Antinuclear

From Dave Sweeney – – a few thoughts after a bruising election.

This was a deeply disappointing result: Fear and loathing rewarded and so much that could be, won’t be. At least for now.

 But – not all was bad. There are bright stars in a dark night sky – and they can help us navigate to a different future.

• The new Senate is not a rubber stamp
• There are two new strong climate independents in the House of Reps and there are other strong voicers on the House cross bench
• Tony Abbott is gone
• Fraser Anning is gone: a man who happily stood alongside saluting fascists is out of public life
• Climate change and energy policy is on the radar and is not going to go away
• One of the worst things about a result like this is the way it makes you think badly about the people you see on the train, at the shops, at the footy. It is worth remembering that the Greens vote held – despite Palmer’s $70m ad spend, the number of Australians that voted Greens was one-third bigger than the number that voted for UAP & One Nation combined
• UAP’s $70m ad push focused on three things (anti-Shorten, fear about China, pro-nuclear power) and it did not win him a single seat. A massive loser at this election was nuclear power: the UAP result is a clear rejection of a reactor powered future.

 Change is not quick or easy. It seems to take forever and then it moves rapidly – look at the fall of the Berlin Wall, majority rule in South Africa, the emergence of Timor Leste. We need the courage and the resilience to continue to hope and to act.

 This election result should have been far, far better. It also could have been much worse.

 We are where we are – and we work with what we have.  And we work constantly and creatively to protect and grow those people and places that we value and love – and reduce radioactive risk. There is no greater or more important mission.

May 20, 2019 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized