Governments Govern, NOT Dictate!

LADY OPINE SPEAKS…

With an election pending, it seems appropriate to give reference to our present and indeed our former Governments. ‘Governing Body’ and ‘Government’ are terms in themselves, the meaning of which in Australia, seems to have been long forgotten, overlooked and worse still, completely ignored by those who do actually ‘govern’ our country.

A government is there to do exactly that ~ to govern. Australia’s government is not a dictatorship. It does not tell it’s people what they may do, when, where and how. We are not a republic, just yet. We are not a communistic country, thought oftentimes it feels such more and more, as with each passing day, our freedoms as individuals are being thwarted or removed completely, piece by piece, little by little and oftentimes without our even realising it.

Presently one issue being covered prolifically by the media is the sale of ‘cheaper’ cigarette imports from Germany by Coles Supermarkets. A request has just been made that a base price be placed on cigarettes. The ‘claim’ for this base price being put in place is that this will assist in the drop of cigarette sales and thus increase incidences of improved health. Wrong.

As any decent doctor or psychologist will tell us, for the sustained health of both mind and body, an individual must have a release valve, some form of relief from the daily grind; one must have reprieve and something to look forward to and enjoy in order to keep functioning on any sort of sane level from day to day. For many, this reprieve and relaxation comes in the form of a drink and or a cigarette at the end of a long day. As any smoker, drinker or indeed anyone who partakes of pleasure of any kind will tell you, if they want it, they will buy it at any price; a point well known by our Government. Our esteemed leaders know full well that every individual will make his or her own choice and take money from other things in order to be able to wind down with a little pleasure; a right to which any Australian is entitled.

The taxes, and thus the prices have been raised on cigarettes and alcohol, it is said, to decrease sales, thus improving the health of the individual and therefore of the nation. Poppycock. What in fact the Government has done in increasing taxes on these pleasure items, is not improve the health of the nation, but placed more stress on the individual, thereby lowering our national ‘health scale‘. One must either find a way to make more money in order to partake of cigarettes or alcohol, or take the money from elsewhere, thus placing a greater financial pinch on other areas of ones budget in order to exercise one’s right to feel good. Increasing the taxes and therefore the cost of any item, be it a pleasure item like cigarettes, or a necessary function item, like electricity, benefits only the Government, not its people. The increases we are experiencing across the nation are encouraged and indeed instigated in many cases by the Government in order to increase it’s own profit margin through taxes. The Government is taking from the people, not giving to them, or doing for them, as is their claim.

The Government will, of course agree to make a ruling on a base price for cigarettes simply because it is in their own best financial interests to do so. The profit margins from purchase to sale for cigarette companies will sky-rocket and so too as a result will the Governments pockets rattle just that little more healthily in June, all at the expense of the Australian people. Heaven knows, it is no secret that the Australian Government needs to scrape as much profit from the countries populace as they can to flesh out the financial skeleton they have created for the Australian nation. If the Australian Government were a business, it would have been forced to declare bankruptcy long ago.

Logically, if the Government does indeed make a ruling in favour of a base price for cigarettes, it can do the same for electricity and indeed all essential household utilities upon which we all rely and which so many Australians can ill afford. A cap should be set on utilities. If the Government can make a price ruling on a product, it can also make a price ruling on an essential service. Why have they not yet set a cap on utility services? Such a move would not be beneficial to the governments own financial coffers; it would benefit only the Australian people; reducing the strain on finances, resulting in a reduction of stress, and increase in the ability to keep warm, or cool, and therefore an increase in improved health… of the nation… would it not…?? Not to mention a decrease in budget cuts for the individual, resulting in a healthier, more balanced overall economy… surely? Placing increased financial strain and stress on a nations populace does not and will not ever improve the health of a nation. One begins to think our esteemed leaders believe all of Australia was born in the dark ages… Certainly a mallet to the head for some of them would do no harm at all!

In a language other than political speak that which our Government is constantly doing financially across all industry, is called profiteering. If a member of the Australian public were to do such, they would be looking at the inside of a prison cell, or at least a hefty fine. It leads one to ask whether our Government is adhering to the law of the land as outlined by the Australian Constitution. They most certainly are not in so many instances; this is but one. So what other laws of the land has our Government broken and in so doing betrayed the nation and it’s people? The chorus laughs loudly with derision. It would be easier and quicker to list those which it has not broken, as they are few and far between. The Constitutional is not taught in schools anymore for a reason. Keep the people ignorant and they will not know they have been wronged.

The Australian public are struggling daily to meet basic needs, financially, physically, emotionally and mentally. One cannot relax into one’s life and look to a future of ones own choosing when daily one is being restricted, constricted and structured into a way of life which demands struggle on a daily basis in order to simply function. This is not the way any individual should have to live their life and it is most certainly not fruitful for any country as a whole to be struggling in a ’hand-to-mouth’ lifestyle loop. This is the ‘lifestyle’ of most Australians.

Australia is not a third world country. It is a continent in itself which should be and would be completely self-sufficient if run by a Governing body who‘s focus was on her people, her lands and her future, rather than being the profit focused Government which it presently is. This in itself would not be problematical for Australia, if the financial focus was aimed at securing profits from outside sources in trade by supplying other countries with the absolutely ample supply of natural resources and labour skills we Australians possess. But it isn’t. Australia subsidises other countries to import in massive quantities those products, resources and labour skills which we already posses in abundance, while her citizens are being forced to sit and watch her crops die, and her work force dwindle. A qualified, experienced, eager to learn and passionate population are hanging helpless at the hands of a Government who will not support it’s people! Australia is largely reliant on the income of it’s own people for it’s financial security, whilst at the same time it is stripping away all possibility and potential for the Australian population, Australian business and industry to participate in their own country’s growth and output. It makes no sense and it cannot be sustained; this way of existence, sucking the lifeblood from her people will be Australia’s downfall as a nation. And this should not and need not be.

There is an old saying; ‘Look after your own first.’ This, when applied to a nation, simply works. Switzerland is as strong as it is, being as small as it is, because it lives by this creed. Russia, regardless of her ups and downs is as strong as she is because her own people come first. China is a formidable force as a nation for the same reason. Britain and her monarchy remain eternally respected because her focus as a nation is always in favour and protection of her people. Hitler was defeated by the steadfast loyalty, determination, compassion and passion of the British people for their country, their Queen and for a lifestyle which they held dear and were determined to hang onto, whatever the cost. One wonders if, realistically, Australia as it stands today, under the leadership we presently have, could achieve the same in the same circumstances against any of our neighbours if such an event were to arise.

When the focus of a country is on the health, happiness and well-being of it’s populace it becomes a beacon of strength in itself upon which not only the populace may comfortably depend , trust and rely, but also upon which other countries then begin to lean upon, respect and desire to deal with on equal terms. A country which stands proud and sure in its own strengths and capabilities will always prosper, regardless of any orbit in which the rest of the world may be churning. When a country is reliant upon another country’s supply, charity or finance to uphold it’s people, lands or industry, it cannot and will never survive in its own right. Australia is not a beacon of strength in her own right and the whole world knows it, not the least of all, her own people.

A country’s strength lies in the individual. When each individual is able to freely focus on making for him/herself and their family a secure, sure, stable and prosperous future, the country then also prospers as a whole. While-ever a government recognises, heeds and builds upon the strengths and needs of its people, the people will stand loyal and strong in support of it and the nation as a whole will grow and flow as it should, becoming stronger, more stable and more secure, not only in itself, but in its standing within the world as a whole. It is a certain case of microcosm, macrocosm. Just as the attitude of any country starts at the top, with it’s leaders, the hope and prosperity of a country starts at the bottom, with the desires, dreams, outlook, abilities and capabilities of it’s own people. When the population loses hope, motivation is lost, interest in all things begins to wane, output slackens, desire ebbs, profits lapse, and the country as a whole begins to die. Just like any mechanism or entity, all parts must be constantly lubricated and updated, maintained in healthy working order and functioning smoothly in order for the mechanism to function effectively and efficiently as a whole. Every member of the nation must feel he/she is able to look to and live for a happy and prosperous future and have absolute confidence in the knowledge that they may relax and live, comfortably and safely under a Government which they can be certain is fair and just, functioning for the people with the nations best interests at heart. A Government must operate solely in favour of both the country and her people, first before all other outside considerations.

Everyday Australians are struggling to meet basic, daily needs in order to maintain what meagre semblance of a life they have. Most Australians do not fathom the meaning of the term ’lifestyle’, because they simply have not been given and likely wont be given the opportunity to aim for or live within the scope of a life they would choose to have. The way in which most Australians are being forced to live is not a life, it’s a necessary existence which cannot be sustained. History itself (so often not allowed to be even taught in Australia) is demonstrative to the fact that, Australia; being such a young and inexperienced country, and proceeding in it’s current ‘regime’ of existence; has only one of two ways to go… she will fall under the leadership of another country, whether through war, or necessity, or her people will rebel. A Government cannot continually take from it’s people in order to sustain itself and not expect backlash of some kind from the very people it is using to feather its own nest. Nor can it continually rely upon outside sources for its continual growth and sustenance. Something has to give. The Australian government is and has been for a very long time now, sucking it’s people dry. No country can be left thirsty without reprieve for so long without dire consequences ensuing.

The Australian Government, both sides, live in hope that the Australian people will not and have not recognised the fact that they are being cheated, little by little, out of their money, freedoms, privacy and their individual rights. The governing bodies constantly rely on the assumed gullibility of the Australian people in order to continue taking from them those things to which they are entitled.

Cigarettes are only one tiny example of this. Smoking in public places is another. The recently renewed right of the police to arrest anyone, anywhere, anytime under the guise of ‘terrorism’ is yet another. Not realising the ramifications this ruling held for individual freedom and rights, the public placed little objections to it. The word ‘terrorism’ was the reason given; a word which in itself creates terror, and implies a certain trust in our governing bodies is granted, which is the whole point. A scared population is a population which may be controlled. Prior to this the police force had to have due cause for an arrest, now anyone may be a victim of unfair, ‘justice‘ and ‘protection‘. It is interesting to note also that Australian ’services’ are now known as ’forces’; It is these little things which indicate the flow of the Governing psyche and where it is coming from.

Negating the right of the individual to legally bear arms, and therefore protect ones family and home was yet another encroachment on individual freedom, which, under the guise of ‘safety and protection of the public’, simply slipped by. In the event of war, however, in a country as vast, with a population as widespread, as Australia, the best deterrent for an invading force of any kind is the knowledge that every home has it’s own protection and the know-how to use it. Australia does not have the population to match it’s size, comparative to other nations, but it always had unity, mate-ship and a determined people, prepared and able to fight to protect her, be it from an individual attack in an individuals home or individual defence against an invading force. We no longer have that.

It is the right of the individual Australian to do that which they please and that which they must so long as it is within the bounds of the law of the land. The issue here is not whether or not cigarettes and alcohol are harmful to one’s health, or whether or not our protective ‘forces‘ are just, whether or not sex before marriage is morally correct, or same sex relationships and adoption should be legal, or whether or not we can bear arms; the issue here is that these rulings being made quietly, little by little by our Governments on both sides, without reference to the Australian people. They are direct encroachments upon the individuals privacy, freedom of choice and right to live a life of individual choosing, without interference; and it is what these piecemeal deletions of our rights are leading to which is, or should be, of ultimate concern.

It is the duty of any Government to act in the best interests of its people. That is what they are there for. It must recognise, assess and act upon the needs and the voice of the population. It is elected by the people, to act in favour of the people, on behalf of the people in order to ensure that the entire population have that which they need. It is not the function of the Government to intervene and interfere with the individual, private doings of its people and the day-to-day running of their lives. Look around…

It is the complacency of the Australian people, relaxed in the assumed knowledge that Australia as an island and a country is a strong force in herself, with adequate defence, finance and industry which allows the Government to feed the populace unwise propaganda of the surety of our position in the world as a whole, both financially and militarily. This same complacency also allows the Government to little by little delete individual freedoms and rights from right under our noses. One fears the day may not be so advanced in the future when Australia as a nation will be forced to wake up and recognise that the Australia that was, with her freedom, her lands, her strength, her mate-ship, her prosperity and her spirit, is no more.

Too late and a sad day indeed will that be.

Lady Opine.

© Tezi Magazine 2011

Quote: “‘Tis the voice of the people which will silence a government who will not listen.” ~ Teazy-D, 2011