KEEP IT HONEST - TODAY'S ABBOTT BLUNDERS

Today’s Abbott blunders: Abbott does NOT have a mandate: the Libs got through the election by default in one of the worst periods of government instability in our political history. Whitlam had a popular mandate, and enshrined the “Doctrine”. Abbott and Gillard had among the lowest popularity ratings in Australian history. Abbott does not have a mandate, whatever that means.. Japan is NOT our ‘best’ friend in Asia: Japan is A friend in Asia. China and Korea are exceedingly important to our mutual economic and, increasingly cultural, wellbeing. There are enormous numbers of Chinese tourists who visit our Great Red Land. Of course, our closes neighbour, Indonesia will become vitally important to our sovereign economic future as she has the potential to be a ‘Top 5’ power. It is very short sighted to privilege one society/economy over another given the massive differences in South East Asia, and China’s exponential rise. Abbott needs to read about foreign policy in light of the dangerous Diaoyu/Senkaku Dispute and not issue divisive pronouncements. If he is policy-lite in this area, he should talk to wonks and academic experts on the subject. In his position, he cannot “wing it”. The Wedding Scandal is the product of negative politics – ‘don’t give it, if you can’t take it.. ‘Abbott ran one of the most negative public campaigns in Australian political history against both Gillard and Rudd (leaving aside any merit to the Liberals’ more moderate aspersions). The dictum, “As you sow, so shall ye reap” is surely applicable to this episode of overblown political diatribe. Therefore, both sides should refrain from inane or negative comment upon the other’s petty foibles and focus upon substantive issues. In light of Abbott’s extraordinary churlishness pre-election, however, Abbott merits exceptional scrutiny (See infra). The press ought to pursue him and his Ministers like the Hounds of the Baskervilles. That is not to say there is serious evidence of impropriety. Again, one should focus on substantive politics. In any event, governments don’t control nearly as much as they think: Fortress Aus just WON’T WORK. As Laura Tingle and lawyer Richard Falkman have argued, Australians – denizens of the ‘global imaginary’ – are increasingly interdependent. Contrary to Treasurer, Joe Hockey’s proposition, Australia influences, and is influenced by global events. That is why the stimulus package was necessary to avert economic catastrophe internally. There is no obvious demarcation between municipal and global governance. These logical terms in governance are co-variant, if you will. If the US sneezes, we will probably catch a cold. Abbott et al should contribute to positive expectations, not construct a Fortress-edifice out of outdated assumptions.