The Australian economy is in excellent shape as the next Federal election approaches. Unemployment is at 33-year lows, the economy is growing at 4.3 percent, and consumer confidence is high. Most Australians credit the government for good financial management. However, the opinion polls indicate that the opposition is going to win the next election by a substantial majority. Why is this so?
A recent article in The Age by social researcher Professor Hugh Mackay gives a persuasive answer. Over the past seven or eight years the Australian public has been apathetic about the government’s actions with regard to the war in Iraq, the AWB scandal, the “children overboard” affair, and treatment of refugees. Now, however, the misdeeds of the past are coming home to haunt the government.
The majority of Australians probably do believe that Australia is likely to be a little less prosperous as a whole under a Labor government. However, that seems to be a sacrifice that most Australians are willing to take in order to “punish” the current government for its perceived harsh and unfair treatment of people (particularly non-whites) and its perceived inability to apologise for wrongs.