Economy
The world’s first minister for peace
Australia has had ministers for war, defence and everything else — so isn’t it time we had our very first minister for peace? Contributing editor-at-large Tess Lawrence comments.
THE WORLD’S FIRST MINISTER FOR PEACE has been appointed by Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
What’s not wrong with this? Why not a minister for peace?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all world governments had such a Cabinet portfolio?
After all, since Australia’s first Prime Minister Edmund Barton presided over our first ministry in 1901, we have had comparable roles for ministers for defence, foreign affairs, trade and customs, and the attorney-general.
Separately, these roles might appear conflictory when in fact, they are entirely complementary.
We have since dumped reworked, reworded and now added other portfolios to the cabinet such as communications, agriculture, arts, health, sport, immigration and border protection, multicultural affairs, finance, environment, trade and investment, small business, social services, industry and science, Indigenous affairs, education and training, treasury, agriculture, employment, infrastructure and regional development.
The PM told us his was a cabinet for the 21st century.
In too many aspects, the 21st century is in a mess of our own making. We have soiled out own nest. Poisoned our own well.
Putting aside any arguable merits or otherwise of Turnbull’s appointees and exclusions, we are overdue for an intellectually tectonic shift in stereotypical political profiling and posturing.