It’s been a significant day today - February 13, the day Australia’s Prime Minister issued an apology to the stolen generations on behalf of the Australian Federal Parliament and Government.
I heard Kevin Rudd’s apology and speech on the radio on the way to work, along with the response of the Leader of the Opposition, Brendan Nelson. I spent the morning in Goodna and Inala, working with members of multicultural communities, reflecting on what it means to develop an authentic and sustainable community. The apology formed a poignant reminder that we can be blind to the impact of our actions. We need to listen to one another, treat each other with respect.
I believe today’s apology was a significant step in reconciliation. The commitment to closing the gap in housing, infant mortality and education is going to require the commitment of an emerging generation of Australians and the support of national and State governments. We’re going to need to hear more of the stories like those told by Brendan Nelson today. Too many Australians appear to have little idea of what Sorry Day is all about.
The front page of the Courier Mail (Brisbane) this morning began with a classic typo. “The wormed turned on John Howard last night as Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd outshone the Prime Minister in the one and only debate of the campaign.”
I listened to the first half an hour of the debate on ABC Radio, without the benefit of a worm. I arrived home to see the rest of the debate on Channel Nine.
It was surprising to see the audience response to Howard and Rudd as they spoke. I think I agree with Tony Abbott’s assertion that most of the audience had already made up their mind and were reflecting their personal response to the two contenders rather than engaging with what they had to say.
There were exceptions. Howard’s assertion that George Bush was changing his mind on climate change sent the worm to the pit. Howard saying that George Bush was wrong and Turnbull was right on climate change sent him up again. Rudd got a solid response to his claim that Bush was not open to discussing global warming. His alternative vision of reconciliation sent the viewers’ responses soaring. Rudd talked briefly about saying sorry as a matter of respect that could make it possible to get on with the task of working together for positive solutions.
It would be interesting to see the two prospective treasurers in debate. Peter Costello clearly would have liked to have been up front last night. The wormed would be treated to a different perspective on taxes and IR reform perhaps.
MySpace launched impact.myspace.com in Australia today, a channel dedicated to Australian politicians and non-profit organisations.
The social networking portal features the following politicans, some of whom have been on MySpace for some time.
Kevin Rudd has 3380 friends, including Labor senators. He’s not ashamed to talk about his interests - the same list as on Facebook.com, and he’s already received 394 comments from supporters.
Bob Brown, leader of the Australian Greens, has 173 friends, including His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama, Xavier Rudd, John Butler Trio and Wolfmother. Brown already is a campaigner, familiar with the the mediums of medium and comfortable with his association with organisations like Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network.
Demcrats senator Andrew Bartlett’s MySpace site is a vivid orange, and features the Ups and Downs track, “The Perfect Crime”. He’s using his page to the full with an active blog. He has 196 friends, including Leonard Cohen, Make Poverty History, Liberation for Our Brother & Sister Animals, and Braveheart.
Other federal politicians featured on Impact MySpace include Steve Fielding (Family First), Peter Garrett (Labor), Joe Hockey (Liberal), Kerry Nettle (Greens), Tanya Plibersek (Tanya), Malcolm Turnbull (liberal), Warren Snowdon (Labor), Dennis Jensen (Liberal), Julia Gillard (Labor), Wayne Swan (Labor), Stephen Conroy (Labor), Maxine McKew (Labor), Nicola Roxon (Labor), Greg Combet (Labor), Steve Ciobo (Liberal), Sam Crosby (Labor).
John Howard, claiming that he would not want to lend his identity to a commercial enterprise (MySpace is owned by Fox Interactive), is represented by Howard Government (Liberal Party of Australia). As I write there are only eight friends, including Liberal senators Dr Dennis Jensen, Joe Hockey, Malcolm Turnbull, Mark Powell, Steve Ciobo, Cory and ‘How To Vote’. What’s happening here? Clearly the Howard Government does not include the National Party. The Liberal Party of Australia come across as slow to accept friends.
Impact Video includes Macho Man! John Howard, World Vision’s Teenage Affluenza, Kevin Rudd on MySpace, Anti-Ad Where Are You? tourism spood ad.
Impact Events feature ZeroSeven, a youth initiative of the Make Poverty History campaign.
