The hypocrisy of Joe Hockey’s call for big business to make the case for his economic reforms is breathtaking. His government’s signature economic ”reform” was to rip up a perfectly good carbon tax. The Prime Minister and Treasurer rightly bet that business groups would sit silently by while this populist policy destruction took place. But having successfully backed business to keep their heads down during one heated economic debate, the Treasurer is now criticising them for doing exactly that on his savage budget.
Why would a chief executive take time out of their schedule to enrage their customers by supporting savage cuts to health and welfare? Myer shareholders paid a hefty price when chief executive Bernie Brookes wandered into politics to slam the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Can you imagine the heads of Coles, Woolworths and the Commonwealth Bank coming out to say ”on behalf of multimillionaire CEOs, we would like to support Joe Hockey’s call to cut the age pension”? The Treasurer is dreaming.
Related documents
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
Eight things you need to know about the Government’s plan to change Australian elections
And eight ideas to improve it
The election exposed weaknesses in Australian democracy – but the next parliament can fix them
Australia has some very strong democratic institutions – like an independent electoral commission, Saturday voting, full preferential voting and compulsory voting. These ensure that elections are free from corruption; that electorate boundaries are not based on partisan bias; and that most Australians turn out to vote. They are evidence of Australia’s proud history as an
Full preferential voting means you can’t waste your vote
Full preferential voting is a proud Coalition reform – one that benefits every political persuasion Compulsory voting and full preferential voting make up the backbone of Australian democracy, and protect us from voter suppression and disengagement seen in other countries. We owe both to the parties of the centre-right, what would become the Liberal–National Coalition.