Australian Democracy at a Tipping Point

Guest Author Uncategorized

Today’s Guest Poster is Paul G. Dellit, from The Australian Independent Media Network. It is a good summary much of what many us have been thinking and saying for a long time.

(Image Credit: Otiose94)

Well, we may well have reached the tipping point between genuine democracy in Australia and the beginnings of creeping fascism. You may think this to be one of those ‘shock-horror’ attention-grabbing opening sentences. It is. And I also believe it to be an unalloyed statement of the danger we now face.

History is littered with hindsight surprise that those with power and those who might have opposed those with power didn’t take action to avoid an obviously looming disaster. Of course, the ‘loomingness’ of disasters is often not appreciated by its contemporaries. It would be naïve to expect otherwise. Couldn’t they see that the South Sea Bubble would burst? Couldn’t they see that a grossly overheated investment market populated with stocks that were either massively overvalued or worthless would result in ever-widening ripples of market failures and a worldwide Great Depression. Couldn’t they see you don’t fix Depressions by reducing the size of economies. Obviously they couldn’t see any of those things. And with the dawning optimism of a new century, they couldn’t even remember them, or if they could, they were playing that ‘main chance’ game of ‘I’ll make what I can make out of this and bugger all of the rest of them who lose the lot’.

Prime Minister Abbott and his acolytes, Ministers Dutton and Morrison, propose the passing of a law that would create a precedent for the end of the rule of law in this country. It would invest a Minister with the powers of policeman, judge and jury to act upon an untested suspicion of guilt to deprive an Australian of his/her citizenship. Following current LNP practice, the reasons for stripping someone of their citizenship would be deemed secret for security reasons. So this Ministerial power would be exercised covertly and absolutely beyond judicial or other form of independent review. The Minister would be required to form his suspicions on the basis of the intelligence provided to him. The name Dr. Haneef immediately springs to mind. But even if our security organisations and the foreign security organisations with whom they trade information were as infallible as our PM believes the Pope to be, and even if they had no self-interested agendas, the Minister invested with this power could exercise it to suit his own ends – say, just before an election – to manufacture a terrorist scare and then appear to be the ‘man of the hour’ who restores our peace of mind (coincidentally winning the votes of a few more undecided Alan Jones listeners to save his marginal seat).

The proponents of changing Australia from a common law country, based upon the separation of powers, to rule by ministerial fiat, as their proposal would enable through the precedent it would establish, argue that they are honourable men who would exercise their new powers dispassionately, wisely, and in the public interest. Of course, this is irrelevant. Laws are not made to fit the character of current holders of high office. They are intended to safeguard against, as far as possible, abuse by those who are partisan, stupid, and prone to act in their own self-interest.

The proposed new law deliberately excludes those safeguards.

Consequently, we need some way of ensuring that the current and all subsequent Ministers, thus empowered, will ensure the intelligence they receive is impeccable, and will interpret that intelligence dispassionately, wisely, and in the public interest.

So let’s run an eye over the proponents of the new law, just for starters.

Malcolm Fraser considered Tony Abbott to be perhaps the most dangerous politician in Australian history. You may have thought that a little hyperbolic. I did. There can be little doubt that our current Prime Minister is the least equipped for high office since Sir William McMahon. And the record also shows that Prime Minister Abbott was able to pass through one of Australia’s finest schools and one of England’s finest universities untouched by exposure to academic research methods, the principles of logic and dispassionate evaluation, the values-free acquisition of knowledge, and even by the evidence that compassion and empathy are fundamental to social cohesion. It is apparent that his academic success is based upon often uncomprehended rote learning, the way he learned and then recited his Catechism as a small child. These are flaws in the makeup of the man that speak to his lack of intelligence and general incompetence.

But as we began to see in the run up to the most recent election, and as more information about Tony Abbott’s past was revealed, we began to understand that Malcolm Fraser’s assessment of him was, if anything, an understatement. We began to see his pathological need to win, we read of his violence against a woman when he lost, we observed his relentless, dishonest, misogynistic attacks upon Julia Gillard as part of his strategy to win office, we heard the litany of lies he told to win office, and the lies he has told about lying and about anything else to suit his purpose, after he had won office.

How could we ever contemplate granting power without safeguards to a person with such a pathological need to win, to get his own way, and to retain power regardless of the consequences for anyone else? Can we imagine Peter Dutton having the stomach to independently exercise his discretion against the wishes of Tony Abbott? It wouldn’t matter if he did. Tony Abbott has the Captain’s right to sack him and bestow that office upon himself if he needed to to get his own way. And can we imagine Scott Morrison doing anything that would compromise his leadership ambitions? Smug self-satisfaction was his only reaction to the human tragedy unfolding daily as the result of the exercise of his Ministerial discretion?

It was some small relief to know that the more intelligent members of Cabinet objected to the extreme Abbott proposal that second generation Australians could be stripped of their citizenship based on nothing more than a Minister’s suspicion, as we have said, covertly exercised and beyond judicial or other independent review.

But now, two thirds of the LNP Back Bench have signed a letter in support of the proposed Abbott law. They may be distinguished as a group for being considered not good enough to serve on the most incompetent Front Bench since Federation, but they may just give Tony the support he needs to make another ‘Captain’s Call’.

If Prime Minister Abbott does cross this Rubicon, so will Australia and God help Australian democracy when Ministers of any stripe use the precedent set by this law to expand its operation into other aspects of our lives to suit their own personal ends.

600 thoughts on “Australian Democracy at a Tipping Point”

  3. Mark Dreyfus QC gets it

    Labor says it has “tremendous concern” about handing a federal minister powers to strip an Australian of their citizenship without a court process.

    On Sunday the shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said Labor was unable to provide detailed guidance about its disposition to citizenship revocation legislation that it had not yet seen, but Dreyfus said he had concerns if ministers gained wide-ranging discretion.

    “We need to know what the government’s proposing, it needs to recognise the seriousness of the step of taking an Australian’s citizenship away, and I think there’s some issues about what the standard of proof would be, who should do it – should it go before a judge or a minister?” Dreyfus told the Insiders program on Sunday morning.

    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/31/labor-questions-plan-to-strip-australian-citizenship-without-court-process

  6. 60 minutes, tonight –

    ‘Callous, cold-hearted’: Pope’s commissioner says George Pell has to go

    CARDINAL George Pell has been condemned over his treatment of abuse victims by the man hand-picked by the Pope to protect children in the Catholic Church.
    In an extraordinary attack aired on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, Peter Saunders said the cardinal had acted with “callousness” and “cold-heartedness”.
    Pope Francis’s specially appointed commissioner for the protection of children added:“I think it’s critical that he is moved aside — that he is sent back to Australia and that the Pope takes the strongest action against him.”

    http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/callous-cold-hearted-popes-commissioner-says-george-pell-has-to-go/story-e6frfmyi-1227377185327

  7. Christmas Island Holiday Park (forthcoming):

    My biggest concern with closing the detention centre is flights to Christmas and Cocos Is. will be slashed as a cost saving measure. No flights = no tourism = no economy.

    Ridding Christmas Island of Yellow Crazy Ants would be a worthwhile job for the “Green Army”, but I’m not holding my breath. (Newman slashed the Fire Ant control program in QLD.)

  8. Someone’s comment on that Lionel Messi goal

    “That moment before he initiated his mazy run, when he just stood there frozen. I think in that instant he calculated all possible future plays within the next 30 seconds, taking into consideration grass length, humidity, and even the NASDAQ index. “

  9. In an extraordinary attack aired on Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes, Peter Saunders said the cardinal had acted with “callousness” and “cold-heartedness”.
    Pope Francis’s specially appointed commissioner for the protection of children added:“I think it’s critical that he is moved aside — that he is sent back to Australia and that the Pope takes the strongest action against him.”

    Blimey, George, you might have to appeal to higher authority for help in dodging this crucifiction! 😉

  28. Agree with most sentiments expressed above but I can’t see Abbott agonising about crossing any Rubicon. Danger to democracy he may be, but hardly a man of Julius Caesar’s stature. Though, if only we could have buried him! Too late, the Ides of March are now well past. Brutus! Where the bloody hell are are you?

    PS One more nit pick – I didn’t like the elitism creeping in up there with comments about those over-tattooed blokes. The sort of thing Abbott himself might say. For myself I think they seem sad. Closely shaved heads are be a good way to hide early loss of hair and a bit of body building work in the gym probably keeps them out of trouble much of the time after work. On a one to one level I find them softies. They also seem to like little dogs when they’re not making a big noise on their motor bikes. Tacker gets on well with them if we meet at the dog beach, and he’s a pretty good judge of character.

  30. Good morning Dawn Patrollers.

    The Pope’s appointee unloads on Pell and calls for his removal and return to Australia to face up to it all.
    http://www.smh.com.au/national/popes-commissioner-for-child-protection-says-cardinal-pell-is-a-dangerous-individual-and-almost-sociopathic-20150531-ghdl9n.html
    10/10 for this cafe owner.
    http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/man-complains-about-breastfeeding-mum-gets-asked-to-leave-cafe-20150530-ghd3yy.html
    It looks now that there is no way SSM legislation won’t get up.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/shorten-working-on-bipartisan-approach-to-samesex-marriage-despite-pushing-ahead-with-labor-bill-20150531-ghdk7e.html
    It won’t go away Tony.
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/31/same-sex-marriage-push-tony-abbott-says-parliament-has-to-focus-on-budget
    Paul Sheehan says Qatar does not deserve the World Cup. He really unloads.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/fifa-scandal-qatar-doesnt-deserve-to-host-the-world-cup-20150531-ghdgx6.html
    Labor needs to step up on this issue.
    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/31/labor-questions-plan-to-strip-australian-citizenship-without-court-process
    Professions end their guilty silence on the failings of the Abbott government.
    https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/professions-end-guilty-silence-on-abbott-government-failures,7774
    How ad blocking is taking hold.
    https://theconversation.com/will-ad-blocking-deal-the-final-death-blow-to-already-failing-online-advertising-42600
    Stephen Koukoulas on the week ahead with economic data and events.
    http://thekouk.com/blog/ahead-this-week-the-2-2-2-2-and-9-economy.html
    The 31 worst things the Liberals did yesterday.
    http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2015/06/01/the-thirty-one-worst-things-the-liberals-did-yesterday-265/

  31. Section 2 . . .

    Shambolic?
    http://www.canberratimes.com.au/world/iraq-lost-thousands-of-armoured-vehicles-to-islamic-state-in-mosul-offensive-pm-20150531-ghdpa2.html
    How Bunnings’ prices are designed to nail customers.
    http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2015/05/31/bunnings-prices-designed-nail-customers/
    Phil Cleary – the dirty secret of our criminal justice system.
    http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-dirty-secret-of-our-criminal-justice-system-20150531-ghcf1j
    After the corporate tax avoidance hearings what now?
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/tax-avoidance-hearings-tough-talk-but-what-are-the-real-returns-20150531-ghcnrf
    Are we ready for an early election asks “View from the Street”.
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/view-from-the-street/view-from-the-street-so-australia-are-you-ready-for-an-early-election-20150531-ghddsq.html
    Tony Wright on Tim Fischer’s assertion that conscription was a scam.
    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/was-conscription-a-scam-tim-fischer-thinks-so-20150529-ghbsqv
    A good citizenship piss take from Pat Campbell.

    The Fairfax cartoon cupboard is bare this morning.

    A good one from Mark Knight on the Adam Goodes dance.

    Of course David Rowe absolutely nails it!

    And John Kudelka explains certain responsibilities.

  33. MrsBrianmcisme has just remarked on the similarities between Blatter and Pell.

    The abuse of of power by both is staggering.

  34. If we are to have “deportation laws”, let us also introduce alongside these laws a “Porteous Clause” , whereby IF an Australian citizen is by ministerial incompetence or accusation stripped of citizenship and deported and thereby terrorised, then ONE minister from the govt’ is, by association, stripped of their citizenship and deported as compensation
    Perhaps we could start with the PM. or the immigration minister?

  37. Pell the Bully threatens legal action after last night’s revelations. Legal action against someone personally appointed by the Pope, as Pell was.That could get interesting.

    Cardinal George Pell to seek legal advice after Pope-appointed commissioner Peter Saunders labels him ‘almost sociopathic’
    http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2015-06-01/cardinal-george-pell-to-seek-legal-advice-after-popeappointed-commissioner-peter-saunders-labels-him/1453656

    http://www.smh.com.au/national/popes-commissioner-for-child-protection-says-cardinal-pell-is-a-dangerous-individual-and-almost-sociopathic-20150531-ghdl9n.html

  39. Pell’s father was a heavyweight boxing champion … (wiki) I’m trying to find out what else Pell has in common with Abbott. Both are always blaming others for their action.

    I wonder what sort of a boy he was. Bongiorno would know, he was his classmate.

  40. leone

    Doesn’t he do that on a regular basis? He cuts funding then has a stunt or some fundraising tour. The carers, domestic violence, people with mental problems and now kids. His hypocrisy knows no bounds.

  41. Abbott prefers to “focus” on the economy … rather than on SSM … Why was he doing one of his stupid stunts today then?

  42. When the budget becomes an aplacorn from SSM you know things aren’t going well in the ship of state.

  43. Stick it to them, Bill!

    2m ago
    11:08
    Daniel Hurst Daniel Hurst
    Shorten’s speech on marriage equality coming up very shortly. At the moment Mal Brough and Bob Baldwin are the only Coalition members in the House. Labor’s senate leader Penny Wong, and new ACT senator Katy Gallagher are on the floor watching.

    http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/jun/01/bill-shorten-introduces-same-sex-marriage-bill-politics-live

    I guess Brough and Baldwin will leave once Bill starts.

  46. No-one on the government front bench. Only a nobody sitting in the PM’s chair.

  47. gigilene
    The hypocritical stunts to raise funds for things he has cut out of the budget seem to be turning into a regular weekend event. The dementia surfing stunt was a week ago. He just can’t get past the stuntboy thing.

    The fun run was yesterday, not this morning. This morning he would have been holed up in his office dreading the idea of Shorten getting all the attention and unable to do a thing about it. Maybe he has a lunchtime visit to a business in Queanbeyan in mind.

  50. Ducky
    I was just about to make the same comment. I hope that gets a lot of publicity.

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