Have you ever lived in such turbulent times? We really don’t know what to expect from one day to the next. With such uncertainty it is difficult to plan ahead.
We are being warned that an economic downturn is on the way, as if many aren’t already experiencing this.
Some will not be affected and can continue living comfortable lives; others will need to adjust and adapt to even tougher times.
Many are already struggling.
After attending a book launch in Byron the other evening, I came out to discover two homeless people settling down for the night under the awnings of nearby shops. My heart went out to them; I wanted to help in some way. I had a comfortable home to return to, they didn’t.
It is totally unacceptable that so many are homeless in one of the richest countries in the world. How did this happen?
This crisis of inequality was engineered and accelerated by neoliberalism, adopted by both major parties. Taxes were slashed for rich individuals and corporations while government-provided services were privatised. Ordinary taxpayers now shoulder too great a share of the tax burden.
Rapidly worsening inequality is unravelling our social fabric, especially in rural and regional areas where health services are woefully inadequate, and housing is unaffordable for average wage earners.
Pauline Hanson, who for decades was just a fringe player in politics, has capitalised on this wave of anger and dissent. Assisted by Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, One Nation has moved into the mainstream, aided by bot farms infesting social media with nasty memes convincing angry, marginalised people that she speaks for them.
If those people took a moment to study her voting record, they would realise she represents harsh Trump-style politics, not average Aussie battlers. Like Trump, she denies the reality of the climate crisis and is anti-environment, even voting against the new Great Koala National Park.
Her anger and ‘I’m sick of it’ approach to politics attracts disgruntled voters. The online memes amplify abuse and hate and are damaging to a healthy democracy. Mocking Jacqui Lambie’s vaginal prolapse was cruel and her cartoon of politicians being rammed by a SUV is completely unacceptable and incites violence.
Whilst there’s possibly no connection, the whole country was deeply shocked when independent MP Helen Haines was subsequently rammed by a car and lost both legs, remaining in a serious condition in hospital.
Add to this the crisis created by demented Donald’s Iran war and rocketing fuel prices, the deepening climate crisis, and AI throwing thousands out of work, and we have a recipe for severe uncertainty and civil unrest.
In the UK, for example, expectation of worse climate shocks has led Prime Minister Andy Burnham to urge British households to stock up with three days’ worth of bottled water, non-perishable food, spare batteries, and a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio.
In France and elsewhere, despair at inequality has triggered huge demonstrations and riots. The right has blamed immigrants for the riots but it’s not true.
There are workable solutions to deal with inequality in Australia, but the Albanese government would need courage to introduce changes. We see no real signs of this government backing away from corporate-backed neoliberalism.
Even those modest capital gains tax reforms were viciously attacked but were nothing compared to what’s needed to adequately fund public housing and the health system.
Imagine if they tried to do what the Grattan Institute recommends – increase the GST to 15 per cent and widen it to include fresh food, health, and education.
States are crippled by inadequate income and struggle to provide vital services.
Increased GST revenue could be more than offset for those on lower incomes by lifting pensions and raising the tax-free threshold on incomes.
Another way to generate badly needed revenue would be to properly tax our mineral exports. We are virtually giving them away.
Capital gains tax could be increased, the top tax rate on high income earners lifted back to 67 percent, where it was for decades, and company tax rates returned to 45 per cent.
Sadly, the likelihood is that ordinary Australians will be left to fend for themselves and struggle as best they can. This is where we as a community must come together to support each other to the best of our abilities.
There are community gardens where we can grow some of our own food. It’s also vital we support farmers’ markets and health food stores supplying fresh, clean, local produce. Supply chain disruptions may become more frequent with wild, unpredictable weather. We must ensure local farmers remain viable.
There are great op shops, like Global Ripple in Byron, where we can take surplus possessions and acquire items very cheaply.
Above all, though, we as a community need to reject the politics of hate. It has no place in Australia. Kindness must prevail.
♦ Richard Jones is a former NSW MLC, and is now a ceramist.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
