Editor’s view: It’s time for government to get out of our lives

Between Covid and our latest flood disaster a worrying trend has emerged of government swooping in to impose their will on what should be matters for individuals to decide, writes The Editor.

The past two years have been challenging as Covid robbed us of many of our freedoms.

The past two weeks have been fraught as flooding rains remind us we’re still at the mercy of a chaotic natural world.

Yet this series of challenges has highlighted a worrying trend of government intrusion into our lives which we, if we are to remain a resourceful and independent people, should end. The easing back on laws governing the wearing of masks last night in Queensland might represent a good juncture to assess exactly how intense this helicopter form of government has become. The mask laws were a sensible precaution against the spread of Covid and most Queenslanders accepted them because they understood a mask curbs increased risk of infection in a public place.

But those who understand that the most successful societies on earth were built by ordinary people, largely unimpeded by heavy handed rule makers, rightly feel an unease at how our behaviour is now so readily circumscribed by government fiat.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

This week’s ridiculous directive by the State Government to close schools because of fears of impending wet weather only served to further highlight how our elected representatives now so easily swoop in and impose their arbitrary will on what should be matters for individuals to decide.

And individuals can be relied upon. The flooding of the last few days has brought out the best in Queenslanders who often make it a priority to check on neighbours after a serious flood event. They share equipment required in the clean up and often attend to household repairs if damage is minimal. They also cook food on backyard barbecues if the electricity is out, like the Ashgrove resident who this week made dozens of pizzas in his wood fired oven to keep everyone fed during the clean-up. After their own affairs are in order, these ordinary Queenslanders might head out to join the “Mud Army,’’ to help get others back on their feet.

This, it should be noted, is not “your government at work.’’

This is society at work. Ordinary people working cooperatively to solve problems without need for directives or oversight from government agencies.

The political philosopher Thomas Paine, an instigator of the American Revolution, made an observation 250 years ago which remains insightful today: “Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.’’

We in Australia have built a society that seemed to get the balance just about right. We have supported strong governments which have worthy roles in containing threats such as Covid, as well as providing well resourced emergency services to assist us through natural disasters like floods. Yet Australians have always insisted ordinary citizens have the freedom to live largely unrestricted lives so they can fulfil their potential in the manner they see fit. It is unquestionably true that, in the last few years, the “blessings of society’’ have been heavily intruded upon by governments.

We need a pathway back to our sense of self reliance, or we risk infantilizing ourselves as helpless creatures who believe a hovering government can be relied upon to both protect us from harm, and make all our important decisions for us.