David Votoupal
Well-Known Member
OK, we all know that NSW Labor is a bunch of hopeless, corrupt, incompetent and arrogant nitwits who show utter contempt for the people of NSW. Even worse, the state Liberals are just as bad.
However, there are lessons to be learned from Canada on how incompetent and downright stupid governments have been punished by voters, and in some cases, the complete annihilation of a political party. I'm well read in the history and politics of Canada, and keep in mind too that Canada is a difficult country to govern due to its cultural and fiscal divisions, and that its first-past-the-post electoral systems tends to exacerbate matters. Also that federal and provincial parties, unlike Australia, are separate entities with separate memberships, etc. But anyway...
British Columbia presents a good case. The Social Credit Party, which had little in common with the Alberta party of the same name that once governed that province, ruled British Columbia for all but three years between 1952 and 1991. The premiers were W.A.C. Bennett (1952-72), his son Bill Bennett (1975-86) and Dutch-born Bill Vander Zalm (1986-91). Bill Bennett adopted some quite draconian economic measures during a recession and won an increased majority in 1983, but three years later he handed over the reins to Vander Zalm, who won the 1986 polls with an increased majority.
So what happened? Corruption, arrogance, you name it- it was quite an "achievement" but Vander Zalm's actions effectively destroyed the BC Socreds. He stepped down before the next polls in 1991, and the NDP won with most Social Credit supporters defecting to the revived Liberals.
The centre-left NDP proved little better. They served two terms in office, but once more scandals damaged the government and its unpopularity during the second term was highlighted by the quick turnover of premiers. So by 2001, the people of BC had enough, and voted in Gordon Campbell's Liberals with a massive majority- capturing all but two seats. Campbell has since been re-elected twice. So British Columbian voters are in no hurry to vote the NDP back in.
Alberta is Canada's wealthiest and most conservative province, its wealth derived from natural resources. The Social Credit Party there won power in 1935, with the western provinces badly affected by drought and the Depression, and governed until 1971. The Progressive Conservatives have been in power ever since. The Socreds planned radical economic and monetary reforms, and tried to take over the banking system in 1938- one of the few times the federal government vetoed provincial legislation, so the province created a government owned bank which still exists today as ATB Financial.
Saskatchewan presents another case. It's considered the home of "socialism" in Canada, the NDP government of the 60s introduced the world's first Medicare program. Yet it's also a socially conservative province and tends to vote Tory federally in recent years. In 1982, Grant Devine led the local PC party to a large election victory and held office for two terms. Devine's government was one of the most corrupt in recent Canadian history, although Devine himself was never implicated.
The scandal destroyed the provincial Tories, who lost the 1991 elections and were effectively replaced by the Saskatchewan Party on the right, who have governed since 2007. Devine himself tried to run for Federal Parliament as a Tory in 2004, but the Conservatives refused to let him run for them, although he would poll well as an independent.
Ontario, like BC and Alberta, has had a political dynasty with the Tories governing between 1943 and 1985. A hung Assembly in 1985 led to a minority Liberal government, and David Peterson led them to a large majority two years later. But in 1990, an early election led to a stunning upset- Bob Rae's NDP won power for the first and only time. The Rae government proved incompetent, and Mike Harris led the Tories back into power promising a "Common Sense Revolution"- code for Thatcherism.
Well... Ontarians had enough of that after two teams but Harris quit before they could lose in 2003. The Liberals have held power ever since.
Even more extraordinary was how Richard Hatfield, who had led New Brunswick since 1970, lost power after 17 years in office. In 1984, marijuana was found in the premier's luggage while accompanying the Queen on tour of Canada. Three years later, the provincial Tories were wiped out, losing every single seat having held a two-thirds majority prior. They wouldn't return to power for 12 years.
Federally, moreover, Brian Mulroney's unpopularity in his second term and an ethnically-based split led to the destruction of the Progressive Conservative party in the early 90s. The failure of the Meech Lake Accord and the recession at the time contributed, but the Tories' annihilation in 1993 was extraordinary, and led to 13 years of Liberal government capitalising on a divided electorate thanks to first past the post.
I know it's a rather long-winded post, but read through and you will find brutal lessons that NSW Labor will surely learn in 2011, if the people in NSW are sufficiently angry and "radicalised" to the point they demand real change. I think the above lessons suffices.
I'm sure, too, that when Hungary votes next year and the next time the UK goes to the polls, the same things will happen.
However, there are lessons to be learned from Canada on how incompetent and downright stupid governments have been punished by voters, and in some cases, the complete annihilation of a political party. I'm well read in the history and politics of Canada, and keep in mind too that Canada is a difficult country to govern due to its cultural and fiscal divisions, and that its first-past-the-post electoral systems tends to exacerbate matters. Also that federal and provincial parties, unlike Australia, are separate entities with separate memberships, etc. But anyway...
British Columbia presents a good case. The Social Credit Party, which had little in common with the Alberta party of the same name that once governed that province, ruled British Columbia for all but three years between 1952 and 1991. The premiers were W.A.C. Bennett (1952-72), his son Bill Bennett (1975-86) and Dutch-born Bill Vander Zalm (1986-91). Bill Bennett adopted some quite draconian economic measures during a recession and won an increased majority in 1983, but three years later he handed over the reins to Vander Zalm, who won the 1986 polls with an increased majority.
So what happened? Corruption, arrogance, you name it- it was quite an "achievement" but Vander Zalm's actions effectively destroyed the BC Socreds. He stepped down before the next polls in 1991, and the NDP won with most Social Credit supporters defecting to the revived Liberals.
The centre-left NDP proved little better. They served two terms in office, but once more scandals damaged the government and its unpopularity during the second term was highlighted by the quick turnover of premiers. So by 2001, the people of BC had enough, and voted in Gordon Campbell's Liberals with a massive majority- capturing all but two seats. Campbell has since been re-elected twice. So British Columbian voters are in no hurry to vote the NDP back in.
Alberta is Canada's wealthiest and most conservative province, its wealth derived from natural resources. The Social Credit Party there won power in 1935, with the western provinces badly affected by drought and the Depression, and governed until 1971. The Progressive Conservatives have been in power ever since. The Socreds planned radical economic and monetary reforms, and tried to take over the banking system in 1938- one of the few times the federal government vetoed provincial legislation, so the province created a government owned bank which still exists today as ATB Financial.
Saskatchewan presents another case. It's considered the home of "socialism" in Canada, the NDP government of the 60s introduced the world's first Medicare program. Yet it's also a socially conservative province and tends to vote Tory federally in recent years. In 1982, Grant Devine led the local PC party to a large election victory and held office for two terms. Devine's government was one of the most corrupt in recent Canadian history, although Devine himself was never implicated.
The scandal destroyed the provincial Tories, who lost the 1991 elections and were effectively replaced by the Saskatchewan Party on the right, who have governed since 2007. Devine himself tried to run for Federal Parliament as a Tory in 2004, but the Conservatives refused to let him run for them, although he would poll well as an independent.
Ontario, like BC and Alberta, has had a political dynasty with the Tories governing between 1943 and 1985. A hung Assembly in 1985 led to a minority Liberal government, and David Peterson led them to a large majority two years later. But in 1990, an early election led to a stunning upset- Bob Rae's NDP won power for the first and only time. The Rae government proved incompetent, and Mike Harris led the Tories back into power promising a "Common Sense Revolution"- code for Thatcherism.
Well... Ontarians had enough of that after two teams but Harris quit before they could lose in 2003. The Liberals have held power ever since.
Even more extraordinary was how Richard Hatfield, who had led New Brunswick since 1970, lost power after 17 years in office. In 1984, marijuana was found in the premier's luggage while accompanying the Queen on tour of Canada. Three years later, the provincial Tories were wiped out, losing every single seat having held a two-thirds majority prior. They wouldn't return to power for 12 years.
Federally, moreover, Brian Mulroney's unpopularity in his second term and an ethnically-based split led to the destruction of the Progressive Conservative party in the early 90s. The failure of the Meech Lake Accord and the recession at the time contributed, but the Tories' annihilation in 1993 was extraordinary, and led to 13 years of Liberal government capitalising on a divided electorate thanks to first past the post.
I know it's a rather long-winded post, but read through and you will find brutal lessons that NSW Labor will surely learn in 2011, if the people in NSW are sufficiently angry and "radicalised" to the point they demand real change. I think the above lessons suffices.
I'm sure, too, that when Hungary votes next year and the next time the UK goes to the polls, the same things will happen.
Awaits Dibo 
