The Albanese government has been sound on security. Less impressive has been the posturing on the economy, climate and constitutional change. auspol
It’s understandable that at the first anniversary of the election of the Albanese government we focus on what they’ve changed. But we shouldn’t overlook what they’ve retained from their predecessors.
Then there’s defence. The Defence Strategic Review may not have pleased everyone – understandably – but it represents a huge leap forward from the old Labor defence policy which was designed to do little more than apprehend raiders on Australia’s north coast.For a generation Labor has railed against forward defence and pre-emptive action. Their idea was we wouldn’t act until the enemy had actually landed in Australia.
That’s the good news. Less impressive is the government’s preference for populist political posturing over practical economic reform. But why should Australians pay a disproportionately high price for climate change policies when it contributes just 1.3 per cent of global emissions? The answer lies in populism. The government and elements of the media tell the public if we in Australia reduce our use of cheap fossil fuels and drive electric vehicles there will be fewer bushfires and floods.
So the political classes need to move away from populism, as they have done in foreign and defence policy, and articulate and implement reforms to stimulate productivity. As the Productivity Commission has pointed out, that requires tax and regulatory reforms that will stimulate investment, a much more flexible and responsive labour market, a more creative approach to the adoption of leading-edge technologies and innovation, and a reformation in schools and tertiary education policies.
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