Politics and the budget plan

While selected articles are available in full on this website, all Arena Quarterly, Arena Magazine and Arena Journal articles are available for to view in PDF format via Informit. You can purchase the article, or access Informit for free via a public library account, such as the State Library of Victoria. We get a small amount of money from Informit for you accessing the article in this way, so get a bit of material support too.

Abstract:

Something very disturbing is happening in the world of politics: the degree to which politicians are speaking past each other is growing, while the proportion of disaffected voters is multiplying. Very few people could be said to be engaging with a shared reality. Rather reality, especially economic reality, has gone missing in the ‘debate’ and the public has withdrawn into defensive worlds of self-protection. Certainly there is little confidence in what politicians claim. Whatever we are told about the endless growth said to characterise recent Australian history, people still feel that their lives are deteriorating. I think this experience should be taken seriously and not left to economists.

Details / PDF:

The full-text PDF of this article can be downloaded from Informit. You can purchase the article, or access Informit for free via a public library account, such as the State Library of Victoria.

Support Arena

Independent publications and critical thought are more important than ever. Arena has never relied on or received government funding. It has sustained its activities largely through the voluntary work and funding provided by editors and supporters. If Arena is to continue and to expand its readership, we need your support to do it.