how Australia’s political system benefits only a few

Rigged — subtitled “How Networks of Highly effective Mates Rip Off Day to day Australians” — began lifetime in 2017 as an “novice booklet” termed Activity of Mates. Like its predecessor, Rigged catalogues how the Australian political and fiscal system operates, how the trade of political favours, data and accessibility skews the process from the average particular person, what it expenditures us, and what may possibly be done to increase issues.

I asked Dr Cameron Murray, who co-wrote the e book with Professor Paul Frijters of the London College of Economics, if portion of the impetus to revisit and broaden their do the job experienced something to do with the Morrison government, an outfit characterised by a “mates initially” approach and whose shambolic time in business office hadn’t started in 2017.

He gave a stark reply: “It practically doesn’t subject who is in government — your favoured political get together actually will come down to a desire in interaction fashion. It is like the aged Seinfeld joke about sports groups: the players appear and go, it truly is the shirt you are cheering. It’s about safeguarding a network of interests.”