Politics

I did not win in Farrer. But if the major parties conclude from this latest campaign that independents, minor parties or political outsiders are the reason voters are abandoning them, they will have learnt entirely the wrong lesson. And Farrer was a warning.

The American Empire is over and it has amounted to nothing. If I am generous, the so-called American century lasted barely 50 years, from 1945 to 1989, and now, as the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary on July 4, it is conceivable that the United States will not survive beyond this century. How fitting it marks its demise with a fistfight on the White House lawn.

The surest indication that Anthony Albanese knows he has a mighty challenge on his hands in stalling Pauline Hanson was the timing of his major childcare policy this week, announced on the day the One Nation leader gave her first speech to the National Press Club.

Midweek, as missiles and drones shattered a so-called ceasefire in the Middle East, Anthony Albanese unveiled his strategy to intercept the Exocet that Pauline Hanson has aimed at his government.

The teal independents will need to be united in intent. The opportunity to form a government, ready to confront corporate intransigence in the face of global inequity and breakdown, should not be lost. Simple as that.

It is tempting for the major political parties to take comfort in the distance to the next federal election, drawing on the age-old wisdom that the only poll that counts is the one on election day.

It is disturbing how the reforms to capital gains tax have thrown the opposition and their conservative media mates into a frenzy. It is not surprising that the ‘losers’ or potential losers will shout the loudest, but it is disappointing that serious efforts were not made to reflect genuine concerns and inadequacies – to improve the main initiatives, rather than just can them.

On Thursday, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, introduced into parliament his omnibus bill to legislate the major elements of his budget. It neatly glues the changes to capital gains, negative gearing and trusts together with the tax cuts for millions of workers.

The Baby Boomer dominance is over and with it the Howard-Costello era that shaped policies to suit them. Albanese and Chalmers are drawing a line under that period ... Since the introduction of these more generous concessions, house prices have risen more than 400 per cent.