Australia must focus on unity not division

The drums of war refuse to stop beating Down Under.

But while the war over “invisible enemies” remains an imagination, another “war” is tearing through civil Australian society: that of discrimination, racism and unnecessary suspicion.

For three consecutive years, Australian politicians have commemorated Anzac Day, Australia’s day of remembrance for its war dead, with war cry after war cry. During this year’s Anzac Day – just four weeks shy of what is tipped to be a “khaki” federal election – Defence Minister Peter Dutton marked the occasion by saying Australia could only preserve peace by preparing for war and likened Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, too, warned about the “arc of autocracy” again, referring to Russia and China – one of his favourite election catchcries.

This kind of fearmongering is dangerous, as it taps into a deep Australian psyche of insecurity and long-standing wariness of foreigners and “the others”. Who could forget the White Australia Policy?

Getting on a train filled with proud war veterans in Sydney this Anzac Day, I was confronted by racial abuse from an older Caucasian woman. It started “innocently” enough, first with criticism of my wearing a mask and then derisive slurs about how “my kind should move right on”.

She accused me and my people of storming and invading Australia and taking things. She said that I must be enjoying “breathing its fresh air”.

I called her out so that those around me would hear it, allowing it to impress their subconscious that bullying had to be stood up to.

Language matters, and while most Australians do not adopt language like this, some are picking up the government’s rhetoric like children picking up their parents’ swearing.

The Australian government, and all governments, need to bear responsibility for civil behaviour instead of focusing on staying in power with cheap election tactics.

When they think the well-being of civil society can be sacrificed for a vote, they need to think again. When they think Australians are just arbitrary toys for their personal game and gain, think again.

And if they fail us and they have, as a society, we cannot allow politicians and their greed for control and thirst for chaos get the better of us in a world that is becoming more geopolitically complex and challenging.

We are better than that.