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The Forum > Article Comments > Down and out with the non-Labor parties in 2009 > Comments

Down and out with the non-Labor parties in 2009 : Comments

By Aron Paul, published 1/4/2009

On the centenary of the two-party system, we need to revive a progressive liberal opposition.

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Howard lost me when he used retrospective legislation to over-rule the high court, thus placing himself above the law. By moving Australian boundaries he placed refugees outside the law thus giving them the same status as Jews in Nazi Germany.

From that point the government of the day was (to me) Howards Fourth Reich. And now I see the present opposition as the remnants of Howard's Fourth Reich.

I hope that at some point both parties will agree to outlaw retrospective legislation.

Not everything a government does is good, but neither is it all bad. I would like to see a new Liberal party that has a complete break with Howard/Turnbull/Costello et al that can be an effective opposition to be believed by the people. One that opposes what needs to be opposed, but aids what needs to be done. Blind opposition to everything is no way to earn respect and a chance at being the next government. Nor is the politics of fear that seems to dominate in the present 'Liberal' party.
Posted by Daviy, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 10:20:15 AM
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Daviy
Looking at past history it will be a good decade before the tories can get rid of the deadwood and renew themselves. In the meantime Labor gets a free run (which is always bad) and we get to see the idiotic infighting of the opposition ala howard/peacock, hewson, downer et al (which is always good or at least funny).
Posted by mikk, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 10:58:09 AM
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'Voters at the last election voted for “change”'

This is a debatable statement.

The only "change" voters seemed to be seeking at the last election was, to put it bluntly, "somebody who isn't actually John Howard, but seems just the same".

The 2007 Australian Federal election should not be confused with the 2008 US Presidential Election.

The opposition candidate in the 2007 Australian Federal election did not run on a platform of change. Indeed, Kevin Rudd ran a not-so-subtle message of being a safe continuation of the Howard government: What was continually referred to as Rudd's "Me too-ism".

If this wasn't the case, why else was there the furore over Peter Garrett's "once we get in, that'll all change" gaffe?

Australians in 2007 voted for more of the same, just with a new face; and, the conspicuous celebrations of the media's tame leftists (witness JJJ's heavy rotation of the Herd's absurd "The King is dead") aside, they got it.
Posted by Clownfish, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 11:35:21 AM
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Now that labor is rampant, and the "recession" has given Rudd an excuse to ditch all his promises of fiscal discipline, we will have the euphoria of a huge spending spree.

In a few years with resultant hang over, we will return to the party that might not have the same feel good approach but can be relied on to balance the books and put the economy back on its feet.

Howard spent a decade paying off the credit card and putting a bit aside. KRudd is going to max it out in 2 years.

NSW labor in boom times managed to max the debt with nothing to show for it. Krudd will do the same on a bigger scale.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 2:09:11 PM
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Bureaucratic is spelt...bureaucratic.

What exactly is the evidence that Australians are progressive by nature? Ever heard of the White Australia Policy (seventy-two years of that, from Federation in 1901 to 1973?).

While in NZ nudity is tolerated on any quiet, non-urban beach, for which reason the country has no need of officially sanctioned nudist beaches, here, beach nudity is by default explicitly illegal - and every time someone nominates a nudist beach for the Sunshine State, it gets fiercely voted down by the locals with much bandying of the perjorative "perverts". How remarkably progressive. One could go on, and on, and on, with examples in the same vein, both major and political, and minor and anecdotal.

I would suggest 'socially conservative, populist-Labourist' as a more truthful descriptor of the overall national sociopolitical character.
Posted by Rubberneck, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 7:09:27 PM
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Wow! An Australian Democrat advising another party on their policy development, & how to enhance their electoral prospects.
Posted by Hasbeen, Thursday, 2 April 2009 12:27:39 AM
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