Jeff Kennett: We have lacked leadership for years
FOR more than a decade we have endured the most selfish display of envy, hatred and personality politics in Canberra. Australia needs a government that puts the national interest ahead of self interest, writes Jeff Kennett.
Opinion
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SINCE 2007 Australia has been led by governments that have put their re-election and personality politics before the national interest and the interests of its citizens.
Recent events in Canberra are just a continuation of that same self interest.
Politics is, of course, challenging from time to time but that is usually due to a lack of leadership.
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Leadership itself is not difficult, but it requires a clear vision, the ability to communicate that vision and a strategy to deliver it; and you need the personnel in Parliament and the public service who, with the leadership, will have the courage to implement the strategy to achieve the vision.
Since the second last election of the Howard government in 2004, after nine years of credible leadership that turned the debt they inherited into a healthy surplus, the government started the period of entitlement by returning so much of the country’ prosperity to the groups with the loudest voices. Sadly, little was spent on infrastructure throughout the Howard years.
The Rudd years started in 2007 with much energy and promise, but quickly foundered in a sea of personality conflicts until Julia Gillard took over.
To the Rudd government’s credit, it got Australia through the Global Financial Crisis by guaranteeing deposits in Australian banks, and therefore their depositors, and massive expenditure on school programs and windfalls for citizens that.
While some programs failed or were rorted — such as the pink batts debacle — the initiatives meant Australia was hardly scratched by the GFC.
Rudd was erratic and not a good leader of this people, including parliamentarians and the public service. Opinion polls declined sharply and he was removed as PM in favour of Julia Gillard.
The seeds of permanent distrust and intrigue were sown within the ALP and the public. The removal of an elected leader in the first term, and continuing division within political ranks, will never give the public confidence in the political process.
Gillard won the subsequent election but had to rely on two independents to govern. Shortly after her election, Gillard reversed a policy commitment given at the election she had just won: “There will be no carbon tax under any government I lead.”
That policy reversal undermined her authority for the rest of her leadership and provided ammunition to those in her party who had not forgiven her for deposing Rudd.
And so the prime ministership was returned to Rudd. Personality politics was alive and flourishing.
It is interesting to note that the current opposition leader, Bill Shorten, was a key figure in the removal of both Rudd and Gillard. Yet now he demands loyalty from his team.
Rudd, of course, lost to Tony Abbott, who in opposition had replaced his leader, Malcolm Turnbull. So as he became prime minister, the seeds of envy and distrust in the Liberal Party had already been sown.
Abbott included Turnbull in his Cabinet but Turnbull used his position to speak on areas beyond his portfolio responsibilities and in doing so challenged Abbott for public popularity
Unfortunately, Abbott, a very effective opposition leader and election winner, failed as a government leader and Turnbull challenged with the help of Abbott’s deputy.
Turnbull, like Gillard, replaced a first-term prime minister. The same discontent that had riven Labor when Gillard replaced Rudd was duplicated among the Liberals.
The distrust was so deep that Turnbull did not include Abbott in his ministry. The cracks in the party’s facade sprouted toxic weeds of envy and hatred.
Turnbull said he moved against Abbott because of consistent failure in the opinion polls — but now his ratings are worse, although no government should be dictated to by opinion polls.
Turnbull narrowly won the election in 2016 but he has failed to put the Coalition in a winning position since then.
It is interesting that one of the factors that led Gillard to challenge Rudd was Rudd’s changed position on climate change. Abbott, in part, defeated Gillard because of her changed position on a carbon tax. The issue that has given Turnbull’s opponents ammunition has been his stance on climate change in the form of energy policy
Now having defeated Peter Dutton on Monday, Turnbull has the opportunity to lead his party and his country. He must ignore the polls and defend what he believes in. The reality is that had Dutton won on Monday, the government’s defeat would have been guaranteed because he carries no weight in the southern states.
But one thing is clear: Liberal MP’s must put the nation’s interest above their own. They must represent the membership of the party which gave them the opportunity to serve.
For the past 13 years, Australians have had to endure the most selfish display of personality politics from our federal politicians. what we saw on Monday was just another depressing and deplorable example.
We have squandered the chance to achieve social and economic security and now, with a federal election looming, the indications are that because the public have neither confidence in nor respect for our major political parties, there will be no clear winner and the years of wasted opportunity will continue.
Gough Whitlam once said, “God may well save the Queen, but nothing will save the Governor-general”.
Now we might ask, God may well continue to save the Queen — but who will govern our country?
Australia needs leadership, vision and courage. But first we need unity of purpose from the members of the government.
Have a good day.
Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria.
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