Behind this confusion is the problem that Tony Abbotts vision has been a negative one - articulated in opposition as stopping the boats, cutting the carbon and mining taxes, and reining in the debt. There is no doubting the Coalition was successful in elevating these issues into vote-changers. It is also true that on boats and taxes at least, the government has delivered on those promises. But in all three instances, the Coalition in opposition created problems that didnt really have a significant impact on the lives of voters or the future of the nation: stopping asylum seekers did not get cars off the road, cutting the carbon tax has not significantly driven prices down, the mining tax was not collecting money anyway. All three issues were symbolic issues - successfully transformed into matters of national import by the Opposition, but issues that have no bearing on the day-to-day lives of voters. The second flaw was the way Tony Abbott ran on trust and the truth, a tried tactic in opposition, but one that this opposition leader evolved into political art. Julia Gillard conceded she had changed her position on carbon pricing in the following terms: Yes, I did say that and circumstances have changed. Abbott and his media cheer squad were unrelenting in response. The PM was Ju-liar and the issue of dealing with the crisis of global warming was degraded into an issue of trust in Government. But in setting these ground rules, the PM was also establishing the benchmark for his own rule, applying a strait-jacket to each and every commitment he was to make. Read More abc.net.au/news/2014-12-02/lewis-and-woods-this-ship-of-state-may-not-be-seaworthy/5934046
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 14:59:37 +0000
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