Surprise Agendas, Mandates And Codes Of Conduct

Surprised by their surprise 2019 election victory, the Liberal-National Party is searching for an agenda to implement over the next term of Parliament, and trying to convince the public it's all about religious freedom, industrial relations, cutting red tape, green tape, and every other colour of tape. The only problem is that this is as surprising as their surprise election victory. These are issues barely discussed during the election campaign. The LNP won the election, but do they really need to let people know what they plan to do beforehand? Depends on who you talk to.

Mandates? Do these still exist? Tony Abbott had a massive victory in 2013, but proceeded to implement all of the ideas he'd never spoken about with the electorate. And he suffered. Scott Morrison has a bare one (or two) seat majority and he already is saying he has a mandate to introduce his massive tax cut package, which provides huge benefits to high-income earners in the year 2025 and beyond. Is he correct? Again, depends on who you talk to.

Leadership ballots by party memberships were considered to be quaint and oldie-worldie – why get the unwashed masses to vote on the leadership of the party? Because that's how democracy should work. Labor has just held its second rank-and-file leadership ballot, and it works just like a treat. The UK Conservatives have a similar leadership process, and it's time for the Liberal Party to join this new style of leadership selection.

And why are so many people disappointed with Anthony Albanese? Steady on everyone: the job of the Leader of the Opposition just after a crushing election loss is the most thankless task in politics. He's only been there for one month. And there's 34 months before the next election.