I had to read it twice to check it wasn’t satire, but it’s true. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has appointed a minister for common sense.

In her new role, journalist turned MP Esther McVey’s sole job is to “tackle the scourge of wokeism”.

There’s a simple measure for good policy.Credit: Marija Ercegova

Brits – masters of the sardonic take-down – have responded appropriately with biting commentary and relentless mocking to reflect the government’s attempt to ignite non-existent culture wars to fire up its tired base.

The new ministry carries ghostly echoes of Tony Abbott’s “Team Australia”, where a nation is told to think and feel one way by a government; an ideological overreach if ever there was one. And whatever the nebulous definition of the word woke, the Tories don’t come off well by appointing a minister in charge of crushing attempts to address social injustice.

Common sense is a loaded term. Aside from the newly appointed McVey, who decides what it is?

Some traits we can, perhaps, agree upon outside of the politicised culture wars. Anything we declare to be a “no-brainer”, for example, is common sense. The idea of having lived in the real world – unlike many out-of-touch politicians – and knowing, say, the cost of basic groceries and every day money-saving tips to buy them, that’s common sense.

There’s an implied earthiness to common sense that castrates any loftiness, and a reliance on facts over feelings. All of which is why a Ministry for Common Sense might actually thrive Down Under. Bizarre as it sounds, what might the minister’s first task be?

First, they would need to look at our big cities. They consistently place highly in the rankings of the world’s most liveable spots, so we’re doing something right, but those same cities are becoming more and more financially impossible to live in, so there’s clearly room for improvement.

Frankly, it would’ve been a no-brainer to allow Indigenous People a Voice to Parliament to address inequalities they face, yet many Australians reported not understanding the referendum process or how the Voice would operate. So right away there’s a gap to plug with better education surrounding basic political functions.