Celebrating the end of Scott Morrison’s LNP Coalition government has been a great relief from an elitist, mean-minded, anti-union, punitive, sexist, racist, climate science denying political period.
It has raised hopes and expectations for change, that a Labor Government could tackle problems related to incomes and the cost of living, financial insecurity, health, care and education, justice for indigenous Australians, discrimination and to climate and the environment. Hopes have been kept up by some positive steps in the first 3-4 months, including the commitment to an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, a legislated (though inadequate) target for reducing carbon emissions, and abolition of the Cashless Welfare Debit Card.
But the signs are already there, that business and the wealthy are at the centre of opposition to needed reforms. And Labor accepts that it should work within constraints that business demands.
The Jobs + Skills summit in early September was revealing. Firstly, the ACTU’s proposal for multi-enterprise bargaining is opposed by significant employers and groups, who would be threatened by any right to strike, and increased wages that would mean increased labour costs. (The ACTU is offering concessions to employers on the Better Off Overall Test [BOOT], and is only asking for bargaining rights for low-paid workers.)
Secondly, the Treasurer and the Finance Minister both made it clear. Many good proposals at the summit, for improved social services and payments, including paid parental leave, could not be funded because of the public debt of $1trn.
Yet there is vast wealth in private hands. Dividend payments of $36 billion were estimated to be paid out in the first half of 2022 alone, by ASX listed companies, with their cash levels at record highs. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he will not stop the Morrison government tax cuts costing $243.5bn up to 2032-33, cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the richest 25%.
Even earlier, Albanese made commitments to allow new oil and gas projects, and the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King released 46,758 square km of new acreage for petroleum exploration.
In the memories of the Government, and many union leaders and Labor supporters, are the circumstances that ended Labor government under Rudd and Gillard. Business leaders, the Liberal and National parties, and the right-wing media were able to generate public hostility and panic in response to budget deficits, climate action and carbon pricing, a mining super-profits tax, and to “broken promises”. The “small target” and very modest promises made by Albanese in the election campaign express the low (some say slow and patient) ambitions of the Labor leadership, beyond winning and holding office.
Everyone else, who doesn’t have wealth and connections, who is struggling to pay the bills and have a roof over their heads, or who understands that climate change is an emergency, need and want more urgent action.
Individual action is not powerful enough. Lobbying MPs, voting for candidates who acknowledge problems, making climate conscious choices in food, clothing, transport ethical or green credentialled bank or super funds, will not stop investment in fossil fuels, or significantly increase social spending.
Employers say they fear strikes, and that is because when workers decide they need to strike, that is when they win concessions. When unions start winning, and when campaigns have victories, then more people are inspired to get together and work out their demands and how to win them. Solidarity grows more solidarity. This is why we all need workers to have the right to strike, and this is why we expand that right by exercising it.
Several unions have been striking recently, for pay, and in the service sector, for increased staffing to cope with workloads. These include early childhood educators in the National Union of Workers, NSW public transport workers in the RTBEU, the NSW Teachers Federation, and NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. Climate rallies, picnics and meetings are planned. These are all steps to build on.
We need our unions, our climate campaigns, our community and social media groups, to organise for clear demands, to involve members in face-to-face discussion and decisions to take collective action. We need to build a movement that is stronger and more influential than the business interests and the Right that the Labor Government defers to.