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Unlike many first birthdays, this one passed without much fanfare. With a single candle on its cake, the Albanese government largely side-stepped self-congratulation. The Treasurer crowed a little about the low unemployment rate and emerging signs of wage movement but the first anniversary was muted. As it should have been.
For most Australians, there's not much to celebrate. The cost of living is still outpacing any wages growth. Housing is a nightmare for anyone unfortunate enough to be renting or paying off their home. Seeing a doctor remains a challenge. The roads are still full of potholes. While the May budget provided some relief for the most vulnerable in society - particularly those on welfare - it didn't do much struggling low income earners.
Despite all that, though, the Albanese government retains a strong lead over the opposition in opinion polls. And Albanese himself is well ahead as preferred prime minister. We've moved beyond the political honeymoon stage, from last May's wedding - by no means rapturous if the primary vote tells a story - to today's marriage. And while we grumble occasionally, the relationship is holding up well.
Of course, there has been the odd row. Many of us - including Paul Keating - didn't like the AUKUS commitment, which seemed a bit like hubby taking it upon himself to sign up to a huge hire purchase commitment without consulting us. We had to nag harshly to get even a small increase to the JobSeeker rate in the recent budget. We're not convinced the extra migrants expected this year and next won't worsen the housing crisis. And we're scratching our heads about the stage three tax cuts, to which the government remains committed.
We're prepared to cop all that, though, because in its first year the government has not made the sky fall in. The "loose unit" about whom we were warned before the election last year has not materialised. If anything, Albanese has run a pretty tight ship with only the occasional misstep - the Tassie stadium pledge being one of them and attending Kyle Sandilands' wedding on the same day another.
We're talking with China again but not kowtowing. We've made amends with France, re-engaged with our Pacific neighbours. The weekend hasn't been ruined by electric vehicles - utes are still outselling Teslas by a wide margin. There's been a budget surplus. Long overdue Medicare reforms have been put in train. The government is doing stuff - not boldly or hastily but in a measured, incremental kind of way. For Australians who like their politics calm, this is a good thing. For those who want bolder change sooner, it's a source of frustration.
The government faces its own frustrations. Its agenda has to get past two oppositions, the depleted, conservative Coalition and the energised, left-leaning Greens.
Desperate to land some kind of political blow, the Coalition is reflexively negative. No to the Voice. No to the Australia Housing Future Fund. No to the across-the-board $40 a fortnight JobSeeker increase. No to just about anything. The Greens are intent on driving hard bargains, even if it means siding with the Coalition to hold up legislation.
The different way of doing politics we were promised just after the election is still a work in progress. Question Time remains the most visible, raucous political theatre - and it's just as nasty as before the change of government.
There's a refreshing reduction in the frequency of hard-hat-and-high-vis appearances but @albomp still floods social media with photos of himself at the opening of every envelope - and the odd coronation - to the point of tedium.
Unlike his predecessor, however, he smiles and doesn't smirk.
First birthdays are one thing but for new governments, the second and third are more important. By then we'll know if this relationship we've entered into meets our expectations or if it's time for change.
HAVE YOUR SAY: How do you rate the performance of the Albanese government in its first year? What improvements could it make? What have been the high points - and the low ones? Is Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton your preferred PM? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A senior detective has accused the ACT Victims of Crime Commissioner of using Brittany Higgins to pursue her own #MeToo movement agenda. Detective Superintendent Scott Moller has taken aim at Victims of Crime Commissioner Heidi Yates in a statement to an inquiry into the case of Bruce Lehrmann, saying he was "mad" at her "inappropriate" actions.
- Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has described the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament as a "reckless roll of the dice" which would "take our country backwards not forwards". But the Minister for Indigenous Australians countered him, saying he and his ilk were "hellbent on stoking division".
- An Australian man has died climbing Mount Everest after learning to walk again from injuries he sustained in a serious car accident. Jason Kennison, 40, was attempting to climb the world's tallest mountain to raise money and awareness for Spinal Cord Injuries Australia.
THEY SAID IT: "It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped." - Hubert H. Humphrey
YOU SAID IT: The bliss of disconnection from addictive devices.
"Spooky," says John. "I was just reading about your device addiction when the 'screen time' report popped unbidden into view. Pleasingly, I was 22 per cent down last week."
Stuart says: "I got sucked in to buying a mobile some years ago but found very quickly it bugged me and took up too much time. It is now turned off, in a drawer, in a cupboard, in the third bedroom. And that's where it will stay till the cows come home! If somebody wants to talk to me - write a letter!"
"Mobile (smart) phones are like nuclear fission," says Arthur. "They have to be carefully controlled or they cause unlimited damage. Unfortunately, governments have abdicated their responsibility for effective control to users. The user's ability to control these wretched devices is limited to the delete button as 'block' functions do not work."
Cathy says: "I was worried that I am becoming addicted to my device but have realised it's my lifeline to the outside world. When my youngest was an ill child, I gleaned much knowledge from an overseas listserv, and had a blog site to document their journey. As a family with a vulnerable person, without that we'd be totally lost. So, I am quite happily addicted to my device, enjoying the freedom, rather than free-dumb, and living in a way that will help not harm those I love. Many thanks, I look forward to you popping into my in-box each morning."
"There are days when I don't even turn my mobile on," says Jeanette. "We bought the mobiles in the first place because my parents were very elderly and we needed to be contactable. They have now passed away and while we have kept our phones they do not rule our lives."
Susan says: "I try to use my phone as the tool it is. The phone is not the problem nor is social media. It is the power we give it. I do use social media. YouTube is a fantastic source of techniques for my silverwork hobby but I don't use many other platforms. Bite-sized pieces of information don't appeal to me. A click is not, for me, a form of communication. I prefer to hear or read, and offer, a detailed opinion rather than to latch on to someone else's unexplained and probably provocative statement with a 'like'. This is one of the reasons I enjoy reading The Echidna. Even if I don't agree with the sentiment expressed, it is presented in a context with supporting arguments and evidence, and often a few points made for the other side of the argument as well."
Allan has a compliment: "Fiona's cartoon on a support group for families of politicians who have left politics to spend more time with them is brilliant. I always wonder when they announce this reason for leaving politics whether the families have been consulted on the decision."