This is a crisis and a tragedy, but not an emergency. Howard's response is the same as for every sudden social social shock of his government, from Port Arthur to Tampa; centralise and regulate, with a social conservative tilt.
I've agreed with some of these policies, but this feels like policy on the run rather than decisive, relevant action. I'm quite surprised by the newspaper response, because to me a policy combining the elements of decades of failure, "national emergency" and "think of the children" sets off every cynical alarm bell I have.
Same; 'emergency' and 'think of the children' is intended to be an absolutist political response. It is so if you disagree with the policy it becomes obvious that you hate australia and hate the children.
This isn't a national emergency, if it was, the feds would be digging their hands into WA and NSW too. But they wont. So it is absolutist in a small area that they can push around - ie the territory.
The report also carries warnings that everything has to be done locally otherwise it wont work, and this was ignored. The report also does not recommend alcohol and pornography prohibition either.
I was reading Pearson's take on it, and the consensus seems to be the neglect is sufficient that something has to be done, and a bad deal will be taken over no deal.
So it is probably going to achieve nothing. An emergency is purely political; outcomes will become political, if not electoral, and there is already a sinking feeling of it won't be done correctly because it is political.
Not fun for anyone.
'Sworn to no party, and of no sect am I.' Frederick Vosper's republican motto.
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