No such mechanism today exists in any area of policy,though the concept was applied during World War Two. The founder of the Liberal Party,prime minister Robert Menzies,invited Labor leader John Curtin to join in a War Advisory Council that discussed strategy but did not have executive powers.
While there has been a broad consensus between Labor and Liberal on how Australia should deal with China in recent years,Mr Marles'idea would take it to another level.
The council would attempt to construct “settled bipartisan positions” on China policy “that almost look like doctrine,so our departments can have confidence of our position not over the next three years but the next 30 years,” he said in an interview for the forthcoming Quarterly EssayRed Flag:Waking up to China's challenge.
It would not be “just some pollies in the members’ dining room,” he said,but something like a cabinet. Its membership would be public,but its proceedings private.
Mr Marles,the opposition defence spokesman,acknowledged that the government would need to lead in setting up any such council.
He suggested that it be properly resourced by the government,with the benefit of full briefings from the public service. “I’ve never felt the need so acutely to get some bipartisanship on this,” he said.