Something striking to come out of the NSW election was how neither the Liberal nor Labor leaders moved to attack each other during the campaign.
Indeed, both leaders retained their positivity about the other side during their concession and victory speeches, with former premiers Dominic Perrottet praising the former opposition leader Chris Minns and the “race to the top” that he saw in the campaign, describing it as “politics at its best” and saying Minns “will make a fine 47th premier of NSW.
On the other side, Minns thanked Perrottet during his victory speech and declared “this election campaign perhaps uniquely was a model of respect and civility and neither party took the low road. Neither political party took the low blow.”
It was also noticeable in the separate interviews Women’s Agenda had with both of them in the final week of the campaign. Neither attacked the opposite side, even when they had the opportunity to. Neither said a negative word about anyone.
Of course, that’s not to say the NSW state election was all kindness. Plenty of candidates, residents and columnists have fallen into their gutter during the campaign, and now in the aftermath.
Federally, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised a “kinder” Australia when the 47th Parliament sat for the first time in July 2022. He sought to legislate and promote a more “family-friendly” environment for representatives.
The tone certainly has shifted. But as Question Time proves over and over again, there is still work to do.
Just yesterday, the opposition claimed that Labor MP Sam Rae yelled across the chamber, “at least I have my own children” – while Liberal MP Angie Bell was speaking about the childcare bill. Rae denies making the remarks but concedes he did interject.
And outside of parliament, the choices politicians make on the commentary they share with the media, as well as the events they choose to attend, highlight how the rhetoric of kindness can be quickly overcome by “race to the bottom” actions.
Most disturbing are the anti-trans rallies that have occurred in various parts of the country, that saw wannabe and actual politicians attending – as well as some Neo Nazis.
On Monday, Victorian Liberal lead John Pesutto saw his leadership questioned after his push to expel MP Moira Deeming from the party room – following her attendance at the anti-Trans rally — failed. Instead, Deeming was suspended for nine months. And within hours of the party room meeting that determined the results, Deeming tweeted to organisers of the rally to “not worry” because she didn’t “condemn” them during the process.
Last week, the anti-trans rally arrived in Canberra – although the small and pathetic turnout was drowned out by the much larger pro-trans group that arrived.
It’s hard to believe we’re talking so much about Nazis in 2023. It’s hard to believe we still need to discuss banning Nazi salutes and take a stronger stand on Nazi symbols across Australia.
It’s hard to understand how much hate can be thrown at the already marginalized trans community, and what those who seek to tear down and attack this community are so fundamentally afraid of.
The “race to the top” claimed in the NSW election must translate into all areas of politics and the community, across all parties and well onto the backbenchers at the state and federal level. It’s clear, we need it.