By Situation Theatre 4/5/2020
Why show economic leadership, courage, and imagination by fighting for a Green New Deal when you can just pander to conservatives?
The Australian Labor Party have used their time in self-isolation to really reflect on what’s important in life: appealing to the electorate’s worst instincts.
Based on Labor’s track record of the last 20-30 years, many progressives took a break from banging their heads against a brick wall to wonder if the pandemic might spark Australia’s main opposition party to dabble in some opposition.
Some wondered whether they might respond to spiralling economic, climate, and public health crises with a policy response fit for purpose in the Green New Deal. Perhaps self-identified progressive politicians might argue for a visionary post-COVID economic reform agenda with green jobs, infrastructure, housing, and services at its heart.
Nah, let’s go with rank nationalism and scapegoating migrants instead.