Jeff Kennett: We’ve become a ‘flabby’ society – real leaders need to step up to restore our competitive edge
If the “Four Freedoms” outlined by Roosevelt and Churchill during World War II are relevant today, Victoria has a lot of work to do — and it needs leadership from our politicians and community to get there.
The federal parliament has risen until next year. The Victorian parliament is having its final sitting week.
The Prime Minister has married his partner Jodie Haydon. Jacinta Allan has opened her long-awaited Metro Tunnel. The Liberal Party has a new leader in Jess Wilson.
Offices will wind down and those who can afford it will start focusing on Christmas, and holidays.
It has been a big year for everyone, with challenges on many fronts. So, as we finish this year and soon embark on the next, maybe a bit of bipartisan refection is in order.
As you may know, I served for a brief time as an army officer in the infantry, serving in Malaysia and Singapore as a platoon commander. As such, I was trained in many aspects of warfare, but also in the need for concise, easy-to-understand administrative procedures.
I have remained interested in reading about Australian military wars and battles, but more so those men who were charged to lead those sent to protect our country’s interests: Sir John Monash (who I have always thought of as our finest Australian), Sir Thomas Blamey, General Pompey Elliott (our finest fighting officer) and many more.
In many ways, in evaluating a situation, the importance of devising a strategy and the need to appoint good people to achieve your objective is not very different in military or civilian situations.
Our leaders need to understand the situation in which they are operating, establish clear goals of what they want to achieve, what they need to deliver those goals, and how to actually deliver or execute those identified deliverables.
Those fundamentals apply to any business, sporting club, government and even any family.
So, looking at Victoria today and the issues we face – be that the implication of a huge debt and the interest payments on that debt, and its impact on basic services, personal and property safety, and the opportunity for individuals – what do we as a community actually want?
As Roosevelt and Churchill spelt out through the Atlantic Charter, just after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 during World War II, they wanted “Four Freedoms”.
The right of people to choose the form of government under which they will live; freedom from fear and want; a society of economic advancement; and social security.
Consider Victoria now, tomorrow and in 10 years’ time. We are free and will choose the government under which we will live. It is a very special gift from those who went before which we should never take for granted.
Freedom from fear and want. This can only be achieved by developing the very best of relationships with our international partners and ensuring we citizens of Australia can always live in a common united society.
A society of economic advancement. Sadly, Australia has become a very complacent society, where increasingly Australians look to and weak government have provided subsidies to individuals, families and businesses; where individual and collective responsibility has never been lower; and where productivity is almost negative.
Social security. This is not just about the crime rate we are experiencing in Victoria at present, but more importantly the way in which we respect each other, look after those less fortunate, the quality of our education, the broader provision of services, the consistency of policies, and the environment for aspirations to flourish.
Of course, in all of the above, there is the need to understand what we have to do, and then the ability to deliver.
Victoria, Australia is an extraordinary place to live. Miles away from the rest of the world, but a world that is shrinking because of improving technology, communications and military weaponry.
We have become a very flabby society. The concept of author Donald Horne that Australia is the “Lucky Country” may have been right when he published his tome, but it is less so today by some margin.
That is not to say we cannot become so again, but it will need leadership from our politicians and community.
We need to quickly change slightly the culture that currently exists, where we react to circumstance rather than working to prevent issues arising where we can.
In my mind the principles that underline my youthful education and training, which guided my government, are as important today if not more urgent.
Being in government is not a victory in itself. Being a good government is.
If we believe and accept the “Four Freedoms” outlined by Roosevelt and Churchill are relevant today, Australia and Victoria have a lot of work to do to secure those objectives.
We need Victoria to again become an exciting place to be, where we can work hard, be rewarded and have fun.
I am not sure there is much fun being had in our society today. Just a reflection.
Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria
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