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The National Apology began a process of relationship-building with Aboriginal Australians. This process has come to an end, with ministerial calls for racially targeted docking of welfare payments for parents whose children are not attending school on remote communities.
Text from the 4th Annual Gerald Ward Lecture 'How do we design a dignified welfare safety net without becoming a Nanny State? — Lessons from Catholic Social Teaching', presented by Fr Frank Brennan SJ at the National Library of Australia, 18 November 2011.
Labor has used its rock star politician to push paper around. Peter Garrett was a hero to a lot of us. Get him out of that godawful suit and let him speak — sing, if he has to! — his mind on every issue that made him the most outspoken rock singer this country has seen.
Few people give a toss about Bilbies, the Arts or Heritage, but the moment someone rediscovers them and deems them indispensable, only to find that Bilbies are disappearing and Arts and Heritage are in palliative care, Garrett's a goner — again.
We are often quick to blame government ministers. In the case of Bill Shorten, Stephen Conroy and Peter Garrett, they may emerge with tarnished reputations. But in rushing to criticise our ministers we often let ourselves off the hook too easily.
Shadow Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett has suffered substantial damage to his reputation over the Tasmanian pulp mill. What Garrett thinks personally doesn't actually matter, other than ultimately to his conscience.
Other than formal interaction between nations, the role of non-government organisations (NGOs) who provide the heavy lifting in aid relief and community building in war-torn regions is critical, as is the exercise of citizen's voices, and the involvement they have with the political processes of their country.
Christine Williams meets Peter Garrett.