http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/pm-said-sorry–and-so-said-more-of-us/2008/02/17/1203190653987.html

More than two-thirds of Australians support the apology, says a poll taken at the weekend. In total, 68 per cent voiced their approval, up sharply from the 55 per cent who backed the apology two weeks ago.

The Galaxy Research poll, commissioned by the GetUp political action organisation, also showed that the number who disagreed fell just as sharply - down from 36 per cent to 22 per cent.

Nelson’s response was fairly good too - though it was probably made under the duress of either delivering whatever the overly-influential party “supporters” outside the parliament ordered him to deliver or face a swift trip to the backbenches. I wonder how furious these wealthy puppeteers - too gutless and too inept to stand for election themselves - became when both Nationals and Liberals parliamentarians stood and cheered, apparently spontaneously. At least the churlish bad-manners of Chris Pearce has assured him the support and the dollars of these nasty lords-and-masters at the next election.

The secondary effects of the Apology are that [a] Brendon Nelson is a completely different Coalition leader to Pig-Iron Bob and to George Bush’s Trans-Pacific Puppydog. [b] The Coalition will henceforth become a real Opposition - working with the government here, opposing the government there; presenting themselves always as a credible alternative government.
[c] the Coalition parliamentarians are now in a terrific position to assert their right to speak their own mind, to stand up for their own constituents and to be independent of the whims-and-fancies of bludgers hiding in the shadows. [d] John Howard has gone …. [by the way, I wonder how much Howard might have had to do with getting rid of Queensland Liberals' Senator Neville Bonner, the true gentleman who insisted that every pensioner - regardless of race or religion - be given a decent funeral?]

Well it wouldn’t be a proper public holday if somebody didn’t sullenly refuse to observe it. After all, the beauty of freedom of expression is that even twisted creatures such as yourself can eke out their unfulfilled pirateless half-lives without fear of reprisal or public lynching.

Unfortunately, the lazy and morally bankrupt do exist, and they are out for all they can get. They exist in pretty much every strata of society. While generally in the minority, they are frequently the most vocal and they always ruin everything for everyone else. In this particular instance, I’ve no doubt that some of them will go after compensation.

The hard bit is coming up with a policy that will minimise the damage wrought by these oxygen thieves, while at the same time being fair to the people who are genuine. It’s particularly difficult in a situation as politically sensitive as this one.

@ Stilgherrian:

Talk Like A Pirate Day it is then! Arrr!

‘cos we ALL know they are all lazy and morally bankrupt and out to get EVERYTHING they can from us “decent” folks… Lock your doors and board up the windows!

A great example of how at the end of the day, you need to be true to who you are. In politics, in business, in our personal lives. A timely reminder indeed.

I cringed at all the bits that were so: “I will have the last word”, “I will justify everything I have done as being RIGHT” or “good for you” etc.

And in doing so reveal that he/his party has missed the whole point of the day, that he has really no consideration or empathy for others, other than himself.

Hmmm, sounds likes someone I used to know. LOL

Nelson was left delivering a camel of a speech in Parliament, forced by petty internal party politics to say things which he knew would spoil the moment, things he did not believe, things that would likely leave a bitter political legacy for the future. He knew well that it would be “these things” for which Brendan Nelson would always be remembered when those of tomorrow look back to yesterday’s moment in history.

When the time came to deliver his camel, Brendan Nelson had the look of a man that, as one wit put it, “suddenly realised that he had chosen the wrong party”, and would now be forever burdened as the name behind a speech whose contents were not reflective of Brendan Nelson the person, but simply reflective of the cancerous political dynamics of the Coalition itself.

The public reaction to his speech was probably not that different to how Nelson himself would have reacted were he not a Member of Parliament and found himself listening to those very words on the lawns of Canberra with thousands of others.

Leadership seems to be lacking…

What, more so than our current national day is all about “one particular people”? We can bang on about multiculturalism and diversity all we want, but what we’re actually commemorating is the landing of the first fleet, ie the arrival of the people who would become the first Anglo-Australians.

And I guess I don’t see 13 Feb as being all about one people. I see it as symbolic of the healing a rift that caused us to be a nation divided.

Although really, I’d be perfectly happy if we just skipped the national day altogether and just made Talk Like A Pirate Day a public holiday.

This question…

Stilgherrian, do you believe there is a need for “intervention” in the north west?

… is a bit like “Have you stopped beating your wife?” It all depends on what you mean by “intervention”.

If the question is, “Do I think that the health of Aboriginal children in the NW needs serious fixing?” then my answer is yes.

If the question is, “Do I think that child sexual abuse is a serious problem in the NW?” then the answer is yes, it is. Researchers in the field say it’s a serious problem in most communities, of whatever ethnicity.

If the question is, “Do I think this constitutes an emergency calling for a radical response?” my answer is a resounding no.

The Little Children Are Sacred report [PDF file] — and I feel soiled just typing the report’s propaganda-name — was the 19th report which detailed child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities since John Howard became PM. Precisely nothing was done until, oh so conveniently, a report arrives during a federal election campaign.

The report has 97 recommendations but virtually none of them were followed.

Instead, a massive 500 pages of law was rushed through parliament, with only 2 days for it to be considered. It involved everything from interference with the right of people completely unconnected with any case or suspected case of abuse to buy a beer, through the compulsory government acquisition of land, to the suspension of protection from racial discrimination and other human rights.

There are already properly-established organisations for dealing with child sexual abuse, with properly-trained staff. Why not just expand them? And why not do this in conjunction with the communities themselves? Answer: Because it doesn’t fit the strategy of painting JWH as a bold leader responding to an “emergency”, and it doesn’t help win votes from the kind of rednecks who assume that Aboriginal people need to have some Big Strong Whitefellas come and sort them out.

And then of course we find that in all the rush only 10% of children were checked in a process that probably broke medical ethical rules, and the whole thing only resulted in two referrals to the police.

That’s not good government. That’s disgusting.

You ask whether there should be an “intervention” in the NW. I ask whether there should be an intervention in Cottesloe. With the government demanding everyone register to buy a beer at the local surf club, with the tennis club closed down and their buildings sold, and with health workers with no training in child sexual abuse rounding up all the children and poking at their delicate bits.

See how many votes that wins.