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The Forum > Article Comments > Preparing for a dictator down under? > Comments

Preparing for a dictator down under? : Comments

By Brian Martin, published 28/3/2022

Could Australian governments be laying the foundation for a repressive ruler?

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Given the loss of freedoms during Covid, yes! We could very well find ourselves living under a dictatorship. But, even before we leave this author's first paragraph, we start to get an idea that his real interest is not in a government dictatorship, but the threat to the one already with us via academia and the hard Left. That he wants us to believe that there are "no looming external threats" to Australia is a clue. The China threat has apparently gone; there are no plans for a move closer to us via the Solomon Islands.

He says "in the past two decades Australian governments have passed numerous laws giving police and security agencies ever more powers for surveillance and repression" ….. "for dealing with terrorists, paedophile rings, organised crime and other dangers…", as if actually protecting us means that the next move by the goverment could be against "civil society groups" - guess who a uni-wallah thinks they are.

Here we have just another academic used to lecturing a captive audience still young enough to have unformed brains, in his own little dictatorship.

Then he goes right off, with 'citizens bringing down repressive governments' overseas, "popular resistance" like Occupy and BLM. Popular with him and his kind, maybe, but not with sane, average Australians.

While Australians really need to take more interest in politics and demand better, they have less to worry about from our governments than they do with people like Brian Martin and the rest of the loony Left fomenting revolution and hatred of Australia in universities.
Posted by ttbn, Monday, 28 March 2022 9:15:17 AM
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History on the other hand, shows the power of violence in the unification process.
It’s best to be realistic.: the Mongol empire and achievements of Genghis Khan jump to mind.

Dan
Posted by diver dan, Monday, 28 March 2022 9:25:05 AM
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Sorry, but the conclusions reached by the Author are risible and smack of conspiracy theory. The loss of some freedom during a pandemic may not have suited a few anti vaxers? But, nonetheless good health policy!

And to argue against public health orders, smacks of the most extreme idealogical imperative and extreme ignorance? Before any would be wannabe dictator can steal power, he/she must first control the media!

And given that the ABC is still independent and a trusted source of validated information, that day has not arrived! Albeit, many right wing organizations, will have us believe otherwise, while they peddle their neo-Nazi/Facist B.S.
Alan B.
Posted by Alan B., Monday, 28 March 2022 11:26:15 AM
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Why use the word oppressive ? Only someone with a corrupt mentality resorts to such terms up front without the slightest consideration that a ruler could actually prove to be benevolent !
Only someone who has no benevolence themselves will automatically assume others are llike that also.
In my view a benevolent dictator would be the best anyone could hope for in their country !
Posted by individual, Monday, 28 March 2022 12:00:00 PM
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'Individual' .. in reference to your last sentence....
However desirable this might be, human nature says it cannot be so.
This is evidenced by the many many examples of dictators with the opposite approach...
Good King Wenceslas is the only 'benevolent' ruler who comes readily to mind.
Also, Mikhail Gorbachev wasn't really so bad, was he?
Generally speaking though, dictatorships are 'oppressive'.

I think that over thousands of years, people have suffered widely at the hands of dictators.
But that didn't bring about the end of our vibrant civilisation.
Somehow, we are still here and thriving.
I think I can plan ahead to breakfast time tomorrow.....maybe even lunch?
We haven't reached the point of hopeless despair yet.

A well informed and articulate population is the best counter to 'oppressive' moves by any government?
However, I don't agree with the american model, where everyone has a kalashnikov under the bed.
Far too easy for mistakes to lead to injury, or the death of innocent persons?
So let us just do what we must do.
We must keep an eye on what is happening around us, and keep going forward resolutely!
Posted by Ipso Fatso, Monday, 28 March 2022 3:51:52 PM
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human nature says it cannot be so.
Ipso fatso,
It certainly won't happen as long as we have citizens with the poor mentality of not co-operating with any leader for the sake of not co-operating.
How can we expect harmony when one lot constantly demands the other lot do all the work ? Of all the nations on earth, Australia would be best positioned for a leader for all rather than one for one lot & another for the other lot ! All paid for by the lot that works !
Posted by individual, Monday, 28 March 2022 4:40:44 PM
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Mr Individual: I seriously don't want to enter in to debate.
But I must comment on the general tone of your post.
It seems rather negative.
I hope I am reading it wrongly.
I really don't see us as failing to be good citizens.
Generally speaking, I find those around me to be forthright and clear thinking.
I cannot conceive of a more estimable group of persons.
I feel safe surrounded by a crowd such as they.
(as long as they are not 'beside the lake, beneath the trees'...)
And we live in a democracy.
So majority opinion counts.
Where the majority goeth, there goeth all?
I think I am seriously fortunate to live at this present time in history.
In what I think is the best country in the world.
So in spite of its sundry 'wrinkles', I would not exchange it for another.
Now let's get on with holding the government to account....
Posted by Ipso Fatso, Monday, 28 March 2022 5:03:43 PM
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I think its inevitable. Most people would also support it as they all ways do. They will always trade safety for security. Just need some attack justified or not, Look what happened in the US after 9/11, let alone in Australia and each year it gets worse. But as long as people can drive their car, watch football on the TV and buy a pie or Chiko roll, they seem unfortunately content.

One things for sure, we wont be taking up arms if we're ever invaded and doing as Ukrainian citizens have done, nor are we as prepared as the Finns who have been reading their citizens and society since WW11, we turned the other way.
Posted by Valley Guy, Monday, 28 March 2022 9:17:37 PM
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Many rave on about how great a Democracy the West is. How can we claim to be democratic yet have an opposition to Govt ?
It makes sense to some but I doubt if someone who can think without the help of others would think of such a system as workable for all !
Posted by individual, Tuesday, 29 March 2022 11:24:48 PM
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Given the loss of freedoms during Covid
ttbn,
The above sentence is an incorrect insinuation. People ruined their freedom to move by moving in an out-of-control willy-nilly manner which caused the uncontrollable mixing of viruses & deceases.
Govts clamped down so the viruses etc. can be gotten under some sort of control as much as humanly possible but the masses of silly, selfish humans think themselves into being discriminated against. The lock-downs were put in place to save humans from the many silly humans. That's all there's to it !
Since our great Western Democracies give tax Dollars to their oppositions to undermine the incumbent Govt then well, don't expect things to improve soon !
Posted by individual, Wednesday, 30 March 2022 8:55:32 AM
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I really don't see us as failing to be good citizens.
Foxy, Foxy !
Posted by individual, Wednesday, 30 March 2022 8:39:25 PM
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Interesting article which (as evidenced by the range of responses) raises many issues.
Posted by Dr James Page, Saturday, 2 April 2022 3:43:12 AM
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Just a further note to that posted yesterday. To those who doubt the repressive potential within our current democratic system, I'd recommend looking at the article by human rights lawyer Kieren Pender, under the title 'Shooting the Messenger: How the Bernard Collaery case stains our Democracy', in the latest edition of ABR. As readers may know, lawyer and former ACT Attorney-General Bernard Collaery was charged with five breaches of the Intelligence Service Act 2001. Worst still, the Morrison Government is still pressing for these charges to be heard in secret. This is happening not in some totalitarian state, but in the Commonwealth of Australia. The article is well worth reading: https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/current-issue/976-april-2022-no-441/8965-shooting-the-messengers-how-the-collaery-case-stains-our-democracy-by-kieran-pender
Posted by Dr James Page, Sunday, 3 April 2022 10:46:47 AM
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Some of the Far Right on the Forum are so disappointed in Australian democracy, its failed to deliver the totalitarian regime they so desire. They lament, what's the good of democracy if it can even deliver a decent dictator!

AND to rub salt into the wound, their pin up gal the Lovely Pauline is sitting on 3%. AND Big Clive can't even raise a fart. Shameful if that's all democracy can do. Well.....
Posted by Paul1405, Tuesday, 5 April 2022 6:30:35 AM
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