Contributed by Ugly
A recent 7.30 report program broke the story that big corporations headed by the Business Council of Australia, are raising a $26 billion election fund to promote their sectional agenda.
According to the activist group GetUp, the reason is that the people heading these corporations fear the growth of a movement, aiming to deliver a fairer and more equal society. GetUp is right, and this goes counter to the perceived interests of the rich and powerful, who are dominating present day Australian society.
The union led campaign to Change the Rules, stands to give this movement greater impetus. It might turn out to mark a new a new stage in the fight back against sectional greed.
Under the last 30 years of their dominance, the top I percent have come to control as much wealth as the lowest 70 percent of Australians; Company profits have leaped by 32 percent in just the last two years, while wages have risen by only 0.03 percent; and more than a third of the workforce is trapped in casualised work, without basic employee rights.
We can expect to see a massive advertising campaign promoting the virtues of neoliberalism and the dire consequences if this is abandoned. The Liberal and National parties will be pressured into re-affirming and extending this neoliberal direction.
Expect a major social media campaign, to raise a movement of those they can influence, as a counter that which they fear. The small ultra hate groups will be encouraged and assisted by a media barrage, that will try and convince us that public opinion is heading their way.
The way big business has been operating in Australia, is like a flea sucking blood from a dog’s little parts. One only needs to see what is coming out in connection to the behaviour of the banks and the tax dodging business to know the truth of it. These corporations have been sucking the life out of the society.
There is some similarity between what is going on now and the time before the Second World War, when corporate interests were ruthlessly pushing to raise their power, denying basic union rights, attacking working conditions, taking away democratic rights from the rest of society, while busy lining their own pockets.
This mix, in a situation where people were fighting back, gave rise to what became known as fascism. It means, the exercise of power by a small elite at the top, through reliance on the use of violence.
We seem to be heading back down a similar path.
The campaign of the big corporations, will undoubtedly push for the lowering of company tax, hands off the banks and tax dodgers, more government handouts, further privatisation and casualisation of work, while at the same time calling for even greater restriction of unions, prosecution of activist organisations like GetUp, and stepped up policing around a law and order theme.
For those on the receiving end, the answer is to raise further the level of activity to build a movement for a fairer and more equal society.
A big part of this, is building a whole of community approach, which brings together the various social sectors, in an increasingly conscious unity around basic common goals. Issues of equity extend past the basic union demands, to being concerned about how other parts of society are affected. By doing this, we can together take on the bastards screwing us all.
GetUp’s contribution it to play its part to build grass roots power and this week launched its Future To Fight For campaign, for a fairer and more equal society that aims for “an economy that serves everyday people.”
Under this heading, an infrastructure for the next federal election is being be set up, to counter that of the Business Council, and geared to ensure that an independent voice is heard. There will be a push for policies that put a fairer economy on the Agenda, and tackle unemployment, poverty, housing shortages and cost of living pressures.
GetUp’s initiative is a good indicator of what we all must do. If we take up the challenge together, we might just initiate a movement, that not only knocks back an attack but brings about a major change.
When people are all on Facebook, and segregated into little communities – not actually meeting each other face-to-face, when no-one has come up with a viable political party alternative, no-one answers emails, their mobile phone, councillors do not talk to each other or answer emails, and here in the Northern Rivers [northern to who – Sydney-centralised thought?] parochialism is almost 100% – are we just becoming Matrix-like Internet addicts? Where is the pragmatism? It’s all just words in space with ‘Big Brother Corporation’ continually taking notes.
NDIS means jobs for people telling others with disabilities that there’s nothing for them except people are ‘managing’ their case. Disability groups are not advocating or supporting their clients – or they may lose their funding and jobs.
Please explain – why do people keep voting for governments? As far as I can see all parties available to vote for are neo-liberal, and do not want to empower the people. We have to go toward direct democracy, and appropriate regions of government. Mathematically, we cannot have democracy in our Northern NSW regions.