Welcome to this week’s editorial, The Federal election is upon us finally. Observed from near and afar this has to be the dirtiest election I have ever witnessed. To watch on, via the international press, as Australians tore each other apart in the media with their factionalism, their rolling campaigns of claims and counter claims trying as best as able to discredit each others parties. It really was quite disappointing , especially watching on from across the Ditch where New Zealand does things…. a little differently. I remember a speech from a long while ago (1987), by an earlier Australian Prime Minister, and below are some extracts from that speech, that to me ring true of where we should be going as a country and as the people of this land. Hopefully whoever gets in tomorrow will do their best to represent and protect this land we call home and ALL life who live here. Never have you, the Australian people, been called upon to – make a more fundamental decision for yourselves, your families – your children – about the way you want your country to go – about what kind of a country you want Australia to be.
It is a decision about what kind of a people we are. It is a decision about what kind of a nation we are going to be.
Are we to continue to unite together in the great task of national renewal, reconstruction and revitalisation, for which we have been working so hard together, and on which the success of our country depends? Are we to go forward with strength and stability – stability in government, stability in our society?
This election is about our faith in Australia's future. It is about our faith in ourselves. And it is about our belief and faith in the character and calibre of the Australian people. In this highly competitive world we cannot settle for the second rate in industry, in technology, in education.
We must continue - now as a matter of urgency – the work of modernising and revitalising our economy and industry, so that we can compete with the world – on the world's terms. That is the only way we can restore and improve living standards for all.
The greatest resource in Australia is not something that we can grow or dig up from the soil. It is the capacity of its people, our great human resource. And above all – the resource of the future – the children of Australia. RIP Bob Hawke
"When the earth is spoiled, humanity and all living things are diminished. We have taken too much from the earth and given back too little. It's time to say that enough is enough.” Bob Hawke. 1989
Until next, Lei
