Janet Collins
Billy MThe Demise of the Democrats
June 21st 2008 12:02
There has been much written about the demise of the Democrats over this current decade. In The Sydney Morning Herald this weekend, Phillip Hudson provides a history of the party in this decade that pushed it into almost oblivion. The story however omits one significant aspect – the media’s obsession with the Labor and Liberal parties and complete neglect of coverage of what else is on offer.
The Democrats, as Hudson agrees, had significant influence early on in this decade. It had developed its electoral base as a party that could keep governments, whatever their persuasion, in check. “Keeping the Bastards Honest” was the party’s swansong. Their weight was in the numbers of representatives it had in the Senate.
Of course, as Hudson writes, there were many reasons people could argue were at the root of the cause. A defection to a major party, agreement to the Howard Government’s GST introduction, albeit with simple moderations, infighting and leadership challenges – these were just some of them. While these are quite relevant arguments to make for the demise of a political party once relied upon for our protection, I sense there have been other forces at work here.
It cannot be denied that our two major parties have had similar histories to the Democrats. The Liberal Party is now engaged in some serious naval gazing. No longer in government federally, or in any state or territory, the Liberals continue to squabble about leadership and proposals to unite with their coalition partners, The Nationals. In New South Wales, the Liberals don’t even seem to be able to score a hit let alone a punch.
Labor too has had its share of internal fights and leadership challenges. Up until last November’s federal election and the lead up to it, they had assumed a position of little relevance – at least federally. Until Kevin Rudd took over the leadership, Labor was not expected to gain power until at least 2010.
The media has long enjoyed feeding us the stories of all the insider gossip of these political parties, whether or not the information has been dropped easily onto their laptops or there has been some real credible basis for it. We all love to know all the gossip that is going on behind the scenes but does this sort of coverage take away so much of the news space that could be dedicated to other concerns out there in the community?
An example that comes to mind is the issue of carers. Over the last few years this issue has gained momentum, although recently it seems to have disappeared from the headlines. Carers, whether they be family members or ones sought from external sources, have long tried to find a vehicle in which to voice their plight.
They finally got one. Months before last year’s federal election, I heard coverage on News Radio about a new political party that had formed for the carers’ cause. It was called the Carers Alliance. The interview I heard was on a 6:00am news report. It was very interesting. The party was formed by a woman with personal family experience and had given up a very lucrative job to care for a family member. Her name was Mary Lou Carter. What she had discovered in the process was that there were so many carer groups and splinter groups within the whole carers circle that there was no consistency with their messages. Ms Carter united all of these and formed a political party with intentions of winning a seat in the Senate at the last election.
After hearing this, I thought this woman would stand a good chance winning a Senate seat given that our politicians at federal and state levels had continually lamented the plight of the carer. So had the media highlighted this issue as one of particular concern given our rapidly increasing ageing population.
I heard very little of the newly formed Carers’ Alliance after that. This did not help their chances of securing a voice in the Senate at all. In fact, the whole focus of the media throughout the election campaign last year was on he major political parties and their policies. The whole campaign was consumed in issues about whether or not Kevin Rudd would oust our longest serving Prime Minister.
The media along with the politicians tend to get caught up in the hype of an oncoming election. So too do the politicians get a little too obsessed about what the media are willing to promote, the result being of course that some of the real community grievances take all too low a place on a political party’s priority list.
Through the media, and in this way only, do so many Australians learn what is going on out in the community. It is for this reason that the media should assume some responsibility for getting some of the real issues out into the open.
Even in its diminishing years, the Democrats had more to offer than was acknowledged. Hudson’s article talks about the final days of the remaining four Democrats in the Senate, who depart on June 30, and that now both major parties are now recognising the important role they played. A little too late, wouldn’t you say?
The Democrats, as Hudson agrees, had significant influence early on in this decade. It had developed its electoral base as a party that could keep governments, whatever their persuasion, in check. “Keeping the Bastards Honest” was the party’s swansong. Their weight was in the numbers of representatives it had in the Senate.
Of course, as Hudson writes, there were many reasons people could argue were at the root of the cause. A defection to a major party, agreement to the Howard Government’s GST introduction, albeit with simple moderations, infighting and leadership challenges – these were just some of them. While these are quite relevant arguments to make for the demise of a political party once relied upon for our protection, I sense there have been other forces at work here.
It cannot be denied that our two major parties have had similar histories to the Democrats. The Liberal Party is now engaged in some serious naval gazing. No longer in government federally, or in any state or territory, the Liberals continue to squabble about leadership and proposals to unite with their coalition partners, The Nationals. In New South Wales, the Liberals don’t even seem to be able to score a hit let alone a punch.
Labor too has had its share of internal fights and leadership challenges. Up until last November’s federal election and the lead up to it, they had assumed a position of little relevance – at least federally. Until Kevin Rudd took over the leadership, Labor was not expected to gain power until at least 2010.
The media has long enjoyed feeding us the stories of all the insider gossip of these political parties, whether or not the information has been dropped easily onto their laptops or there has been some real credible basis for it. We all love to know all the gossip that is going on behind the scenes but does this sort of coverage take away so much of the news space that could be dedicated to other concerns out there in the community?
An example that comes to mind is the issue of carers. Over the last few years this issue has gained momentum, although recently it seems to have disappeared from the headlines. Carers, whether they be family members or ones sought from external sources, have long tried to find a vehicle in which to voice their plight.
They finally got one. Months before last year’s federal election, I heard coverage on News Radio about a new political party that had formed for the carers’ cause. It was called the Carers Alliance. The interview I heard was on a 6:00am news report. It was very interesting. The party was formed by a woman with personal family experience and had given up a very lucrative job to care for a family member. Her name was Mary Lou Carter. What she had discovered in the process was that there were so many carer groups and splinter groups within the whole carers circle that there was no consistency with their messages. Ms Carter united all of these and formed a political party with intentions of winning a seat in the Senate at the last election.
After hearing this, I thought this woman would stand a good chance winning a Senate seat given that our politicians at federal and state levels had continually lamented the plight of the carer. So had the media highlighted this issue as one of particular concern given our rapidly increasing ageing population.
I heard very little of the newly formed Carers’ Alliance after that. This did not help their chances of securing a voice in the Senate at all. In fact, the whole focus of the media throughout the election campaign last year was on he major political parties and their policies. The whole campaign was consumed in issues about whether or not Kevin Rudd would oust our longest serving Prime Minister.
The media along with the politicians tend to get caught up in the hype of an oncoming election. So too do the politicians get a little too obsessed about what the media are willing to promote, the result being of course that some of the real community grievances take all too low a place on a political party’s priority list.
Through the media, and in this way only, do so many Australians learn what is going on out in the community. It is for this reason that the media should assume some responsibility for getting some of the real issues out into the open.
Even in its diminishing years, the Democrats had more to offer than was acknowledged. Hudson’s article talks about the final days of the remaining four Democrats in the Senate, who depart on June 30, and that now both major parties are now recognising the important role they played. A little too late, wouldn’t you say?
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