Outside of Robert Menzies, 18 years; John Howard, 11 years; Bob Hawke, 8 years. Malcolm Fraser, Joseph Lyons and Billy Hughes all served 7 years. Many had very short stays. No other Prime Minister has experienced more than 4 years. Longevity in office, it seems, is very difficult to achieve.
Many of these esteemed gentlemen faced the problems of their times in their own way. Most achieved very little, and others like Whitlam, Hawke, and Keating achieved much. Whitlam achieved more than all the conservative Prime Ministers put together in his two years. All were progressive thinkers who brought about massive change because they were forward-thinking individuals.
If that seems unfair, I don’t regret saying it because it is true. Conservatives would have us believe that the entire realm and ownership of political understanding is found in one ideology. The records show that they stood by eagerly awaiting the time to pass in their periods in office. Covid excepted, though Morrison did try but wasn’t up to it, so he gave it over to the states.
After nine long years under the pathetic administration of Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison, when we needed leadership these three men were dead to change, dead to any form of leadership and deaf to advice (though Turnbull has valid excuses).
In many of my articles I have promoted the idea that only Labor can mend the multitude of problems we are confronted with. They understand what change means. In my view, at least two terms, maybe three, to clean up the mess handed to them. For example, two weeks out from the election in my article titled When change seems to be the only course of action, I wrote:
“But of course, one’s desire to win must include accepting that you take the good with the bad. And in Labor’s case, it must take on some unprecedented demands on Government.
I cannot remember a time when the requests on Government have been so abundant. You can only get so many slices from a cake; however, it is time to change when some portions far outweigh others and favour the rich and privileged.
Over the past decade, the Coalition became so trapped in the longevity of sameness that they couldn’t see other ways of doing things. Corporate tax evasion, large subsidies to fossil fuel companies, tax cuts for the well-off, and privileges for the rich take an enormous slice of the cake. Only a Labor government can make the necessary changes. Of course, Climate Change is the most outstanding example of how an inability to adapt to change can be an unmitigated disaster.”
"History shows we are much better for 'changing the curtains' from time to time, for our balancing act. That thought will provide no comfort for the carnival barkers on Sky After Dark," – @MichaelPascoe01 in today's TND Starter. #auspol https://t.co/XrGKMkpUgF
— The New Daily (@TheNewDailyAu) May 31, 2022
Expand our commitment to fixing the climate
We know what the Government proposes, but we also know that more can be done:
From July 1 there will be a new mega-department of climate change, energy, environment and water, responsible for the new 2030 emissions target and tweaks to the safeguard mechanism (The Guardian)
Cost of living
There are folks like disadvantaged pensioners: It is not this simple, but:
“The logic is this: if your weekly wage increases by $100, but your weekly expenses also increase by $150, then your real income hasn’t really grown at all… you’ve actually gone backwards. That’s what happened in Australia: the 2.3% wages increase is less than CPI/inflation of 3.5%.”
National Integrity Commission
The Government has committed to passing the legislation before Christmas. The Attorney General has already started on it. Then there should be a scramble to see who tops the list for the first customer.
An Indigenous voice
The Government is also committed to a referendum, and the onus is on Peter Dutton for a bi partisan approach; otherwise, history shows that it will be doomed to defeat. We owe it to our first nations people to see it passes.
A republic
Labor’s 2021 national platform says the Australian Labor party “supports and will work toward establishing an Australian republic with an Australian head of state.”
Fix the debt and the economy
The Morrison govt has trashed the budget & fuelled the inflation pressures we are now seeing.
Govt consumption rose a staggering 8.3% in the last year & the budget deficit in 2022-23 will be about the same as it was at the high point of the GFC.
My Two MInute Take pic.twitter.com/5X3OsCfRSR— Stephen Koukoulas (@TheKouk) June 1, 2022
Medicare
Strengthen Medicare by:
- Making it Easier to See a Doctor
- Cutting the Cost of Medications
Secure jobs
Labor will:
“Create secure local jobs by investing in Fee-Free TAFE and more university places, and make your job more secure with better pay and conditions.’
Restore faith in our democratic processes
This can only be achieved by setting an example and having the opposition follow. Eliminating a decade of “boys behaving badly” won’t be easy, but it is necessary.
Restore our reputation in matters of diplomacy
Use words that tell the other party that you understand their point of view whilst you cannot agree. Not that we are preparing for war. By simply using words that show honesty and “respect” for them.
Free childcare
Labor will:
“… reduce the cost of child care and make it easier for mums, children and working families to get ahead.”
Royal Commission into Robodebt
Bill Shorten will be anxious to get this up and running. The Terms of reference and the appointment of a commissioner will be the first issues.
Restore our former manufacturing ability
Labor will:
“Make more things here in Australia by working with business to invest in manufacturing and renewables to create more Australian jobs.”
Fix the housing problem
The Albanese Government will:
“… help more people get into the housing market sooner by cutting the cost of buying a home by up to 40 per cent.
This will mean a smaller deposit, a smaller mortgage and smaller mortgage repayments. It’s an ambitious plan that, if successful, will go part way in solving the problem.”
Address the inequality in education
Private schools are still getting more commonwealth funding than they need at the expense of state-run schools. Often when they don’t need or want it.
Women’s safety and equality
“Australian women don’t want special treatment, they just want equality” and to be treated fairly.
“A Labor Government will take action to get us there by:
- Delivering cheaper child care for working families – helping parents balance family and work responsibilities.
- Closing the gender gap at work with a national drive to close the gender pay gap, easier pay increases for low and middle income women workers, and a Secure Australian Jobs Plan to support women in insecure work.
- Providing the national leadership and investment needed to end family, domestic and sexual violence, starting with:
- 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave.
- Safe and affordable housing for women and children fleeing violence.
- Hundreds more frontline workers to support women in crisis.
- Consent and respectful relationships education to help break the cycle.
- Taking real action to stop sexual harassment at work by implementing all 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report and providing support for women who experience sexual harassment at work.”
More assistance for older Australians
Restoring the previous measure by which pension rises were determined would be an excellent first step.
A better future for country folk
Labor has announced:
“… it will reserve $500 million of its National Reconstruction Fund specifically for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food and fibre.”
Realise the value of both the arts and sport
Let’s buck the trend:
“Researcher on government policy, economics and sport and professor of economics at the University of Adelaide, Richard Pomfret … believes there is a lack of understanding about what constitutes the arts in Australia, leading to misinterpretations, especially when compared to sport. Sport is always the winner.”
Take away subsidies to miners.
According to The Australia Institute:
“Fossil fuel subsidies cost $11.6 billion in 2021-22 across all federal, state and territory governments, equivalent to $22,139 per minute.”
Fix the NDIS
It seems that more is spent on lawyers than patients. Bill Shorten will have his work cut out trying to correct this bureaucratic mess.
A more equal nation
Labor believes that:
“All Australians should be able to go about their lives free from discrimination and share in an equitable distribution of the country’s wealth.”
Better funding for the ABC
Labor has:
“… a five-year funding commitment in addition to Labor’s previous promise that an Albanese Government will reverse Scott Morrison’s cut of $83.7 million.”
Restore the role of the public service
Return the work now outsourced to the private sector (costing exorbitant amounts) to the Public Service, which is its rightful place.
Better manage our water
With so many competing forces, the same old problems will arise. However, Tania Plibersek may bring a fresh approach.
Fix the NBN
Labor’s plan is to have access to world-class gigabit speeds by 2025. How much could we have saved had we done it correctly in the first place?
Give the independents a voice
As an act of goodwill, the Prime Minister should regularly meet with the cross benches.
Covid: Where to now?
There were 35,000 cases reported on June 2. Labor needs an up-to-date assessment of just where we are at with this dreadful virus.
International company tax
This is wrong, so wrong:
“Five of the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association’s (APPEA) most prominent member companies have paid no income tax for at least the past seven years despite combined income from their Australian operations of $138 billion.”
Fix it please, Albo.
End the prosecution of Bernard Collaery
Greens and independents are calling on Mark Dreyfus to withdraw commonwealth consent to all charges in the alleged Timor-Leste bugging case. The man is a hero, not a criminal.
End the prosecution of Julian Assange.
The telling of truth has a high price.
Fix the problems with Aged Care
After many enquiries and a Royal Commission into aged care, the time has come to fix it.
Summary
Please note that my list isn’t prioritised, meaning it is not in any particular order. People will form their own urgency.
Two points need to be made. Firstly: That any Government would leave the nation’s affairs in such a mess is scandalous. Secondly: Government is a slow-moving beast. Our expectations need to be tempered with patience; however, we are entitled to think that a new era of sensible governance can be established.
My previous post: One that the Murdoch Media got horribly wrong.
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My thought for the day
Labor will deliver a future where no one is held back, and no one is left behind (Anthony Albanese).
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