In the absence of solutions, we look for scapegoats

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash For millennia, hundreds of language groups and diverse cultures have co-existed across the vast landscapes of this continent. Today, our cities, suburbs, and regional towns are framed by that same commitment to community and connection. Most Australians still hold on to a simple, powerful conviction: a fair go for all. We care little about where someone was born or how they pray, and vastly more about their character and their willingness to lend a hand. But if you listen to the noise coming from the halls of power, you’d be right to wonder why some are telling a different story. You’d be right to question why they are blaming our neighbours for skyrocketing rents, rising mortgages, and the daily struggle to make ends meet. A growing number of Australians are understandably disenfranchised by a political class and a rhetoric that offer little respite from the cost-of-living crisis. When the reality of daily life is ignored, it’s no surprise that some…