A WEEK is a long time in politics, we are told – and what a week it was.
After a negative, largely uninteresting election campaign and its frequent ‘race to the bottom’, the near-deadlocked Federal election outcome has triggered a curious thing.
We can all sense the beginnings of – just maybe – a different political dialogue.
Necessity is the mother of invention, we are told.
This is historic.
We see the election of an indigenous MP, a hung Parliament, four Independents with something like the balance of power in the Reps, and the Greens with this in the Senate.
We sense widespread public rejection of spin and of cynical party machinations.
Who knows how it will all play out?
It is hard to think there will not be some movement on climate change, for example, or the ethics of political donations, or a revisiting of asylum seeker and other social justice issues.
The mainstream media may also find that its standard line of questioning, and personality-driven focus upon PM vs Opposition Leader, does not really cut it during this unusual – but welcome – state of affairs.
One observer on Twitter quipped: “It’s like we got invaded by democracy and were completely unprepared for it.”
Many in the not-for-profit community sector are buoyed too, as some of the issues Australia needs to address start to make their way into general discussion.
Public conversations matter.
They build understanding of human needs, and support for better outcomes for people’s lives and dignity.
We need to keep talking about things that truly matter.
The 12 Social Justice Intensives that the Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice in Fremantle each year provide another way for the public to have conversations about what matters when building decent societies for all.
Participants gain invaluable skills and networks along the way.
We look forward to your company.
- David Freeman is director of the Edmund Rice Institute for Social Justice. Follow ERISJ on www.twitter.com/erisj_au or log on to www.erisj.org.au