BUCK THOR EMBERG. B.T. Emberg is a PhD History Candidate at the University of Tasmania
When living in China, I became painfully aware that their laws regarding the management of us university lecturers, all of whom were from other countries, were two things: control and conquer.
The cadre, as the Party Members were called, listened, but did not act. They acted but did not listen. The usual comment by us Foreign Devils went something like, “Well, this is the way they do it in China. We have no rights.” We learned to live with that fact and knew if they were going to take us on a bus trip for the weekend to Chengdu it would probably be to some communal tea farm and factory where we would be isolated from the people and possibly get stuck in the quagmire network of Chinese back roads. The government never told us the truth. It was obviously their policy. We learned to live with that fact. When needing copies of material for our students, we quickly learned the reason for our submitting our copy was for censorship purposes. We learned to live with that fact too. After all, everything Chinese officials did was lawful…by Chinese law.
When living in Turkey, a few years after their most recent revolution, we knew having an Audi automobile might give us trouble. It did. The minor customs officer at the border of Greece/Turkey told us, “Get out of the car. I am confiscating it.” The reason being, we had been across the border too many times that year… and he wanted a new car. The customs official could take our car. After all, it was acceptable… by Turkish law.
When living on the south Pacific island of Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, we lecturers quickly learned the Marshallese had no rights on our island. Never mind that the island on which we lived was part of their nation. The Marshallese came by ferry boat early in the morning to work and left on the five o’clock ferry to go home to their slum island next door. This was upsetting; but, it was lawful. Marshallese law…forced by American law.
Were these laws corrupt? Yes, by our standards. But they were the laws of their land. If it is said to be the law of the land…by this it is given dignity and people should agree and follow the law…or so we are told. Of course, we do not do that in Australia! No?
In Tasmania of 2009 we also are living by the laws of the land. Our laws are legally brought about by democratically elected officials and by the will of the people. There is no way we can be called an undemocratic island. We are blessed to live on a boring little island where not much happens. Our “World’s Best Practices”, in just about everything from walnut picking to fish farming makes us the envy of the world…or so the glossy pamphlets would have us believe but this is merely predictable pap pleasantly produced by parliamentary press proclamations…such as the volumes of Treasurer’s releases.
We may be governed by the laws of Tasmanian, but are we a democracy? Perhaps not. It is my contention that Tasmania was, is and probably shall be more of an oligarchy than a democracy until there is a turn around caused by the people. Tasmania is not a true oligarchy, but more of a Dynastic Despoilation as we view the continued corruption of our political, social and physical landscapes.
Dynasty? Since 1856 the names of those who ruled our island from Hobart have had forty-one family name “Repeats” in Parliament…both Upper and Lower Houses. One family has had nine politicians elected, (maybe some of them were only cousins). Another family has seven “Repeats”. Ten more dynasties have had at least four “Repeats”. (Not included are ten Smith “Repeats”). These Families, these Dynamic Dynastic Acts of God, have become set in precast concrete These Dynasties are not going to move unless goaded and exploded.
When a further study is made of Tasmanian politicians:1. in Parliament in Canberra, 2. Mayors on various councils, and 3. plain old platitudinous pollies, the depth of good law-making becomes shallow because these denizens of the trough frequently seem to serve their Family Dynasty more than they serve the people. Not so? Read the Role of Dynastic names of Tasmania’s elected leaders. These pedigreed potentates have names which are endemic and engraved on mahogany plaques in all Tasmanian city halls.
It could be said that these Rulers of the Tasmanian Dynasties are good people, nice people and work hard. Most are not criminals. A few get parking tickets. They raise their children well. They seek to serve the people as best they can. So the mythology reads. They are the leathered elbow Stuff of Tasmania. We are all taught that. “Thank God for graziers who will run for office and develop good irrigation systems for agriculturists,” is part of the fable. Goodness begets goodness. Or so we are lead to believe
Here is the rub. When we realise that, for almost 200 years, these Members of the Tasmanian Dynasties have turned in on themselves and think that by serving themselves and their Fellow Dynastics, they are serving the Greater Tasmanian Good.
They may be. They may not be. They certainly serve themselves.
Eventually, the courts begin to reflect the Dynasties…because the Dynasties have passed the laws and the court is only there to uphold the law. They are only doing their job and the Law Lords usually belong to the Dynastic System and amazingly, are frequently inter-related with their political partners; if not by blood then by contagion.
Some years ago Joan and I were involved in the discussions concerning new forestry laws. They met at our bush house a few times. We, the people, gathered in harmony and hope, were to make recommendations. The government was represented, labour was represented, big business was represented and us ‘hoi poloi’ (small citizens) were represented. We harmoniously suggested changes in the laws. Lists were made. coffee drunk and hand shakes exchanged. It was a great moment.
The rub quickly became deeply abrasive, opening wounds as the changes had already been made before our cottage meetings even took place. The laws would be passed, buried in small paragraphs in the middle of the democratically passed bills. However, the new laws were going to serve the same people. The laws were made, essentially, by the same old Dynasties for the well being of the same old Dynasties and those who recently had been accepted into the narrow band at the top. Of course, the courts upheld the laws. It was the law! The Law Lords must uphold the law.
We were duped! Over the past few generations not much has changed in Tasmania. Like the parrot in the former bar, now converted to a church, “…the same old faces…”
People of Tasmania, we have been deceived…over and over again by the “…same old faces…” If you want to live where the top few percentile make the laws for the top few percentiles then be satisfied and do not rock the boat. Go back to sleep. That is one Tasmanian way.
However, Tasmania is on the cusp of another age, an I.T. age. It will be either the Same Old Ice Age with the same old faces of the same old Dynasties…or, hopefully, a new age of government which seeks to serve us all and not merely the privileged.
We have a state to win back! The old Tasmanian Rulers have to go! Now!
Next:
PART II
CHANGING GUARD AND GOVERNMENT
IN
TASMANIA
