Comments on: Fair dinkum

By: Liat Kirby

Liat Kirby — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 23:47:52 +0000

Additionally, things of moment occurring in Australia – important issues – include the indefinite detaining of refugees, something highlighted by Djokavic’s few days in detention at the Park Hotel in Melbourne, where he joined some of them. They have been there for eight years in limbo. So, the publicity re Djokavic at least gave some attention to their plight.
The increasing homelessness of many Australians; the shocking state of age care homes, where many old people have been abused and left uncared for; the inordinate percentage of Aboriginal people in gaol, all these things are of moment. As is China attempting to sabotage Australia economically by its decisions on our export goods to them, indeed China threatening Australia in direct language that perhaps doesn’t augur well for the future politically or militarily.
There’s more to life in Australia than sport, Michael. Comparisons are odious for what they leave out.

By: Liat Kirby

Liat Kirby — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 10:58:16 +0000

Nobody in Australia considers the Djokovic situation a major crisis, Michael. Australia, like Israel and elsewhere, has its border rules and the bureaucracy follows them, that’s all.
It’s the media who pick things up and make them ‘major’ – and that happens in Israel, too.

Israelis have a tendency to single out Australia as a place where nothing of moment happens and there is no problem, and choose small items of interest to prove their point, as you have just done. As an Australian, and an Israeli citizen, I’m not being parochial here or super defensive. Just get a bit sick of it that’s all. Things that are tough here are dictated more by the huge continent and natural elements – often fire, flood, and in some areas a tough environment to live in and work – that sometimes means loss of life or property. In many ways it’s not the ‘lucky country’ it’s mooted to be. Be wary of supposition and easy thinking.