At year's end

The Australia Institute ran its End of year politics wrapup as its final Politics in the Pub session and it's one PitP that I did get to this year. Ben Oquist (TAI) chaired a session with four Parliament House journalists: Rob Harris (Herald Sun), Annika Smethurst (Sunday Tele, Herald Sun, Sunday Mail), Bevan Shields (SMH, Age) and Amy Remeikis (Guardian Australia). Somewhat like the previous session on climate, there was horror at the last year but some sense of hope. Somewhat like the other session, I just wait to see the green buds, But it was interesting and informed chatter and even added something for this politics junkie. First up, what's wrong with Parliament: Parliament "doesn't look like us" [lovely observation]; its culture, not least bullying; importing of personality politics into the Westminster system (esp, the Presidential PM); poor leadership [yes, obvious]. Does the LNP need time in opposition: Victorian election night, 8pm, realisation of slaughter; return of Barnaby Joyce and Abbott? Who are they speaking to? Scott Morrison and the election: is anyone listening, answer "No"; Labor has 3 seat benefit in recent redistribution; his "hysterical press conference" last week; Julia Banks and the LNP's problem with women; National security as " a natural reflex"; LNP so bad because Labor has been so good for so long and Labor as "formidable" and as a government in opposition; LNP's best chance at election is just to offer money, it influences some; but no expectation of a LNP win. Highlights of the year: The Spill ("ridiculous" especially given Turnbull was "Labor's greatest asset"; Dutton???); the "OK to be white clusterfuck" which seemed an awareness raiser for much of Parliament; LNP shutting down Parliament after the first Turnbull spill to deal with its own problems; treatment of women, not least Barnaby Joyce questioning paternity of his girlfriend's baby. Oh, and Melissa Price offending island states and 2 weeks later, admitting she, as Environment Minister, hadn't read the recent IPCC report. The questions, Shorten seen so poorly because opposition leaders always "winge and complain" and he's "very managed". Labor was wedged on Encryption legislation but Shorten blinked anyway. Media requires some soul-searching although not all media deserves blame, think Allan Jones calls at Turnbull spill and Ray Hadley with Dutton "pretty much gave instructions". They don't broadcast to many, but they do to NP pre-selectors [I found that that explanatory]. Dutton and the conflict of fewer boats (to save on cost) vs National security as a political issue [I read Dutton has given instructions not to reduce security boating]. Nauru may see some LNP supporters move to Labor. I missed the final comments, but was amused by Ben's wrap-up "Best spot to finish ... on sex." It was interesting to hear these people who are so close speaking so openly although most is in the media if you look or listen for it. Again, I'll just await the light after the storm.


The Australia Institute ran its End of year politics at ANU with Ben Oquist (TAI, chair) and four Parliamentary Press Corp journalists, Rob Harris (Herald Sun), Annika Smethurst (Sunday Tele, Herald Sun, Sunday Mail), Bevan Shields (SMH, Age) and Amy Remeikis (Guardian Australia).

No answers here

This was the end of year wrap-up at Politics in the Pub, chaired by Australia Institute director Ben Oquist with journalists Rob Harris (Herald Sun), Daniela Ritorto (SBS News), Matthew Knott (Fairfax) and Alice Workman (Buzzfeed) and I was disappointed. I guess I have to recognise these are all press-pack journos form Parliament House, so that's what busies them and pays their keep and I doubt there's much time for anything else, and they were called to speak for the 2016 Political Wrap. But despite the concerns about 24-hour news cycle and expectations of continual breaks and the sheer speed of Australian politics, this was all "Beltway' stuff. Probably it is all "Beltway" stuff because of that - the journos are just too busy to have time to think. I was interested that they remembered Turnbull's press conference clashing with Usain Bolt and Turnbull speaking at some club or other when the Brexit result was announced and Turnbull's delayed and caustic speech after the election and Shorten's treating it all like a win and the year as the "rise of the deplorables" and that photo of George Christensen. All jokey, and I guess you need this to survive the blistering pace in this bickering place. And it was interesting to hear of threats to Turnbull and likelihood of another PM being rolled and incumbency as the new burden, of Pauline Hansen as the big winner of the year, that she runs a "slick operation" after 20 years in politics and that she avoids the press and publishes videos direct to followers on FB. There were questions about post-truth and what to do about it (MK admitted he'd been fooled by one for a while - so was I): media has a role, but the public must be "skeptical consumers". About the saving Medicare stoush and opinion vs facts; di Natale representing his supporters who allow no deals with government; economic insecurity not being enough to explain Trump, culture is also important; that disdain for politics has always been around, but it's highlighted now, partly by the double dissolution election (One Nation would only have won one quota in a normal election); about incumbency and consistency and policies (ACT cited here, but demographics is also an issue); about sneering at bogans and need for conversation; about SkyNews as an internal broadcast between politicians (interesting). But not a mention that I remember of the end-game issue of climate change, and nothing substantial outside Australia and nothing at all outside US/UK. So we remained in that puddle of inbred concerns and battling that we all rail against. I wanted to ask "how long can they keep blaming Labor" but my question, too, would have been in the local swamp (excuse the borrowing). As the Arctic melts and our kids' future with it, along with 1% and education and poverty and the rest. Things are mighty wrong and Trump/Brexit are not the answer but sadly no answers here. We all just keep getting consumed.

The Australia Institute staged its Politics in the Pub 2016 Politics wrap-up chaired by director Ben Oquist with journalists Rob Harris (Herald Sun), Daniela Ritorto (SBS News), Matthew Knott (Fairfax) and Alice Workman (Buzzfeed).

The insiders

It was an end-of-year let-hair-down take on Politics in the Pub. An insiders' affair. Rob Harris and Alice Workman are journalists, for the Sun Herald and TripleJ, Murdoch and ABC. They present the Silent Majority podcast. I hadn't heard of them before but they are a hoot and are apparently a hit around Parliament House. It's not unexpected or unlikely. Parliament House is a close and intense environment and these things develop in such an environment. I should listen (I haven't) and I'd probably learn a lot: about the characters and their backgrounds and motivations. They mentioned names and stories and it humanised some of the most ardent of representatives. That's good. We do tend to understand our politics in a different, distant, argumentative way. This is all useful. I guess. But I noticed I was not the only one who felt a little out of the joke. A few people left early and I felt like it but didn't. Not sure I was in the mood for frivolity anyway. That's how parties (as in Christmas, not political) can be. There was talk of parties, quips of broken tables informed by insider gossip. All enlightening and interesting. The questionners were often recognised, as a journo for this paper or that radio station. I was amused when Mark Colvin asked the final question. I turned around, didn't recognise him, then listened. I knew that voice almost intimately but I am an ardent radio buff. There were insights aplenty, if expressed in a jovial, thankfully not ironic, way. About "chocolate-gate" (new term for me), Johnny Depp's dogs, knights and dames, eating onions (we all eat raw onions in salads if not as apples with skin), karaoke. Ricky Muir got a worthy mention as "the standout", which he clearly deserves, but the political class more generally got some support. David Leyonhjelm apparently supports freedom for nudity and even sex in public, not just guns and his Nanny State enquiry. Unexpectedly given the polls, Bill Shorten is still standing while his opponents are all gone. Then talks of odd couples (friendships/relationships esp across parties) in Parliament. I won't mention those here although they are presumably quite innocent and actually heartening. Who was how generous at their Christmas parties. The Greens and their "spill of the year" which no-one had any inkling of and the subsequent transformation of the party (not just Labors but "lots of Libs are very worried about diNatale" and his appeal to the educated comfortable classes - include me here). And various unexpectedrevelations, like John Madigan's awareness of issues in West Papua. Even a warning about locking up daughters. There were further mentions and questions of diversity in Parliamentarians, Annabel Crabb and Kitchen Cabinet, the NT port lease, Hockey as ambassador (and Kevin Andrews wishing for another), and finally Mark Colvin asking about journalism in the new Parliament House. It's an old story, how the Old Parliament House was small, how journos overheard mutterings (I hadn't heard about the toilet cubicle ruse after party meetings), how Abbott closed off the Exec Wing but it's reopened under Turnbull. Rob Harris was sensible or optimistic in arguing there are new opportunities and you have to go with change. But in essence, the pair had been sensible throughout although with many a chuckle. So the PitP year end with a party of sorts. I still felt somewhat an interloper but thanks for the invitation.

Rob Harris and Alice Workman of the Silent Majority podcast chatted with Ben Oquist at Politics in the Pub hosted by the Australia Institute.