eKourier July 2013

NEV’S NOTES

Nevs Notes... WHAT MAKES A GOOD AUSTRALIAN?

Nev enjoyed expressing his ideas in this section of the Kourier. These little gems have been appreciated by many in KSS. We will continue to publish his ideas that we have in stock. Enjoy! F rom time to time someone gets labelled a “good Australian”. It could be the latest sporting hero, or a person who has received down tariffs and making goods cheaper for most Australians? Was the Australian soldier who obediently went to their death in World War I and their families would be the first to volunteer and rush off and serve. After all these self-sacrificing servants of the people know what is best for us, and we would expect them to set the example.

some international recognition, or even someone who has distinguished himself or herself with a feat that makes us all identify with that person — a kind of tribal thing. Some people are truly exceptional human beings and deserve recognition. Becoming Australian-of-the-Year is a recognition that you are a “good Australian” and some superb people have been so honoured. But I wonder what really distinguishes a good Australian? What qualities or characteristics? Can one man’s good Australian be another’s not-so-good Australian, or even bad Australian? When Alan Bond won the Americas’ Cup he was labelled a “good Australian” (even though he was born in England), and then when he got caught for fraudulently stealing millions of other people’s money, he was stripped of his Good Australian title, and got relabelled by many as a bad Australian. He was probably at heart a bad Australian all along, but he got lucky and his frauds didn’t catch up with him for a while. Was Hitler a good German? Were Hitler’s would-be assassins good Germans or bad Germans? Was Mussolini a good Italian (after all, he made the trains run on time)? Did he only become a bad Italian when the war went badly and the people hated him so much they ignominiously killed him and strung him by the feet? (And what then happened to the trains?) Was Jack McEwen (one time Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Country Party) a good Australian by gaining tariff protection for Australian industry, thus protecting established businesses and union jobs? Or were Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke good Australians for bringing

following stupid orders from stupid officers good Australians? Or was a soldier who shot himself in the foot to avoid dying fruitlessly, or one who deserted, or even a soldier who shot his stupid officer to save himself and his mates — were these “traitors” actually good Australians? No doubt Che Guevara, the murdering and thieving revolutionary in Cuba is seen as a Good Cuban (actually he was Argentinian). Or Fidel Castro, who has brought his country and his people to poverty and slavery — is he a Good Cuban? “ Becoming Australian-of-the-Year is a good recognition that you are a “good Australian” and some superb people have been so honoured. ” It’s a bit like something being labelled as being “in the national interest”, a tag that suits the policy of the person (often a politician) putting it forward. Can something actually be in the national interest if it violates the rights and freedoms of some of the people affected? Can a war, that kills many people on both sides and costs millions of dollars of tax-payers’ money and reduces living standards (like Vietnam and Afghanistan) be justified in the national interest? And are the people who propound and prosecute such a war good Australians? If such a war were truly in the national interest one would think that the politicians

Patriotism, Nationalism, Australianism, Flag-Waving and jingoistic gestures of obeisance to a cause can be signs of a shallow mind. Rational Self Interest, Self Ownership, being true to one’s values, to one’s life and to protecting one’s life and the products of that life (property) are the highest and noblest and most ethical ideals; to hell with the politicians and the populists and the banal media who support them calling for people to sacrifice “in the national interest”. Nev Kennard Customer Feedback “Everything at Huntingdale was great. Dane exceeded all expectations, nothing was a problem - just solved them immediately, great personality. Keep employing people like Dane!” “Excellent personal service by Johny and David at Rozelle, immediate text message about wine deliveries. Good parking on-site and good security.” “Very good, was especially happy with a gentlemen by the name of Mark at Kingsgrove, he made me feel at ease with everything.” “Hi there, I just want to say thanks to you all for the time I stayed! Thanks for always being so kind to me. You guys are a fantastic team and I hope to see you all around! Thanks a lot! Please pass the message on to everyone for me.”

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Kennards Kourier July 2013