Prime Minister Abbott has rightly dismissed as ‘nonsense’ suggestions he might not lead the government to the next election THE EDITOR THE COURIER-MAIL JANUARY 23, 2015 WHEN Queenslanders go to the polls in just over a week, one aspect of the choice they face is pleasantly unusual for modern Australian politics. The two leaders of the major parties are the same people who took their seats in Parliament after the March 2012 election. The last federal election was contested by Kevin Rudd as prime minister even though Julia Gillard put the government together after the 2010 poll. The Victorian election featured a different premier from the one who opened the coalition’s term in government and in New South Wales voters will choose between two major parties with leaders who replaced someone who quit during last year. In Queensland, the LNP’s Campbell Newman had been successful in his asymmetric assault on the top job, being sworn in as the Member for Ashgrove and Premier – both for the first time. After Anna Bligh quit Parliament, Labor’s Annastacia Palaszczuk took on the daunting task of leading a decimated Opposition which just managed to keep party status. Both Mr Newman and Ms Palaszczuk benefited from their individual circumstances – the LNP premier was virtually untouchable because of his vaulting majority while Labor’s leader had a job no one else really wanted. However, it is good we have defied the current trend to dump political leaders in response to the first set of bad polls. When Ms Bligh was still premier she warned Labor against importing the “NSW disease”, a reference to the habit of Labor in that state to oust leaders in both government and opposition. When Luke Foley fronts up to the voters at the end of March as the Labor leader he will be the sixth to hold that post in less than a decade. Now the Coalition in Sydney has followed suit with former premier Barry O’Farrell quitting after an embarrassing revelation at a corruption probe. Victoria also lost its Coalition premier mid-term in 2013. The Labor Party has led the way in knifing incumbent prime ministers, having done it just before the last two elections. Julia Gillard dumped Kevin Rudd as PM just before the 2010 poll and the vanquished leader returned the favour, challenging Australia’s first female PM weeks before the 2013 election. After John Howard lost the election – and his seat – in 2007, it looked like the Coalition was going to head towards the kind of leadership revolving door seen in the 1980s, with three politicians in the top job prior to the 2010 poll. Tony Abbott’s continuous three years and nine months as Opposition leader is the longest anyone has been in that job since Bill Hayden a generation ago. Now the chatter has started again, albeit at a very low level and more akin to idle gossip than anything of a serious nature. Prime Minister Abbott had to deflect questions on radio about his leadership, rightly dismissing as “nonsense” suggestions he might not lead the government to the next election, due in late 2016. Australia can’t afford any further bouts of disposable leadership in our politics. It diminishes public trust in government and politics generally and is another source of frustration in the quest for meaningful reform and any kind of long-term planning. Mr Abbott and his Government have started the new year with some of the same problems that caused such a ragged finish to 2014. Ill-discipline on canvassing new and increased taxes, a messy retreat on Medicare and some confused messages on what’s next for the stalled Budget measures have caused Government supporters and its MPs to wonder when the Coalition in Canberra is going to get its act together. However, it is a cop-out to look at replacing the boss. This is the easy option for politicians, sports teams and businesses and when it’s done it almost never solves the problems behind the perception of crisis. What should be done is that those all too willing to enjoy the ride during the good times should rally around and work with the leader and the team and fix whatever is contributing to community disquiet and poor standing in the polls. Australians elect governments to run things, not to play political games.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 07:37:02 +0000
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