Rita Panahi: Why navy’s political activism deserves the finger
IF THERE’S one workplace that should be immune from the madness of victimhood culture and the influence of the activist class it’s the armed forces, writes Rita Panahi.
Rita Panahi
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IF THERE’S one workplace that should be immune from the madness of victimhood culture and the influence of the activist class it’s the armed forces.
It’s bad enough that Australian Defence Force personnel, charged with protecting the country, are subjected to absurd quotas and discriminatory recruitment practices — but now they’re being encouraged to paint their fingernail pink to show their support for “equality”.
NAVY MOCKED OVER PAINTED NAIL PHOTO
The Department of Defence’s latest cringe-worthy foray into moral posturing has been met with the derision it so richly deserves.
On the weekend, the official Twitter account of the Defence Force posted this nonsense complete with a picture of a bearded sailor holding up his painted pink pinky: “Recently, the @Australian_Navy began taking part in the #100DaysForChange campaign. To encourage gender equality and diversity in the workplace, personnel in Sydney painted their pinky fingernails pink as a visual indication of support.”
Recently, the @Australian_Navy began taking part in the #100DaysForChange campaign.
— Defence Australia (@DeptDefence) July 28, 2018
To encourage gender equality and diversity in the workplace, personnel in Sydney painted their pinky fingernails pink as a visual indication of support. pic.twitter.com/AK9JqszdR6
To say the reaction was not positive is a wild understatement. Let’s put aside the nincompoopery required to back a campaign headed by Tracey Spicer, the broader question is why is the ADF involved in divisive Leftist activism? #100DaysForChange is the sort of “progressive” politicking infecting public and increasingly private institutions under the guise of diversity and equality.
On the Navy’s website, the program is promoted with Orwellian propaganda encouraging all “Navy people” to change by “holding a workplace conversation about the Diversity and Inclusion strategy and 100 Days For Change; attending/participating/supporting a women’s sporting event; reviewing orders, instructions and procedures to overcome gender bias; taking a campus course on unconscious bias; celebrate commitments and promote 100 Days For Change in your workplace.”
Deputy Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Mark Hammond, adds that: “diversity and inclusion is a force multiplier ... we are yet to fully capitalise upon all of the inherent strengths of our diverse workforce, and to fully leverage the potential of the entire Australian recruiting pool.”
Any program promoting junk research underpinning “unconscious bias” should be avoided like the plague.
Gender diversity has become an industry dominated by those who have turned their imagined victimhood into a profitable career path, typically financed by taxpayers.
The ADF’s priority should be the defence of Australia, not divisive, virtue signalling programs.
The “strength through diversity” claptrap that has seen the adoption of quotas and affirmative action has the potential to further damage morale and undermine the achievement of women who got where they are on merit.
Being fully representative of the wider population is neither important nor prudent for the Defence Force.
Not everybody is suited to serve; relaxing standards, particularly fitness tests, to recruit more women is a foolhardy extravagance.
Let me be clear that I believe women should be able to serve in any role they choose, including frontline and combat roles, as long as they meet the same requirements as male candidates.
Are we also going to have quotas for every ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation that is not adequately represented?
Last year Chief of Army Lieutenant General Angus Campbell said: “We aspire to have 25 per cent representation of women in Army by 2025.”
For that to occur the army would have to double its female workforce in the next seven years.
The focus should be on ensuring women in the armed forces, who are there on merit, are treated with respect and given every opportunity to succeed, instead of trying to boost numbers via quotas.
Understandably, some of those most upset are current and former members who have watched PC culture pollute the armed forces.
An internal defence force document obtained by The Daily Telegraph last year revealed ADF recruiters are given quotas that exclude men from many advertised roles in the army, navy and air force.
The ADF attempted to limit the damage of the reports by releasing a statement that said: “All roles in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are open for men and women to apply.”
But the ADF whistleblower who works in recruitment confirmed that though men can apply, “only women will get the job”.
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One would have hoped the defence force had learned from the damage caused under the reign of David Morrison, who oversaw the Army’s ill-advised foray into the divisive world of identity politics.
Morrison, who I believe went on to become the worst Australian of the Year, remains deeply disliked by many former and current servicemen.
He has since carved a niche as a gender equality crusader. As chair of the Diversity Council of Australia he lectures the nation on the evils of gendered language such as “guys”.
“I have now removed that (guys) from my lexicon ... I think it’s important,” Morrison said. He also lectures companies which pay the Diversity Council up to $1800 an hour to deliver programs that warn employees about the “power of words” and the perils of using “non-inclusive” language such as “mum”.
NSW RSL president James Brown was among those to admonish the navy for becoming involved in political activism.
“Navy has made great progress in making sure women aren’t unfairly treated,” he said. “But ordering uniformed personnel to join social-activism campaigns is a step too far and risks politicising the defence force.”
— Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist.
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