Tony
You say that any regional or cultural group has the right to self-rule. What does this mean?

Here in the West we have all the iron ore, the natural gas and the SAS so maybe we could go for the self rule bit, and leave the rest of the country to pay for the talk fests and big cars in Canberra. We would be doing our bit for the environment as our politicians would not have to keep flying back and forth.

The whole notion that we must choose between east and west is Prima Facie RACISM. It is also arrant nonsense.

Like in our personal relationships, who we associate with is based on PURPOSE and mutual INTERESTS.

Australia will essentially be the raw materials mine for a future world. There will be many other strengths but as-this-is-a-desert-land-ill-suited-to-overcrowding, mining will clearly define our purpose. We will NATURALLY align ourseleves with customers from Asia and elsewhere but will align ourselves militarily for protection and fiscally for technology with a US which has a constitution bound by a belief in liberty and freedom for all mankind.

Nothing is written-in-stone and as regional-politics shift to liberal-democracy we will develop new alliances in an ad-hoc-way.

This is precisely how we conduct our individual lives so its not unexpected that this is how Australia-will-develop-in-the-future.

The trick is to adhere to our implicit constitutional-values of democracy and individual freedom. Maybe now is the time we should enshrine them in a formal constitutuion like the US. These will be the rules by which we make friends and alliances, external to trade, in the future.

Further, Global corporate privatisation of Government is a threat to our future because it has NO allegiance to any constitution except that of profits, obscene CEO bonuses and lying to shareholders. We can not expect in good conscience and faith to align ourselves with anyone if we are being bullied and governed by corporate global Giants.

There is too, a clear and present danger that all future decisions including alliances will be taken from the Australian people. The Snowy sale was a very close call. At this dangerous time in our history we must stand firm to prevent the sale of our birthrights. We must vote for politicians who espouse this virtue and spit-in-the-eye of the Cash-Mcall companies that would enslave our souls for baubles, mirrors, trinkets, tollwayfunnels, neutered grainstock and pretty marrionette politicians.

The Trojan-Horse of Cash-Mcall is well and truly in our Midst. We know what happened to the people of ancient Troy, let's not make that mistake.

Peace,
you ask whether the West has the right to self-rule. I would say of course it does, but I'm not sure that it would be the best route. I would go for greater regional autonomy within Australia rather than leaving the federation altogether.

In fact, I would go for greater regional autonomy within a bigger federation (say, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: CANZ), because that way you could get the best of both worlds. You could have international clout of being part of a country with a certain global significance, along with the decentralised decision-making that Australia's federation is increasingly losing.

In a federation made up of New Zealand, the Australian states and the Canadian provinces, the West would be a significant player because of its resources, and would find natural allies among the resource-rich Canadian provinces. Isn't it better to be strong within something bigger than be strongish alone?

KAEP,
you suggest that maybe now is the time for a formal Bill of Rights. I disagree. As long as we keep our values, we will vote for governments that defend them. When we no longer elect such governments, it will mean that we no longer have those values. What would be the point in being ruled by a document enshrining values that we no longer have?

Ian,

The concept of liberty and freedom for all mankind is not negotiable. The US has had it in their constitution for over 200 years and will have it while they have breath in their lungs. It needs however to be put into our constitution. Especially at this moment when global corporations see us as savages whom they can buy for a few tollways and a bagful of trinkets. They are aided and abetted by THEIR marionette self seeking politicians whom we elect but whom we have no say over. At election time there is no real choice. Labour is haunted by a malevolent Keating's ghost and Liberal wants to bludge out the rest of the century in blissful power by privatising everything except themselves and the armed forces. This is an ineffective, stale political structure. It has already proven itself to be capable (the Snowy scandal and Sydney airport skulduggery) of abrogating the rights of Australian citizens.
There is thus no guarantee in our constitution of freedom and liberty for all.
If you think that is acceptable, get ready for civil war or go live in Iran.

Hi Peace,

When I speak about any regional group’s right to self-rule I am speaking about any group that has its own identity, usually historically-geographically-culturally and wants to secede from the holding power.

But that is just one case and usually the type we hear about.

In China there are over 30 ethnic groups and while they are not seeking independence, they do ask for recognition. When they have the mental space to think about it - as they are often marginalized and find it hard to get paid work - they want to hang on to their language, their songs and dances - but not for tourists, for their own cultural life.

While it might appear that the original inhabitants of Australia are too widely diffused today, across such a wide territory, any claims for special recognition appear complex and problematic, yet that is not so in other places.

Iraq for instance, the Kurds inhabit a certain territory and the demarcations for autonomy seem easier to accommodate.

Chechnya is similar. Chechnya has constantly fought against foreign rule, beginning with the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century.

Trouble is, people wanting to go autonomous/independent are often sitting on reserves of one kind or another and that is what the movers and shakers are looking at. They seldom have a plan that makes it clear how they aim to distribute everything and share the ‘spoils’ after the takeover.

However, in more ordinary affairs it is simply seeing a person or group of another cultural persuasion and respecting their right to be different. To be allowed that independance, just to be.

Australia is one nation so there does not seem to be a problem, however, among the peoples there are various roots to take into account. I was more looking at adjacent places such as East Timor which has an immediate problem. Also, PNG.

But this is a big issue for some nations such as China which goes into a veritable shake if any region hints at having real autonomy - over on the western end, the Tibetans, etc.

Regards

Tony

It is interesting that people only see two points of the compus: East and West.

Asia begins east of a river in Turkey and ends somewhere around the Himalayas. The rest is "east Asia". Europe is west of this river. Then there is North America. We assume this is west. But Central and South America are not assumed to necessarily have "western values" particularly in Venezuala, Cuba, Peru, or Haiti. Haiti's official religion is "Voodoo".

Interesting that Africa and South America are neither east nor west. We are in the Southern Hemisphere. Too often, we are dominated by powers in the northern hemisphere. But we are never invited to the dinner table.

Interesing that Germany is lobbying to the EU, that Uraguay in South America should join the EU as so many in Uraguay have German backgrounds. Yet no EU member counties have ever argued that Australia should join the EU, since most Australians have European backgrounds. Meanwhile, Poland is in serious breach of EU standards in human rights, and could have their status revoked. They could face expulsion over such serious alegations of backing Neo-Nazi activity.

So what is European? A race, a value or a geography? If Poland is expelled, then the notion of "European" is a standard. Conversely, Uraguay is under question for entry to the EU.

Yet no one in the EU ever notices poor old Australia, sitting under the planet, lost about our identity. Germany lobbied for Uraguay. The UK never lobbied for Australia to join the EU, they obviously see themselves as "above us". They are north, and they always gave Australian culture the "cat's bum".

Nothing would please me more than Australia to joining the EU. But no one has the imagination or the guts to run with the idea.

I mean, what values do we relate to if we have to join an economic block to remain economically viable? EU countries have many people from Asia and Africa too. It is not a racial block.

We are south, like Uraguay, but does that make us east? I think not.