There isn’t a single, major public policy sector in Australia that would not benefit from substantial review and reform, including taxation, superannuation, income distribution, migration policy, aged care and competition policy, but what has happened over the last decade – virtually nothing, minor scrappy changes around the edges hampered by a desire that “no one should be worse off” whatever happens. It’s just absurd.
The principle problem Australia faces is inadequate political leadership – it is just not possible to achieve anything significant when all major parties conform to the “small or no target” electoral strategy. This effectively involves providing the minimum details around policies, and avoiding policies at all if you can get away with it. Winning through cowardice.
In effect all the major parties ask voters to elect them without providing details on areas of policy, except those that are easy to sell “handouts” – we have defensive politicians wedded to the notion that unless “no one loses” they won’t be elected. And the question then is, what is the point of electing you if you are not prepared to provide leadership and improve the country, rather than run it into the ground like a cash cow.
The major parties run the real risk that the only source of reform – and there is a real appetite for change in the electorate on both sides of the spectrum – are the Teal candidates.
