Doing it ourselves
John Howard's most recent ludicrous comments on his plan to further dispossess Australia's indigenous people are a stark reminder (as if we needed it) that the Coalition government is completely out of touch with the reality of most Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous.
Addressing the possibility of a double dissolution resulting in an election if the Senate blocks his proposed native title legislation, Howard denied that race relations would be an issue in such an election. Rather, he claimed, it would be fought as a "land management, investment security, welfare of Australia issue".
Howard's active campaign against native title and environmental sustainability, and his complete disregard for the increasing number and misery of people living in poverty in this country, is the clearest illustration we have been presented with for years of the economic, social and ecological vandalism of establishment politics.
As more and more people are realising this, many are deciding to take up the challenge, take action and mobilise others for justice. Every week, somewhere around the country, rallies are being held against the Jabiluka uranium mine, against the government's greenhouse plan, for justice for indigenous people, or for the rights of women and migrants, to name just a few of the current campaigns.
But don't rely on Kerry Packer or Rupert Murdoch to tell you all about that. The establishment press gives only occasional and fleeting coverage to any public display of dissent ... unless they can target some "violent" incident or "outrageous" statement during the protest that is, and then you can be pretty sure that the truth of the incident will be mangled beyond recognition.
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