The next Tasmanian government is likely to be a coalition of traditional political parties, minor parties and independents.
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For Tasmania to thrive all our current and prospective politicians need to learn the rules for successful coalitions. Successful coalitions are based on the politics of cooperation around good ideas not denigration of others and adversarial politics.
Adversarial politics is the politics of my way or the highway, of mudslinging and polarisation. If you want to see what I mean just browse through the websites of the major parties.
Recent brinkmanship does nothing to give people confidence that the transition to coalition governments will be smooth. Brinkmanship is part of the old adversarial world where individual parties claim that they and only they can represent the best interests of Tasmania.
The old binaries of majority vs majority government need to be replaced with conversations about the types of co-operative arrangements that could work best for Tasmania including for example choosing a Cabinet from those most capable across the whole Parliament not just from one of the big parties.
Around the world there are many countries such as the Netherlands, Finland and Germany where coalitions are and have been the norm. Italy has had more coalitions than single party governments over the past 50 years.
In these places election campaigns of individuals and parties focus more on basic values and how to represent their electorates in a parliament and, how to govern for all rather than for party members.
Whereas the Tasmania approach has been to trot out a very long list of 'projects and initiatives'. These are often a bidding war for the next raft of health, housing and transport 'solutions'. Solutions that never seem to solve and which are a poor substitute for clear policies.
Increasingly pragmatic politicians that have clear values and are willing to bargain in good faith and with good will to solve problems are the way of the future.
In Tasmania Andrew Wilke and Jacqui Lambie are very successful examples.
Indeed, a recent popularity poll put Andrew Wilke and Jacqui Lambie well ahead of most mainstream politicians.
Behind the shift away from the major parties is the increasingly complexity and diversity of issues with few unifying threads along traditional party lines.
For example, cost of living and health care impact most all Tasmanians.
Our politicians need a mind-shift from adversarial to co-operative politics.
Professor David Adams University of Tasmania
The rules of successfully governing in a coalition
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14.02.2024
The next Tasmanian government is likely to be a coalition of traditional political parties, minor parties and independents.
$0/
(min cost $0)
Login or signup to continue reading
For Tasmania to thrive all our current and prospective politicians need to learn the rules for successful coalitions. Successful coalitions are based on the politics of cooperation around good ideas not denigration of others and adversarial politics.
Adversarial politics is the politics of my way or the highway, of mudslinging and polarisation. If you want to see what I mean just browse through the websites of the major parties.
Recent brinkmanship does........
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