As usual in Australia, and especially around Australia Day, there has been much talk about what it means to be Australian, what it means to be un-Australian, and the like. This week, that sort of discussion was sparked mostly by the Sydney Big Day Out organisers suggesting that music fans leave any Australian flags at home.
The Big Day Out, for those of you who may not know, is a series of annual music festival type concerts that tour around Australia and New Zealand (well, Auckland) this time of year. The bands that I can remember off the top of my head this time around are Violent Femmes and Lily Allen. There are others, but I am slipping into the age bracket where I think all music out this decade isn't as good as it used to be.
Anyways, the organisers suggested that Aussie flags be left at home, because last year there was some friction at the Sydney event because it was just a few weeks after the 'bash a Leb' Cronulla riots, with their Aussie Aussie Oy Oy undertone. No suggestions regarding the flags have been sent out to any of the other venues this year, but Sydney, as usual, is in a special category.
Within twenty four hours of the story breaking, it had become a flag ban, the Prime Minister and NSW Premier (who both have elections to face this year by the way) railed against the peculiar political views of the organisers, and the NSW Opposition Leader, who seems a bit of a dill anyway, suggested there be a ban on any bans of the Australian flag in Australia. And that the fines for desecrating the flag were too small, especially compared to indigenous sites, and that RSL clubs - returned servicemen - should be accosted the same protections as war memorials. Much hilarity from that statement and accompanying article.
To be called un-Australian in this country is the worst insult anyone can be given - well, in the media and political circles at least. There has been overtime offered at work today, and one of the girls in there is doing it, but quickly said to me 'please don't call me un-Australian' - not my concern at all, actually, so no need to worry with me. My parents hate the phrase, because it is just so woolly - sure, Australian values are bandied around on the news every couple of weeks or so, but aren't they respect for law, give a fair go, and all the other ones that would usually just be called good human behaviour? Universal values rather than just solely one country's domain?
But let's just ramp up the patriotism - the my country, right or wrong kind of attitude. On the TV this morning, on Sunrise, the question of the day was tell us your barbeque secrets. Not to go into the inanity of the question for starters, but one reply came back to put the sausages, bacon and eggs into a wok. Oh, the howls of protest from Kochie, aka David Koch, former financial reporter and now Channel Seven's biggest rah rah patriotism guy.
A wok is so un-Australian, so that idea would obviously be thrown out, ASIO called to track down the email address and throw the writer out of the country. Exaggeration of course - he would only be sent to a detention centre, and 'accidentally' sent to the Philippines for two years, until an ABC or SBS reporter found him in clear view.
I may go into the federal cabinet reshuffle in a later post, or I may not, but the name change of the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) to Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIC). Yes, DIC. Because citizenship is obviously what all the immigrants crave as soon as they step off the planes, and if they want to celebrate their multicultural diversity, well, they can just stay in those Kenyan refugee camps rather than insult the eyes of the fine upstanding citizens of, for instance, Tamworth.
I would go into Queensland Premier Beattie's backflip number 5,212,310 - about first taking off Aboriginal/Indigenous Affairs off the departmental lists and then putting it back on - but I feel this post is more than long enough already. It would be a full time job chronicling his decisions and backtracks anyways, and I'm not working in journalism, nor giving up my day job to do it.
Paul
The Big Day Out, for those of you who may not know, is a series of annual music festival type concerts that tour around Australia and New Zealand (well, Auckland) this time of year. The bands that I can remember off the top of my head this time around are Violent Femmes and Lily Allen. There are others, but I am slipping into the age bracket where I think all music out this decade isn't as good as it used to be.
Anyways, the organisers suggested that Aussie flags be left at home, because last year there was some friction at the Sydney event because it was just a few weeks after the 'bash a Leb' Cronulla riots, with their Aussie Aussie Oy Oy undertone. No suggestions regarding the flags have been sent out to any of the other venues this year, but Sydney, as usual, is in a special category.
Within twenty four hours of the story breaking, it had become a flag ban, the Prime Minister and NSW Premier (who both have elections to face this year by the way) railed against the peculiar political views of the organisers, and the NSW Opposition Leader, who seems a bit of a dill anyway, suggested there be a ban on any bans of the Australian flag in Australia. And that the fines for desecrating the flag were too small, especially compared to indigenous sites, and that RSL clubs - returned servicemen - should be accosted the same protections as war memorials. Much hilarity from that statement and accompanying article.
To be called un-Australian in this country is the worst insult anyone can be given - well, in the media and political circles at least. There has been overtime offered at work today, and one of the girls in there is doing it, but quickly said to me 'please don't call me un-Australian' - not my concern at all, actually, so no need to worry with me. My parents hate the phrase, because it is just so woolly - sure, Australian values are bandied around on the news every couple of weeks or so, but aren't they respect for law, give a fair go, and all the other ones that would usually just be called good human behaviour? Universal values rather than just solely one country's domain?
But let's just ramp up the patriotism - the my country, right or wrong kind of attitude. On the TV this morning, on Sunrise, the question of the day was tell us your barbeque secrets. Not to go into the inanity of the question for starters, but one reply came back to put the sausages, bacon and eggs into a wok. Oh, the howls of protest from Kochie, aka David Koch, former financial reporter and now Channel Seven's biggest rah rah patriotism guy.
A wok is so un-Australian, so that idea would obviously be thrown out, ASIO called to track down the email address and throw the writer out of the country. Exaggeration of course - he would only be sent to a detention centre, and 'accidentally' sent to the Philippines for two years, until an ABC or SBS reporter found him in clear view.
I may go into the federal cabinet reshuffle in a later post, or I may not, but the name change of the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) to Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIC). Yes, DIC. Because citizenship is obviously what all the immigrants crave as soon as they step off the planes, and if they want to celebrate their multicultural diversity, well, they can just stay in those Kenyan refugee camps rather than insult the eyes of the fine upstanding citizens of, for instance, Tamworth.
I would go into Queensland Premier Beattie's backflip number 5,212,310 - about first taking off Aboriginal/Indigenous Affairs off the departmental lists and then putting it back on - but I feel this post is more than long enough already. It would be a full time job chronicling his decisions and backtracks anyways, and I'm not working in journalism, nor giving up my day job to do it.
Paul
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