The Age reports that the Labor party are planning another "assault" on the Greens, with the aid of Dr Evil and Mini Me billboards and a website. The campaign is apparently to be based around the fact that the Greens have occasionally voted with the Liberal party opposition in Victorian parliament. No doubt the billboards will not allude to the fact that Greens voted with the opposition when "the issue at stake was the transparency of the Bracks Government."
Assuming that the report is true, the planned campaign seems nothing short of idiotic. Labor would do better to devote their energies to displacing the Liberal party from power, rather than fighting a party on its own side of political spectrum. One can also wonder why anyone would think that voters would respond positively to Austin Powers allusions or slogans such as "Gottcha" or "Why are the Greens being 'Mini Me' to the Dr Evils in the Liberal Party?".
Unfortunately, Labor's apparent fixation with fighting the Greens can be much more damaging than a few silly billboards. Recall the 2004 election when Labor allocated their preferences to the ultra-conservative Family First party, giving them the balance of power in the Senate. Whether that fiasco has taught Labor to be more responsible in directing their preferences remains to be seen, but the proposed "campaign" suggests we shouldn't get our hopes too high.
June 28th, 2007
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Australian politics, Rudd and Labor, Australian election, Greens |
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The Howard government reportedly had the audacity to "warn" the voters against giving the Greens and minor parties the balance of power in the Senate, stating that the government has used its Senate majority "responsibly" (and so presumably should be entitled to retain it).
According to the government "responsible" use of the Senate majority includes pushing through laws that strip almost all employee rights, abolition and/or stacking of Senate committees, preventing references to these committees, suppression of parliamentary debate, failure to answer questions on notice, or the refusal to provide the information to Senate committees, such as in relation to expenditure on government advertising.
But even their documented abuse of Senate majority aside, the government's statement reveals an arrogant sense of entitlement to rule. They have the power and they do not believe they should ever have to relinquish it. It also reveals a lack of appreciation for the role of the Senate in enabling minor parties and independents to counterbalance the power strangleholds created by rigid party discipline and major party domination of the lower house. Australian democracy functions at its best when neither major party holds the balance of power in the Senate. For the last three years (and in no small part thanks to Labor's idiotic preference allocations in 2004) the ability of the Senate to check major party power has been eroded.
The Howard government does not wish to relinquish its power over the Senate. It wants to rule absolutely. A healthy democracy requires the opposite outcome.
June 26th, 2007
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Howard government, Australian election, Democracy, Greens |
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