NOW THAT THE ELECTION HAS BEEN CALLED, YOU HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT JOB TO DO.
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Dear valued reader,
As the federal election looms on May 21, you'll be swamped by cliches, crying babies and crazy claims that don’t add up. ACM (proud publisher of The Canberra Times) is here to help.
We've launched an interesting, intelligent and irreverent national newsletter, The Echidna, that will keep you up to date, give you a laugh and, most importantly, make you think.
Every weekday morning my election missive will land in your inbox, along with a daily work from one of Australia's favourite cartoonists Fiona Katauskas. Sign up now.
And boy, are we enjoying the conversation.
Whether the topic is compulsory voting, pork-barrelling or distrust of politicians, The Echidna subscribers are savvy and engaged about this imperfect democracy of ours.
In that way they're a lot like our namesake, the marvelous monotreme with a knack for smelling out something rotten from a long way away.
But don't take our word for it, here's what few of them have to say.
“Your editorials have been telling it like it is and this is appreciated. Keep up the good work.” - Annie
“Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for providing a fresh voice in what is an echo chamber of mediocrity.” - Simon
"I am absolutely over the moon at the creation of The Echidna" - Sue
So join these clever folk for the ride till polling day. Sign up now.
We'd love you to join the conversation, to let us know what you think election campaign. Australia is at the crossroads and never have your insights, opinions and predictions been more valuable. Send us an email.
Cheers,
Garry Linnell
Need more convincing? Here's a sample of what you can expect from THE ECHIDNA...
Did the budget stir the uninterested voter?
Sshhh. A little quiet, please. We need to whisper because we don’t want to wake up that portion of the country who, if they bothered tuning in, fell asleep during Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s Budget speech last night.
Researchers have dubbed them “The Uninterested” and this morning they probably remain blissfully unaware of the government’s temporary cut to the fuel excise, its one-off cash bonus for low income earners, the billions of dollars splashed on rail and road projects (many in regional Australia) and the range of new childcare subsidies.
Despite their apathy and often cluelessness when it comes to politics, The Uninterested are not exactly on their own. Some polls have found up to 60 per cent of Australians cannot recall the names of both houses of parliament, while three out of four don’t know that the Senate represents Australia’s states.
Yet repeated studies have shown The Uninterested – a core of the electorate usually estimated at about one in five voters - play a significant role in deciding who governs us. They have determined the outcome of at least three elections since 1987 and on average dictate the result of at least eight seats. Even their donkey votes have been shown to swing results.
So is the influence of The Uninterested - and there’s a difference between them and swinging voters - a good enough reason to review our century-long commitment to compulsory voting, or at least refine it? Is our democracy any fairer by forcing the participation of those who don’t care that much about it?
Less than 18 months ago a parliamentary committee tiptoed into this controversial area with a recommendation to replace compulsory preferential voting with “optional preferential voting” – a simpler system where voters would only have to indicate their preference for one candidate.
That proposal – like most things that challenge the status quo - was met with predictable howls of outrage.
One of the key arguments for compulsory voting is that it leads to greater political awareness among the public and a far more informed electorate. But there is no evidence to support this and plenty to show political disengagement in Australia is as high – if not higher – than in other western democracies like New Zealand and England where voting is not mandated (subscribers to The Echidna being exceptions, of course). One poll just months after the last federal election found only 15 per cent of those surveyed were “closely following” events in the nation’s capital.
The government pitched last night’s budget – one of its final opportunities to revive its flagging fortunes – as a direct attack on the rising cost of living. Today it will be nervously awaiting poll results to discover if it even managed to stir the slumber of that special group of people who could very well decide the next election, even if they couldn’t care less.
THEY SAID IT: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” – Winston Churchill.
YOU SAID IT: “Lucky me. I saw an echidna this morning. Did you know that echidnas have more DNA than a human? They go back to the dinosaurs so they will outlive us all and probably not give a hoot about politicians who do not care about the backslide Australia is making.” – Sandra.
“We need more state or federally funded care homes and caps on the profits for private ones. And a national ICAC now!” – Karis.
“John Howard promised a GST would be the permanent cure to funding shortfalls of the State governments. (Now) we have every State unable to provide prompt, efficient emergency services, hospitals, decent public education, efficient railways...If we had to have a GST (and I’m not convinced yet!), then it needed to be broad-based. And at a higher rate.” – Stu.
“A one-off payment to pensioners is an insult. If pensioners had more disposable money wouldn’t that stimulate the economy?” – Robert.
“There should be a 20 per cent tax on money leaving the country.” – Gary.
“With inflation on the up and up, I wonder if the silent majority will realize that the Morrison Government’s spending promises will actually be less than they’ll sounded on budget night? I pray they will. Miracles can happen after all!” – Daniel.
