Previous
Previous
A new short story
Next
Next
I bought takeaway for dinner last night (birthday) and came home to find the entire family, kids too, crowded around the telly in the kitchen watching PM Albanese announce his Cabinet. There was more anticipation in the room than the preliminaries to the AFL Grand Final. #auspol
— Joel Deane (@joeldeane) May 31, 2022
These are exciting times. New Governments always are.
— Joel Deane (@joeldeane) May 31, 2022
But we need to understand that there's so much more to government than election night and the swearing in.
This Government is taking power at a moment of national emergency. Economic, social, environmental emergency.
There is so much that needs to be done. And it will take time. Years, in fact, to get the country close to where it needs to be.
— Joel Deane (@joeldeane) May 31, 2022
And, with the 2030 deadline looming, we don't have much time.
All of which is why I'm relieved that Albanese has such a talented frontbencher.
I'm also relieved that we have such a healthy cross-bench, with the Greens and the independents, as well as a progressive Senate.
— Joel Deane (@joeldeane) May 31, 2022
We need that progressive cross bench to keep the pressure on the new Government. To keep demanding progress.
Democracy is meant to be like this.
Democracy is meant to be messy. We're meant to debate and disagree and fight to find common ground.
— Joel Deane (@joeldeane) May 31, 2022
We're also meant -- I'm talking about voters now -- to never be satisfied with our governments. To always demand more. To never be complacent. Or quiet.
A final thought.
— Joel Deane (@joeldeane) May 31, 2022
It's too early to know whether this Government will fulfil its potential.
But this much is clear. They have the ability of the first Hawke Cabinet. And Australia needs them to be as good, if not better, than the Hawke-Keating era.
They can't afford to fail.