As the May 3, 2025, federal election looms, Peter Dutton’s Coalition is reaching for a well-worn page from its political playbook: divide and conquer.George’s Newsletter is a reader-supported publication.
Your analysis seems thorough, and I hope the outcome will be positive. Nevertheless, one must be vigilant against the Right, as many in the USA are finally beginning to figure out. I heard so many pundits insist that as a convicted felon, Trump couldn't possibly win, and that after the Extreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, women would flock to the Democrats' side. Obviously, neither happened. Racism galvanized the Right, and 52 to 53 percent of white women voted for Trump.
We must also recognize that the "divide and conquer" strategy has worked for millennia. Case in point: the Roman Empire! Let us hope that the Australians will recognize the evil that confronts them and drive it back!
Bravísimo, GH! How very right you are. I grew up in rural NSW in the 1950s - neighbours were of Dutch, Chinese, German, Italian, Irish, Scottish and English - and First Australians backgrounds. As I grew older and went away to university I had classmates out of China (Harbin) of White Russian background, the daughter of the first ethnic Chinese Mayor in Australia (Harry Chan of Darwin) and so forth. I boarded a year with a fellow from my university - an engineering student from Hong Kong...I could go on and this would be pages long - but as I grew older and came into more family stories I found family connections here in Australia and around the world that truly gave me a sense of being a fair dinkum cosmopolitan. That morphed from assimilation to integration to cultural diversity within Australia - including First Australians kinship connections, too - on to a a feeling that I was a citizen of our world - in a way I very rarely ever saw reflected in the politicians of this land. Yes, the politics of negativity and division will always be indulged in by those of narrow connection - alas - but given the numbers of us now who feel our connectedness to "others" - their sway is diminishing. And my colleagues and classmates and other random friendships - range across the ethnic/linguistic spectrum. Dutton, Abbott, Howard - well and truly superseded.
I totally agree with you Lenny Vibilance is critical and Australians must learn from the American's experience.
Your analysis seems thorough, and I hope the outcome will be positive. Nevertheless, one must be vigilant against the Right, as many in the USA are finally beginning to figure out. I heard so many pundits insist that as a convicted felon, Trump couldn't possibly win, and that after the Extreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade, women would flock to the Democrats' side. Obviously, neither happened. Racism galvanized the Right, and 52 to 53 percent of white women voted for Trump.
We must also recognize that the "divide and conquer" strategy has worked for millennia. Case in point: the Roman Empire! Let us hope that the Australians will recognize the evil that confronts them and drive it back!
Bravísimo, GH! How very right you are. I grew up in rural NSW in the 1950s - neighbours were of Dutch, Chinese, German, Italian, Irish, Scottish and English - and First Australians backgrounds. As I grew older and went away to university I had classmates out of China (Harbin) of White Russian background, the daughter of the first ethnic Chinese Mayor in Australia (Harry Chan of Darwin) and so forth. I boarded a year with a fellow from my university - an engineering student from Hong Kong...I could go on and this would be pages long - but as I grew older and came into more family stories I found family connections here in Australia and around the world that truly gave me a sense of being a fair dinkum cosmopolitan. That morphed from assimilation to integration to cultural diversity within Australia - including First Australians kinship connections, too - on to a a feeling that I was a citizen of our world - in a way I very rarely ever saw reflected in the politicians of this land. Yes, the politics of negativity and division will always be indulged in by those of narrow connection - alas - but given the numbers of us now who feel our connectedness to "others" - their sway is diminishing. And my colleagues and classmates and other random friendships - range across the ethnic/linguistic spectrum. Dutton, Abbott, Howard - well and truly superseded.
. . . but white supremacist Australia, by far the majority, will.