For some time, the key question about the character of the Rudd Government has been whether there is any substance behind the symbolism and spin — brilliant as it is.
The evidence so far suggests the Prime Minister is unwilling to make potentially unpopular decisions — or even leave an impression that he would consider them. Ruling out cutting, or even restructuring payments to carers suggested an unwillingness to offend in the name of more rational policy.
And now Rudd, despite signalling a willingness to pursue a “root and branch” review of the taxation system, has pre-emptively ruled out reconsidering the GST rate. Not to be pedantic, but it won’t exactly be “root and branch” when one of the key components of the tax system is off-limits.
The Prime Minister still appears to be operating within the mindset of Opposition. His method as Opposition Leader was to minimise differences with the Government and thereby maximise his support. Hard policy decisions, ones that were likely to create losers in the name of greater community benefit, were avoided or delayed.
Now that he’s in office, he’s doing the same thing. When would there ever be a better time to review all aspects of the taxation system, including the GST, and capital gains tax, and superannuation, than at the start of his term, when the Government is tens of points clear of the Opposition in the opinion polls and riding the wave of Rudd’s immense personal popularity?
Instead, Rudd won’t even let a putative review, one supported across the political spectrum, consider the GST. It’s not as if he’s being asked to endorse the review’s outcomes in advance. But the Prime Minister is reacting like an opposition leader worried he might offend key voting demographics.
We’ve already got a Leader of the Opposition. He’s not particularly effective, but that’s no reason for Rudd to be doing his job for him.
Political capital must be spent. It can’t be hoarded. Eventually it dissipates if unused. The Budget now looms not merely as a key test for Brendan Nelson, but for the Prime Minister as well. A failure to take some seriously hard decisions, decisions that hurt, and generate criticism and discomfort for the government, will confirm that Rudd is all about spin. You can’t govern successfully and effectively without p-ssing some people off and copping some bad headlines. Rudd needs to make maximum use of his own and his government’s popularity to take unpopular decisions, and sell them as necessary.
Trying to preserve his popularity by not offending anyone won’t work, not for the country and not for his own government.
I agree that he has done absolutely nothing substantive yet as a leader. He has begun the dismantling of Howard’s industrial relations policy but that is as it should be and was the reason he was voted in. It is still too early to criticise the Ruddmeister no matter how infuriatingly concerned he is with image…he is a pollie first and foremost! The media have to take on their proper role and, in that regard, I enjoyed Mr. Keane’s article as a positive!
I didn’t make it to the Summit, but after seeing them in action I am very relieved. A singular non event! At least I hope it is singular. But here’s an idea anyway.
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Increase the GST for stationary power sources (electrical generation) on a sliding scale. Gas fired combined cycle plant 5%, black coal 8%, brown coal 10%. Simple cycle gas fired plant should attract 15%, because any fool who uses our precious gas resources at about 20% thermal efficiency shouldn’t be getting away with it. It’s worse than brown coal! The company that does it pretends to be green. Renewable GST should be reduced by 5%,
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All funds to be put into renewable energy research. Oops sorry about that. It couldn’t possibly work because it is a carbon tax.
Don’t expect to much from Rudd. The expertise a Politician needs these days has got nothing to do with being able to run a country, It’s about sucking up to big business, the media and celebrities to either get into power or to stay.
“We’ve already got a Leader of the Opposition. …. no reason for Rudd to be doing his job for him.” Cracking line that. Very funny. Talk about ‘reforming the centre’ all just another phrase for seeking to annexe the non aligned centre with access and flattery at 2020. Your point about brilliance is true as per A.R.T. princple (Another Rudd Triumph). But I and many now have the guy tagged. There is a real ecologically limited world out there. Careful what you wish for, is the notion that will apply to those in office trapped by their own machine and 20C political economy mindset. We just don’t live in that world anymore. Peak oil, food riots, population to plateaux at 9Billion, at 390 ppMil C02 yet “Science puts a number on survival – Environment – smh.com.au 2 Jan 2008”. That number is 350 ppMil. It’s all going to end in tears, and our ‘leaders’ are too gutless to tell people when they actually have a right to know the TRUTH. When the proverbial cyclone hits Brisbane it’s too late.