Senator Hanson-Young’s inability to answer simple questions about Australia’s defence is representative of the Greens’ naïve worldview. In my opinion, Greens politicians are cultural Marxists propped up by the system of democracy and capitalism they hate. That same system effectively pays them to have a platform for talking nonsense. And it’s getting worse.
As the realities of economics and global politics hit home, the Greens have not only been found wanting, but completely wrong.
The Greens’ motto, ‘A Future for All of Us’, should read ‘A Future for None of Us’. They are desperate for a minority government, going so far as to predict:
There will be a minority government – and the Greens are within reach of winning new seats across the country.
Last time there was a minority government, we secured world-leading climate laws and dental into Medicare for kids. This election is our chance to deliver again.
We’ll keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.
However, things are not shaping up that way for Labor or the Greens as the Prime Minister’s credibility is being shot to pieces. Further, his so-called dirt unit is fumbling and keeps dropping their own mud grenades down their own shirtfronts.
What would happen if the Greens were propping up a Labor-led minority government?
The Greens want to recreate Australia in their own La La Land image without any thought for the wishes of the majority. The ACT government, with its endless ideological spending leading to unsustainable debt, provides a few clues. But this spending is propped up by ratepayers with government-funded jobs that have grown substantially under Labor.
For the rest of the federation, the Greens’ policies are about to come crashing down.
A review of four of the Greens’ key policy announcements shows just how naïve and unoriginal their policies are.
First, adding dental to Medicare has been on the cards for years. It is not the Greens’ idea. As we may now end up with $8.5 billion dollars or more to try and prop up bulk billing, their policy is not only unoriginal, but unaffordable. Means-tested dental would be a great idea, but you can’t have free everything for everyone. Somebody has to pay.
Second is their housing policy. They want government-funded housing. They say:
‘More Greens will keep Dutton’s Liberals out and put renters and first-home buyers ahead of wealthy property investors.’
The reality is that they will make it so difficult for private landlords to invest in rental properties by reducing rental incomes and removing negative gearing and then they’ll use taxpayers’ money to compete against private landlords. Government proves time and again it couldn’t bake a cake let alone build a house. This has little to do with housing and everything to do with controlling people.
Third, the Greens say:
‘If you’re worried about the climate and environment crisis, you’re not alone.’
Under the Greens’ policy, Australians will likely starve through lack of money or otherwise be put in harms’ way through a lack of electricity for essential services. The Greens will have the government control when you can use your air conditioner to save energy. No more gas barbecues, no more wood fires, just straight-up renewable energy at prices nobody can afford and systems that are not fit for purpose while being controlled by the government.
Fourth, the Greens will tackle the cost of living crisis by taxing billionaires, wiping all student debt, 50 cent public transport for city folk, over-regulating landlords, and even adopting a Liberal policy of adding mental health to Medicare.
Their idea is that billionaires will just sit there and pay extra tax. That won’t lead to job cuts or moving primary industries offshore where it is cheaper. They hope.
The cost of living crisis was created by government spending and industrial relations policy that has stifled productivity. How this problem can be fixed by increasing government spending and increasing taxes is anybody’s guess.
As one confused Greens pundit wrote on social media the other day, it won’t be funded by taxpayers, it will be funded by Treasury.
Either the Treasurer has been planting those money trees without telling us or the money tree technology will improve in the future. Or perhaps it will come from the same factory that makes those batteries that can store months’ worth of electricity from renewables? Hardly something to bank our economic future on.
Finally, the Greens say:
‘If you want change, the first step is to vote for it.’
Everyone has the right to vote as they choose. But the change the Greens want is driven by cultural Marxism. It uses taxpayers’ money to fund an ideology that has failed repeatedly throughout history. A more apt catch-cry would be:
‘We want everything, right now, for free.’
Regrettably, it ain’t gonna happen.
Dr Michael de Percy @FlaneurPolitiq is a political scientist and political commentator. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILTA), and a Member of the Royal Society of NSW. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, Chairman of the ACT and Southern NSW Chapter of CILTA, and a member of the Australian Nuclear Association. Michael is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon and was appointed to the College of Experts at the Australian Research Council in 2022. All opinions in this article are the author’s own and are not intended to reflect the views of any other person or organisation.
