Here's a lens to view the Albanese government through. And to be clear, it's infinitely better to have a…
Here's a lens to view the Albanese government through. And to be clear, it's infinitely better to have a government trying to govern, rather than trying to dismantle government. But a pattern is appearing, and it's not a good one. /1 https://t.co/JcPLqPIAWu
A common response to critical issues right now is to set up a new advisory body or committee. This from a government that not only (rightly) is prioritising repairing the public service, but also had 10 years in opposition to have policy shovel-ready. /2
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Like the current National Housing Supply and Affordability Council. Headed up by somebody with a prominent history in the property development industry. Spoke very well on RN this morning. But really, we have no in-house expertise in the APS? /3
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Nobody there who knows what the issues are with housing, and what to do about them? I bet we do. We've just been through weeks of discussion on the blurring of lines between government and industry through consultancies. @4corners and @c_s_wallace opened that window for us. /4
But here we are with housing, immediately bypassing the APS again, setting up new bodies with politically-appointed memberships? What were the ALP doing in opposition for 10 years, if they don't already know what to do here? /5
At the same time on RN this morning we had Jason Clare, describing again the review mechanisms he's set up to advise on what's wrong with education. Surely the APS already know? Surely the ALP had 10 years in opposition to already have shovel-ready policy here? /6
Yes Minister covered what's probably going on here brilliantly. These 'advisory' mechanisms are mostly about getting issues off the front page, and passing accountability to non-politicians. The people selected, either consultants or hand-picked for advisory bodies,.../7
...will usually tell you what decision the government has already made on an issue. That and the terms of reference given to the advisers. We saw that with Covid too, how 'the science' was listened to only in very narrowly controlled terms of reference, designed by Cabinet. /8
On housing now all we hear is 'supply, supply, supply'. That's all we ever hear about gas too. A rule of thumb I use is to immediately question policy that leads to the industry concerned making more of what it produces. It suggests regulatory capture. /9
Macrobusiness at least seems to be asking the same questions, on housing. /end https://t.co/WPsCVl2NU7