Our Anglican tradition, and a bit with a possum

St George's Anglican Church in Lisbon

As I prepared to write this article, I went to pour a glass of wine. When I returned to my study, my television had turned itself on. In a black and white movie, the actor was playing a violin, surrounded by children singing, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. I immediately retold the story to my local padre, an Anglican priest and army chaplain who leads our RSL services. He remarked that it was clearly a sign that I must not be a doubter and that I must tell my story truly and well.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Our Anglican tradition, and a bit with a possum.

Our Anglican tradition, and a bit with a possum | @FlaneurPolitiq

Identity politics has infiltrated the Anglican tradition. The meaning of the stained-glass window depicting Sir Galahad is disappearing along with veterans.

Christians are disappearing.https://t.co/4nAaELoiyA

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) January 6, 2025

How to ensure Labor wins the next election

Splintering the vote will undo Menzies’ legacy

The outcome of elections has little to do with supporters of the major parties. Historically, the party that forms government is decided by those who defect from the Coalition. Those who move further left remain within the radical Labor or Greens camps. Unlike the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) of the 50s and 60s, it is unlikely that left-leaning groups would preference the Coalition. This means that those conservatives who move away from the Coalition effectively hand government to Labor.

Labor governments are much like the Teals and other left-leaning independents. They rarely win on first preferences. In practice, Labor governments do not receive a mandate, especially where first preference votes are concerned. The preferential voting system means that deviations in voters’ party loyalties, particularly on the right, helps Labor to win government.

Writing in the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:

Speaking of the election, Michael de Percy brings a rather controversial opinion to the table, arguing that we risk undoing Menzies’ legacy if the conservative vote is split between minor parties on the right.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, How to ensure Labor wins the next election.

Splintering the conservative vote will ensure Labor wins the next election, says Michael de Percy.

The preferential voting system gives the impression you can give your first preference to a minor party and still end up with a conservative government.https://t.co/aBoBrtIcE7

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) January 4, 2025

The Pub Test: The real state of the Australian economy

My local watering hole, the Telegraph Hotel, Gunning NSW, 20 December 2024

Nobody has been this broke in generations

Labor’s machine is out in force this Christmas in a vain attempt to recover the electoral ground that is collapsing under its feet. My feed on X is replete with comments telling me how John Howard and Peter Costello taxed us more than Jimbo and then mostly squandered it. Peter Garrett is tweeting anti-nuclear sentiment, leftist think tanks are spruiking how good the economy is, and other lefties are blaming everything else on the RBA.

It’s a complete rot-fest of lies. Nobody has been this broke in generations. Just ask anyone at the pub.

In the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall wrote:

And finally, Michael de Percy says that ‘nobody has been this broke in generations’. If you watch the modest Christmas shoppers, I think he’s right. ‘I made a joke(?) about how I am almost completely skint because all my spare cash is going to Albo. One of my neighbours replied grimly, ‘And if not him, one of his mates.’

My latest in The Spectator Australia, The Pub Test: The real state of the Australian economy.

The Pub Test: The real state of the Australian economy | Michael de Percy (@FlaneurPolitiq)
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"Nobody has been this broke in generations. Just ask anyone at the pub."

I made a joke(?) about how I am almost completely skint because all my spare cash is going to Albo. One… pic.twitter.com/9fT75PwcXT

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) December 20, 2024