Source: Geelong Advertiser
FOR 12 years the Howard Government ruled the political landscape, overseeing a period of unparallelled wealth with, for the most part, low interest rates and even lower unemployment.
But the old bulls of those days have to accept things have now changed, the leader has gone and there is a new government running the country.
Senior Cabinet members of the Howard days are clearly not enjoying the Opposition benches, but instead of defending the achievements of previous administrations, the priority should be for inner renewal.
In light of the magnitude of Labor's federal win last year, policies which served the party so well for so long need to be questioned. Yesterday's reported slapping down by former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer will hopefully not stifle the Russell Troods within the party. Senator Trood criticised the Iraq war and other policies in a paper on Australian foreign affairs written for the Lowy Institute.
Senator Trood, who holds a PhD in international relations, has long been a critic of the war in Iraq and as such has the credentials to express his opinions.
The Opposition may support the war in Iraq as a policy, but the facts is the majority of Australians don't, and a view from a Liberal Party politician contrary to party policy is refreshing and healthy.
Lessons have to be learnt. Not just from the last federal election, but also the recent state and territory elections where Labor has been dominant.
The Coalition should not be making the defence of the record of past governments a priority. Its major thrust should be to provide an effective, questioning Opposition.
Renewal has begun at a grassroots level with the appointment of former Victorian treasurer Alan Stockdale as the party's new national president.
His four-part strategy for party renewal includes reforms of its outdated structures to help attract new members and preselect good candidates.
That pre-selection process should start as soon as possible so the Howard veterans, who now find Parliament so distasteful, can move on.
Good government demands good opposition and Labor's dominance of the federal and state arenas is not necessarily always healthy.
Labor's dominance of Australian politics is never better exemplified than here in Geelong, and the party needs to be kept accountable.
The responsibility for that lies with the Opposition parties and, to a lesser extent, the media.
The Liberal Party prides itself on being a broad church. All parishioners should be heard and heeded, not just the ones with the loudest voices.