Tag Archive for 'Tony Abbott'

History’s children

Published
by
Mark
1 month, 3 weeks ago
in Education, History, Nationalism and Politics
. 106 Comments

Reporting of the initial proposals from the National Curriculum Board for directions for history teaching in schools is concentrating on the suggestion that Australian history be embedded within global contexts. Given that there has already been a predictable furore of confected indignation over the appointment of Professor Stuart Macintyre to chair the history panel, there’s no surprises in reading that Gerard Henderson fears such a focus will interfere with learning facts and Kevin Donnelly warns of a return to a “black armband” view of history. And Tony Abbott has written his own mini-curriculum:

History classes should start with the history of the Jews, then move on to the Greeks and Romans, then the history of Britain, Mr Abbott said.

None of this seems to me to be particularly informed comment, or worthy of the importance the history warriors themselves supposedly place on the issue. It’s clearly absurd to teach Australian history as if it doesn’t have a global context.

Stuart Macintyre’s views are outlined in this interview.

What surprises me, though, is that no one has picked up on the fact that Macintyre’s justification draws heavily on Anna Clark’s work in her book History’s Children: History Wars in the Classroom. Clark interviewed a large number of both Australian and Canadian school students on what they liked and disliked and would like to see in the teaching of national history. A world history context was a theme brought up by the students again and again. Some of Clark’s research is highlighted in this article in Overland.

Governor-General “not especially bright”, columnist claims

Published
by
Kim
2 months, 1 week ago
in Climate change, Howardia, Law and Media
. 45 Comments

There’s an extraordinary rant from Christopher Pearson in today’s Opposition Organ, beginning with a big spray against Quentin Bryce. Let me just observe that her opinion that the reserve powers can be codified is a respectable one, and that Pearson is committing a significant fallacy when he conflates that opinion with the analytically separate question of the political feasibility of such a change to the Constitution.

The actual occasion for his condescending twaddle seems to be a lamentation about the ideological unsoundness of the Liberal Party leadership:

Until recently, it would have been hard to imagine a candidate with Bryce’s limitations and ideological baggage winning the level of broad acceptance within the conservative wing of the political class necessary for her to function as governor-general. Indeed, since Brendan Nelson, Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull could not be described plausibly as conservatives, it may not be safe to assume that Bryce does enjoy that kind of acceptance. In less than a year, the values for which John Howard, Peter Costello and Alexander Downer provided so formidable a bulwark are no longer taken for granted in the Liberal Party room.

More power to Nick Minchin and Tony Abbott appears to be the suggestion. Yep, they’re electoral gold. Attack Rudd from the hard right, urges Pearson.

Continue reading ‘Governor-General “not especially bright”, columnist claims’

Winners and losers in Turnbull’s shadow cabinet

Published
by
Mark
2 months, 2 weeks ago
in Politics
. 47 Comments

The list is out and it can be found here.

Julie Bishop is the new Shadow Treasurer.

Contrary to Turnbull’s own claims, it’s clear that he’s rewarded his own supporters and demoted or discarded some of Nelson’s - such as Nick Minchin and Tony Smith. Tony Abbott seems to have shot himself in the foot with his undisciplined comments that he’d rather be closer to the action leading to his remaining where he was.

And Sophie Mirabella joins the Shadow Ministry. That might tell you something - along with the elevation of Concetta Fioranti-Wells - about the depth of talent Turnbull has to work with.

Labor’s game plan for Malcolm Turnbull

Published
by
Mark
2 months, 2 weeks ago
in Media and Politics
. 71 Comments

Tony Abbott trotted out the line on Q&A tonight that the ALP is scared of Malcolm Turnbull, hence the attack on him. This meme - which I think originated with the claims that the government were trembling in their collective boots at the spectre of Peter Costello becoming Opposition Leader - is dumb. It was hardly worth going after Brendan Nelson - he did a good enough job on himself. But what politicians do is attack their opponents. It’s hardly rocket science.

So what’s Labor up to? A lot of it has to do with Turnbull’s persona. As Kim observed the other day, Turnbull won’t be anywhere near as well known among the general public as he is among political junkies. When there’s so much attention on him, you get in quick to define his persona. The line has already morphed - from rich dude to out of touch Eastern suburbs silvertail who represents, you know, latte sippers and Sydney Morning Herald readers. Which, after all, he does. “Vaucluse”, “Point Piper”, and “Western suburbs” (by way of contrast) are words carrying huge symbolic weight. It’s a tie in with the “right to drive a Porsche” jibes and will be a better fit with Turnbull than with truckin’ Brendan.

Turnbull’s possibly doing himself no favours by talking about himself so much, a point that a conga line of Ministers have made. It’s the downside of having to define yourself. To the degree that Turnbull does have an image as egotistical and arrogant, he reinforces that by dwelling on his own qualities. And the press does part of the job for the ALP by writing about him in terms of his stellar intellect, heroic qualities, his temper and “inability to tolerate fools”, blah blah. If there’s one image that Australian voters don’t like, it’s of someone with tickets on themselves and a sense of entitlement. Just ask Peter Costello.

Thirdly, while the press may have been suggesting Turbull is some sort of “crazy brave” choice and will provide sparks and excitement, that’s probably a negative. Continue reading ‘Labor’s game plan for Malcolm Turnbull’

Nelson brings on leadership spill for tomorrow

Published
by
Mark
2 months, 2 weeks ago
in Media and Politics
. 76 Comments

It’s on. Brendan Nelson’s thrown down the gauntlet. The Liberal Party will determine its leadership tomorrow morning after Nelson called on a spill. Perhaps his capital E emo man performance in Parliament today was his audition - or maybe he’d eaten some of those baked beans. At any rate, he’s got one night of that “clear air” that is/was the new cliche/talking point de jour.

You have to wonder if there’s not some level at which this is a bit of subconscious revenge on Peter Costello, whose book launch tomorrow will now surely be “overshadowed”, as the meejah like to say.

Let’s see if the Turnbull boosters’ claims that they already have the numbers are right. Or will Malcolm Turnbull even put his hand up? What happens if he loses? Surely he couldn’t stay on the front bench. Nelson must be dreaming if he thinks this will end the thing. If he marginalises Turnbull to curry favour with the hard right, he’s still got a divided party. If he keeps Turnbull on the front bench, he looks weak. But at least it might kill off the Costellology.

Update: Michael Brissenden reported on the 7 30 Report that Nelson had been more angry than ever seen before (is that possible?) at a party room meeting and had promised to “clean out” his office and the front bench if he wins. He could lose endless commentator Tony Abbott for a start, and the promise regarding the office presumably refers to his habit of going off the reservation and making policy unilaterally - for instance with the $30 a week pension increase. Presumably the implication that Nelson will be clearing out his desk is unintended, but maybe interesting in a Freudian slippy sorta way.

More strange is a reported promise to “toughen up” the line on climate change while simultaneously walking away from the carping opposition to same sex rights in the Senate. This sounds like a typical Nelson left/right straddle to me, but apparently he’s going to show a “different” side to his leadership. More props? No more truck trekking? Who knows?

Turnbull is standing by the way.

More: Possum has posted Nelson’s press release.

Update: Bruce Billson, the Shadow Minister for Communications (who knew?), duly communicated on Lateline tonight. It wasn’t 100% clear, but he seemed to be suggesting that Malcolm Turnbull might remain on the front bench if Nelson wins. Yeah, right, that’d be smart. But it does show that Nelson’s inclusive or something. Oh, and “strong action on climate change without wrecking the economy” may or may not be a different stance from their most recent unintelligible confusion. But communications expert Billson appeared pleased that it was a nifty soundbite. Who thinks that somehow all this isn’t going to be over tomorrow morning?

Decided [by Kim]: It’s Turnbull by 45-41. New open thread here.

Update [by Kim]: I’ve put up a post with some analysis of what Turnbull needs to do here.

Continue reading ‘Nelson brings on leadership spill for tomorrow’

Peter Costello’s legacy

Published
by
Mark
2 months, 3 weeks ago
in Economics, Howardia, Media and Polls
. 11 Comments

The Fin Review ran today with a cover story on Peter Costello’s legacy - not on the Liberal leadership but as Treasurer. It appears to be an article of faith - based on a questionable analogy about the supposed damage a move away from Paul Keating’s legacy did to Labor in opposition (and one, incidentally, pushed by PJK himself to journos and commentators) - that they have to hug John Howard close to their chest. So Peter Costello is routinely dubbed by Liberals as “Australia’s best Treasurer”.

The IMF didn’t think so. The Fin has obtained leaked Treasury documents prepared for discussions with IMF officials last year. The upshot of the story can be summed up by its tagline - “Peter Costello’s fiscal policy was potentually more damaging than any other period since the Whitlam years”. IMF wonks were deeply concerned about a stimulatory budget and fiscal policy at a time of economic over-heating, and the article by Paul Cleary concludes:

… from 2003 onwards, Costello executed a sustained expansion of fiscal policy during a sustained upswing in the economy. Looking further back, his predecessors had only engaged in such a policy during recessions. The result of this outbreak of bad policy in the last years of the Howard government is likely to be a long period of inflation and weak economic growth, and it may take some considerable time, and pain, to get the balance back in the right order.

Continue reading ‘Peter Costello’s legacy’

The Great Pretender II

Published
by
Kim
4 months ago
in Media and Politics
. 33 Comments

If you read between the lines of Peter Costello’s in house columnist/propagandist at News Limited Glenn Milne’s column today, and add in Tony Abbott’s words of praise for The Great Pretender on Lateline on Friday, and the story that came from “nowhere” about Cossie knocking back a 2 million buck a year job, the Liberal leadership narrative is becoming pretty clear - signals are being sent that the party’s Right, and particularly Nick Minchin, want $weetie in the leadership.

But let’s be clear about two things:

(1) Costello is still doing his usual petulant thing - signalling that he’ll only take the leadership if asked. Whether or not a 10 month sulk while his party lies in smoking ruins is a mark of a clever politician or just a massive and self-centred ego is - as they say - a question for the party room.

(2) The Liberal Party right are turning to Costello in order to fend off Malcolm Turnbull. So any suggestion that the former Treasurer is some sort of moderate, or indeed that he might have his own agenda, can probably be put to bed. He’ll be the captive of the denialist hardliners just like Brendan Nelson is. And that - all his past feints to the moderates aside - would be entirely consistent with his history as a politician - a natural right winger, but a lazy one with few ideas of his own, and no eye for political strategy. Turnbull is unlikely to take any second coming lying down.

Is criticism of World Youth Day automatically Catholic bashing?

Published
by
Kim
4 months, 3 weeks ago
in Authoritarianism, Ethics, Feminism, History, Lesbian and Gay, Media, NSW Government, Politics, Religion, Sexuality, Sydney and Urbanism
. 82 Comments

It’s no secret that “the sectarian strand” is one of the less attractive aspects of Australian history, and interestingly, probably not one featured highly either in the so-called “black armband” or triumphalist narratives so beloved of our home grown Antipodean culture warriors. That may be because the deep cleavages - overlapping but not identical to class and ethnicity - around Catholicism and Protestantism needed to be elided and to be buried in order to construct the “Anglo-Celtic” identity which came into its own at the same time that the state aid controversy was settled into its grave and multiculturalism launched on its career. And not coincidentally. “Anglos” and “Celts” were on different sides of the political and cultural coin in the Great Southern Land of the Holy Spirit for most of its whitefella history. In a way, Gough Whitlam is probably the progenitor of the “mainstream” Anglo-Celtic Australian. But sectarianism typically rears its head as a defensive accusation whenever the Catholic Church is particularly prominent in public debate, and whenever criticism is directed at the Church’s institutional power.

In the context of World Youth Day in Sydney this week, this accusation has been levelled both with regard to criticism of the extraordinary powers granted to police by Greg Craven and with regard to the ABC’s highlighting of Cardinal George Pell’s ethically very questionable handling of clergy sexual abuse complaints by Andrew Bolt. More broadly, the media sponsors of World Youth Day at News Limited have worked themselves into a lather of holy righteousness, denouncing “aggressive secularism” and lauding all the Popey goodness they’re sponsoring - without disclosing that sponsorship in their journalistic or opinion pieces.

It may well be that a residue of sectarian anti-Catholicism might be in play on the margins of all this, but one of the big ironies is that while Tony Abbott and others speculated that Pope Benedict’s message might not be communicated effectively, the Pope himself has seemingly become a football to be kicked around by the usual suspects in distinctly Australian culture wars which often have only a tenuous connection with his concerns. But are there not genuine issues - of public interest - that can and should be raised at a time when Catholicism is top of the pops in the media stakes?

Continue reading ‘Is criticism of World Youth Day automatically Catholic bashing?’

Abbott’s non-minimalist reform of federalism

Published
by
Paul Norton
4 months, 4 weeks ago
in Government, Howardia and Politics
. 23 Comments

Last week it was Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon advocating the abolition of State governments. This week Tony Abbott is calling for constitutional reform which would give the Federal Government the power to assume any powers it wished from the states at any time:

I will be arguing for a constitutional amendment to establish that, where it so wishes, the Commonwealth can pass laws to override the states - not just Section 51 as it is now, but in all areas.

We need to face the fact that we are a nation today, not a federation of states [my emphasis - PN], and we need to clearly establish in law that, when it comes to the crunch, the federal government is in charge.

It’s been a long 25 years since the High Court deeply pained Australian conservatives by upholding the Hawke Government’s use of its Section 51 powers! But what are we to make of Abbott’s proposal?
Continue reading ‘Abbott’s non-minimalist reform of federalism’

Laboring the point? … or liberal socialism and/or social liberalism

Published
by
Mark
5 months, 2 weeks ago
in Culture, Feminism, History, Howardia, Lesbian and Gay, Philosophy, Policy, Politics, Religion, Sexuality, Sociology and Women
. 30 Comments

I was intrigued yesterday to see Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen writing one of the more substantive pieces in the Sydney Morning Herald’s regular feast of op/eds written by pollies. Bowen argues that social liberals within the Liberal Party are as marginalised now as they were under John Howard, and concludes:

But the move to the right by the Liberal Party means that traditional small l liberals are looking for a home. As a social liberal in the Labor Party, I can tell you that it is a very welcoming home.

I’m not so sure that’s absolutely accurate, but more of that later. First, I wanted to explore why Bowen thought this was an apposite point to make at this time. He refers to the amalgamation talk with the Nationals, and certainly Barnaby Joyce’s recent musings might give some small l liberals something to ponder. But I suspect what’s prompted Bowen’s article is actually some shenanigans going on in the Senate, which aren’t unrelated to the Liberal leadership.

Continue reading ‘Laboring the point? … or liberal socialism and/or social liberalism’

Q&A open thread II

Published
by
Mark
6 months, 1 week ago
in Film, TV, Video etc
. 17 Comments

Here’s another opportunity to be very mise-en-abyme and question the Q&A questioners questioning the Q&A panel while the questioning takes place! How web 3.0!

In other words, will Tony Abbott carry on like a pork chop? Will Louise Adler talk about the Bill Henson controversy? Will Warren Mundine denounce a “new ATSIC”? What sense does it make to have a panel with Bob Brown, Tony Abbott, Tanya Plibersek, Louise Adler anyway? Are they going to talk about the politics of the week, or take questions on anything? Will the questions be sharper and more policy and life-focused than the ones professional interviewers often put? Have at it!

Guest post by Feral Sparrowhawk: They’re (probably) not coming back

Published
by
Administrator
6 months, 3 weeks ago
in Politics
. 79 Comments

Feral Sparrowhawk offers some thoughts on the future of the Liberals, something rather topical at the moment in the wake of Brendan’s big night out in Parliament.

Everyone knows the Liberals are in trouble, with the possible exception of Alexander Downer. However, looking at the discussion, both on blogs and in the MSM, this seems to be perceived to mean: They can’t win in 2010, probably not in 2013. However, the assumption seems to be that at some point the Liberals will be back (possibly merged with the Nationals). Much advice has been given based on the notion that ambitious Liberal leaders should be positioning themselves to lead in 2013 or 2016, rather than now.

I disagree. I believe that 2010 is likely to be the best chance the Liberals will ever have to get back into government. If they can’t win then, or at least give it a decent shake, there will probably never be another Liberal-led federal government in Australia.

A big call I know, but my thesis is that the Liberals are caught between two crises, both of which will likely see them whither in the long term. Every election will become harder to win, and after a while it will become difficult for them to even sustain the position of official opposition.

Continue reading ‘Guest post by Feral Sparrowhawk: They’re (probably) not coming back’

Howard preferred PM on economic management. 4 Eva!

Published
by
Kim
7 months ago
in Government, Howardia, Media, Politics and Polls
. 44 Comments

Howard’s talking again.

“Be proud of what we’ve achieved - don’t take any cheek from the other side.”

Andrew Elder wrote an interesting post the other day critiquing Gerard Henderson’s critique, and pointing to a fundamental problem the Liberals have:

The Liberals and Nationals do not take the intellectual debate seriously, which is why it is left to pinheads like Miranda Devine, Tony Abbott, Janet Albrechtsen or Gerard Henderson to carry the (empty) can of rightwing intellectualism. If you really want people to take on the challenge of right-of-centre intellectual development, create an environment conducive to it.

The point’s been made here a number of times that too much political commentary relies on stale analogies with the past, and a complete inability to grasp the challenges of the present. Perhaps that’s because no intellectual work goes into it. The Nelson/Turnbull mob have been talked into the view that they can’t “disown the legacy of the Howard government” lest they lose their advantage on “economic management”. Never mind the fact that ALP polling found last year that when the question was posed as “whom do you trust to manage the economy best for your family?”, Rudd was streets ahead. It’s the distinction between a “beautiful set of numbers” and paying attention to people’s actual financial struggles. In other words, you could simultaneously think the government was keeping the shine on the numbers, but managing the economy for the benefit of big biz and the top end of town. Howard understood that back in about 1996.

But the Libs are now stuck in some Shanahan of a universe where whatever wording Newspoll uses is gospel. Continue reading ‘Howard preferred PM on economic management. 4 Eva!’

Monkish meditations

Published
by
Kim
7 months, 1 week ago
in Government and Media
. 41 Comments

Now, we all know that poor Tony Abbott, after unaccountably losing his ministerial salary, is undergoing severe mortgage stress and struggling to pay the bills for his daughters’ private schools. Maybe that accounts for him popping up in what really is looking like today The Opposition Organ, rather than being boned by Fairfax, where his column previously appeared. Maybe he’s returning to his journalistic roots and angling for a gig as op/editor, which after all is up for grabs, Tom Switzer having joined Brendan Nelson’s staff. Along with Peter Hendy and other architects of WorkChoices, which would no doubt account for Nowhere Man’s stellar political trajectory.

John Howard used to say over and over again that he wasn’t a commentator, a line recently picked up by Malcolm Turnbull. Tony Abbott obviously is one, writing flights of fantasy about Rudd stepping down for Julia Gillard in 2012, justified by all sorts of far fetched historical parallels (after all, we all know in commentariat land nothing new ever happens, and everything that does happen can always be explained by analogy to Gough Whitlam or Tony Blair or Bob Carr of whoever). Continue reading ‘Monkish meditations’

Targets

Published
by
Mark
7 months, 1 week ago
in Economics, Government, International and Media
. 14 Comments

At The Road to Surfdom, Ken Lovell deconstructs Tony Abbott’s latest contribution to the economic debate:

“If anyone has created the current inflation, it’s Wayne Swan, with his wild and irresponsible talk,” he said.

You can make of that what you like. The opposition were previously running the line that there was no inflation problem (in order to “defend the Howard record”), and this absurd nonsense is apparently how that message morphs when the inflation figure hits a 17 year high.

The chatter among economists and on the business pages for a while has been about whether the Reserve Bank should dump its 2-3% orthodoxy - because a lot of the push factors are in effect exogenous to the domestic economy - so as to avoid tipping the show into recession. I was writing about this almost two months ago, and copped a bit for my pains.

What really surprised me was the fact that the defenders of economic orthodoxy - the same mob who always bang on about a globally integrated economy - were apparently so sanguine about the degree to which any nation state can exert sovereign control over inflation within its territory. As I suggested back then, economic orthodoxy is a moveable feast, and Henry Thornton documents just how far it has moved by today - to a position where the “suspension” of inflation targeting is being mooted.

At the same time, the stock in trade of political journalism Glenn Milne style is still debating whether Wayne Swan will come up with a credible message to target voters with in the light of changed economic conditions. That’s about as useful as debating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. Continue reading ‘Targets’