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The mood's changed. The Greens and Liberals aren't chasing the sensible centre (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 1 month ago by to c/australianpolitics@aussie.zone
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Fast-forward 17 months and the Liberal Party and Greens both have new leaders and both have dispensed with their respective party's flirtation with being constructive.

Not only do both leaders appear to be doubling down on the respective strategies that took their parties to an electoral hiding in 2025, but they are now adding extra sauce to the mix.

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[–] 14 points 1 month ago* (18 children)
  • Deliberately grouping The Greens and Liberals when they are polar opposites.
  • Suggesting that either of them ever was chasing the sensible centre.
  • Suggesting that there is such a thing as 'the sensible centre', or even just 'the centre'.
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  • [–] [S] 2 points 1 month ago (17 children)

    I agree with you but 'mainstream Australia' understands the term and most identify with it. I suggest that might be why it is being used. You pitch your commuication to the readers you want to reach, even if you know that the 'sensible centre' is a vague concept. I remember Bill Shorten using the term in describing the aim of his government.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 month ago (16 children)

    Mainstream Australians are very easily manipulated, that is why the term is used, it sounds safe, but there is no such thing as sitting on the fence, it is just pretence.

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  • [–] [S] 4 points 1 month ago (15 children)

    Well, pretence is what this society is about (mostly).

    It may well be that 'the safe centre' is just convenient for people to take a way out without having to think too much, like fast food, no matter what harm it does.

    Having said that, I'm qualifying with adding that a lot of people are tired, stressed financially and generally and seek some sort of reassurance, whether it's from Labs, Libs, PHONeys or Greens.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 month ago (14 children)

    The people who are voting for the mythical centre, are really voting for the right wing. Their bullshit led us here.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 month ago (13 children)

    Bullshit that makes a lot of people feel reassured. You can't blame voters for wanting stability and Australia has always been a majorly conservative nation. Left-wing people may think that the centre does not exist, but the majority of Australians are not left-wing. I've talked to people in the region where I live who think that Labor is left-wing and the Greens are fringe radicals.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 month ago (12 children)

    The centre doesn’t exist, the term is used by right wing parties chasing more votes.

    left = society/community, environment

    right = more money for the rich at any cost, white power, sexism, religion etc

    the alp do well from people pretending they are left wing, and/or by pretending that they are centrist, but the reality of the current government is very much right wing (pro war, racism, sexism, big corporations getting a free lunch, fossil fuel etc) the alp leaders favourite person is a pedophile.

    The duopoly started marketing against the greens as soon as they appeared, when the duopoly realised that people might vote for good, instead of just continuously voting for the duopoly. Anyone who hasn't realised by now that the duopoly never loses, is either young, or wilfully deluded.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 1 month ago (11 children)

    Totally agree, but not all people think like you (or me or others here). Often I feel exasperated that people can't see how they are harming others. Sometimes I also think that a lot of people don't care and in fact are nihilistic.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (10 children)

    I don't see them as nihilistic, more as self-involved

    I'm not quite sure how to explain people having children and then being that way though, that is some super f*cked psychology

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 month ago (9 children)

    How many times have you heard people say that humanity should go because they've caused all the problems. That is exactly the kind of mentality that will blame the 'others' and hate and complain while they extract as much as they can from the environment and from society to suit themselves, in big and small ways. That is beyond self involvement and into the malignant narcissism that is fuelled in our society and paraded by many leaders and 'influenzas' (that's what I call them).

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (8 children)

    Quite often... but I talk to myself so that is probably why.

    Many people are aware (and admit) that humanity is the biggest issue, and some choose to minimise the damage they do (low consumerism, simple low tox products, some home produce, no plastic clothing, no breeding, or max of 2 children etc etc), while being correct that most people are consumerist trash, or could at least put a lot more effort in.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 month ago (7 children)

    Again, people are not consumerist trash. We are brainwashed from babyhood with believing that having 'stuff' is a sign of being a worthy person and the mainstream keeps pounding this into us through all institutions just about. With the way the internet and AI is being employed the situation has gone ballistic.

    It's capitalism and capitalism is both self-aggrandising and self-cannibalising. The system suffers from mental illness. No wonder so many young people are not faring well.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (6 children)

    "Again" people are responsible for their own choices

    Social media deliberately tells people otherwise, and even pats them on the back for pretending to care, while continuing to be the problem. The dodgy politicians, and dodgy corporations could not care less about being blamed for everything bad... while the people are still voting for them, and still funding them.

    and yeah... heaps of people are definitely consumerist trash, tons of Australians are too lazy to even recycle the copious amounts of complete shit they buy, let alone make better choices in the first place.

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 month ago (5 children)

    You're blaming the ones at the bottom of the pyramid. I agree we have choices and are responsible for them but in differing degrees.

    Not everyone is born with the same level of intelligence or opportunity to develop it and so are more or less susceptible to be 'brain stained' by a rapacious system that is mining all of us and mostly turning us against each other and against ourselves . The wealthy are also brain stained. How many could could look at themselves in the mirror if they suddenly lost all their privilege? Their consumerism and the rubbish and pollution they generate are so much worse. Just like wealthy countries compared to poor ones. For what? For artifice.

    Respect for life has lost its meaning amongst many of those who have the means to help solve the problems we face. Those that want to serve them have no respect for life either. They just want to emulate what they see as having a better superficial, artificial, consumer life and a bit of power. When will they realise that those they serve see them as 'the great unwashed' and as dispensable if the crunch comes.

    And you don't think this society is nihilistic?

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (4 children)

    You're suggesting that the majority of people are stupid

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 month ago (3 children)

    Am I suggesting this or is that the way you want to read what I've written? Do you think the majority of people are stupid? You make out that so many are consumerist trash, and so on.

    I do think you've been stringing me along. No more responses from me. Bye bye for now.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (2 children)

    "Not everyone is born with the same level of intelligence or opportunity to develop it"

    "Do you think the majority of people are stupid?"

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 1 month ago (1 child)

    Eremophila (btw, I have a few in my garden - love them) read the sentence again. After this post, I am not continuing with the dance.

    I do not say "everyone is born with a low level of intelligence and also don't take the opportunity to develop it">

    But perhaps I wasn't clear. I hope this is clearer: We are all born with different levels of intelligence and with different life circumstances in which to develop our intelligence (and other gifts).

    In addition we are all subject to powerful continuous narratives which make us see and act in the world in certain ways as individuals and as members of groups, societies, etc. For various reasons, some of us get to take a step back and see the world under the veneer of the narrative. Is that clearer?

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