“Australia’s political system, as a whole, is based on the individualism underpinning the political and social ethos of the relatively new nations of the West created by European immigrants; viz. the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand being the nations of interest to us. I term them the Ultra-West. Their tribes are almost all political, even if tinged heavily by religion, or otherwise coloured slightly by ethnicity.”
“My unusual experience with Australian representative democracy at its three levels of government says that it is quite a sham. Its advantage over tribal or other forms of leadership is that our political leaders can be replaced from time to time – but, to what end? Since the tribes of Western democracy, the political parties, would remain permanently on the pitch, how is the nation better off?
Isn’t our choice between Tweedledum and Tweedledee, there being little difference in modern times between their policies? In the dark of political control, all cats are grey, remaining categorically self-centred; like cats at dinner time, our political parties at election time offer voters unlimited love!”
“Elected politicians are required by their party leaders not to ever rock the boat. It is party policy which denies us voluntary euthanasia, (sought by about 80% of voters) indicating quite clearly that the Vaticanites have achieved control of both sides of politics in Australia.”
“In this context, how different are we from non-European nations ruled by a theocracy, or a god-king, or the military, or a satrap of a dominant foreign power, with some camouflage provided by a form of election?”
“We effectively vote for a party, the candidate being of no significance. He is not going to become rich through our vote for him. It does not matter if the candidate is a prize donkey, a failed priest or business person, or a young party hack, or a nobody with powerful connections, or a dyed-in-the-wool trade union leader. Actually, in terms of a knowable track record, a union leader may be a sound bet because of an identifiable work experience. There is nothing more insulting than to be offered a candidate of, say, 20 years of age, with no significant work experience, and whose brain is not hard-wired to the functioning level of the average adult!”
“On sensitive issues such as voluntary euthanasia (no one would be killed under such a policy), overseas aid directed to family planning (viz. birth control); replacing the monarchy with a republic; direct election by the citizenry of the president of a future republic (instead of being appointed by the government of the day); a national bill of rights; the importation of certain medications related to birth control; how do we allow the values of the Vatican and other political conservatives to prevail at all times? The view that our lives should be guided by authority – how different is it from the practice of the former Soviet, or the current rule by the Chinese authorities?”
These are extracts (with minor editing) from my book ‘Musings at death’s door: an ancient bicultural Asian-Australian ponders about Australian society.” My writing reflects more than 6 decades of a highly interactive and contributory life, as an adult, in Australia.
RAJA ARASA RATNAM 