Rethinking Governance

CLIVE PALMER’S ROLLS-ROYCE. Rob Oakeshott’s group hug. Steve Fielding’s beer bottle. Meg Lees’ GST handshake. Pauline Hanson and the Australian flag. These are some of the enduring images of Australian politics. They endure because they are more than the sum of their parts and symbolise some of Australia’s significant political debates. These images endure because they capture larger stories of rise or fall, fleeting or lasting influence. And even though the images may fade (and the focus may change), they endure because the underlying story remains the same. It is a simple story of numbers. For almost all of the last three decades, Australian governments have not had the final word on public policy because they have not had the numbers in parliament. The final word on the shape of major legislation has been spoken by the politician (or party) whose vote has enabled the government to pass the laws that frame policy action. With the current Coalition Government negotiating in the most complex Senate in modern Australian history, no doubt new enduring images will soon emerge.