In recent years, Australia has become a battleground for culture wars – polarised conflicts deeply rooted in values, identity, and societal norms. These contentious disputes revolve around critical issues such as Indigenous rights, national identity, immigration, and gender. While both the political right and left engage in these cultural conflicts, it is the right wing that emerges as the primary instigator, driving and intensifying these cultural clashes. This tendency can be traced back to its strategic use of cultural anxieties, its resistance to social progress, and its reliance on divisive rhetoric, starkly contrasting with the left’s more reactive approach, grounded in reform rather than provocation.
The Right Wing’s Mobilisation of Cultural Anxieties
Historically, the Australian right wing has skilfully harnessed cultural anxieties to galvanise political support, a strategy that peaked during John Howard’s tenure as Prime Minister from 1996 to 2007. Howard’s government notably capitalised on fears surrounding multiculturalism and border security, exemplified by the infamous 2001 Tampa Affair. By denying entry to asylum seekers rescued by the MV Tampa and asserting, “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come,” Howard reframed a humanitarian issue into a contentious cultural battleground. This narrative resonated with conservative voters and is widely credited with securing his re-election, establishing a blueprint for future culture war tactics.
In contrast, the left has generally taken a more reactive stance in response to such provocations. After Howard’s Pacific Solution policies, the Labor Party under Kevin Rudd sought to de-escalate border tensions by dismantling certain aspects of this approach, focusing instead on policy adjustments rather than cultural confrontations. The right’s proactive stoking of fear – most notably seen in the Liberal Party’s “Stop the Boats” campaign under Tony Abbott – highlights its role as the primary instigator of cultural conflicts, while the left’s efforts are often aimed at mitigating or redirecting these disputes.
Resistance to Social Change as a Driving Force
The right wing’s resistance to social change has emerged as a significant driver of Australia’s culture wars, particularly visible in discussions surrounding Indigenous recognition and national symbols. The 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum serves as a poignant example of this dynamic. Conservative leaders, including Peter Dutton of the Liberal Party, framed the Voice as a radical threat to national unity, warning of “division” and characterising it as a “Trojan horse” for further Indigenous demands. This opposition transformed a proposed constitutional reform into a polarising cultural standoff, with the right mobilising to preserve a traditional and homogenised vision of Australian identity.
Conversely, the left, led by Labor under Anthony Albanese, positioned the Voice as a pragmatic step toward reconciliation, building on decades of advocacy without launching a preemptive cultural assault. The right’s resistance to initiatives like “Welcome to Country” ceremonies and the reframing of Australia Day as “Invasion Day” further escalated these issues into flashpoints. The rhetoric employed by conservatives has often vowed to resist such shifts, suggesting that the right’s defensive posture is a primary catalyst for cultural escalation.
The Right Wing’s Media Influence as the Primary Driver
Australia’s culture wars, characterised by fierce debates over values and identity, have been heavily influenced by the right wing’s outsized media presence. Through outlets such as News Corp and Sky News Australia, the right has effectively leveraged cultural anxieties, resisted social change, and amplified divisive rhetoric, overshadowing the left’s more reform-oriented and reactive stance. This media dominance positions the right as the chief architect of Australia’s cultural polarisation.
The right wing’s media ecosystem has proven adept at mobilising cultural anxieties, transforming policy debates into existential threats to Australian identity. News Corp, which controls approximately 60% of Australia’s print media market – including influential publications such as The Australian, Herald Sun, and Daily Telegraph – has played a pivotal role in shaping public discourse. During the Tampa Affair, News Corp outlets overwhelmingly supported Howard’s hardline stance on asylum seekers, framing refugees as a cultural invasion. This coverage not only reflected public sentiment but actively shaped it, amplifying fears of multiculturalism and solidifying a template for future culture war campaigns.
Sky News Australia has further advanced this strategy, with commentators regularly stirring anxiety over immigration and “woke” culture. This media landscape allows the right to dominate the cultural narrative, while the left struggles to match this level of influence. Outlets like the ABC or The Guardian Australia prioritize factual reporting or progressive commentary over the fear-driven narratives that dominate right-wing media, underscoring the right’s role as the initiator of cultural conflicts.
Amplifying Resistance to Social Change
Right-wing media not only mobilises cultural anxieties but also amplifies resistance to social change, turning incremental reforms into polarising battles. The 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum exemplifies this dynamic. Sky News commentators framed the Voice as a radical upheaval, warning of land grabs and reparations, while columns in The Australian questioned its merits, depicting it as an elite-driven assault on equality. This coordinated media blitz helped sink the referendum, transforming a constitutional debate into a cultural war over Australia’s past and future.
The left’s media presence, conversely, lacks the same firepower or intent to provoke. Outlets like the ABC covered the Voice with balanced reporting, while progressive publications offered measured support rather than apocalyptic warnings. The right’s media machine thrives on resistance, as seen in its treatment of “Welcome to Country” ceremonies and the ongoing debate about Australia Day. This disparity highlights the right’s role in driving cultural tensions, while the left’s responses tend to be policy-focused and defensive.
Divisive Rhetoric and Media Reach
The right wing’s media influence is particularly evident in its amplification of divisive rhetoric, a defining characteristic of Australia’s culture wars. Sky News Australia has become a platform for conservative voices who frame progressive policies as existential threats. During debates over transgender rights, for instance, the network has spotlighted Liberal figures, framing their clashes with progressive leaders as a war on free speech and traditional values. News Corp’s relentless focus on “climate alarmism” further deepens cultural divides, pitting coal-rich regions against “inner-city elites.”
In contrast, the left’s media counterparts, such as the ABC or SBS, seldom employ such combative framing. Their critiques of right-wing policies tend to emphasise data or equity rather than cultural betrayal. Even satirical shows tend to lean toward humor rather than the outrage that fuels right-wing media. This asymmetry underscores the right’s role as the initiator, utilising media to set the cultural agenda.
News Corp’s Role in Mobilising Cultural Anxieties
News Corp has a long-standing history of mobilising cultural anxieties to shape public discourse, often aligning with right-wing political objectives. The Tampa Affair exemplifies this influence; as John Howard’s government took a hardline stance on asylum seekers, News Corp outlets provided unwavering support, framing refugees as a cultural and security threat. This coverage actively fuelled a moral panic that contributed to Howard’s re-election, establishing News Corp as a significant player in cultural conflicts.
More recently, News Corp’s coverage of immigration continues this pattern, with columns decrying “open borders” and “woke” migration policies. This framing consistently casts immigration as an assault on Australian identity, providing the right with a powerful platform to initiate cultural battles. The left, by contrast, often responds with humanitarian or policy angles, lacking the same premeditated cultural aggression that characterises the right.
Reinforcing Resistance to Social Change
The impact of News Corp extends to reinforcing the right wing’s resistance to social change, turning progressive reforms into cultural flashpoints. The 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum highlights this dynamic. The Australian published a steady stream of skeptical editorials, while columnists questioned the necessity of the Voice, framing it as a divisive overreach by urban elites. Post-referendum analyses revealed that News Corp outlets overwhelmingly opposed the Voice, with a significant majority of articles negative – starkly contrasting with the ABC’s balanced coverage.
This resistance to change is evident across various issues, including marriage equality and climate policy. During the 2017 postal survey, News Corp figures decried same-sex marriage as a threat to tradition. On climate, their skepticism has entrenched a cultural divide between coal-dependent regions and progressive urban centers. The left’s media, lacking the reach or cohesion of News Corp, rarely escalates these issues with comparable fervor, underscoring the latter’s role in driving the right’s cultural pushback.
Amplifying Divisive Rhetoric Through Reach and Scale
The sheer scale of News Corp – dominating print readership and boasting a robust digital presence – amplifies divisive right-wing rhetoric, setting the tone for Australia’s culture wars. With millions of monthly readers across its publications and a growing online footprint, it reaches far beyond the left’s fragmented outlets. This influence was particularly evident in its treatment of Australia Day debates, where News Corp’s campaign against “Invasion Day” narratives framed progressive critiques as unpatriotic. Such rhetoric does not merely reflect division; it deepens it, rallying conservative audiences against perceived threats.
Moreover, News Corp’s influence shapes political strategy. Its barrage of anti-Labor coverage keeps cultural issues, such as “woke elites,” front and center. Following the 2022 election, its pivot to attacking Labor’s Voice agenda demonstrated adaptability in sustaining cultural conflict. Left-leaning media, such as The Guardian Australia or Crikey, focus on critique rather than provocation, lacking News Corp’s ability to dictate national conversations. This disparity in reach and intent positions News Corp as the right’s megaphone, amplifying divisive narratives that the left struggles to counter.
Driving Resistance to Social Change
Sky News Australia significantly bolsters the right wing’s resistance to social change, transforming policy proposals into cultural war zones. The 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum exemplifies this influence. Commentators framed the Voice as a radical upheaval, warning of a “new apartheid” and decrying it as a “Trojan horse” for Indigenous separatism. This relentless opposition helped sway public opinion, contributing to the referendum’s defeat and turning a constitutional debate into a cultural showdown.
Similarly, Sky’s stance on gender and education issues fuels resistance. Its coverage of transgender rights frames progressive policies as assaults on free speech and tradition. The left’s media counters with inclusion-focused reporting but lacks Sky’s visceral, culture-war-driven edge. Sky News thus acts as the right’s megaphone, escalating resistance into a broader ideological fight.
Amplifying Divisive Rhetoric With Digital Reach
Sky News Australia’s growing digital footprint amplifies divisive right-wing rhetoric, setting it apart in the media landscape. While its traditional TV audience is modest, its online presence is formidable – its YouTube channel boasts over 2 million subscribers and millions of monthly views. This platform has turned commentators into global voices for Australia’s right, shaping conservative discourse far beyond national borders.
Take the Australia Day debate: Sky’s coverage branded calls to rethink the holiday as “unpatriotic” and “divisive,” accusing progressives of erasing history. These narratives polarise, rallying viewers against perceived cultural enemies. By contrast, the ABC’s explorations of “Invasion Day” aim for nuance and lack Sky’s emotive punch or viral traction. Sky News’s ability to weaponize rhetoric via digital scale gives the right a unique tool to dominate cultural conversations, leaving the left scrambling to respond.
Counterarguments and Rebuttals
Critics may argue that the left initiates culture wars by advancing progressive agendas that challenge traditional norms. The 2017 same-sex marriage postal survey, led by Labor and the Greens, could be cited as an example of a left-driven conflict. However, the right’s response – led by figures like Abbott – escalated the issue into a broader cultural war, framing it as a threat to family values. The left’s advocacy here was a call for the expansion of rights, rather than a direct attack on existing structures, unlike the right’s counteroffensive.
Others might contend that culture wars are a mutual product of societal evolution, with both sides equally culpable. Yet, the right’s institutional coordination – via think tanks or media empires – provides it with a structural advantage in amplifying disputes. The left’s efforts, often grassroots or policy-focused, lack the same premeditated cultural belligerence, positioning them as responders rather than instigators.
Conclusion
In Australia, the right wing’s strategic mobilisation of cultural anxieties, resistance to social change, and amplification of divisive rhetoric position it as the primary force behind the initiation and escalation of culture wars. From Howard’s Tampa moment to Dutton’s referendum stance, the right has consistently transformed policy debates into battles over identity and values, leveraging fear and nostalgia to maintain political relevance. The left, while active in advancing reforms, largely reacts to these provocations rather than igniting them. Recognising this dynamic does not absolve the left of its role, but highlights the right’s outsized influence in shaping Australia’s cultural conflicts. As the nation faces future elections and social challenges, understanding this imbalance could pave the way for less polarised discourse – if the right’s appetite for cultural combat wanes.
Engaging in these discussions is crucial for fostering a more nuanced understanding of our societal landscape and moving towards a more cohesive and inclusive national dialogue.
