Why is this government so bad at governing?

JANUARY 22, 2022

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Why is this government so bad at governing? Is it just Scott Morrison, or are there deeper problems inside Canberra? Bernard Keane examined these questions this week in his series on government incompetence, and looked at how Australia could be dealing with the consequences of the PM’s ineptitude well into the future.

Meanwhile Josephine Ganko asked the $64 million question: is Australia ready for its first pandemic federal election? And Kishor Napier-Raman called out the Coalition’s vaccine skeptics that have faced little resistance from their supposed leader.

Find those stories, and plenty more, in today’s edition of the Crikey Weekender.

Have a great weekend,

Georgia Wilkins
News editor

With little fear of pushback, anti-vax politicians still rally to the cause

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 3 minute read

Vaccine sceptics within the Coalition are taking to social media and international TV to super-spread their message, and there's so far zero resistance from Scott Morrison.

A poll like no other: is Australia ready for its first federal pandemic election?

JOSEFINE GANKO 3 minute read

Between COVID protocols and pre-poll voting, every step of the process will be different.

A legacy of incompetence

The great public policy mystery: just why is the Morrison government so inept?

BERNARD KEANE 4 minute read

Why does Scott Morrison keep stuffing up so badly? Is it just him, or are there deeper problems in Canberra that mean we can't rely on our government to serve us?

Unable and unwilling to govern: the Morrison legacy may last many years

BERNARD KEANE 5 minute read

In our ongoing look at the incompetence of the Morrison government, Bernard Keane explores how changes in Canberra have reduced the capacity of our governmental systems to deliver.

Ridiculed even by his own side, Scott Morrison is Australia’s weakest PM

BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

If kids in forklifts is the best this PM can offer on the supply chain crisis, it's no wonder even his own backbenchers are mocking him.

‘Recipe for disaster’: postponed IVF therapy a red flag for population growth

AMBER SCHULTZ 4 minute read

Non-urgent elective surgeries are suspended, again, and experts are worried the effect on our near-standstill population will be permanent.

With just one word, Macron merges scat and scorn, insults nation — and fires up his base

ROBERT ZARETSKY 8 minute read

The French president may be a little scandaleux with his language, but he's not crazy. An election looms, and he's one canny politician.

As God is our witness, Hillsong’s mosh pit antics were perfectly legal

MICHAEL BRADLEY 4 minute read

Praise the Lord! The NSW government has no problem with young people singing and dancing — so long as they're of a religious persuasion.

On the court

The Novax solution: when Morrison finds his COVID villain — and scapegoat

CHRISTOPHER WARREN 4 minute read

If the PM has a talent, it's for weaponising the media. And he was able to marshal his troops against the tennis star in a pandemic blame-battle.

Pushing Novak to the front of the line highlights the injustice of our legal system

MADONNA KING 4 minute read

Djokovic gets preferential treatment from the courts while families wait weeks, even months, to be heard. It's shabby and unfair and simply has to change.

Want a sporting chance at making the big bucks? Maybe avoid tennis

JASON MURPHY 5 minute read

Professional sport may seem like a goldmine but some yield more than others. And tennis isn't the windfall you might believe it to be.

Cautious Labor exorcises policy ghosts, sets up lead — and leaves voters wanting more

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 4 minute read

The opposition has been quick to pounce on Scott Morrison's lack of leadership but has hesitated to offer alternatives or solutions.

COVID crisis meets long-term problem: how Morrison created another aged care disaster

BERNARD KEANE 4 minute read

The government's reluctance to support higher wages for aged care workers has combined with a lack of rapid antigen tests to create yet another crisis in the sector.

Kids on the frontline

Kids on the frontline: celebrities and international anti-vaxxers fuel local juvenile jab pushback

CAM WILSON 5 minute read

The number of organisations trying to persuade parents against vaccinating their kids is growing larger all the time — and they're also gaining high-profile, deep-pocketed support.

Kids on the frontline: the anti-vax tactics against juvenile COVID jabs

CAM WILSON 4 minute read

Australian anti-vax groups are taking a page from US extremist groups by targeting parents, school staff and local councils.

Kids on the frontline: the young Australians pushing back against COVID-19 vaccines for children

CAM WILSON 4 minute read

Australians as young as 13 are fighting their battles against vaccines in the classroom and on social media.

On the verge of a new 3-year deal, ABC contends with myriad concerns

CHRISTOPHER WARREN 4 minute read

Between uncertainty over government funding and a likely reduction in BBC programming due to frozen licence fees, it's a tricky time for the ABC.

Why Clive Palmer’s Senate tilt is no laughing matter

TOM RAVLIC 3 minute read

It's easy to mock Palmer's run for the Senate. It's far more important to examine what it says about the mood of the electorate.