Created Equal
We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal …
— United States Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776.
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL,
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.
— George Orwell (1903 – 50), Animal Farm, 1945.
(Geeta Gandbhir & Sam Pollard, Why We Hate, 2019)
January 6
Liz Cheney
Woman:
I don't think [Donald] was responsible for inciting violence or an insurrection.
I guarantee you, if it was an insurrection … the Capitol would've burned down. …
It wasn't a violent, intentional … like we saw all summer with the riots of 2020.
We're totally ignoring all of that and focusing on this one, this one incident. …
Woman 2:
My problem with January 6th is if you're going to go after … Trump and whoever was involved with that, you better go after the other side just as hard, because my city burned and nobody did anything. …
Man:
[Cheney's] done a lot of, a lot of great things, but she lost all of my trust … and all of my respect when she went after … former President Trump …
(Taking on Trump, ABC Foreign Correspondent, August 2022)
The Evolution of Tribalism
Peter Dutton
In God We Trust
Robert Menzies (1894 – 1978):
Human nature is at its greatest when it combines(The Forgotten People, 22 May 1942)
- dependence upon God with
- independence of man.
John Calvin (1509 – 64):
Not only should we behave obediently toward those leaders who perform their office uprightly and faithfully as they ought, but also it is fitting to endure those who insolently abuse their power, until freed from their yoke by a lawful order.
For as a good prince is proof of DIVINE BENEFICENCE for the preservation of human welfare, so a bad and wicked ruler is His whip to chastise the peoples’ transgressions.
Morrison's Trump Card
One Man Government
Morrison's Defense
Autocracy vs Cabinet Government
John Tolkien (1892 – 1970):
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
(The Lord of the Rings, 1968)
Tax Cuts For The Rich, Spending Cuts For The Poor
[Our] administration favors the many instead of the few
This is why it is called a democracy
— Pericles (c495 – 29 BCE), Funeral Oration, Athens, 431 BCE.
[The] primary role of the state in classical Liberalism is to protect private property …
— Arthur Goldwag, Isms and Ologies, 2007, p 35.
Stan Grant (1963):
The average wealth of the top 20% in Australia is 90 times that of the lowest 20%.
That is an unsustainable situation that will lead to:— that tears apart so many other democracies.
- the extremities,
- the tribal warfare,
- the ugliness,
- the populism
(Australia’s inequality crisis)
Matthew 25:29:
For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance;
but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
(RSV, 1946.)
Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004):
[Government] is not the solution …
Government is the problem.
(First Inaugural Address, 1981)
Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013):
There is no such thing as society.
There are [only] individual men and women, and there are families.
Richard Tawney (1880 – 1962):
Freedom for the pike is death for the minnows.
(Equality, 3rd Edition, 1938)
Isaiah Berlin (1909 – 97):
[Total] liberty for wolves is death to [lambs.]
[Total] liberty of the powerful [and] the gifted, is not compatible with the rights to a decent existence of the weak and less gifted. …
Equality may demand the restraint of the liberty of those who wish to dominate … in order(The Pursuit of the Ideal, The Crooked Timber of Humanity: Chapters in the History of Ideas, 1990)
- to make room for social welfare,
- to feed the hungry,
- to clothe the naked,
- to shelter the homeless,
- to leave room for the liberty of others, [and]
- to allow justice or fairness to exercised.
John Howard (1939):
… I would like to see an Australian nation that feels comfortable and relaxed about three things:
- I would like to see them comfortable and relaxed about their history;
- I would like to see them comfortable and relaxed about the present; and
- I'd also like to see them comfortable and relaxed about the future.
Conservatives love tax cuts
Tax cuts for the rich
Blowing up the economy
Tickle down economics
Who is the better economic manager?
What Do You Care About? Prisons or Schools?
If you care about the economy, defence, law and order, and preserving the traditional social order, vote conservative.
If you care about the economy, health, education, welfare, social justice, and the environment, vote progressive.
Progressive or Conservative? Public Goods or Private Gain?
If you prefer a society more like those of a Scandinavian country, vote progressive.
If you prefer a society more like the United States, vote conservative.
Pro-Rich Policies
- Stage 3 tax cuts for the rich.
- Funding of private schools.
- Generous superannuation tax breaks for high income earners.
- Trickle down economics (a rising tide lifts all boats).
- Privatization and deregulation.
- Attempt by the Abbott government to repeal the post-GFC financial advice (FOFA) legislation in 2016 (required advisors to act in the best interests of their CLIENTS); weakening of the post-GFC / banking royal commission responsible lending laws by the Morrison government in 2021.
Brodie Haupt:
The key changes [to the responsible] lending laws include:(How we borrow money is about to change - here's what it means for you, Money Magazine, 22 January 2021)
- Removing responsible lending obligations from the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009, with the exception of small amount credit contracts and consumer leases.
- Ensuring that authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) will continue to comply with Australian Prudential Regulation Authority's (APRA) lending standards requiring credit assessment and approval criteria.
- Protecting consumers from the predatory practices of debt management firms by requiring them to hold an Australian Credit License (ACL) when they are paid to represent consumers in disputes.
- Allowing lenders to rely on the information provided by borrowers, replacing the current practice of 'lender beware' with a 'borrower responsibility' principle.
Anti-Poor Policies
- Austerity (spending cuts for the poor).
- Defunding of public schools (axing of the bulk of the Gonski needs-based education funding).
- The unlawful RoboDebt scheme.
- Opposition to raising the minimum wage.
- Abolition of universal health care by Fraser government in 1981.
- Punishing the unemployed even though relatively high unemployment is deliberately engineered by government to keep wages down (and inflation low).
Anti-Human / Minority Rights Policies
- Attacks on Gillian Triggs, the Human Rights Commission, and the Racial Discrimination Act.
- Attempts to override state discimination protections with a federal religious anti-discrimination act.
- Federal funding for the Safe Schools LGBTIQ anti-bullying program ceased by the Abbott government in 2016.
- Outlawing of gay marriage by the Howard Government in 2004.
- Hardline refugee policy (repealing the medivac bill, attempted deportation of the Biloela family).
Resistance to Accountable and Transparent Government
- Opposition to an effective federal integrity commission
- Hostility to public broadcasting (defunding / privitazation of the ABC, stacking the ABC board with arch-conservatives).
- Hollowing out and intimidation of the public service in favor of private consultancies.
- Stacking public bodies, such as the AAT and the Human Rights Commission, with conservative political appointees, many with no legal training.
Anti-Environment Policies
- Repeal of the carbon price by the Abbott government in 2014.
- Pro-fossil fuel / anti-clean energy policies.
Peter Dutton (1970):
What the Liberal Party stands accused of is, not continuation of [the] climate wars, it's the ability to POORLY MARKET what we've achieved …
I'm sure climate was an element for some people, particularly in inner city seats, but in many other seats, there were other issues that were at play.
The thought that we lost the election because of one issue … just doesn't make any sense.
(Defining Dutton: Can the Liberals succeed under Peter Dutton?, ABC Four Corners, September 2022)
Barbara Norman [Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Canberra]:
So what's happened since [2013?]
The defunding of the of National Adaptation Centre.
The abolition of the Climate Commission.
The defunding of adaptation research in CSIRO, … the Bureau of Meteorology, and universities …
[The] systematic dismantling of many programs to assist local and regional communities to adapt to a changing climate.
(What's the future without planning?, ABC Ockham's Razor, 29 May 2022)
Pro-Defence / Anti-Foreign Aid Policies
- Plan to buy $170 billion nuclear powered submarines instead of $30 billion conventional submarines.
- Abolishing of AusAID by the Abbott government in 2014; falling overseas development assistance.
Anti-Science Policies
- Declining funding for scientific research and public universities.
- Climate science denial.
The Second Coming of Matthew Guy (1974)
Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition and the Liberal Party of Victoria
… I believe the acceptance as the norm of high TAXation, both commercial and personal, must end. …
A simple, basic rule for every Victorian government should be that it makes every effort not to TAX the community more than is necessary to run the affairs of the state — that is the Liberal Way.
The Liberal philosophy is and always has been about reducing the TAXation burden …
Victoria will not maintain a competitive position if … we continue to trundle along as a cool-climate, highly TAXed, and over-regulated economy. …
… Victoria should be aiming to be the lowest TAXing state in Australia … as a key weapon in maintaining an economic edge over … other economies in the Asia-Pacific region. …
If we were to provide future generations with just one tool for long-term social and economic success, it would be … keeping Victoria the lowest TAXing state in Australia …
The Liberal Party stands as a beacon of hope to all those Victorians who know that we will not succeed by being a high-TAXing, overregulated, cool-climate economy near the bottom of the world …
… I want to state loudly and proudly to this chamber that I am a Christian. …
[What] has concerned me over a number of years is the growing acceptance of ridicule and denigration of the Christian church in … the entertainment industry, the media and even … within government. …
I am dumbfounded that some contemporary movies … questioning the authenticity of the Bible can be painted off as reasoned fact. …
As we approach Christmas … I hope the teaching to our young of THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS is never lost or banned by overzealous, POLITICALLY CORRECT politicians or bureaucrats.
I for one will be most vocal against any moves to lessen the significance of the church within our society. …
Ever since I was a boy I have loved state politics and had a deep desire to participate in it as a state parliamentarian. …
I am proud to say that my first full-time job in politics was with former Premier Jeff Kennett.
He and his government worked exceptionally hard to restore the confidence of a beaten and comatose economy.
(Maiden Speech, Legislative Council, Victorian Parliament, 19 December 2006, pp 36‒9)
The Dictatorship of the Proletariat
Peter Dutton (1970)
The fight for a better place in which to live is today made even more difficult for many reasons, not least of which is the fact that … the POLITICALLY CORRECT seem to have a disproportionate say in public debate today.
The silent majority, the forgotten people … are fed up with bodies like
- the Civil Liberties Council, …
- the Refugee Action Collective, and …
- the DICTATORSHIP of the trade union movement. …
[We must] not be deterred by those who would seek to drive their own hidden agendas.
It is my aim to use my experience both in small business and in law enforcement to provide … a more practical view on some of the issues and problems experienced in these areas.
[I am] proud to be part of a government … determined to ensure a balanced workplace, not only for employees but also for EMPLOYERS. …
In society today we are experiencing unacceptable crime rates, causing older Australians to barricade themselves in their homes, all in the name of safety. …
[It is] obvious that … the courts are not representing the views … of the broader community.
Time after time we see grossly inadequate sentences being delivered to criminals whose civil rights have far exceeded those of the victim and others in our society. …
Australians are fed up with the Civil Liberties Council … who appear obsessed with the rights of criminals yet do not utter a word of understanding or compassion for the victims of crime.
Their motives are questionable and their hypocrisy breathtaking. …
[As] a police officer … I have seen the sickening behaviour displayed by people who, frankly, barely justify their EXISTENCE in our sometimes OVER TOLERANT society. …
We are seeing an alarming number of households where up to three generations—in many cases by choice—have never worked in their lives, and a society where in many cases rights are demanded but no responsibility taken.
(Maiden Speech, House of Representatives, Australian Parliament, 13 February 2002)
