Andrew L. Urban
Most politicians failed Australia in 2025. You don’t have to be interested in politics to be interested in good governance. You have to wonder, then, how crackpots, incompetents and radicals, the least qualified people to make the most consequential decisions in our lives, become politicians. Because we let them; encourage them, vote for them. You need a licence to busk, to drive a car but you don’t need one to drive a department or the country.
Amateurs at everything, called upon to know and fix everything. We see the desultory results every day, from policy failures on mass migration to housing, climate change and energy, cost of living, antisemitism and terrorism …
For example, in a December 24, 2025 editorial, The Australian lamented: “What has long been in short supply are state and national ministers with the competence to accept they got the timing wrong for a timetable to replace gas and, come to that, coal-fired power stations. Governments have also been short on courage to stand-up to green ideologues who think that what people need energy for matters less than it being the right sort of power.”
In medicine, this is called malpractice. In politics it’s misfeasance – lawful but wrongful.
In the matter of immigration policies, the mess that has been made over decades of damaging Australia’s social cohesion is a deplorable example of criminal incompetence.
It is not surprising then that politicians make dreadful politicians. The lack of competence is probably no different to the lack of competence among us, the general populace. But we have to wear the consequences … it’s not put on the shoulders of others. Political differences energise representatives and activists in varying degrees, but unlike healthy market competition, political competition often seems like schoolyard name calling or temper tantrums. If you wish to practice groaning, guffawing or gnashing your teeth, tune in to Parliamentary question time.
From the Prime Minister down up, politics is reduced to point scoring, with answers that either evade or ridicule the questions, play to their audience behind them on the Government benches, showing the disrespect that earns their approval. They forget that it is not just the members opposite but the entire electorate that is disrespected like this. Even those who do not or are not able to catch question time (2pm daily on sitting days, snapshots in news reports).
So when incompetents in Parliament behave like delinquent teenagers, it is little wonder that we have such low regard for them, so little trust in them, such distaste for the entire cohort, sweeping up even those among them who do not deserve such opprobrium. Behaviour is demonstration of character, character underpins morality, morality informs political choices and decisions.
Is there a way to better qualify prospective candidates than the existing party filters – a ‘driving’ test as it were?
For a start, all candidates should be required to pass a general knowledge test on Australian history, perhaps prepared and adjudicated by a panel of historians.
All candidates should pass the test migrants are required to pass, from the English language test to the character requirements. It would be a start, knowing our representatives could be granted a visa! For example, the oath to respect Australia’s law enforcement framework, and to not cause or threaten harm to individuals or the Australian community. Jews included. And a declaration that the candidate has not engaged in any conduct that constitutes family violence.
And perhaps character references from three independent referees.
These requirements would be in addition to existing requirements to selection. Mind you, some of those requirements are so piss-weak they do not inspire confidence in the character of the applicant. Example: “You’ll be disqualified if you have been convicted of an offense punishable by a sentence of 12 months or more – or have been found guilty of bribery or undue influence, which disqualifies you for two years from the date of conviction.” So petty thieves are OK in Parliament? Hmmm …
Perhaps most importantly, no MP without at least three years’ experience in the private sector economy should be given the responsibility of a ministry. Present ministers should also be subject to this requirement and dismissed if unqualified.
Uh – oh! These ministers’ professional histories are overwhelmingly in politics, public service, or union/advocacy work, with little to no sustained private-sector experience (≥3 years):
- Anthony Albanese (Prime Minister) – Career politician since the 1980s. His only pre-politics private role was short-term as a bank officer in youth before joining the Labor Party and becoming a staffer, not meeting the threshold for meaningful private-sector experience.
- Richard Marles (Deputy PM & Defence) – Long career in politics; background mainly advisory and political. Specific private sector history isn’t prominent in public bios.
- Penny Wong (Foreign Affairs) – Career in politics/public service with no reported extended private commercial experience.
- Katy Gallagher (Finance & Public Service) – Long-term public servant and politician, not known for private sector tenure.
- Don Farrell (Trade, Tourism, Special State) – Career union official and political background.
- Tony Burke (Home Affairs, Immigration, Cyber Security, Arts) – Career politician and union background.
- Mark Butler (Health & Aged Care, NDIS) – Long-term political career; private sector work minimal/absent.
- Chris Bowen (Climate Change & Energy) – Career politician with some policy roles; no significant sustained private sector company leadership reported.
- Jason Clare (Education) – Long political career, senior adviser roles; private sector experience minimal/absent.
- Tanya Plibersek (Social Services) – Political career since the 1990s; no major private commercial experience highlighted.
- Murray Watt (Environment & Water) – Career politician and solicitor; private sector experience appears limited to legal practice versus broad commercial business roles.
- Amanda Rishworth (Employment & Workplace Relations) – Background as a psychologist and community work; limited private sector beyond early career and politics.
- Jess Walsh (Early Childhood & Youth) – Academic/public service background; little evidence of prolonged private market employment.
- Julian Hill (Assistant Minister) – Career political staffer and MP; limited private-sector history.