Abbott's War on Democracy

Abstract

Tony Abbott was not the first leader to undermine Australian democracy. A process of erosion has been going on for some time, sharply accelerated by the conspiracy surrounding the government's dismissal in 1975, and propelled by John Howard's protracted contempt for the people, especially over the war in Iraq and in his determination to silence dissent, humiliating critics with ad hominem abuse. Abbott acknowledged Howard as a significant mentor, and strove to outdo his exemplar in arousing fear in the community, treating the population as gullible and manipulable, such as with the condescending rhetoric over the 2014 budget, reducing policy to three-word slogans and stifling public discussion. His asylum-seeker aggression, shrouded in official secrecy, flouted international law and showed contempt for the Australian people. If democracy means anything, at its centre is respect for the people.