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The Forum > Article Comments > Bipolar nation: how to win the 2007 election > Comments

Bipolar nation: how to win the 2007 election : Comments

By Peter Hartcher, published 23/3/2007

It took Labor a decade to realise that, in abandoning Keating, it had also surrendered its claim to the prosperity he had bequeathed Australia.

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Many people in Australia believe that Australia's involvement in Iraq has increased the prospect of Australia becoming a terrorism target. Howard is closely identified with this policy. Rudd must make sure that everyone is reminded of the fact that Dick Cheney said that if we withdraw it will have no effect on the alliance. Drop the "timetable for withdrawal" strategy. It plays into Howard's "don't cut and run" rhetoric. Chaneg the footing upon which the troops will stay. Replace them with "peacekeepers/consultants" channelled through AusAID or something similar. That way you can deaden Howard's attack on your position. If Howard then criticises you for backflipping et cetera, then given him a short lesson in international law, remind him that a nation the size of Australia must conspicuously adhere to international law, and that the only way to beat terrorism in the long term is to use international law and international peackeeping efforts. That is the difference between Afghanistan and Iraq, of course. And it explains, perfectly, why you would draw a distinction between Iraq and Afghanistan (a distinction Howard now seeks to blur). Then you can rake through the lies about WMD etc., and seriously question Howard's credibility as a person who can master the detail: ie. he's good at photo opportunities and spin, but lacked the capacity to lead Autralia at the right time. A real leader would have questioned the intelligence and waited until the right time to join in. After all, Australia's troop commitment has been minimal, and no one believes that our involvement at any point would have made a pivotal difference.

Attack Howard's economic credibility directly by drilling home the message that the Government has nothing to do with interest rates. Every time an ALP frontbencher opens their mouth they must say "John Howard doesn't set interest rates. The Reserve Bank sets interest rates. They have raised interest rates since the last election - even though John Howard lied and said they wouldn't - because John Howard has mismanaged the economy".
Posted by The Skeptic, Friday, 23 March 2007 11:08:37 AM
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Calling Howard's reforms "subject of near-universal praise among the economics profession" might be an exaggeration.

Making the Reserve Bank independent of government was indeed important, but was the formalisation of a de facto policy under Keating, and a better charter for the Reserve Bank would have included the requirement to consider the impact on society of interest rate rises, and to give the Reserve Bank multiple economic levers it can use (rather than interest rates alone, often putting government spending in conflict with interest rate policies).

Keeping the national budget in balance/surplus is important as a general policy, however putting the budget into deficit for one or two years for major infrastructure investment is far different from chronic deficits to meet annual spending. The shortage of infrastructure/training investment is short-sighted governance.

Budget transparency is undoubtedly important, but the reform was incremental rather than revolutionary.

Needless to say the GST and industrial relations reforms are also the subject of conflicts in assessment, rather than universal praise.
Posted by Adrian Liston, Friday, 23 March 2007 12:30:15 PM
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"This repudiation, Labor realised after the devastating result at the polls, was a mistake. The party lost the last election in large part because voters decided Latham and Labor could not be trusted to run the economy. The party had done so much of the work of rebuilding the economy, yet had no credibility on economic policy."

That's because of the general stupidity of the electorate and FUD about interest rates. On the topic of interest rates, they were up worldwide. Anyone with any sense should know this and the rest of them will be ruled by the FUD.
Posted by Steel, Friday, 23 March 2007 3:15:32 PM
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Latham is long gone, he was a man who did not exist, by that I say he made many promises was never more than a shadow..
This ALP has found its leader and is far different than the party Latham miss lead.
John Howard may need more than tree planting advice from his wife.
His stay the distance speech this week ignored the fact it is unlikely the USA will do so.
Iraq miss handled from day one seems intent on self destruction and if Johny can not think of a better reason to stay than protecting American face he should get out now.
As it becomes clear this new policy is not the answer Howard may well get a late night call telling him our troops are needed more in Afghanistan, and withdraw them before the election.
History will highlight him as a man who would do anything to remain in office including lie.
It will also, even within his own side of politics give much time to his miss use of a mandate no other PM has had for many years.
Nothing can save Howard on election night he should go with grace now.
Posted by Belly, Friday, 23 March 2007 3:59:48 PM
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The Coalition Government has squandered millions of dollars on Iraq; and wasteful advertising programs, for example, IR legislation. Mr. Howard promised he would manage interest rates; he has not been particularly successful, judging by the mortgage sales Australia wide!!

The Coalition crows about interest rates under Labor, but while Mr. Howard was Treasurer interest rates hit 21% in 1982. Interest rates were high worldwide and it is somewhat disingenuous for Mr. Howard to pin that onto Labor.

Generally everybody now concedes that Climate change is a reality, even the Coalition Government is agreeing with the concept. It is also conceded by many that Climate Change is an economic matter; the longer it takes to begin taking action the more expensive remedying the matter becomes. While sitting on their hands the Coalition Government has cost the tax payer and industry dearly in relation to this issue.
Posted by ant, Friday, 23 March 2007 7:27:40 PM
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What has happened our nations social capital resources?

People are struggling at ground levels, left behind in this so called economic “Boom”.

For example: I do not believe the employment statistics being prattled by the federal government. These figures are dangerously fudged if we undress their levels of misrepresentation.

I believe any government system that disguises these figures, is callous.

This is because you can not deal with fabricated evidence, if the goal is to truthfully problem-solve. This err alone, is disabling our nation.

It is shifting the burden, contributing wholesale to a distress that is hurting all sectors within society.

Here in Cape York for instance, our true unemployed statics were somewhere around 25% in 2003. These statics have risen beyond comprehension, as a result of human issues that are external, and which are being ignored by the regional three tier governments. I.e., a) Unaccountability. and b) Administered apathy governed through a ineffective culture of: No Response.

I believe our growing social ills both urban and inter-regional within Australia are growing dramatically. They display the reality shift of responsibility that depict causal elements in social, political, economic and cultural problems in recent times.

The pressure reflects a microcosm of dysfunction by governments, through a business, market and cultural health perspective.

The problem is a lack of community engagement at ground level and a lack of input into infrastructure, that supports health, education, housing and employment – where key issues clash, with issues around our environment.

What Howard and Costello have missed is the opportunity to invest, embrace and unite Australia’s human and cultural capital.

The value of Australia’s people has been largely omitted from their equation.

The result has fractionised our national electorate.

It leaves us disgruntled over basic unifying issues, which now present more problems to divide us, than ever before.

As for people like Paul Keating, Tim Fischer, Mark Latham, Linda Burney, Carmen Lawrence and Rosa Lee Long, we are all Australians who think differently and for that example, we are all valuable.

To say we are a "Bipolar nation" is truly, an understatement.

http://www.miacat.com/
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Posted by miacat, Friday, 23 March 2007 10:22:55 PM
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