This final instalment of the review of the year looks at the paradox of Labor’s massive election win and dominance in federal politics, yet governing with the caution of a weak and fragile government.
What if Labor Cabinet is in fact doing everything it wants to? What if Albo, Marles, Wong all in fact willingly support arming and subsidizing and hosting the Z10n1 Nakba and US invasions? What if Plibersek was the exception to the rule, by appearing to be actually interested in ecological protections, and so not given any power to protect them, and then replaced by Watts, who openly prioritizes fossil fuels above the sacred duty of his democratic portfolio (with only token protection of forests because they absolutely had to)? What if all this Labor sh1tfu34ery is not situational or temporary, but rather the dominant Party theme, long demonstrating itself to be almost as authoritarian, polluting, imperialist, and anti-Palestinian as the Lib-Nats, yet constantly allowed to get away with it, just because they're not 'as bad'? What if Labor Ministers' behavior over the decades has mostly demonstrated (there are worthy exceptions!) a commitment to harmful profiteering over good governance? Labor is not decency's mate any more, but The Greens still are.
Yes. I have long thought that the best thing going for the ALP is that they are not the coalition. Therefore “not as bad,” although the difference is barely discernible. If it has become a little more obvious recently its only because the coalition has moved further into One Nation territory. I saw this decades ago on economic issues, it was magnified on climate issues and even blind freddy should be able to see it when it comes to the genocide of the Palestinian people.
There is so much to unpack here with respect to the tepid agenda and character of this version of the ALP.
But to focus on just one aspect, if Albanese thinks he’s being smart by occupying conservative territory and thereby marginalising the LNP, we are all in for a very nasty shock when the Right seizes its only recourse with the type of grotesque populism and culture wars we see elsewhere, most notably the US. Murdoch and co are egging this on because it suits their business model and we’ve already seen the players in the LNP migrating further to the fringe and ONA. The Trump administration has made no secret that it is willing to fund White grievance groups and sow discord and given the established pathways of influence that flow this way from Washington, it is a very concerning prospect.
All the best for ‘26 and keep up the excellent work.
If Labor doesn’t pivot to something meaningfully bolder next year, I’m not convinced it ever will. At times, the government feels like what a Turnbull administration might have looked like had he not lost the climate wars inside his own party. Earlier this month I published a piece (similar title, different content) setting out where Labor should be acting on the structural pressures that now demand reform: housing affordability, productivity, the clean-energy transition, and First Nations empowerment. The link is here: https://callumscolumn.substack.com/p/labors-paradox
What if Labor Cabinet is in fact doing everything it wants to? What if Albo, Marles, Wong all in fact willingly support arming and subsidizing and hosting the Z10n1 Nakba and US invasions? What if Plibersek was the exception to the rule, by appearing to be actually interested in ecological protections, and so not given any power to protect them, and then replaced by Watts, who openly prioritizes fossil fuels above the sacred duty of his democratic portfolio (with only token protection of forests because they absolutely had to)? What if all this Labor sh1tfu34ery is not situational or temporary, but rather the dominant Party theme, long demonstrating itself to be almost as authoritarian, polluting, imperialist, and anti-Palestinian as the Lib-Nats, yet constantly allowed to get away with it, just because they're not 'as bad'? What if Labor Ministers' behavior over the decades has mostly demonstrated (there are worthy exceptions!) a commitment to harmful profiteering over good governance? Labor is not decency's mate any more, but The Greens still are.
Yes. I have long thought that the best thing going for the ALP is that they are not the coalition. Therefore “not as bad,” although the difference is barely discernible. If it has become a little more obvious recently its only because the coalition has moved further into One Nation territory. I saw this decades ago on economic issues, it was magnified on climate issues and even blind freddy should be able to see it when it comes to the genocide of the Palestinian people.
Nice summary, Eddy.
There is so much to unpack here with respect to the tepid agenda and character of this version of the ALP.
But to focus on just one aspect, if Albanese thinks he’s being smart by occupying conservative territory and thereby marginalising the LNP, we are all in for a very nasty shock when the Right seizes its only recourse with the type of grotesque populism and culture wars we see elsewhere, most notably the US. Murdoch and co are egging this on because it suits their business model and we’ve already seen the players in the LNP migrating further to the fringe and ONA. The Trump administration has made no secret that it is willing to fund White grievance groups and sow discord and given the established pathways of influence that flow this way from Washington, it is a very concerning prospect.
All the best for ‘26 and keep up the excellent work.
If Labor doesn’t pivot to something meaningfully bolder next year, I’m not convinced it ever will. At times, the government feels like what a Turnbull administration might have looked like had he not lost the climate wars inside his own party. Earlier this month I published a piece (similar title, different content) setting out where Labor should be acting on the structural pressures that now demand reform: housing affordability, productivity, the clean-energy transition, and First Nations empowerment. The link is here: https://callumscolumn.substack.com/p/labors-paradox