be the best person to ask what the Coalition stands for on any given issue. At the moment, the Coalition seems to stand for whatever Kevin Rudd stands for with a twist; a twist that they generally are not prepared to fight for with any great determination in parliament anyway. The government is bringing the liqueurs and fruit juices to this particular parliamentary cocktail party, and Nelson’s Opposition appears to have gallantly taken responsibility for supplying the matchstick parasols.
In short, the Opposition is floundering, in desperate need of some policy directions to galvanise them, and a strong leader to take them forwards. Mindlessly chipping away at the government in parliament won’t achieve very much if nobody really knows what they themselves stand for. Turnbull’s cute but somewhat petty NAIRU bombing of Treasurer Wayne Swan may have resulted in some embarrassment for the Queenslander, but if the Opposition’s most useful line of attack on the government relates to the definition of a slightly obscure economic term, it says a lot about their own situation. Apparently lacking any substantive lines of attack on economic policy, they appear to have settled for the time being on pursuing the trivial.
On that ultimately meaningless political front, I wish them the best of luck.
Tags: Brendan Nelson, Howard Government, Malcolm Turnbull
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February 22nd, 2008 at 9:19 am
They tried flinging some mud last week–opened shop in the dirt office and resurrected Teh Brian Burke Affair. Rudd handled that with humour and aplomb. He is streets ahead of these clowns.
The only thing they seem to be succeeding at is the art of incredulity, but what to be in incredulous about and why they might be so, has got them a bit stumped.
Downer’s got the right idea, go out for lunch instead. They could all be forgiven for not showing up at all for a couple of months owing to a complete lack of orientation. I think everyone knew this would happen once the Howard glue had fallen off.
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:29 am
some catch up post reading later . . . . . (ahem) Of course you knew that.
OT I do hope you are enjoying writing about Australia now that you’re not here. I like reading about it. Tim Dunlop wrote one stand out piece on the Howard government and Howard in particular, when he was in Washington. It read like a newly minted coin. (bad simile)–I’m sure you get my drift. Its really very valuable for us to read the views of people who are not currently embroiled in the atmosphere, yet have a sound understanding of what its like to be such.
I’ll go now.
February 22nd, 2008 at 7:17 pm
The Brian Burke affair is such a non-entity in terms of political interest and potential impact that the Coalition’s pursuit of it is really rather embarrassing. Downer was fairly stupid - he played right into the hands of the media and all the pundits who viewed it and the Coalition not seriously caring anymore, now that they are warming the benches on the other side of parliament.
Political developments from Australia still serve as my lifeblood, even from over here. It’s kind of strange that I don’t get it through the more typical sources anymore (the telly), but I guess in some ways that provides a certain clarity, Anyway, thanks for the thought.
February 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 pm
The liberals can also catch the government for not doing what was promised or for creating unforeseen consequences through Labor actions.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:39 am
Down the track I think that is the biggest danger for the Rudd Government. They have promised quite a lot of ambitious things from Opposition. Delivering on those things is going to prove difficult. Circumstances may proven some of them impossible. That’s the reality of politics.