'Scientists are experts in science. Judges are experts in interpreting the law and doctors are skilled at keeping us healthy — provided we take their advice.
'But parliaments — composed of elected politicians — are the experts at public policy making, and neither expressly or impliedly should they ever surrender that role to others.'
This quote has crossed my mind several times lately as I've been trying to make sense of recent government decisions.
Who said it? John Howard. Back in 2013. During Tony Abbott's brief prime ministership. In a speech to the Global Warming Policy Foundation in London. Does it make sense to you? It shouldn't, because it's fundamentally wrong.
And yet this is the character of our political leadership today: unable to find the confidence it needs to make the most responsible decisions. Confident leadership trusts in expertise. It takes confidence in your own skill as a resourceful decision-maker to recognise the expertise of others as something you don't share but can benefit from.
What we're seeing instead is a nervous leadership, too perturbed to envision a future beyond its own imagination, too anxious to trust in those who can build that future.
We're seeing universities and the CSIRO attacked and funds cut while the government promotes an 'ideas boom'. We're seeing creative industries and the Australia Council diminished and public investment slashed while the government talks of an 'innovation agenda'.
The insecure rejection of expertise alongside the hubristic sloganeering is reckless: our political leadership seems intent on destroying Australia's smartest and most creative nation builders.
"Democracies thrive when our public institutions in arts, science and education are contributing passionately and fearlessly to the national conversation."
The arts is a particularly telling example. In Canada the Trudeau government is doubling its investment, both to strengthen the culture and strengthen the economy. In Australia, the confident leadership of Menzies, Whitlam and Keating had made the arts a prominent element of their platforms at pivotal times in Australia's history. Today in Australia, we're going backwards and fast.
Over the past few years we've gone from an ambitious and effective cultural policy created by real and rigorous national consultation, to the deliberate disruption of the entire industry in forcing hundreds of non-profit companies to rewrite strategic plans for funding rounds that either didn't happen or locked them out. Public investment in the work of individual artists has dropped to an alarming level, and every major artist and industry group has spoken out and