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I have been following, with increasing glee, the Australian political situation, and the current state of play is quite delicious.
( A short historical essay )
Something, however, has happened. The new Labour leader has done what his 3 predecessors in opposition could not: got attention. People listen to him. President Hu listened to him last week, as he addressed the APEC conference in Mandarin. He's 2 decades younger than Howard and energised.
More than this though, is that Howard is suddenly on the nose. All year, polls have been worsening. Howard now appears to be struggling to retain his own seat (on current polling he will lose it to an ABC journalise). In this last week, we saw Howard's own cabinet almost turn on him. This is significant, because Howards logic defying success has seen him somewhat deifed by his party. They see him as unstoppable, so no-one has wanted to see leadership change. His deputy, who was promised a hand-over in the 3rd term, has looked increasingly desparate as it becomes clear that Howard will *never ever* go of his own accord, and has been consistently too popular to be pushed. Yet in this last week, when the Foreign minister was asked to 'sound out feeling' on his leadership, not one member of Cabinet would say they wanted him to stay.
Every day the Australian press reports still more shambolic displays of desperation. The election must be called before the end of the year, and with each poll things look worse for the government. After 4 painful elections (the last two seen in utter despair), I am finally allowing myself to hope. Even to dream that Howard, the man who has disregarded all values in clinging to power, will go out in the most ignominious way possible - losing his own seat, as well as his government.
And if this sounds like schadenfreude, I will say this: over 11 years, I've become increasingly ashamed of my country. Howard has chosen the worst aspects of its people to reflect. He has made it backward and insular looking. He has made it a place where opportunity belongs only to the rich (and hopefully white). I do believe that an evil leader can make a people evil. I want to see my country heal.
( A short historical essay )
Something, however, has happened. The new Labour leader has done what his 3 predecessors in opposition could not: got attention. People listen to him. President Hu listened to him last week, as he addressed the APEC conference in Mandarin. He's 2 decades younger than Howard and energised.
More than this though, is that Howard is suddenly on the nose. All year, polls have been worsening. Howard now appears to be struggling to retain his own seat (on current polling he will lose it to an ABC journalise). In this last week, we saw Howard's own cabinet almost turn on him. This is significant, because Howards logic defying success has seen him somewhat deifed by his party. They see him as unstoppable, so no-one has wanted to see leadership change. His deputy, who was promised a hand-over in the 3rd term, has looked increasingly desparate as it becomes clear that Howard will *never ever* go of his own accord, and has been consistently too popular to be pushed. Yet in this last week, when the Foreign minister was asked to 'sound out feeling' on his leadership, not one member of Cabinet would say they wanted him to stay.
Every day the Australian press reports still more shambolic displays of desperation. The election must be called before the end of the year, and with each poll things look worse for the government. After 4 painful elections (the last two seen in utter despair), I am finally allowing myself to hope. Even to dream that Howard, the man who has disregarded all values in clinging to power, will go out in the most ignominious way possible - losing his own seat, as well as his government.
And if this sounds like schadenfreude, I will say this: over 11 years, I've become increasingly ashamed of my country. Howard has chosen the worst aspects of its people to reflect. He has made it backward and insular looking. He has made it a place where opportunity belongs only to the rich (and hopefully white). I do believe that an evil leader can make a people evil. I want to see my country heal.