A new generation of Australians are walking away from the liberal promise and embracing socialism in a way that was unthinkable before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The New Social Contract offers a powerful proposal for restoring liberalism’s appeal to Australian voters. It situates Australian liberalism today broadly within the British, American and European tradition, but also explains what is distinctive about Australian liberals. At the core of Australian liberalism is a commitment to the interests of the individual. These interests include the freedom of the individual, but they also extend beyond it to include participation in an open and just society. It is only when liberal politicians demonstrate a genuine commitment to policymaking that advances the full range of interests of individuals will they enjoy the confidence of Australian voters. Tim Wilson argues that it is time for liberals to offer Australia a new social contract that places the interests of the individual at the core of the Government’s policy agenda. Central to achieving this will be reforms that depart from the neoliberal era of equity extraction, and instead concentrate on decentralising power and increasing homeownership, in order to address the needs of Australia’s changing demography.
