These days there are frequent apologies, non-apologies, refusals to apologise and extended qualifications of apologies with weasel phrases such as “this is not who we are” – despite the behaviour of the organisation uttering the words obviously being exactly who and what they are.
It’s instructive to view these faux and sincere variations of apologies within the context of the work of two Canadian-American sociologists, the late Nicholas Tavuchis and the late Erving Goffman.
The British pride themselves on the abolition of the slave trade.
Yet the 1807 decision banned the Atlantic slave trade but did not abolish colonial slavery and more than 700,000 men, women and children continued to suffer pain, cruelty and violence in the British Caribbean until 1833. It was not until 1823 that the British Anti-slavery Society was formed.
The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) doesn’t immediately spring to mind as one of the major progressive voices – except perhaps in contrast with Scott Morrison.
The June issue of their magazine, Company Director, is a good example.
Start with the magazine cover which has a red background; a few pointers to articles inside; some identifying stuff; and a stark headline, ENOUGH, centred in the design.
The Victorian Liberal Opposition is inept – witness their landslide loss at the last election – but now they are sinking into desperate and despicable measures.
Premier Daniel Andrews has, as everyone knows, been off work after damaging his spine in an accident at a holiday home.
As with much politics these days the accident has unleashed a barrage of grossly defamatory conspiracy theories and rumours disseminated by word of mouth and social media.
It is ironic that the most successful film – in box office terms – about climate change and dramatic changes to the earth was made by Rupert Murdoch’s 20th Century Fox.
It was called The Day after Tomorrow; took about half a billion dollars at the box office; and featured events loosely based on some Mayan prophecies.
There are two significant barriers to Australian electric vehicle (EV) take up in Australia – publicly accessible charging infrastructure suitable for a large country and Scott Morrison.
Back in 2019 when the Labor Opposition pledged to a target of 50% EVs by 2030 Scott Morrison scoffed, reprising one of his parliamentary over-the-top rants (remember his “this is coal” moment) saying Labor wanted to abolish the weekend and tradies and families wouldn’t be able to get to work or go on holidays.
While Federal Labor, in contrast to Joe Biden, is disappearing into a fearful huddle desperate to avoid any suggestion it would ever try to make Australia a more equitable place the rich are getting richer and richer.
It’s abandoned getting rid of negative gearing; preparing to let through tax cuts which disproportionately favour the well-off; and, dropped the plan to remove dividend imputation.
The City of Port Phillip councillors believe they represent a vibrant, cultured, cosmopolitan and environmentally friendly place.
Recently it did a bit for the vibrant side by allowing clubs, pubs and entertainment centres to stay open longer and make more noise. This louder and longer strategy angered many residents and will probably result in property values in the affected areas falling.
Scott Morrison’s churlishness is always on show when some Australian achieves great success in any area where Morrison’s perceived political enemies lurk.
In October last year, when the rest of the world celebrated the ratification by 50 countries of The Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, thus allowing the historic though symbolic text to come into force after 90 days, the Government refused to sign the Treaty.
Before Maggie Thatcher, Nigel Farage, John Howard, George Osborne and Donald Trump there was Enoch Powell.
A new book about Enoch Powell (Enoch Powell: politics and ideas in modern Britain) by Paul Corthorn reminds us of that while we may be hostile to Powell’s political views we need to acknowledge his role as the precursor of many of the political developments over the past 50 years – from opposition to immigration and neo-liberalism to Brexit and the potential break up of Britain.