Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser has labelled Tony Abbotts use of the term Team Australia divisive and counter-productive. Mr Abbott used the phrase when announcing plans for new anti-terrorism laws, raising concerns among community leaders. The Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), which represents more than 150,000 Muslims, boycotted Mr Abbotts meeting with Muslim leaders in Melbourne after he told a radio station that everyone has got to be on Team Australia. Mr Fraser said the Prime Ministers choice of language was terrible. It resonates very, very badly with Australias ethnic communities, he told AM. If I were still a member of the Liberal Party I would be totally distraught. I am interested in policy and very much interested in whats going to happen in the next week, next month, next year. You have got to be able to debate, and using that term is almost an attempt to stop or to shut down debate. The Race Discrimination Commissioner has warned the Prime Minister and Federal Government should be careful not to cause divisions among the Arab and Muslim community. Mr Fraser said the larger question before Australians right now is what the countrys future will be. The former prime ministers recent book, Dangerous Allies, which won this years John Button literary prize for political commentary, argues that Australias close relationship with the United States could lead to conflict with China. How many politicians talk about that in a realistic sense? Theres no direct threat to Australia. We do not need to be a frightened nation, Mr Fraser told AM. You know, if America goes to war with China because Japan does something stupid – which is the most likely scenario – Australia, at the moment, on current policy settings, does not have the capacity to say No, he said. But Mr Fraser said the situation was no different under the Rudd or Gillard governments. You cant pick much difference between the political parties, he said. It was Gillard who put those American troops in Darwin. Julie Bishop said, Were going to stand up to China. What are we standing up to China about? We dont have an argument with China unless they create one. Mr Fraser said that, in many ways, it is in Australias DNA to sustain these relationships. It made sense in the early days when we were small colonies – few people, few resources. It has also made sense during the days of the Cold War, he said. It does not make sense in the changed strategic context. The world has changed; America has changed. Mr Fraser said new political voices are needed. And the level of disenchantment with todays politics is greater than its ever been, I think, in our history, he said. Thats not just an octogenarian saying that; I get young people saying it to me. We want a young mans revolution or a young peoples revolution – men and women saying, Weve had enough of this nonsense. We want a party that will stand for and work for Australia.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 03:36:14 +0000
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