On Tuesday, after two weeks of negotiations, Australia confirmed that the Gillard Labor Government would be returned. It’s a motley coalition of independents, greens and the Australian Labor Party.
But this new open alignment, similar to what we have seen in the new liberal-conservative coalition in the UK highlights new political opportunities for the power of community-based coalitions of community organizations, religious organizations and unions.
Observers of social movements, like Sidney Tarrow in Power in Movement, have argued since the 1990s that political opportunities – or "cleavages in the political decision making of elites" – provide space for popular voices to shine. And, in doing so, these opportunities can inspire the development of expanded social action because these political spaces give social movement activists hope that change is possible.
Australia now has a political cleavage of this kind. A hung parliament will be very different from politics as usual where new policies are debated and endorsed in a closed process of cabinet and caucus. When one party has the power, they can "talk" of consultation" but there is often little pressure to genuinely consult other parties, let alone the community on policies before they are announced.
If the independents are prepared to vet policies, and potentially challenge the policies of government then their role may provide an opportunity to open up policy debate to the wider community.
In Power in Coalition, I argue that political opportunities are a critical ingredient in the success of community-based coalitions. Coalition campaigns that are planned and run conscious of electoral timetables and legislative timetables, and that are timetabled to escalate at critical decision making times, tend to have greater success at achieving social change.
This means that we may see more, and more successful, community based social action in Australia over the next term of government.
However, political opportunities are just a chance for influence, not a guarantee of social impact.
These opportunities need to be harnessed by community-based movements, where clever, well-planned, well-built social action develops carefully, and strategically builds public and political support.
For instance, I found that an Australian public education coalition and its Vinson Inquiry into Public Education was a good example of this. An 18 month inquiry that built slowly in the community through public hearings in schools around the state, then releasing three major reports on its findings in the 9 months before the 2003 New South Wales state election. Then at 6 months out from the election, the public education alliance identified and discerned 6 key united demands to pursue during the election period. These demands were new policy ideas that had come from the community through the public hearings. This strategy of broad public awareness then targeted social action produced major policy reforms – including a $250 million policy for reducing the class sizes of young school children.
The hung parliament throws down the gauntlet to progressives in Australia. Its not just about speaking your mind, but it is time to get organized and build a powerful broad based community voice. No politician, however "independent" can substitute for community-led solutions to challenges like housing costs, gridlocked transport, work-family balance or community tension over cultural difference. The ball is now in the people's court as to whether this opportunity of a hung parliament is turned into social change.
Read more about Power in Coalition at the website or buy the book from Cornell University Press.