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https://theconversation.com/we-cant-coerce-our-way-to-social-cohesion-heres-what-else-governments-should-be-doing-277734>
"Last week, Queensland followed the New South Wales and federal parliaments by
passing stronger hate crime laws in response to the Bondi terror attack.
The Queensland laws target two specific phrases – an approach that risks the
laws being struck down as unconstitutional. Two protesters were arrested on
Wednesday – the day the laws came into effect.
The NSW laws strengthened criminal offences and clamped down on protest rights.
The federal laws trigger possible prison time for anyone connected with a
banned hate group.
According to the governments introducing them, these laws will not only make
our communities safer, they will also enhance our social cohesion. In
introducing the national laws, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said “the
passage of this bill will give us hope that Australia will continue to be a
place of tolerance and that our diversity can be displayed with pride”.
Since the Bondi attack, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for “social
cohesion” at least 35 times. Former opposition leader Sussan Ley invoked the
phrase nearly as much. The words are used by politicians and commentators
across the political spectrum to justify everything from banning Swastikas to
halting migration.
Can we really create more cohesive societies by banning everything we deem to
be not cohesive? Has social cohesion become just another buzzword, or can
governments still achieve it through meaningful reform?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
