Posted by Kevin Bates
on November 27, 2007, 7:02 am
As the dust settles on the Federal election, it seems that this time we have voted out of a spirit of hope rather than one of fear and my heart starts to rejoice. For the first time in three elections, the fear-factor has failed to have its mishcievous way.
Hugh Mackay thinks that the electorate has at last become dissatisfied with the Howard myth of safe and comfortabe, couched as it was in secure prejudice and clear boundaries.
It feels like we are getting our nation back and maybe something of a spirit of largesse, trust and openess will start to return. It's hard to believe that the Howard era is over,, so entrenched it was for so long.
How brittle the veneer of smugness and power has proven to be as the former Governemnt Parties by their own admission, are at the lowest point of their history - and all ina couple of days!
One can hope that some of Labor's best proposal will have a chance of being turned into reality, aorund health care, education, refugee policy and particilarly Aboriginal Reconciliation. What a day it will be when Kevin Rudd's promised apology is accomplished on behalf of us all.
I pray that this shift of ground is life-giving for all, and proves to be a moment of growth and reclamation of something decent that I've always believed is part of our national character.
Of course the culture of self-entitlement, so well fuelled by the former government is still alive and well, and will never disappear completely. Of course, Labor, being Labor, will make some howling mistakes, buthopefullynot before something of our spirit has been healed and re-vitalised.
At last a moment of hope rather than one of fear......
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