Scott Morrison to betray beloved quiet Australians

After the Coalition's 2019 election win, Scott Morrison gave thanks to his most loyal disciples: "the quiet Australians". This group is usually described as a silent mass of older voters who reserve their political views for election day ballot papers. It was this group who helped tided the Coalition over into majority government. Their influence was clearly underestimated by Labor and cunningly weaponised by the LNP, who were ably assisted by Clive Palmer's relentless advertising scare campaign. Morrison was quick to pay tribute to these unspoken champions of conservatism after May 18th. But for all his post-election rhetoric, the Prime Minister seems increasingly determined to alienate his beloved quiet Australians.

The largest cohort of individuals on Newstart is women in their 50s, and typical modern union members are nurses, teachers, and members of the public service. Despite a threadbare agenda so far, the Coalition has made time for a militant assault on both these groups. Despite backbench cries for an increase, the government is refusing to budge on Newstart. And their ironically named "ensuring integrity" bill could grant unprecedented powers to deregister worker's unions. These are key steps towards undermining elements of "quiet Australia". In addition, Morrison is trapped by his campaign's overly zealous promise of a budget surplus. This promise, pledged with the expectation of election defeat, has destined cuts to services that assist the very voters who helped salvage election victory. Considering the Coalition's allergic reaction to fiscal reform or stimulus, only a strategy of extreme austerity could guarantee that coveted, sacred surplus.

As a result, the Morrison-Murdoch propaganda machine will likely fall on deaf ears come the 2022 election. The divide between the Neo-liberal rhetoric of the right and the real-world challenges faced by voters is already widening rapidly. As the people-facing parts of the economy deteriorate towards a recession, a threshold will be reached where propaganda about a strong economy becomes impossible to believe. A threshold where the LNP's loyal "battlers" will realise who's really fighting on their side, and who is systematically working against them.