As the climate argument meanders slowly through the science it is becoming more apparent that the “Canberra bubble” is a misnomer. “Canberra vacuum” better describes the thinking related to our national capital’s climate change policy.
Further evidence that our Canberra decision-makers are comfortable in their vacuum comes from a report in the Sun-Herald of 8 December by Michael Koziol.
Headed “Liberals look for climate realist to deny Steggall a second term”, this outlines a Liberal strategy (if you call it that) to dislodge Zali Steggall, the Independent who took Warringah from Tony Abbott at the last election, ending his 25-year incumbency. This was despite the Liberal Party allegedly spending at least $1.5 million in the electorate to fend her off.
Those vying for Liberal preselection for the seat at the next election, and their advisers and Liberal heavies, detail in the report their scheme to deceive the voters of Warringah. They plan to install a candidate who, “at the very least” accepts the climate science and supports pragmatic climate and environmental policies, according to Koziol.
“I don’t think the community wants to keep having an argument about climate change . . . They want to see practical things happen, whatever they may be,” said James Griffin, the State MP for the seat of Manly, which sits within Warringah. He is undoubtedly right on both counts but, given the Coalition’s steadfast record of climate change denial, its enthusiasm for coal and its reluctance to embrace renewable energy, would any successful Liberal candidate have a chance of pushing through the desire of a clear majority of Warringah voters to adopt renewable energy as part of a low carbon future? Warringah voters are, after all, in a prime position to bear the brunt of sea level rise and any cyclones that follow warmer ocean temperatures down the coast, both of which, according to the latest climate science, are now expected sooner than previously thought.
Well, it seems a successful Liberal candidate would not be expected to do anything like pushing for the electorate’s desire for a progressive climate and energy policy.
Let us hear from Felicity Wilson, the Liberal MP who holds North Shore, the seat adjoining Warringah: “We don’t have to have a socially progressive Liberal Party but we do have to have candidates and members who reflect the interests of each individual electorate, and then they can hash it out in Canberra.”
So there you have it. The Liberals want another member like Tony Abbott, expected to take a seat in Parliament but not expected to do anything about the most urgent issue of our time. Even if another miracle occurred and a majority of Liberal climate believers was elected entrenched attitudes and the coal lobby would surely prevail.
Warringah residents will also remember the TV footage of Tony Abbott scuttling out of the House of Representatives to escape voting on the same-sex marriage bill. One would have thought that the Warringah Liberal Party local branch might have noticed that these two episodes — failure to accept the consequences of climate change and failure to vote on the same-sex marriage bill according to the clear wishes of his electorate — clearly demonstrated that Mr Abbott had not grasped the first principle of democracy: those elected represent those who elected them. This is not too abstruse but it remains to be seen whether the local Liberal branch will start using its collective head.
Among those choosing the next Liberal Warringah candidate will be Dave Sharma, the member for Wentworth who regained that seat for the Liberals from Independent Kerryn Phelps at the last election. Sharma demonstrated the extent of the Canberra vacuum the Liberals have spun themselves into by saying Warringah voters needed to be “reassured the person they elect will take the [climate] issue seriously and make a contribution”.
Sharma is surely right on both points. But whether the Liberals will be able to find a person who is conflicted enough to stand as their candidate and to take the climate issue seriously is one thing. Whether that person could “make a contribution” from within the strictures of the Coalition’s backward-looking climate policy is something else entirely.
So it appears Zali Steggall is the person best placed to satisfy Sharma’s requirements — and those of a majority of Warringah voters.
Rory McGuire is a Sydney-based journalist. His main interests are climate change, renewable energy and the Middle East.
John Menadue is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.
Comments
8 responses to “RORY McGUIRE.-Canberra isn’t a bubble. It’s a vacuum.”
“Canberra” is a normal and convenient way of referring to our national government, like referring to London, Washington or Berlin. Nevertheless I quite understand why Canberrans might take offence at being tarred with the Federal brush wielded by this government. So, and especially as the ACT is leading the States and territories in the push towards low emissions, I apologise to all I have offended. It seems the smaller the state or territory, the more sensible it is.
I wanted to know which ‘faction’ Ms WIlson belongs to (it’s the ‘Moderate’ faction).
It appears, however, that Ms Wilson barely retained, in November 2018, her preselection (101 votes to 100 with 4 abstentions out of a total of 205 votes) because of highly questionable personal behaviours. Ms Wilson failed to provide members of the Mosman, Clifton Gardens, Mosman West, and Cremorne Point party branches with a complete account of her residential history and full answers about her academic record. A Supreme Court challenge in January 2019 by her Rightist rival Tim James – a former chief of staff to Planning Minister Anthony Roberts – failed.*
On such deep and profoundly bitter shenanigans does Australia’s national policy depend.
*Sources: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-02/liberal-mp-felicity-wilson-loses-key-liberal-party-support/10458056
and https://www.nambuccaguardian.com.au/story/5876329/nsw-liberal-mp-survives-court-challenge/.
Gerald & Felix,
Canberra as in “Canberra bubble” is an adjective rather than a pejorative reference to you and your fellow inmates: a metaphor if you like. In fact, the “Canberra bubble” is like an isolation ward protecting you from the rubble, the rabble that babble.
When the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition shout at each other in the House across the perineum, we do not give a thought to you. Sorry.
It’s obvious that Rory McGuire is referring to the “bubble” in our Federal Parliament and not to the City of Canberra or the Australian Capital Territory, so don’t take umbrage at the term “Canberra Bubble”.
I agree that the political leadership on global warming and/or climate change is missing in action. However, the politicians are almost all not citizens of Canberra.
Rory McGuire is giving them protection by giving an aura of unreachable instead of making it clear that the Australian people have elected their own representatives. Voters can put pressure on their own politicians to perform better on these issues.
Tasmania has a population of 534.3K and 12 Senators while ACT has a population of 426.7K and has only 2 Senators. If anything the citizens of Canberra could claim they have a more limited opportunity to elect the decision makers.
Correction:
No wonder. With the PM introducing a lump of coal and his colleagues hardly prepared to spell the term “climate change”, the anti-environment ideology of “conservatives” (an ironical term), as well as the betrayal of the “greatest moral challenge of our time” by the coal-supporting opposition, it is left to children to try and defend their future.
I resent the continuing reference to the “Canberra Bubble”. As a proud Canberran I am well aware of the derision heaped by commentators and media on my city. But it’s not our fault and a moment’s reflection by your correspondent would have made this obvious. Tony Abbot was the member for the NSW seat of Warringah in the Federal Parliament and the shortcomings of the Federal Liberal Party in relation to issues of the environment have nothing to do with Canberra but a lot to sheet home to the interests of the National Party and branches of the Liberals. Please be rigorous and place blame where it belongs, not Canberra. Your and our national capital is something to be proud of, not a whipping child for lazy journalism.
Great article, Rory, that wisely concludes with a clear description of the fundamental and intractable contradiction at the core of the Liberal Party – but please be careful with the opening elision of “Canberra” with the federal government – as a proud Canberran, I must remind you that our Territory Government has some of the strongest and best energy and climate policies anywhere in the world.