Australia is based on a number of assumptions which have nothing to do with facts and figures. You can think of these assumptions as a form of ‘nation think’ and they stop us from moving forward and developing a different culture, political system and social network which deal with the basic necessities of Australian life.
The first assumption is that indigenous Australians did not resist colonisation of their land. Accompanying this assumption is that they had no form of land ownership, they lived a nomadic lifestyle and they had nothing to offer Australian society.
The second assumption is that Australians are somehow independent, radical people. These traits may have been prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s, when people fought for the rights we now take for granted, but in the 21st century most Australians believe what they see and hear.
The third assumption is that we are all equal before the law. Anybody who has been involved in the judicial process knows that this is not the case. The people with resources are able to use the system to avoid jail. Cardinal Pell is a good example of this.
The fourth assumption is that citizens have constitutional protections in this country. The fact is there are no constitutional protections in this country to protect citizens from the arbitrary exercise of state power and COVID-19 has exposed this to people who thought otherwise.
The last assumption is that we live in an egalitarian society. That if you work hard you will get just rewards. It is a ridiculous assumption. This assumption forms part of the backbone of the Australian dream. The reality is that over 700,00 Australian children live in poverty.
Despite all these assumptions and more, we are not wedded to them and change can happen. For change to happen, however, action must occur. We are the people we’ve been waiting for. We can’t rely on our political and religious leaders.