I was going to retweet that Cory Bernardi thing with a pithy putdown but decided he didn't deserve the oxygen.
With the Reef, I find it fucking unbelievable how much Queensland has dragged its feet on this issue given its tourism - both present and future - is one of the state's greatest resources. Global processes are probably going to cause serious damage whatever the state government does, but adding to it with shithouse mining and agriculture policies is as reckless as it comes, and of course it's a reasonably powerful state in a country that has actively undermined the worldwide effort to tackle climate change. It should be flexing its muscle to get shit done in that regard, both in its own capacity and by giving the feds a kick along. You'd think communities in Queensland would be out in force demanding action because "our future as a global tourist drawcard is in peril", but instead the place is full of "lol thur no globull worming, it woz cold today".
I could keep going. I do often wonder how vocal I, as an academic, should be about my politics. When I started my professional Twitter a few months ago I was a bit reluctant to post anything political. I only started after noticing a number of academics were far more free in their views than I am even now. I keep my strongest opinions for private/non-professional locations - but hey, maybe some wanker I currently consider a friend will leak them too.
Huh, I pictured you being more vocal. I at least assumed you'd participate in one of the student political groups.
I should say that in general I notice a good degree of academic freedom for political views. Very few people I know are a political mystery to their colleagues, many participate in protests (in fact you will soon see on my Twitter a picture of a small group of us in solidarity with Ward), maintain membership of political parties, etc. I can name heaps of people I work with who are ALP members, socialist activists, marriage equality campaigners, and the very rare Tory fellow-traveller. You probably know the only reason I am not a Greens member is not for any professional concern, but my intellectual commitment to political independence. Many of Australia's esteemed historians have had some sort of political involvement at some stage, and even if Christopher Pyne sometimes likes to point out who's an ex-communist on Q&A some forty years after the fact, it sure hasn't affected their career or scholarly standing.
But that's why the events concerning Ward are so troubling, because none of us want this culture to change and become less open.
Nah, I'm reserved about my own views unless it pertains to my Honours project. I don't think I'll ever be entrenched in a party, especially now, I think it's wiser to take a 'critical support on the outside' sort of approach. (And my university barely has any political presence on campus, interestingly enough. I have only ever seen one Labor stall in four years)
Wait, when did this happen?