We have a strong sense of local identity, a strong sense of ourselves. Margaret Thatcher's notion that there is no such thing as society is an anathema to those of us in the Labor Party. The fact that there is such a thing as society is clearly axiomatic. Eva Cox said in her recent delivery of the Boyer lecture series that social capital is the sum of our social connections and the levels of trust we need to maintain a truly civil society. We live in an era of constant change.
People are afraid.
They are afraid for their jobs. They are afraid for their future. Wh en the Japanese economy goes into three consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, workers around Australia fear for their livelihoods. The internationalisation of the world economy has brought about often painful change to Australian workers. The response of governments must be the rebuilding and nurturing of communities and the reintroduction of certainty and security in people's lives and a sense of belonging.