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Did Aussies Poach Harper's Playbook?
Conservative PM's messaging has a Canadian ring.
One of the more interesting, if minor, storylines from the 2006 federal election was the tale of Stephen Harper's Aussie advisor. But with Harper's old friend John Howard looking to add a fifth election victory some time before the new year, it seems that advice may now be flowing the other way. From Melbourne's The Age:
Mr. Howard nominated five goals for a fifth term: to keep Australia strong, secure and united; build a new era of growth; reshape federalism; "ensure a rising tide of prosperity lifts all boats, with every child getting a solid start in life"; and to take "balanced" action on climate change, energy and water.
Compare those to our Harper's most recent iteration of his five priorities for government announced last week:
Defending Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic; keeping the economy strong and taxes low; tackling crime; protecting the environment; and strengthening the federation at home and abroad.
Of course, Harper's priorities have proven at least somewhat malleable. So a warning to The Tyee's huge cadre of Down Under readers: if "balanced action on climate change" morphs into "longer, stronger dingo fence" after the election, don't blame us. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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2
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Sean Ryan
4 years ago
Two countries, same spin
Having grown up in Australia and lived through at least a few years of the Howard government, maybe I can translate the spin.
Keep Australia strong, secure and united : continue and strength xenophobic immigration and refugee policies, including illegal attempts at deportation (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10459137)
Build a new era of growth : implement pro big business, anti-union, and worker policies to further increase the wealth gap.
Reshape federalism : Because all the State governments are controlled by the opposition Labor Party, completely reverse the Liberal Party's historical "State rights" stance and take away State powers whenever the States in question don't agree with the stance of the Federal government.
Ensure a rising tide of prosperity lifts all boats, with every child getting a solid start in life : Pay lip-service to equal opportunity, even though nearly every policy implemented during the last 10 years have helped increase the wealth gap and created more low-paid and underemployed jobs than any time in the country's history.
Take "balanced" action on climate change, energy and water : "Intensity-based targets" rather than absolute caps, and begin a nuclear energy program and a "clean coal" program so as to maintain the mining industry as much as possible and siphon government funding into existing corporate pockets, rather than building a solar, wind and tidal energy infrastructure in a country that has more sunshine than almost any other in the world and that is surrounded by ocean.
The writer is spot on - it all sounds very familiar.
Samantha
4 years ago
Real Aussie Culchah.
Balanced action on climate change requires a belief in climate change. And while our resevoirs are down to 30% of capacity, Mr Howard will not accept climate change as truth until GW Bush tells him to.
According to our press, the more pressing issue right now is whether opposition leader Kevin Rudd visited a strip club 4 years ago in New York.
If it's true, his popularity will increase dramatically:
Part of being a true Aussie male is embracing bloke culture. Nothing says bloke like being so hammered you "may not recall" spending an evening with some naked ladies.