Enoch Powell’s observations applicable to Australia [by Andrew Phillips]

By Andrew Phillips, 9th February 2005

“The discontents of this present time are of a different sort. If they are not without precedent, they are such as have no recent parallel. In our age, it is the great majority that groans under the tyranny of small minorities, and large and even preponderant masses of opinion find no corresponding voice or expression in the constituted political parties…..”

“The Newton’s Law of political dynamics “the majority will always win” seems to have been stood on it’s head. In our nation today, the majority are convinced that they, the majority, will always lose, and that a minority of one sort or other, however untypical, will triumph. The present discontents, and the present dangers, are those of a public opinion which feels itself to be disregarded. What distinguishes the present case is that there is nothing sectional or local about the disregarded opinion: the cry “there’s nothing we can do about it” is not that of a class or a region; it rises more or less uniformly from one end of the country to the other, from one end of the social scale to the other”

“the electorate now finds themselves confronted, at elections and between elections, by the bland front of open agreement or tacit connivance between the two great parties in the state”

Does this situation sound at all familiar?

The quotes above are from a British Conservative MP, Enoch Powell, and are as relevant today as they were 30 years ago — perhaps even more so given the rampant progress of political correctness and the strangulation of rational debate in the world today.

Australians are by nature an essentially conservative people. We are comfortable with who and what we are, proud of our history and institutions and well aware of the accomplishments made by our people.

We are slow to embrace change unless it can be PROVEN to be of benefit. That being the case, Australians are now faced with a parliament of politicians who essentially play the same tune with no difference of opinion regarding the future of the country to be heard.

All politicians toe the party line in a blatant attempt to further their parliamentary careers rather than represent the needs of our people. Living in fear of the Party Whips, they exist with one eye on their superannuation and the other on the next vacancy on the front bench. Political prostitutes.

Labor has made a feeble show of opposing legislation that is clearly against the national interest. Who has genuinely spoken out against the full sale of Telstra? Our nation stands to lose $1.6 Billion of revenue annually, money that will go into the pockets of investors — many of whom will be overseas. From where will the taxman recoup that lost revenue? Not only do we lose the revenue required for social services (and to aid the bloated bureaucracy one finds in complacent government), but the public pays higher prices and there will be no guarantee of regional Australians getting improved services, except maybe, for a price.

Australia Post, in the form of the Postal Services Amendment Bill, is also under threat. Increased costs with minimal benefits for the consumer is what awaits Australians with this blatant step towards privatisation.

Powell was correct in his assertion that public funds need not be tied up in areas that could be handled privately, when those funds could be used to benefit the nation in areas of social responsibility. However, when the national interest requires essential services be maintained at an optimum level for a reasonable cost (and even produce valuable revenue for the nation), then it stands to reason the assets created by, and belonging to the people are not to be sold for a pittance by self-indulgent, out-of-touch politicians to parties who hold no regard for the welfare of our nation’s people.

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