The Wrap with Amy Remeikis

It says something about these mnemonic political times how noteworthy it is when a politician tells the truth.

Which is why it’s usually left to former politicians.

Christopher Pyne did exactly that when he belled the cat about what the Coalition’s nuclear plan is actually about in a recent opinion piece published in the Sydney Morning Herald.

During his 26 years in parliament, Pyne was a master at obfuscation. He would deploy it with charm, but one of his main strengths, at least for his political allies, was muddying the waters. Give someone a line, repeat it with confidence and before you knew it, the conversation was over what Pyne actually meant, rather than the policy itself.

Here’s a classic example:

But freed from the shackles of politics, and more obviously in the business of lobbying, Pyne is now free to pull back the curtain and gleefully point at the distractions behind it.

In his column, written at a time when most people are still attempting to shut out politics and enjoy life, Pyne spells out what he considers the genius of Peter Dutton’s nuclear ‘policy’.

“…in more good news for Dutton, by the time anyone has worked out that the likelihood of a nuclear power plant actually being commissioned in Australia is, let’s be generous and say, limited, the election cycle will well and truly have clicked over,” he writes in the January 7 column.

“If nuclear power never happens, the Coalition can hardly turn back the clock. This is a seismic shift that has been achieved with almost no animus.

“In many ways, Dutton has already won – he has united the Liberal party room, navigated the debate about future energy policy away from coal and moved the Coalition to an acceptance of action on climate change that eluded former opposition leader Brendan Nelson and prime ministers Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, without losing any skin.”

And there you have it. In plain black and white. The nuclear ‘policy’ the coalition plan on basing their upcoming election campaign around isn’t designed to do anything other than distract the political sphere and keep the coalition party room united.

It is not about securing Australia’s energy security, acknowledging the need for an energy transition, or even, as Pyne says, an admission from the Coalition party room that climate change is happening (Queensland’s LNP environment minister Andrew Powell said as recently as last month that he stands by his skeptism regarding human involvement in climate change).

It’s about owning some political space, distracting from the very necessary and real need for the transition to renewable energy, and prolonging the life of fossil fuels in Australia. You only need to look at who supports the policy to see that.

So Pyne feels comfortable enough to spell out what the policy is – and isn’t – about. And yet his admission barely raised a ripple. That in itself is not unusual. There is a habit in political journalism to assume policies are put forward in good faith, and therefore should be examined on its merits, not on the underlying reasons or context in which it has been offered.  Combine that with the habit of turning politics into a horse race, where the winner is whoever manages the politics of the day better, rather than an examination of policy and public good, and even when the curtain gets pulled back, not a lot of people care to look.

Which brings us back to belling the cat. Because the moral of that fable is that while the mice know that the way to live securely is to put a bell around the barn cat’s neck so they can hear it coming, no one has the bravery to actually do it. The mice in that tale, continue to live under threat.

That takes us to another admission in the summer papers, this time from the Australian Financial Review, which on the same day Pyne was pointing out the deflect and distract strategy of the coalition, published it’s view on Australian think tanks.

“The mission of Australian think tanks should be to give frank and fearless advice that challenges government policy. That goal is jeopardised when think tanks rely on government funding.

“Think tanks may be a niche topic. However, independent think tanks can play a vital role in a liberal democracy. By participating in a genuine contest of ideas, these organisations can help governments navigate complicated public policy challenges.”

The Fin doesn’t mention the Australia Institute in its editorial (the focus is on the Varghese review into grants, which included the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and his recommendation the annual funding be replaced by a competitive process opened to other institutions) but the point remains.

If politicians aren’t going to lay out what is best for the nation, then there needs to be trust that someone will. And for that frank and fearless advice and research to be trusted, those institutions should be independent – including in the way they are funded. The Australia Institute does not accept donations or grants from political parties for a reason. As Institute director Richard Denniss says, “we barrack for ideas, not political parties”.

“The mission of Australian think tanks should be to give frank and fearless advice that challenges government policy.

That goal is jeopardised when think tanks rely on government funding.”

#auspol

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— The Australia Institute (@australiainstitute.org.au) January 8, 2025 at 10:46 AM

We’ve spoken before about the importance of trust – and how much we value yours. As the 2025 political year gets under way with election looming, that’s more important than ever. The deflect and distract strategy is out in full force and it’s not limited to just one side of politics. We will continue to contextualise what is happening, while relying on the research to guide us into creating the best possible solutions for you, and the nation.

The political year is going to kick off just after January 26, when Anthony Albanese will deliver his set piece speech for the year at the National Press Club. We’re hard at work, but hope you’re still taking a break. Think of this newsletter as a ‘hey – thinking of you’ rather than a call back into action. That will come soon enough. In the meantime, we hope you are getting some rest and recharging. It’s too much to ask for anyone to relax with the world as it is, but know that you aren’t alone.

As always, take care of you.

Amy x

— Amy Remeikis is the Chief Political Strategist at the Australia Institute

The Big Stories

$10k Santos fine manifestly inadequate

A $10,000 fine issued to Santos for a large oil spill off the coast of Western Australia is little more than a slap on the wrist for the multi-billion-dollar gas company.

But it’s a slap in the face for anyone concerned with protecting Australia’s natural environment.

Santos has been fined just $10,000 for a huge oil spill off the coast of WA.

That’s less than the average Australian household paid for groceries last year.
#auspol @markogge.bsky.social

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— The Australia Institute (@australiainstitute.org.au) January 8, 2025 at 3:41 PM

“The fine was less than the average Australian household paid for groceries in 2024, and around one-third of the average HECs debt for young people in their twenties,” said Mark Ogge, Principal Advisor at The Australia Institute.

“It speaks volumes about corporate Australia that Santos is spending far more on aggressive legal tactics to deter scrutiny from organisations like the Environmental Defenders Office, which is trying to protect Australia from exactly these kinds of incidents, than they are required to pay in fines when they are caught out.”

Read more >

Where is the RBA?

Inflation is under control and the economy is barely staying out of recession. But the Reserve Bank has decided to take more than two months off before deciding if a rate cut is needed, writes Chief Economist Greg Jericho.

The November Consumer Price Index inflation figures out this week showed that inflation in the past year rose 2.3%, marginally up from 2.1% in October.

Now is the time for the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates, and yet the RBA board does not meet until the 17th and 18th of February. At that point they will have not met for over two months. There is no justification for having such a large break.

Read more > 

The Win

Greenland “not for sale”

Donald Trump wants to annex Greenland to the United States, dispatching son, Donald Jnr, to the world’s biggest island to distribute “Make Greenland Great Again” baseball caps. Back in 2019, President Trump declared the autonomous province of Denmark should be put up for sale.

Now he’s refusing to rule out taking it by force. Danish PM Mette Frederiksen was quick to slap down the idea, telling reporters – simply – “Greenland is not for sale”.

The Bin

California on fire

At least seven people are dead and thousands of buildings destroyed as as a result of winter wildfires in California.

According to CNN, this wildfire disaster could become the costliest in America history.

The Quote

“Can you imagine how much respect you get from Trump for doing a dumb deal?”

– Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s 29th Prime Minister, speaking to Dr Emma Shortis about the AUKUS submarine deal on the After America podcast

Watch >

Podcasts

Okay, it’s not ALL Greg’s fault | Dollars & Sense

Greg and guest host Adam Gottschalk discuss the media panic over the falling Aussie dollar, what it means for Greg’s Vegas blackjack losses, and how markets are responding to the incoming Trump administration.

Listen now:

Bad cop with Lech Blaine | Follow the Money

Award-winning writer Lech Blaine traces the making of Peter Dutton – from Queensland detective to leader of the Opposition – on this Summer Book Club episode of Follow the Money.

Listen now:

What’s On

Climate Integrity Summit 2025 | Wednesday 12 February 2025

As the world’s 13th largest economy and the world’s third largest fossil fuel exporter, Australia has a special responsibility to lead the effort in a global transition away from fossil fuels and to help our nation’s trading partners, regional neighbours and those most vulnerable to the climate crisis to respond accordingly.

The 2025 Climate Integrity Summit will show Australia’s domestic and international integrity influences the international context and how the 2025 federal election outcome will shape global climate action.

Hosted at Parliament House in Canberra, the Summit brings together prominent international and local experts, including humanitarian Craig Foster, Palau’s Permanent Representative to the UN Her Excellency Ilana Seid, Senator David Pocock, G7+ General Secretary Dr Helder da Costa, and Tiwi Islands campaigner Antonia Burke.

Tickets are limited, so book your place now.

Tickets >