Leadership in dark times

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Lead Editorial

17 April 2024
Vol. 26 No. 16

This week, shocking events in Australia seem to mirror the war turmoil raging overseas, which has a deep impact on our view of the world. We have witnessed the senseless killings in Bondi Junction, followed by the attack on the Assyrian Bishop, while holding our breath at the implications of Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Israel’s bombing of its Consulate in Syria, wondering whether Netanyahu’s response will be the trigger for WWIII (p. 12). Meanwhile, what confidence do we have in the present political leadership that is responsible for navigating through such crises: in Anthony Albanese, in Joe Biden, etc.?

The Australian Citizens Party’s motto is “citizens taking responsibility” because, as citizens, all of us are responsible for taking up the mantle of leadership our country needs. Our efforts, striving to advance the good every day, both in our country and in the world, give life to the conviction that the evil we see doesn’t have to be—it isn’t inevitable. When things go wrong, they go wrong for a reason, whether from a breakdown in mental health systems, or from the agendas of sinister elements hell-bent on dividing and conquering nations to preserve their power. We can find out and expose what those reasons are and promote solutions to make our country and the world a better place, which they can be, but we always have to work at it.

While the present situation is indeed dark and terrifying, our consistent leadership is shining through. The ACP’s tireless campaigning for a national bank, for the sole purpose of benefiting the people and the nation, is being recognised like never before. This week, in the Bribie Island hearing of the Senate inquiry into bank closures in regional Australia, the Senators were amazed at the size of the public audience, most of whom were ACP supporters organised by Queensland State Secretary Jan Pukallus, many wearing ACP shirts and hats. One Senator asked privately, “How many members do you have?” When told that what distinguishes our members is how active they are, and that they turn up, he replied, “They sure do!” Inquiry Chairman Matt Canavan welcome the audience and conspicuously acknowledged and thanked the ACP for the constructive role we have played through the 13-month inquiry. As ACP supporters Garth Gilbert, Jan and others testified, and all promoted the public postal bank solution, Senator Canavan tried very hard to sound like he was fully on side—it was a great conclusion to the hearings just before he finalises his report and recommendations.

On the international front, never lose sight of the full global picture, which is that while war rages in the Middle East and Ukraine, aided and abetted by dysfunctional government and warmongers in the USA and Europe, the world majority, while also at risk from any downward spiral into global war, is actually forging ahead on a sane path of pursuing economic development to uplift their populations. Those countries, centred around the BRICS partnership, are emerging as the sane leadership in the world, and achieving real results. The moral bankruptcy of the Western states that hold themselves up as the leaders of the world has never been more exposed, over their failure to defend the very foundations of international law by not condemning Israel’s attack on Iran’s consulate in Syria, yet hysterically condemning Iran’s deliberated, proportionate response. Countries of Africa, Asia and South America understand international law, and they see the Anglo-American gang trashing it to continue to excuse a genocide in Gaza.

The Anglo-American empire is an oligarchical London-Wall Street financial order hell-bent on preserving its global position from the emerging countries that want a more people-oriented system. Our leadership, as a political force inside the Anglo-American alliance, is essential to convince our nations that our best interest lies in joining the movement for economic development, not going to war against it.

In this issue:

• Queensland’s Bribie Island hosts final hearing of Senate inquiry that has exposed banks’ lies about branch closures, cashless agenda
• Financial deregulation propels Kennett’s rise
• MP slams branch closures after hundreds of calls
• How MPs’ brains were painted neoliberal
• The Black Swan rears its head at the Fed
• On the fall of the Francis Scott Key Bridge
• Philippines joins Australia, Japan as cannon fodder for USA’s war on China
• Middle East expert: Is peace possible?
• It is up to the Senate Committee now!
• Bloomberg discovers Hamilton, industry policy
• ALMANAC: The next chapter in the private hijacking of Australian banking, Part II

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