Kim Wingerei blog posts
“Without idealists, the pragmatists would have nothing to do…”
A Lack of Leadership Stops Progress
The game of musical chairs played in Canberra reveals yet again one of the fundamental problems with our political system – the lack of leadership.
Party politics is the real elephant in the room!
Seeing the self-destruction of a political opponent is, of course, more important than taking action against the destruction of our planet. Party politics is failing democracy in Australia.
The major parties are failing democracy – it’s time to act!
The latest poll shows that the two major parties combined now only have support from two thirds of voters. The latest in an endless series of leadership ructions is part of the problem. Voters just don’t trust politicians and it is the party system that is to blame.
Condemning neoliberalism
Condemning neoliberalism as Richard Denniss does in his recent Quarterly Essay is all well and good, but to change how policy formulation is done in our broken democracy we need to look at the root causes and reform the system, not just change the labels.
Why are we so afraid?
The debate about My Health Records is reminiscent of every such debate since the failed Australia Card scheme back in the eighties. Australians have a privacy obsession. What are we so afraid of?
The ABC needs relevance, not lifestyle!
The ABC Lifestyle initiative is an own goal. Instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator of content, it should focus on quality content and continue to excel its online delivery.
You cannot kill what’s already dead!
Apparently, the sale of Fairfax to Nine is the end of journalism in Australia, the triumph of the cheque book as the only arbiter of a good story and the death knell of democracy. Paul Keating – that most eloquent and cerebral of political alley cats – was particularly scathing in his assessment, but he isn’t alone.
The stakes are too high – the party is over!
Party politics has been allowed to take control over the political discourse at all levels. The voters are disillusioned and disengaged. How do we break the Gordian Knot of partisan control over democracy?
The Naked President
The problem with Trump is not Donald Trump. The really scary part is that nobody is standing up to him.
The Three Pillars of Democracy are Shaking!
Democracy is a system of government designed to protect and uphold the rights of the people. And to protect the people from government. In that sense, the case of the ‘Canberra Two’ is both scary and illuminating.
We need to talk (about) Turkey
Democracy is under threat. From Vienna to Washington, Caracas to Istanbul, men with scant regard for the institutions that uphold democracy have been elected, threatening civic freedoms not just in their own countries, but setting dangerous precedents for others to follow. Could it happen here?
Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change
The first book in The Why Series is out now! A democracy upgrade is long overdue. My book outlines a clear and concise plan for how to modernise our democracy, and restore our collective faith in those chosen to govern our future.