By Joe Montero
Although Peter Dutton did not become Australia’s new prime minister, those behind the attempt have not lost. Scott Morrison might have got the guernsey. This did not stop them from strengthening their position in the cabinet and party room.
If Malcolm Turnbull was a captive of theirs, it will be even more true for the new prime minister.
The push comes from a combination of militant interests in finance, mining and monopoly media, which have been using the Coalition parties as their pawn to recreate Australia for their advantage. This has not changed.
It marks how far Australia has moved, in terms of control of corporate interests over the political institutions of the country. The bottom line is that the government of Australia is largely decided the basis of political patronage and the public endorsement of Rupert Murdoch. This has not changed.
Economic and social policy will continue along the lines dictated by these forces. The push to cut company tax will continue. The only action that can be expected over corporate tax evasion, corruption and the wrongdoing of the banks and other financial institutions, is a step up in attempts at cover up. The pro-coal and anti-alternative energy position of the government is likely to strengthen.
Remember, Scott Morrison made a bit of a name for himself, by taking a lump of coal into parliament and waxing lyrical about it. There will be no significant change in any other policy, publicised by the Murdoch and drawn up at by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) and Institute of Public Affairs (IPA).
Morrison is being promoted as a good manager of the Australian economy, under the illusion that as treasurer he has overseen its strengthening and creation of jobs. There’s been no strengthening of the economy, only the creation of speculative bubbles, and increased monopolisation of finance, mining and media. On the jobs front, all there has been is a jump in the casualisation of work, at the expense of secure work. The wages share is falling, and the average Australian is moving closer to poverty. Many more small businesses are going to the wall.
Every sign indicates that it won’t be long before Scott Morrison goes the same way as Malcolm Turnbull. It is only a mater of time before there will be another attempt to change the leadership of the Liberal Party.
Australia may well have just dodged a bullet aimed at bringing in an era of stepped up politics of hate, loss of our rights, and government for the few. But here are more bullets where this one came from. This is the real threat. Our safety can only be guaranteed by paying enough attention to disarming the shooter.