Politics

The Albanese government’s second year in power is shaping up as a wild ride. The prime minister is intent on using every opportunity to establish a legacy as a Labor reformer ‘changing the nation for the better’ Leader of the house Tony Burke has guaranteed we will notice what the government is up to. He is promising that, unlike the Morrison government, Labor will not spend 61 hours of parliamentary time moving motions to shut down debate.

The choice of the Esplanade hotel in Melbourne’s bayside St Kilda this week to launch Revive, a new national cultural policy, was pointed in its symbolism. The hotel was – for 20 years before his death in 1904 – the home of Alfred Felton, the country’s greatest arts philanthropist and the source of the National Gallery of Victoria’s famous Felton Bequest.

Although Australian governments have set ambitious targets for recycling – overall 80 per cent of waste is to be recycled by 2030 – we are transitioning slower than other global players and, at 60 per cent overall recycling, are falling off the pace to meet our targets. A recent ABC news report emphasised our lags in three areas: glass, food and plastic recycling.

The federal government response to crime rates in Alice Springs dominated federal politics this week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a better-late-than-never visit. His sombre expression contemplating the conditions there was a reminder of just how heavy a responsibility leading a nation can be.

The EPBC Act was set up by John Howard in 1999 with the intent of giving the Commonwealth some jurisdiction over matters of environmental law. It provided a framework for the protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places. It did not include water.

If there’s one thing Australians want in January, it’s not to be bothered. The Albanese government is doing its best to oblige.

It’s that special time of the year again, when people talk about reconciliation, treaty, land rights, invasion, colonisation and Australia.

The debacle that played out in the United States house of representatives over the new year provided more than just a window into the dysfunction of a political system hijacked by the far right. For me, it raised a fundamental question that is relevant for us here, too: Have our political systems and processes become too adversarial to facilitate good government?

As surely as Rio Tinto blew up Juukan Gorge, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has blown up the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Dutton rose from the political dead this week, challenging the Albanese government to detail its Voice proposal so Australians could cast informed votes in the referendum on it later this year.

For those returning to work in 2023, and for those entering an office for the first time, an epic change is afoot, one that will make Australian workplaces safer. The specific change to the law advocated for in the Respect @ Work report will put the onus and burden on the employer to take action to eliminate sexual harassment from the workplace.