The un-Australian of the year

AUSTRALIANS of the Year bagging out the Liberal government of the day is a tradition almost as old as the award itself.

Australian of the Year David Morrison.

AUSTRALIANS of the Year bagging out the Liberal government of the day is a tradition almost as old as the award itself. Which is why 2016’s Mr Australia, former Lieutenant-General and Chief of Army David Morrison, aiming his rhetorical cannon at the prime minister, wouldn’t have surprised anyone, least of all Malcolm Turnbull himself.

Selected less for his battlefield daring than his human ­resources ­heroism, Morrison wasted no time in taking a shot at Turnbull’s claim that there has “never been a more exciting time to be an Australian”.

Instead, said the general, ignoring evidence suggesting ours is a tolerant and cohesive ­nation that sees no conflict between its multi-­ethnic makeup and its Australian identity, Australia holds people back for being of the wrong gender, race, or religion.

And of course, he called for a ­republic. The conspiratorially minded have already suggested the whole thing was a stitch-up to create more publicity around the issue, a notion hardly dispelled by Peter FitzSimons’s quick declaration that actually, yes, he thinks David Morrison would make a great first president of Australia, come the ­revolution.

Australian of the Year David Morrison.

But when given a choice between a conspiracy and a cock-up, choose the latter. For if anything, Morrison’s ­appointment illustrates a principle of politics that has been used since ­Robespierre claimed his first not-­ardent-enough French Revolutionary.

Namely, that no matter how much one genuflects to the progressive, politically correct Left, there’s just no pleasing some people.

While racism and sexism are ­indeed evils that should be fought against, ­Morrison is inviting us into a trap that sees what people are — male or female, gay or straight, third-generation Irish — as more important than who they are. This is no way to encourage “equality”, no matter how you define it. Instead, as the ongoing culture wars in the US show us, such identity politics-based thinking is a cudgel used to shut up opponents and keep the rest of us off balance.

Perhaps it is time to do away with the institution of Australian of the Year altogether as the smattering of scientists on the rolls is dwarfed by long lines of progressive barrowpushers, sports stars and singers.

Like the way the government ­hothouses Olympic athletes, it speaks of forced, state-sanctioned enthusiasm, reminiscent of Eastern Europe in the bad old days.

The whole thing has ­become a beauty pageant, with each winner promising to use their 365 days wearing the crown to promote the worthy cause du jour.