TOPIC OF THE DAY :-“Chasing Stability: On Australian Elections”
Climate Change And Energy Policies Are Top Of The Agenda In Australia’s Elections
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison may have, in a manner of speaking, already scored a political victory ahead of the May 18 election. Few had expected the socially conservative politician to last out the remainder of Parliament’s term when he took over as Prime Minister in August following a coup within the ruling Liberal party. In the past, the country has seen many heads of government toppled. That said, Saturday’s election may not prove an easy ride for the former marketing executive. The polls may not signal an end to the political instability that has dogged Australian politics of late. From combating climate change to shaping energy policy, Mr. Morrison’s Liberal party is a divided house between moderates and conservatives. These differences were manifest in the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull last year and continue to elude a resolution. The world’s driest inhabitedcontinent is confronting its own vulnerability to the effects of global warming. Australia, among the world’s largest wheat exporters, has been forced to take recourse to bulk imports of the grain, consequent to severe droughts in its eastern states over two years. Mr. Morrison, a supporter of coal-generated power, may also find his hardline stance on immigration difficult to defend in the wake of the terrorist attacks in neighboring New Zealand.
The opposition Labor party seems to enjoy an edge over the governing center-right Liberal-National coalition, according to opinion polls. Its leader, Bill Shorten, has rallied the party during its time in the opposition in the last six years. Labor’s advantage stems from its promise of a living wage, tighter regulation and ambitious targets on carbon emissions. A 45% reduction in carbon emissions on 2005 levels by 2030 is part of its manifesto, aimed at appealing to Australia’s growing number of green voters. Conversely, the pro-business credentials of Mr. Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition are said to have been steadily eroded as the government has reneged on its promise of corporate tax cuts. The package of measures unveiled in the pre-election budget in April may only have a moderate impact. As with several industrialized democracies, voter disillusionment with the principal parties is yielding a fragmented polity, and smaller parties and independents could potentially tilt the balance of power in the Senate, which is crucial for the passage of legislation. With consistent economic growth and modest levels of unemployment, Australia has had a remarkable track record in recent decades. This scenario is in stark contrast to the incessant political swings that impede the legislative agenda. What is, without doubt, is that the turnout will be high at the polls, as voting is compulsory for registered voters.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1.coup
Meaning: a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
Synonyms: seizure of power, overthrow, takeover, ousting
Antonyms: election
Example Sentence: “he was overthrown in an army coup”.
2.toppled
Meaning: overbalance or cause to overbalance and fall.
Synonyms: Fall, tumble, overturn, overbalance, tip
Antonyms: Hold, Rise, Increase
Example Sentence: “she toppled over when I touched her”
3.dogged
Meaning: follow (someone) closely and persistently.
Synonyms: Pursue, follow, stalk, track, trail, shadow, hound
Antonyms: hesitant, half-hearted
Example Sentence: “photographers seemed to dog her every step”
4.combating
Meaning: take action to reduce or prevent (something bad or undesirable).
Synonyms: Fight, battle against, do battle with, wage war against
Antonyms: give in to
Example Sentence: “an effort to combat drug trafficking”
5.moderates
Meaning: a person who holds moderate views, especially in politics.
Example Sentence: “an unlikely alliance of radicals and moderates”
6.conservatives
Meaning: a person who is averse to change and holds traditional values.
Synonyms: right-winger, reactionary, rightist, diehard
Example Sentence: “he remains a conservative in constitutional matters”
7.manifest
Meaning: clear or obvious to the eye or mind.
Synonyms: Obvious, clear, plain, apparent, evident, patent, palpable
Antonyms: hidden, secret
Example Sentence: “his manifest lack of interest in the proceedings”
8.elude
Meaning: escape from or avoid (a danger, enemy, or pursuer), typically in a skilful or cunning way.
Synonyms: Evade, avoid, get away from, dodge
Antonyms: be caught by
Example Sentence: “he tried to elude the security men by sneaking through a back door”
9.inhabited
Meaning: (of a person, animal, or group) live in or occupy (a place or environment).
Synonyms: Live in, occupy; settle in, settle, people, populate
Example Sentence: “a bird that inhabits North America”
10.confronting
Meaning: come face to face with (someone) with hostile or argumentative intent.
Synonyms: Challenge, square up to, oppose, resist
Antonyms: avoid
Example Sentence: “300 policemen confronted an equal number of union supporters”
11.vulnerability
Meaning: the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
Synonyms: Susceptibility, accountability
Antonyms: Aid, Asset, Help
Example Sentence: “conservation authorities have realized the vulnerability of the local population”
12.recourse
Meaning: the use of (someone or something) as a source of help in a difficult situation.
Synonyms: option, possibility, alternative, possible course of action
Antonyms: Blockage, Injury, Hindrance
Example Sentence: “a means of solving disputes without recourse to courts of law”
13.coalition
Meaning: a temporary alliance for combined action, especially of political parties forming a government.
Synonyms: Alliance, union, partnership, affiliation
Antonyms: Detachment, Disconnection, Disunion
Example Sentence: “a coalition between Liberals and Conservatives”
14.eroded
Meaning: gradually destroy or be gradually destroyed.
Synonyms: wear away/down, abrade, scrape away, grind down, crumble
Antonyms: Build, Neglect, Ignore
Example Sentence: “this humiliation has eroded what confidence Jean has”
15.reneged
Meaning: go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract.
Synonyms: default on, fail to honour, go back on, break
Antonyms: Keep, honour
Example Sentence: “the government had reneged on its election promises”
16.disillusionment
Meaning: a feeling of disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be.
Synonyms: Anticlimax, Comedown
Antonyms: Boon, Boost, Triumph, Advantage
Example Sentence: “the high abstention rate at the election reflected the voters’ growing disillusionment with politics”
17.yielding
Meaning: giving a product or generating a financial return of a specified amount.
Synonyms: Humble. Passive, Resigned
Antonyms: Hard, Obstinate, Resistant
Example Sentence: “a gentle, yielding person”
18.stark contrast
Meaning: Exactly opposite of / very different from (something else)
Example Sentence: His comments were in stark/marked/sharp contrast with/to his earlier statements.
19.incessant
Meaning: (of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption.
Synonyms: ceaseless, unceasing, constant, continual
Antonyms: intermittent, occasional
Example Sentence: “the incessant beat of the music”
20.impede
Meaning: delay or prevent (someone or something) by obstructing them; hinder.
Synonyms: hinder, obstruct, hamper, handicap, hold back
Antonyms: facilitate
Example Sentence: “the sap causes swelling which can impede breathing”
