We changed the government. Now what?
Welcome to the Pandaemonium x Cheek Media monthly column. We've collaborated on this column to bring you a regular deep dive into an aspect of the political landscape that you might not be across. Today the column is focused on what's next, now that we have a new government.
Last month, Australians got a new government. While that new government, the Australian Labor Party, only just achieved majority, with one additional seat to the required 76 needed to form government, the Coalition under Scott Morrison suffered a huge loss. Australians overwhelmingly voted against climate inaction, cruel new legislation that would negatively affect LGTBQIA+ children, transphobia, unchecked corruption, blatant lying, and against a leader who ducked and skirted responsibility like it was his job. Ironic, given his actual job, as paid for by the people of Australia, was the very opposite. The point is, most Aussies have breathed a collective sigh of relief. Overall, what we can take away from this past election is that Australia chose climate action, and a swing to more progressive policy. While many will say Labor is not a progressive party, which you could argue given their spot almost smack-bang in the middle of the political compass. But with the additional election of three new Greens MPs and a stack of climate-focussed independents who also want reform around corruption and action on gender equality, we can hope to see positive change in this country over the next term.
So, what now?
There’s an unmistakable calm across Australia. The calm only brought by the feeling of stability and not having to hear or see Scott Morrison spouting another undeniable lie in a press conference or completely inappropriately deferring blame during Question Time. It feels as though we’re all taking a joint period of rest while we recover from the Morrison era, and nine years of conservative government under a too-long list of Prime Ministers and a party that has been gradually losing its way. But when we’ve all rested, when the dust has settled, and when the memories of Morrison are well and truly repressed (or insert a more healthy way of dealing with the stress and trauma), there’s still work to be done. The Labor party was elected with promises of reform and a better Australia. Aussie voters in many areas flocked to independents and Greens candidates and away from the two major parties who have dominated for so long. The message is clear: we want change. Even formerly-loyal Liberal voters moved away from the party this election, in pursuit of something different.
Our responsibility as Australians, now that the election is over and the final seats are declared, is not over. We spoke with our ballots and we were heard, now it’s time to see the follow-through. And if it doesn’t come, we need to make ourselves heard again. Being part of a democratic society doesn’t begin with voting day. In some ways, it’s just the beginning. It’s the beginning of a change for our government, for our country. We still have a voice even after the polling places have been cleaned of propaganda and discarded mini pencils, and ballots have been filed away under lock and key. This new government was elected because of us, and will legislate in our names for the next three years at least. If this 2022 federal election told us anything, it’s that we all want politics to be done differently. The significant number of non-major-party elects showed us that. Now it’s up to us to keep the pressure on.
What is often lost in translation is the applicability of the government. They seem so far away and almost like a concept to many Aussies. If you’re living in regional Australia, you might go your whole life without seeing the local MP. In fact, no matter where you live, that might well be the case. But whether it’s by physical distance or vast difference in lifestyle, we can often think what goes on in Canberra has nothing to do with us. But that’s simply not true. It has everything to do with us. From our taxes to the roads we drive on, the healthcare we access, and the laws we must abide by, most of it comes back to who is sitting on those green chairs in Parliament House. It’s easy to feel like the government dictates our lives, and often it does. But the reality is, we should be dictating it. Australia voted for climate action and a federal anti-corruption body. Two matters Labor, the Greens, and the Teal independents all had policies and promises on. So we have to hold the government to account on both. After being officially elected and sworn in, our new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke about both issues being addressed as a matter of urgency. He told us that a plan for a federal ICAC is already taking shape. So if we don’t see genuine plans released in his first 100 days of government, as he has promised we would, Australians should be picking up the phone and tapping out letters to elected reps.
If we don’t see delivery on the community batteries and boost for renewable energy promised by Labor, we need to make some noise. If we don’t see our elected Greens reps and Teal independents pushing the new government to follow through on climate action, move toward a net zero future, and support affected workers and communities, we need to put them on notice. We voted them in to represent us, and they need to follow through on their promises. It’s our civic duty to vote, to get out to the polling places once every year or two to have our say on every level of government. That’s all we really have to do to avoid a fine and fulfill our duty. But as active citizens of this country who have elected the people in those green chairs, we have a right to take it beyond the polling booth. We have a right to see election promises fulfilled and our society improved. All we have to do is act on it.