Well, there would have been champagne corks popping in the Israeli embassy and at synagogues around Australia at the news that anti-Israel, pro-Hamas Greens Leader Adam Bandt lost his seat in the election. However, it was not solely due to his political stance. Peter Dutton can take a bow for his principled decision to put the toxic Greens last on the ballot paper, ensuring Liberal preferences flowed to Labor ahead of the Greens. Lobby group Advance also did a strong job targeting Greens-held seats with campaign material highlighting what they called the Greens’ hypocrisy.
I sometimes wonder how otherwise sensible, decent, and reasonably intelligent Australians can vote for the Greens — a party whose policies, even on the environment, are often contradictory, and whose anti-jobs, anti-export stance could turn us into a basket case. I say that knowing several otherwise intelligent members of my own family vote Green.
On that note, Labor has a strong majority and will only need to rely on either LNP or Greens preferences in the Senate.
I say to our LNP Senators: you likely have the ability to make the Greens irrelevant. You can support any Labor legislation in the Senate that isn’t as extreme as what the Greens demand — either by voting for it or, here’s a thought, by abstaining, especially if you don’t support it and Labor won’t amend it for you.
If you abstain, you can say why you won’t support it on the record, but say at least it’s better than what the greens are proposing. That way, you get the best of both worlds without compromising your principles. By allowing Labor legislation to pass, the Greens will become increasingly irrelevant in the Senate, which could either lead to their political demise or force a serious rethink of their policies and approach. Either outcome would be a win for Australia.
The LNP shouldn’t be too downhearted by the result. There are plenty of examples of parties suffering a major loss at one election and bouncing back (witness Campbell Newman in Queensland, who won 78 out of 89 seats in 2012, only to lose government in 2015). If the ALP stumbles and the LNP presents as a credible alternative, they can win in 2028.
At the time of writing, it looks like Angus Taylor will be the Liberal Opposition Leader. But now that Jacinta Price has switched over to the Liberals, the Coalition has a star performer — someone who relates to people, is a woman (and an Indigenous one to boot), a proven vote-winner who expresses the beliefs and hopes of many ordinary Australians in a coherent, and at times even inspiring, way. She may well become Australia’s first Indigenous PM.
At first glance, I thought it seemed a bit underhanded for Jacinta to leave the Nationals and join the Liberals. However, the LNP has been a successful coalition for over 80 years, and some level of cross-pollination is not unusual. In the 1980s, Nationals were involved with the local ACT Liberals, and local Liberals often crossed the border to support the NSW Nationals in Eden-Monaro.
It’s in Australia’s interest to have people like Jacinta in leadership positions where they can do the most good for our country.
