The greatly expanded crossbench elected to federal parliament has reacted furiously to the Albanese government’s cuts to its staffing allowance. But the well-financed independents are well placed to make a virtue of the new austerity and remind us why they are at the vanguard of fresh thinking in politics, writes Mark Sawyer.
Of all the misdeeds of the Morrison government, this one seems to have been the least publicised. Who knew, outside those involved and a select few in the Canberra bubble, that the crossbenchers that served in the 46th parliament had been allocated extra staff?
Media outcry? What media outcry? Vital government services being cut here there and everywhere, as the taxpayer funds more fancy-pants advisers and strategy gurus for the bloated political class?
The media outcry has come now, as the Albanese government pares back the crossbenchers’ staff levels. And the independents are crying blue murder with the loud voices that we were assured would be wielded in service of good policy in the realms of climate targets, an integrity commission and respect for women.
Not just the Teals cut
The Albanese government’s decision to cut back the extra staff allocations for Parliament are part of a cost-cutting drive that has affected government, opposition and cross-bench.
The Prime Minister wrote to the 18 crossbenchers (12 House; six Senate) last Friday to inform them that the number of advisers would be cut from four to one. The crossbenchers will retain their four electorate-based aides. Resources for the parliamentary library will be boosted.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says the government’s staffing bills for its MPs have been cut by $1.5 million. She says the Greens are receiving the same support they had before, but for three more MPs and three more senators.
Her figures have been disputed; it is argued that the crossbenchers are losing much more than $1.5 million by dropping 33 staff. It’s certainly a risky move by the Albanese government, given its fragile parliamentary numbers.
The underlying vibe from the crossbench is (like the threatening mobster): there’s some nice legislation there, wouldn’t it be a pity if something should happen to it.
The independents make great play of their freedom of action, unlike the shackled mouthpieces of the big parties. It’s a popular ploy to paint the MPs who represent parties as North Korean-style zombies. And for all their talk about respect in politics, the crossbenchers are not letting old-style courtesies get in the way. Hence this exchange by independent MP Zali Steggall and Labor MP Alicia Payne.
Just want to point out other backbench members and senators get ZERO personal staff and when I worked for the shadow social services minister with a huge portfolio responsibility we had 2… #auspol https://t.co/iXN8AGGyZU
— Alicia Payne MP (@AliciaPayneMP) June 24, 2022
So much for the era of clean politics.
In fact the biggest disparity is not being the major parties and the crossbench, but between government and opposition. This is a reflection of the majoritarian tradition of Australian politics, which is obviously being challenged by the rise of the crossbench. Gallagher herself points out that she had only two advisers as a shadow minister, while independents had the four.
The special treatment received by crossbench MPs dates back to the last minority parliament. In 2010 prime minister Julia Gillard allocated independent MPs one adviser each. That was raised to three advisers under Malcolm Turnbull and then four under Scott Morrison. Albanese has turned the tide, though the pressure from some well-connected politicians will be intense.
When one door closes, another one opens
Having campaigned on integrity and against government waste, it would be refreshing to see the new independents embrace the new austerity. The Teals, representing Australia’s richest electorates, already have a pool of motivated supporters from the upper echelons of media and advertising at their disposal. We are already hearing about the geniuses of digital engagement who helped them get elected.
Much of the media live in the Teal electorates, and media personalities flocked to the Teal cause. Jim Middleton, former ABC political editor (44 years at the national broadcaster) was Climate 2000’s communications director and prominent in Monique Ryan’s campaign in Kooyong. Allegra Spender’s media people were Heath Aston and Max Koslowski, both ex-Sydney Morning Herald. Former ABC News Victoria sports presenter Angela Pippos served Zoe Daniel, herself a former ABC journalist. There must be a massive pool of well-connected academics and students to help some of the more complex research projects if the parliamentary library falls short.
As some of you asked:
Adviser staffing numbers for the Govt (Coalition), Oppn (Labor), Greens + Indies/others from 2014 onwards.
*2022 figure is pre-election
*exc Govt/Oppn/Green Whips, HOR Speaker & Sen Pres & recognised minor party leaders' staff https://t.co/xzJ6aRrsB5 pic.twitter.com/G0ba6ZylYW— Jommy Tee – electric HiLux owner 🌐 (@jommy_tee) June 26, 2022
Furthermore, this argument that every piece of legislation needs to be scrutinised minutely for its implications for every electorate would represent a novel way of working Australian democracy. Which way to go on, say, the continuation of the Heard Island marine reserve management plan 2014-24? It is likely that crossbench MPs will find that their need for exhaustive scrutiny of every bill is a short-lived phenomenon. Ditto such niceties as attendance at every parliamentary session. We will still see MPs speak before near-empty chambers.
Selected outrage
It would be wonderful to think that every crossbencher were as tenacious about pursuing funding for causes in their own electorate or state as they are for their own office.
The 140-year-old YMCA Launceston closed this month after failing to receive adequate funding. The resulting loss of 25 jobs and vital support services should have had battlers’ friend Jacqui Lambie (and new colleague Tammy Tyrell) screaming blue murder. Maybe they did. But the closure doesn’t rate a mention on Lambie’s Twitter thread of 2022, and there’s some pretty inconsequential stuff on that.
David Pocock told Radio National on Monday that it would be hard to vote for government bills if he lacks the expert advice to properly scrutinise the legislation. If staff numbers are the raison d’etre of a man who serves as a crossbench senator for the ACT (surely the least demanding assignment in the 227-member parliament, if only by dint of geography), maybe the rugby champion should have thought a bit harder about the reasons he was making a run for politics in the first place.
What about the really big players?
If we are going to worry about electoral staffing, let’s focus on Australia’s biggest electorates (by area). Durack, Lingiari, Grey, O’Connor, Kennedy and Maranoa together comprise roughly 78% of the Australian land mass. Only one of those seats is held by an independent (Bob Katter in Kennedy).
The MP for Durack has three electoral offices, in Geraldton, Broome and Merredin. The MP for Grey has three electoral offices, in Port Pirie, Kadina and Whyalla. The MP for Maranoa has three electoral offices, in Dalby, Roma and Warwick. There’s the case for extra electoral staffing.
We’re hearing a lot about what’s fair. But as Albanese puts it: “Well, what is not fair is the idea that Zali Steggall’s electorate should have double the representation in terms of staff of electorates in the same region.”
Whether Albanese bends on this issue will be an early yardstick of his government’s ability to stare down pressure from vested interests: the professional political class and its influencers.
Mark Sawyer is a journalist with extensive experience in print and digital media in Sydney, Melbourne and rural Australia.