Confront with knowing Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.One of the hardest things you might ever do is confront somebody with the fact that they can’t be trusted. We find a way only when the stakes are high and we have no other good options. Right now, we need to confront the political class with that simple truth; we don’t trust them. It’s the thing that voters most agree on. It’s what we tell pollsters whenever they ask.Sacking governments on election day doesn't do the trick for us, because we sack one party only by rehiring the party that we sacked a few years back. We need to confront the political class as a whole, not punish one side by rewarding the other. A confrontation of that kind begins with our knowing that the political class has white-anted the rules that keep it in check, and that the process can be reversed. Rules can be changed - and changed again - again and again - until we have a political rulebook that works for us. Here is a 2-step exercise in awareness. Click first to nominate just one chapter of the rulebook.Which chapter of the rulebook?ContentsLobbyingElection campaignsParliamentMoney politicsGovernment secrecyPublic serviceAnti-corruptionClick again to select the rule change that would do the most good. Spoilt for choice, are we not?Which would do most good?New rules for lobbyistsBAN lobbying by ex-politicians and other senior officials, for at least two yearsREQUIRE public registration by all who lobby as part of their jobREPORT all meetings with politicians and officials, thus banning secret lobbyingIMPOSE significant fines and comprehensive bans on those convicted of illegal lobbyingINVESTIGATE all suspicions of Illegal lobbying, promptly and independently.ESTABLISH a lobbying code of conduct that makes sense to votersWhich would do most good?New rules for election campaignsEND political exemptions to laws against misleading and deceptive advertisingESTABLISH an electoral code of conduct that makes sense to votersEND political exemptions to laws against electoral briberyEND political exemptions to laws that protect our privacyALLOCATE parliamentary seats in proportion to party votesPUT elections on a fixed 3-year cycle, ending the guessing game about election timingCONSOLIDATE all campaign offences in a single piece of legislation, for absolute clarityINVESTIGATE and punish all election crimes, regardless of whether they changed the election outcomeESTABLISH rules for campaign funding that give independents and minor parties a fighting chanceWhich would do most good?New rules for parliamentEITHER fix Question Time or scrap Question Time: it's an insultSUSPEND ministers who refuse to answer parliament's questionsBAN ministers from writing the questions they will be asked in parliamentBAN ministers from having their misconduct investigated by their own departmentsESTABLISH a parliamentary code of conduct that makes sense to votersADOPT parliamentary agendas that accept the diversity of popular opinion and address the diversity of public issuesREQUIRE a minimum number of free votes in every parliamentary termPREPARE the community to deal with longer-term problemsWhich would do most good?New rules for money politicsBAN the payment of lobbying success feesREPORT all political donations in real time, including campaign assistance in any form, no exceptionsLIMIT the campaign spending of political parties, candidates and associated entitiesBAN speaking fees and other side hustles by public officials, both elected and appointedCAP the amount of political donations from any one individualPERMIT political donations only from registered voters, thus banning donations from companies, unions and the likeREQUIRE political parties to report their campaign spending in detailBAN individuals from donating to multiple parties and multiple candidatesWhich would do most good?New rules for government secrecyBAN secrecy other than for sensitive matters like public security, national defense and foreign relationsSUSPEND officials for unjustified delays in the release of government informationESTABLISH a powerful information watchdog to enforce the principles of open governmentREQUIRE ministers to report the reasons for their decisions and to list the advice on which they are basedREQUIRE ministers to include senior public servants in the consideration of all significant decisionsESTABLISH secrecy rules that make sense to votersWhich would do most good?New rules for public serviceENSURE that public servants have both the right and the duty to remain politically neutralINSTRUCT senior officials to address public forums on longer term challenges and uncertainties, including divisive issuesREQUIRE public servants to take direction only from ministers, never from their political advisorsREQUIRE that public servants be appointed solely on meritREQUIRE the public servants keep a record of ministerial instructionsSHUT the revolving door between political advisors and the public serviceWhich would do most good?New rules of anti-corruptionREPORT annually on public distrust and on progress in rebuilding public trustCONSOLIDATE corruption offences in a single piece of legislation, for absolute clarityESTABLISH a federal corruption watchdog before Christmas 2022ENSURE that the corruption watchdog operates independently of ministers and their political advisorsENSURE that the corruption watchdog has strong powers of investigation, including phone taps and other covert meansENSURE that the corruption watchdog communicates with the public as it sees fit, including public hearingsENSURE that public prosecutors give priority to corruption chargesGUARANTEE the rights of journalists to use whistleblower disclosures without revealing their sourcesCOMPENSATE whistleblowers for damage to their careers and familiesESTABLISH an agency dedicated to encouraging and protecting whistleblowersRepeat the sequence for two or three chapters, to see that being spoilt for choice is exactly the point; we have so many options. This pile of possibilities is what the confrontation is about, for all of the political class to acknowledge, for none to deny. Confrontation works best face to face. Some journalists get the opportunity and are always looking for an angle – an audience that wants answers to a question. For confronting questions about deep distrust and shallow rules, we can be that knowing and expectant audience. We can watch as journalists give the wordless look that confronts so well. It goes like this: you could have fixed this by now … I know that … you know that … you know that I know … … so just get it done? … FFS!There is more at stake than our wounded pride. Without public trust, repeated political failure becomes almost a design feature. Voters manage their distrust by lowering their expectations, withholding resources and refusing to engage. Politicians manage their impotence with cynicism, deception and secrecy – a short step from corruption. The system manages by dodging hard decisions, denying the challenges, gambling with our futures and exposing us to crisis and breakdown. The unfinished business of the political class overloads our elections, confuses the public conversation, tests our patience. It’s getting dangerous.Thanks for your interest.Next Share!Shares