federal politics
14 Jul 2008
Which Side Are You On?
Eight months in the Rudd Government is fielding similar criticism from both ends of the political spectrum
Kevin Rudd doesn't care about disenfranchised majorities. Or does he. Does he? You'll have to excuse me - John Howard dominated my entire adult political life, and since the Ruddslide, I have to admit to feeling a little disorientated.
Eight frenetic months into Australia's new allegedly progressive era, I went looking for appraisals of what we can expect from the new Government, based on what we've seen so far. You wouldn't expect figures as disparate as Ed Coper, Campaign Coordinator of prominent activist group GetUp!, and Noel McCoy, President of the National Young Liberal Party, to agree on much - would you?
"Obviously I've got my partisan view," says McCoy, "but I don't feel they've achieved that much. They've touted a lot - they signed the Kyoto Protocol, made the apology to stolen generations. These are announcements, they're symbolic and important to people, but they don't have much impact. My position on Kevin Rudd is that he's pretty flaky, and his Government is too."
It's more than your predictable rivalry though. Coper, says, "[Rolling] out viable strategies is not just an issue of the Coalition still controlling the Senate. We've seen [things that are] politically and practically easy ticked off." Press reporters, too, are losing patience with what The Age columnist, Paul Daley, calls "a Government that behaves like it's still in an election campaign".
"Labor is only now appreciating the difficulties of being in government," says Coper. "There's a broad base of interests in Australia and you can't please everyone all the time."
Despite warning that there are "no foregone conclusions" when it comes to taking on the new Government, Coper seems at least willing to allow Labor some slack: "So many groups felt marginalised under Howard, there's a long queue now wanting to campaign the Government, and to be fair, seven months isn't a long time to address that, especially for a leader sensitive to being seen as a solid economic manager."
McCoy, on the other hand, sees this sensitivity as Labor's greatest weakness: "On a host of issues, Rudd agreed with Howard's policy: like Howard, Rudd advocates economic conservatism. Ninety-two per cent of the Coalition's October 2007 tax plan was copied by Labor. They only tweaked tax cuts for the highest income tax brackets. Rudd has mimicked Howard on defence and even industrial relations. Now we have a situation where the policy of Australian Workplace Agreements is effectively still in place, but under a different name."
It's these key issues that are sticking points, not just for groups as diverse as GetUp! and the Young Libs, but on the central question of a viable progressive government delivering on its ideals.
Some might find it strange to hear someone like McCoy giving voice to concern which might be expected from groups on the other end of the political spectrum. "What Labor did was project themselves as different on a couple of key issues. [But] they're often difficult to differentiate, mainly because the Labor Party has come across to the Liberal Party position on so many issues."
McCoy continues: "[Rudd and team] have built a good brand with those who identify with social justice. We say that's about marketing more than any substance."
Of course, some of McCoy's criticisms adopt a more familiar partisan tone: "Rudd is playing the politics of envy, reverting to an old style that differentiates the so-called haves and have-nots. I'm seeing a policy direction very different from the Liberals, which rewarded and encouraged opportunity ... Entrepreneurs ought not be punished for their success."
In spite of his inconsistency about how different or similar the ALP is to the Coalition, McCoy is correct to point to the can of worms Labor has opened as they attempt to divide the middle class on issues such as the Baby Bonus, and who "deserves" Government assistance.
Coper says Labor "seemed primarily concerned with maintaining this honeymoon period, but political leadership is [now] required".
GetUp!'s statistics show that 55 per cent of Australians polled nationwide before the apology to the stolen generations supported the apology one week before, but 68 per cent supported it the week after. Coper says this 13 per cent bump is indicative of how a nation can be led with purpose by a strong leader with an agenda - cue images of Rudd blitzing his way through those famous "first 100 days in office."
Coper and GetUp! are now concerned by Labor's moves to expand the Coalition's Northern Territory interventions. "At the time of the apology, indigenous Australians felt very included, but now there are fresh concerns and the suspicion that things will carry on without change," says Coper. "Pensioners and those with disabilities haven't seen the changes they would expect either. In terms of climate change, GetUp! would rather see decisive moves and strong leadership, not equivocation."
Coper says the climate crisis will not be sold by a government timidly bound to polls and popularity ratings. "We're not optimistic of that level of boldness coming through because we haven't seen it yet, and time is of the essence."
McCoy disagrees. "Carbon trading will be the undoing of the Rudd Government, effectively imposing a new tax which will have a huge burden on business, and the results will be too much for the Rudd government to handle." McCoy, however, does add that he would "prefer the Liberal Party embrace renewable energies in a bigger way." GetUp! has been pressuring the government on this issue, with their Fuel Watch campaign and recent controversial primetime advertisement: "Mr Rudd. Mr Nelson. Make our future f***ing renewable."
If the issue is about leadership, as Coper suggests, rather than an error in core values, as McCoy suggests, Rudd will have to shape his persona as something more than an amiable and diligent pubic servant. Howard once faced a similar leadership problem, and subsequently carved out an image of toughness at the expense of the gun lobby, "illegal" refugees, and other minority groups.
That doesn't bode well for the Government. Rudd has already been forced to cut into the cost of living just to exert the necessary economic downward pressure the Reserve Bank is demanding. Up until recently he has had reasonable success blaming this situation on global economic conditions and the policies of his predecessor.
But will Rudd be able to pull off strong leadership when its tough consequences will be worn by the very "working families" that put him in the top job?
If, however, he is to honour his environmental pledges on carbon emissions targets and trading schemes, as well as follow through on education and other social justice issues, surely, as Coper implies, strong leadership will be needed to trump a currently unknowable level of economic strain.
Coper and McCoy might be waiting for different things from the Rudd Government but they do firmly agree on one point: the public is paying attention.
Political parties don't allow for individual political complexities, says Coper, but with new technology freeing up people's involvement in these issues, GetUp! is finding the Australian public repoliticised in droves. McCoy echoes this sense of renewed determination: "We've experienced a spike in membership since the election. The message is: you can't take being in government for granted."
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I thought GetUp was meant to be independent ?
The Rudd Labor government has alienated both ends of the spectrum in barely eight months ? And all without us having to get up out of our armchairs !
Joe
P.S. Quite unintentional double meaning !
I think the Rudd government is all spin, symbolism and tokenism. I think Kevin Rudd should be talking to Bob Brown more as the Greens preferences got his government elected and the Greens now have there own mandate they need implementing. I think Kevin needs to get real. Do something about Zimbabwe NOW.
Zimbabwe? Talk about weird point to throw in.
Graeme,
I think its relevent totally. Why shouldnt Australia be saying something about this tyrant?
Of course, Daniel, and Stephen Smith is flying hither and thither and speaking out at many forums - but it would be the death of the MDC and democracy in Zimbabwe if Australia or any other predominantly-European country got physically involved, it would be just what a tyrant like Mugabe would welcome because he could use it as a stick to beat his enemies with. It’s going to be up to African countries in the first instance, and up to other countries to form the cheer squad.
We could reward countries which are standing up to Mugabe such as Tanzania and Botswana and Liberia (although they may have their own agendas), and we should have a generous Zimbabwe refugee policy, and we should put pressure especially on South Africa, because democracy in Zimbabwe and the MDC and Tsvangarai may have a lot of support amongst ordinary South Africans (if not amongst their piss-weak leaders). When news gets out of wholesale massacres by ZANU-PF paid thugs, all this might change. Watch this space.
Joe
If Kevin is annoying both sides of politics (and the press), he must be doing something right.
If he is prepared to keep on annoying everyone by doing the hard stuff, he could end up doing something really useful.
I was out and about on the weekend, cycling around Sydney. This morning I watched motorists commuting into the city from Pyrmont (in this week of all weeks!) and striking the World Youth Day gridlock in Hickson Road.
One thing is patently clear - petrol is not nearly expensive enough!
Jonnyboy55
What’s in the pubic(sic) interest and what the pubic(sic) are interested in are often poles apart.
It’s time the serious media concentrated on the former and left the latter to the cheap magazines and populist radio talk back jocks.
Honestly, we will only get the leadership we deserve when (if) we take politics more seriously and sport less so.
Why should’nt Rudd continue in the Howard vein, after all it worked for "Honest" Johnny H. for over a decade.
I would be surprised if Kev 07 abandons his populist style of leadership anytime soon, he is only getting warmed up.
The other Labor reared it’s ugly head recently and set them all in a spin.
That was’nt supposed to happen yet, strewth.
"Nothing? Nothing will come of nothing"
Flibbity jibit the fowl fieeennnnd.
Apologies to the old Bard.
Oli
Poles apart ? I thought that Ratzinger was Bavarian. But I hope that at 81, he would not have any particular pubic interest.
Joe
Everyone should get off their hobby horses and get their noses out of their wallets and get behind the Government to get moving on climate change policies. Time to drop the "Me, Me and Me" attitudes because with Australia fried we will be no good to ourselves or to anyone else.
Kevvie needs to erect a barrier to lobby groups who are all after slivers of OUR pie and get stuck into the job. Like it or not the work has to be done so that we can at least say that we had a go. It is no use sitting back and saying "we shouldn’t do anything until someone else begins": at that rate nothing will ever start, someone has to make a move.
I really object to large Corporations who are fleecing our country pushing their way to the front of the handout line while bleeting that they need compensation most because they didn’t see the prevailing climate dilemma coming. Get real…these companies work on projections and if they have chosen the short-term more profitable course they deserve to lose a few dollars on their share values while they refit for climate change. Our taxes should not be used to finance the needed changes for them.
And after all is said and done nothing will be started about climate change anywhere in the world until the ruling global corporations have worked out how best to maximise and turn a profit from it.
Rudd was voted in to begin real work on climate change and to get rid of Howard’s Dickensian work rules.
Carmon Kevvie, we all know it is a big job so get yer finger out and take some big bites and chew like buggery!!
GetUp are about channelling middle class concerns into a safe cul de sac.
Give your money to GetUp to make a naff commercial and believe you’re an activist. God forbid you actually get out there and actually DO SOMETHING.
They’ve followed the utterly specious US moveon.org and are as counterproductive.
Why anyone would go to them for political comment is beyond me.