THE AUS T R A LI A INS T I T U T E The Last Word Clive Hamilton left the Australia Institute at the end of February to devote himself to writing. Here he pens his last comment for the newsletter. One of the pleasures of working at by corporations of the Trade Practices the Australia Institute has been the Act to attempt to silence their critics support we have always received in civil society. By claiming that crit- from our members. In the early icism of their activities constitutes years, when it was just me and an ‘deceptive or misleading conduct’, office manager, I knew all of their corporations with deep pockets can No. 54 March 2008 names. More recently I have enjoyed intimidate and close down indi- meeting people at writers’ festi- viduals and community groups who The Last Word vals and other public events who dare to take them on. Clive Hamilton announce themselves as members of International Women’s Day This tactic, which has arisen only the Institute. Susan Harris Rimmer since the Commonwealth and the states agreed to adopt uniform defa- Cluttering up the home mation laws which made it impos- Josh Fear sible for a corporation to be defamed, Teaching Climate Change is looking more and more like a new Louise Collett and Christian Downie form of SLAPP – strategic lawsuits Electricity Privatisation against public participation. Clive Hamilton The Rudd Labor Government needs Not all Australians are equal to look at this as a matter of urgency Kim Rubenstein and change the legislation to outlaw Courage after the apology it. Pat Dodson Unpredictable Both sides now Susan Harris Rimmer It is important for a think tank like ours to be a little unpredictable. As Michael Kirby said at the launch of Institute Notes the Institute in 1994: Dr Clive Hamilton ‘…an Institute deserving the The support of our members has been name of “The Australia Institute” particularly important during times should welcome to its ranks of intense pressure. Occasionally we heterodox opinions. Only if it have felt under siege, when powerful does so will it earn community groups have had us in the cross-hairs. and political respect. Only then Our confidence and determination will it be useful to the country have been restored by the messages whose name it proudly claims in of support flowing in. its title.’ One of the more worrying develop- It would be surprising if our ments in recent times has been the use members agreed with everything 1 THE AUS T R A LI A INS T I T U T E we have argued over the years, but become aware of the downside of for more contented individuals and a I hope their loyalty has been due to the preoccupation with the economy. happier society? their regard for the quality of our The whole neoliberal project has work and its ability to challenge and been destabilised by the posing In our work we have begun to suggest deepen the way we think about some of a profound question: Although some answers to this question, but important public issues. undoubtedly successful in its own we are only at the beginning of the terms, has the free market revolution development of a new progressive Our focus has shifted markedly actually made people in Australia politics based on this idea that can over the years. Initially established any happier? take us beyond neoliberalism. to argue against the more extreme manifestations of economic ratio- When we look at the evidence, much We are not at the end of history; we nalism, then being implemented by of which has been created, inter- are at the beginning of a revolution the Keating government, it has to be preted or published by the Australia in which the fruits of a century of admitted that the neoliberal revolu- Institute, the answer is ‘no’, and this political freedoms and affluence can tion swept all before it. leads directly to another question: at last be enjoyed. What policies, political program and But in recent years more people have forms of social change would make Counting the cost of by-elections Do politicians owe a duty to serve out their full term asks Josh Fear Is Alexander Downer trying to tell us Although it often takes place out Act, House of Representatives and something? Dodging question time of the public eye, there is much Senate candidates who receive 4 per for lunch with a journalist, skipping a valuable work that is carried out cent or more of formal first prefer- whole day of parliament for a spot of by backbenchers on both sides of ence votes are entitled to receive golf with Mark Vaile, and now trying the chamber, particularly in the public election funding (whether his hand at radio broadcasting. After committee room and on behalf of they are elected or not). At present, the highs of international diplomacy, local constituents. By leaving parlia- they receive around $2.14 for each it would appear that opposition is just ment prematurely, the former foreign first preference vote. too tedious. minister is essentially indicating that such work is now beneath him. Most of this money is paid to political All the signals indicate that Mr parties within four weeks of polling Downer will be out of federal parlia- But is it acceptable for former day. In 2004, $41.9 million was paid ment within the year. Some have government members to leave early to parties and to independent candi- welcomed his impending resigna- purely because they have lost govern- dates, including $18.0 million to the tion. If the current member for Mayo ment? At the least, there should be Liberal Party and $16.7 million to the isn’t interested in representing his recognition of the shirking of respon- Labor Party. Again, since it is used electorate in the national parliament, sibility that this entails. There should to cover the costs of the democratic they suggest, then the voters should also be some contribution towards process, this is entirely appropriate. replace him with someone who is. the considerable costs of holding by-elections. Election funding is payable after both general elections and by-elections. By leaving parliament Of course, the funding of elections This means that there is some finan- prematurely, the former (including by-elections) is one of cial incentive for political parties to foreign minister is the financial costs of democracy. As precipitate a by-election, although essentially indicating a rule it is money well spent. But if this is usually offset by the electoral there were financial penalties associ- risk involved, and of course the cost that such work is now ated with not fulfilling a basic elec- of running an extra campaign. But in beneath him. tion commitment like serving out a safe seat, where the sitting member a full term, perhaps our parliamen- is going to retire anyway, the major But Mr Downer made a commitment tarians would pay more attention parties could end up benefiting finan- to his electorate in the lead-up to the to the importance of meeting their cially from a by-election. last election. His obligation is now to obligations. represent it in the national parliament It is time for this loophole to be to the best of his abilities. Under the Commonwealth Electoral closed. It is the responsibility of each 2 THE AUS T R A LI A INS T I T U T E political party to pre-select candi- parties to pre-select candidates who example, it is likely that a by-elec- dates who, in their estimation, are will stick around regardless of the tion would have been held in that able to meet their electoral commit- overall outcome of the election. seat anyway. In this case it would ments – including hanging around be up to the party to weigh up the for the full term of the parliament, Of course, some politicians resign wider benefits of that person’s candi- whether or not their party ends up from parliament for genuine reasons. dature against the possible financial forming government. Illness could prevent someone from penalties. discharging their duties properly, and should be treated with compassion. If Representing one’s constituency for Election funding should medical evidence is produced, then the duration of the parliament is a therefore be withheld no financial penalty should apply. If duty that all elected members must (or taken back) from the former member then takes on a carry out, but serving in the ministry those parties whose high-paying consultancy position, it is a privilege that very few are would be apparent that they left on granted. If some members choose to elected candidates fail to false terms. leave parliament before their term is serve for a certain period. up simply because they have lost the There are also circumstances where political influence they once had, then Election funding should therefore be it is very much in a party’s inter- their parties should be forced to take withheld (or taken back) from those ests to put forward a local candi- responsibility for their decisions. parties whose elected candidates fail date who may well end up retiring to serve for a certain period - say half before the next election, particularly This opinion piece was previously of their elected term, or 18 months. if it does not form government. Had published in The Canberra Times on This would encourage political John Howard won in Bennelong, for 29 February 2008. Electricity privatisation could cripple emissions trading scheme The NSW Government should not indemnify private investors in the state’s electricity infrastructure against the future costs of carbon, writes Clive Hamilton.