Quo Vadis? (Week 12)
'I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office.' - Thomas Jefferson
The last panel presented a good opportunity to reflect on the purposes of politicians in unravelling complexity. This is not just because the concluding lecture was a reminder that I needed to begin wrapping up this portfolio. Rather, I found Kamalini Lokuge’s talk to be quite inspiring due to the substantive difference her work makes to those in need. Paul Keating once said that it was important for leaders to take time each day to think about their inspirations and aspirations. Such reflection is made more difficult by the weight of complex problems politicians must face, but can also give direction to their quest through complexity. This week’s tool is the contemplation of what motivates politicians to bother with complex problems at all.
I attended the National Student Leadership Forum in September and was heartened to hear from several of our political hosts that they did not doubt the motives of their colleagues. Each parliamentarian believed that their fellow Members possessed good intentions and that they all differed only in their methods. Tony Abbott commented that his greatest wish was that he never become cynical in his approach to politics. Interestingly, Scott Stephens noted in his ethics forum that while he disagreed with Abbott’s stance on abortion, he admired the courage and reasoned depth of his convictions on that vexed policy issue.
I attended the National Student Leadership Forum in September and was heartened to hear from several of our political hosts that they did not doubt the motives of their colleagues. Each parliamentarian believed that their fellow Members possessed good intentions and that they all differed only in their methods. Tony Abbott commented that his greatest wish was that he never become cynical in his approach to politics. Interestingly, Scott Stephens noted in his ethics forum that while he disagreed with Abbott’s stance on abortion, he admired the courage and reasoned depth of his convictions on that vexed policy issue.
Optimism is probably a necessary tool for politicians. They could easily get worn down by the minutiae of operational policy without it. In addition, a broad and optimistic perspective can inspire politicians in practicing the art of the possible. President Obama has shown us that hope can go a long way towards setting and advancing difficult political objectives. In a recent public lecture Alistair Greig emphasised that he is optimistic about the prospects of sustainable development to eventually make the world a better place. I would have liked to ask Lokuge whether she is similarly optimistic about whether the global health resource divide can be corrected despite entrenched economic obstacles. Perhaps all that is needed is stronger global political will beyond our domestic ingroup concerns.
Finally, politicians must carefully divine their intended political direction because it is their responsibility to lead their electorate down a well-considered path to the future. Narrative is important because politicians can craft a vision of the future as plain or as expansive as they like. One of the great disappointments of the current Labor government has been its inability to sell its achievements as part of a cohesive narrative of progress. I often wonder whether politicians can realistically deal with the mass of complexity which we require them to resolve. In the case of Kevin Rudd, he made surprising progress towards resolving big issues such as homelessness and Indigenous equality but failed to articulate his successes. Politicians will never manage to please everyone, but the public will accord them great respect if they can take a strong stance and back it up with sound reasoning.