Scott Morrison is facing a fierce backlash from voters over last week’s disgusting self-indulgence by the Liberals, even though he had little to do with it. But if he’s to either be competitive with Labor at the election — a prospect dismissed as unlikely by many now, but remember how Tony Abbott turned around the Liberals in 2010 — or save the furniture, there are some key issues he needs to address:
Explain why Malcolm Turnbull was removed. It’s crucial that Morrison doesn’t repeat Labor’s error in 2010 of failing to explain to Australians why their Prime Minister had to be removed. No one cared in 2015 because we were delighted to see the back of Abbott. But without an explanation, voters will reach their own conclusion, that the Liberals are more interested in settling scores than running the country. And “Turnbull couldn’t unite the party”, which is the line Mathias Cormann has been running, isn’t anywhere near enough.
Make wage stagnation the government’s key economic focus. Morrison and his new Treasurer Josh Frydenberg have a great story to tell on jobs growth. But with unemployment at 5.3%, the majority of voters don’t care about new jobs, they care about their wages, and the government has refused to take the issue seriously. MYEFO, or better yet an end-of-year mini-budget, should be used to provide more realistic WPI forecasts and describe a plan to tackle them — perhaps starting by increasing income tax cuts, even if dumping the company tax cuts provides little funding in the immediate future.
Take back control of of immigration. As the man who so successfully “stopped the boats”, Morrison is well-placed to address the issue that lurks at the heart of the immigration “debate” in Australia — that we’ve lost control of our borders. This time, it’s not maritime arrivals, which push the buttons of a white colonial settler culture, but regular immigration into cities — Sydney and Melbourne — unprepared for such a high volume of new arrivals.
With David Coleman from Western Sydney as the new Immigration minister and Alan Tudge from Melbourne as population minister, Morrison needs to signal to voters in those cities that he has a policy, in cooperation with the NSW, Victorian and relevant local governments, to minimise the negative impacts of immigration on housing and infrastructure. And that must include the road pricing inquiry promised by the Turnbull government way back in 2016.
New financial regulatory arrangements. It’s clear from the banking royal commission that not merely is financial “regulator” ASIC little short of a joke, but the once well-respected APRA is also useless. ASIC needs to be dumped as the consumer financial services guardian and replaced with the ACCC, and Morrison and Frydenberg will have to do something that every fibre of their Liberal beings will object to — impose an aggressive regulator on the banks. Pity the new Assistant Treasurer is Stuart Robert, a man there purely for doing Morrison’s numbers, not for any ministerial talent.
Start restoring voter trust in government. The best way to signal to the electorate that politics is not an enclave for the influential and wealthy is an independent federal anti-corruption body along the lines of a NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, followed by a fundamental overhaul of political donation laws
Kill off Labor’s cynical Catholic school campaign.The Turnbull government commendably tried to properly implement the original Gonski education funding recommendations, which meant more funding for public schools and reducing the funding increase to the greedy, gouging Catholic school sector only up to as much as it would have received under a proper allocation. Labor lied that this was a funding cut and have reaped the political benefits ever since. There’s no political choice but to cut a deal with the Catholic sector — a policy tragedy and a win for sectarian parasites, but crucial to the Coalition’s electoral chances.
What do you think of Morrison’s chances? Send us your responses to boss@crikey.com.au.
Nothing about an energy policy then? Nothing on emissions reductions? The transition of the economy away from fossil fuels and toward new technology? Or perhaps looking at an increase in Newstart?..Nothing on attempting to make home ownership possible for anyone who’s parents aren’t multi-millionaires? Have I traveled through a worm hole and ended up at the Financial review?
In fairness, the likelihood of any Liberal politician ever using the words “emission target” again is zero. If that is considered an achievement, then that is all that Abbott’s gang got out of their spree last week.
As for the likelihood of affirmative socio economic policy, I expect that Morrison prays that “trickle down” will eventually work and deliver that, but as to anything more assertive than that, well.. wouldn’t be holding my breath!
The supreme irony is Morrison rushing off to Queensland farmers doing it tough because of extreme climate. The political climate may have a bit too do with it too – unfortunately for the Liberal Party they have pushed their thermometer’s too far up to recover without the help of a surgeon!
100% of NSW has been declared in drought and 57% of QLD….Why exactly did Morrison rush off to QLD cause it sure as shit isn’t about drought.
Simply about seats. Shoring up seats for the LNP.
“Don’t worry about climate change : get the photos.”
Morrison could work to ensure the exit of the destructive Abbott from the parliament at the next election: that would demonstrate leadership and strength. Not holding my breath.
Appoint him Ambassador to the Holy Ses
sea
See.
Atlantic Sea methinks. Put him in the Titanic – I would help fund his one-way ticket. He certainly has played the role of the Iceberg well in foundering the Liberal Apathy.
Bernard, stop trying to save the Liberal party from itself. We are the ones that need to be saved from THEM.
Do us all a favour and write to Liberal HQ, demanding they split into two parties –
Conservative/National Party and the small l Liberal Party. They need some lengthy time in opposition to sort themselves out.
What sleuth and Rabid Hamster said. It’s all very well advising Morrison w
How to fight off Labor, but surely he’s just as worried that his current chair only has two legs.
And because the RWNJs failed to get their man in the big chair, I’m sure it won’t be long before one of those two legs gets kicked out from under him.
Talcum’s straddling of the barbed wire fence certainly lost him his balls – assuming that he had any in the first place.
Same as being middle of the road – one tends to be hit by traffic form both directions.
You claim they have a “Great story to tell” on jobs. Sorry Bernard, but I don’t buy it…..no matter how often you desperately try to sing their praises.
Yes, Unemployment *finally* hit 5.3% for the first time since this mob took government. However, you forgot to mention that labour force participation dropped by 0.2% during that same period, which more than accounts for this small drop in the official unemployment rate. You also conveniently ignore the fact that *trend* unemployment is still tracking closer to 5.5%-5.6%, the ongoing high levels of underemployment or the fact that they cannot point to a *single* policy to account for the current unemployment rates (unless you count the uber-dodgy “Work for the Dole” & Internship schemes-which were more about hiding unemployment than reducing it. Indeed, the bulk of their actions to date have been to *destroy* employment-particularly in the manufacturing sector.
Lastly, funny how the MSM never felt it necessary to sing Labor’s praises when they got unemployment down to barely 5%, in spite of the GFC.
I’m going to keep banging on about this whenever the subject comes up. This unemployment figure is completely meaningless as it includes those working only 1 hour a week.
How do they measure “jobs” these daze? Where are those goal posts now?
“Great news. Head office has approved your casual mortgage, that you can pay off with your casual wages.”
Also, Bernard. Contrary to what you claim, Gonski 2.0 still delivered more fund to wealthy private school than to the public school sector.
Also, its a bit rich to describe anything Labor does, in relation to school funding, as “cynical”, when one considers all the lies, manipulation & obfuscation that went on between Gillard’s announcement of Gonski 1.0 & Malcontent’s cynical ploy to announce Gonski 2.0.