New Politics: Australian Politics, News, Analysis & Commentary

Democracy fell down a few rungs when Energy Minister, Angus Taylor, used forged documents to attack an opponent. Did he know they were forged? Did he forge the documents himself? Answers to these questions need to be provided. Why has public trust in the political processes dived so dramatically since 2013? Hint: That's when Tony Abbott became Prime Minister, but are there other factors contributing to this demoralising issue?

The Labor Party has released its review into the 2019 Federal Election, and are busy assessing why they lost and how they can improve their chances in the 2022 election. Will they be successful? Labor always seems to need a charismatic leader to take them on the path away from the wilderness. Is Anthony Albanese the one to do this?

While half of Australia has been burning, conservative political leaders have been quick to blame "inner-city, chardonnay, latte-sipping, raving lunatics". But let's not play politics, the Prime Minister and NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, said so. And "today is not the day" to make the link between climate change and severe bushfire activity. Just because. Climate change politics is at its most destructive level ever, and the Liberal–National Party fiddle while New South Wales and Queensland burn away. Something needs to change.

Scott Morrison has been to Washington and back, and a State Dinner was held in his honour. While grandstanding and hurling insults at China might not be the best way to protect a $40 billion per year export market, there must be wiser heads within the government providing advice, and they certainly would know what they are doing. Wouldn't they? There was much talk about the entourage at the US State Dinner – it certainly didn't comprise the "quiet Australians" that won the surprise victory at the 2019 election for the Liberals, but the captains of industry and some of the wealthiest people in Australia. And who wasn't there also caused problems for Scott Morrison – his mentor, Brian Houston, wasn't permitted to attend the dinner by the US State Department. Still under investigation for failing to report child sexual abuse allegations against his father, this was something even this White House administration couldn't tolerate. And under this administration, that's really saying something.

And in surprise news, a QAnon adherent is appearing to be a close friend of the Prime Minister. Sure, Prime Ministers need to mix with a wide range of people so they can easily keep their finger on the pulse of the nation – but QAnon? It's a radical conspiracy theory that believes in lizards ruling the world, pedophiles controlling the universities and media, and Donald Trump is apparently the one that will save the world. Without a clear and obvious agenda, this government is rambling and there's always external people willing to step in and assist – people such as QAnon adherents, the Institute of Public Affairs… and the mainstream media.

Australia has a new ambassador… but not of the kind that we know of. The government has enlisted the media celebrity, Scott Cam, for ambassadorial services to promote trades among the youth of today. Very meritorious, of course, but where is the support program for this? Where are the apprenticeships? This Liberal Government has cut $3 billion from vocational education and national apprenticeships but, it's OK. Appointing a media celebrity is the best way to gloss over any problems.

There's a disaster facing the Australian economy and, unfortunately, the best the Liberal–National Government can do is blame the Labor Party – even though they haven't been in office since 2013 – or blame the Reserve Bank of Australia, or talk about the Sea of Tranquility which, according to the planetary atlas, is somewhere near the dark side of the moon. Why is Josh Frydenberg talking up the first current account surplus in 44 years? Or the 2.6% increase in employment numbers? Because the economy is tanking and the Government needs distractions, left, right and centre. Anything to avoid responsibility.

The “compassionate conservative" does seem like a contradiction of terms. And it is. You can virtually add “compassionate” to anything to make it seem better and so it is with a wide range of harsh and destructive neo-liberal social policies that the LNP Government wants to introduce. The Indue cashless welfare card, drug testing of social security recipients. Masking it as a process of compassion means the electorate will more readily swallow these programs that realign social capital to private interests, never to return to the public.

Do we need to talk about Albo? Anthony Albanese has been the leader of the Labor Party for just over three months but, already, under his leadership, Labor has waved through tax cuts for high-income earners, embraced the coal industries in Newcastle and Queensland, offered support for the Government's religious discrimination act and now, is supporting the current levels of public funding for private schools. There are limits to how much an Opposition can mimic the government of the day: the Labor Party base is unhappy. How much is enough and is this a high risk strategy?

We are very impressed to hear there is a new part of the political lexicon: unfunded empathy. It's the bureaucratic way of saying: "get %$knF!!" and we are just wondering how many focus groups were needed to test this one, because it's an absolute beauty. It helped to dismiss calls for a raise in Newstart spontaneously and, simultaneously, protects the Coalition’s golden $7 billion Budget surplus. With, of course, a little help from friends in the media, who were eager to splash the ‘dole bludger’ story for a few days: mission accomplished.

Another stunning piece of political sloganeering reappeared, with the Prime Minister asking: “whose side are you on?". It's a loaded question, it's divisive, but it works a treat. It's what conservative politicians love to do – use seemingly innocuous statements that become something a long more sinister. "For all of us" [but not for them]. "We're on your side" [but not theirs].

You are either with us, or against us. You have to choose.

But with the government struggling for a post-election political narrative, diversions are needed to occupy our time, and deciding “whose side are you on” will take up months of discussion and political space.

Did anyone mention nuclear power? Yes! Again and again, and the Minister for Energy has called for a review into the feasibility of nuclear power in Australia. The report from the review is due at the end of 2019, but we can tell you now what the conclusions will be. It should be a simple matter of a "cut and paste" job from those reviews performed in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and, more recently, 2006. Nuclear power will never be delivered in Australia. It's unviable politically and economically.

Nuclear and breast feeding? Is there a relationship? Yes, but only in political terms. Breast feeding, like nuclear power, is being used as a classic diversionary tactic. The Government wants the conversation to be about the issues that it either doesn't care about, or doesn't think will ever happen, so it can cover up its many misfortunes. So, nuclear and breast feeding it is. This will keep everyone preoccupied, while the Government tries to work out what it's doing.

And we provide a constitutional solution to the Section 44 citizenship debacle. It won't save Josh Frydenberg with his High Court referral for now, because we'll have to hold a referendum first, but it's a worthy solution.

Democracy is being held hostage by the adversarial nature of party politics. The people deserve better and a democracy upgrade is long overdue. Is democracy broken? Do we need a blueprint for change? If it's broken, how do we fix it?

Kim Wingerei is an author and political commentator, and discusses his book with the co-host of New Politics, David Lewis. Why Democracy Is Broken: A Blueprint for Change offers directions and solutions that we all need to consider for a better democratic future and a political system that acts in the interests of all people.

Surprised by their surprise 2019 election victory, the Liberal-National Party is searching for an agenda to implement over the next term of Parliament, and trying to convince the public it's all about religious freedom, industrial relations, cutting red tape, green tape, and every other colour of tape. The only problem is that this is as surprising as their surprise election victory. These are issues barely discussed during the election campaign. The LNP won the election, but do they really need to let people know what they plan to do beforehand? Depends on who you talk to.

Mandates? Do these still exist? Tony Abbott had a massive victory in 2013, but proceeded to implement all of the ideas he'd never spoken about with the electorate. And he suffered. Scott Morrison has a bare one (or two) seat majority and he already is saying he has a mandate to introduce his massive tax cut package, which provides huge benefits to high-income earners in the year 2025 and beyond. Is he correct? Again, depends on who you talk to.

Leadership ballots by party memberships were considered to be quaint and oldie-worldie – why get the unwashed masses to vote on the leadership of the party? Because that's how democracy should work. Labor has just held its second rank-and-file leadership ballot, and it works just like a treat. The UK Conservatives have a similar leadership process, and it's time for the Liberal Party to join this new style of leadership selection.

And why are so many people disappointed with Anthony Albanese? Steady on everyone: the job of the Leader of the Opposition just after a crushing election loss is the most thankless task in politics. He's only been there for one month. And there's 34 months before the next election.

Apologies if our 2019 Election Wrap-Up special episode is late but we had to wait until every postal vote had been received and counted, and see if there was any sign of a late swing. Of which, there was none. The Liberal–National Party has been returned to government for a third consecutive term and we really cannot think of a more undeserving government. But, that's democracy in action: the electorate chose more of the same, and it seems they couldn't stomach the idea of Bill Shorten as Prime Minister of Australia.

Was it Bill Shorten, or were there other factors in play? Elections are never won or lost on just the one issue, and we think it was a combination of media indifference to Labor, too many policy targets, and the small matter of $80 million worth of advertising racked up by Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party. The Liberal–National Party won the social media infowars – by a long shot – and it's an issue all parties will need to look at in future elections.

The opinion polls were completely wrong, and it's a niche industry that will need to redefine itself if the public is to ever take polling seriously again. Labor has a new leader – Anthony Albanese – and we think he will be a fine match for Prime Minister Scott Morrison. We'll be providing more analysis post-election – that is, if we are allowed to report on these matters, and avoid scrutiny from the Australian Federal Police.

It's the final week of Election 2019 and Labor is still in the best position to win the election. We're not saying anything controversial here: Labor has been ahead in the polls for almost three years, the Liberal–National Party is divided and has been an omnishamble in government, and is lacking meaningful policy offerings to the public.

And if it's not the polls, have a look at the betting markets: Labor is now paying Winx-like odds to win on Saturday night [and please, gamble responsibly; and vote responsibly too].

Of course, anything can still happen in this final week of the campaign. Will the Murdoch empire manufacture some kind of scandal that is just believable enough to throw Labor completely off balance? Bring it on Rupert, it probably won't make too much difference. Using Bill Shorten’s mother to attack Bill Shorten was a low-road strategy, but we have to remember: when the conservatives can't win fair, they use every tactic available to them, legal or not.

“Deserving” doesn't have a part to play in politics. If election results were based on worthiness, the LNP would not win one seat: it has been that bad as a government, even worse than the 2011 version of the NSW Labor Party – that was bad but this is worse. We still feel there's a re-alignment that needs to take place for the conservatives, and a long stint in opposition for some time should give them enough time to sort out the difference between the moderates and the Christian right, and present a fresh alternative to the electorate.

Shock election results are quite rare in federal politics: the 2016 one-seat victory by Malcolm Turnbull was a surprise, but we have to go back to 1993 to find the last genuine boilover. Will there be a boilover and sweet surprises for Scott Morrison on Saturday? Unlikely. It's going to be a night for the red-shirts.

Contrary to most perceptions from the media about a ‘boring’ campaign, we think the 2019 election is one of the most exciting ever. Why? Because it's a ‘change’ election, where there's a possibility that it could realign conservative parties forever and, if Labor wins, create the conditions for future governments to be more adventurous in policy development.

But silly media can't see beyond their noses: they look for stunts and ‘gotcha’ moments, following the Prime Minister on his quest to create the perfect media image. ‘How do I look when I skoll this beer?’. ‘Does my bum look big while shear this sheep?’. ‘Go Sharkies’ and ‘watch me while I boot this football through the soccer-league-union-AFL goalposts’. It’s becoming very tiresome.

The media has always shrieked about a lack of substance in politics, but when they finally get it presented to them on a plate through Labor's solid selection of policy materials, they nit-pick, take aim, and retreat back to the banal wherever they can find it, usually following the Prime Minister into a bar. Has he got a drinking problem? Yes, of course. We've counted 56 news items where Scott Morrison has imbibed at the [name your location] hotel, bar, speakeasy or racecourse. He'll be pickled by the time this election is over.

Water buy-backs have been the big scandal the government hopes will go away, but it just keeps coming back. Angus Taylor and Barnaby Joyce, as well as many other high-profile Liberal-National election candidates will be very well hidden during this election campaign and, just like the Marlboro man, Scott Morrison is being seen everywhere by himself. We still think he needs to go full-Putin, rip off the shirt and ride a horse bare-back. That will definitely rake in the votes.

The polls are tightening and could the Liberal-National Coalition just manage to win government again? We don't think so: children aren't usually rewarded for bad behaviour, and nor should governments, but is there something under the radar that we keep missing? We'll find out soon enough.

The 2019 election is on, but to look forward, we always need to look back, and we go far back into the archives to look at the events of elections from 1992 and 1993. But that's over 25 years ago: are age-old events from history still relevant today?

Of course! The similarities between UK Labour leader Neil Kinnock in 1992 and Bill Shorten in 2019 are striking. Like Shorten, Kinnock had been ahead in the polls for almost three years and everyone was backing Labour to win. And he also faced attacks from the Murdoch-backed media, culminating in the infamous and grammatically-challenged newspaper headline: "It’s The Sun Wot Won It".

The election systems are slightly different in the two countries: Australia has two-party preferred and compulsory voting; the UK has first-past-the-post and voluntary voting. Shorten is still favoured to win here, but we think he'd be looking at the 1992 UK election campaign for all the things to avoid; the biggest issue would be hubris and assuming victory just falls into the leader’s lap.

Scott Morrison will be trying to emulate Paul Keating’s feat in 1993 of winning the unwinnable election. Yes, in a two-horse race, anything is possible, but Morrison is not Paul Keating, he leads a very damaged Coalition, and is papering over all forms of corruption (alleged). So we still think it's very very unlikely.

But don't forget the big clichés: the only poll that matters is on election day, and it's not over until it's over.