This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Sun, glorious winter sun. It streamed through the study window on Monday, bathing the room in warmth and casting optimism over the start of the working week.
Only a few days past the solstice, that low point of winter, and things are looking up.
It's not the tax cuts, which for most people are dead on arrival - swallowed up by higher rents, mortgage payments and grocery bills. It's not electricity rebate, either. That, too, is already accounted for.
It's actually the latest Newspoll. It shows Australians are back where they were in May 2022. Not too happy with both leaders and their mainstream parties. Left leaning in slightly growing support for the Greens, on one hand, and willing to give teals and other independents another go on the other.
It's good news because, unlike Europe, the UK and the US, we're not swinging wildly one or the other, and particularly not to the far right. Those places may be sweating in summer heat right now but the chill wind of extremism is blowing. In Germany. In France. And in the UK, where the nicotine-stained Nigel Farage is back on the populist far right stage, backed up by a coterie of ugly Reform UK candidates.
Our version - also orange like Trump and Farage - is mercifully stuck in neutral on the fringes of politics.
We should feel good about this. Despite all the challenges and hardships of the past couple of years, we've kept faith with the sensible centre. We might not be be overly happy with our two major parties and their leaders but there's little inclination towards extremism. The Greens are up a few points and so are the teals and other independents.
We should feel pleased about our system of government, too. Whatever your position about the republic, whatever your disdain for the monarchy, it would have been difficult not to be assured by the swearing in of Sam Mostyn as Governor-General, our head of state.
Yes, the ritual and its wording were quaint but the person and her speech were uplifting and inspiring. Above all, the new Governor-General's speech was optimistic. Like that winter sun, it was comforting and hopeful.
So, too, the analysis by Peter Martin and a panel of 29 experts, who painted a far better forecast for the economy than what we've been used to. By next year, most agreed, interest rates would start coming down in line with falling inflation. Importantly, the panel from universities, financial institutions and think tanks, arrived at their positive outlook after last month's higher-than-expected inflation figures.
Scientific studies have found that optimism is good for human health. Optimists are generally more physically active, eat better, sleep well and do not self-medicate with alcohol and tobacco. Optimists are also more likely to better deal with stress by resolving the issues rather than masking them or putting them off for another day.
An optimistic head of state, a positive economic forecast and polling which shows we're still largely politically centrist is a good start to the new financial year.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Are you naturally optimistic? How important is a positive outlook? Do you lean left, right or towards the centre when it comes to politics? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A failure to stamp out gambling advertising has been labelled an embarrassment for the federal government, amid a fresh push to ban the promotions. Crossbench MPs have reiterated calls for the government to ban betting ads, one year on from a landmark review which called for a phasing out of the advertising.
- Demand for Australia's critical minerals could fall after the next US presidential election, a report has warned, with a second term for Donald Trump likely to slow short-term exports to the country.
- Black-market tobacco and e-cigarettes are in the sights of authorities as overhauled vaping laws come into effect. From now on vapes will only be allowed to be sold in pharmacies over the counter, and only after chemists have a discussion with the customer about the health harms.
THEY SAID IT: "I believe any success in life is made by going into an area with a blind, furious optimism." - Sylvester Stallone
YOU SAID IT: Our politics might be cartoonish like Looney Tunes but we should be thankful it's not Weekend At Bernie's like it is in the US.
Chris writes: "Our Australian democracy is saved by compulsory voting, preventing the rabid right or the extreme left winning government, most voters are moderate in their views. Heaven help us if that changes! Both the US and Great Britain amply demonstrate the results of non-compulsory voting, although we do have one thing in common with them, the Murdoch media, which is a worry."
Peter doesn't support an age limit on public office: "But the same kind of test that a lot of us aging boomers currently or will eventually face. Are we of sound mind? Are there signs of dementia etc.? Aussie politics? Much better than the American system. There is way too much power in the hands of the president, and not enough legal accountability."
"Beautifully conceived and written. A definite mood booster for me," writes Drew.
Tony writes: "I think our political system is better due to compulsory voting, preferential voting and an independent electoral commission. I am concerned about the high limits for the disclosure of political donations, which I hope are reduced. My favourite Looney Tunes character was Daffy, with Sylvester a close second."
"Octogenarian American and underskilled Australian along with bland UK politicians all point to an ongoing failure of democratic politics," writes Phil. "Very few people of note enter or rise to the top of the pile. Where once political branches were overflowing with people, all arguing to create a better world, branches are now stacked or filled with the last remnants going through the rituals of bureaucracy, passing last month's minutes and handing out the leaflet du jour. The hoi polloi have no input and feel frustration at the decades of indecision. Eventually the young seek the extremes, the far left, the radical environmentalists and now the far right but it will all end in bland defeat at the hand of the Treasury. We are doomed to inaction."
Allan writes: "It's not being ageist to suggest there should be an age limit on candidates for any country's national parliament. However the big difference between our own Westminster system and the US presidential system is that if a leader here put on such an appalling public performance as poor Joe, he'd be gone within hours."