Breaking the cycle of short term politics

Abstract

The big loser in the recent election is not the ALP, it is our grandchildren. Electoral success based on populist short term policies (tax breaks and coal jobs) act as a brake on action to address the long term challenges the country faces (climate, indigenous disadvantage). This success is not a function (purely) of Bill Shorten’s unpopularity, it arises because of the ignorance and / or denial of a (small) majority of voters about the nature and importance of those long term challenges and the urgency required to deal with them. The only way to overcome this is to engage citizens themselves in the development of policy options through an independent commission advised by the best minds in the country.

Keywords: Sustainability Commission, populist short term policies, tax breaks, coal jobs, political leadership, climate change, ecological systems, social cohesion, economic challenges and environmental issues

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