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Fixing Australia

Australia is broken. Democracy has holes in it, cracks in it, and it needs fixing. Since the 2004 Federal election we know that our government is not going to fix it. I think we need to do that fixing, and this blog is a start of getting some ideas together.

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

Brendan Nelson: First strike in Howard's Culture Wars

Howard wants control of a University near you

OK, here we have it. Howard will never get your hearts, and he will not try. His appreciation ratings have never been high enough to even rate in any rankings. While Latham has a PhD and has written several books, and also has several biographies on the bookshelves, Howard remains absent in the hearts of Australians, and I think he knows it.

So, after getting our votes, he now wants our minds instead. With Nelson's announcement that Howard wants Australia's Universities, you can be sure that the first strike had been launched in the culture wars - an ongoing isssue for Howard. Remember the war over Keith Windshuttle vs Henry Reynolds - see The Road to Surfdom, ABC Hindsight and The Australian's Who's still afraid of Keith Windschuttle. Remember the revamping of the Canberra National Gallery, see also How politicians are subverting national icons?

Again, the start of one of Howard's masterstrokes. By comparison, the ALP's weak-kneed start to the new term with Laurie Ferguson's appointment to the immigration portfolio, while it confirms that the Latham administration is not interested in social conscience issues, pales in significance. When will the backbenchers Carmen Lawrence, John Faulkner and Bob MacMullan raise their protest placards?

cheers
Jack

1 Comments:

  • At Tuesday, November 02, 2004 7:24:00 PM, Blogger L Murphy said…

    I expect the backbenchers Carmen Lawrence, John Faulkner and Bob MacMullan to raise their protest at the convergence on Canberra on November 16 - the day parliament opens.

    Hopefully, lots of politicians be there because "We need to make a statement that many of us still care about this issue and we're not going to go away. If we're depressed about the election, think how it must be affecting those still behind the razor wire or electrified fences."
    ChilOut in 'Convergence gathers steam' Green Left Weekly, http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2004/605/605p3.htm

     

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