Democracy & Accountability
Left-right labels make political commentary easy, and democracy hard
Is protecting freedom of speech a left wing issue or a right wing issue? And if you aren’t sure, how on earth can the press gallery or anyone else talk about what a ‘centre right’ political party's stance on such a point of principle should be.
My advice? There's no such thing as the 'centre right'
Leaving aside the fact that it was John Howard who buried so many of the landmines blowing up the Modern Liberals' backyard, he was right about a few things, including his observation that ‘politics is governed by the iron law of arithmetic’. So, let’s count some votes.
Clowns to the left of us, jokers on the right – and voters stuck in the middle
While the Coalition’s demise is great spectator sport for political-watchers, it does nothing to engender faith in democracy.
$5 billion in incorrect pension payments prompt calls to end “shoddy” automation system
Advocates are urging the government to prioritise recommendations from the Robodebt Royal Commission, including transparency about how automated decisions are made.
Coalition shambles can trace its genesis to precisely one spot
The kingdom of Queensland has produced little emperors with no clothes, sure of their power within their branch and electorate.
Albo’s Odyssey (and the politics of having your hands tied)
When politicians claim to be constrained, it is too often an excuse to escape responsibility for an unconscionable decision.
Beware the new ‘normal’, it might be about to bite us
Anyone interested in politics would have heard the paraphrased Plato quote at some point – “one of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors”.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Why we’re all the losers from the hate speech fracas
The biggest losers in the political brinkmanship Anthony Albanese and Labor lured Sussan Ley and the Liberals into with the hate group legislation no one wanted, is as always the public.
