'A combination of deficiencies': the 'disastrous' Morrison government dissected

The competence and teamwork of the current government underline the weaknesses of the Morrison regime.

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https://theconversation.com/a-combination-of-deficiencies-the-disastrous-morrison-government-dissected-200069https://theconversation.com/a-combination-of-deficiencies-the-disastrous-morrison-government-dissected-200069
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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
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Dai, Gaps, House, University of New South Wales Press, Housing, Democracy, Failure, Life, Education, UNSW, Dai Le, Grattan Institute, Liberal Party, Leadership, Morrison government, Aborigine, Policy, Collaboration, Woman, AUKUS, Crime, Walker, COVID, Attitude, Government, Human voice, Parliament, Bullying, Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Representative, Nature, Empathy, Liberal, Climate change, Management, Book, Property management, Health, Treasury
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SYDNEY, MOSCOW, AFGHANISTAN, BEIJING, CHINA, MORRISON, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, UNITED STATES, INDONESIA, MYANMAR, UKRAINE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Summary
Key Points: 
  • The competence and teamwork of the current government underline the weaknesses of the Morrison regime.
  • The contrast between the two styles of leadership reminds us that bullying is no substitute for collaboration and empathy.
  • Review: The Morrison Government: Governing Through Crisis – edited by Brendan McCaffrie, Michelle Grattan and Chris Wallace (UNSW Press).
  • Duckett served as secretary of the federal health department during the Keating government, and is now based at the Grattan Institute.

Rehashing the headlines

    • Too much of the book seems as if it is rehashing the headlines, while the criticisms are for the most part predictable.
    • Aboriginal people can laugh; there are few things more joyous for me than hearing Aboriginal people laugh.
    • In many of these areas, such as aged care and robodebt, it would be difficult to find much support for the government’s actions.
    • Read more:
      'Amateurish, rushed and disastrous': royal commission exposes robodebt as ethically indefensible policy targeting vulnerable people

Mind the gaps

    • Inevitably, there are gaps in a book of this nature.
    • The shameful ongoing treatment of offshore asylum seekers, some of whom have now been imprisoned for longer than most criminals, deserves more than passing attention.
    • The very title of the book suggests that we are moving towards a semi-presidential system, with a declining understanding of the conventions of cabinet government.
    • Even major foreign policy challenges, such as the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and the continued military repression in Myanmar go unmentioned.
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