Policy Agenda - This Is It?

I'm disheartened by the recent opening of the abortion issue. The Liberals have had several weeks to plan how best to take advantage their historic seizure of power. While I wasn't expecting the agenda to be the republic, refugees or reconciliation, I was hoping it might be state/federal relations, the greying of the workforce, or even water. Instead, their opportunity will be squandered on a devisive issue dealt with a generation ago.

John Howard admits to struggling with "the vision thing" - with his GST implemented he was happy to simply give free reign to his culture warriors. Now a stronger, socially conservative and illiberal clique has filled his vision vacuum to impose their morality on a largely reluctant public - in direct defiance of the traditional Liberal values of individual choice and responsibility.

While never that interested in social policy, it is nonetheless suprising that such an astute operator as Mr. Howard has let the idealogues in his party off the leash, damaging the Liberal Party's long-term interests for such little electoral gain. Or was he just caught napping?