It’s great to be back with the Common Sense community after a very restful break. I hope you managed to spend some time with those close to you and that this first missive finds you refreshed and ready for an exciting year.
I always love a New Year. It presents an opportunity to clear the decks and change tack if necessary. Many people make resolutions that rarely see the distance but it’s still a worthwhile endeavour to acknowledge areas where we can improve ourselves, our relationships or our work.
Like many, I made some resolutions relating to all three! It will be interesting to see the outcome. The personal resolutions I can control but the work ones are in the hands of the Australian electorate.
A Federal election will be called in the next few months and it appears likely there will be a change of government. Notwithstanding the Coalition’s more positive recent policy agenda, the political damage sustained by the instability, lack of consistency and leadership merry-go-round will be difficult to counter.
They have repeated the political follies of the previous Labor governments and somehow thought the outcome would be different. I suspect the electorate will judge them fairly harshly when the time comes.
A Coalition defeat will deliver a Labor government with a policy agenda that fills me with dread. It will compound the tax and spend problems already endemic in government. Our successful border protection policies will be weakened, immigration will increase and the curse of identity politics shall spread.
Apart from border protection, the Coalition hasn’t been great in these areas but they are showing some signs of learning their lessons – unfortunately it may be too little, too late.
No matter who forms government, it is increasingly likely they will need a co-operative Senate to pass legislation. I expect this means they will need the support of cross bench Senators. And that is the real challenge for our country.
We all know you can’t truly trust the major parties. We also know that many of the minor parties have no firm principles or framework through which they make decisions. A Senate left to either is a recipe for further chaos and dysfunction.
That’s why I want the Australian Conservatives to be different. It doesn’t matter how much the media carry on about their pet causes. It doesn’t matter how strident our opponents are, we will always seek to act in accordance with our principles and do the right thing by our country.
And that is what is at stake this year. The election result in the Senate will do more to define the future of our country than many before.
Every voter will have a multitude of choices for the Senate. Some will be very well funded, others very well known, some will be hypocrites and some will not be capable of doing the job they seek. The Australian Conservatives will be offering a different proposition – common sense, capable candidates and a proven policy agenda.
If we really want to bring back common sense then we simply have to vote Conservative in the Senate.
Things that make you go Hmm…
Dopey Sydney teen blows up NZ holiday, where there’s smoke there’s fire in a Sydney jail, there’s fake visas from Canberra and Barossa supermarkets can kids’ smiley fritz. Diddled cricket fans see the lighter side, Aquaman’s Director fumesand scammers target ravers. In socialist Victoria, duck season startles the usual quacks, there’s a bitter blow for kids and an academic coins ‘thin privilege’.
Cory Bernardi is the author of seven books and has been a member of the Australian rowing team, a publican, an investment portfolio manager and spent nearly 14 years as an Australian Senator.
