by SCOTT JOHNSON – HISTORICALLY, political participation in Australia by the common folk was somewhat “verboten”.
The laid-back “No worries, mate – she’ll be right” attitude of the Aussie larrikin at a barbie skulling beers is a caricature but was also normalised as a fixture of Aussie life.
- The Left portrays people’s response to COVID failings as fringe and dangerous – without asking why Aussies “suddenly” distrustful of government?
- Independent media is expanding while banal comedy/news like The Project fades into the sunset.
In the era of Paul Hogan’s shenanigans and the iconic surfing culture of the 70s and 80s it was a classic snapshot of Australia.
According to my many sources, the act of discussing politics or religion was a definite no go. You could talk about Shane Warne’s latest groin injury (sport) or hot sheilas at the beach but mention politics and you’d get shut down fast.
COMPULSORY
No one took politics or politicians seriously and voting actually remains compulsory in Australia (they fine you if you don’t vote).
All this is confirmed by an old Aussie mate of mine, now living in Northern Europe, having left Australia partly because of those restrictive social controls (he just loves talking about politics and religion).
The other part of his rational for leaving Australia (admittedly the most influential) was getting married to a Scandinavian.
He left Oz some 20 years ago and had hailed from convict stock, growing up in Sydney playing rugby and drinking piss (ie slang for beer).
To this day he recalls the social wilderness of his earlier days in Oz, unable to vent his rage or discuss politics with his peers.
The phone conversations with him today, however, have taken a drastic turn as he can’t believe what has happened to his native Australia and it all began in 2020 with the government’s draconian reaction to the COVID experiment.
Recently, ABC’s Four Corners did a TV expose, “Lawfare”, on the so called “sovereign citizen” movement, which was predictably a denigrating attack on the many Australians responding to government overreach.
RUBBER
Melbourne for example was the most locked down city in the world during COVID having its populace subjected to endless lockdowns while police roamed the streets enforcing mask mandates, pepper spraying and shooting civilians with rubber bullets.
This Four Corners piece portrayed the Australian response to the COVID failings as fringe and dangerous without asking why are Aussies “suddenly” distrustful of government?
The government has never explained why the excess death rate in Australia increased by up to 14 per cent in 2021-22, exactly when they rolled out the jabs.
They know it wasn’t from COVID, and a clue can be found in Senate Estimates, with Senator Alex Antic grilling the Therapeutic Goods Administration in 2023 as to why two Australian children aged seven and nine died directly after getting a COVID vaccine.
“There is a new phenomenon in Australia,” I told my ex-pat friend in Northern Europe.
People are actually protesting in the streets and organising community actions at local councils.
Independent media is expanding while banal comedy/news like The Project fades into the sunset.
I’ve even seen people carrying crosses in protests and openly admitting they go to church.
The Albanese Government, however, has plans to control social media and overreach is planned – for internet users, for sport shooters and even our farmers.
Home ownership is becoming unreachable and the government is ramping up immigration.
For former politicians, like Dan Andrews (who pushed the lockdowns) the Australian response included him being denied membership in golf clubs.
I know a bloke who once saw former Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner chased out of a pub.
Now that’s an Australian classic – a mob of patrons chasing a politician out of a pub!
Gunner was another one who pushed vax mandates and once gave a disturbing press conference “Stuff it, shove it” – he threatened us with rather psychotic bulging eyes.
A growing segment of the Australian public are indeed embracing this new political cultural shift – and it’s called grassroots democracy.
Aussies are doing just that and if you think they don’t need to stand up, reflect on the photos of the pregnant woman in pyjamas being handcuffed by police.
This was Australia in 2020.
Her name is Zoe Buhler, and she was arrested in her home for the crime of – (wait for it) –sharing a Facebook post during the COVID lockdowns.PC
Long may the grass-roots movement grow! Enjoyable reading. Thank you.
‘I know a bloke who once saw former Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner chased out of a pub. ‘
Ah, damn. Where were the pocket phone cameras when that happened? It should be all over the internet!
At least we have Crazy Eyes Gunner damning himself with his deranged speech. But seeing him departing a pub in retreat from hostile citizens… well, as the ad says, priceless!