The common view from politicians and so-called experts is that minority government is dreadful. I don’t agree. Nor, it seems, does former Rudd and Gillard ministerial advisor Sean Kelly. In an article in today’s Age newspaper, Kelly says:
“… If you accept the idea that politics at present is remarkably influenced by the previous Labor government, then it points to some interesting contradictions. One is the conflict between an Albanese government still concerned with the policies of that fairly short-lived government, while arguing publicly that only long-term governments can make sure their achievements last.
Now recall that half that government was spent in minority. That point to another contradiction, with greater implications for the next election: between the ongoing relevance of that Labor government’s policies and the focus of our current political leaders on the apparent horrors of minority government.”
Kelly is fairly half-hearted in his views about minority government. But my own view is that it is potentially actually better than majority government, although certainly neither major party would agree. Take the Rudd and Gillard government of which Kelly was a senior adviser. For much of its duration (from 2010 to 2013) it governed in minority, relying on various cross-benchers to get legislation through. And yet despite that (or possibly because of it) it managed to get various major reforms through the Parliament. For example, the NDIS, the Gonski education reforms, the Murray-Darling scheme and numerous other reforms. To get these laws through Parliament, the Labor government was forced to compromise. In my view it is that necessity for compromise which makes minority government a good thing.
There are more minds on the job, so to speak, and the result more often than not is better legislation. There is a significant possibility that the Albanese government will find itself in a similar position after the next Federal election, which will most likely take place in May next year. Certainly, opinion polls point to that is a real possibility if not a probability. That may not happen if there are one or two interest rate reductions between now and the election, which most economists think will be the case. Nevertheless, there is undeniably a real possibility of minority government. As I argue above, I think that would be a good thing. What do you think?