The Coalition: a misunderstood political entity in universities?

Though it was Labor which introduced many of the important economic reforms in the early 1980s in line with what was happening in most other Western nations - such as financial deregulation, greater enterprise wage bargaining, and cuts to high income taxation rates - it was inevitable that both of Australia’s major political parties would adopt significant economic reform following the economic difficulties of the 1970s.

At the same time, Coalition governments have also been influenced by Labor governments and their supporters. For instance, widespread community support for a universal health care system was upheld by the Howard government, albeit that the latter has encouraged a greater emphasis upon user-pay principles with higher up-front costs and measures to aid the private health insurance sector. Similarly, greater public awareness about environmental issues, which Labor took advantage of during the 1980s, also led the Howard government to substantially increase environmental spending (from $1.69 billion in 2001-02 to $4.3 billion in 2007-08).

Any association between the Coalition and the ideas put forward by free trade think tanks such as the Centre for Independent Studies and the Institute of Public Affairs advocating smaller government, lower taxes and freer trade, has been overstated given the need for the Coalition parties to remain pragmatic and appealing to a majority of voters. This is illustrated by the Howard government giving record assistance to families while adopting economic policies intended to enhance business needs (such as the promotion of AWAs at the expense of collective bargaining).

But the Coalition, as Australia’s major centre-right political force, often makes difficult but necessary decisions which both reflect and help shape Australian society and government policy. One only has to note how the Howard government responded to anti-immigration sentiment when first elected. The government made changes to the type and extent of immigration; it also adopted extensive economic reform which it believed was necessary to uphold Australia’s economic well-being; it openly supported the US security alliance; and the response to Islamic extremism included a limited tolerance associated with multiculturalism.

And, in contrast to Labor - which can win government on city seats alone (including large regional centres), the Coalition has the added difficulty of balancing city and rural concerns in order to maximise its electoral prospects.

So with the humanities departments of Australia’s universities dominated by the Left, those students more supportive of the Coalition should not be overawed. Humanities academics must also provide a more sophisticated understanding of policy complexity. This includes how best to balance national and international aspirations in regards to freer trade, how to balance innovation and compensation, and just which interest groups are to get available public resources.

Finding an appropriate balance between compassion and competitiveness has always been the name of the game for any sophisticated society and liberal democracy, not a blind adherence to free trade or socialism; although things may soon get a lot harder as our manufacturing base is largely gone and the days of easy reliance on credit are over.

An effective Coalition will long remain necessary to counter the excesses of Labor and to help encourage a balanced policy mix in response to the complex issues of the day, whether as a government or in opposition.