Strange quiet descends on Canberra as Turnbull dividend pays off

SOMETHING quite strange has happened in Australian politics. Something we haven’t seen in a very long time.

PM Malcolm Turnbull during Question Time in the House of Representatives Chamber, Parliament House in Canberra.

ANALYSIS

Progress on important policy matters including the China free trade agreement and debate on tax changes is coming in a rush not seen in Australian politics for years.

It’s what might be called the Turnbull dividend, and it is likely to be applauded by voters tired of ugly stalemates and constant conflict.

But even after four weeks it remains difficult for some to accept the strange muffled din which now covers the political battlefield.

It is nothing like the ear shattering series of detonations we became used to while Tony Abbott was prime minister.

After two years of Mr Abbott stepping on political landmines — or deliberately kicking them when the mood took — there is a relative hush and many fewer explosions.

The Abbott form of aggressive defence devoted a lot of energy to identifying enemies, whether they were members of “death cults” in Syria or “leakers” in his own party. Fortress Abbott didn’t admit much flow of ideas.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has promoted “consultation”, which can be a difficult promise for a leader to keep. The more one promises to consult, the more people will want to take up your offer and take up your time.

However, there are signs the Government is making advances, just at a lower noise level.

The political battle goes on but at a quieter pace. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attacks Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, but not in the Abbott style.

“His only contribution,” Mr Turnbull said yesterday of Mr Shorten and the China trade deal, “was to bob like a cork in the slip stream of the CFMEU.”

That sounds like a gentle bruising compared to attacks by Mr Abbott, who on the same topic went for the political soft tissue with claims of racism and accusations Labor wanted to revive the White Australia policy.

As Mr Shorten told reporters, debate is “moving from the more abrasive style of Tony Abbott to a sort of different style with Malcolm Turnbull”.

And the Labor leader would be grateful for this. The Opposition was engaged in political jostling with Mr Abbott on the China agreement and risked being found guilty for its collapse.

Mr Turnbull has rescued him and the agreement by promising to “consider in good faith the proposals put forward by Labor”.

The Prime Minister also has said he will give serious consideration to Labor’s proposals for cuts to what Mr Turnbull agreed were “very substantial tax concessions” on wealth superannuation accounts. Debate is a significant way from conclusion, but there are fewer stalemates and conflicts in the way.

Originally published as Strange quiet descends on Canberra as Turnbull dividend pays off