1984 – 2012

The Australian Government’s vision of a socially inclusive society is one in which all Australians feel valued and have the opportunity to participate fully in our society. Achieving this vision means that all Australians will have the resources, opportunities and capability to:

Learn by participating in education and training;

• Work by participating in employment, in voluntary work and in family and caring;
• Engage by connecting with people and using their local community’s resources; and
• Have a voice so they can influence decisions that affect them.

There is a Minister for Social Inclusion, there is a Social Inclusion Unit, and I will assume the Australian Public Service most likely will have Social Inclusion Officers in the same way they have First Aid Officers.

At the 28^th March 2012 meeting of this Board’s Outcomes were as follows http://www.socialinclusion.gov.au/sites/www.socialinclusion.gov.au/files/files/ASIB_Meeting_outcomes_%2028_Mar_2012.pdf

• The Board noted the Secretary of DEEWR had not responded to their letter dated 20 December 2011.
• noted a reply from Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
• agreed to keep a watching brief on the evaluation of Income Management.
• The Minister for Social Inclusion requested the Board continue with 3 of the 2011 priorities
• discussed the Gonski Report
• The Minister stated he would advise them of the 2012 priorities shortly
• noted the progress of Service Delivery Reform working group
• discussed the NOUS Group report on using Centrelink data to identify clients at risk of Social Exclusion.
• noted the working group would report back
• noted the overview of the Bridgewater Social Inclusion Case.
• agreed to write to the Minister for Human Services
• agreed to contact Senator Carr and gain his support
• noted its Case Co-ordination paper on Agenda of Board of Secretaries
• noted the role of the National Place-Based Advisory Group.
• noted progress on some Place-Based Projects
• agreed  the M&R Group would meet to discuss next Draft of How Australia is Faring.
• agreed to principle only statistically significant trends will be commented on.
• agreed the M&R Framework would be at front of the Report
• agreed to tabulate the strategic change indicators and provide commentary on the reporting
• noted the Social Inclusion Unit would work with the Minister’s office on communication
• discussed  priorities set by Minister and noted his advising 2012 priorities soon
• discussed taking forward priority areas and noted the value of expert roundtables
• noted new members will be appointed to the Board
• agreed to refine a Work Programme specifying outcomes and timeframes
• noted update on racism, discrimination and stigma work
• noted a need to report on diversity and Harmony rather then tolerance
• agreed  to include Reconciliation Australia Barometer in report
• discussed stakeholder responses on evidence of racism and discrimination paper

But what does this all mean?

You have to read between some lines here is an example

• The Minister for Social Inclusion requested the Board continue with 3 of the 2011 priorities
• discussed  priorities set by Minister

Now this was a matter of business as usual as these were a part of the 2011 priorities, yet they needed to discuss these priorities.  It is apparent nothing had been done about these priorities after a year.

9 agenda items were just for note, this was a waste of the Committees time.

9 Agenda items were simple agreements and could have been achieved outside the meeting itself

5 items were discussion points which although a nice chat, held little value to their tasking

Basically we have a board of 14 high flyers, supposedly Tasked under the Board’s terms of reference with:

•  provide advice and information to the Minister for Social Inclusion; c
• consult widely and provide input on different aspects of social inclusion—including issues of measurement,
• how to increase social and economic participation,
• and how to engage communities on social inclusion matters; and report annually and provide advice on other specific matters referred to it by the Minister.

It is another waste of money,  Committees and Boards brought together to give the appearance they are doing something, only to find unless the recommendations mirror the Governments current outcome desires, their recommendations will be filed rather than implemented

This Government is closer to a maze of committees running Government than to a committed Party in power, and it is costing Australia a fortune using these Committees to try and give this Gillard Regime some sort of credibility. The way Australia is being ruled, it will be a series of changes that will occur that once the NBN is in place will make us feel like we are caught up inside 1984

However, when taking into account her true vision, it appears Gillard has tried following the concept of Big Brother in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Big Brother is envisioned to be the dictator of Oceania, a totalitarian state taken to its utmost logical consequence – where the ruling Party wields total power for its own sake over the inhabitants.

In the society that Orwell describes, everyone is under complete surveillance by the authorities, mainly by tele-screens. The people are constantly reminded of this by the phrase “Big Brother is watching you”, which is the core “truth” of the propaganda system in this state.  The idea of Social Inclusion was, don’t work, don’t eat.

Since the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four, the term “Big Brother” has entered the lexicon as a synonym for abuse of government power, particularly in respect to civil liberties, often specifically related to mass surveillance.  The Gillard Regime seems to be taking this to new extremes with the measures she is undertaking that have a remarkable resemblance to the Novel.   In Australia, we may be looking at our only opportunity to actually stop this craziness at the next election, for if Labor managed to be re-elected their plans would swiftly be completed and Democracy would not be a word allowed under this Regime.