<
https://theconversation.com/the-wa-election-campaign-has-been-about-big-promises-but-culture-wars-are-inescapable-in-contemporary-politics-249691>
"The Western Australian election is less than a week away, and two themes have
dominated: big public spending and culture wars.
The main parties are racking up a long and expensive list of policy promises.
The
ABC’s election promise tracker shows big spending in suburban road
upgrades, improving school access and infrastructure, responding to domestic
and family violence, and addressing undercapacity in WA’s health system. The
combined promised spend of Labor, Liberals, Nationals and the Greens is
estimated to exceed A$16 billion.
Appeals to fiscal restraint have been quiet. Labor is trumpeting its
responsible economic management, while the Liberals are promising to “set the
right priorities”. There is little talk of slashing and saving.
The combination of the cost-of-living crisis and WA’s strong economy has
dampened the public’s appetite for austerity. It has also provided the parties
with the cover to spend without seeming fiscally reckless.
While the policy priorities between the parties are broadly similar, there
remain significant differences."
Punchline:
"It is unclear whether the culture wars will secure votes for the Liberals.
Recent research shows strong support for issues such as transgender rights
among Australian voters.
How WA voters respond to culture-war messaging will undoubtedly inform the
Liberals’ position in the federal election."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
