Weekly roundup Saturday 10 May
A very Australian election
Weekly roundup of links to articles, reports, podcasts and other media on current political and economic issues in public policy.
This is a short post-election roundup. I am taking a break for a few weeks, and will be resuming regular roundups in July once the political din has subsided.
The election’s outcomes and consequences
An analysis of the numbers and what they mean for the Liberal, National, Liberal National and Green parties, and for independents. A new city-bush division has emerged.
There’s no one explanation for the shift. The Coalition’s economic credentials are trashed. Voters have rejected the Coalition’s politics of scaremongering and inflaming political divisions to set Australians against Australians.
The election’s challenges for our lawmakers
The government went into the election with a cautious agenda: will its large majority allow it to be more courageous in pursuing economic reform? Or maybe it will tear itself apart: its factions have already dealt a blow to its capacity to deliver good government.
Can something resembling Menzies’ Liberal Party re-emerge, separate from the National Party and from right-wing authoritarian populism? Can the Greens work constructively with other parties? And will independents go on doing their good work?
If you don’t fight you lose
A musical tribute to Australia’s once impassioned left.
If you have comments, corrections, or links to other relevant sources, I’d like to hear from you. Please send them to Ian McAuley — ian, at the domain name ianmcauley.com
