Throughout most of the western world it has been expected political behaviour that the party in power will try to massage its policies so it can get agreement with the major opposition party so as to gain acceptance in Parliament and reduce conflict.
This is especially common regarding defence and security. In Australia, Labor agreed almost immediately to AUKUS while in opposition so as to avoid conflict in the upcoming election. Australia has also agreed to security requests from the US as it has been terrified that if it does not it will suffer the same fate Whitlam did when he wanted to terminate the Pine Gap agreement. Consensus with oppositions and major powers is the name of the game.
Sadly, the two other “C”s that are much more valid – cooperation and compassion have been ignored by most democratic or would-be democratic governments. They do not consider them as important. The Australian Labor Party has actively attacked the parties and individuals where there is most potential for cooperation and whose views align with compassion – those views most aligned with theirs – the Greens (We will never form government with the Greens), and the Teals (we will reduce the staff they can employ so they can be less effective).
This unfortunately has been the history of alignments. People close to us are better known and understood, so tend to be criticised more than those far away. There is so much history relating to Protestant and Catholic conflict, and Shia and Sunni. The conflict is within religions not between religions. There is conflict among Democrats in America between the Green New Deal and the neo-liberals. There is conflict among Republicans between Trumpists and the traditional conservatives. Finding areas of agreement and focusing on where cooperation can occur is not prioritised.
Of course there are recorded cases where a would-be partner has not found a means to cooperate, such as when the Greens voted with the Coalition against a Carbon Tax and put back climate change initiatives for years. But it is stupid to not trust the Greens forever due to this unfortunate decision.
The current situation brings to mind the shemozzle in WW1 where European countries and the US insisted on reparations, which Keynes stated would lead to the rise of a strongman in Germany, and it did. Following WW2 governments were determined to do better and provided support for the losers. Compassion for all resulted in peace for some time. But unfortunately the focus on equity and support for all has been swept away by neo-liberal policies. and the self-interest of the rich. The wars and unrest in so many countries, from Israel/Gaza to India under Modi, to Myanmar, the USA and Australia are all due to consensus among the powerful and wealthy, and limited priority being given to compassion for the disadvantaged, and the environment we all depend on for our future.
Far right organisations in Germany, France, UK and MAGA in USA do not compromise. They state their goal and push hard to achieve it. It is important to have the courage of convictions, not to support a compromise which is ineffective in dealing with the needs of the country. Australia needs to set strong goals to achieve equity and environmental survival, and march strongly towards them, not allowing itself to be sidetracked by self-interested groups and personal advantage.
Australia is doing better than many other countries, but the lack of clear goals and strategies to achieve them, and courage to prioritise cooperation and compassion, pervades our government. A minority government of partners who support these 2 Cs is needed, not a Party in power because it has compromised with the opposition. We need to do all we can to refocus and vote for those who will put cooperation and compassion at the top of their priorities.
Caroline Fitzwarryne
Caroline Fitzwarryne has a background in public health and community development. She has worked at all three levels of government (from fieldworker to senior executive), as CEO of a national NGO, as Adjunct Associate Professor, and as development aid worker in 13 countries.
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