Member for Brindabella Nicole Lawder with Liberal leader Alistair Coe. Photo: File.
There might have been a time when Andrew Barr’s warning against “a perversion of Australian democracy” was taken seriously. In truth, the ACT’s Chief Minister increasingly demonstrates open disdain for democratic governance.
Canberrans are increasingly raising concerns about the Barr Government’s refusal to engage in genuine debate, its intolerance of dissenting views and its avoidance of scrutiny. Barr’s discomfort of longstanding democratic principles has not escaped the attention of the local media and prominent Canberrans.
If there’s any perversion of democracy, it’s happening in our own backyard.
An important feature of the Westminster system is having a Government and an Opposition. The key role of an opposition is to make the government accountable to the people. If a government cannot adequately justify decisions involving the use of taxpayers’ hard-earned money, that is a failure of government and, to use the Chief Minister’s words, a perversion of democracy.
Every year, Barr speaks at a Canberra Business Chamber Budget breakfast. This used to be a Budget debate between the Treasurer and the Shadow Treasurer.
One year, Treasurer Barr decided he would not participate if the Shadow Treasurer was also invited. It has been that way ever since. There is no debate, no defence, no explanation, just the Barr Government putting their own spin on the Budget, presenting only the news they want people to hear.
Since the 2016 election, Clubs ACT has been relentlessly targeted by the Barr Government for refusing to back the Labor movement. Barr and his Ministers have repeatedly refused to meet with Clubs ACT and have actively worked to weaken their business operations through government policy.
Labor stalwart and former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has criticised Barr for his “Trump-like” vendetta against Clubs ACT. “Residents and community organisations are entitled to disagree with and to oppose the actions of government. It’s called democracy,” Stanhope said.
Like his refusal to debate the Budget at the Business Chamber event, Barr’s famously uttered contempt for journalists exposes his dislike of public scrutiny of his policies and spending. How very undemocratic. The free press is another essential check on democracy.
The Chief Minister’s preference to bypass traditional media and his implicit push towards controlled messaging and social media comes at precisely the time such avenues have been found wanting as instruments for democracy.
A government that suppresses debate, so that only its own spin is heard – through channels funded by the taxpayer – is one step closer to Donald Trump’s world of “fake news”. Attempts to shut down scrutiny and independent reporting undermines Australian democracy.
Maybe when he was first elected, Andrew Barr took democracy seriously. Now, it seems “democracy” is only a word you say when you want to get your way. Canberrans increasingly distrust the Barr Government’s commitment to transparency, oversight and accountability.
If Barr really cared about the preservation of Australian democracy he would commit to greater public debate, be more open and accountable on spending, promote the rights of others to engage in the democratic process and embrace scrutiny from traditional journalism. Otherwise, it’s all fake news.
Nicole Lawder is the Deputy Leader of the Canberra Liberals
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Hey John Hargreaves, speaking of “the past” was that you I saw at the recent Herman’s Hermits concert? It was a ripper I think you will agree.
Any government or local council which continues to raise rates far, far in excess of wage and price growth deserves to be thrown out. Excessive and ever rising rates reduces our standard of living because it means we have less to spend on everything else.
Wow there are so many far left zombies 🧟♂️ on this post, Labor could use hundreds of millions of our tax money to give to the CFMMEU and the labor club and they wouldn’t blink an eyelid
Wouldn’t it be lovely for Canberra to be known for its high standard of education, healthcare, affordable living, efficient transport, progressive aged care and childcare and low rates of homelessness and unemployment? Wouldn’t it just?
Because he is a socialist.
"Democratic Government' 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂
Don’t you debate the budget in the chamber.... 🤷🏾♂️
Ha ha ha rofl and this coming from the Coalition ha ha ha
God help us if the liberals ever get into power here!
So you like the way the current Government is running the Territory?
Ron Norton yes
Ash Balaretnaraja Yes me too
You obviously think high rates, inadequate bus services, condoning the use of weed, arrogance of a Chief Minister who claims he is always right, allowing innocent young school kids travelling on public transport subjected to danger, the rise on rental properties and to top it off, that money draining tram then you obviously live in a plastic container.
Jared James why? Because you might lose your job.
Debate is one of the founding principles of democracy, but many dictators find it to be inconvenient.
The ACT Liberals came reasonably close in 2012, when federal Labor was seriously on the nose.
By comparison, the 2020 ACT election will be against the background of a federal government which is hated, or at the least seriously resented, by many Canberrans including because it isn’t spending nearly as much money here as they think it should, and so they’re not feeling as prosperous as they’d like to.
As a result, and with characteristic shoot-yourself-in-the-foot irony, Canberrans will probably once again vote for an ACT government which will make most of them yet worse off through its relentless revenue-gouging – but they will feel better at the thought that they have “sent Morrison a message” (or words to that effect) and dodged the bullet of a Handmaid’s Tale (with added magpies) vision of Canberra which they will be sternly warned would happen under an ACT Liberal Government.
The disdain arises from a lack of competitive pressure. As any ecologist will tell you, take the sharks out of an ecosystem and everything suffers.
Our local democracy lacks sharks with real drive than can put some real pressure on.
#tyrannyofthemediocre
Yep try presenting an alternative vision for Canberra that appeals to our largely progressive community. The Canberra libs are so out of touch they are not a viable alternative and democracy suffers.
Doing a great job Canberra is booming
Which Canberra do you live in? It certainly is not the same one I live in.
Stuart Mcpherson for whom? Themselves and developers when it suits the govt.
Of the various issues i have with Barr or his gov’s policies – I can’t think of one where the Liberals would actually be better. Your party is full of right wing climate deniers and religious extremists. Some principled progressive independents who aren’t keen to hand over our city to dodgy builders and developers would do well with the electorate, but unfortunately we don’t seem to get many of those running.
Doesn’t the Budget get debated at length in the Chamber and doesn’t/shouldn’t The Opposition go through it with a fine tooth comb at Estimates before voting on it? And don’t the Canberra Liberals simply vote against it every year (which is effectively a vote to not pay the nurses currently treating me at TCH, or the teachers in our schools, the firies, amboes, coppers etc?)
“doesn’t Barr go on ABC radio once a week to front the electorate”
It’s about time he was interviewed by Alan Jones on a commercial radio station instead.
The reason Barr goes onto the Devil’s Radio is because he knows he will get an easy ride and not be asked the hard questions. When was the last time you saw an interview on the ABC get coverage in the mainstream media? The ABC is too busy promoting “climate change” and jihadi brides and terrorism to be taken seriously and it should be sold to Foxtel.
Care for some proof John about the ABC promoting ‘Jihadi brides’ and ‘terrorism’………. you have said many a time before you don’t listen to 666 or watch the ABC, so how would you know what they are actually covering?
You do listen to the dribble that comes out of the mouth of some of the RWNJ of the world however. Just a word of wisdom – its not all true…
“RWNJ of the world……”
What is that?
“RWNJ of the world”….Right Wing Nut Jobs – assuming you haven’t heard the acronym before.
Didn’t Barr call the Canberra times fake news for printing something he didn’t like 😂🤣
doesn't Barr go on ABC radio once a week to front the electorate? i don't tune in, but the gesture is important, I think
Jay Annabel like everyone else no one listens to the ABC
Robert Bendle BUT THE GESTURE IS IMPORTANT, I THINK. do you need me to hire a light aircraft and write it in the sky?
If the Liberals offered even a sniff of a viable alternative the chief Minister would probably feel a bit threatened and be more open and cautious
But they don't, so he won't.
Mal Briggs we also have Federal reps - I’m keen to see how the 1 Lib Senator we have has gone to bat for ACT residents...
Ian McLeod Zed Seselja.