Prosperity with purpose - a fresh approach to some unfinished business

Some also argue that we will not get effective human rights protection until we experience the sorts of political or social crises that have occurred in other countries. And it does appear that the relatively benign experience of government for most Australians has had a somewhat soporific effect on policy-making and political response. But how long will we maintain our wilful blindness to the plight of our fellow human beings whose experience of this “benign neglect” is devastating, if not fatal?

A while longer yet, it would appear.

Initiatives like that of New Matilda are failing to galvanise the community. When there is so little political support for human rights, one approach is to try and slip in a modest proposal, and call it an advance.

But modest approaches have the tendency to encourage an apathy whereby people believe that an issue has been addressed. Such issues, though, can remain an open wound in our society for an age, masking a deep absence. For example, even in respect of some relatively popular human rights issues in Australia, such as those affecting women, protection has not been absolute or even, in some cases, adequate. The exemptions from protection under the 1984 Sex Discrimination Act, made for reasons of political compromise and expediency, remain with us as employees of government-funded independent schools can testify.

Timidity rarely inspires. The compromised model of republican reform, like the compromised past rights referendum, did not contain enough excitement or benefit to overcome the doubts about the value of change.

A better approach is to work on longer-term solutions and try to build some support from a wide range of sectors for more fundamental reform. Fortunately, we have strong and effective models from many other western democracies from which we can learn and borrow.

Many Australians are looking for reassurance that we can be a nation where all - irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, religion, colour, or disability - can help shape a democratic, open, fair and pluralistic society of the future.

We believe that a commitment to these positive values will demonstrably improve the quality of our Australian way of life, and address those long running problems that damage real people, and our national self-regard.

In the lead up to the next federal election and beyond we have an active debate about values, which will broaden the range of people that want to address these issues. As the election of new leadership in the Labor party indicates, there is a desire for more than more of the same. We need to ensure that deep consideration of the issues that Australia faces over the long term is reflected in civic infrastructure, and we need to build alliances to ensure that the big issues are addressed.