John Hewson

“With all the positioning and repositioning of political parties and movements in recent years, two key questions have emerged. What is a conservative? And how do we build an electable conservative movement?”

“To my mind, the National Party would benefit from the clarity that a split from the Liberal Party would deliver. A spell with fewer resources and influence might force its renegades to recognise the virtues of cooperation.”

“Effective leadership is much more nuanced than just the strength and charisma of the individual appointed to lead. It has as much to do with their capacity to build and inspire a unified team to deal with the tasks and challenges at hand.”

“There should be little doubt that Andrew Hastie is already running for the Liberal leadership.”

“Clearly, not everyone saw delusion in Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s run for, and subsequent attacks on, the Liberal leadership.”

“There are wars, and rumours of more wars, but almost total neglect of what should be the most significant global battle: keeping the planet habitable. It is now a most urgent challenge, with the coincident effect of multiple and converging risks that …”

“Perhaps the fairest way to describe this week’s Economic Reform Roundtable – initially billed the productivity round table – is awkward, in a couple of respects. First, it’s difficult to know just how it might result in genuine …”

“It is important to give credit where genuine credit is due, by recognising the success of the Albanese government’s patient, professional and focused diplomacy, mostly conducted behind closed doors.”

“Trump has bluffed his way into two presidencies, and may be trying to orchestrate the possibility of a third. His strange alt world seems finally to be losing its magical glow for millions of captivated Americans, however.”

“Recognising the extent to which the NACC has failed to live up to the expectations and assurances of the first-term Albanese government, it is time for parliament to refocus its operations and assess its leadership and staff.”

“As opinions about our defence posture gather force, the case for complete transparency of the process has become overwhelming. The Australian people have a right to know what discussions are being undertaken, and what deals, commitments and understandings …”

“The treasurer’s recent speech to the National Press Club seems to have caught many in the conservative media off guard. So much for the constant chant about a dangerous, mad, left-wing government. On the contrary, Jim Chalmers has outlined a reform …”

“High expectations had been set for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s meeting with United States President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley sent him off with the relatively constructive comment that, ‘The …”

“The National Party seems uninterested in the merits of more effective delivery of government support. The recent history of the Coalition ... is a graveyard of proposals for various community or disaster-related schemes.”

“The Liberal and National parties have agreed to give the relationship another go but at a worrying cost. Disunity is now a significant challenge for the new Coalition, both within each party and between them, compounded by the recent allocation of portfolios.”

“Now the election is finally over and the parties and candidates have settled down to their new realities, national priorities must be afforded their proper place.”

“The memes began with, ‘We need to talk.’ Then the internet lit up with a flood of break-up staples … ‘We’ve grown apart.’ ‘We want different things.’ And of course, frighteningly, ‘I …”

“Unfortunately, the old campaign funding laws mean we need to wait several months for details of the money involved in this month’s election. The promised real-time exposure will make a significant difference in the future. Voters will know where …”

“Dutton built his leadership on a revamp of the Abbott–Credlin disaster, pursuing negativity and divisiveness on every issue and seeking to undermine the credibility of Albanese and his government.”

“One of the great disappointments of our election campaign has been the failure to focus more explicitly and substantively on the adequacy of our defence … If we are to take today’s threats to national security seriously, we should be …”

“We don’t have a presidential election system in Australia and yet so much of this campaign and its media coverage has focused on the contest between the two major party leaders. It doesn’t need to be this way, nor should it be.”

“As United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs unleash chaos and turmoil across global markets, financial authorities around the world are forced into the unenviable role of working out how to protect their economies.At such an unpredictable juncture, …”

“As the major parties compete for the title of best economic manager, they are still ignoring the elephant in the room. Their future spending commitments, and voters’ expectations for further support, are not adequately funded by the prospective …”

“The launch of the campaign for the May 3 federal election brings back many memories, laughs and cautionary tales of my experiences on the trail in the 1990s. As opposition leader, I had embarked on a big-picture strategy. I released the Fightback policy …”

“One of the most disturbing recent global trends has been the attempts by governments to attack the independence of the judiciary. United States President Donald Trump has become almost obsessed with undermining the Department of Justice and weaponising …”

“Australia must take up the challenge presented by its rift with the United States over trade and foreign policy to strengthen bilateral relationships with other countries in these critical areas. We should also move to capitalise on the opportunities …”

“If Trump isn’t to learn from history – and we can only assume this is the case – perhaps he should catch a re-run of the 1980s cult movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, with its lesson on tariffs.”

“Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been waxing eloquent about his strategy to reclaim seats lost in the last election and to prevent the loss of more. Yet he has consistently failed to address any of the Coalition policy failings behind those losses – …”

“Clearly, it is time for all nations that value democracy to stand up strongly in support of Ukraine and against United States President Donald Trump. Europe needs to call him out and to give NATO some real backbone.”

“The Murdoch media has developed a destructive obsession with the ABC that is gaining momentum in the lead-up to this year’s election. It seems every masthead and its journalists and all Sky News hosts are under instruction to find some way to attack …”

“Increasing calls for the truth to be upheld and protected in Australian politics have led to greater interest in truth-in-advertising legislation, to accompany the reform of campaign funding. Under existing legislation, it is legal to lie during an election …”

“Donald Trump’s siege mentality has him leading the US as if the world has been out to get it … This schoolyard bully – this paragon of bad taste and appalling behaviour – is taking to the world with a very big stick.”

“It’s disturbing surveying the front pages of so many Australian papers since the re-election of Donald Trump in the United States, given how many headlines seem to be attempting to normalise the MAGA ethos … Consistent with the global business reaction …”

“One of the main dangers of the pointscoring game that has come to define politics today is how easily it allows important policy benchmarks such as fiscal responsibility to be redefined or even jettisoned.”

“Leading up to Australia Day, which is understandably known to many as Invasion Day, should we not at least be asking more questions? What model would be better? What do Australians as a people want to celebrate?”

“Chalmers has taken it to the opposition by demonstrating the dramatic budget and inflation turnarounds achieved ... while delivering significant cost-of-living relief in a non-inflationary way.”

“Community independents have already made a very significant contribution to better government in Australia. They have pushed for climate targets and policy responses to achieve them, campaign funding and lobbying reform, gambling advertising reform and …”

“It’s likely that financial markets will be the final arbiter of the Trump presidency. As the reality of unfolding economic numbers fails to match his promises, amid the constant disruption and uncertainty of his administration, financial markets …”

“The Future Fund is Australia’s version of a sovereign wealth fund. Established in 2006 from the proceeds of Telstra’s sale and boosted by budget surpluses, it represents our national savings. Why then should Australians be content to see it support …”

“The Albanese government may tout its solid economic achievements but it must remember what decided the election in the United States: the disconnect between the data and the lived experience of most Americans.”

“People want competent government and, to cut through all the rhetoric and political posturing, elections come down to a choice as to who is better able and most likely to deliver it. Populist governments always fall in the end, when their performance …”

“Newly re-elected United States president Donald Trump has made it clear he intends to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement again, and a top priority of his administration will be to ‘drill, baby, drill’ for more oil and gas. …”

“The presidential campaign in the United States was the most divisive, destructive, distracted and chaotic ever. It was driven by lies, misinformation, fake news and polls, hate speech and vilification, and many attempts at voter suppression. The campaign …”

“We are still waiting for the government’s promised reform legislation on political donations. It was pledged as a key element of Labor’s first-term agenda, and yet here we are with just a few weeks of parliamentary sittings left this year …”

“Surely this should be considered a national catastrophe. How can this be, in a country as wealthy as Australia – a globally significant food exporter? How is it that our governments can get their priorities so wrong as to actually leave so many …”

“Reform of the university sector must include the government and other – business and philanthropic – funding of research. The cuts to funding of both the teaching and research activities of universities is having very significant negative …”

“In a full mimicry of Donald Trump, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s reality is how he claims it to be, in complete disregard for the facts. So it is with his stance on nuclear energy. He simply asserts his nuclear power will deliver cheaper electricity …”

“A former senior Liberal asked me this week: whatever happened to the Liberal Party’s commitment to developing substantial policies? I had to admit the current Coalition seems to believe it doesn’t need such things, that it can win an election …”

“An important reason why Australia has fallen short of its potential to be the ‘clever country’, as many have aspired to over the years, such as prime minister Bob Hawke in the 1980s, is a shortage of research funding. Successive governments …”

“The Albanese government’s signature, visionary policy for the next election is shaping up to be the Future Made in Australia. So far, the prime minister has faced criticism for his government’s reliance on subsidies in its support for high-priority …”

“We can think for ourselves. We should be the masters of our own destiny, not just a vague echo of what is worst in America. Our sovereignty is important to us. So is our unique character.”

“The claims that Treasurer Jim Chalmers is ‘at war’ with the Reserve Bank of Australia are becoming ridiculous and irresponsible. Initiated by the opposition and shamelessly supported by the Coalition’s media arm, the Murdoch media, …”

“Dutton has announced, on several occasions, that he is developing a strategy to win back the teal seats but has not actually moved to improve the Coalition’s policy commitments in the three areas that cost it dearly at the last election.”

“Dutton is again tapping into an anti-immigrant sentiment he’s long been cultivating, in recent months referencing supposed surges in arrivals of boat people, to reignite debate over people smugglers and border security. This is a dangerous moment …”

“Essentially, the Nats have become the political arm of the mining industry as the climate debate has gained substance and momentum. What is most worrying is that they are now also dictating Liberal Party policy.”

“To anyone interested in decency in politics, there should be nothing short of total disgust at how easily Dutton and his media mates have dragged the debate over Indigenous disadvantage into the gutter – or should I call it out as a mire of misinformation, …”

“It is frustrating how readily we have accepted the underfunding of education, especially universities, and importantly, research. ”

“The main concern should be that this deal further locks Australia into US exceptionalism and attempted hegemony in our region ... Moreover, it’s likely Australia’s learning and launch activities will further integrate this country into ... …”

“The events of this week have indeed been a very sad commentary on the ugly and dangerous state of US politics, the outcome of a longer-term slide into extreme tribalism, reliance on inflammatory and poisonous rhetoric and provocative actions.”

“Ordinary Australians have suffered heavily over at least 15 years of poor performance by ASIC as it repeatedly failed to respond early and effectively to allegations of misconduct, and then to punish those responsible. ”

“Knowing how crucial the cost of living has become for most Australians, the government must have been hoping for better than these latest inflation numbers. ”

“It’s time to cut through the posturing and focus on Peter Dutton’s real strategy. It should now be clear the opposition leader’s basic motivation is a power grab. He will say or do whatever it takes to win the next election.”

“It can be expected that Dutton, in his quest for legitimacy beyond his negativity, will rush to identify with what he will claim is a global surge to the far right ... He will want to stitch himself to the coat-tails of such a movement, to out-Trump Trump.”

“As speculation gathers around the possibility of an early election, I am growing increasingly sceptical. The prime minister has no substantive justification for considering such a move, except to exploit the vulnerability of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton …”

“One of the most concerning elements that has remained unresolved by governments of both persuasions over the past decade has been the taxation of the mining industry, especially given the multibillion-dollar profits companies have made.”

“One of Australia’s most frustrating failures as a nation has been a limited capacity to value-add. This country has the world’s third-largest population of sheep – behind China and India – but much of the Australian wool-clothing …”

“Dutton’s superficial focus on immigration, as part of his call to move ‘back to basics’, can be taken as a nudge-nudge, wink-wink allusion to past debates advocating bans on Asian immigration, and the rhetoric of Pauline Hanson...”

“At first blush, this third budget under the Albanese government is a very clever political document. Its focus is on two main challenges: first, the immediate one of providing cost-of-living relief, and second, a visionary direction for our economy. The …”

“With the cost-of-living crisis likely to dominate the next federal budget and election, attention will inevitably focus on the lived experience of particular groups across our community. How have they fared?”

“Concern at the prospect of a minority government is misplaced… One measure of the success of the minority government formed by Julia Gillard was its legislative agenda, with record numbers of bills passed during her term.”

“With the Greens now so clearly focused on garnering all the votes they can on the issue, and inequality threatening to put home ownership and even affordable rent out of reach for a generation of young people, it’s hard to justify preserving billions …”

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has cleverly set the framework for the contest at the next election with his recent speech outlining his vision for this country as a low-carbon economy.”

“Poor strategic planning is a disturbing feature of government in this country. It may be attributable in part to the short political cycle, which mandates a federal election within three years.”

“The loss of faith in politicians and the political system has been the most conspicuous aspect of the hollowing out of democracy in this country. The time to fix it is now – with possibly less than a year before the next federal election – …”

“The recent Tasmanian election reinforces the postwar trend of a sustained drift away from the major parties. Voters are increasingly preferring to trust independents and minor parties, mostly because of their authenticity and closer association with their …”

“The traditional Liberal voter in Cook is clearly feeling disappointed and disenfranchised  – it speaks volumes that the planned farewell dinner for Morrison, with Sky News host Paul Murray as master of ceremonies, was postponed indefinitely …”

“Treasurer Jim Chalmers faces particularly difficult decisions in the next budget, probably the last before an election in early 2025. How much more can he afford to do to prop up growth, with additional measures to assist with the cost of living, while …”

“The climate wars are not over. Denialists have just moved on to oppose renewables. The opposition and its media mates now seek to deny renewables as a cost-effective alternative energy source – in this country with its abundance of solar, wind and …”

“ …”

“The behaviour of some of the commissioners and revelations of conflicts between them suggest ASIC has had serious troubles stemming from its leadership ... The response from ASIC on all these matters suggests an approach of ‘nothing to see …”

“Is it too much to aspire to, that our elections might be decided by which party will deliver the better government? The benchmark against which voters assess parties and candidates should be their capacity to govern well, not short-term political pointscoring, …”

“Peter Dutton will just continue to create the impression, as the election draws nearer, that he will release a raft of policies consistent with his unspecified ‘vision’ for the country.”

“While I am sure that many in the Coalition would arrogantly be proud that their asylum-seeker policy is now setting the pace in European and British discussions, I can’t help but feel some embarrassment for our nation about the fundamental inhumanity …”

“The possibility of Donald Trump being re-elected as president of the United States later this year is surely the most significant geopolitical risk faced by the world, both directly and as a possible ignition of other risks.”

“I am concerned we have lost sight of the real purpose of education, and specifically university education. It has been an increasing weakness that a university degree is mostly looked at as an alternative in the spectrum of vocational training. It is …”

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has often spoken in terms of football analogies when referring to his electoral opportunities, strategies and chances. Recently his focus has been on ‘coming home in the second half with a strong wind at his back’.”

“Negativity and denial are not election-winning policies or strategies. Nor is continuing to drag the Coalition further and further to the right of the political spectrum.”

“Perhaps Australia’s greatest postwar achievement has been the creation of a functional and tolerant multicultural, multiethnic and multi-religious society that has become the envy of the world. However, it is very important to recognise that despite …”

“The cost of living is still running too high and the opposition is weaponising every issue it can. As Treasurer Jim Chalmers prepares to deliver the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook statement, he faces a very big question. How he will balance the …”

“Australia is engaged in the most significant economic, industrial and social transformation – the transition to renewable energy. Unfortunately, the opposition, backed by its loyal media comrades, is doing its level best to complicate and undermine …”

“Anthony Albanese could end up being a one-term prime minister if he can’t keep the faith with the young people who helped him to last year’s decisive election victory. Recent surveys suggest a cocktail of pandemic-related stresses is forging …”

“Several developments recently have made it obvious that politics has become a most unedifying race to the bottom. Facts and evidence are usually ignored in favour of emotive, baseless assertions, and truth and morality are clear casualties.”

“I still get social media pile-ons over my failure, in the lead-up to the 1993 election, to explain the likely price effects of the then proposed GST on a birthday cake … I fell into the ‘No’ case strategy – ‘If you …”

“Australia is in the enviable position of not having to choose between the US and China. We can and should have effective relationships with each, both to our benefit and to the global benefit.”

“It is time we stop pretending the overwhelming ‘No’ vote at the referendum wasn’t fanned by racism, underlying all the lies and misrepresentation. This is not to say all those who voted ‘No’ were racists. Rather, it is increasingly clear racism …”

“Writing this, in the sorrowful days after the referendum, I am concerned the things that make me feel regretful about our politics and public policy are not so much in the past but in the future.”

“While there was consensus on how to create a more inclusive society for people with disability, the commissioners in the comprehensive inquiry that wrapped up last month were seriously divided on key recommendations. And that means despite the government’s …”

“The White Australia policy stands out as probably the most significant blemish on this country’s national character and unity, as well as its global reputation, with continuing consequences today. It has been said that latent racism, carrying echoes …”

“The employment white paper released by the Albanese government this week is a vast improvement in professionalism and substance on the previous government’s three-word slogan – ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ – which offered …”

“Among the various pressures pushing up our cost of living, one that is often overlooked is the exchange rate, or the value of Australia’s dollar relative to other currencies. Our currency is usually quoted against either the United States dollar, …”

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is finalising a trip to China in early November … The timing offers an excellent opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s historic diplomatic visit to China – the first for …”

“The word ‘woke’ has taken on too much negative connotation in our political debate. It has become a derisive term to disparage and effectively dismiss virtually any position that doesn’t accord with the extreme conservative, hardline …”

“Most governments don’t think, plan and manage with a view to the longer term – but Treasurer Jim Chalmers has claimed the latest intergenerational report is the basis for action. These reports, typically published every five years to provide …”

“The phenomenon of the Matildas clearly caught our political leaders off guard, leading to a series of attempts to clamber on, if not capitalise on, the bandwagon. Their ascendance in the competition launched an auction between the national leaders, with …”

“As someone who has long advocated for relying on market forces whenever possible, it pains me to recognise that market failure has been a major feature of the emerging housing crisis. The failure is apparent in the context of a long-term shift by both …”

“Certain branches of the media have sought to reduce the Voice to a left/right issue, throwing around terms such as ‘woke’ and ‘political correctness’. This is ridiculous. It is not a question of ideology, it’s a question of doing what’s right …”

“It is with mounting despair that I note several mega threats to our planet and to humanity seem to be simultaneously gathering considerable momentum, yet governments and policy authorities are simply ignoring the severity and urgency of the challenges.”

“When I became leader of the opposition there was endless advice by some of the ‘old guard’ about how I should operate. The basic principle was that you should see no good in the other side, not in the people nor in their policy prescriptions …”

“Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was desperate to claim a ‘win’ in the Fadden byelection. This was evident in a number of ways – most conspicuously, the negativity of his behaviour in the days leading up to the vote, his focus on …”

“The Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme has identified appalling dishonesty and lapses in government processes that had serious consequences for the innocent, and their families, who were hounded for non-payment of fictitious ‘debts’.”

“Coalition strategists have tended to assume that an ageing population is to their advantage, electorally. It is obviously a factor behind their support for Peter Dutton and his strategy to drag the Coalition to extremely conservative policy settings, …”

“As in politics, truth – or a lack of it – in advertising has been a much-debated topic. It seems that the chasm between truth and marketing gimmickry has never been so wide.”

“Australia’s growth outlook is more uncertain than ever, with recession drawing closer. The economy expanded just 0.2 per cent in the first three months of this year, and this week New Zealand declared that its economy is officially contracting.”

“In less than two weeks the new National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) will be officially in operation – the long-awaited answer to a defining issue of the last federal election.”

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s speech in Singapore last week deserves more attention. Not only was it his first major foreign policy statement on the global stage, it was a profound and nuanced expression of the challenges Australia faces in balancing …”

“While the struggle to curb inflation has drawn a lot of attention, one of the most pressing economic challenges facing the government has been widely ignored: the collapse in productivity.”

“There is a legitimate concern that Australians have become addicted to debt. I grew up in a household where my father would do anything to avoid incurring debt. Any number of scabby shortcuts leap to mind – we always repaired our own shoes, specialised …”

“Australia’s greatest post-World War II success may well be our establishment of an effective and tolerant, multicultural, multiethnic and multireligious society that is in many respects the envy of the world. A well-maintained immigration program …”

“Assuming Treasurer Jim Chalmers actually delivers the budget he announced on May 9, it should put to rest the myth proclaimed endlessly – without evidence – by the opposition that the Coalition is a better economic manager.”

“If the world is to avoid catastrophic climate change, a complete transition away from fossil fuels is inevitable. So it stands to reason that shareholders and investors in fossil fuel companies should pressure boards and management to address this inevitability.”

“The public’s expectations for the review of the Reserve Bank were high. Some hoped it would mean an end to crippling interest rate rises. Others saw the prospect of staff and board members being held accountable for the false and misleading …”

“The latest news of the growing aged-care emergency, with the closures of three more homes in Sydney by Wesley Mission, has been written up as a ‘shock’ announcement and attributed to ‘workplace pressures’ imposed by the …”

“This growing willingness to write off the Liberal Party is a sign of something dangerous. It’s fair to dismiss the party as out of touch after resounding defeats in the federal election and more recently in the Aston byelection. But these failures, …”

“What happened in Aston is simple … The voters of Aston endorsed the positive agenda of the Albanese government against the vagueness and negativity of the Dutton strategy. Mary Doyle achieved a historic win in what the Liberals had basically taken for …”

“The global drift towards a recession with entrenched inflation was quite enough for central banks and governments to grapple with. Now add to that concerns about the stability of the financial system.”

“The bottom line of the AUKUS deal is that it locks us into the US military strategy even further, to the point where if the US again does something stupid, such as to support Taiwan in a military confrontation with China, it would be likely that we would …”

“The senate review of our corporate watchdog’s handling of white-collar crime is yet to hit its straps, but already the incompetence and lack of professionalism of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is being laid bare.”

“Budget repair is the major fiscal policy challenge the Albanese government faces right now. Although it has committed to expenditure savings, such efforts are unlikely to be sufficient to do much to repair the structural deficit. That means the net burden …”

“Australia has reached a pivotal point. There is very strong and increasing demand for government to provide a wide range of services, support and policy frameworks, coming to a head at a time when the federal budget already has a $37 billion hole and …”

“It is indicative of how backwards we have become that some in the Coalition are still promoting a new coal-fired power plant for north Queensland, even though there is no net demand for power in the region, even though major international banks won’t …”

“The issues of sustainability and the environmental and social impacts of their activities are certainly now on the agendas of most businesses, and corporate boards are having to lift their game to recognise these longer-term responsibilities.”

“We should accept that a recession, even a mild one, is the route the RBA may be heading down, given the risk that it mirrors its delayed action on raising interest rates, by moving too slowly to cut.”

“Treasurer Jim Chalmers has written an excellent, thought-provoking essay in the latest edition of The Monthly. It attempts to set his budgetary process, which he began last October and will advance in May, against the background of recent crises …”

“Although Australian governments have set ambitious targets for recycling – overall 80 per cent of waste is to be recycled by 2030 – we are transitioning slower than other global players and, at 60 per cent overall recycling, are falling off the pace …”

“The debacle that played out in the United States house of representatives over the new year provided more than just a window into the dysfunction of a political system hijacked by the far right. For me, it raised a fundamental question that is relevant …”

“Risks to the economy are mounting at such a rate that the challenge they present to our economic managers in 2023 may well overshadow even the shocks of the pandemic-related shutdowns and the global financial crisis.”

“With the Albanese government having moved so quickly and decisively on a number of major policy fronts since it was elected in May, next year is shaping up as one of consolidation, to demonstrate the substance of what has been achieved.”

“This is not an issue of loyalty. Morrison showed none and has no right to expect any.”

“A recent poll suggested as many as two-thirds of Australians think the pandemic is over. This is far from true. A false impression has been created, as a result of poor messaging by governments and health officials and the progressive relaxation …”

“Opposition to the Voice to Parliament is beginning to emerge from Liberal Party ranks, and some of it is disturbingly ugly. Former Liberal prime minister John Howard said that it would be unwise and a political mistake for the Coalition parties to …”

“As the fourth-richest country in the world – on average – we should all be more concerned about a recent study showing that more than one in eight people live below the poverty line in Australia. The ACOSS/UNSW Sydney data counted as many …”

“As the weeks roll by, it’s becoming easier to believe that the inflation task is slipping away from the government and central bank authorities. Inflation numbers have already exceeded predictions, even after seven consecutive increases in the cash …”

“It’s a disturbing feature of our leadership over the past several years that major policy challenges have been allowed to drift, despite all evidence of their magnitude and urgency. This drift has been an important factor in the loss of trust in government, …”

“It is accepted in some circles that you can’t boil cabbage twice. Yet apparently this thinking doesn’t apply to recycling political leaders – or rehashing their worst ideas – irrespective of how hopeless they have been in government and of the …”

“Reports this week alleging that doctors had made false claims totalling as much as one third of Medicare’s annual budget has pointed to more than just potentially significant weaknesses in the Medicare system. It has again highlighted the impact …”

“As the world reassesses its reliance on so-called neoliberal economics, and particularly its faith in market forces, it is important to recognise that the effectiveness of those forces depends on their surrounding regulatory frameworks.”

“As the nation battled the pandemic, one of the most conscientious commitments of the Morrison government was its extensive support, including provision of a RAAF plane, for Mathias Cormann’s campaign to become secretary-general of the Organisation for …”

“The appalling allegations of racist behaviour towards Indigenous players at the Hawthorn AFL club are a stark and disturbing reminder of the latent racism that unfortunately seems to underlie the attitudes of some Australians and many institutions right …”

“The most significant failure of global leadership by governments in recent times is the failure to act decisively and as a matter of urgency on climate change. Surely we have moved beyond the ignorant and irresponsible mumbling of the climate deniers …”

“As the government moves towards its first budget in October, uncertainties about our economic outlook are mounting. That’s partly because it is increasingly difficult to read the world economy, and there’s a growing belief that our interest rates …”

“The successful jobs and skills summit clearly established the significance to our future of improving our national productivity, yet it didn’t attempt to fill in the detail of how to achieve this. The government needs to adopt a clear objective …”

“The worst of what we’ve observed of the Murdoch media globally has made its way back into Australia. This is its tested ‘success’ formula. We should expect better from our media. We should be able to demand fair play, transparency and …”

“The acquisition and exercise of power must carry with it significant responsibility. As Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’”

“Many seem stuck on the idea that it is a choice between the United States and China, and we should let the US dictate what we do. The Americanisation of Australia has gone too far – we are in danger of losing our national identity. We don’t …”

“Our society is losing sight of the significance and requirements of ‘good governance’. Governance refers to the system by which our key organisations are managed, most importantly elected governments and corporations. It clearly identifies …”

“The policy challenge for the Albanese government is compounded by pressures left deliberately by the Morrison government, or attributable to its incompetence and neglect – in aggregate, record debt with budget deficits stretching as far as the eye …”

“Australians are, on average, the fourth-richest people in the world. Before we start celebrating our luck or cleverness, we should be sobered by The Smith Family’s statement in its most disturbing TV advertising, that one in six of our children …”

“Governments globally claim to base their policy responses to Covid-19 on science, on the advice of medical experts. But there has been a multiplicity of different opinions on the evidence, allowing governments to be politically selective in deciding what …”

“The concept of Australia becoming a renewable energy superpower should be a no-brainer. A clean-energy revolution is under way that will drive societies around the globe to a low-carbon existence. This will rival in significance the Industrial Revolution, …”

“One of the most disappointing aspects of our recent politics – at a tremendous cost to our national interest and wellbeing – has been the treatment of education as something of a political football. Such a fundamentally important policy area …”

“While the climate debate intensifies over the inevitability of further, even more extreme weather events, and the necessary transitions to a low-carbon Australia, it seems that governments are ignoring or playing down the possibility of further pandemics …”

“While it is still early days, it is becoming clear that the Coalition and their media sycophants didn’t believe they would lose the election. They seem unprepared to move on. Beyond the immediate disappointment – both individually, for …”

“In December 2018, 34 former judges wrote a letter to the prime minister expressing their support for the establishment of a national integrity commission with the power to hold public hearings. Apparently, it was not Scott Morrison’s ‘job’ to …”

“Can you imagine our governments encouraging our food producers to export all their product even if it meant Australians would go hungry? We have done this with gas, which is so important for household heating and cooking and as an input for many …”

“In many ways, the economy is a poisoned chalice for the incoming Labor government. So much for the Coalition’s boast of being ‘better economic managers’ – perhaps they were just better economic manipulators. ”

“After such a decisive election outcome, soul-searching about what happened and why is only natural. One of the most conspicuous failures in the campaign was the role played by the media – they certainly tried to undermine our democracy.”

“Now that election day has finally arrived, it’s reasonable to ask: How much better informed are voters to make their choice? The campaign has certainly been neither a contest of policy ideas, nor of visions for our country’s path ahead.”

“Whether or not Scott Morrison can engineer the miracle of his second coming on May 21, he will leave significant negatives in terms of the Liberal Party and public policy in our country. The standard of political debate, and the respectability and responsibility …”

“Isn’t it reasonable to expect our political leaders to put our people first? It is instructive to recognise that the election campaign has spent most of its time on point-scoring against opponents, blame-shifting and gotcha moments. ”

“Morrison can argue that Albanese has never held an economic portfolio and can’t recall key economic data. However, Morrison would have to concede that his opponent is better able to manage industrial relations, with a Bob Hawke-like capacity to pull …”

“What a tragedy that the campaign is now ‘my scare is bigger than your scare’. We all have to fear that the more frustrated and desperate the major players get, the more they will resort to dirtier tactics and less substance in terms of what they would …”

“Despite the efforts of the media to discredit the independents’ movement, attempting to tag them as ‘fake independents’ and otherwise minimising their coverage, there should be little doubt that many conservative members sitting …”

“The clear message of the 1990 election was that disunity is death in politics. Bob Hawke easily capitalised on this truism to win a fourth term in office. The Liberal Party, meanwhile, had been torn apart by the leadership contest between John Howard …”

“The priority is simply winning. And it is not even about winning to lead, it is about getting the position and power but with little or no commitment to creating a meaningful future for our nation and its people. ”

“Talk about mixed messages on the economy. The government deliberately politicised the budget by moving it forward to March 29, so it could be delivered before a May election, and having set aside $16 billion in the most recent midyear economic statement …”

“We have now entered the territory where governments throw policy integrity to the wind. That is, we are in the final days leading up to the so-called caretaker period, which starts from the point that the election is actually called, and during which …”

“It is most disappointing that natural disasters seem to bring out the best in the Australian people and the worst in our politicians and political processes. We see the enormous outpouring of goodwill from neighbours rescuing neighbours, the phenomenal …”

“I am finding it difficult to accept that Scott Morrison is now so desperate to win a second term he is prepared to run a scare campaign in an attempt to frighten voters on national security, clearly against reason, hoping to wedge Anthony Albanese and …”

“As an average, generally unengaged voter, where would you go to get a balanced understanding of the issues and policy choices to be made at the next election? More than usual, this question is a difficult one to answer. ”

“It’s rather odd that this government is running on the idea that people want the government out of their lives, yet they seem intent on doing the opposite and restricting individual choices. The Religious Discrimination Bill opens up other interesting …”

“There is no doubt that inflation was brought under control through the 1990s, but there is a real debate about just how much of that was due to the management of monetary policy compared with the impact of a host of other factors including, importantly, …”

“Before the pandemic, at most of my speeches to business and civil society groups, a question or comment was almost always made about why we don’t abolish state governments. The reasons were many and varied but all around a theme: a basic concern …”

“We have finally arrived. After an almost daily campaign since the 2019 federal election, we are just a few months short of the next one. Naturally, attention is turning to focus on Anthony Albanese and his opposition. From one perspective – namely that …”

“At the start of a new year, especially after such a tumultuous year as 2021, and in what will be an election year, it seems reasonable to take a look in the ‘too-hard basket’ to see what policy issues were missed, or deliberately ignored, …”

“There will not be a sustained economic recovery without a recovery of small businesses, and at this point they are on their knees. They are an essential element of the fabric of Australia and employ millions of Australians. They are the most innovative …”

“Scott Morrison has gone to great lengths to give his overall Covid-19 response an air of respectability by claiming to be acting on the basis of the science – ignoring his political manipulation of that advice and suggesting this is done with the …”

“Do not be surprised if Scott Morrison attempts a similar format in the coming election campaign; what I call a ‘trust and fear’ strategy. Essentially, Morrison will pose the question to voters, ‘Who do you trust to manage the pandemic …”

“Surprisingly to many, the Coalition has consistently maintained its poll lead over Labor on the question of who would be ‘preferred economic managers’. Although there are a host of other issues that will feature in the coming election campaign – …”

“Now the various independents’ movements are gaining genuine momentum in a number of key seats, having identified good, strong, community-based candidates and launching their campaigns for the next federal election, it is instructive to contemplate …”

“It has been a widely held perception that politicians can play fast and loose with the truth. As with those who sell used cars, they manipulate data and events to suit what they think will be to their short-term political advantage. Donald Trump elevated …”

“Is Scott Morrison’s latest slogan – ‘can-do capitalism’ – simply an overarching abrogation of his responsibility to provide good government in our national interest?”

“It has been demonstrated that incumbent state governments have been advantaged in their elections, but this sentiment is unlikely to be translated as support for the Coalition federally.”

“When will Scott Morrison and the Liberal National Party realise that three-word slogans are not a policy; indeed, they may not even be an effective way to deliver the desired marketing message? In the past two elections we were bombarded with ‘Jobs …”

“How often have you heard that we are a very egalitarian nation, and heard politicians claim that we have one of the most effective and fair social welfare systems in the world – yet inequality remains a significant political issue?”

“Clearly our universities found themselves in very precarious financial circumstances, but the government ruled out any form of direct financial assistance during the pandemic.”

“The latest development in New South Wales politics – the ascension of a new premier, Dominic Perrottet – may soon see the increased influence of the Catholic Church in matters of NSW government administration.”

“The ‘miracle’ growth rates in the Chinese economy have been slowing as the economy attempts some key transitions and tries to deal with important structural challenges.”

“Some in the Coalition act as if we can wait until, say, 2049 to then move towards net zero 2050, but all evidence suggests policy adjustments have to be front-end loaded if goals are to be achieved. ”

“A fundamental weakness of our democracy relates to the funding of election campaigns and other financial support of governments, parties and individual members of parliament. This needs to be a fully transparent and accountable process.”

“As with so much of Australia’s response to climate, it’s the states that are leading in terms of both emissions reduction targets and effective policy responses to the EV transition.”

“Voters are crying out for strong leadership on the big issues and for truth, integrity and accountability in government. There has been a massive loss of confidence, trust and belief in our politicians and in government processes in recent years.”

“One of the most compelling public policy initiatives globally over the past several decades, but unfortunately one of the most poorly implemented, has been privatisation. That is the concept of transferring business, industry or services from public to …”

“It’s taken a long time but the concept of the ‘greater good’ – the sense of a shared destiny, of shared interests, collective purpose, a common future – is finally returning to our politics. Largely this is the result of the need to build community …”

“It is difficult to understand how the government justifies setting the level of JobSeeker below the poverty line. It appears much of the government’s decision was based on the prime minister’s personal prejudice.”

“The pandemic has tested Morrison’s capacity for leadership, and he has been found seriously wanting. He simply hasn’t been able to rise above base politics, nor beyond what he considers to be clever marketing. ”

“It is most disturbing how genuine compassion has been lost from our national government. Even worse, they seem so shameless about it. Concepts of government responsibility, integrity and accountability are increasingly downplayed, even ignored. A sense …”

“Consider some of the most notable and concerning examples of ‘bad behaviour’, excess and the abuse of power and privilege of just the past couple of decades, which have seen an alarming erosion of ministerial responsibility, transparency and accountability.”