Concerns about conservatives in Australia

Further to my post   “On Peter Dutton   [Note: Content Warning - links to reports on, and discussion of, bigotry/hate. Reader discretion is advised]”   https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2024/09/on-peter-dutton-note-content-warning.html   ,   the following news articles raise some unflattering concerns about the limited or lacking compassion/empathy and/or perspective and/or attitudes of main conservative party in Australia:

“‘Shows how small he is’: Dutton’s refusal to support 7 October motion condemned by Labor and crossbench”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/08/shows-how-small-he-is-duttons-refusal-to-support-7-october-motion-condemned-by-labor-and-crossbench   “Zoe Daniel votes for motion condemning Hamas attacks and mourning Palestinians killed, saying the ‘pain of more than one group can coexist’”      

This also raises concerns about the NSW branch of that party regarding human rights and, in my opinion, given the vital importance of dissent including the right to protest, democracy:

“NSW premier says police should be able to ban pro-Palestine protests because they are too expensive”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/08/chris-minns-nsw-premier-police-pro-palestine-protests-cancel-power-ntwnfb   “Critics of Chris Minns say singling out protests as a financial burden ‘completely flies in the face of government obligations under human rights laws’”     

The following raises concerns about their supporters - concerns which need to be taken into account politically, as it is these voters that the conservatives want the approval of: 

“Jeers for Albanese and cheers for Dutton as leaders join Jewish communities to mark 7 October atrocities”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/07/melbourne-sydney-australian-vigils-7-october-ntwnfb      

“Across the west, the right is rebranding itself as champions of the common folk. Will it work in Australia?”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2024/oct/08/liberal-party-rebrand-peter-dutton-election   “With little prospect of winning back the swathe of inner-city seats seized by the teals in 2022, Peter Dutton is not about to die wondering   ...   Despite its battler bluster, the Coalition remains the preferred party of the well-off, and it’s lineball between the majors on those who enjoy some level of financial security; it is where people are struggling that the coverage of the major parties breaks down.   ...   So, before we start catastrophising about the Trump-ification of Australian politics, it is worth noting the differences between our systems. Whereas in America the two parties’ hold on power is absolute, in Australia these smaller groupings on the left, along with the ongoing institutional influence of the union movement, makes a full ideological eclipse less likely.”     

PS - see also: 

“Guardian Essential poll: more than half of Australians approve of Albanese government’s response to Israel-Gaza war | Essential poll | The Guardian”   https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/08/albanese-government-israel-gaza-war-response-guardian-essential-poll   “30% of respondents said the government’s response had been “too supportive of Israel” while 14% said the government’s response had been “too harsh on Israel”.   Younger voters were more likely than older voters to view the government’s response as too supportive of Israel – reflecting a generational divide that has also shown up in polling in other western countries.”     

See also: 

• “A first reaction to Timothy Snyder’s new book “On Freedom””   https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2024/10/a-first-reaction-to-timothy-snyders-new.html    (note the emphasis of focusing on building a positive, rather than eliminating [or reacting to, as I am doing in this post] a negative)     
  

• “On democracy”   https://politicalmusingsofkayleen.blogspot.com/2024/09/on-democracy.html      

• “Post No. 2,891 - On resisting progressive change”   https://gnwmythr.blogspot.com/2024/10/post-no-2891-on-resisting-progressive.html      
  

 

 

Assumptions / basis 

In writing this, I have assumed / started from the following: 

• this blog states quite clearly that it is about political and human rights matters, including lived experience of problems, and thus I will assume readers are reasonable people who have noted the content warning in the post header;

Possible flaws 

Where I can, I will try to highlight possible flaws / issues you should consider:

• there may be flawed logical arguments in the above: to find out more about such flaws and thinking generally, I recommend Brendan  Myers’ free online course “Clear and Present Thinking”; 
  
• I could be wrong - so keep your thinking caps on, and make up your own minds for yourself.
  

 

 

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