Bronwyn, I've had a cursory interest in Australia Together fo a while. Probably, you, or others might say I haven't become familiar enough, and that may be true, however, I feel it is important that I share with you my current observation.
I'm fairly convinced that your heart is in the right place.
I also get a sense that you, like many people who understand how broken are our governing systems, think that there is potential for repair.
This is where I might sound like I don't care if I offend you, but that isn't what I want to do.
Our governing systems, which includes both federal and state, and their respective bureacracies, are unfortunately beyond repair.
Anyone that has been an active observer of both Australia's and those systems of other countries, and have avoided all mainstream media whilst being somewhat cautious of the independent media, for several years or more, know that the west at least, will have to undergo a traumatic period before it can shake itself free of the shackles that are constraining it.
The well considered strategies that you present can only be enacted if you are naive enough to join with a major political party, all of which are in a state of absolute corruption.
It has been several decades since either Labor or the Liberal/National coalition showed the slightest interest in doing anything other than getting re-elected.
Unfortunately, I cannot claim to have any idea how to start a change that I'm fearing might start something that would typically be hijacked by people of the same ilk as todays politicians.
Your ideas of how our governments and our communities should work together is a something like a utopia.
I wish I was wrong, but I know I'm not, and I say this with the greatest respect intended toward you.
Thanks Terry. I'm not in the least offended by your comments and agree with much of what you said, especially about today's politicians. But I might add that if there is a possibility that the west can, as you say, "shake itself free of the shackles that are constraining it" and that this will require it to "undergo a traumatic period", then the purpose of Australia Together is to help us steer our way through that traumatic period with a little less trauma and more importantly to come out on the other side into the world and future we might prefer, rather than one which is hijacked all over again by people of the same ilk as today's worst politicians.
Like all thinking people I too ponder the question of how to start change but I suppose that requires me to assume (even if it's wrong) that we can change the politicians (build a better lot and restore their ethics) and go around the ones we can't change. If I didn't assume that was possible, then there would be no point to bothering with Australia Together and no help to be offered to Australians. Australia Together has to assume a utopia is possible or at least worth aiming for, otherwise we continue to arc towards chaos and immiseration - and the worst politicians win.
In case it might be of interest, I might suggest you have a look at my latest book, "The People's Constitution: the path to empowerments of Australians in a 21st century democracy". It contains some ideas on how we might start the sort of change that can't so easily be hijacked by the worst politicians. Alternatively, there's an essay you can listen to on the Australia Together Podcast called Saving Australian Democracy and Sovereignty by Building a New Constitution. Neither of these may be convincing for you, but they may offer a process reform that could work efficiently if we want it to.
Bronwyn, I've had a cursory interest in Australia Together fo a while. Probably, you, or others might say I haven't become familiar enough, and that may be true, however, I feel it is important that I share with you my current observation.
I'm fairly convinced that your heart is in the right place.
I also get a sense that you, like many people who understand how broken are our governing systems, think that there is potential for repair.
This is where I might sound like I don't care if I offend you, but that isn't what I want to do.
Our governing systems, which includes both federal and state, and their respective bureacracies, are unfortunately beyond repair.
Anyone that has been an active observer of both Australia's and those systems of other countries, and have avoided all mainstream media whilst being somewhat cautious of the independent media, for several years or more, know that the west at least, will have to undergo a traumatic period before it can shake itself free of the shackles that are constraining it.
The well considered strategies that you present can only be enacted if you are naive enough to join with a major political party, all of which are in a state of absolute corruption.
It has been several decades since either Labor or the Liberal/National coalition showed the slightest interest in doing anything other than getting re-elected.
Unfortunately, I cannot claim to have any idea how to start a change that I'm fearing might start something that would typically be hijacked by people of the same ilk as todays politicians.
Your ideas of how our governments and our communities should work together is a something like a utopia.
I wish I was wrong, but I know I'm not, and I say this with the greatest respect intended toward you.
Thanks Terry. I'm not in the least offended by your comments and agree with much of what you said, especially about today's politicians. But I might add that if there is a possibility that the west can, as you say, "shake itself free of the shackles that are constraining it" and that this will require it to "undergo a traumatic period", then the purpose of Australia Together is to help us steer our way through that traumatic period with a little less trauma and more importantly to come out on the other side into the world and future we might prefer, rather than one which is hijacked all over again by people of the same ilk as today's worst politicians.
Like all thinking people I too ponder the question of how to start change but I suppose that requires me to assume (even if it's wrong) that we can change the politicians (build a better lot and restore their ethics) and go around the ones we can't change. If I didn't assume that was possible, then there would be no point to bothering with Australia Together and no help to be offered to Australians. Australia Together has to assume a utopia is possible or at least worth aiming for, otherwise we continue to arc towards chaos and immiseration - and the worst politicians win.
In case it might be of interest, I might suggest you have a look at my latest book, "The People's Constitution: the path to empowerments of Australians in a 21st century democracy". It contains some ideas on how we might start the sort of change that can't so easily be hijacked by the worst politicians. Alternatively, there's an essay you can listen to on the Australia Together Podcast called Saving Australian Democracy and Sovereignty by Building a New Constitution. Neither of these may be convincing for you, but they may offer a process reform that could work efficiently if we want it to.
Very best wishes and thanks again,
Bronwyn