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There is no better way for politicians to avoid accountability for their decisions than to allow civil servants to be scapegoated for government screw-ups

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Candidates for the federal Conservative leadership have until June 3 to sign up new members; at that point, almost three months before the actual election date, the result may be more or less baked in. Pierre Poilievre must hope thats true not just because he seems to be the prohibitive favourite, but because his war with Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem over Canadas inflation rate may well be unsustainable.

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Few of us understand monetary policy or have any interest in cryptocurrency, which is another of Poilievres niche interests. Poilievres campaign seemed to want to wink at people who do, without upsetting anyone else. But there has been no shortage of pushback, including from within the party.

Poilievre supporters will dismiss Ed Fasts resignation as Conservative finance critic this week as the petulance of a Jean Charest supporter, and not, as Fast claims, a reasonable response to attempts to muzzle his defence of independent central banking around the finance table. (Fast is the co-chair of Charests campaign.) But Fast is relatively well known and reasonable a good Tory soldier, a former Harper cabinet minister, and not from Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal. As arcane as monetary policy might be, the general principle of central-bank independence shouldnt be hard to defend: If theres one thing we should want to wall off from politicians panicky, self-interested, quotidian concerns, surely its the currency. A government seeking re-election would have every incentive to reduce interest rates, for example, deal with the long-term consequences later (if at all).

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Intuitive as that argument is, it may not make a dent in the leadership campaign. But it certainly could in a general election campaign. Poilievres cryptocurrency gambit could be another severe vulnerability in that respect too. At almost the very moment in late March that he suggested Canadians might opt out of inflation with crypto, Bitcoin and Ethereum began their nearly 40-per-cent collapse. Its a Liberal attack ad ready to happen. (The smart money, of course, is on Poilievre winning the leadership by hook or by crook, then beetling immediately to the centre and disappointing all his revolution-minded supporters. But that too would be a severe liability. Surely it can only happen so often within Canadas Conservative movement before it begins to fall apart.)

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I wonder, too, if the Poilievre team has miscalculated somewhat in making things so personal. Ed Fast and Jean Charest would have no problem firing a waitress or welder for not doing their jobs. But they wont do the same for a big-shot banker whose failures have cost our people a fortune, Poilievre said in a populism-by-numbers statement after Fasts departure.

Its not unprecedented: Former Bank of Canada governor James Coyne was Canadian Presss Newsmaker of the Year in 1961 for his open war with then finance minister Donald Fleming. But that was 60 years ago. Its not as if only Canada is dealing with inflation just at the moment: Canadas 6.8 per cent in April was below the G20 and OECD averages of 7.9 per cent and 8.8 per cent, respectively. That doesnt help anyone put food on the table, but nor do knee-jerk terminations.

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Its not that prominent civil servants should be off-limits for criticism. Indeed, one of the salutary benefits of the pandemic was to knock some sense into those of us with an unhealthy post-SARS instinct to make heroes of public health officials. Faced with the most serious crisis of their careers, many of our chief public health officers failed miserably in their most basic job: Communicating and justifying public-health measures to the population.

So, there is nothing wrong in theory with longshot Conservative leadership candidate Roman Baber criticizing Dr. Theresa Tam, for example or even to say he would try to fire her as prime minister. Tams pandemic record is that of downplaying the risk to Canada and casting aspersions on those who disagreed, until it was too late even to delay COVID-19s arrival at our borders. Having changed her mind on border controls or more likely having pretended to change her mind under political pressure she quickly set about rubbishing the sort of rapid-antigen tests that other countries were using. Her departments failures to coordinate with border officials are the stuff of legend. She has not been good at her job.

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But reading about Baber this week, it occurred to me that his intervention actually makes Tam more secure in her job because no Liberal government would want to be seen capitulating to such populist rabble-rousing. Thats not great in itself: Just because Baber thinks Tam should be fired doesnt mean she shouldnt be. But in the longer term and broader view, allowing civil servants to be scapegoated for government screw-ups would be a politicians dream and a detriment to democracy: There is no better way for politicians to avoid accountability for their decisions. When the next federal election comes along, no matter whos leading the Conservatives, there should be more than enough decisions on the Liberal record to make attacking individual bureaucrats wholly unnecessary.

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Chris Selley: Blaming bankers and bureaucrats only lets Liberals off the hook - National Post

As a candidate whos named on the ballot, you always have to take responsibility for a loss, but I also acknowledge that it wasnt as though it was just existing in our community.

The trends [are evident] in Higgins, its in Kooyong, existing in Wentworth, existing in Mackellar and North Sydney.

An emotional Mr Wilson thanked his husband, Ryan Bolger, for his support.

My contribution at this point seems to be ending, but I always want to continue to be able to play a role.

Mr Wilson was elected in 2016, having previously been Australias Human Rights Commissioner.

He proposed to Mr Bolger in the House of Representatives shortly after the same-sex marriage bill was introduced.

Mr Wilson also campaigned heavily against Labor's proposed changes to franking credits at the 2019 election.

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Liberals need to focus less on 'fringe agendas': Tim Wilson - The Australian Financial Review

Outgoing minister Angus Taylor has called on the Liberal Party to return to its core valuesafter its heavy defeat in the federal election.

The election loss has cost Mr Taylor the energy and emissions reduction portfolio, which he has held since 2018.

But hewill remain in parliament after retaining the NSW seat of Hume, according to the latest ABC projections.

"It is critical now for the Liberal party to regroup and refocus on our core values,"Mr Taylor said.

"We must recognise who we represent and that in a time of great economic challenge, core liberal values have much to offer."

Mr Taylor won the seat of Hume for the fourth time despite a challenge from Labor and independent candidates.

Before the election Hume was considered one of the safest Liberal seats in the country, held with a margin of 13 per cent.

With 78 per cent of the vote counted, that margin is estimated to have slipped to 7.6 per cent.

The former frontbencher suffered a 10 per cent first-preference swing against him in his expansive electorate, which covers an area from the suburbs of south-west Sydney to the NSW Southern Tablelands.

Mr Taylor said there wouldbe a lot of focus on the shift to "left-wing independents" but said parts of the country had shifted to conservative parties.

"We also need to recognise the fragmentation of the primary votes of the major parties across the nation," he said.

"Labor has gained government legitimately with a 32 per centprimary vote which is unprecedented, while we saw strong support for smaller conservative parties in the suburbs and the bush."

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Among his challengers was first-time independent Penny Ackery, a Goulburn resident campaigning for a federal Independent Commission Against Corruption and increasing emissions reduction targets.

"I am really not sure exactly what he means by this, we saw this in a rural area where he lost his margin which was very large," Ms Ackery said.

"Iknow there are places where the Liberals have completely lost out."

The man behind funding for the successfulTeal independents, Simon Holmes aCourt, was at Ms Ackery's campaign launch in Goulburn last year.

The retired schoolteacher declined his offer to back her campaign through the Climate 200 fund.

"Accepting funding when it was a matter of integrity that I was really campaigning on, we felt that was not going to go down well, we decided against that," she said.

"We have no regrets about that."

Ms Ackery said ultimately it was difficult to compare the success of the inner-city independents with those challenging for rural seats.

"The actual demographics are different," she said.

"We have very rural areas down here as well as the outer suburbs of Sydney, so it is a very different electorate in regards to the issues we are dealing with.

"But they are all Australians, they are all having difficulties and they have concerns about things like integrityand about making sure we have a renewable economy into the future, it doesn't matter where you live, these things matter."

Mr Taylor said despite his role change he wouldremain focused on delivering the local projects included in the federal budget.

"It is now my job to make sure the government delivers on what we need the new airport and local jobs, the Picton bypass, a Goulburn Medicare-funded MRI and a host of other road and communications projects, in addition to delivering on cost of living commitments."

"These are all budgeted, and I will make sure you all know if the new government decides to change direction."

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Posted11h ago11 hours agoMon 23 May 2022 at 9:23am, updated11h ago11 hours agoMon 23 May 2022 at 9:27am

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Angus Taylor says Liberal Party must focus on core values after federal election loss - ABC News

Liberal MP Bridget Archer looks set to becomethe first politician to win re-election in the seat of Bass in 20 years, as the electorate of Lyons remains far too close to call.

Ms Archer held the northern Tasmanian electorate, known as the nation's "ejector seat", by a razor-thin 0.4 per cent margin before this weekend's election.

The ABC projects she will buckthat label and defeatLabor candidate Ross Hart, with the former George Town mayor on track to extend her margin.

Ms Archer said she was feeling "overwhelmed, quite emotional and really proud" following the campaign.

"I've been really privileged to represent the people of Bass through a really difficult time and to support them through that, and I just feel so humbled that they have offered me the opportunity to continue to do that," she said.

"My commitment to the people of Bass is that I will continue to act in their best interests, that I'll continue to be that genuine and authentic person.

"I'm a bit too real sometimes, I have brought all of my vulnerability to this role.It's been very challenging for me and at times I've wondered if I'm up to the task, but I hope that from doing that that it gives comfort and courage to other people and they can see themselves reflected."

Ms Archer said it was too early to speculate on what had cost the Coalition the election but said she would be fighting "tooth and nail" to hold the Labor Party accountable as it forms either majority or minority government.

Ms Archer is one of four Tasmanian MPs set to retain their seats, with Franklin, Clark and Braddon all called by the ABC's Antony Green.

But the fifth seat the sprawling electorate of Lyons remains too close to call, with Labor MP Brian Mitchell locked in a tense battle with Liberal councillor Susie Bower.

The ABC's projection has Brian Mitchell marginally ahead of the Meander Valley councillorwith 70 per cent of the vote counted.

Follow all the post-election action as vote counting continues

Liberal Gavin Pearce has retained Braddon,increasing his margin in the north-west Tasmanian seat which was previously considered marginal.

The beef farmer and former Wynyard RSL president first won the seat in 2019, dethroning Labor's Justine Keay and this time around defeated Labor candidate Chris Lynch.

Mr Pearce believed voters rewarded him for his hard work on their behalf, saying sincebeing first elected, unemployment had dropped and more jobs had been created.

"Finally we've turned the corner and you know I've worked damn hard to make sure that's happened, and they recognise hard work, certainly when they see it here in Braddon," Mr Pearce said.

Mr Pearce said he would call on his experience in the defence force when dealing with the new Labor government.

"Certainly when it comes to the rough and tumble of negotiating, you know you get a couple of hundred soldiers under your command and I tell you what, they try you out from time to time as well."

"I'll be a loud voice for the region, they know that."

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Independent Andrew Wilkie has been re-elected in the Hobart-based seat of Clark on a comfortable margin.

MrWilkie has held the seat, formerly called Denison, since 2010.

He stayed clear of his election night supporters' party due to being in COVID isolation.

Mr Wilkie, who joined his celebrations via video link after testing positive to COVID-19, said he was delighted to secure a fifth term.

"Elections are a wonderful celebration of democracy and to have secured a fifth term is tremendous validation that my consistent calls for greater fairness and action on many key issues have resonated in the greater Hobart community," he said.

"I will continue to work hard to honour the trust the community has placed in me and will never take it for granted."

The southern Tasmanian seat of Franklin has been called for Labor's Julie Collins.

It is Labor's 11th straight victory in the seat, which has been held by Ms Collins since 2007.

In the Senate, where 43.6 per cent of the vote has been counted, the ABC projects that Jacqui Lambie Network candidate Tammy Tyrell is on a path to be elected.

She would be the only new Tasmanian addition to the Senate under those projections, at the expense of long-serving Liberal senator Eric Abetz who was relegated to the third spot on the Liberal ticket.

Ms Tyrell has received 56 per cent of a quota, with the Liberal Party on track for 2.15quotas, only enough to re-elect Jonathon Duniam and Wendy Askew.

The Greens' Peter Whish-Wilson and the ALP's Anne Urquhart have also been re-elected.

Labor's Helen Polley (the party has 1.88 quotas) is considered likely to be re-elected.

Ms Tyrell said she would be watching the remainder of the count closely.

"It would be like Christmas day, it would be like that 16th birthday where you get the present and you go like 'Yes! Mum has come through' but being able to speak for Tasmanian voices in their tone and giving their message would be amazing," she said.

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Posted21 May 202221 May 2022Sat 21 May 2022 at 9:45am, updatedYesterday at 12:59amSun 22 May 2022 at 12:59am

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Liberals' Bridget Archer set to retain Bass, as Tasmanian MPs Andrew Wilkie, Gavin Pearce and Julie Collins all returned - ABC News

NSW minister and leading Liberal Party moderate Matt Kean says the party needs to rebuild after the devastating federal election loss by listening to the community on issues like climate, integrity and women.

The NSW treasurer says the party needs to "get back to the drawing board" after both major parties lost ground to candidates who were advocating for decisive action on climate change, for an integrity agency and women's issues.

Right winger Peter Dutton is being touted as the frontrunner to replace Scott Morrison but Mr Kean declined to say who was the best candidate to lead the party forward.

"That's not a matter for me. It's a matter of the federal party room," Mr Kean told ABC TV on Monday.

"But what I will say is that we need a leader who is going to be able to set a new path for the Liberal Party."

There was no one person to blame for the defeat but the party needed to take ownership of the result and first and foremost improve on the party's target to deliver net zero emissions by 2050.

"I think that we need to have a strong and decisive 2030 target," Mr Kean said.

"What we saw is that after the bushfires, after the floods, after the drought, that the community are seeing climate change for what it is - a generation imperative that needs strong and decisive action," he said.

Last year the NSW government announced its goal to slash emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 on its way to zero emissions by 2050.

"We need to make sure that we're putting forward policies that will see us take climate change seriously.

""We need to listen to the community and we need to respond accordingly," he said.

"The middle ground is wanting the major parties to stand up and speak out on the issues that concern them," he said.

Australian Associated Press

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Kean urges Liberals to stand up on climate - Victor Harbor Times