Left, Right, and Everything in Between
Before you decide who deserves your voice
In Australian politics, we often hear people described as being on the “left”, the “right”, or somewhere in between.
These days, we also hear a lot about One Nation and other parties that sit outside the traditional political line-up.
I know many Australians are pretty well informed about politics. But I also know there are many who are not. And there is nothing unusual about that. We have jobs to do, bills to pay, families to look after and, for some of us, lawns that refuse to mow themselves.
Sometimes we support a political party because our family did, our mates do, or someone at work told us, “They’re the only party worth voting for.” Fair enough. But before we put a tick beside a party’s name, it might be useful to know what these political labels actually mean.
So, over a cup of coffee, let’s make it simple.
What does “left” mean?
Generally speaking, the left believes government has an important role in helping people who may not be able to help themselves.
That can mean public health care, public education, welfare, workers’ rights, stronger environmental protection and using taxes to reduce large differences between rich and poor.
But being on the left does not automatically mean someone wants government to own everything or abolish private business. That is where things get confusing.
There is a big difference between the left, the centre-left, and the far-left.
Centre-left
Centre-left politics usually accepts capitalism and private business but believes government should step in when the market does not produce a fair result.
Think of Medicare, public schools, minimum wages, workplace protections and assistance for people who are unemployed, elderly or unable to work.
The Australian Labor Party is generally regarded as centre-left.
Labor has traditionally been closely associated with the trade union movement and workers’ rights, but modern Labor governments also support private business, economic growth and a market economy.
So when someone says, “Labor is left-wing,” that is broadly true. But calling Labor “far-left” would be quite a different matter.
The left
The word “left” is often used as a general description covering centre-left and more strongly left-wing positions.
The Australian Greens, for example, are generally further to the left than Labor, particularly on environmental and some social issues.
There are also smaller socialist parties that sit further to the left.
Far-left
Now we are moving to the more radical end of the political spectrum.
The far-left generally believes that the existing economic and social system creates serious inequality and needs major change.
It may support much higher taxes on wealth and large corporations, stronger union power, greater government ownership or control of important services, and much more aggressive action on economic and social inequality.
Australia has small parties and groups that fit this description, including the Socialist Alliance and other socialist or communist organisations.
But you would be hard-pressed to describe any major Australian parliamentary party as genuinely far-left.
Australia is, in political terms, a fairly moderate country.
So what is the centre?
The centre is probably where a lot more Australians live politically than our arguments on Facebook would suggest.
A person in the centre might believe in private business and a market economy but also believe that government should provide Medicare and public education.
They might want taxes kept under control but still support government assistance for people who genuinely need it.
They might support immigration but also want proper border controls.
In other words, they may look at an issue and say, “Let’s see what actually works.”
That is why many independent MPs, including some of the so-called teal independents, are difficult to place neatly on the old left-right line.
People can also be centrist without belonging to a party that is officially called “centrist”.
What does “right” mean?
The right generally puts more emphasis on individual responsibility, private enterprise, lower taxes, national security, traditional institutions and less government interference in people’s lives.
That does not necessarily mean someone on the right wants to get rid of Medicare or leave poor people to fend for themselves. This is another common misunderstanding.
There is a difference between the right, the centre-right, and the far-right.
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Centre-right
Centre-right politics generally supports private business, free enterprise and lower taxation while accepting that Australia needs a social safety net.
The Liberal Party of Australia is generally described as centre-right.
The National Party is also generally centre-right, although it has a strong focus on farmers, regional Australia and rural communities.
A person can therefore be economically conservative without being what people might call an extremist.
They may simply believe that people should keep more of what they earn, businesses should have room to operate and government should not interfere unless necessary.
There is nothing particularly unusual about that position in Australia.
The right
The broader right includes the Liberal and National parties and various smaller conservative parties and groups.
People on the right can have very different views from one another.
One might be strongly religious and socially conservative. Another might be economically conservative but quite liberal about people’s private lives.
That is why political labels are useful only up to a point.
Far-right
At the far-right end, politics usually becomes much more strongly nationalist and socially conservative.
Far-right movements often support much tighter immigration controls, place a strong emphasis on national identity, oppose aspects of multiculturalism and are highly suspicious of political and international institutions they believe have too much influence.
One Nation is frequently placed on the right or far-right by political researchers and commentators, particularly because of its positions on immigration, multiculturalism and nationalism.
But here is where things get interesting. Many One Nation supporters do not describe themselves as far-right at all. They may simply say, “I’m an ordinary Australian who is sick of the major parties.” And that is worth understanding.
A political label is usually given by someone else. The person wearing the label may not agree with it.
So where do the parties sit?
Very roughly, you could picture the Australian political landscape like this:
Far-left → Left → Centre-left → Centre → Centre-right → Right → Far-right
Socialist Alliance → Greens → Labor → Independents → Liberal/National → conservative minor parties → One Nation
But please don’t treat that line as if it were a railway timetable. Australian politics is much messier. A Labor voter may support traditional values. A Liberal voter may strongly support action on climate change.
A One Nation voter may want more government assistance for ordinary working Australians while being very conservative on immigration and social issues. A Greens voter may support private business. And an independent may borrow ideas from practically everywhere.
That is why I think the left-right labels are useful for getting a general picture, but they are not a complete description of a person or a political party.
Before You Decide Who Deserves Your Vote
If you’re still unsure what a political party really stands for after reading all these labels, I think there’s a simpler way to find out. Look at what it has actually done.
Read its history. Check the laws it has supported and the policies it has fought for. If it has been in government, look at what it achieved and what it failed to deliver. Then compare that record with what it promises to do next.
And here’s something else worth remembering: don’t believe everything you read on social media, especially when a post claims that a particular party or politician has achieved something wonderful.
These days, anyone can post a message, attach an impressive photograph and make a claim that sounds convincing. Before long, other people share it, and the story goes further than the truth sometimes manages to travel.
A claim repeated a thousand times doesn’t automatically become true. Neither does a video with dramatic music playing in the background!
If you want to know whether a claim stands up, check established news organisations with a reputation for reliable reporting. Better still, compare reports from more than one reputable source. Look for the actual facts, not just the headline. If possible, check the original announcement, official figures or government records as well.
Mainstream news organisations can make mistakes, too. They are not beyond criticism. But responsible reporting gives us something more useful than an anonymous post or a political supporter telling us what we already want to hear.
Election campaigns are a special time in politics. Suddenly, politicians discover that almost everything is possible. More money here, lower taxes there, better hospitals and cheaper living costs. Everyone is going to be happy.
Then the election is over, and somebody discovers that the government budget isn’t an endless money box.
I’m also wary of politicians who copy the style of populist leaders overseas, particularly those who divide people into “us” and “them”, attack anyone who questions them and present themselves as the only people capable of saving the country.
It’s an attractive sales pitch. But running a country is a lot harder than selling an idea.
So, whether a party calls itself left, right or somewhere in between, don’t vote for it simply because your relatives support it, your workmates recommend it or a social media post makes it look like the answer to every problem.
Take a little time to check the facts and judge the party by its record. And before we decide that any politician is going to save Australia, perhaps we should ask one ordinary question:
“What have they actually done, and how do I know it’s true?”
That question doesn’t belong to the left or the right. It belongs to every Australian voter.
