Clive Bibby: Stating the Obvious

Recent episodes of Australian Fox nighttime “talk shows” have discussed the probable outcome of the next General Election - now likely to be called within days of the RB interest rate cut announced this week.

As a political junkie, I found it interesting that most seasoned political commentators - even those who oppose the current government, are suggesting the most likely outcome being a minority Labour Government with support from the Greens.

I find that conclusion to be a denial of reality, particularly given recent polling that clearly shows support for Labour and its cross bench cronies to be in the toilet.

Commentators appear to be ignoring the giant strides made by Peter Dutton towards becoming an acceptable alternative to the current hapless lot.

They also appear to be overlooking the main reason for the change in fortunes of the Albanese mob.

They won the last election based on a cost of living crisis that had developed during the Covid campaign and successfully campaigned on a reduction of household expenses, especially the cost of energy which Albanese had promised to reduce by $275 per household per month..

The current PM’s failure to go even close to honouring that major election promise has handed a golden opportunity to Dutton who can now campaign almost exclusively on changing the whole structure of Australian energy supply sources. No longer will he need to worry about any political backlash of returning to a supply chain that includes coal and gas fired power stations as a temporary measure until his plans for nuclear come on stream.

Yes, the cost of building nuclear plants will, in the short term, be substantial but in the long term a much cheaper option and, more importantly, a much more reliable source than the current one almost totally dependent on wind and solar.

Albanese will not be able to overcome the Opposition’s continual focus during the campaign on the high cost of living which is almost totally due to the high cost of the ever increasing energy component.

Australian voters are deserting the Labour and Greens coalition in droves and, in spite of the small interest rate cuts, things are going from bad to worse.

As former PM Gough Whitlam famously said after being sacked :

“God save the Queen because nothing will save the (Prime Minister) Governor General”. Please forgive the paraphrase but it does seem to be appropriate in the context of current events.

In my humble opinion the tide in Australia has already turned and the smart money is now on the Liberal/ National Party Coalition ( possibly with the added support of One Nation) forming a majority Government.

Why does it need someone as dumb as me to point out the obvious.

We’ll see who is right.

Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.