The Abbott Government has finally backed down on controversial proposed changes to Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, urging us all to jump on the same ‘team’ instead.
In making the announcement yesterday, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the changes had become ‘complicated’. However, he also made the announcement while unveiling a new anti-terrorism package and, as we know, anything badged as ‘anti-terrorism’ brings up another whole range of complicated issues.
Abbott took responsibility for backing down from the Section 18c changes of the Act which had, for some time, been Attorney General George Brandis’ baby to gestate. Abbott said it was a “leadership call” that aimed to help in “preserving national unity on the essentials”.
Meanwhile, he said it’s time for all of us to come together to be part of ‘Team Australia’ in order to combat the threat of terrorism.
Before joining any team it’s necessary to know exactly what it is you’re playing for and the rules in which you will play by. It helps to also know who your competitor is and the strategy you’ll use to win the game.
So, we’re keen to know what it means to be part of ‘Team Australia’ and have a few questions.
Firstly, does being a part of this team mean blindly accepting new anti-terror laws, that could have serious consequences for our personal privacy, with little information regarding what they actually are and what they are designed to combat?
Does it mean accepting that secrecy is the new normal for our government, especially regarding anything that can be cloaked as ‘anti-terrorism’ or in the interest of ‘stopping the boats’?
Does it mean ignoring the plight of a group of asylum seekers, stuck at sea for weeks in what appears to have been appalling conditions before being transported to an offshore processing facility under the cover of night. And does it mean rejecting our very own (and therefore also part of our team?) Australian Human Rights Commission’s concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of children in detention centres?
Does it mean accepting a distinct lack of transparency and accountability regarding how Australia treats its most vulnerable?
Does it mean pitting ‘rich women’ against ‘poor women’ in debating and attempting to sell a paid parental leave scheme, or really any policy designed to ‘support women’?
If it means uniting in support of an Australian sporting team overseas, then perhaps Team Australia is something we can all jump on board and support.
And if it means appreciating that some election promises are simply bad election promises and are therefore ok to break — such as attempts to water down Section 18C of the RDA which makes it unlawful to, “Offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people” due to their race or ethnicity, then we’re good with that too.
But anything else and we’re not sure we should all have to, nor want to, be on the same team. No matter how convenient that might make it for the government.