Pathways, August 2010
In the wash-up to last Saturday's 2010 Federal Election, many commentators are bemoaning the lack of values, vision, principles and conviction among our major political parties.
With neither Labor nor the Coalition achieving a majority of seats in the House of Representatives, we now face a situation of having a hung parliament. As the counting of votes continues, Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott will be negotiating with four Independents and one Green MP to win support to form government.
Whatever the outcome, the result has shown that neither of the big parties has won outright endorsement of the electorate. So what can be learned from this election?
Many commentators say it shows that the Australian public has had enough of spin and fakery, expediency and lack of vision - resulting in a massive falling off in trust of the main parties.
He says the great paradox of politics is that though voters hate change and hip-pocket pain, they want to be led by people with convictions and the courage of them.
The Australian's editorial on Monday, 23 August, said both major parties were paying the price of underestimating voters and for taking their loyalty for granted.
Post-election, Prime Minister Gillard acknowledged that Australians want something different; not business as usual.
One of the main areas where many in the electorate were let down was on climate change. When the Federal Government announced the delaying of an emissions trading scheme earlier this year, CRA's then president, Sister Clare Condon SGS asked the question: "what paralyses our political leaders to take action and show leadership?".
In the lead-up to the Federal election, CRA also spoke out on the issue of asylum seekers and refugees saying there was a desperate need for leadership from all sides of politics on this issue.
We urged political leaders not to use asylum seekers as political footballs, but to help relieve ill-founded anxieties, and demonstrate that we as a nation are really decent, compassionate and just.
During the coming weeks, as both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott endeavour to form a government, they could take something from the leadership shown by Australia's soon to be first saint, Mary MacKillop.
Unlike modern-day politicians, Mary MacKillop did not wait for opinion polls and focus groups to act. She also did not let opposition and challenges stop her from doing what she thought was right - reaching out to the most poor, neglected and vulnerable in our society.
She was an ordinary woman who responded with deep compassion to the needs of the times, just as Australians now need their political leaders to do.
Anne Derwin RSJ
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