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.
People learn their sense of values from the experience of living with each other.
The social cohesion that binds communities can, given a certain environment, have a negative effect. This can result in communities clinging together bound by fear of the different. We saw this most starkly in Queensland during the federal election, with the ugliness of racism assisting in the election of ultra right wing candidates. The agenda of this government is becoming crystal clear. By treating any Australian differently based on their occupation, based on their gender, based on their ethnicity and so on, we are all devalued.