The politics of shame

As the election countdown reaches its midway point, it is interesting to note how the two campaigns are unravelling. Much to everyone’s surprise, while to date the Liberals have been largely rallying, the Labor Party under Julia Gillard seems to have trouble keeping its campaign on track. In the week that the United States was trying to hose down problems caused to its Afghanistan war efforts by the document published by Wikileaks, the Labor Party was in full damage control as disparaging comments about the elderly attributed to Julia Gillard were leaked to the media. As Gillard’s fortunes took a tumble, it seemed that the Labor machine was scrambling to keep its message on track.

As Prime Minister, Julia Gillard is an unknown to the Australian people. In her haste to call the elections, she has not given the electorate much time to know her and as she is thrust into the hurly burly of politics, voters are taking time to warm to her. While Labor’s strong points of education and health are flying high in the campaign, their climate and population policies has aligned them more with their opponents, rather than as a party on its beliefs. While Liberal leader Tony Abbott is a known climate sceptic, Gillard’s announcement of a think tank of 150 to discuss the issues of climate change has angered many. This seems to have cost her (and her predecessor) popular support.

The Coalition has always been unrelenting in their attack on migration, and that the Labor party is also issuing similar statements disguising them as “sustainable

BY PAWAN LUTHRA

Australia”, is disappointing. Both parties are targeting asylum seekers and migrants as a problem, rather than starting the debate on infrastructure management. Better transport facilities, housing arrangements etc., must be invested in; cities such as London and New York are prime examples of vibrant multi-cultural communities living together and enriching each other’s lives, rather than the shallow interpretation shown by Australian politicians. Australia is a country made of migrants – whether these are the forced convict migrants from England over 222 years ago or the wave of European migration after the World War II.

This is who we are and for any politicians to imply otherwise and build their campaign on the roots of fear and racial divide is deplorable. Shame on them!

On another matter, the Delhi Commonwealth Games will begin in little over six weeks and reports of unsafe facilities and shoddy workmanship on game venues are surfacing. The Central Bureau of Investigation in India has been called in and details of corruption in awarding contracts for building and false completion certificates are emerging. While these investigations continue, the damage is being done to Brand India. The reputation of India is at stake and after the fantastic

Olympic Games in Beijing and the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, it is meant to be time for India to show its true colours to the world. To date, all reports coming from India are disparaging with headlines in Australia screaming Shame Games.

With Australia being one of the leading contenders at these Games and record monies being paid by the television channels to secure broadcasting rights, the update on the state of the stadiums in eye-grabbing headlines here, are being noticed.

Brand India is in danger of being seen in a very poor light and the non-existent efforts by the Government of India Tourism Office here to promote spectator or tourist traffic to the Games amongst Australians isn’t helping. Indian Australians are their ambassadors and mouth pieces; their engagement in promoting the Commonwealth Games in Delhi has not been harnessed to its full potential.

It’s time for the official representatives of India to speak up for Brand India. But will they take up the challenge?