|
 Matthew Loader
One obvious good message is the performance of the Greens in Mayo—but let’s not get it out of proportion. By-elections are not really the best barometers of political trends. The Greens primary vote was less than Labor’s and nowhere near enough to win the seat. And, tellingly, Family First did better than we’d want.
Once again, when it comes to getting that crucial progressive majority, we’re reliant on Labor, the Greens and moderate Liberals.
Nowhere is that more obvious that in Canberra where the new senate has started flexing its muscles—defeating one of the Rudd government’s key budget measures. One thing we can be sure of—it certainly means there is little chance of getting our reform legislation through without significant debate and possibly amendments. We’ve already seen some of this with Liberals voting to send two bills to a senate inquiry, now just concluding.
Of course, with Malcolm Turnbull in the opposition leader’s chair, prospects of Liberal support have substantially improved. Turnbull is well known as a supporter of same-sex law reform, so his elevation gives improved status for moderate Libs inclined to support change. Mind you, Nelson was also making supportive noises—and look what happened to him.
No one should make the mistake of assuming that Turnbull’s narrow party room victory amounts to a significant shift. The Libs remain divided between the social conservatives and the moderates on same-sex law reform—indeed, on the day before the leadership spill, shadow cabinet couldn’t agree to a position on the Rudd government’s most recently introduced same-sex legislation.
But with the mercurial temperament he is renowned for and his commitment to small-L liberal values, Turnbull will undoubtedly be a critical ally in securing support for same-sex law reform within his party. One can’t help thinking he will not be as tolerant of the social conservative voices in his own party who want to make political capital by opportunistically delaying this reform.
So where does that leave us? Well, the Rudd government has introduced its same-sex couples legislation to fulfil of a long-standing election promise. Now the ball is in the opposition’s court. With Turnbull in the chair, moderate Liberals have a chance of sticking up for liberal values when the vote comes on.
 |
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form