This limp, uninspiring election campaign is a sign our democracy isn’t working as well as it should. The voters’ preoccupation with the cost of living has been a gift to both major parties, allowing them to wave around a few small tax cuts and other sweeties while avoiding controversial measures to tackle harder problems.

The big two are claiming to want to get us “back on track” and “building Australia’s future” while saying and doing little about limiting climate change, reducing intergenerational unfairness (including unaffordable home ownership) and raising our stagnant standard of living.

Illustration by Simon LetchCredit:

The two parties have fought themselves to a standstill, where neither side is game to propose anything unpleasant – raising taxes, for instance – for fear of the scare campaign the other side would run.

What could we do to encourage politicians to try harder and show some courage? Well, John Daley, formerly a boss of the Grattan Institute, and Rachel Krust offer some good ideas in a report sponsored by the Susan McKinnon Foundation.

Their idea is to toughen up the institutions and arrangements that surround our federal politicians, putting more pressure on the pollies to get on with making real improvements. They want “a stronger parliament, a more independent public service, more independent advisory bodies and a competitive electoral system that rewards deep engagement with the whole community and pushes incumbents to do better”, Daley says.

They start with reducing political donations, which feed the perception – and the reality – that money is buying access and influence. Many of the donations come from industries which are highly regulated by the government.........

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