I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon creeping into the media and issues management for specific bodies. I’ve now seen two very recent examples where a proposed change is fought against on the basis that it will harm an industry and employment.
The Australian Hotels Association is claiming that the pub and club industry will be ‘wiped out’ because of proposed pokies reform by Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie. More recently, the ban on live exports of cattle to Indonesia is being protested against because it will ‘destroy farmers’.
Let me make it clear I have great sympathy with farmers and love going to my local RSL, but I can’t help but see one huge flaw in their objection – is keeping a business running a good enough reason to continue injustice? If this was the case would there have been the burning desire to get rid of slavery or fight apartheid? The decision to stop slavery certainly had a real impact on the way Americans operated their businesses and on their standard of living. But it was the right thing to do.
I don’t doubt that the live export ban could be better managed and compensation is deserved, and potentially the same for pokies reform. But if we are all agreement that the practice itself is wrong, then the fact that some people will suffer in the short term to improve long term standards is not really a suitable defense
JH.
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