Interesting piece.

Reads well, is assertive, and suggests a vision.

However, i don't agree with it.

Calls for a big picture understanding, but i dont see much in this article that understands the policy difficulties faced by all western political parties.

We can all shout loud, but where is his policy solutions. Come on, Mark Latham, you must be joking.

That was a bit of a ramble. Certainly not an exercise in clear thinking that I would have expected from a professor. Although seeing he is at Southern Queensland, what else would one expect.

David

Conservatism hasn't existed in Australia for some time; even John Howard wasn't much good at it. Tony Abbott chickened out on free speech, Malcom Turnbull didn't even pretend to be anything but someone who wanted to be in the Labor Party, and Morrison stands for nothing. The conservative laity has no party to vote for in Australia. That's federally. In the states, it's much the same. In my own state of South Australia, the Marshall government is the most mean spirited ever: cutting, cutting, cutting. In the last couple of days, they have been humiliated and forced to withdraw their plan to cut out hundreds of bus routes and close down convient motor registration branches in the suburbs. Bugger the people.

But hang on, WTF have we ever believed that any party calling itself the LIBERAL party could be conservative! Nowhere in the world is there a right of centre party parading under the word LIBERAL.

"The goal becomes winning office, at all costs and with all other things parked while we pursue the main game". Exactly! And that exactly describes people like Morrison - apeing Labor's socialism by giving money away, buying votes, irrespective of the effect on Australia's economy. At least the Labor party is honest about it's socialism.

Collits asks, "Are you forced to vote informal?" Well, yes. That's exactly what I did at the last federal election; it's what I'll be doing at the next one, too. As a true conservative, Right Winger, whatever, I simply can't vote for socialism, the curse of the free world. The Liberals being 'just a bit better than Labor' is no reason for them to have my vote. And, with our ridiculous preferential voting system, a few votes for the only honest party left in Australia, One Nation, are just going to trickle down to the main party crooks anyway.

With the exception of a decreasing number of people like me - and there are a few of them on OLO - Australians are a bunch of ignorant, uncaring hicks who deserve the scumbag governments that they get.

Something in Morrison's favour is the announcement that our defence spending will reach the recommended minimum of 2% of GDP this financial year.

About a month ago I watched a Utube presentation of a Chinese arms display which ran for about an hour. I don't know why we are bothering to spend any money on defense at all. China could wipe us out in the first 10 minutes of any conflict starting and there would be nothing that we or any of our allies could do to resist.

David

True, but having weapons on our side will also act a major deterrent.

The idea that we should simply allow China to have all the military might, is the stuff of fiction

The main problem with Australia's political parties, is how they view themselves, i.e., as the ruling elite.

Tyrants rule, elected politicians serve!

Another is the business as usual of divide and "rule" politics! Same animal different mother.

And the goal is to win at all costs, even the cost of personal integrity. If any of you had any to start with?

Now it's weasel words, wriggle room and blame-shifting all over the joint. And a torrent of obscene language and bully boy tactics in the back room.

And then there's branch stacking and dirty deals done in the dead of night to usurp the voting public's right to install their most preferred candidate

It was all supposed to be about the battle of big ideas and bipartisan pragmatism and uniting the nation against common foes!

Then there is funding issues and what they seem to purchase?

And last but not least is the curse of coal and the asinine prohibition on nuclear energy. Even when every boy and his dog has it or is getting it. An anti-proliferation treaty, what a joke!

We could reverse that absurd asinine anti-nuclear policy and allow unfettered R+D in our universities. this would allow a huge cash grants injection from myriad parties and much advancement for us!

Plus the possibility of quite massive production of, miracle cancer cure, [done in outback day clinics with the alpha particle,] bismuth 213.

Which would be a very generous almost free, byproduct of MSR thorium. And the annual injection out there of millions as medical tourism of around a million P.A.

Moreover, MSR can be retasked to burn nuclear waste or weapons-grade plutonium!

I kid you not! And our economy would suffer no harm by subsequent energy prices of a very possible 2.98 cents PKWH! OR MUCH LESS!

It has to be servitude and doing the right thing by the Australian people, because it's the right thing to do! Not because it's politically expedient!
Alan B.

I actually think we have had reasonable govts over the years, albeit hardly perfect in an imperfect world.

Once we get over relying on basic industries, such as what is in the ground, i think we can get even better. We must get better.

IMO, the Morrison govt has extremely difficult circumstances to respond to, more so than other governments since the 1980s.

A giant con? Are you serious or simply demented? What?10 million casualties and over half a million dead! And you seriously expect us to believe it's a giant con? I suppose you also believe that climate change is all BS?

And here you are allowed to publish to supposedly affect public opinion with this C.R.A.P.

Yes, we seemed to have dodged a bullet, but with mucho plenty good luck and as the result of our location.

I get that some folk/the Author, see covid -19 as a boomer remover! And that's not a huge loss! And that the economy is far more important than saving Grandad and Grandma, Mum and Dad, Aunty and Uncle? Boris? And several hundred front line medicos! It's all acceptable collateral damage!? Yes?

Some fool will finally understand, we can't go back and change history!

And that our task now is our best possible recovery, not the business as usual politics and looking after cronies or donators with the deepest pockets!

Send good money after bad to defend Australia against a Chinese aggressor? What for? When you are simultaneously allowing them to buy the choicest bits/anything they want?
Alan B.

Are you aware that twice over the last two years Xi Jinping told the PLA to prepare for war?

But according to Foxy Australia will not be affected (citing Niall Ferguson) and only China and America will be affected.

So according to Foxy we don't have anything to worry about and anybody who is worried is just being xenophobic. After all China has not done anything to harm Australia recently so why worry.

I think it was Peter Costello who referred to
small-business people with their families and
those who identify with them, as the "forgotten
people". And as the core-supporters of the
Coalition.

Costello pointed out that these people were always
being squeezed by Government. Unlike big business
these people cannot afford the shielding professions
of accountants and lawyers to protect them against
Government. They fall victim to complicated tax rules,
training guarantee levies, ABS form demands, with
their back-up from a maze of tribunals, legislation,
organisers and Government.

These people are not organised, they do not spend their
time extracting from Government because they are too busy
attending to business and satiating Government's
extraction from them. They are worried about their
own future and the future of their children.

The Coalition must always remember these "forgotten
people". They must add to their base if they are to cross
the electoral line and make it possible to practically
help these people.

Also the Coalition needs to apply policies to issues that
concern wider groups in the community as well. By addressing
issues of concern, they will widen their constituency.

Issues (and there are many), the values of the Coalition like -
individual dignity, self-reliance, national sovereignty,
personal liberty, a fair-go, are all highly relevant.
These values resonate with those of the Australian people.

There is an eager audience ready to listen to those who
have the courage to address their concerns.

What this means is - communicating the values that motivate
a party's political approach to the issues of the day, and
convincing voters that this will improve their lot and
improve the fortunes of those they care about. Since most
Australians care about their country, it also means showing
what they will do for the nation.

A political party's vision is the rudder. The rest are the
oars. People are more interested in ideas than procedures.
And people need to given a stake in ideas to
sustain them through the long march of modern politics.

Golly!
Seems like a take-no-prisoners fascist manifesto to me. Only me (that is Paul) and his fellow right-thinking true believers know the truth.

Anyone who pretends that the Donald or the orange haired anti-Christ is going to make a positive difference to either American culture or the world altogether is seriously deluded.
Paul referred to Jesus and the apostles.
Keeping in mind the fact the Jesus was scathingly critical of both the political and ecclesiastical establishment of his time and place I wonder what Jesus would have to say about the Donald?
Never mind too that all of the so called conservative religionists that surround and praise the Donald are certifiable psychopaths.

Re Ronald Reagan the "sunny optimist" why not check out this website which describes his dreadful "sanity" http://psychohistory.com/reagans-america

And the book The Man Who Sold the World Ronald Reagan and the Betrayal of Main Street America by William Kleinknecht which is reviewed here:
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Ronald_Reagan/Man_Who_Sold_World.html As are other critical essays etc

*... They HATE politicians. As well they might. For them, politicians always disappoint...*

That's me; I'm in that group!

But realise this...I voted enthusiastically for Clive Palmer. The only occasion on which I've happily cast a vote in years.
To me it's obvious why!

Who cares if Palmer was as crooked as the proverbial dogs hind leg: At least, like Trump, he was honest about it; as opposed to his rivals; rogues and raskels all!

Palmer: Who didn't hide his nepotism and shady business deals, which were, in the end, legal anyway.
Palmer: A man that put his money where his mouth was.
Palmer: A man with "actual" skin in the game.
Palmer: My choice of crooked Politician. An honest crook! As good as politics gets!

Dan

I have read a number of excellent articles by Paul Collits but this article was long, confusing, practically meaningless and of little or no value to me. Perhaps I need to read it again.

The Liberal party is no longer the Liberal party I supported all my life. I do not consider it will recover from too many Liberal MPs back-stabbing excellent Tony Abbott and replacing him with dud Labor/green Turnbull who is good for nothing and destroyed the Liberal party.

Cheers, PeterC

no longer the Liberal party I supported all my life
PeterC,
Unfortunately, that applies to all parties. Why ? because their supporters are no longer what the parties stood for either.
There's only one party now for all, it's called Money ! Integrity is no longer part of their vocabulary !

Peter C.

Don't feel cheated and alone:

To balance things up a bit; meanwhile, over the fence (which no longer exists), on the other side, Bob Hawke justly earned the reputation as the best Liberal Prime Minister Australia ever had.

Dan

diver dan,

So you're a Clive Palmer man.

Tell me, who bankrolled Palmer's 2019 federal election campaign?

I'm of the opinion that it was Adani.

I don't know what it is that the author wants to "conserve", but with China at our gates, with WW-III already begun, we cannot afford to be too choosy.

Sure the very concept of "government" is evil, but we must now unite against our common enemy because ANY Australian government would be better than living (more likely dying) under a Chinese regime!

---

Dear David,

«China could wipe us out in the first 10 minutes of any conflict starting and there would be nothing that we or any of our allies could do to resist.»

Sad to hear such despair, but what Scott Morrison is planning is deterrence through a second-strike capability, so that China will be unwilling to pay the price for destroying Australia.

Conventional response is not enough. China should know that if it obliterates Australia then missiles from Australian submarines will rain on their cities such viruses compared to which COVID-19 is but a child's toy. They should also be aware that after us, doomsday-mines will render the continent of Australia so radioactive that they will not be able to benefit at all from our vast resources in the ground.

Fortunately we are not alone in this, but we must contribute our share towards this fight for survival against evil. Yes, America is a goner, no hope from that direction, but we also have nuclear India, Europe and other friends on our side.

missiles from Australian submarines will rain on their cities
Yuyutsu,
The Chinese would already have the equipment in place to make those submarines self-destruct !
We have already provided them with literally everything they need to kick our butts !
Everything we have & use is produced in China so, in-built spying is in your Chinese made phone, computer, car, Tv etc etc.
Thanks to our 'concerned for the workers' Unions nothing is off limit to anyone as it's all made offshore !

It took 3 pages for Paul Collits to tell us he was flogging yet another right wing party for Australia. This time its the re-badged Australian Conservatives, masquerading as the Australian Federation Party. This mob push the same old right wing rhetoric; The "powerful force", that will "protect and serve", "represent the needs of all Australians." Please, we have about 70 or 80 political parties in Australia already, everything from The Together Party to the Love Australia or Leave Party, we have no shortage of parties. Calling it a coalition of the micro loony right parties is an understatement. Its bad enough to have one headless chook in the form of the One Nation Party running around the yard, but half a dozen of them tied together, absolute bedlam! Another political party born to failure.

Dear Individual,

Please do not despair: whatever was done in the past can be changed.
It is time to turn around and produce everything we need ourselves.

produce everything we need ourselves.
Yuyutsu,
The Unions will again put a stop any such effort !

Paul Collits is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Queensland and is Research Director of the Economic Development and Enterprise Collaboration at the University’s Fraser Coast Campus.

"The Australian Right's big mistake" - Wednesday 1 July 2020.

If this fellow is in any way representative of the calibre of Oz' academia (judging solely on this piece of egocentric rubbish), then we, and very many serious students, are in big trouble.

E.G Calling the Covid-19 Pandemic a virtual 'joke' as he sees it - judging by his assertion:

"That is, to have been spooked into thinking that they need to do anything much about Covid, a mostly mild, if unusual, virus that affects most people, including those it infects, not at all. The big mistake is to take Covid seriously,..."

Well, what do you think?

And, to suggest that Donald J. Trump is a model to be followed and emulated - if we could be so "lucky' - in Oz politics??

Sheer balderdash and drivel, the lot, and only fit for lining the Cockey's cage or straight to landfill. (Not even fit for recycling.)

Out, damned Spot!

ttbn: “Something in Morrison's favour is the announcement that our defence spending will reach the recommended minimum of 2% of GDP this financial year.”

Usually it is the quality of defence spending that counts rather than the quantity.

A case in point: the $80 billion Future Submarine Program is "dangerously off track" according to a new report that urges the Government to ditch the controversial project and consider a nuclear option (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-11/australia-urged-to-embrace-nuclear-submarines/12043444).Even the Government's own advisory body recommended the Government should consider walking away from the project.

If the present program is retained, estimates of the final costs over the life of the submarines, including maintenance etc, would be around $225 billion, and availability of the first operational submarine would not be until 2036 or later.

Undoubtedly, it was one of the worst decisions of anti-conservative PM Malcolm Turnbull’s government, involving high-risk and high-cost design conversion from nuclear to obsolescent diesel technology, and with South Australian content aimed at enhancing re-election of leftist Liberal Christopher Pyne who retired three years later.

It remains to be seen whether the high-debt-laden Morrison Government will act in the national interest by cancelling the project and considering a much more cost-effective and shorter-delivery nuclear option.

“We have a Liberal led coalition that doesn’t have the three things needed by “the base”. First, they are not right wing. They are mostly left-leaning liberals, not at all conservative, or populist for that matter. Look at who gets pre-selected. Folks who are as socially liberal and as woke as anyone. They are genuine leftists who are allowed to take seats at the high table.”

Ironically, the bumbling Malcolm Turnbull would never have become PM, had it not been for Tony Abbott succeeding him as opposition leader and then leading the Coalition to Government, only to be stabbed in the back by the envious, conceited Malcolm who then set about implementing his progressive agenda with the unquestioning support of ‘genuine leftist’ colleagues.

The national interest was poorly served by the leftist Turnbull-led coalition government. Besides the disastrous new submarine program decision:

. it ratified the Green-left-politicised Paris Climate Agreement, an accord that was unjustified on both scientific and economic grounds. Local implementation entailed more subsidisation of high-cost, unreliable, weather-dependent, renewable power, so as to discourage new investment in reliable, low-cost, coal-fired baseload power. Unsurprisingly, there is over-investment in intermittent renewable energy, that has forced up power prices to around the developed world’s highest, causing business disinvestment and consequent job losses;

. it decided to build the high-risk, economically-unjustified Snowy 2 pumped water scheme at the exorbitant cost of $12billion, an outlay for which four or five new HELE coal-fired power stations could have been built instead;

Cont. next post

Dear Individual,

«The Unions will again put a stop any such effort !»

What nonsense!

At times of peace, unions may well try to improve workers' conditions, but now when we are at war?

Just consider what could they possibly achieve by that: what would our working conditions be should, God forbid, China takes over Australia? Better compare them with the Uighurs' because we would not fare any better: those of us who would somehow remain alive would become enslaved in the mines, with a salary of a glass of water per bucket of gold!

Post continued
. it proceeded with Labor’s exorbitant in-excess-of $50 billion NBN project, but modified for (or rather botched to) fibre to the node transmission and then existent 100 year-old technology to link to the home;

. it allowed the 99-year lease of the port of Darwin to the Chinese;

. it supported implementation of the $13billion Murray-Darling Basin Scheme, that reduced farmers’ irrigation water availability by 20 per cent, so as to provide so-called environmental flows to maintain the artificial freshwater lakes at the Murray mouth. Inevitably, reduced output as well as higher prices have been caused by this government-induced scarcity;

. it failed to review whether continuing government funding of the ABC was justified, as the broadcaster has become predominantly a leftist propagandist; and as virtually all usual ABC services may be provided now by private sources.

As the number of genuine leftists appears to have increased in the Morrison Government, and as most senior bureaucrats are understood to be genuine leftists, the prospects of the national interest being better served do not appear great.

Raycom,

Would you therefore contend that the "leftist" leanings of the Morrison 'Liberal/Coalition' government in implementing 'Job Keeper' and the doubling of 'Job Seeker' in this time of Covid response exhibits an outrageous failing - a clear and undeniable refutation and rejection of true 'Nationalist Conservative' ideals? (Or Conservative Nationalist ideals, for that matter? No distinction evident.)?

What say you? A Liberal government exhibiting compassion as well as sound, earnest economic responsibility in the very best interests of the nation and its workers in a time of severe healthcare and economic crisis - can only be construed as a weak, falling-to-the-knee bowing to the ultimate power and altruistic superiority of the Trade Unions??

Dastardly usurpation of the exclusive 'right' of The Left, and Labor! Quite simply horrendous!

And the Morrison government's response to Covid? What of this? A national forum of Federal, State and Territory governments in an interest to coordinate effective and timely measures to protect all, and especially the vulnerable and the healthcare and essential service providers? How can this be seen as properly in keeping with fundamental 'Liberal' democratic ideals? Intolerable gall!

My assessment of this bold writer's (Paul Collits') definition of the role and responsibility of a true (but not dinky-di) Big "L" Liberal Government is a heartless, dog-eat-dog Libertarian free-for-all, and 'let the devil take the hindmost' pandering to the top end of town, with no strings attached. (Reference and attribution to the most glowing and formidable example of 'POTUS', the man himself, none other than the mighty Donald J. Trump, esquire.)

I reject all Collits espouses and expounds in this paltry, confused and utterly worthless piece of unsubstantiated detritus.

Bring out the Liberal 'lefties' masquerading in the Morrison government, and let's see them in the clear light of day. Do so, or take a hike, please.

There are several problems for the Australian right including PR or media (support) precluding the development of grounded policy along with lazy use of glib one liners e.g. 'shared woke globalist ideology'.

More interesting would be the writer's take on changing demographics of Australian society, the electorate and Liberal and/or National Party memberships?

There would seem to be a use by date for any party in a democracy by appealing (mostly or solely) to ageing and/or white Christian nationalism; demographic declining in influence versus increasing diversity of future conservatives?

A couple of interesting facts from the Eden-Monaro by-election. It was preference votes from the right wing Shooters Party, they openly preferenced Labor on their HTV, and a sustained drift of preferences to Labor from the Coalition partner The Nationals, about 30% which gave Labor a very narrow victory. In its informative years the Country Party (Nationals) were seen as "socialists". My 'Old Man' always refereed to the Country Party as bad weather socialists, he'd say "give em' a big enough drought and they'll all turn Commo", he might have been right.

'A couple of interesting facts from the Eden-Monaro by-election'

Oh and the Greens down 3% on the 'climate change' election Paul. What a joke.

runner, did you also note there are four times as many dope smokers than there are Bible Bashers in Eden-Monaro. The new big noise party according to Paul Collits Australian Federation Party score a whopping 179 votes, 0.19% wow! Something Corny Banana and his Australian Conservatives could only dream of.

well, that party is sure to get more votes with support like this OLO piece.

As if.

Not to be outdone, the NSW Coalition Government adopted and implemented Green-left policies. These included:

. closing down the greyhound racing industry (subsequently repealed on public outcry);

. promoting investment in intermittent, high-cost renewable energy generation at the expense of reliable, low-cost coal-fired baseload power, thus forcing up electricity prices substantially and expediting NSW industry disinvestment and consequent job losses. NSW’s abundant high-quality coal reserves were conveniently overlooked;

. stopping development of NSW natural gas reserves, resulting in Sydney-gate gas prices tripling since 2014-15;

. adopting the Green-left-politicised net zero emissions by 2050 climate policy, that is unjustified on both scientific and economic grounds. ( “Net-zero emissions means NSW emissions will be balanced by carbon storage. The more emissions are reduced, the less sequestration is needed to achieve net-zero.” https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/-/media/OEH/Corporate-Site/Documents/Climate-change/achieving-net-zero-emissions-by-2050-fact-sheet-160604.pdf)

. disallowing hazard reduction burning in national parks and crown land, and on bordering private land holdings, thereby ensuring catastrophic destruction of flora, fauna and property in the 2019-20 NSW bushfires. Leftists displayed their gullibility by blaming man-made climate change;

. decriminalising the murdering of unborn babies up to birth;

. and reducing traffic fines by half for those on welfare

Saltpetre: “ Bring out the Liberal 'lefties' masquerading in the Morrison government, and let's see them in the clear light of day. Do so, or take a hike, please.”

The Liberals who support/promote Green-left climate change policies may be regarded as ‘lefties’. These include Simon Birmingham and Paul Fletcher. Tim Wilson, Dave Sharma, Jason Falinski, Katie Allen, Angie Bell and Trent Zimmerman were reported by The Guardian to be among the Liberal MPs to sign up to the Parliamentary Friends of Climate Action group.

Trent Zimmerman, Matt Kean and Don Harwin are understood to be senior members of the NSW Liberal Left

Australia has loaded over $15 billion a year of costs onto the electricity consumers and taxpayers to subsidise renewables, according to Alan Moran’s latest articles in Quadrant (https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/opinion-post/on-the-road-to-ruin-for-no-good-reason/), The Spectator (https://www.spectator.com.au/2020/07/do-we-want-to-follow-st-jacinda-and-price-our-industry-out-of-existence/) and Catallaxy Files. He states:

“This has done nothing to advance renewables to the competitiveness long forecast for them. Indeed, every new demonstration of the failure of wind and solar brings fresh policy proposals for their further subsidies. … we now have new “Renewable Energy Zones” with wasteful spending on transmission to permit profitable operations of poor quality, low energy density.

Ministers have demonstrated an utter inability to understand the effects of such actions on competitive unsubsidised businesses and lack awareness about the effects distortions bring to the economy at large. …

Very few politicians understand the issues and those in the Coalition: Craig Kelly and Matt Canavan, are sidelined.

The ALP and Turnbull had no compunction against stacking their advisory agencies with green activists. But even the non-Turnbull Liberals persist in appointing starry-eyed green zealots as advisers to key positions like Treasury, where the top three officials are veteran climate change warriors. …

Staggering on with present policies, aggravated by the COVID political measures, means the slow-motion economic train wreck caused by energy policies will, at best, continue. More likely we will see our economic fortunes rapidly deteriorate with announcements of closures of energy intensive businesses, which are among our most productive.

It is very difficult for a nation to devise policies that destroy its economy but Australia is succeeding.