But at the same time these governments seem to be trying their darndest to stop communities forming. In 2009, the winners of the Premier's Community Volunteering Award have to be more than just civic-minded; they also have to be really good at filling out paperwork.
This stifling of social interaction is a worldwide phenomenon. In the UK, more than a decade of Labour government has left a moribund nation struggling under the weight of bureaucracy.
It was brought into stark relief this week when the British Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills accused two best friends who babysat each other's children of running an "illegal child minding business". They determined that taking turns constituted virtual payment for services. Then they told the mothers surveillance teams would be monitoring the families to ensure this regulatory breach did not occur again.
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Pretty much the same thing happened in Michigan: a woman was fined and threatened with jail for minding children waiting for the bus in front of her house.
Australian community hasn't been totally regulated away yet. But it's disappearing. Unless governments drop their nanny-first attitude, we'll lose it.
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