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The Forum > Article Comments > Memo to Kim: Oppositions must provide propositions > Comments

Memo to Kim: Oppositions must provide propositions : Comments

By Andrew Leigh, published 20/10/2005

Andrew Leigh urges the ALP to give us less anti-government hyperbole and more positive policy proposals.

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Part One

Partly agree with you, Andrew,

But it could be believed that the way Labor is at present you could be putting them on the wrong track

In a political science school during the Cold War when a few over 60s mature agers where allowed to participate, a couple of us after posing very interesting questions during a class, where given as examples to the class, as oldies who had acquired good natural insight over their longevity.

Now in that school as well as studying international relations we also learnt a skill called the Ruler’s Imperative, which was mainly about what a ruler needed to do to stay in power. But we also discussed how to knock out a ruler during an election, despite his imperative.

A striking example of what not to do, happened to John Kerry in the last US election when he promised to send even more troops to Iraq in order to get the problem over with, as he said. Any political science student would have guided him to do the opposite, especially as the justification for the attack on Iraq was paramount as regards that election. Though there were only around 40% apparently against the Iraq War, in a non-compulsery election, there could have been many millions who had been wavering and who did not vote. Though George W’ had faithful backing from his religous right and assuredly from millions of Mid-West grain-framers who had been promised billions in subsidies over the next ten years, it is believed that Kerry still lost the race with that foolish statement about sending more troops to the war zone.

George C, WA - Bushbred
Posted by bushbred, Thursday, 20 October 2005 1:27:13 PM
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Part Two

The imperative here, of course, Andrew, is that it is better during an election to be dead opposite to your opponent, as Barry Jones has mentioned just lately, even if there is much fear attached to it, especially with Labour the way it is. It is interesting that many of the Democrat’s policies are in line with what Labour should be using, but even much worse than the British Liberal Democrats, our Aussie Democrats appear to lack personality as well as the political skills, thus it could be said, it is why they lack the numbers.

As a free-thinker, who believes that party loyalty can steal one’s brain, it is suggested that Labor Ministers might do well to attend a political science school occasionally. Another recommendation is to contribute to an academic magazine called Dissent, most of the writers being professors and Phds who seem far more enlightening to one’s soul than today’s politicans as well as most religous leaders.

Regards,

George C, WA - Bushbred
Posted by bushbred, Thursday, 20 October 2005 1:37:41 PM
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It makes me mad when all I hear is rebuttal spewing from the opposition.

I want to know why I should vote for them AGAIN, not why I should not support the government all the time.

Imagine if we just had one leader who turned conventional politics on its head, stopped picking holes on the competition and worked on thier own party, they would have so much time on their hands that they could develop a plan of atack that might actually see them win some seats.

It is worse than a schoolyard, I wish as a labour voter they would get over the inferiority complex.

Winning the election starts with the people having confidence in labour's abilities, the fear of the Liberal governement taking the country to ruin left 2 terms ago. Generally people think things are ok, we are not in dire straits as a country so pushing out a bad government is not the marketing ploy to do it.
Posted by Realist, Thursday, 20 October 2005 2:29:59 PM
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I feel very confident that as soon as the federal ALP develops a policy we'll be the first to know.

What about another of Bazza's drawings with arrows and lines and other ink blots. What was it....ah, I think it was called knowledge nation.
Posted by Sage, Thursday, 20 October 2005 2:47:49 PM
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Fat chance the ALP would ever have a search for relevancy with a $100K reward attached as the US Dems have done. The various factions already "know" what they want and consider the electorate the noisy rable that occasionaly needs a bone hurled at them.

Until the various ALP branchs can put their own candidates up for election and the ALP allows members to cross the aisle without expulsion from the party there will not be a relevant opposition.
Posted by Bruce, Thursday, 20 October 2005 6:25:12 PM
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Andrew,

I think Labor is doing better than some claim - especially with Craig Emerson challenging some the sacred cows on education funding and tax. IR will be a tough battle ground as Labor has to ensure it doesn't repeat the 1998 election all over again - it needs better fairer reform, which is a tough proposition.

Beazley is scared of the rank and file who are in general are stuck in pre-Keating thinking - so opening up the agenda at Conference and in the broader party is a dangerous proposition. Beazley or a successor must find a body of opinion that is broader than the membership, the Fabian's, the Chifley Foundation, and other captured interest groups to have this debate in.

What do you think of primaries? I think they are that forum.

Good article.

Corin
Posted by Corin McCarthy, Thursday, 20 October 2005 8:17:20 PM
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Just saw Kim Beasley on Lateline and completely unimpressed.

They firstly covered shoot-to-kill. His explanation as to why it should not be in the legislation was "why bother?" If anything, he supported John Howard's explanation for these provisions. As for what amendments would he suggest, the answer was "bi-partisan parliamentary committee", which I took as "don't know".

The second part was about hydrogen-fuelled cars. Even though he was speaking to the converted, I couldn't quite follow what the policy was. I think there was something about tax breaks, but if it got over $100 million (which is chicken feed) then it would be wound back.

Aren't these the sort of policies which are the subject of this article? Nice ideas that few will get to hear.
Posted by David Latimer, Thursday, 20 October 2005 11:34:37 PM
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I agree with half of what Andrew had to say. Specifically the bit about the ALP needing to formulate more positive policy proposals, but I disagree with the assertion the ALP has been overly critical of governmetn policy. Quiet frankly they haven't been critical enough. On the contrary the ALP has displayed political opportunism giving bipatisin support to the most contentious policies, and in turn has denied the Australian electorate an opposition party
Posted by Tieran, Friday, 21 October 2005 12:22:13 AM
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How many more opinion pieces offering advice on 'what Labor should do' - will we read befor the next election?

They already know how to lose elections spectacularly. No amount of advice will save them from shooting themselves in the foot for the third time.
Posted by Rainier, Friday, 21 October 2005 7:39:35 AM
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It is ridiculous for the labor party to engage in conversation with the Australian people, to gain policy direction. Firstly, how would they do that, they have no idea as to what the people want, nor the language they use to express it. However if they were to be able to determine what the people wanted and apply it to policy, you would have to find those that could implement those policies successfully.

In all Australian politics, you would be hard pressed to find one person that was capable of implementing positive policy for the people, or even understanding what it is.

Privatisation is one aspect of how successful politicians have been in implementing what the people didn't want. You will not find one positive aspect of any asset, that has been privatised, that has resulted in benefits to the people.

It has all been used to pay of the debt that the politicians and beaurucrats caused in the first place. Show me any business model that survives when you sell cheaply, its income streams. Only outcome, collapsed business and broke shareholders. Sounds like our current situation to a tee.

Why should they change. They get their lives handed to them on a platter, with no responsibility nor accountability. When they retire, we continue paying them irrelevant as to what they haven't done for us. Come up with some answers to the situation we are in and you will not be listened to. As people are just slaves to voting for parties, irrelevant as to what effect it will have, then you cannot expect any more than what they give us.
Posted by The alchemist, Saturday, 22 October 2005 2:19:15 PM
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The ALP should take a leaf out George Costanza's book. In an episode of Seinfeld, chronic loser George decided that everything he had ever done had led to him being unsuccessful.
So his solution was to do the opposite of everything which felt natural.
The dimunitve Costanza uncharacteristically stood up for himself when kids were yahooing at the theatre, and was treated like a hero.
He also wore tracksuit pants and landed a hot chick who didn't care about appearances.
Etc Etc.
Labor is Costanza. They know how to lose elections. All they have to do is go against their natural urges. At the National conference they should develop policies and then champion the opposite.
Long live Costanza.

t.u.s.
Posted by the usual suspect, Thursday, 27 October 2005 12:03:43 PM
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Sadly I agree with the usual suspect, now that working people have seen the teeth of conservative politics in the IR laws, and anti-terrorism laws, it would be nice if people could vote Labor because they put forward a whole range of inivative new policies, which the electorate could see were beneficial to them, and provide a real alternative Government to the dracionan conservative Howard Government which at the moment is relying of fear to remain in power.
I would suggest that the Labor Party ignore most of what Howard does and concerntrate on developing alternate policies to cover the broad spectrum of portfolio's. Once this is done, they must believe in themselves, believe they can win, and embark on a furious selling campaign for the 12 months leading up to the next election. They have the talent in people like Lindsay Tanner, Julia Gillard, Craig Emerson and Kevin Rudd to be able to do it, Kim Beazley needs to rally the Party at this stage, by example, if he cannot he should make way for someone who can in the interests of the Party, and the Australian people.
Posted by SHONGA, Thursday, 27 October 2005 10:00:05 PM
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Nothing less than an ALP goverment will do for me.
But it will be won with better policys not dreams, and while upsetting to some winning votes is not easy.
We must win back the new conservatives we the ALP created first or just settle in to opersition benchs forever.
What is so wrong about haveing policys that bring middle Australia to the ALP?
However we may well need leadership as much as we need policys Kim stop coasting mate!
Get policys out for review or just get out.
This election can be won IF we contest it every day.
Posted by Belly, Sunday, 15 January 2006 6:20:34 AM
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