While Clive Palmer tries to bluster his way out of questions about his latest business troubles at the Queensland Nickel refinery, his political irrelevance has long been on display in Canberra. He is the leader of a party with one Senate vote and a House of Representatives seat that he could barely bother to front for in Parliament.
For a time, things were very different. By dint of an outsized personality and tens of millions of dollars of well-timed advertisements, Palmer tapped in to a mood of resentment towards the major parties to secure three Senate spots and strong polling across the country based on (false) perceptions that he was a political outsider. With the canny exploitation of a naive Ricky Muir, Palmer turned his 2013 election result into a powerful Senate voting bloc.
But as is often the case with micro-parties that taste success, it all fell apart: personality clashes caused two senators to abandon him, while Muir unexpectedly acquired some political thoughtfulness. And Palmer’s basic political tactic — a procession of stunts and over-the-top claims designed to keep the media distracted from subjecting him to real scrutiny — proved finite in its effectiveness. One way or another, Palmer will be gone from federal politics in 2016.
Palmer’s temporary success reflects how susceptible a segment of the electorate is to the appeal of personalities who boast of their outsider status and disdain for conventional politics. Twice in the last 20 years, political movements have emerged from Queensland that threatened to destabilise the federal party system — first Pauline Hanson, then Clive Palmer, although the two share little ideologically.
The major parties would do well to reflect on what might happen if someone with fewer political flaws than Palmer or Hanson succeeded in tapping into that well of discontent.
‘Palmer’s temporary success reflects how susceptible a segment of the electorate is to the appeal of personalities…’
…and how susceptible the electorate is to heavily funded media campaigns by the wealthy. The US political system relies on billions of dollars invested for every new president, let’s not go down that path even a short distance.
“… a procession of stunts and over-the-top claims designed to keep the media distracted from subjecting him to real scrutiny — proved finite in its effectiveness.”
If only Palmer had been the only beneficiary of this ability of the msm to be distracted so easily. They are all so anxious to keep on the best side of politicians in case they be denied leaks or interviews that they humbly accept whatever limitations the politicians choose to set regarding interview topics.
Craven is a good word and there are times when I think prostitution is not unfair. Turnbull is getting away with zilch at present. Just that fact that he is not Abbott does not make him a satisfactory leader.
What “might” happen – if someone less flawed than Hanson and Palmer “Bobbed” up?
Like Brown? Don Chipp?
Every now and then someone does – in spite of opinionated msm editing our view of reality …. is Xenophon’s party-time upon us?
I’d be happy if the major parties contained fewer individuals with major personality flaws – obsequiousness, blind obedience, pig ignorance in the unholy amalgam with overweening arrogance and sheer greedy gullibility. And that’s just for starters.
Crikey seems to have real blind spot when it comes to Independents – most of whom have been stalwart defenders of their electorate (yeah, yeh, weird I know but it IS called the House of Representatives, constantly re-elected (Ted Mack, Peter Andren, Sens Xenophon, Harradine) and usually with increasing majorities while LibLab flounder.
Then their is the real berte noire of BK, Bowe & Grundle, the Greens because they are exemplars, and beneficiaries, of the electorate’s pox-on-both-their-houses regard for the old, corrupt & incompetent standard model.
it is dead but keeps moving, due to the necrotic worms eating its guts.
The problem for any contender is money. Xenophon seems to be stumbling because of a lack of it and it advantages incumbents who cannot be dislodged. Our system is buggered certainly in the House of Reps.