Symbolism helps nobody
THE comedy show that is our Federal Parliament just keeps on giving.
While Labor ramps its tactics to expose the apparent illegitimacy of the Coalition Government, a bizarre looking hatstand that is Pauline Hanson walks ungainly into the House of Review wearing a burqa.
The burqa is a threat to our security and should be banned, she says.
Maybe one day it will be. But not yet please. I want to see Pauline wear it all the time.
It would be a hit in shopping centre food halls, especially the bit when she attempts to eat the burger and chips.
The Government’s leading lawyer, George Brandis, won plaudits and raspberries for an apparently heartfelt, off- the- cuff rebuttal of Pauline’s stupidity of playing into the enemy’s hands.
But this was a sideshow, a diversion, to the real event.
Will we still have a government in two weeks?
If Barnaby Joyce goes, because of his apparent dual citizenship and the one- seat majority, it could be all over. What a dilemma for the High Court. The real leading lawyers will be torn between upholding our Constitution and throwing the Coalition to the pack.
It is possible our historic ties as “British subjects” could save MPs like Barnaby who share allegiance with Commonwealth countries like New Zealand.
This is not the case for the Nationals’ Matt Canavan and his Italian connections.
But do not fear North Queensland’s Bob Katter is ready and waiting in the wings.
He issued a statement this week reminding us that independents like he and the Xenophon Party’s Rebekah Sharkie will have “potentially enormous power”.
So we might have another minority government with Rebekah ( or is that Nick?) and Bob calling the shots.
We lost out last time because Bob just could not be seen to side with Julia Gillard’s minority Labor government.
Don’t let us down this time Bob. More power to the North. ENOUGH with the local councils trying to change Australia Day.
Yarra City Council, in a very lefty part of Melbourne, voted to stop marking the day because they think it’s a day of sadness for the indigenous community.
They claimed the locals wanted it, but didn’t try that hard to really find out what they thought.
The council – made up of four Greens, two Labor, some independents and, believe it or not, someone from the Socialist Party – only asked 300 of their 81,000 residents about the decision before they made it.
None of them are Aboriginal, and we should note, none have offered up their spots to be replaced by local indigenous leaders.
They just went for cheap symbolism, a stunt that doesn’t give local Aboriginals any more power in their city.
The irony of using a system of government that only came with settlement since 1788 shouldn’t be lost on us.
If Australia Day was ever an insensitive occasion, it’s not now.
Every council in the country goes out of its way to recognise the peoples of the past while welcoming thousands more who become citizens on that day.
This is the true and new focus of Australia Day. There isn’t a child who for a couple of generations hasn’t been taught about the substantial sins of our past.
But what’s the point in endlessly trying to atone for them?
We need to find a new national day, separate from Australia Day, to look at the positive and ongoing role for indigenous Australia.
We should make much more of the heroes of our indigenous community who should seek to inspire a new generation.
There are plenty of good examples, but I think we should start with something like Mabo Day.
This is a day where we should celebrate and remember that one man used the white man’s law to overturn Terra Nullius, thereby recognising the culture and people who had this land for thousands of years.
We could celebrate the many and ongoing achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders, while not ignoring our collective past.
An endless debate about the past only seeks to limit our future.
I’m always struck by the fact this