Further, does this suppression mean that might be applied to other issues that become an irritant to the Crisafulli government and when there are other ‘victims’ to protect?
While Crisafulli’s action can be easily dismissed as just another example of Queensland’s ‘deep north’ winner takes all approach to politics, it might also reflect a wider malaise infecting western democracies of closing debates concerning the sidelining those who do not agree to certain ‘progressive’ views that have somehow become unchallengeable.
Either way surely Crisafulli’s actions, if not unconstitutional infringing the implied freedom of political communication, is against the very spirit of open, democratic debate. It is also against the whole essence of the non-Labor side of politics that historically has prided itself on not being a ‘pledge’ party like Labor and which allows its members freedom in what to say and how to vote.
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The Crisafulli government’s decision should be immediately reversed.
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About the Author
Dr Scott Prasser has worked on senior policy and research roles in
federal and state governments. His recent publications include:Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries in Australia (2021); The Whitlam Era with David Clune (2022), the edited New directions in royal commission and public inquiries: Do we need them? and The Art of Opposition (2024)reviewing oppositions across Australia and internationally.