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The Forum > Article Comments > Building a land fit for heroes > Comments

Building a land fit for heroes : Comments

By John Tomlinson, published 16/3/2005

John Tomlinson argues that the Howard Government is destroying social justice in Australia.

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Dr Tomlison,
unfortunately your analysis is seriously flawed. Don't you know that the only 'Heroes' in the world are found in America?
Posted by Sinni Kal, Tuesday, 22 March 2005 3:26:25 PM
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John, your aim was good, you laid out the dot points (and a few more could be added) but you failed to join them up. We need a better explanation of the total program that Howard is foisting on this country: what does it all mean in the long run, does it have a name, what is the historical narrative that the politically disengaged will connect with?

All those disconnected voters will not come together and throw the Rodent out until the big picture is made clearer, and by then it might be too late. Australia as we knew it will be history, and we will no longer have a national character to celebrate.

I suspect that Howard does not have a grand program for Australia, he is not a man of imagination or vision and understands little of the historical forces that bought us to this juncture. More likely, he and his advisers (Janette in her castle on the harbour and the faceless and unelected men in his office) are just playing out their own personal prejudices and desires in various policy arenas. Big business is the major constituency, america is the model, and the rest of us are just fodder for the markets. On the social front, his own family upbringing provides the only model he can imagine, and diversity and difference in others is threatening and must be flattened out. Howard is a "straightener" not an "enlarger", as Manning Clark would have put it.

Nevertheless, the dots that the Rodent is putting in place do show a pattern and can be joined up into a recognisable big picture, with a knowledge of history, an appreciation of our basic values, and some speculative thinking. We can't rely on the Opposition to do this. As you have said, they lack the courage of their convictions, if they still have any. More work needed, John, you are on the right track.
Posted by grace pettigrew, Wednesday, 30 March 2005 7:42:58 AM
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Well,comments like social justice,social dislocation,are just excuses for human beings not to achieve.There are too many public servants at all levels of Govt seeking to appeal to our weakness and thus expand their little bureauracies to achieve their next level of pay status.We have become a weak and pathetic culture of do nothings,don't dare,for fear we might achieve nothing.We now punish all doers in the guise of multi national exploitation.
Who provides efficiency in private enterprise so that taxes can be raised?If govt is so efficient,why can't they produce our food,cars,and housing?In truth Govt is both wasteful and inefficient.
So all you idealistic socialists,look at the reality and thank your god that hard working fools in private enterprise still bother.
Posted by Arjay, Wednesday, 30 March 2005 9:33:19 PM
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