gen y has spoken

NB I wrote this piece last weekend to send to a few political blogs, to no avail, so I have decided to post it here instead! (Which should explain why I may seem a little slow off the mark, plus doesn't really fit with the usual tone of this blog).

Gen Y Has Spoken

Sometimes I forget that not everybody is like me. It is hard for me to grasp the fact that most Australians my age do not read The Drum religiously and tweet frantically during Q and A. The truth of the matter is that the majority of them don’t actually care very much about the 2010 election. Some are not even aware that we are currently facing a hung parliament. So when we political freaks launch into philosophical tirades about how the voting public has turned the Australian political climate on its head, intentionally crippling both major parties in order to convey their disillusionment, we are not really getting to the crux of the issue.

You see, most people I have spoken to over the weekend have no interest in politics whatsoever. It is a reality that I have been faced with on numerous occasions during my election fever.

• Two politically-aware sisters I know were at a 21st birthday party on Friday night, chatting about immigration policy. “OH MY GOD!” an obnoxious fellow guest screeched at them. “We are at a PARTY. Why the hell are you talking about POLITICS? Nobody CARES.” Murmurs of agreement filled the room, while my friends rolled their eyes and continued with their conversation.
• After excitedly exercising my civic duty on Saturday, I walked into my retail job to start my shift. One of my colleagues was on her mobile phone, trying to get hold of her sister. “I forgot to vote this morning so I’m going to get her to do it for me,” she divulged casually. “Who are you going to ask her to vote for?” I queried, curious. It’s a rude question, according to my mother, but one to which Gen Y seemingly takes no offence. “Oh, I don’t know. Whoever she voted for. Greens, I think? I really don’t care, to be honest. I just don’t want to get fined again.”
• That night, my boyfriend arrived at my house after work. “Who did you vote for?” I asked him. He grinned cheekily. “Well, I voted for the Sex Party on the white one,” he told me, a decision he had made after watching a YouTube video of the debate between Fiona Patten and Wendy Francis on Sunrise. “And on the other one, I did the dick-tation tag.” My eyes widened, disbelievingly. “You know, the one Jonah does on Summer Heights High?” he explained, assuming that I didn’t understand. I did. I just didn’t want to believe it.
• He and I met old friend from high school for drinks on Sunday evening. I asked him how he felt about the looming hung parliament. “I am so sick of hearing about the bloody election,” our friend groaned, yawning to express his boredom. “I don’t even understand it. All I know is that we have to choose between a wing-nut and a ranga. They’re both shit.” I asked him who he voted for. “I just did one, two, three, four, five on the green one,” he said, flourishing his hand in a downward motion on an imaginary page. “And the other one, I did Shooters and Fishers. Awesome, aye?”

Now, you may be thinking that the people I associate myself with are just a tiny cross-section of society that is unusually apathetic. I know that is what I would like to believe, and I often fool myself into doing so. It’s easy to become embroiled in our own like-minded circle of friends (twitter followers included), and make the assumption that they represent the views of Australian society at large. Unfortunately, that is not the reality of the situation. We have to come to terms with the fact that many Australians regard voting as not a privilege, but a nuisance. To them, an election is not an opportunity for them to have their say as to which government they would prefer to see leading country, but rather an irritating obligation that tarnishes their television screens and half an hour of an otherwise free Saturday every four years.

I don’t mean to be at all condescending. Each to his own, and all that. It’s just that I think political commentators are looking too deeply into this election result, assuming that “the people have spoken” with all the deliberation and passion that they put into their own voting decision. Annabel Crabbe tweeted: “Seriously, I love the Australian people. This result is really the only possible honest response to that campaign”. Dominic Knight expressed the view that: “"None of the above" is a pretty fair outcome in this election, I reckon”. In a twitter conversation with Mia Freedman, Latika Bourke said: “It's like the country said, 'you're both not good enough.' I hope beyond hope the factional players realise people want ideas”. What these commentators are missing is that the apathy they have witnessed is not an intelligent, united response to a lacklustre campaign. It is not a political statement. It is just that most people could not care less about politics, regardless of the candidates’ performance.

I can only speak for Gen Y here. (My mother forbade me from asking people over thirty to disclose their votes, you see). According to my unofficial poll, approximately 90% of young people I know voted for the Liberal Party or the Greens, and the split between those two choices was quite even. Is that surprising? Not to me, because I know what Gen Y really wants: freedom. The Greens represent social freedoms, which appealed to my university attending friends who live with their parents, earn less than the tax-paying threshold and care about gay marriage and climate change. The Liberal Party represents economic freedoms, thus enticing my working friends, who are saving their money to buy houses and cars and don’t want to relinquish any more of their pay check than they already do. It’s simple, really.

So, in my humble opinion, that is where Julia Gillard and the Labor Party failed in attracting votes from Gen Y – because, let’s face it, this was their election to lose. Those swinging voters of Generation X and the Baby Boomers who were seduced by Kevin Rudd’s hyperbole in 2007 have swung right back to the Abbott-led Liberal Party after realising that the promises Rudd made, with Gillard by his side, have far from eventuated; then along came autonomous Generation Y, who closed the gap between the major parties. The disenchanted youth isn’t concerned with sustainable population, broadband or the “real” Julia (boat-phones either, for that matter). This indifference, partly a reflection of the inherent nonchalance of Australian culture and partly due to Rudd’s ineffectual reign, has reached the stage where the Australian electorate just wants a government that will leave us the hell alone.

And therein lays my advice for Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott. Their attempts to woo the electorate with grand promises of how they will protect and take control of Australia are futile. In fact, those assertions have been the downfall of their campaigns. Instead, perhaps they should try emphasising what they will let go. All Generation Y want is the freedom to live our lives, unencumbered by the guilt of social injustice and the hindrance of more government control. To win our votes, I propose that both leaders should shut up about boats, scrap the proposed internet filter, stop imposing their personal views upon us by upholding the prohibition of gay marriage, take action on climate change (or at least appear to) and avoid increasing taxes or prices at all costs. Oh, and one final tip: never utter the phrases “fair dinkum” or “moving forward” again. Ever. That one is for me.

green

This commercial aired as part of a competition on Gruen Nation last week, but has since been picked up by The Greens party as part of their official advertising campaign (I think... I'm sure I read that somewhere!)

It seems to have resonated with a lot of people... just showing that, as I have long suspected, kindness and humility are so much more effective in enticing people's support than violence and fear-mongering.

#ausvotes

I am loving this election.

It's not because it's particularly exciting. It's particularly boring, actually. The two major parties are just mimicking each other, fighting to outdo themselves in the mediocrity stakes, while the minor parties quietly object and cross their fingers for a few Senate seats (or, in the case of Wendy Francis, resort to homophobia and bigotry).

No, the reason I am loving this election is the elevated discussion. With thanks to twitter and blogging, politics is more interactive than ever before. Australians who are curious and/or passionate about the political system can finally connect with like-minded folk, to agree and argue and criticise, freely and zealously. The best part is that the politicians themselves are receptive to the criticism they receive via these forums. They are altering their campaigns as they go along, trying to appeal to this increasingly assertive voting pool (with varying results). It is empowering, feeling as though you are part of a movement that can actually change things.

So how do I think these politicians are doing? Like I said, there is not much to distinguish them. Tony is a little more conservative that Julia. They're both desperate and flailing.

Let me break it down:

(NB As I am neither a journalist nor a public figure, you should not expect my political opinions to be balanced, considered, well-researched or impartial... just honest and instinctive.)

I had high hopes for Julia Gillard. I wrote about them here, when she first toppled Kevin Rudd to become Australia's first female Prime Minister. I admired her apparent honestly and integrity, despite the fact that we had (have) different views on a lot of important issues. Sadly, the election trail has not been good to Julia. She has lost her spark and vision. She is a diluted version of her former self, resorting to gratingly over-used slogans, vague hyperbole and kissing babies. It is clear that she is being pulled this way and that by the various factions in the Labor Caucus -she cannot speak freely because she is not making the decisions. That is not necessarily a bad thing, except that it is a little scary to have a Prime Minister at the helm of the country who is disempowered. I don't blame Julia... it's the nature of Labor Party politics. It's just frustrating. She's not the fresh spark I wanted her to be. I guess I was destined for disappointment.

Oh Tony Abbott... there's not really much to say, is there? I have to admit that I don't detest him as much as a lot of other women I have spoken to (such as these). I don't think that he is a liar. That notorious 7.30 Report interview was not as damning as the media made it out to be... Yes, we cannot trust everything he says. But is that such a surprise? No. So why is it so awful that Tony admitted it? I find it refreshing, to be honest. Also, I don't think that he is exactly a woman-hater. I think that is a little harsh. He is, however, patronising and bigoted. He has resorted to fear-mongering. I simply cannot stand his xenophobic "STOP THE BOATS" campaign. Ugh.

And some other players:

I think that Malcolm Turnbull is my single favourite politician, at this point. If only he had played his cards right - waited to take over the leadership until the impending election was closer - I think that the Liberal Party would have had a good chance of winning this election. Fortunately for him, he has been smart since regaining his focus (after threatening to stand down from politics altogether). He is the martyr of the failed ETS. He is moderate, intelligent, charming and refreshingly normal. He has principles. Oh no, wait, I think those are the words I used to describe Julia when she first became PM... Oh, what can I say? I am an optimist.

I have to mention Penny Wong. She has been heavily criticised for her appearance on Q & A where, as a lesbian, she supported her party's decision to uphold the Marriage Act, which restricts marriage to existing between heterosexual couples. Ryan Heath writes a thoughtful article on why we should be empathetic towards Penny. She is in a sticky situation, as a senior Cabinet minister with an obvious conflict of interest. I completely understand why she has decided not to voice her opposition to this policy. I just wish that she would admit that the legalisation of gay marriage is something that she would like to work towards in the future - that equal marriage rights are an essential component in a free and equal society - instead of trying to justify her party's position and over-exaggerating effect of the existing reforms Kevin introduced a few years ago.

Fiona Patten is the president of the Australian Sex Party. I didn't know anything about her or the party until I saw her shamelessly triumph in a debate against the afore-mentioned Family First senate candidate Wendy Francis. (Okay, so the Sunrise audience deemed Wendy the victor but I think there must be some sort of mistake... so I am just correcting it). Fiona opposes the internet filter, censorship and tax exemptions for religious organisations; while supporting the legalisation of gay marriage and a national sex education curriculum. She is progressive, enlightened and persuasive... what's not to love?

So where is this election heading?

I think that the Labor party is destined to win. Unquestionably. Tony Abbott is far too polarising. I know that the polls show that the election is going to be close but, with all due respect, they are wrong (in my unqualified, entirely instinctive, opinion). And doesn't it demonstrate the dire state of Australian politics that the Labor campaign can sustain so much mismanagement and bad publicity (home insulation scheme, anybody?) and still have even a sliver of a chance of winning? It's sadly demoralising.

My disillusionment reminded me of this scene from Looking for Alibrandi... watch for Jacob Coote's speech, starting at 1 minute, 20 seconds.

It hits a sweet spot, doesn't it?

julia gillard

So, we have a new Prime Minister.

First of all: please let's not get too preoccupied with the ethics and morals (or lack thereof) involved in Kevin Rudd's downfall. Politics is a dirty game. One person's success relies upon another's failure. Politicians know that they have to constantly be on top of everything - policy, scandals, polls - and if they slip up, someone else will use the opportunity to get ahead. Kevin Rudd did it to Kim Beazley, Tony Abbott did it to Malcolm Turnbull. Peter Costello tried to do it to John Howard, during his term as Prime Minister. Of course, anybody with a heart can't help but to feel awful for Kevin on a personal level, especially when he "blubbered" (yes, even me). But Julia's ascention is not as unscrupulous as Rudd and Abbott want us to believe - and it is entirely in line with the structure of our political system, whether we like it or not.

I don't try to hide my political persuasion. I am a "Young Liberal". That's not because I am a strong supporter of the Liberal Party of Australia. In fact, I can't stand Tony Abbott, and I find a lot of his beliefs pretty scary. I am a "small l" liberal, in the idealistic sense. My utopia would consist of a progressive, minimalist, secular government that provides infrastructure, law and order, protection and aid for the most vulnerable members of society - and no more. I am at odds with the Liberal Party because I find some of its policies nauseatingly conservative, including its opposition to a republic, indifference to the plight of asylum seekers and resistance against the legalisation of gay marriage.

Julia Gillard is not exactly the answer to my prayers - yet I can't help but admire her and entertain the thought of voting for her party, now that she is at the helm. It's not because I agree with her policies. In fact, she has already voiced her aversion towards two policy points that I feel very strongly about - compassion toward asylum seekers and the legalisation of gay marriage. No, what impresses me is her character. She exudes a trustworthiness, earthiness and diligence that I just couldn't see in Kevin Rudd. Is that enough? It shouldn't be. But the truth is that there is nobody in Australian politics who has the power, or the desire, to create my ideal society. So I am forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. At this point, Julia Gillard is that lesser. I just hope that she lives up to my expectations.

heaven on earth

Librarie Galignani, Paris

P.P.S. I forgot to mention that I am onto my fourth/fifth book. After Foreign Tongue - which I loved except for the slightly disappointing ending - I started on another French novel, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, which I received as a Christmas present from my lovely father-in-law (I say father-in-law, but what I really mean is my longterm boyfriend's father; father-in-law is easier). It is very funny and interesting - but as it happened, I was about one-quarter of my way through when I discovered what is probably now one of my favourite places in the world, Librarie Galignani (a librarie is a bookstore in French) on the rue de Rivoli, as I was walking home from the Louvre. And, of course, I couldn't help but to buy a few more books (although how I will fit them into my suitcase, I have no idea), including Elizabeth Gilbert's newly released Committed, which I just had to start straight away and, of course, I am now captivated. I started Eat, Pray, Love with an unfairly cynical attitude, but then I reached the Bali chapter (after skipping most of the India chapter, sorry Liz) and I fell in adoring love with her writing style, worldview and Liz herself. I don't agree with everything she says but I so relish reading her cogent arguments and ideas. She also makes a very compelling case for legalising gay marriage - as does this New York Senator, Diane J. Savino:

To quote a wise man (Josh Thomas, comedian): "If you don't like the idea of gay marriage then don't marry a gay. It really is that simple".

NB: I discovered the video via Jason Mraz's blog Freshness Factor Five Thousand which I read regularly for his insightful thoughts and inspiration :)

don't forget the war

OPINION: Phillip Adams
From: The Australian
November 14, 2009

BETWEEN Kristallnacht and the Final Solution, many German and Austrian Jews tried desperately to escape the Nazis. A few were fortunate enough to find "people smugglers" and, becoming boat people, sought asylum in Britain, the US, Australia, anywhere that might have them.

But country after country turned the Jews away. Those who made it to the UK were promptly rounded up and interned. Panicked by Dunkirk, Churchill failed to make any distinction between Jews and Nazis. He didn't want them in England and so sought a "Pacific solution" - they'd be sent to Australia.

Like Churchill, the crew on the overcrowded HMT Dunera treated the 2000 Jews as Nazis. They brutalised them, ridiculing the orthodox Rabbis, looting luggage and tossing it overboard. As well as being in constant fear of torpedo attack, the human cargo had no idea of their destination. Having expected to join Britain in fighting Hitler, all they knew was that wherever they ended up they'd be treated as enemy aliens.

And on their arrival in Australia on September 6, 1940? They were sent to Hay in NSW and shoved into a detention centre with a sign at the front gate declaring it a "concentration camp". When the truth of what was happening to the Jews in Europe began to emerge, it was taken down.

You will have noted certain similarities with current events and those since Tampa. Asylum seekers whom nobody wants. "Jumping queues." "Economic refugees" who could afford to bribe their way from danger. Being demonised by those who could have chosen to help them. Victims of escalating injustice offered precious little compassion. Characterised as potentially dangerous. With hindsight, the "people smugglers" in this narrative are now seen as heroic.

So the refugees on the Dunera were herded behind barbed wire in Australia's very own camp for Jews. They were, of course, vastly more fortunate than those who hadn't escaped. Hay was no Auschwitz and the Australian guards treated them with kindness and decency. It soon became a remarkable community with its own currency and first-class concerts; a virtual university. Not surprising, given that among their number were some of Europe's best and brightest: musicians, artists, actors, scholars and even a Freudian psychiatrist. Some of Vienna's café society was recreated on a treeless plain in the middle of nowhere. I was honoured to know many of the Dunera boys who stayed on in Australia. They became famous in many aspects of Australian life. In the arts, academia, media and the law. Later I'd work with writer/director Ben Lewin to tell their ultimately inspirational story in a feature film. But our major investor, one of Australia's richest men, pulled the rug when we were well into pre-production. In an anti-Semitic outburst, he said: "I didn't know your bloody film was about a boatful of effing yids." Fortunately, Ben was later able to tell the story in one of Australia's best mini-series.

Jews then. Muslims today. We should learn from this moment in our history: not to exploit fear of refugees; not to toss decency overboard into the cesspit of racism. We should remember that among the first to leave a terrible situation, whether in Berlin or Baghdad, are the sort of talented, highly motivated people you'd want as citizens. I urge Messrs Rudd and Turnbull to study the lessons of the Dunera. You never know what marvellous people might be in the next boatload of reffos.

nature's most beautiful gift

I love trees. I love fresh air. I love beautiful wildflowers and wildlife. I love our pure, blue ocean and pristine beaches. I love the clear blue sky. I love watching the sunset and drinking clean rainwater.

For that reason, I am really sad that Kevin Rudd is being so tokenistic and short-sighted in his approach to climate change. The Emissions Trading Scheme he is blindly determined to introduce is not going to improve Australia's relationship with the environment. It may nominally balance carbon emissions but this small advantage will be outweighed by the incredibly complicated bureaucracy that will accompany it. Surely there are more simple and advantageous solutions available that don't involve an entirely new stock market and currency, stifling of the free market, a huge amount of red tape and soaring prices.

We need to get back to basics. A solution to climate change is not about having bragging rights at the next international summit. It's not about blithely copying the system adopted by other countries that clearly doesn't work. It's about being innovative, resourceful and independent; and making small, yet positive changes for the better. We need to protect Australian wildlife and preserve their natural habitats. We need to make public transport and bicycling convenient, accessible, pleasant and appealing for everybody. We need to compel companies to reduce their carbon emissions without imposing on the public. We need to instill a love for and connection with nature in children at school. We need to reject consumerism and focus on positivity and wellbeing. We need to buy canvas bags and actually use them (not leave them in the boot of the car!). We need to maintain beautiful nature parks and reserves for people and animals to enjoy. We need to provide subsidies to people who take the initiative to install solar power and rainwater tanks, who take care of injured or orphaned wild animals, who plant trees on their property, as well as businesses that promote environmentally conscious behaviour. We need to educate ourselves about bushfires and how to minimise their destruction. We need to learn to value quality over quantity. We need to subsidise and purchase from local, organic farmers. We need to, collectively, appreciate, respect and take responsibility for our beautiful, arid environment.

The ETS will not do any of these things. In fact, it will not do much at all.

“Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift.”
— Albert Einstein

My favourite beach, Meelup Beach in Dunsborough, Western Australia.

sorry

Today our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull each made a heartfelt apology to those who were abused under state care as children.

Later I was listening to the radio and heard a caller recount an experience that occurred at the orphanage in which she spent her childhood. The children were all eating their dinner in silence when one of them spoke. The nun demanded that the person who spoke come forward. Nobody did. She then demanded that the other children dob them in. Nobody did. So she made them all stand in a line with their tongues poked out. She then walked along the line clouting their jaws shut one-by-one.

I had to turn the radio off at that point because I was so disturbed, although I'm sure that this story is tame within the scope of the horrific physical, emotional and sexual abuse that has taken place in orphanages and foster homes throughout our country's short history. My mother spent one week in a children's home as a five-year-old with her four brothers and sisters while my grandmother was in hospital giving birth to her sixth child. She is still traumatised by the experience. No matter how comfortable our own lives are, we need to remember that there are always voiceless, vulnerable members of our society who need care and protection. We cannot be apathetic; we cannot rely upon the authorities to do the right thing. We need to learn from the mistakes of the past - and, sadly, I don't think we have.

We only need to look so far as our treatment of the elderly, refugees and the mentally ill to recognise that.