At 04:31 PM 5/11/99, Peter McGrath wrote:
>Hi Trudy
> Doesn't all this remind you of a magicians sleight of hand. The
>name of the game appears to be misdirection. I am wondering what we are
>going to find out about after all this furor is over.
>
>What did get pushed through parliament while we looked elsewhere?
>
I've been reflecting a little about the referendum over the last couple of
days. One thing that strikes me is that the real problem is that , unlike
some of the republics of yore, the real issues in Australia are NOT related
to our system of government. Our oppressors are not the King , Queen or
the system of government, as they were when the French, Americans, Russians
or Kenyans became republics.
Rather , those calling the shots lie elsewhere. The media barons, the
multi-nationals, the financial institutions , the communication companies,
the mega pastoralists, the huge mining companies - these are the people
who make the decisions that really affect us. These are the contemporary
Kings, Queens, Earls and Barons. Governments perhaps help them to do their
job for them, but they are really merely pawns rather than the power. It
doesn't really make the slightest difference whether you have a directly
elected president, a parliamentarily approved president or a king or queen.
They all simply provide a "technical" solution to the idea of sovereignty
at a time when the "nation" is less relevant than ever before.
If "the people" are to really rule ("Res publica") then these are the
matters which must be dealt with. But no referendum, regardless of who
promulgates it, is really likely to address such matters.
If we were really to address the critical human issues of this hunk of land
between the Indian and Pacific Oceans we would be looking to limit the
manner in which the big players (today's equivalent of the aristocracy)
control our lives. Instead they seem to become ever more pervasive as the
debate about side issues flows on.
This perhaps explains the lack of passion about the current proposals in
the eyes of most people. The current storm in a tea cup is unlikely to have
any real impact on the real human problems of contemporary life, whoever we
are. We will not overthrow the shackles that constrain us by voting for any
of the alternatives currently offered.
Perhaps, if we become a "republic" then we will be more disposed to
consider such matters in greater depth. The longer we go on "fighting in
the Captain's tower" about the nonsense of monarchy, direct election or
parliamentary selection the less likely we are to move on to the real
issues. Perhaps not. But at least we will have got this ridiculous
diversion out of the way.
Cheers
Rod
Rod Hagen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia
WWW http://www.netspace.net.au/~rodhagen
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