Pixelated Semantics

A schizotypical inventory

Social engineering at its worst

Another example of moderate conservatism in action:

"The Government is considering taking a more hardline approach to welfare payments for Indigenous Australians, linking them to modified behaviour..."

But wait, it gets better:

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister says the proposal, to end what he calls "passive" welfare payments for Aboriginal communities, is not paternalistic. [...] There is also a proposal for a [sic] electronic card designed to limit what Indigenous Australians can buy with Government welfare payments."

Not paternalistic, but having one's rights limited by technology? This is dangerously retrograde, unsound values-based ideology that serves only to marginalise even further. Frankly it's disgusting that these proposals are even being taken seriously enough to be published. Sickening - have we really elected a government on the basis that it legitimises a right to "modify behaviour"? This is paternalistic in the extreme, having values, behaviour, and economic power decided by a central government. The Courier Mail at least reports Aboriginal leader Pat Dodson as "angrily" condemning the plan:

"This is not mutual obligation - nothing like it," he said. "It's fascism gone mad. It's crazy stuff. Two hundred years of enlightenment and this is the best they've been able to deliver. This is not reform - this is social engineering at its worst."

Welcome back to White Australia, folks.

Update: Reaction from other Aboriginal leaders - former Social Justice Commissioner, Professor Mick Dodson:

"You shouldn't violate people's rights, their human rights, their right to be free of discrimination in order to put in place some sort of social experiment."

Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Commission (ATSIC) Central Zone Commissioner Alison Anderson:

"There are two laws now, one for the non-Indigenous people and one for the Aboriginal people in this country. I think [...] this country has gone absolutely mad under the leadership of John Howard..."

However, based on precedent (Stolen Generation, Detention Centers, Anti-Terrorism laws) this moderate government does think it has a mandate to "violate people's rights".

If you want to think the proposal is anything but racist and authoritarian, try to see it this way: would you tolerate for a moment the government removing your choice as to what you spend your money on?

More: The raid on the offices of the Aboriginal-run newspaper that provided the story via leaked documents may yet turn out to be the Howard government's equivalent of "Little Mate" Murphy's Asio Raid in the Whitlam era. "To turn that into this sort of assault on press freedom, to take that embarrassment to that stage of raiding newspaper offices with police, is an extraordinarily serious step" Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance federal secretary Chris Warren is quoted as saying by the SMH. It's time some light was cast on the racist agenda that still permeates this country's politics and public service. One need look only to the next page of the SMH to read an Aboriginal soldier's story: "There were people I know who have actually lost their lives - Aboriginal people - that had been hung." Meanwhile, the Army lieutenant who suggested using laundry bags with eye holes cut into them to pose as the KKK was later promoted.

Item posted by AutoEditor at 10:47 am ::