John Hewson is a professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, and a former Liberal opposition leader.
I was asked this week why the right/centre right/conservatives in the Turnbull government, as they are variously called, don't believe in climate change, and/or don't accept the need for urgent and decisive action.
I fear our political leaders still don't get it. They say they "listen". They say they "understand".
Although the Nationals did somewhat better than expected at the last election, they have been afforded a disproportionate influence in the government.
The siren call of the anti-establishment message puts at risk everything that has made Australia, in many respects, the envy of the world.
If the Turnbull government wants to deliver real "jobs and growth", it should quickly shift its focus to renewable energy.
These governments never had a strategy to transition to government. Winning was all that mattered – we'll worry about what next after we've won!
"I propose; you oppose: You propose; I oppose" is the new mantra of politics.
Rudd, Gillard, Abbott and Turnbull have at least one distinguishing feature in common – they have all found the transition to government, and the processes of government, very difficult.
"What do you stand for?" What do you believe in?" Simple questions that tend to attract vague and variable answers in today's politics, here and globally.
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