It’s a dreary Spring day: cold, wet and windy. The same as yesterday and the day before.
Being confined indoors however does provide some useful dwell time – a chance to ponder issues of local, and even national interest and concern. The matters that come to mind are random and seemingly unconnected. I jot them down anyway as they may serve as useful prompts for inclusion in articles, or even the book I may write after retirement.
During a brief break in the weather, I look out on a herd of cows and calves marooned on higher ground in a nearby paddock desperately seeking feed denied them in the quagmire all around. Delivering much-needed reserves of dry feed to them in such treacherous, muddy conditions borders on mission impossible. A quick check of our rainfall records reveals that we have received in the past two months, in excess of half our average annual rainfall.
The dismal scene I am witnessing is no doubt being repeated in numerous other farming operations throughout the State and moves me to ponder the future : is this a portend of things to come if the planet is indeed now subject to a warming trend and changes in climate patterns ? Given the now overwhelming body of scientific evidence supporting the contention of a warming planet and the likelihood of an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in future, the question now is : how do we respond ?
I am, suddenly, acutely aware of our impotence, and inability to cope with extreme weather events if the relatively benign changes we have experienced so far can create such stresses on our farming systems: our vulnerability is on public display in the water-logged paddocks, road washaways and stranded stock. The duty of care that farmers have always assumed for our land, ecology, stock and wildlife, will come under serious challenge – a challenge I fear we are largely unprepared for, and presently, ill-equipped to handle. Perhaps we listened to the climate-change deniers too long, hoping they would be proven right. That’s life.
As the majority of climate-change deniers seem to have been associated with the conservative side of politics, my mind now turns to the newly-elected Coalition government and what actions they may now take to mitigate the likely effects of global warming, particularly those deemed to be caused by greenhouse gas emissions associated with human activities. I am immediately comforted by the thought (possibly irreverent) that any government led by an Abbot (t)and a Bishop must surely enjoy divine favour and guidance thus heralding in a new golden era where love, compassion, fairness, equality, justice and human kindness will influence all future political actions and decisions. How could it not be?
This will be great news for asylum seekers; for severely disadvantaged children in Third World countries so dependent on our foreign aid for succour ; and for all the disadvantaged in our own society. It will be a severe shock however for the big industrial polluters who will have to pay a fair carbon price for their greenhouse gas emissions ; for all the rent-seeking corporations profiting from tax-concessions and other forms of political largesse; and for those whose industrial actions threaten to trash our now fragile environment. Utopia is in sight – unless, perversely, extreme weather events caused by heating of the Earth’s atmosphere interfere by causing a degree of celestial static sufficient to drown out the divine signals from above. Have we perhaps left it too late to vote in a new political order with such high level connections I wonder? Time will tell. That’s life.
Having taken a keen interest in Federal politics since University days (in the 1960’s), it was no surprise to me that the big political parties adopted the mantra “jobs, jobs, jobs” throughout the recent election campaign. It was ever thus : Jobs and economic issues have always dominated political campaigns. What disappointed me this campaign however was the substitution of inanities for information and reasoned debate. For example: the Liberal Party featured half-page ads in the local newspaper daily, promising to create 2 million new jobs across the region in the next ten years. Hello! Which region are we talking about here ( South East Asia perhaps) ? And what sorts of jobs, in what sorts of new industries ? In particular : how many and of what type in the Bass electorate – and by when? As a local, I would like to know – as no doubt would students now completing their education.
This seems to me to be a totally cynical and deceptive “promise”: pick a large number, dress it up in politic-speak and advertise it again and again in the knowledge that it is highly unlikely that anyone would challenge such a vacuous undertaking. And besides, who is going to recall this particular promise ten years hence ? That’s life.
An amusing sidelight for me was the projection of a former senior military officer as a person ready and qualified to address the economic woes evident in the Bass electorate. As a former senior military officer, I respect the fact that you don’t attain the rank of Brigadier without demonstrating some particular high-level abilities (valued by the military) as well as dedication to the cause.
However, it is legitimate to question whether such attributes necessarily equip a person to effectively represent an electorate where jobs and the economy are such fundamental issues . Why? Because probably no group of people in our society are more isolated, and insulated from economic realities than military personnel whose main concerns typically revolve around the next promotion, or pay and allowance increases. It has been my experience that most former, long-serving military officers would not know the first economic imperative if it jumped out of a foxhole and bit them on the stern ! It would be rare for any of them to have had experience in such business basics as managing cash-flow, payroll, budgets, hiring and firing, tax, marketing and the like.
Having had a lengthy association with the Liberal Party after University, I’ve long been bemused by the fact that the party of free-enterprise and business has rarely welcomed into its political ranks, people with experience and demonstrated skill in managing business enterprises, large or small. There are many possible explanations for this but to my mind, it’s a massive deficiency and weighs on economic performance. If we had half the number ofexperienced, business-trained people in the political ranks of the major parties as, say lawyers in the Liberal Party, and former union officials in the Labor Party, surely we would see an improvement in overall economic performance at both the State and Federal level.
The military Officer Corps tends to be conservative by nature and therefore, individuals can be expected to gravitate toward the conservative side of politics after military service.
Those seeking to become politicians would however, in my view, profit from an ‘adjustment’ period, pursuing relevant studies or actual business experience ( real-life stuff) before casting themselves into the political arena. I have no doubt that Andrew Wilkie and Ben Quin, both former senior military officers, would endorse that view. Andrew, who managed a small business before entering parliament, is already an outstanding political success; and Ben has the capacity to be when the right opportunity presents given his extensive, high-level business experience( assuming a continued interest in politics).
I find it quite ironical that “the three amigos” ( including the new Liberal member for Bass) most beloved of the local press following their recent election to the Federal Parliament, appear not to have had any experience in successfully managing a business enterprise while conversely, the local Greens’ State member( Kim Booth) certainly does; and in forestry at that. Yet this is the party denigrated as being anti-jobs and anti-development even though the member continues to offer advice and ideas as to how a valuable, scarce timber resource can be better managed and exploited for economic gain. It’s difficult to reconcile the strident attacks by editorial staff on a minor Party actually doing something to promote economic growth while at the same time, ignoring the realities of how forestry, for example, was mismanaged almost out of existence ( as a profitable business) by inept leaders and political interference by the major parties over a generation. But that’s life.
An optimistic view for Bass residents now would be that the business acumen and experience of Mr Booth can be allied with the clout the new federal Liberal member should have in Canberra, to stimulate economic development and job-creation opportunities in the electorate.That would not only be a desirable outcome, it could provide a recipe for ongoing economic growth and success, demonstrating that representatives of different parties can collaborate in the interests of their constituents.
As a keen observer of the political scene for many decades; and having interacted with many politicians and their staffers while a senior executive of one of Australia’s largest corporations, I have long harboured concerns about the quality of our elected representatives and their capacity to effectively represent their electorates, as well as the national interest. Many tended to suffer in comparison with their advisors (and with the senior bureaucrats involved) in terms of intelligence, experience and knowledge. Some were simply embarrassing. Those that impressed and would no doubt have succeeded in any walk of life, were as rare as truth and substance in political advertising.
The reason we finish up with many politicians so obviously ill-equipped for dealing with the complexities and challenges of political Office, may be that the candidates are often selected, not on the basis of merit but rather, on their fidelity to the PARTY, and the special interest groups they represent : Unions in the case of Labor ; and business in the case of the Coalition parties. George Washington, in his celebrated farewell speech, expressed strong reservations about the formation of political parties, warning of their capacity to “enfeeble democracy” if elected representatives came to believe their allegiance was to the Party, not to the people. He was nothing if not omniscient: this seems to have happened in every nominally democratic country in the world – and because of that, democracy has indeed been enfeebled.
In the Australian context, a cosy duopoly has developed between the two major parties over many decades where they appear content to share the spoils of power, accepting that each will spend time in Office and able to reward their backers. They close ranks quickly when another player threatens to rob them of power or influence, witness their relentless attacks on the Democrats whose modest aim then was simply to ‘keep the bastards honest’, itself a powerful comment on political standards. And the Greens Party is apparently no longer seen as a minor irritant given the Majors have been moved to wheel out their considerable arsenal of attack weapons in an endeavour to wipe them from the political landscape : Rupert Murdoch, apparently realising that phone hacking is not the answer, has unleashed the might of his media empire, declaring war on this pernicious mob whose policies he apparently sees as inimical to his extensive business interests . He will no doubt have been gratified by the zeal displayed by his minions in much of the Australian news media given their “take no prisoners’ approach to denigrating the Greens at every opportunity: anti-Greens rhetoric has been ratcheted up to near hysterical levels in recent times (Idid think the local Editor was a trifle over the top recently in assigning to the Greens responsibility for the political demise of Julia Gillard). But that’s life.
When on active service, many of us were fortified by the notion that our service was vital in helping protect the nation’s democratic freedoms and institutions, hard won by previous generations. I have long since concluded however that, if that was the objective, we failed miserably as the very foundations of our democracy have been chipped away over recent decades by what I see as “the enemy within”: those persons, institutions and political parties who have blatantly exploited our once-was democratic system of government for personal gain, or to advantage special interest groups.
Is such a view justified? Answers to the following questions should make the point:
Are the super-wealthy able to buy political favours ? Is our national press devoid of bias, and free to perform its historical role as an objective reporter of the news and as a ‘checks and balance’ provider to its readership ? Are all citizens demonstrably equal before the law – or can the rich and famous expect to be treated differently? Are politicians responding to the needs of the people, or to the dictates of party bosses and vested interests ? Do political leaders always respect parliamentary laws, protocols and processes when involving themselves in major industrial developments (think WA Inc, and the recent Gunns’ pulp mill debacle)? Has our bureaucracy been politicised? Can a very wealthy citizen buy a seat in Parliament ? Is money a major determinant in getting elected to parliament ? Is there an effective separation of Church and State? And finally – is our parliamentary system of government entirely free of the scourge of corruption?
Honest answers to these questions paints a worrying picture of a democratic system in serious, perhaps terminal decline, where only the trappings remain after the substance has been stripped away. In my view, the key factor involved in restoring the system, to working order at least, would be a dismantling of the political parties in their present form. They are patently anti-democratic by nature and have contributed to democratic malaise around the ‘free’ world . Having advocated for more Independents in Parliament for a long time now, I was encouraged by the number of groups and individuals who offered themselves for election at the recent Federal election. This reflects, to some extent at least, public disenchantment with the major parties and is a small step towards returning power to the people. And assuming he has not sold the electorate a pup, I was particularly pleased to see Clive Palmer’s party enter the political arena , to offer conservative voters a choice and hopefully, shake the Liberals out of their lethargy and complacency (maybe even make them aware of which Century we are now in).
I find to my surprise that I’m not the only septuagenarian who feels personally affronted by trends towards anti-democratic, unethical and corrupt behaviour at all levels of government; and who fears that our generation will likely pass on to our children and grandchildren, a society and planet in worse shape than the ones we inherited . Not a legacy to be proud of.
To provide some perspective though: our generation emerged from a lengthy period of global depression and war in the 1950’s, free to pursue the almost unlimited opportunities for work and careers as post-war reconstruction ramped up. We recognised no limits to exploiting abundant natural resources; or to economic growth. There was no regard for the environmental effects of widespread usage of toxic chemicals in industry and agriculture; or for polluting our rivers and waterways with industrial waste. There was no real respect for the natural order: clean air and water would be around forever. It was a golden age. The possibilities were endless . The future would take care of itself. That was life throughout the “swinging sixties”, and beyond.
Back to the present – and a now familiar scene : the rain still bucketing down and pastures awash. I get to wondering again: about whether the damage we have inflicted on the environment can be mitigated; and about what we have learned – or should have learned. I have, over time, moved from being an agnostic to a sceptic to finally accepting that human activity has been a significant factor in global warming and that we are now beginning to experience its harmful effects. The message is now loud and clear: look after the environment or you will pay the price!
It’s inconceivable to me in these circumstances that any intelligent, rational being would pursue, or allow, new industrial developments (such as gas extraction by fracking) without first having expert, independent scientific assurances that no short or long-term environmental harm would be caused by the processes employed. Perhaps at no time in our history has exercise of the “Precautionary Principle” been so important. A new appreciation of the fragility of our planet is clearly necessary ; as is universal understanding of the direct link between a healthy environment , economic growth and liveability.
What then of the future ? Unfortunately, my generation must now hand over the problems (some would say mess) to succeeding generations to fix. A formidable task. To succeed, they will likely have to get actively involved in grassroots movements and political campaigns, to dislodge the present-day dinosaurs from positions of power and influence because if that doesn’t happen, I fear inertia in our political and industrial systems will act to preserve the status quo – and the vested interests of the wealthy few who will naturally resist change. A model of grassroots activism that resulted in ousting a high profile sitting Liberal Party member, and election of an Independent at the last federal election, could be Indi, in Victoria. Money and traditional campaigning methods did not underpin the election result – people power did.
Suddenly, the rain has stopped, the clouds have cleared away and the sun has made a most welcome appearance. While contemplating the vagaries of nature, words of an old song spring to mind : “ I can see clearly now the rain has gone”; and so it seems. I can see clearly that my generation, through ignorance mainly, did so many things to damage fragile ecosystems and compromise the health of the planet. I can see at the present time an emerging understanding of the dangers this poses for present and future generations. I see clearly a future beset by calamities unless the reality of global warming and climate change is accepted, without delay, and remedial action taken by nations throughout the world. The present-day dinosaurs denying the need to change should heed the fate of an earlier species.
Given time and the freedom to roam, our minds can take us to unexpected places, dredging up matters not always at the forefront of our thinking. In this case, contemplation of abnormal spring rains led to concerns about the prospect of extreme weather events in future. Which led to thoughts on politics, the health of our democracy , the environment and planet Earth.
And so to the future : can we rely on divine providence in the form of an Abbot(t) and a Bishop to lead us out of the coming maelstrom into the promised land ? Working in mysterious ways, the dynamic duo will no doubt have to perform miracles if they are to save us from our own folly.
Will history record present-day leaders as saviours of the planet? One thing is certain : my generation will never know the answer to that question – and that’s life.
*Tony Whish-Wilson has been 20 years a farmer in the Tamar Valley. He was 20 years with Rio Tinto ( General Manager position last four years); and management consulting. 18 years with RAAF (Cadet to Squadron Leader). Exchange Officer with RAF, 3 years. Graduate Econ/Hist, UWA. Post grad studies in Business. Graduate, Advanced Management School. Born, raised and educated in Tas (Scottsdale). 3 children : David, Peter and Kerri.
