America has always held a special place in my life. Returning time and again has allowed me to explore new horizons and consider Australia with fresh perspective. As a Sydney Morning Herald journalist, I remember visiting New York in the summer of 2005 and admiring the city’s resilience from the September 11 terror attacks.
Studying a masters of public policy at the University of Chicago two years later, I stayed up all night to watch Labor sweep to power. Kevin Rudd had perfectly captured the times, painting a vision of a modern, post-mining boom Australia with revolutionised health and education systems, indigenous reconciliation and action on climate change. Fuelled by Barack Obama’s barrier-breaking victory a year later, it felt like a pinnacle for progressive politics – a time when anything was possible.
Yet in 2010, it all came to tears for Rudd. This time, I was working for Newsweek in New York and glued to his final press conference several time zones away; the last person in the office other than the janitor vacuuming the carpet.
Since then, I’ve travelled to America many times, including amidst this year’s Omicron wave. After a 2021 in Parramatta constrained by curfews and lockdowns, California’s coastal highway and the granite cliffs of Yosemite inspired awe. Yet in other ways, a nation that once carried such hope for me felt unrecognisable.
Formerly dynamic city centres were emptied out and dotted with homeless. Out on the streets, drugs were being swapped in plain sight, while on cable television, conservative presenters railed at Joe Biden. From the west coast to the rural hinterlands and down south, I also witnessed completely polarised approaches to handling the virus.
Perhaps a similar malaise befalls Australia in this federal election year. Exhausted by the pandemic, dulled by the war in Ukraine, battered by the price at the supermarket checkout and petrol pump, it certainly feels as if we’ve become more disillusioned and disconnected.
The risk is that like Americans, we’re permanently checking out.
This is a time of transitions: a post-pandemic society, a decarbonising economy, a new tripolar era in international security.
I think the task for Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese – starting with this week’s federal budget – is to inspire Australians to believe we can rediscover our national purpose even amidst challenging times.
Big narratives and themes such as: taking national digital transformation to the next level, using infrastructure like the National Broadband Network, 5G and soon 6G to innovate and create new jobs. Rebalancing economic activity between Australia’s cities, suburbs and regions, and supporting people to live and work how they want. Harnessing the green opportunity. Embracing a caring society that strengthens our safety net, values our elderly and ensures we prepare for future pandemics.
As renewal occurs nationally, so too in Parramatta, where MP Julie Owens is retiring after 18 years. While I’ve been honoured that many community members have encouraged me to stand for Labor preselection, it is clear that Andrew Charlton has the confidence of the party and senior figures. The Liberals should now also announce their Parramatta candidate, giving the community time to meet the main contenders.
Let’s make the next election a true contest of ideas for the future of the nation. Above all, though there is much that is fine about America, we cannot ever descend into the carnage, cynicism and tragic divisions of America. Let’s remember our shared spirit as Australians – and let’s never lose hope.
Alan is a journalist and communications specialist. He writes a weekly column for Parra News.