Clean, safe water equals better health Every time Rawsonara used to fill her jar at the watering hole, she knew she could be carrying deadly diseases home to her children. Now she gets water from the well her village built, with help from Caritas Australia. One well costs $110 1n Bangladesh and gives 6 families access to clean, safe water and better health. Please support Caritas Australia so others like Rawsonara can enjoy water as a source of life.

------o~·-1 For Caritas Austra li a's work around rh e world, here's my donation of 0$100 0$200 0$50 0$20 0 $ _ ___ 0 I enclose my cheque/money order, OR 0 Please debit my 0 Bankcard 0 Visa 0 Mastercard OAmex 0 Diner's Club Card Number Signature Expiry dare I I I I II I I I II I I I II I I I I _I_ ca pital/etters please Name (Mr/Mrs/ M s/Miss) Address Posrc o de Parish ------0 I would like ro donate regularly from my bank account or credit card. Please send me details. MAlL COUPON TO: 0 Please se nd me information a bout remembering Caritas Australia CA RITAS AUSTRALIA in my Will. GPO BOX 9830 Caritas Australia Donations over $2 are tax deductible. IN YOUR CAPITAL CITY. nTurning fa ith into action OFFICE USE: ES699 Volume 9 Number 5 June 1999

A magazine of public affairs, the arts and theology

Global violence: Armed Pakistani sold iers in shalwar kameez and berets await 29 the helicopter arriva l of former Indian AFTER MANDELA Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in Pakistan early this year. CoNTENTS Jim Davidson on South Africa's The cover photograph records the sp lit pre-election manoeuvres. second before one Pakistani attacked another in the violence that broke out 32 during the visit. The attacker is a member 4 CHURCH, STATE & MEDDLING of the intelligence police and his victim a member of a group of protesters. COMMENT CLERICS Photographs by Mathias Heng. With Jon Greenaway, Dewi Anggraeni, With Tim Costello and Frank Brennan. Deane Terrell and Francis Sullivan. 37 9 BOOKS CAPITAL LETTER Paul Rule reviews Simon Leys' The Analects of Confucius and Brendan 10 Lovett's A Dragon not for the Killing. LETTERS 39 14 MUSIC CHANGING THE GUARD Peter Craven hums his way through N eil Ormerod on theological politics the Season 1999. and new appointments. 41 15 POETRY RE-ORIENTATION 'The Winter Sun' by Ouyang Yu. Michael McGirr on Asia's outspoken bishops. 42 INTEGRITY: THE LONG WALK 16 Part VI of Antony Campbell's series THE MONTH'S TRAFFIC on God's unconditional love. With Edmund Campion, Louise Cotton, Tim Moore, Josh Puls, Jim Dickins 45 and Juliette Hughes. SOUL STEALER What price heroin? asks David Shankey. 19 SUMMA THEOLOGIAE 46 THEATRE Geoffrey Milne recommends Rent. Cover design by Siobhan Jackson. 20 Cartoons pp8, 10, 17 ARCHIMEDES by Dean Moore. 48 Graphics pp14-15, 28-31 23 FLASH IN THE PAN by Siobhan Jackson. BUSH LAWYER Reviews of the films A Civil Action; Photographs pp24-27 by David Glanz. Plunkett and Macleane; The General; Photographs p33 of Tim Costello 24 Celebrity and Encounter in the Third by Ponch Hawkes and of FIRMLY ON THE GROUND Dimension. Frank Brennan by Bill Thomas. David Glanz dissects the Eureka Street magazine Yorta Yorta case. 50 Jesuit Publications WATCHING BRIEF PO Box 553 28 Richmond VIC 3121 Tel (03) 9427 7311 KOSOVO OPTIONS 51 Fax (03) 9428 4450 Adrian Jones argues for independence. SPECIFIC LEVITY CoMMENT

JoN GREENAWAY= A magazine of public affairs, the arts and theology Publisher Daniel Madigan SJ Editor Indonesia Morag Fraser Assistant editor Kate Manton votes Consulting editor Michael McGirr SJ MAN' '"' "''''CT'NC '

4 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 and West Kalimantan should be joined by violence new assembly. On the evidence of Wiranto's inability brought about by the June poll. to control disgruntled officers in his charge, it is Prominent Muslim scholar, Nurcholish Madjid, difficult to imagine from where he drew the confidence was quoted in the Indonesian press in early May saying to make such a claim. The most glaring example of that 'violence will be prompted by many factors, dissent in the ranks was the East Timor peace agree­ including the fact the nation is now experiencing an ment Wiranto brokered in April between pro- and anti­ explosion of free culture and politics, which had been integration groups. He had barely flown out of the banned for 32 years'. Violence would not come just territory before the militia were back at their work, from the radical edge, he suggested. with members of the security forces not far away. What is unknown is how things will unfold after A less glaring sign of trouble in the ranks is the 7 June. Not just which party will secure enough seats fact that a reshuffle-shifting opponents of the reform to broker a coalition that would control the National process from positions of power- was for some reason Assembly (MPR) and thereby appoint the next put on hold in April. President at the end of the year, but how the new Not only does Wiranto have to face opposition election rules and make-up of the MPR will affect from inside, he is also opposed by groups of retired these machinations. generals who profited under Suharto and do not wish The military has had its number of seats in the MPR reduced from 75 to 38 under the new regulations brought in at the beginning of the year. This does not necessarily mean that their influence in the assembly will be reduced. The number of overall seats has been reduced from 1,000 to 700 and several parties will be represented with no previous parliamentary experience and none with a majority of seats. Their pull on things will be strengthened by the representatives of Golkar, the party that had untrammelled authority in the assembly under Suharto, with only the token presence of a few opposition parliamentarians. Golkar possesses the most efficient campaigning operation, one with an established network. Other parties have had to cobble a campaign together and only Megawati Sukarnoputri's PDI Struggle seems to have produced an on-the-ground machine to rival Golkar's. Perhaps most importantly, however, Golkar is the richest. What is unclear is by what process the new President will be elected by the MPR during its November session. Since there will be more than the to see the military step out of public life. Two old Global violence: sole candidate this time, will it have to be a majority East Timor hands, Benny Murdani and Try Sutrisno, It could be Dili, or simply the individual who polled the greatest are said to be his most strident critics among this Belgrade, Srebreni ca number of votes? Also unsure at this stage is how group. - th e accoutrements are universa l. other regional appointees will be elected to the MPR. But beyond speculating on the wilful intent of Th e arm oured and The confusion suits elements within the military who dissenting generals, one has to imagine how the helmeted police, above, are unhappy with the pace and direction the reform military's elite officers, used to the power and are in fact defending process has taken since Suharto's abdication. influence that came with the job like the starched Lytton Road, Lahore, The way in which national politics in Indonesia shirts and polished shoes, can drop out of political life in Pakistan, during th e unfold during and after the elections may also test on the strength of vague notions of democratic process. violence which followed th e histori c visit of th e the success of military reform piloted by ABRI (now They belong to a culture, a whole way of doing Indian Prime Minister known as TNI) chief General Wiranto and his supporters. things, and if Wiranto is genuine in his attempts to to Paki stan in February. At a conference in late March in the UK, Wiranto change the armed forces, he is wanting conversions. Ph otograph by advisor Air Vice-Marshall Graito Usodo unveiled The two issues to confront a new administration M athias Heng. plans to reduce ABRI's involvement in Indonesian immediately will be legislation to return profits from politics and society. Some of what he said then has Jakarta to Indonesia's provinces and East Timor, Aceh been realised: for example the separation of the police and Irian Jaya. Wiranto will be hoping that the factions force from the army. But many are doubtful that opposed to him are not in a position to decide what Wiranto will be able to curb the influence that factions happens. within the military have on civilian affairs. One of Usodo's pledges was that the military Jon Greenaway is Eureka Street's South East Asia would not favour Golkar or any other party in the correspondent.

V OLUM E 9 NUMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 5 COMMENT: 2

D EW ! A NGGRAENI East Timor waits

T,"CA'ATtNc cR"" in E'" Tima< h" bwught would be dismissed as an embarrassment, hence ca lls from some Australian lobby groups for the quickly forgotten. Government to exert pressure on Indonesia, to stop The second problem is that some East Timorese atrocities in East Timor. These calls have been have been benefiting from the Indonesian presence intensifying in frequency and urgency. in the territory. In every occupiecl lancl, there are those It is necessary, however, to understand how who-for reasons pragmatic or otherwise-work with complex the East Timor crisis is and how intricately the occupying forces. In East Timor, a whole linked with the wider political situation of generation has been educated in the Indonesian Indonesia- itself a country in major crisis, embarking system, under Indonesian rule. For these people, one on the first relatively free election in 32 years. major employer has been the regional government, Currently, while there is theoretically an meaning the civil service. Those in the private sector Indonesian Government, in reality there are several are most likely to have Indonesian or pro-Indonesian 'governments' competing to have their say. President employers because their capital is closely linked with Habibie may have promised Prime Minister Howard Indonesia. Many work at the properties of Indonesian that his government would allow an internationally militaty officers. This is where the two problems meet monitored referendum in the territory, yet the and become compounded. fulfilment of this promise is not guaranteed. The fact While many in the employment of the regional is, Habibie has little legitimacy and limited currency government openly or privately express their support as head of the nation. It will depend very much on for inclepenclence, some prefer the status quo. They who is in government after the June election, and may have clone very well in the civil service, and have whether that government can work effectively with a lot to lose if they are seen as rocking the boat. the Armed Forces, the TNI (formerly known by the There arc also some who have been made to acronym ABRI). believe that if East Timor achieves inclepenclence, they Since earlier this year, when President Habibie will be the first to be rem oved, even murclerecl, indicated that Indonesia would 'let East Timor because they would be seen as traitors or collaborators. separate from Indonesia', and Foreign Minister, Ali Once this fear is instilled the next step comes easily: Alatas, was on the record as saying that Indonesia they can be persuaded that they must kill those who would give East Timor independence if the East most likely will kill them. It is probable that they Timorese refused the autonomy package, ABRI have receive material and training support from the local been angry. It is common know ledge that a military brass who employ them and likely-once referendum, if conducted fairly and with international they realise how they can wield power with the monitoring, would lead to inclepenclcncc. backing of these people-that they will become Even General Wiranto, the Armed Forces chief, intoxicated with an illusion of power and the is believed to be reluctant to support the President increasingly real sense of self-preservation. and the government factions who support this idea. Unfortunately they also become further He has nonetheless been forced to, because they had indebted to those who manipulate them. to show a unified front to the outside world. Most opposed to the idea of East Timor inclepencl­ I NTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS have dismissed these ence, unfortunately, are the local military brass in East pro-integrationists as Indonesia's puppets. The fact Timor itself. Some are local East Timorese, others are that many of them are involved in atrocious acts in non-East Timorese. Apart from the fact that they built the militia alienates them even further from their careers in this territory which to them is a international consideration. Unfortunately, this only legitimate Indonesian province, many of these delivers them more firmly into the hands of those who military officers have got coffee plantations or other oppose East Timor's independence. properties where they plan to enjoy their retirements. However repellent the thought, h owever Independence would eliminate their dream plans and distasteful the idea, the world needs to acknowledge erase the record of their military achievements as well. that those pro-integrationists are real people. A They would come across not only as losers, but as spokesman for this faction, Basilio Araujo, in an SBS much-hated villains in the history of independent East interview with Mike Carey, and on ABC's 7.30 Report Timor; and in Indonesian history, it is likely they with Maxine McKew, said, 'We want to tell people

6 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 that we exist-' They obviously go t a clear m essage safety is guaranteed. Without this trust, no disarming that all international sympathy would be poured to can take place effectively. Bishop Belo and the the pro-independence forces, so their 'removal' would independence leader Xanana Gusmao have promised occur without any international fuss. that the worst that can happen to them is that they For reconciliation to be achieved everyone may will lose their properties, but for true reconciliation, have to think again about denying their existence: trust has to be rebuilt from ground level. they are also part of East Timor. If they are to be disarmed, by a UN peace-keeping force or other Dewi Anggraeni is a novelist and journalist living in combined neutral force, they have to believe that their Melbourne.

COMMENT: 3

DEANE T ERRELL Higher education crosses its fingers T,!999 BUDGET IS CAUTIOU S, which is not It is disappointing that the Government has not surprising. If the CST or the further Telstra sale is recognised that it needs to increase research funding blocked, the surplus may be needed for the Govern­ significantly if Australia is to be in a position to take ment's spending program. advantage of opportunities in the 'knowledge The closest to boldness in the initiatives affecting economy'. The chance to benefit from the current the research and university sectors was $614 million revolutions in information technology and biotech­ additional funding over five years to medical research, nology will be at a maximum over the next few years. which will double the base of National Health and Entering the field later will take greater investment Medical Research Council funding by 2004. About and the available benefits will be diminished. half of it can be expected to go to universities. Many OECD governments, including the US, There were no further cuts in university block Japan, Germany, UK and Canada, have recognised that funding, as some had feared; none, that is, beyond the public investment in research is essential for final one per cent tranche of the Vanstone cuts. economic development and are making major new However, neither was there any additional support public investments. for wage supplementation. In an enterprise bargaining The value of block grants currently available to environment, with unions seeking significant salary universities is effectively 15 per cent less than their increases, this is a major problem for university 1996 value, due to funding cuts and non-supplemented administrations. Australian institutions are already wage and salary increases. This has had a negative behind their global competition in salary levels and effect on the resources available for research and are under considerable pressure. If competitive salaries research training. It makes major new funding have to be found from within existing resources, the initiatives imperative. ANU's recent paper on the case breadth of operations will inevitably shrink. for increased investment in basic research found that $93.3 million additional funding over three years in order to keep pace with increased investment in for research infrastructure looks like a gain. It holds the UK, for example, an additional $350 million per funding at present levels. However, the current ratio year needs to be spent on basic research alone. of research infrastructure funding to grant funding is Maybe the Government will address these needs 26 cents to one dollar. The West report recommended in coming Budgets. The first Budget of a term is never 40 cents to the dollar as an appropriate level, and the a big-spending one. Provided that the CST does not United Kingdom level is 60 cents to the dollar. With lead the Government into a double dissolution, it is the agreed levels of grant funding, the Australian ratio likely to see out a full term, given that there are major will drop to 21 cents from 2000, putting considerable celebratory events right through until the end of 2001. pressure on research infrastructure. There will then be scope for major funding increases $59.8 million over three years for Strategic in the two budgets before the next election. Partnerships with Industry-Research and Training Universities and other research institutions will have (SPIRT) Scheme continues the existing program of to press their cases hard, however, if Australia is not support for indus try-university colla bora ti ve to fall behind. research at current level s beyond 1999. This prevents decline but does not add significantly to Deane Terrell is Vice Chancellor of The Australian current levels. National University.

VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 7 CoMMENT: 4

FRANCIS SULLIVAN Health holds its breath

:Ew Bunc

8 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 Howard's high stakes

IT" ACWAYS A cooo mEA to h.ve ' the truth of whatever Treasury line he is parrotting at the plan B. And even if one does not want to moment. But he has yet to show anything like the capacity for contemplate having resort to it, or wheedling, or for making the best of bad circumstances that encourage others to think that it is an Peter Reith has shown. Moreover, Peter Costello has so far option, it's not a bad idea to leave enough room to manoeuvre presided over an economic boom-one that the Treasury seems so that a retreat to plan B cannot be cast as an utter defeat. to think will go on forever. But if America sneezes, or if anyone It was ever a wonder whether Brian Harradine was going notices how pale and pinched Japan still looks, the fanciful to support a goods and services tax. He is always cunning with economic projections and large Budget surpluses could melt his vote and frequently leaves people guessing until the last away. Some of the casual Costello boastings from this year's moment. But the best guide to what he intends to do is what he Budget have all of the capacity to cause Costello the pain that has said, and there were indications from the very start that he bringing home the bacon did for Paul Keating. had fundamental objections-ones which might not be so strong Yet there is ample space for negotiation. First, the tax cuts were the compensation package to be strengthened, but which were the real selling point of the package do not depend on formidable nonetheless. The Coalition-John Howard really, CST revenue-they were primarily to be funded from the pro­ since he took charge of coping with Senator Harradine-always jected surpluses. Second, while the loss of food makes a difference seemed to assume that ultimately he could be rented or bought. to the CST bottom line, it should, at the end of the day, make less In doing so, it painted itself into an awful corner, from which it than a 10 per cent difference. And even that difference should be will be difficult to escape with any great political credit, even reduced by the fact that it makes easier the process of if, ultimately, it ends up with a CST. compensating those who are adversely affected. John Howard could always have attempted to buy off the Democrats, but he boxed them out of the action almost as 0 NE OF THE PIECES OF GENrUS in the general tax plan was the effectively as they did themselves. The staring down has failed, way in which the Federal Government had proposed to make and now they are critical to the survival of Howard's package. over CST revenue to the states, giving them a guaranteed It was a bad strategy anyway, if only because the composition income base against which the Commonwealth would phase of the Senate changes next month and he needs to have a modus out tied grants. This made even Labor states deeply interested vivendi with them. in the tax. To pull back now, moreover, would involve the Howard is immersed in the idea that he showed spectacular Commonwealth in fresh funding arrangements which could be courage in proposing tax reform in the first place, and in taking ruinous with a GST-style tax. At the time the tax changes were it to an election. In his doing so, he gave the absurd impression being planned, the High Court had ruled out a host of state that the CST was the cornerstone of all essential economic excise-s tyle taxes, and made it clear that only the Common­ reform over the decade-and that it was, for him, the wealth could raise such taxes. The CST solved that problem culmination of a lifetime's public service. This has made his and, while serving an important (and desirable) purpose of failure something of a personal one, in an environment where generally broadening the whole Australian tax base, had, by he has few friends and admirers even in his own party, and repatriating the money to the states, taken some of the heat where he cannot seem to make political headway even in good away from the Commonwealth. economic times and with an Opposition as inept as anything There are other aspects of the package , not least diesel put up by the Coalition in the 1980s. fuel rebates to rural exporters, which are absolutely critical for Whether, in fact, he can say that the electorate voted for the survival of the Coalition. And, of course, the general surplus his CST is in any event moot. First, though he won a majority which is supposedly going to be sitting there. The idea that the of seats, he did not win a majority of votes. Second, the Government would consider dropping changes either out of Democrats, who gained seats in the Senate, had always made pique or so as to increase pressure on the Democrats is quite clear that they would hold out on indirect taxes on food, and ludicrous-the Coalition itself would implode first. their doing so may actually have made it easier for voters to go So what, if from the Government's point of view, the for the Coalition. Certainly, there is little appetite in the package is no longer pure? It had ceased to be even before the Coalition for a third election focused on taxation, let alone for ink was dry on the proposals, simply becau e politics is about any grandstanding crash-through-or-crash campaign focused on making bargains, compromises and keeping the end in view. Senate obstructionism. They won't want to run the risk of Sometimes it is necessary, in the course of seeking those taking the timing of the next election out of the Prime Minister's compromises, to talk tough and pretend that it would be hands. Whoever the Prime Minister might be. absolutely impossible to make concessions in a particular area. If Howard were to go, the likely beneficiary would be Peter But one should choose one's words carefully, because there is a Costello, but, were there to be a contest, his detractors would real risk, if compromise there must be, that it will be labelled in ask what the debacle has shown about his own capacity to exactly the terms by which it has been previously damned. • negotiate change. Peter Costello has a good line of bluster, and the capacity, like Paul Keating, to seem utterly convinced of Jack Waterford is editor of the Canberra Times.

VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 9 L ETIERS

d ~1/ I \H:IL ' ll'C'> lcttt.:l''< Baby, it's cold Partners I lllllll ItS IL 1 kt'> l.,bl'lt kttll~ ,tiC 111 t•l IIkL'•\ 111 he puhll';hL'l, .111.1 inside • II ll tt<.:''> llll'y hL uhtL,I lLttLI.., From Henk Bni< From Alan Gill lllll..,t hL ..,1gnc I IIH! -.lwu ,I Sir Gerard Brennan's tentative set of Andrew Ha milton, in a to ngue- in ­ lllc lt,dl ,l L•tllt.llt l'h•H C P.llllhtl values tha t m ay s hape Aus tralia cheek commentary, said that the re (E u re ]{(1 Str eet, April 1999) o ff ers •• nd t hL' '" tltll "n lllll .Hhl. ddt._.,;, wa s nothing new in Paul Braz ier and thoughts for further development. It -.uhm.tttnh h\ cm.11 ,1 cnnt.lLI his colleagues visiting chu rches, note­ First, what emerges is a dynamic phonL m.mlx r 1~ t.:'>..,C'ltl tl AddtL'"" books in hand, to report irregularities pattern of values rather than a set: Lll L ,I LSJ'llh IC'>lllt dfg ,lll in patterns of worship (Eureka Street, egalitarianism seems to work best in April 1999). political m atters, fr eedom in cultural The Ang li ca ns, he sa id, had issues, and too much deregulation in experi enced similar probl ems in the the economy lea ds to widening ga ps 'High' versus 'Low' church battles of between wealthy and poor, employed the 19th century. and unemployed, etc. To which I would add :' And in the Second, our political and cultural / ~ 20th century too.' valu es seem to be rather firmly A wrong ga rm ent or word out of established: A dynami c mix between place in the litu rgy could bring about egalitarianism and freedom goes a long a complaint to the Archbishop, who way toward the tolerance we cherish. himself could com e under fi re. An But it is a tolerance that seems to make example which comes to mind is the us tolerate entrenched unemployment ' ti c king off ' allegedly received by and increasing poverty as well. widened to include, for example, Archbishop Hugh Rowl ands Gough fo r Therefore, thirdly, we may need to solidarity between producers and daring to wea r a pectora l cross on generate a value that would work best consumers, loggers and greenies, local first arrival in the antipodes in t he in the economy. Such a value is not and gl obal traders, etc. My own 1950s. absent in Australian society, but it favourite is ' partnership in nature'­ About 15 yea rs ago, an evangelica l obviously needs a higher profile and it trans cends the gender divide of Anglican bishop was taken ill, and fainted duri ng a service in the moderately Anglo-Catholi c church of StJames, King Street, Sydney. Wf:LL , AHEg AU.. H6 /6 He was carri ed to the vest ry, and KOSov'os PELt.GAT6 pl aced on a tabl e, where some kindly ro 1HC. 1. o. c. / soul covered him with a cope-then and now a fo rbi dden garment- to keep him wa rm . Alan Gill Drummoyne, NSW Partners II

Ntoo/2.6 From Glen Marshall Andrew Hamilton's article, 'T he Spy Wh o Didn't Love Me' (Eureka Street, April 1999) impressed me because I believe that whenever and wherever practical application . the Word of God is preached there will Gerard Brennan refers to brotherhood/sisterh ood. be God teaching us. 'solidarit y with t he poor' Years ago in a Melbourne tram A decade ago, as a non-Catholic (Oceania Synod), and then leaves the l was writing down a kind of manifesto person, I responded to an advertisement subject and switches to the theme of on the economy and used this phrase. to learn more about Ca tholicism- that conscience. A girl just from high school sitting decision to learn was one of the best If we take olidari ty as a helpful nex t to me apologised for reading what things I have cl one in 70 yea rs. expression of a guiding va lue fo r th e I was writing and thought 'partnership I have been very active in t he econom y, then the potential of this in nature' was we ll put. T here may be Christian church for m any yea rs and concept can be further explored. Fo r better words, or sets of va lues govern ­ for much of those years I have fe lt an example, solidarity implies mutuali ty ing a mature, inclusive econom y. By urge nt presence of God when peopl e without requiring sameness. Solidarity including solidarity in hi s tentati ve set of different fai ths worship, celebrate with the poor will have to be such that of values, Sir G rare! Brennan 111

10 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 di like , surely God is saying 'Be agree is a serious heresy that needs to __ j united in at least one thing in remem­ be dealt with. In this case, it would brance of Me.' seem, the end does justify the m eans­ JESUIT PUBLICATIONS In the small town where I live the you can attend incognito, observe, pub I ishers of Eureka Street, community works co-operatively, en­ rem ember and speak about what Madonna, Australian Catholics joys co-operative recreation and survives you've seen and heard, and still face and Aurora Books, the vicissitudes of seasons, crops, poli­ yourself in the mirror. So, once again, tics and media's intrusive wranglings; an argument of 'irrespective who's is seeking to employ a but we worship quite separately. Why I ri ght and wrong, this side's m ethods At the gra ss root level (t he lay are unacceptable' really does depend FINANCIAL CONTROLLER I level ?), there is a stirring which is on who's right and who's wrong. ADMINISTRATOR leading to a questioning ... why are we Tom Round Sali sbury, VIC worshipping separately? Thi s is a newly created positi on I am certain that God is encourag­ w hi ch provides a challengin g ing people to as k why do we worship opportunity for a person separately? Perhaps God intends us to See here with stro ng accounting, fin ancial rediscover his Word and in tha t discovery tear down physical things From Fred Bendeich and computing qua li fications such as churches so that truly sacred Recently in our parish, copies were and skil ls, a long wi th effective things, common to millions of diverse distributed of a ' letter from the organisati o na l and groups through out the world, a re Australian Bishops to the Catholic admini strative abi lities. Th e revealed and the presence of God m ade People of Australia'. The letter claims fin anc ia l controller/administrator manifest, not hidden by human rituals to be a response to 'conflicting reports' w ill report to the executi ve and prejudices or within bleak wa ll s about recent meetings of the Austral­ director, and must be able to of bricks and stones. ian bishops in Rome, and appears to work co-operati vely with a very Glen Marshall have been intended to soothe our committed team of editoria l C ulgoa, VIC feelings . and production person ne l. It is gratifying to learn (fr om para­ Th e position involves God on whose graph 11 ) that the bishops have finally responsibi li ty for a ll the sa les, acknowledged the existence of, and distribution, database a nd side? condemned, the 'letter-writing squad'. support services requ ired fo r our From Tom Round It is interesting t hat it is the Pope publishing and bookse ll ing, as Though I have little sympathy with himself who is making trouble about well as fo r full financia l either faction of the Catholic Church the t hird Rite or Reconciliation reporting and business planning. in t he current General Absolution (paragraph 12). But for the rest, the controversy, I still question Andrew letter is quite remarkable in its vague­ Hamilton 's absolutist conclusion n ess, and so hardly calculated to The fine print (' The Spy Who Didn' t Love M e', setting our minds at rest. All appli cants wi ll be expected to have appropri ate Eu rel

V oLUME 9 N uMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 11 Do something for yourself and knew life wasn't m eant to be easy. where uncertainty prevails is truly Aftaword: Since I wrote the above, the breathtaking. your community Archbishop of Melbourne has released One of the most costly aspects of PASTORAL MINISTRY ISSUES $70 a pamphlet about the Australian the nuclea r industry is the disposal of Leader of Song bishops' m eeting in Rome. This new nuclear waste . Ph ysicist Dr Alan For singers and cantors to develop their ski ll s in the liturgical do cument trea ts us as intelligent Roberts likened the decision to con­ assembly. Michael Wood, Six Wednesdays 7.45-9.45pm, adults, and nothing I have sa id about struct nuclear power sta tions before 28 July to 1 September. the earlier letter applies to the later means of waste disposal had been God's Word to Us: Reading Scripture for Prayer one. I would hope that the distribution developed to sending astronauts into Explores the importance of story in our understanding of God. of the new document is not confined space before having any notion how to David Ranson ocso, Six Wednesdays 7.45-9.45pm 28 July to to the archdiocese of Melbourne. retrieve them. That was many years 1 September. Fred Bendeich ago, and nothing has changed since. Rite of Christ ian Initiation of Adults $140 Camberwell, VIC Mr Hore-Lacy claims to see no Practical, creative, musical and pastoral aspects of the Rite. problems with this; in various versions Elio Capra sos, 12 Wednesdays 7.45-9.45pm 28 July to of the letter he keeps sending to media 10 November. Dollar dazzler he either describes waste disposal as Notes on Self for the Restless Spirit 'straightforward' or, in the case of For persons who want to reflect anew for themselves and the From Frances H . Awcocl<, Chief decommissioning of reactors, simply world. Frances Moran, Six Wednesdays 10 .30am-12.30pm Executive Officer eJ State Librarian, suggests leaving their radioactive 28 July to 1 September. State Library of Victoria remains lying aro und for future COMMUNICATION SKILLS $70 In response to Dr Edward Duyker's generations to cope with. Currently, letter 'Mean Melbourne' (Eurel

V OLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 15 Cause for head of St Vincent de Paul and the Australian acknowledge leadership failures (appla use). Council of Social Service and is a polished, Crisis of institutionalisation of the faith as applause exciting speaker. This night, the star of the we currently experience it (applause). Obses­ evening, he enj oyed himself. AI Gore's sion with power and authority (applause). Y u CAN TELL how a meeting is going by mother once sent him a three-word card Our church is a church of great hope so we watching the water jugs on the top table. If before a big speech : SMILE- RELAX­ should be hopeful because there is room for the speakers keep reaching for water, you ATTACK. That is the formula Fitzgerald diversity (grea t applause and cheering). know that they are nervous and likely to followed. Not everyone applauded. There were stay that way. When the m eeting turns a He joked that in 19th-century Rome it som e young fogies in the town hall who corner, they stop drinking. was said that Pope Gregory XVI had fi rst didn't seem to be enjoying themselves. They It was like that at the Sydney Town Hall blessed his subjects, then imprisoned them; sat on their hands. Two of them occupied one bleak night in April. A lay gi nger group, Pius IX blessed them, then shot them . gallery seats above the standees at the back Catalyst for Renewal, who run sessions in Fortunately, there was no danger of that of the hall, waiting for the next speaker. pubs about spirituality, had taken the town happening in the archdiocese of Sydney, This was Father Michael Whelan SM, hall (sea ting: 2048) to get discussion going ' ... though I don't know about Melbourne.' executive director of Catalyst for Renewal on Australia's relations with the Roman The meeting put its hea d back and roared. and a columnist at the Jesuit magazine curia. At issue was a document, Statement On the platform the other speakers stopped Madonna. His m any fans applauded him of Conclusions, which curial apparatchiks reaching for water. Robert Fitzgerald had even before he arrived at the microphone. laid on Australian bishops at a m eeting got through. There were some boos also. And now the before Christmas, heavily critical of the Now, with the crowd awake, he turned two boyos at the back of the hall had the local style of Catholicism. to the Roman criticisms. They had said opportunity they had com e for. But their Would anyone come? When you book there was a crisis of faith in Australia. No, incessant heckling could not get the better the town hall, that's always a concern. No said Fitzgerald, it was a crisis of confidence of Whelan's strong lungs. He had caught worries: with 30 minutes to go, the floor of in the ability of the church to deal with and now voiced the mood of the meeting. the hall was filled and by starting time questioning. The m eeting applauded. The Roman curialists had put Vatican II there was standing room only. But would From then on a reporter's notebook was into reverse. They spoke of dialogue but there be any punch-ups? The temperature studded with 'applause', like this: Doesn't refused to listen. The curia had become a of Australian Catholicism has gone up several points recently, so no-one can guess what might happen at a big public meeting. Conversation starters As the speakers filed on to the platform ORE THA N 600 PEOPLE TURNED OUT for the launch of Call to Change, an they filled their water glasses and began to M initiative of the Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart, on 2 7 April. The Stanley Burb ury sip. What they saw fro m up there, however, Theatre at the University of Tasm ania was charged with anticipation as t he should have reassured them. Tasmanian church began a n ew chapter in its commitment to positive change. Here was the Vatican II generation in conclave-grey-haired, educated, well-fed Call to Change em erged as a response to issues confronting the local church, Anglo-Celts, many of them women. And and as an expression of the deepening conviction among the people that all share passionate in commitment to their responsibility for its life and future. Tasmanian Catholics were invited by Australian Catholic identities. A big Coadjutor Archbishop, Adrian Doyle, to participate in a wide-ranging conversation. meeting is like a big animal: it reacts slowly Eleven Catholics, representing various faces of the Tasmanian church, took part but massively. At this meeting you had to in the conversation, MC-ed by M elbourne's Dr Maryanne Confoy. What ensued watch the movements, as well as listen to was not a debate, and not about point-scoring or winning arguments. It was a the words, in order to read the m eaning of model of constructive exchange between people of diverse opinion, experience what was going on. (The Words, by the way, and interest, and a dem onstration that such an exchange is possible. will appear soon from Catalyst for Renewal. ) Following the event, Catholics around Tasm ania have been invited to form T hey were polite and understanding grassroots 'conversation groups' in parish es, workplaces, among family, friendship when two bishops, Brian H eenan of and interest groups, in informal settings so they can continue the conversation Rockhampton and Geoffrey Robinson, a begun at the launch. The groups will be made up of Catholics who worsh ip Sydney auxiliary, told how they had been regularly and those wh o do not. Mechanisms have been put in place to ensure sandbagged in Rome. Well, they knew that that Archbishop Doyle becomes fully involved in the ongoing conversation. already. Similarly, Sister Annette Cunliffe H ope and optimism characterised the launch of Call to Change. People RSC, president of the religious orders' peak obviously believe that this is a conversation worth having, that the challenges body, go t an attentive, polite hearing. There facing all the people in the Tasmanian church-indeed the whole of the Australian seemed to be a lot of her constituents in the Catholic Church-are also opportunities, and that constructive dialogue-faithful hall and she did them proud. both to the Gospels and the times-is not only possible but inevitable. • The big beast really moved when Robert Louise Cotton RSJ is a pastoral planning and formation officer at Hobart Archdiocese. Fitzgerald got up to speak. He's been the

16 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 sort of counter authority to the authority of directed to speakers by Doogue. N otice­ trying again to weaken organisations that the bishops. Their real agenda was about ably, sh e m ade sure that the Catholic Right are a traditional training ground for earnest power. The audience made it plain that he go t a fair go. young ALP operators (Kim Beazley, Bob was speaking to their deepest feelings. There were seven speakers (the other Hawke and Gareth Evans all headed their Whatever Rom e might say, they do not was Marea Donovan, president of Catalyst student associations in their fresh -faced think that they are living inauthentic for Renewal ). A Bible reader might call them days). Moreover, these organisations are Catholic lives. the Seven Thunders of the Apocalypse­ often ardent opponents of Liberal policies. By now it had become obviou s that the whose actual words, according to the Book Rose Tracy, the National Union of Students people weren't there to ruminate over the of Revelation, were less important than (NUS) President in 1998, describes VSU as words of a document or to ask who wrote it their clamorous sound. Will the sound of a 'vengeful quest to destroy student or who signed it. They were there to voice the thunder down under on this historic organisations'. their distress that, having committed their night be heard elsewhere? Whatever his motives, Dr Kemp uses lives to the vision of a Vatican II church, -Edmund Ca mpion two main arguments for making student they found this vision being repudiated by union membership voluntary. First, that no m en in the Vatican. These sons and union should have compulsory m ember­ daughters of Rome's far-flung ecclesiastical Fate of the union ship-forcing people to join any association empire want to be treated as members of is wrong. This argument works if you regard the househ old, not as helots. St Augustine IND ECEMBER LAST YE.AR, Dr David Kemp, student associations, guilds and unions as would have known what theywereonabout. the Minister for Education, Training and being like trade unions or your local sports He thought the central moral failing of all Youth Affairs, announced that legislation club. Opponents of VSU don't see them like empires was what h e called cupiditas would be introduced giving university that, and liken the compulsory fe e to local dominandi, the love of control. s tudent the right to N evertheless, for all its feeling of being choose whether or not they a piece of history in the making, it was a belong to their Student very genial m eeting. Similar history-making Union. The compulsory m eetings in the past have been more amenities and services fee inflamed. In 1859, when Sydney laity tried that is collected annually to cashier Archbishop Polding's Adminis­ from all students would tration (to be m et by threats of excommuni­ become a matter of choice cation), there was blood in their eyes. The fo r individual students. 1966 meeting of the laity, which rebuffed The issue of Voluntary Bishop Muldoon's insults to a visiting nun, Student Unionism (VS U) was choleric. By contrast, the mood of the was on the table once Sydney Town Hall m eeting was cheery­ again. cheery in the way a m onsignor gave up his I say again becau se, seat among the VIPs to a little Vietnamese when I started at M el­ nun in a pretty grey habit; cheery in the way bourne Universityin 1994, once-upon-a-time pupils greeted former a VSU debate was well teachers; cheery in the way everyone put up under way in Victoria, with the incivilities of those h ecklers; courtesy of legislative cheery in the way they belted out the hymns, m oves b y the Kennett 'Com e, Holy Ghost' and 'How Great Thou Government that were Art', although there were som e who refused similar to the current fed­ to sing that George Beverley Shea hit from eral ones. The legislation the Billy Graham crusades. Benea th the was partially thwarted by cheer, however, lay a mood that could be the Keating Government, read in the growls and rumbles and applause which agreed to make up of the big beast. Being a Vatican monsignor the funding shortfall for is the lowest form of ecclesiastical life; and certain 'allowable' services there was anger running deep through the that student unions pro- town hall against those curialists who had vided. The outcome was the choice about council rates, paid to supply services to had the gall to call them inauthentic whether you wanted to belong to the Union m embers of the university community. Catholics. Yet, despite the righteou s anger, or not, and a compulsory fee irrespective of In my experience, the latter view is the the evening was noticeably grown-up. that choice. At Melbourne University, the more valid one. Comparing student unions Part of the reason for this was the suave fee dropped from $324 to $305. Campus life with local councils-or to state and federal chairmanship of Geraldine Doogue. Affable settled down to an outcome with which­ governments for that m atter-seem s yet firm, she has enough steel in her to keep in the true spirit of compromise-no-one reason able . They are all institutions a m eeting on track. There were no floor was really happy. Life m oved on . concerned with caring for a community. mikes at the town hall, lest they becam e an Until now. Dr Kemp claims that ' this The 'choice' element, which Dr Kemp so occasion of sin for gas bags. Instead, written legislation is all a bout choice'. Cynical emphasises, lies in choosing to attend a questions were collated at a side table and observers may argue that it is all about particular university, rather than in whether

VOLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 17 to be a member ofthat university community. compulsory student unionism . However, People who live in Wattle Glen are very Once a member of that community, one I am wary of the smug rhetoric of the NUS proud of it and no-one can quite understand has the chance to become an active and other student organisations: it does not why-unless they've lived there. participant in the democratic process, to sit well with their general unwillingness to The station was always a big part of ensure that those services that either cannot cater for all students. Wattle Glen's life. When I was little my or should not be provided on a user-pays That unwillingness is a failure of father caught the train to the city every day. basis are available as effectively as possible. representative democracy. Dr Kemp has his He was joined by a horde of other fathers, Or so the theory goes. Yet even if the practice solution. Mine would be the retention of who all seemed to know each other, but I doesn't alway go so well, the principle is compulsory membership, with the addition could never quite work out how. Everyone too strong to abandon. This position has of compulsory voting. Compulsory voting caught the train, because there was only been articulated well by both the National is a hallmark of our democratic institutions one car and wives needed it. At around Union of Students (NUS) and the Australian as it forces elected representative to take 6pm, wives would dutifully appear at the Vice-Chancellors Committee (AVCC), yet all members into account. During my years station waiting for their husband's train, some remain unconvinced. at Melbourne University, voter turnout was ready to shift into the passenger scat for the Dr Kemp's second rationale goes like always around lS-20 per cent of students. ride home. If you were really lucky, like my this: if you put the onus on the student This meant a group needed to represent mum, and you lived near the station, you associations to show that membership is only 10 per cent of students to gain power. could wait until yo u heard the bells and get worthwhil e, they will become more Further, it meant that the best way to there just in time. responsive and effective organisations. That maintain that power was to marginalise There used to be a proper station. I have they are commonly unresponsive and rarely other members, so they became increasingly vague recollections of quite a large wooden apathetic. I wouldn't say that groups had it construction with a ticket office and a as a grand plan, but some did seem to waiting area and, I think, toilets. It used to operate that way. be staffed by a woman called Queenie. There University life is often considered not was something about women at that time to be the real world. However, the reductive who worked in places like railway stations­ approach to university communities that they all seemed to wear too much eye the Coalition is taking will be real enough shadow, call everyone 'Love' and have for future university students, who may names like Queenie. Queenie was part of have to take a cash-in-hand approach to the the Wattle Glen tableau. You could often diminished experiences on offer. Further, see her running hurriedly across the street the soft solution of being all owed to opt out to the station when the train was coming, of a community, instead of making its because she'd been across the road at the decisions more representative of its neighbour's, having a cup of tea. But that members, does not bode well for the mindset was all right, because the train always DuncJ n YJrdley that we, as ci tizens, may take to broader waited. Queenie knew everyone's name issues in the future. and, no doubt, everyone's business. effective for many s tudents I do not -Tim Moore I don't know what ever happened to question. What is doubtful is the wisdom of Queenie. We had a few casuals after her, but an economic, market-based approach to The end of it was never the same. The station began to solving this perennial problem. be staffed less and less as the years went by, A once-a-year choice about becoming a until it was just at peak hours, and then not member of the student union is hardly W TTLE G~E~: ~ i~~ small place. at all. The old station building burned down, going to shape these organisations into Usually if you say you live in Wattle Glen, I think, and was replaced with something effective custom er service entities. One most Melbourne people nod sagely and smaller. Now it's just a shelter and a ticket only needs to see a little of student politics pretend they know where you are talking machine, and a phone in a permanent state to know that there are many participants about. They are mostly (a) lying,(b) thinking of vandalism. keen to put their own objectives or those of ofWattlePark, although theyprobablydon't I recall one occasion as a university their party ahead of the overall strength of know where that is either, or (c) thinking of student ge tting off the train at Museum the association. Some would even prefer to Yarra Glen, and, although they have an idea Station (as it was once known) and being sec an association that is marginalised, of where it is, they have never actually been greeted by an unpleasant and belligerent catering only for certain students. Students' there. inspector. Usually in that situation you decisions will hinge on their beliefs or Wattle Glen is the second last stop on just had to say you boarded at Wattle Glen apathy or mates, as often as the 'return on the Hurstbridge line. Its claim to fame is and they would send you on to the ticket investment' they receive. Students at any that it is between Diamond Creek and office to buy a ticket. Cunning rats behind campus are there for too little time, with Hurstbridge. Actually, its real claim to fame you who had boarded at Heidelberg without too many priorities, for the heavy stick of is that an episode of The Henderson Kids a ticket would try the same thing, usually capitalism to provoke the desired outcomes. was once filmed there-still much talked successfully. On this occasion however So as the legislation goes before a Senate about. It was very exciting when Wattle there was a little too much power in a mind Committee, and 'Hey hey, ho ho, VSU has Glen opened its first shop. Prior to that it a little too small. I was unceremoniously got to go '' is being chanted by activists had been the station, the CFA, the tennis escorted to the office where he insisted on around the country, I find myself for club and the primary school. That was it. telephoning Wattle Glen station, which,

18 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 • not surprisingly, was still on the internal 1 a e phone list. I explained that there was simply nothing there. N othing. An empty space. He did not believe me. I started to enj oy it­ watching him trying to escape with pride intact from a battle I knew I could not lose. I R

V OLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 19 Written by the

Resistance is useless 'IEHALLO: l~~~;~1 e Australian R ESISTANCE IS RAPIDLY BECOMING one of the world's nastiest problems. Not political, religious, War Memorial, with their milling crowds social or economic resistance, but the resistance of disease-causing bacteria to antibiotics. of respectful visitors, do not at first appear At present, our hospitals are under siege from drug-resistant members of the species a likely setting for hea ted political debate. Staphylococcus aureus (golden staph). Tuberculosis is on the rise as resistant strains spread But according to one visiting academic, across the world. And many other diseases thought to have been licked by antibiotics and institutions such as the Memorial are the vaccines since World War II are now coming back to haunt us. site of a free speech struggle that threatens But researchers in the Centre for MarineBiofouling and Bio-Innovation at the University the very survival of democracy itself. of New South Wales are investigating an area that may provide an answer to the problem Professor Martin Harwit resigned as head of resistance-bacterial communication. They are trying to stop bacteria from conversing of Washington's National Air and Space in order to prevent them from behaving badly and becoming resistant. Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in During the past decade, researchers all over the world have found that communication May 1995 following the controversial between bacteria is common. Bacteria use chemicals to initiate and co-ordinate joint scrapping of an exhibition dealing with the action. It's a means of overcoming the limitations of their small size. One or two bacteria atomic bombing of Japan. It was centred have little impact on their surrounds. But millions of individuals working together may around the Enola Gay, the US Airforce B-29 well be able to alter the environment to their advantage. A few bacteria releasing corrosive Superfortress that dropped the first bomb enzymes are hardly a match for a wall of tooth enamel, but a whole horde working together on Hiroshima. causes decay, and all benefit from the nutrients released when teeth break down. The Smithsonian incident made head­ To co-ordinate such actions, a typical bacterial communication system works this way. lines around the world and sent shock waves Each member of a species of bacteria makes, releases and detects a particular chemical. In throughout the international museum regions where only a few members of that species are present, the environmental community, proving what can happen when concentration of the chemical will be very low. But as the numbers of bacteria build up so curators step on the toes of powerful lobby will the level of the chemical. In fact, the chemical concentration is directly related to the groups. population density of the species. And above a certain level, it acts as a switch, turning on In Canberra for a speaking engagement genes within the bacteria which can change the behaviour of the individuals within a in May, Harwit described the controversy­ population. Sometimes they turn feral. The genetic lung disorder cystic fibrosis, for which saw US veterans groups outraged by instance, is often exacerbated by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which releases what they took to be an anti-American destructive enzymes and clogging fibres within the lungs only after its population builds exhibition-as an example of the politics of up to a level where the action is likely to overwhelm the body's defences. patriotism interfering with the sacred But if bacteria have found a clever way to take on the world, you can bet that their mission of museums to tell the truth. victims have found a way of fighting back. So reasoned marine ecologist, Dr Peter 'In a democratic society there has to be Steinberg, when confronted with the bacteria which form films over all marine surfaces and some place where people can go for dispas­ thus pave the way for fouling by larger organisms such as barnacles and algae. Steinberg sionate, accurate, objective information,' found what he was looking for in Delisea pulchra, a small red seaweed which lives on the Professor Harwit said. south coast of New South Wales. Delisea is remarkable in that it keeps its fronds clear of 'Countries also need to have places bacteria, and it does so by manufacturing and secreting a chemical known as furanone. where they concentrate on teaching When Steinberg, his colleague microbiologist Professor Staffan Kjelleberg and their patriotism and perhaps propaganda for students tested furanones on bacterial species in the laboratory, they found these compounds national self image. But there ought to be a had the capacity to jam the chemical communication system, to clog the switch. In fact, clear division between institutions that raise they provided a means of controlling the density-dependent changes in bacterial behaviour. patriotic fervour, which is important for And that opens the way to combating resistance. most nations, as distinct from educational In any one bacterial species, genetic mutation provides a huge array of individuals facilities where people can go and feel that which differ from their parents and each other. So it is almost inevitable that in any species they're really getting the straight story-as attacked with an antibiotic, there will be some individuals which can resist it. As the other well as one can put it.' members of the species are wiped out, these individuals are left to breed the next It's a view that poses uncomfortable generation. Clearly, over time, the species itself will become more and more resistant to questions for many Australian institutions­ the antibiotic. And that is just what is happening now. By controlling behaviour, we can most obviously the Australian War stop bacteria from harming us, without killing them. In that way we will not efficiently Memorial, with its specific remit to combine pick out the bacteria which are resistant to our defence measures. This should make it those very two functions: to be both a difficult for bacteria to counter those drugs which interfere with chemical communication. museum detailing this country's military The picture of bacterial communication which is beginning to emerge is very complex. history, and the sacred altar of national war Lots and lots of chemical messengers stimulate many different responses, within species commemoration. and between species. It all provides an enormously sophisticated tapestry of communica­ The argument is also a curious one in tion to jam, corrupt or otherwise subvert to human advantage. The uncovering of the role that it seems to fall somewhere between of furanones in Delisea is just a first step along the way. • traditional and pos tmodern views of his tory. Two legitimate versions of the truth Tim Thwaites is a freelance science writer. coexist: one for the important function of

20 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 raising patriotic fervour, the other for acknowledges that there is a tension between n ed to be acknowledged and respected. listing the facts. the Memorial' educational and commemo­ T he Smithsonian listened to the views In the first, history is a construct rative functions, he says combining the two of those whose stories it sought to tell, it intended to support the discourse of nation in one institution actually enhances both. was just that som e of them were Japanese. and patriotism. Such a view might normally The Memorial, like most other museums Its mistake was political rather than historio­ see museums as that construct's most around the world, learned important lessons graphical: it gave too much weight to the obvious edifice: a place where 'history' is from the Enola Gay saga. 'It goes to how Japanese view and not enough to that of literally built or assembled from selected that historians ought to talk to the people those who wielded influence in Washington. phy ical remnants of the past. But Harwit whose stories they tell, and they ought to Harwit says that America's fai lure to regards the museum as a repository for his listen to what they say and take their views face up to the Hiroshima tragedy i akin to second version of truth: facts displayed for into account,' Stanley says. Japan's notorious reticence in acknowledg­ the education of the public. In this case ' those people' are the ing its own guilt for wartime atrocities. The Enola Gay exhibition set out, as its veterans-those who actually fought in the 'These are really issues that any democ­ curators saw it, to list the facts- to tell the war. Stanley consulted widely with veterans' racy has to face. Each country has certain whole Hiroshima story. As well as things that it's not terribly proud of dealing with the horrific death and and the question of how to deal with destruction caused by the bomb, it that is really what was epitomised in delved into the debate within the the Enola Gay controversy,' he says. Truman administration over whether Australia too has a conflict buried the bomb should have been used at all. in its past that it has trouble confronting: Perhaps most controversially, it came the war of occupation waged against close to entering that debate by Aborigines. Debate about whether to claiming that, at the time, official acknowledge that conflict at the War estimates of American casualties in a Mem orial has flared periodically land invasion, seen as the alternative within the institution for the last 20 meansofenclingwar, werearound63,000 years, just as it has within the wider rather than the 500,000 to 1 million community. originally claimed. That is less than The real question for Australian half the number of (mostly civilian) museums is not so much which voices Japanesekilledorinjured when the Enola they will allow to speak, as which Gay unleashed its deadly cargo (not to stories they will choose to tell. When m ention the casualties at Nagasaki) . will they tell the founding war story Veterans, Republican Congressmen that lies at the very heart of Australian (then in the ascendancy after their history? recent electoral landslide), and the Stanley says the Mem orial will conservative press were outraged. Even move in step with the rest of the com­ President Bill Clinton, picking up on munity and the government of the day. the country's new conservative mood, D espite his incorporation of questioned the museum's judgment in competing voices and history-by­ staging such an exhibition in the 50th negotiation approach, Stanley rejects anniversary year of the war's end. the postmodernist tag, describing In the face of such overwhelming himself as a 'straight down the line' political pressure, the Smithsonian liberal historian. But perhaps that buckled, the exhibition was effectively compromise, while understandable for cancelled and Harwit resigned. someone in his position, makes him For Harwit those events provide a Olympic seats ava il ab le: a pair of banana lounges more of a historical pragmatist. salutary lesson in the dangers to free in prime position at Melbourne's former O lympic In Harwit's terms such compro­ speech and democracy of mixing two Vil lage, West Heidelberg. Ph otograph by Greg Scullin. mise is dangerous for democracy versions of historical truth, both of because museums play a vital role in which have distinct purposes. groups in assembling the Memorial's new the very community debate from which the 'I think one ought to make clear what World War II Galleries, for example. Memorial waits to take its cue. It represents the functions of museums are, particularly It's an approach that seems to have worked a blurring of the patriotic truth of national in a democratic society ... When you mix well for the m em orial if its success in avoid­ identity and the factual truth museums [that] up then you run into the danger of ing Enola Gay-style controversies is any have a sacred duty to uphold. people not knowing whether they are being guide, but where does that leave the truth? Such blurring, Harwit say , 'is dangerous shown an exhibition in order to increase 'History isn't about having a monopoly because a dem ocracy only really works well the patriotic fervour or in order to inform on truth. I believe it's about having a when you have an informed public. People the public.' diversity of interpretation, and the veterans' need to know what they're voting on-they Not surprisingly, Dr Peter Stanley, view has a place in that.' That is not to say need to have the opportunity to m ake up principal historian at the Australian War Stanley always agrees with those views, or their own minds having been truthfully M emorial, disagrees. Although h e even finds them palatable, just that they inform ed. ' -Jim Dickins

V oLUME 9 N uMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 21 The letter went on to require that the On 8 April, BBC put out a media release Out of the book be withdrawn immediately from sale announcing that it was withdrawing the and sought an undertaking from the book from its stores, '[following] a threat of recipient that they should cease publication, legal action against BBC Hardware by the 1:, "~~ N~~:~b~:~'" pcay w distribution, advertising and promotion of National Association of Forest Industries, have their latest effort banned in Boston: the book by close of business 1 April to which took exception to the publication'. sales will rocket, because banned books are avoid a Federal Court injunction. Similar There was consternation at Earth bound to be risque. letters were sent to Gemcraft Books and Garden, the Free Speech Committee and There is nothing remotely lubricious Gordon and Gotch, the book's distributors, the Wilderness Society and widespread about Forest-Friendly Building Timbers, so to the Wilderness Society and BBC Hardware speculation on just what had made BBC it was a surprise to some when there was a and to Alan Gray and Anne Hall, the editors. swing 180 degrees from its previous course. strong effort to prevent its distribution. Under advice from barrister Brian By the fo llowing Sunday, Professor Alan Alan Gray is the editor and publisher of Walters, Earth Garden Books replied to the Fels, Director of the Australian Competition Earth Garden magazine, so the look of the letter, refusing to accede to its demands. and Consumer Commission (ACCC), was book is very influenced by magazine design. Walters' comment later was, 'I regard their bei ng interviewed by Lane on Radio The cover shows two blokes doing claims as laughable.' National's program The National Interest. carp en terish things to a wooden framework In the m ean time, things had been Lane asked Professor Fels if NAFI's threat on a sunny, lucky-country day. moving in oth er quarters. BBC Hardware, a of legal action was a legitimate usc of the GlobetrottingBritish TV botanist, David large nationwide chain, had been selling Trade Practices Act. Fels' answer was no­ Bellamy, famously said that and promoting the book in that publishers and authors, as providers of Australia is the only First World their stores. At the bottom of information, were clearly exempt under country that is mega-biodi verse. the back cover one reads, section 65A of the Act. He went on to But the kind of wood you work 'This book is published with express surprise that NAFI had sent the with, the book argues, could the support of the Wilderness 31 March letter alleging that Alan Gray change that. 'Don't wreck wild­ Society and BBC Hardware.' was in breach of the Act, and said: life homes to build yours', says BBC conducted the Canberra ' ... I would have thought they were under the front cover, and the inside and Hobart launches, and an some kind of ethical obliga tion, to say the goes on to back up the slogan undated media release stated least, to tell Mr Gray and BBC the full with short summaries and it was 'proud to promote and provisions of the Act, not just 52.' extracts of scientific studies and stock "Forest Friendly Tim­ On 13 April the ACCC met with repre­ government reports beforegi ving bers" (sic)'. According to Alan sentatives of Earth Garden Books, the a fully explained list of planta­ Gray, BBC was strongly Wilderness Society and NAFI. An ACCC tion and recycled timber products. involved in FFBT's production: they took m edia release for the da y said in part: 'The It is possible, the book argues, to build a out three full-page advertisements in FFBT ACCC is investiga ting possible breaches of house from foundations to roof without and provided Earth Garden Books with the Trade Practices Act 19 74.' ever having to use native forest timber or camera-ready copy and research material Politicians began to take notice. As one its by-products. According to contributor about products discussed in the book. would expect, Greens Senator Bob Brown Judy Clark, a Visiting Fellow at the Centre Before receiving their version of the sent off flurries of m edia releases, but there for Resource and Environmental Studies at 3 1 March solicitor's letter, BBC had already were some surprises: in WA the book was ANU, the plantation industry is growing been contacted by a representative of the launched by the State National Party apace. 'Australi a's plantation industry is a native timber industry. On 22 March, BBC Director, Jamie Kronborg, on 20 April. And big investori its world-class mills add value received a fax, signed Graeme Gooding. He on 21 April there was a lively discussion in ... and create jobs', she writes. is Executive Director of the Victorian the Senate under Matters of Public Impor­ Although all of the scientific informa­ Association of Forest Industries (V AFI), a tance. Senator Brown raised the matter, tion contained in Forest-Friendly Building state branch of NAFI. Part of this letter was having provided a copy of FFBT to every Timbers (FFBTJ has been published before quoted by Senator Nick Bolkus in the Senate senator. He claimed that this was not the without incident, the book has been a month later as the dispute deepened: first time that the native fo rest industry challenged by the Executive Director of the had tried to stop dissenting views with Wh ile yo u may ga in some sales from National Association of Forest Industries threats of legal action: he had been told by 'green' build ers or co nsumers influenced (NAFI), Dr Robert Bain. On 1 April 1999, a 'spokesperson from North, the biggest by the misinformation in this book, you Earth Garden Books received a letter, dated woodchipper in the Southern Hemisphere', could lose as much in any backlash, if the 3 1 March 1999, from NAFI's Canberra that everything h e said was 'put before a peo ple you are harming choose to campaign solicitors, Ken Cush & Associates, asserting bank of QCs', and that a colleague of his, against BBC. that FFETcontained many statements that Peg Putt, was threatened with legal action were false, misleading or deceptive, Things began to heat up on 6 April when for making 'a public statement that [the contravening sections 52, 53 and 55 of the ABC Radio presenter Terry Lane, as native forest logging industry] did not like Trade Practices Act (TPA). It is more usual, president of the Free Speech Committee, in defence of forests'. Later Senator Nick if a book offends, for its author and publisher issued a media release expressing alarm at Bolkus added a claim of his own: to be sued for defamation. Why the TPA NAFI's attempt 'to ban the distribution was used here is something all the parties and sale' of FFBT, calling it 'censorship by In 1991 I, as Minister for Aclminis tra ti ve involved must now be asking. the spurious use of Trade Practices Law'- Services, wanted to restrain the use of old

22 EUREKA STREET • )uNc 1999 BUSH BusH LAWYER

SEAMUS O'SHAUGHNESSY forest timber in government constructions and I also wanted to restrain the import of rainforest timber. I was met with a similar sort of reaction from N AFI and Dr Bain. I My brain got a letter from a olicitor threatening me with defamation proceedings . (Australian Senate Hansard for 21 April 1999) hurts A minor diversion wa caused by Senator Winston Crane's offer to table a NAFI INHIS ELEGIA C NOVEL, Birdsong, Sebastian coarsened by their experiences; in their statement to the effect that the ACCC Faulks has one of his characters, a Great hearts they remained perfectible.' had not found any breach of its rules by War British soldier, reflect longingly on his Unfortunately, the research indicates that NAFI. The following day the senator was young son dying in a London hospital: in the first three years, these beau tifullittle granted leave to put further material on tabulae rasae do, if maltreated, develop He saw him as a creature who had come the record-a later statement from the innate faults making them extremely from another universe; but in Jack's eyes ACCC. Senator Brown obligingly read out difficult to perfect. the place from which the boy had come part of the material-the ACCC's statement 'Sam' was eventually locked up by another was not just a different but a better world. that it was: magistrate, all the available remedial His innocence was not the same thing as alternatives having been tried. He, I believe, particularly concerned that NAFI, while ignorance; it was a powerful quality of is proof positive of the thesis that violent alleging misleading and deceptive conduct goodness which was available to all people; environments adversely affect children's in the book's content, ignored section 65A it wa perhap what the Prayer Book calls brain development. He is like a forest of the Act, which specifically excludes a means of grace, or a hope of glory. animal-he trusts no-one. He is predatory publishers and information providers from The innocence of children is a theme and defensive. He seems programmed to those very provisions. which runs through our culture in deep and survive in a hostile environment. And why At last inquiry however, it turned out rich seams. We have always understood wouldn't he be if violence or the threat of it that the ACCC would not take action that to hurt children or to expose them to was all he knew as a baby? against NAFI over this matter, but had experiences which exploit their innocence, If the research's tentative findings are pointed out its concerns. It is unlikely that not only tends to destroy their innocence, accurate-and there is very good reason to the TP A will be used against a publisher in but in doing so, hardens them. We recoil from believe that they are-early intervention quite this way again, but corporations can people who do that, but we make distinc­ with families whose children are exposed still sue for defamation if they believe they tions. It is one thing to tell kids that there is to violence is critical to the long-term well­ have been damaged: in Australia it is much no Santa Claus but entirely another to sub­ being of those children and their families. ea ier to bring a defamation action than to ject them to drunken rages or sexual abuse. Children do not have to be 'stolen'. In the defend it. For businesses the costs are I have encountered a number of children US it has been found that home visits to actually tax-deductible. Not so for the who have been exposed to horrendously support single parents with children under hapless recipient of the writ who may be an violent circumstances wh en infants. 'Sam', three can significantly reduce the long­ ordinary citizen activist trying to publicise now 14, is the son of a violent, alcoholic term risk of those children becoming a particular point of view. father and an emotionally and physically involved in anti-social and self-destructive Just tllis time however, the tide has battered mother. One of hls elder brothers conduct, and improve their chances of flowed the other way. Alan Gray told me was convicted at the age of 16 of murder. having a good life. that he really should thank NAFI: Forest­ Another brother was convicted of In Australia, the issue has been taken up Friendly Building Timbers is now on The manslaughter. by, among others, Professor Graham Australian bestseller list and look as if it A growing body of neuro-biological Vimpani, head of paediatrics and child will break even in three month instead of research shows that the first three years of health at the University of Newcastle, and the three years they had expected. a child's life are critical for brain develop­ a group of colleagues. They have received a Forest-Friendly Building Timbers, Alan T. Gray ment. The wiring of neurones is dependent sympathetic hearing from both the federal and Anne Hall (eels), Earth Garden Books, 1999. not only on genes but on the use to which and state governments, who have promised I BN 0 9586397 0 1; RRP $9 .95. the brain is put, and the experiences a child funding for programs specifically designed -Juliette Hughes has during that first three years. At birth, to assist families and children under three. the brain is dramatically immature, but In the meantime, what is to be done This month 's contributors: Edmu nd over the next three years it evolves at a about the 'Sams' filling our juvenile insti­ Campion teaches history at the Catholic staggering pace. It is highly selective and tutions? The evidence seems to be that the Institute of Sydney, Strathfield; Tim Moore adaptive a it lays down permanent only thing which works is intensive, long­ was a member of the Student Council of the pathways in the brain synapses. At this age, term cognitive therapy, designed to alter Melbourne University Student Union in children are not resilient, but malleable. thinking and learned behaviours. It is costly, 1995, and also a delegate to the National Faulk's soldier believed that 'his fellow but it would be money well-spent if it kept Union of Students that same year; Josh Puls human beings were not the rough, flawed these kids out of expensive jails. • is a tutor at N ewman College, Melbourne; creatures that most of them supposed. Their Jim Dickins is a Canberra journalist; Juliette failings were not innate, but the result of Seamus O'Shau gh nessy is a country Hughes is a freelance writer. where they had gone wrong or been magistrate.

VOLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 23 FEATURE

D AVID GLANZ Firmly on the ground

The case of the Yorta Yorta people highlights the irony and complexity of indigenous land rights claims. How can a people establish connection with the land from which they have been violently removed!

L WOMAN SnT>NG o"osm is clwly suffe

24 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 began to bring livestock in or through the area, there observation of traditional was sporadic resistance. In January 1838, Joseph customs. If they could not, The law is rigid and the law Hawdon was overlanding cattle to Adelaide when he all other considerations is dog1natic. It demands that and his men m et a group of Aboriginal people near were irrelevant. the junction of the Campaspe and Murray Rivers (the Could the Yorta Yorta people who have experienced site of Echuca). Hawdon's record of this meeting cross the threshold? They indicates that the Aborigines wanted them out. Justice thought so. They put forward up to 211 ye(zrs of contact with Olney writes: 18 ' known ancestors' as a dmninant and self-assertive evidence of the genealogical The letters, journals and 'reminiscences' of the first line of descent. Their foreign culture retain their decade of settlem ent suggest a high level of initial witnesses cited traditional conflict with the indigenous people, particularly in own intact. It makes no beliefs and customs and the eastern part of the claim area although individual described the importance of sq uatters developed more positive relationships ... By allowances for Aboriginal burial places, middens and the end of the next decade (1850s] all of the land other sites. 'The onus was on spirituality or culture to grow between the Campaspe and the Goulburn had been us. We took them [the court] occupied from Seymour to the Murray. Conflict occurred and adapt to changed all around our country, at numerous stations. In many cases large, organised places we'd never taken circumstances. It makes no groups of Aborigines were involved. Even (early squatter people to before. It was a Edward M.] Curr, wh o generally enjoyed a good very em otional time for allowance for suffering. relationship with the indigenous people, on establish­ many of us, [especially] for ing an outstation on the northern side of the Murray older people who grew up in had his shepherds attacked and sheep driven off. mission times,' said Monica By the middle of the 19th century, warlike Morgan. resistance had been extinguished by weight of numbers, Justice Olney brushed disease and displacem ent. But that was not the end of their case aside in short the story. In 1939, the Yorta Yorta becam e among the order. H e had precedent on first to reject the mission system, with a walk-off at his side. Cummeragunja, on the NSW side of the Murray. The Mabo High Court Cummeragunja had been founded in 1888. It rapidly decision in 1992, which overthrew the doctrine of became an insanitary disgrace. Some 170 people lived terra nullius, based its decision on systems of land in 20 two-roomed shacks with no sewerage. Disease tenure in the Torres Strait. Crucially, Eddie Mabo and and malnutrition were rife and the mortality rate high. the Meriam people had to prove their organised use No child was permitted to be educated past third of the land at the point at which Australia claimed grade. The Communist Party newspaper, the Workers sovereignty, which in the case of their islands was a Weekly, hailed the walk-off in its edition of century after the flag was hoisted in New South Wales. 28 February 1939, with a tier of headlines, 'First Mass Compelling and accurate proof was easily to be found. Strike of Aborigines ... TREATED LIKE ANIMALS What of the Yorta Yorta? The British claim of ... Govt. Tried To Hush Up Affair By Arrests.' sovereignty over their land cam e in 1788-a full 36 A photocopy of the front page is stuck on years before black and white cam e face to face in the the wall in the dining room at Dharnya. region, and half a century before the squatters' land grab and their subsequent memoirs aimed at justifying E R MoNICA MoRGAN and the others, such incidents and glorifying their feats. Justice Olney laid great store are evidence of a continuity, of a chain of life and by two works by Curr, the early squatter. But the first resistance- each generation holding the hands of the was published in 1883, the second in 1886-35 years previous, as far back as oral history will allow, and after he quit the Yorta Yorta area. How could the Yorta then further. The idea that today's Yorta Yorta have Yorta prove continuity of occupation from 1788 when no connection to the Aborigines encountered by the there w ere no written records and the oral first white intruders is simply laughable. But in transmission of history had been disrupted by December, Justice Olney was not smiling: The crux smallpox, displacement and inter-breeding? The of his judgment was that the living chain had been answer, in the opinion of the court, was that it was, broken. regretfully, impossible. 'What means the most to us In his determination, he argued that there was as Yorta Yorta people is they didn't take notice of no point initially in trying to discover where and when our oral evidence. They wouldn't accept that our native title might have been extinguished and where oral evidence was as good as whites',' said Monica it might survive. His assessment of native title Morgan. legislation was that the thresh old question was Justice Olney dismissed all but two of the 'known Above: Yorta Yo rta whether the claimants could demons trate a ancestors' from contention. For the most part, they kids playing at continuing connection with the land, and a continuing were rejected because, although they were born in the Dharnya.

VOLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 25 claim area, there was no evidence that they were of In the Balkans, as this article is written, many local stock. On this basis there will be few, if any, Kosovars are refusing to be dispersed across Europe successful native title claims. The Aboriginal people for fear of losing connection with their families. If of Victoria in the mid 19th century were a people in record-keeping is deem ed so unreliable in Europe at shock, savagely reduced in numbers and dispersed the end of the 20th century, why should our expecta­ by threats, disease and the introduction of livestock. tions for Australia in colonial times be any higher? The very act of dispossession meant a break in the The question of proof of the continuity of historical record-yet the break in the historical customs and traditions has a similar catch-22 ring record now becomes a reason to confirm their about it. The Yorta Yorta lost ou t on two grounds. dispossession. Either they no longer carried out the customs as

L E DEBATE ovER the constitutional grow close to each other grow straighter, The immediate threa t to resource preamble has raised the question of and are more useful to loggers. access in the claimed area has been Aboriginal custodianship of the land. There is supposedly a time limit on removed ... The Yorta Yorta appeared For the Yorta Yorta, this is not an empty taking timber in both the forest and the to have a much stronger association phrase. Their battle for native title is adjoining state park. But Des says the with the claimed land (particularly the fuelled by a very immediate concern loggers have the right of appeal and Barmah/Millewa forest) than Aborig­ that their country is being degraded past expects them to get renewed access. inal groups in most other areas of the point of recovery. The granting of The National Association of Forest fo rested public land, therefore the native title would help them claim a Industries has certainly been cheered by likelihood of successful claims over place at the table when the Murray­ the Yorta Yorta's defeat in court. At other fo restry areas appears to have Darling Basin Commission is deciding stake was much of the 'redgum resource been diminished. on water allotment. As Monica Morgan in Victoria and NSW'. The association's The running of cattle through the (see main story) put it, 'Unless we have newsletter commented: forest is another problem. In the long some control over our waters, our term, the Yorta Yorta would like to see country won't survive.' a phasing out of both cattle­ According to Jam es Atkin­ raising and logging. What both son, the number of bird species industries have in common is a in the Barmah Forest region love of the higher ground, above has fallen by more than three the fl ood level. Yet that is quarters in nine years. Reduced exactly where the bulk of Yorta water flows have led to blue­ Yorta sites and burial grounds are. green algae problems, and the Before the diversion of the water that is left is increasingly Murray's waters, the area would saline. On average, 5.5 million have been inundated regularly tonnes of salt enter the Murray and for long periods, with the River a year. local people moving from dry A walk around the forest area to dry area by canoe. That with Des Morgan, a Yorta Yor­ makes high ground culturally ta man and the state-funded important, if not sacred ground. heritage co-ordinator for the Along by the lake beds, the north-east region of Victoria, is reeds are luxuriant and thick. h ighly ins true ti ve. What That looks good-but according looks to the untutored eye to to D es, it is an indication of be prosperin g woodland and further problems. Salt in the pretty riverfront turns out to be river allows one reed variety to something quite different. dominate at the expense of Although it is obvious that others. Its spread redu ces most of the older trees have habitat for wading birds. The been logged, there seem s to be salt also weakens the river banks, plenty of new growth. But the making erosion easier. saplings are too close together­ Without native title, the the result of the ringbarking of Yorta Yorta cannot exercise the parent tree, which forces it custodianship, whatever the to drop its seeds at once. This Des Morga n in Barmah Fores t explaining a tree from politicians' poets might say. is done deliberately as trees that which a ca noe has been tak en. -David Glanz

26 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 described in the squatters' m emoirs, which given their less than the Liberals' mean­ forcible inclusion into European-s tyle religion, er amendments-is designed The Aboriginal people of education and 'morals', was hardly surprising. Or they to frustrate and impede Victoria in the mid 19th century indeed had distinct cultural concerns, but these had Aboriginal aspirations. developed after 1788 and therefore had no standing. In the name of certainty, were a people in shock, savagely A sense of condescension carries down the years. Labor agreed that the use of Compare Curr with Justice Olney: Crown land fo r structures reduced in nuznbers and extinguished native title . I recollect, on one occasion, a certain portion of country dispened by threals. di~ea~e The result is that the being pointed out to m e as belonging exclusively to a Dharnya Centre, established and the introduction boy who fo rmed one of the party with whi ch I was to defend and extend Aborig­ out hunting at the time ... As I was always prone to inal culture, is itself now of livestock. The very act of fall in with the views of my sable neighbour when 'evidence' that native title possible, I offered him on the spot, with the mo t erious dispossession meant a break in has been extinguished on the fa ce, a stick of tobacco for the fee-simple of his land that it occupies and needs the historicnl record-yet the patrimonial property, which, after a short consultation for its services. In the name with his elders, was accepted and paid. (Curr) of certainty, the Liberals break in the historical record legislated that the granting of The advent of extensive logging of, and the now becomes a reason to pastoral leases should wipe introduction of ca ttle into, the fo rests in the claim area out native title rights. The confirm their dispossession. together with the interference with the natural flow of result is that two areas in the the river system s for irrigation purposes are all matters Goulburn state fo rest, over about which contemporary Yorta Yorta have expressed which leases were granted concern ... Bu t these are issues of relatively recent early this century, are now origin about which the original inhabitants could have outside the Yorta Yorta had no con cern and w hich ca nnot be regarded as claim, even though the leases matters relating to the observance of traditional laws expired 78 years ago and the and custom s. (O lney) land is indistinguish able In the 1840s, Aboriginal concern about custodian­ fr om the forest around it. ship of their land was regarded as a joke. In the 1990s, But the biggest burden is th at of proving it i apparently proof of a qualitative shift in culture­ continuity of occupation and of tradition . T he very a shift which justifies further estrangem ent people whose land has been m ost closely settled, from the land in question . whose collective being has been m ost fractured and dispersed are the ones who under both generations of Y T WHAT SH INES T HROUGH all of this is the resilience N ative Title Act have the least claim. The law is rigid of the Yorta Yorta in the face of apparently over­ and the law is dogm atic. It demands that people who whelming odds. Among the claimants and their have experienced up to 211 years of contact with a families are victims of the stolen generation disgrace. dominant and self-assertive foreign culture retain their Among them, too, must be som e who remember the own intact. It makes no allowances for Aboriginal events of 1957, when police evicted without notice spirituality or culture to grow and adapt to changed families living in shacks on Mooroopna tip and som e circumstances. It makes no allowance for suffering. 200 people living on the river flats, and burnt their Justice Olney commented that his role was not one hom es. For many years, until the late 1980s, Yorta of social engineer, m aking good the in justices that Yor ta children were barred from Barmah school. When had certainly taken place. If the law cannot engineer they were finally admitted, many white residents away even a fraction of that in justice, then it is a withdrew their children, leading to the school's bad law. closure. N o wonder Monica Morgan can say, 'The Eight years ago, people of good will cheered the invasion occurred for us in the 1830s. Since that time Mabo decision . Seven years ago, people of good will our people have had a very long, at times bloody, at warmed to the first N ative Title Act. The outcom e of times exhausting, struggle to get to where we are the Yorta Yorta case suggests that those fo nd hopes today. ' were misplaced. 'Native title is very limited. It always That struggle will continue. What are the Yorta was,' says M onica M organ. The law is a cruel Yorta's chances of successl Justice Olney's decision deception . It dangles hope in front of indigenous may turn out, on appeal, to have been too narrow. It people, only to jerk it away. It dem ands that they lay may be ruled that he gave too much weight to written bare their m ost important secrets and traditions and sources as against the oral testimony. Arguing just then rejects them on the faded word of a long- dead that is the Yorta Yorta's game plan. But whatever squatter. the outcome, the case demonstrates how this decade's native title legislation- Labor's version no David Glanz is a fr eelance journalist.

V OLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 27 THE WORLD: 1 Kosovo options Adrian Jones argues that Kosovo must now become independent, the holy city of Pee should remain open to all Serb pilgrims, and Serbs who choose to remain in an independent Kosovo must be constitutionally protected. N A TO's OBJECTIVES for the war in if Macedonia and Montenegro are not to be Rambouillet deal was sordidly realistic. Few Kosovo no longermakesense. Independence destabilised. While still enjoying a measure people in the West wanted war then or nowi is the only realistic option now that war in of democratic government, both states have Americans, after all, have whipped Kosovo has been waged in earnest. large and disadvantaged Albanian themselves into a frenzy over just three NATO is fighting to enforce the minorities. Albania will need to be relieved bewildered, blundering captives. Few Rambouillet accords that only they and the of idle dreams of a Greater-Albania. The policy-makers realised the extent of Hitler's Kosovar Albanians signed. Slobodan obstacles here are religious (conflict or Milosevic's infamy. Perhaps, though, Milosevic didn't even bother to attend. between Catholic, Muslim and Orthodox our generation should have known better, Rambouillet envisages that Kosovo will Albanians), cultural and financial. for we had seen what Milosevic ordered in remain part of Yugoslavia, though it will Albanians also have competing languages, Vukovar and Srebrenica. Most Western have full autonomy and the rights of all competing capitals of home and exile, plus policy-makers before Munich hadn't yet ethnicgroups(includingth eSerbminority) Tosks who are clan-minded and Ghegs seen the flagrantly vicious evils of will be protected. President Clinton and who are urbane. Finally, Greece will need Kristallnacht. Moreover, few people then NATO are still insisting on Kosovo's to be reassured about changes to its north. understood the pivotal issues at stake in remaining part of Yugoslavia. A meeting of Since the 1770s, Greeks have viewed such a 'far-off' (Chamberlain's words) place G 7+ 1 Ministers have recently confirmed Albanians as hostile to Greek nationalism, in Europe. Kosovo Albanians were as stood this decision. warring with them in the 1820s, 1912, over by the Americans and Europeans at This policy cannot continue. It's like and 1939-40. Rambouillet in 1999 as were Benes Czechs insisting on abolishing women's refuges ThisdoesnotmeanthattheRambouillet at Munich in 1938. Like the Czechs, the and requiring battered wives to live once agreement and NATO policy have been Albanian Kosovars signed. What choice did again with their abusing poorpolicy. They made they have? husbands.BosnianMuslims sense when NATO WeknowthattheWesteventuallywent after the Dayton accord at believed that Milosevic to war with the Axis powers over Poland in least had their sovereignty wasonlybluffingabout August 1939. Their prompt was the restoredi Kosovar Albanians Kosovo, and when guarantee they had made to Poland after gain nothing of the sort if NATO believed that a Hitler violated the Munich agreement. The Ram bouillet is imple- short sharp air strike occasion was Hitler's seizure ofthe rump of m en ted. The Rambouillet would pull him up. Czechoslovakia in March 1938. Milosevic's agreement no longer makes sense. Kosovo With the wisdom of hindsight we can see irregular armies of thugs and jingoists must now be made independent. that both views were in error. Though similarly thumbed their nose at the There are many Balkan precedents for NATO is being lambasted now for its principled impracticalities of the such an imperfect solution. Bulgaria, for supposed naivety, it is better that they were Rambouillet agreement. NATO's slow-and- instance, becam e independent in 1878 after cautious, hopeful and naive at first, rather steady airborne response was measured. It Europe had been shocked by atrocities than bellicose from the outset. The USA was realistic, given the West's paucity of committed there by the Ottomans- in and Western Europe have few material interests in a very backward part of Europe, response to nationalist aspirations which interests in the central Balkan region but also given the widespread disgust at a Europeanshadfannedinonewayoranother. (unlike Iraq). No-one there or here seems cynical powerplay and a humanitarian But first the Russian army had to intervene to want to volunteer to serve in a full- outrage. If only Chamberlain had been as unilaterally in 1877-78 (the role NATO is scale invasion force. We know the dangers principled, decisive and restrained in 1938. playing today) to blunt Ottoman revenge of guerrilla war in the Balkans. Recall the And yet, when Britain finally went into killings and to defeat local Ottoman armies. fate of many crack German and indifferent that war, its very naivety at Munich helped Then, in the interests of preserving the Italian divisions which invaded and strengthen its war effort (long-term!): it European balance of power, Bismarck and occupied Yugoslavia, Greece and Albania fashioned an unprecedented consensus Salisbury felt they had to intervene (at the in 1941- 44. between classes and between nations as Congress of Berlin, June 1878) to restrict NATO's predicament resembles diverse as the USSR, Britain and the USA. the scope of the Greater-Bulgaria that Chamberlain's at Munich in 1938. NATO's cau se is the same today. Those Russian arms had brought about. NATO seems to have done better than prosecuting the First World War, Korean NATO peacemakers will face similar Chamberlain, however. NATO still called and Vietnam Wars were not so fortunate. challenges. For Kosovo to become independ- the dictator's bluff even when they didn't History is also repeating itself in other ent, a balancing act will have to be performed really want to go to war. Like Munich, the ways. War aims change. The great irony of

28 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 the Second World War in Europe was that a long-term; though in fairness to US and constitutionally protected and the holy city war fought to liberate Poland ended up with Western European lives I would still not of Pee must remain open to all Serb pilgrims. the annihilation of Polish Jewry, with despatch them until airborne assaults can do Their rights were often abused when Kosovo Poland suffering the highest per capita death no more, or until the Yugoslav army and its was-pre-Milosevic- an autonomous and destruction rate, and murderous irregulars province in the old Serb socialist republic with Poland experiencing are pulled out. And in Yugoslavia. first fascist and then NATO will have to The model of the Dayton accords in communist domination. deploy its power Bosnia is clear: an imperfect solution, During the Second World wisely if it is not to be determinedly applied, that brings peace is War, Allied war aims had to used as an instrument better than an imperfect solution, hesitantly change; nothing could really of Serb, Greek or Mac- applied, that brings still more war. NATO be done about Poland, even ...._ -...- edonian Slav paranoia must not hesitate. Kosovars should not be though the war was ostensi- about Albanians, or of expected to go back into Yugoslavia, even if bly fought for Poland's sake. Kosovo should Albanian Kosovars' desire for revenge they are given a worthless something called not be the same. NATO must adjust its war against Serbs. (The Kosovo Liberation Army 'autonomy'. • aims and secure the independence which is must not be given carte blanche.) the only viable solution to the Kosovo ques­ The rights of Serbians who choose to Adrian Jones teaches Russian and Ottoman tion today. Ground troops will be required remain in an independent Kosovo must be History at LaTrobe University, Melbourne.

THE WORLD: 2 After Mandela Jim Davidson reports from South Africa on the jockeying for position in the lead-up to the June election.

WNTH' SoUTH M"CAN padiamont Beyond parliament the ground was still further challenge and a legal loophole, rose in March, it was an amazingly dignified being pawed for the next election by a series prisoners established their right to vote in affair. As the New National Party whip of court cases and appeals to the Independent the election. remarked-even as memories sprang up of Electoral Commission. These would drag As a result of these manoeuvres, it was fisticuffs on the floor of the house-they on for weeks. One concerned the govern­ some time before the date could be fixed had all learned to turn enemies into oppo­ ment's insistence that only voters who had with any certainty as the second of June. nents. Courtesies were extended all round: specially registered could participate in But with Mandela's stepping down, and the a spokesman for the Freedom Front, the elections. The aim here was to prevent insidious attrition produced by the court right-wing Afrikaner party, gave a multiple voting-which certainly cases, South Africa's second demo­ considerable slice of his speech in English occurred last time- and to cratic election could scarcely be and, addressing the members as colleagues, standardise voter identification. less like the euphoric first one of allowed himself the droll observation that Opposed by the main white April 1994. While voter registra­ he couldn't quite come at comrades. The parties, fearful that some of their tion, after a concerted advertising tributes to Nelson Mandela, whose last disheartened supporters simply campaign and numerous exten­ parliamentary appearance this was, were might not bother, the government sions, eventually reached an almost unqualified in their praise. White carried the day. Less impressive impressive 80 per cent, less than politicians ended their speeches with a was the outcome of another half of 18 to 2.0-year-olds had flourish of Xhosa; while the abrasive Tony court challenge. The government, bothered to enrol; a case of Leon, who did not, nonetheless compared publicly stating reasons of universal apathy, perhaps, but also him with Gandhi and the Dalai Lama, and expenditure, announced that­ indicative of postmodern amnesia, said he not only graced the House and the unlike the 1994 election­ and, more alarmingly, of a wide­ country, 'He graces humanity-' Small expatriate South Africans would spread feeling that, because the wonder that Mandela's own speech should not be able to vote (unless registered). Some government has not yet made much of a seem anticlimactic. But despite the standing suspect that this decision was intended to difference, perhaps it cannot. ovation, and the later singing and ululations, wipe out a considerable element of There have also been serious problems those stiff steps down from the podium opposition support. Whatever the case, it arising from the nature of the new system. indicated that an era was about to end. did not look well when, as a result of a To guarantee minorities a voice, it was

VoLuME 9 NuMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 29 sensibly decided that the Assembly should Mbeki. To say that most whites fear him simply returned at theforthco mingelection, be elected by proportional representation. would be no exaggeration. Mbeki is person­ but aiming at a two-thirds majority. But the problem with this is that the link able and suave, extroverted but controlled; The opposition parties are determined between m ember and constituency has been there is a guardedness about him which is to stop them. A poster ha s appeared in severed; the member is responsible to the not reassuring. He has a reputation for be­ Johannesburg, stating 'Mugabe has two­ party bosses, and beholden to them for his ing sensitive to criticism, for ruthlessly thirds', a reference to the dismal fate that position on the list. The lower his place, the outmanoeuvring his enemies, for having a has overtaken Zimbabwe. The ANC claim s less likely the tide of voter endorsement of preference for working behind the scenes­ that it is necessary to have a clear mandate the party will sweep him into one of its as he could be said to have done in the if it is to accelerate the pace of change, and allocated seats. So, as the election neared, grandest sense for the last two or three years, denies that it intends anything more than there was the unseemly spectacle of since he has in effect been running the minor tinkering with the constitution. But members abandoning their parties-partly country. He gives nothing away. When Mbeki's impulse to authoritarianism­ because of genuine dis satisfactions-but interviewed after a colloquium in Cape recently dismissing three ANC premiers, clearly because in many cases they were Town with an American delegation headed and filling important posts with placcmen guaranteed a higher position on a rival party's by Al Gore, it was Gore who was expansive (a nd women)-causes apprehension. True, list. The feeling that some people would do and made astute observations; Mbeki put to change the rules for amending the almost anything to remain on the gravy up a sm okescreen of generalities. When constitution would require a three-quarters train induced one former MP to suggest interviewers pop personal questions, Mbeki majority, plus the consent of six of the nine that politicians should be compulsorily will fen d them off until they drop them. He provinces, so the role of elections, political weighed, at the beginning and the end of is a man who studied economics at Sussex, parties, and official non-racialism are each parliamentary session. The simultaneously writing a thesis on Shelley effectively inscribed in stone. But two-thirds '"1" results would then be published. and Keats, and who is a natural, lyrical would be sufficient to neutralise various orator; but one who also spent a year in the checks and balances and to suborn the .1. HE RACIAL COMPOSITION of South Africa Soviet Union undergoing military training, Reserve Bank; and if the requisite six has meant that its elections, as much as its and who, as the son of a famous activist provinces were added (the ANC currently politics, have always been peculiar. There father, Govan Mbeki, is in a very real sense controls seven), then the Bill of Rights could were some held in the apartheid era in a child of the revolution. The struggle deprived be amended, as could the clause protecting which, even though whites alone voted, the him of years of family life, and claimed the private property. English or Afrikaans character of electorates lives of a brother and his only son. The Leading the charge against the govern­ could be so pronounced that a reasonable existence of this son was so little known that m ent is the Democratic Party, the present spread of parties might only be found in half when it was refen ed to in a recently published incarnation of the party of Helen Suzman. of them. Similarly the African N ational biography, a leading Sunday newspaper But no-one calls them Democrats; the image Congress (AN C) has not the slightest chance decided to run it as of white privilege, of bridge of losing the election, although that beefy the main story. parties and cucumber sand­ battering ram Louis Lu yt, now heading a wiches, still eli ngs to them. party of his own as if it were a rugby team, I T H AS BEEN STRIKING how Their leader, Tony Leon, is professes to believe it will. quite recently the word as energetic as an ambi­ The ANC is the party of the struggle, 'transformation', signifying tious executive; flaunting the party which vanquished minority rule, the change of the country to a jutting jaw, he is highly and until it starts to fall apart (as it may do the point where the interests articulate and a! ways on rather quicker than Congress did in India ), of the African majority the attack, pausing for a it can claim an almost reflexive loyalty become paramount, has now moved to moment to elaborate a point or to show from the greater part of the population. centres tage. 'Reconciliation' was Mandela 's sympathy in a tone which is never quite Walking down the street recently, watch word, 'transformation' is Mbeki' s. But right, before rushing headlong on to the I passed an African holding a sun umbrella, clearly black expecta tions cannot be next targe t. Leon attacks crime: 100,000 striped in green, yellow and black. 'AN C cancelled or postponed indefinitely. 'I am South Africans have been murdered since colours,' I remarked as we passed. 'What are convinced,' Mbeki believes, 'that we are 1994. Leon does Workers' Day: What are yo u voting for?' he replied, 'Dem ocratic fa ced with the danger of a mounting rage to you celebrating? 500,000 people have lost PartyorNNP?' His assumption that a white which we must respond seriously.' Believing, their jobs-since 1994. Hostile to corrup­ person would be voting for a white party as he does, in an 'African renaissance', tion, he believes the state should be lean was disappointing, but accurate. A recent Mbeki also cites the example of the Meiji and clean. Privatisation is the only answer, poll showed that less than half of one per restoration. Thus the government has, at he asserts; never mind that if public services cent of ANC support now com es from an increasing pace over the past five years, were scaled back any more, South Africa whites. Indians and Coloureds are not much built 680,000 houses; it has also supplied might fall apart. more enthusiastic; 93 per cent of the party's electricity and running water to over two Crime, jobs, and corruption are real support comes from blacks. million homes. It is this delivery of services issues; all parties agree on that. But Leon While Mandela remains an iconic figure to hitherto neglected areas which is the turns them into grievances. The ANC, since whom few would criticise in fran t of strangers, basic thrust of current policy-at the it upholds affirmative action, is 'obsessed since he commands so much love and expense, if need be, of maintaining estab­ about race'. For him, almost as much as for respect throughout the country, it is quite lished services in white areas. And so the Luyt, reconciliation mea ns kissing, making otherwise with Deputy President Thabo ANC is going for broke, expecting not to be up, and forgetting, to avoid transformation.

30 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 Eager for the Democratic Party to become themselves. Others may resent the new the ANC in 1994, could lose control of the official opposition, Leon doesn' t care order, but know it cannot seriously be con­ KwaZulu-Natal. In that ca e, it would from where h e garners his votes. The tested. The government recently made it probably go into coalition with theANC on insensitive sloga n 'Fight Back', which went plain that, while it would do little to encourage the provincial level, as it already has on the up on DP posters early in the campaign, an Afrikaner voll

VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 31 Church, State me ddl.1ng clerics

In 1998, former Prime Minister Paul Keating revived the age-old castigation of clergy who take a role in politics, when he branded Frank Brennan a 'meddling priest'. The influence of Senator Brian Harradine has also prompted questions about the nation's mix of religion and politics. This month, two of Australia's best-known religious spokesmen, Tim Costello and Frank Brennan, tallz directly about the proper extent of their roles in politics and public debate.

B OTH o• "' """c l•wym •nd cbgy Tim Costello I said, 'Minister, it seems to me your causes me to reflect how deeply disturbing it approach to governm ent is Jeffersonian' is fo r many lay people that people can both I want to do a bit of a broad-brush view (quoting Thomas Jefferson: 'the government practise law and still wear the cloth. They of church and state, both in N ew T estam ent which governs least governs best'). Mr say, now wait a minute, law and grace don't and some chapters of history. Let m e start Hallam looked at m e surprised, perhaps fit together: you'd better decide what you are. with the Australian context. because he did not hear me correctly, then I sometimes tell the story (I hope Frank I remember visiting Roger Hallam, the raised an eyebrow and asked, 'Did Jeff really won't be offended) of a blind snake and a Minister for Finance and Gaming, in the say that? ' blind rabbit that met in the clearing of a Victorian Government, two years ago. In I saw smiles around the room, so I forest. Being blind, they couldn't run around Victoria the Ministries of Finance and replied, discreetly, 'No, it was another and play so they sat and talked. And when Gaming belong together, as now 15 per cent famous statesman, actually.' you talk trust develops, even indeed a of recurrent state revenue comes from Church and state is an issue as old as the relationship develops. The snake said to gaming. We have seen an extraordinary church. In truth the church by its very the rabbit, 'I'm blind, I can't see you. Would convergence of political and financial power. existence is inescapably political. The word you mind if I reached out and touched you ?' The combination of political muscle 'political' com es from the Greek word polis, The rabbit was scared, but enough trust had and fi nancial muscle that led to what the m eaning city. Those who are political are developed so the rabbit said all right. The Premier proudly called the gaming-led those who carry a concern for the city. The snake felt the rabbit all over its body and recovery, with Crown Casino representing Greek city-states were the context for this said, 'You've got this lovely soft fur, you 've the new spirit of Victoria, led m any of us in activity and became a primary influence on got these cute whiskers, you've got these the church to object. So when church leaders the development of democratic politics. visited the Minister for Finance and Those who have concern for the city are tt hen MMS,tlrcl Thatcher W(L~ PnnU: Gaming, knowing he came from a political. Mini'>ter she 1-va" deeply distrcs.:;ed thnt the church background, we asked if we The H ebrew scriptures are full of could begin the meeting with prayer. examples of priests, prophets and kings Archbishop of Canlerlmry. in the He looked surprised at that- prayer acting in a political way, and addressing a celclnation for the victor)' oFer the is always very s ubversive-but theocratic society through their religious willingly agreed. After prayer we experience. The shalom, or well-being, of Falh.lond\, oLl ually prayed for the argued that there be some regional th e nation is their preoccupation. There is 4.rgentinian.., -Tim Costello caps on where the pokies go and a wonderful text in Jeremiah 29, where showed him a map of Melbourne, Jeremiah the prophet is left in Jerusalem really gorgeous long ears and this absolutely saying, 'Isn't it curious that the pokies when most of his fellow Jews have been stunning bobtail-could it be that you are a actually infest the poorest areas? Actually, if carried off into Babylon. He writes to these rabbit?' The rabbit said, 'That's it, you've you track what is happening with gambling, exiles who have deep doubts that God can go t it.' They kept talking and the rabbit said there is a massive and efficient transfer of hear their prayers in Babylon, because gods finally, 'Well, you know what I am; you money from the poorest people into state were understood to be turf-constrained and know I am blind; I can't see you; would you government coffers and into the pockets of bound. Deportation, as we are seeing with mind if I actually reached out and touched the captains of the gaming industry.' We ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, has much to do you ?' The snake was apprehensive, but had suggested that if the State were to have more with destroying religious feeling- which to return the favour, so the rabbit felt the pokies they could go into Toorak instead of defines a culture. Can God actually hear snake all over its body and just recoiled Footscray. your prayers when you have been removed with revulsion, saying, 'You are slim y, and Minister Hallam was surprised by the from that place where you worship God? scaly all over your body. You've go t no legs. position we were putting to him. With This was the Israelites' question in Psalm That m eans you slither through the dirt, some degree of alarm in his voice he said, 13 7, 'How can we sing the Lord's song in a the mud, the dust on your stomach. You 'This government does not believe in foreign land? Can God hear us?' Jeremiah have go t these huge venom ous lethal fangs . interfering with the market. The pokies go writes a letter and says to the exiles, 'Seek Could it be that you are a lawyer?' where the market dictates.' the shalom of the city .. . in its peace you

32 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 was deeply chilling. This isn't to suggest In the New Testament we read how the that all Orthodox think like that at all. ministry of Jesus continued the tradition of The Evangelical or Lutheran Church in the prophets. But the ministry of Jesus was Germany has been a chaplain to power, and more than spiritual-you don't get executed much has been written about the 'two king­ by the state for just proclaiming that God doms' theology. This theology has the noble loves everyone. The religious leaders who intention of separating out two distinct Jesus contradicted were also the judges and spheres, so that the spiritual can more rigor­ politicians within Israel. His rejection of ously apply its influence and pressure on the their religious vision was a contest of power shall find your peace. Build houses, plant secular sphere. However, it has been blamed and politics. The temple he cleansed of vineyards, take wives, have children.' Seek for rendering the church quiescent and money-changers was the equivalent of the its shalom. passive under Hitler. The Reich's bishops Judean stock exchange. In this violent act This is a breath taking s ta temen t, certainly did teach that what Hitler does is Jesus suggested that economics must serve because he was actually talking about the the kingdom of the left hand (the political well-being of the city that was the state) and the church stays out of it. I think it regrettable that on a critical evil empire for Jews. Babylon had conquered, Some church leaders and theolo­ destroyed and deported them. This word gians, who were to be known as the issue like tax reform, the Prime Minister shalom is a foundational word for political Confessing Church, didn't agree. Karl engagement. It does not simply mean peace: Barth was perhaps the most notable, can be m a posztion to rebut Oppositwn it includes the much richer notion of justice, and when the Confessing Church objection:·, by quoting a church leader to a notion of prophetic engagement, of leaders met in 1934, in the small speaking the truth. That's why the Hebrew village of Barmen, Barth is credited the effect that 'there is no such thing as a prophets, when they talked about shalom, with penning what was later known Catholic position on mmething lil'e said, 'Let there be shalom in your weights as the Barmen Declaration. Its first when you measure out grain, let there be article says: 'There is one word that taxation re(orm'.-Frank Brennan shalom in your gates when you dispense God has spoken and that word is justice, let there be shalom in your Jesus Christ. Him alone will we listen to God, and that in his ministry the accept­ relationships.' Politics is about power, who and obey.' For that declaration Barth had to able year of the Lord-otherwise known as has it, who doesn't and who gets what they flee back to Switzerland for his life. Jubilee when the debts of the poor would be want. Let there be shalom in how Of course, the Baptists in America, though forgiven-was dawning. '"r you go about your politics. there is strict church/state separation, have The most critical thing for all of us in also had their share of civil religion. At the the church, particularly those like Frank .l.HROUGHOUT HISTORY the church, sadly, front of most Baptist churches there is a and me who are thought of as political has often interpreted its political vocation Church flag and an American flag and the priests or clergy, is actually to focus on the as being a chaplain to the nation, a chaplain emblems, even in that place where there is role of the church. That role must first and particularly to national power. When a strict constitutional separation, often get foremost preach grace and dispense grace. Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister she confused. Sometimes very badly confused. We do not exist to pull the levers of power was deeply distressed that the Archbishop George Bush (who isn't a Baptist) was and usurp the function of the state. When of Canterbury, in the celebration for the debating Bill Clinton (who is a Baptist) back the church tries to act like a political party victory over the Falklands, actually prayed in the presidential election that Clinton or to wield power and influence, it is in for the Argentinians. won, two terms ago. Bush was speaking to danger of compromising its task. The church The Orthodox Church, whether it be a huge gathering in Texas, made up largely is entrusted to proclaim a gospel of love and Greek, Russian, Romanian or Serbian, plays of the religious round table-lots of Baptists, model this through discipleship and service. the role of chaplain to the nation. It came who are the dominant church there. He Just as the state must not try to do for us home very graphically to me, as I watched finished his election speech by declaring, what we can do for ourselves, likewise the a current affairs program a few weeks back, 'Has not Jesus himself taught that America church mu t remain faithful to being the hearing an Orthodox priest declare, 'Serbia is to be a light unto the nations?' And they church that is aiming to touch and change is the temple of God and Kosovo is the altar stood and they applauded him. A comical lives, not just to change laws. for that temple.' This expression of the but disturbing example of civil religion But in the dispensing of grace, the church chaplain's role in legitimating some of the where the church is the chaplain to confesses that there is a kingdom still 'ethnic cleansing' in the fight for Kosovo national power. coming and its lure disturbs the present.

VOLUME 9 NUMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 33 Therefore, the s tatus quo is never The same delegate defended Hitler as a wrote the following in July 1944 in his s ufficiently just. In this restlessness, leader who did not smoke or drink, who prison cell: prophetic engagement and political activity wanted women to dress modestly and who The church is the church on ly when it is born. Grace isn't a purely privatised grace opposed pornography. This is a very clear exists for others .. . To make a start it where faith resides only in the heart. It example of when gra ce becom es privatised: should give away all its property to those in must connect with the world. As G.K. it sees only the individual private moral need. The clergy must live solely on the C hesterton noted, when the state and the virtues. I think privatisation that happens free will offerings of th eir congregations or church become too cosy, it is good for the economically often does have a shadow possibly engage in some secular ca lling, state and bad for the church. side religiously. When the Premier of the church must share in the secul ar In January next year, the Baptist World Victoria says to m e that I really should just problems of human life, not dominating Alliance is gathering in Melbourne. There focus on getting people back into the pews but helping and serving ... In particular our will be 20,000 Baptists in Melbourne, which and stay out of commenting on politics own church will have to take the field is a terrifying thought. As part of my reading because he runs the state and is the politica l agai nst th e voices of hubris, power worship in preparation for speaking at that Congress, expert, then he is buying into this privatised and envy which are th e roots of all evil. I was fascinated to find a report of a US idea that som ehow grace doesn't connect delegate who was at the Baptist World with a political culture. Those words were read over and over by Alliance Congress in Berlin in 1934. One of the most powerful people to Christians in the East German Church. They He sent back this report of what he em erge in challenging the church was were echoed by Martin Luther King when fo und under Hitler's regime. He said: 'It Dietrich Bonhoff er. His influence was felt he said, 'The Church is not the master or was a great relief to be in a country where well after his dea th, and he was read by the servant of the state, but rather the salacious sex literature cannot be sold, many in the Ea st German Church under the conscience of the statei it must be the guide where putrid motion pictures and gangster communist regime. These people poured and the critic ofthe state and never its tool.' films cannot be shown. The new Germany out of the Nikolai-Kirche aiter a prayer has burned great masses of corrupting books m eeting and started weekly marches around Tim Costello is Director of the Urban and magazines along with its bonfires of Leipzig with candles. The movement spread Mission Unit, Collins Street Baptist Church, Jewish and Communistic libraries.' and eventually toppled the Wall. Bonhoffer M elbourne.

Frank Brennan

WNCON"o"mc the ,d,ion, hip interest than is often heard in the secular When to Speak between church and state, it is necessary to domain with its focus on individual rights Even before the church takes a stand, there consider the limits on state intervention in and personal autonomy. must first be a decision when to speak and church affairs and the limits on church An example of the problem arose with when to remain silent. At the height of the intervention in state affairs. The latter, the Wik debate, which was so much m ore Wik debate, respected Aboriginal leader which is my major concern here, might be complex than Mabo. Mabo was a straight­ Aden Ridgeway said: termed the self-imposed limits on the forward exercise of advocating the rights of There is no doubt that Fr Brennan has activities of meddling priests. It raises four the Aborigines on vacant crown land, deciding immense respect and affection amongst issu es and four problems. a future regime for dealings between Aboriginal peopl e throughout the country. Aborigines and mining companies. Wik More significantly, he is widely listened to Rights versus the Common Good added another dimension, with a conflict of by Australians generally because he is Even in a pluralistic and secular public exis ting rights b e tween native title believed to speak for Aboriginal people. domain such as the Australian public claimants and pastoralists who had interests This has created a desperately difficult forum, there is a legitimate place for the in the same areas of land. Not all pastoralists dilemma for indigenous leaders. Fr church as an advocate for the poor and were rich and powerful. Not all Aboriginal Brennan's support and advocacy arc much disadvantaged. Our concern is not with the organisations were poor and dispossessed. neededi but where he takes a stand which church as lobbyist in its own cause-as The public interest and the common good differs from that of Aboriginal people when issues of school funding and hospital demanded a balancing of rights and interests. themselves, especiall y over difficult issues funding are raised. But I would argu e for a Advocating the balance could be perceived of political judgment, the very fact that he c hurch role in articulating a more as an abandonment of commitment to the is believed by the general community to comprehensive or more richly textured Aboriginal cause in the domain of ambit speak for Aborigines suggests that he should notion of the common good or public claims and pressure group politics. be silent on such topi cs .

34 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 More recently, Aboriginal leaders have with a religiou sly informed social which respects office and office holders, been silent on the issue of the constitutional conscience will not want to endorse but although there is no doubt that we ha ve preamble. Is there a place for church which she will tolerate, respecting the produced many rebels too. So it is with personnel to be out there trying to improve other's right to participate in the life of the respect that I ubmit that the delegates the Howard recipe, m aintaining the community and to enjoy basic rights and have a right to know where the leadership pressure, trying to create the space for future freedoms. She will accept the other but pre­ of the federal government and the federal agreem ent between government and the serve to herself the choice about when in opposition stand on the great issue which Aboriginal leadership? Given the recent good conscience she wants to endorse the is before us in this House today and in the Tandberg cartoon on the front of the actions of the other. For many Catholics, referendum that wi ll be put. Are they for or Melbourne Age that had me telling the the preferred law and social policy on issues against this bipartisan model? (Report of Prime Minister, 'It's quite simple really ... such as abortion, euthanasia and gay rights the Consti tu tional Convention, Transcript God was here first, the Aborigines second remains a perplexing challenge while the of Proceedings, Vo lume 4, p965) and I'm God's representative', I believe there morality of particular actions is not in doubt. is a task for church people here, even though Archbishop Pell was a prime ministerial it is a high -risk political strategy. I readily Church position or personal position nomination of a church leader to the understand that other church people of good Often it is difficult to discern whether there Constitutional Convention. Once he was will and political acumen would choose to is a church position on an issue or simply on the floor of the Convention, Archbishop remain silent. But we must remember there personal positions held by those in church Pell might have argued that he was simply is no point in proceeding with a preamble authority. For example, it is fashionable at expressing his personal opinion (much as I question at the time of the republic the moment to portray Archbishop George do on Aboriginal issues). Others would claim referendum unless the wording has the Pell as the Pope's man, and he m ay well be. that an archbishop in such a forum is never public support of key indigenous partici­ But he is m ore than that. He is a rugged, simply expressing a personal opinion. pants at the Constitutional Convention. If Australian individualist who is that support is forthcoming, the preamble prepared to mix it in the political When the church tries to act like question would presumably be supported domain regardless of whether there by all major political parties and would be is a Catholic position, and perhaps n political party or to w1eld power and a symbolic aid to national reconciliation. even in opposition to the Catholic influence, 11 L'> in danger o( compromismg, The issue of continuing rights flowing from position . indigenous status did not have sufficient A church leader with a develop­ it.-. task-Tim Costello support at the Constitutional Convention ing national profile like Arch bishop to effect a reversal of the Prime Minister's George Pell can m ove the m otion for a I think the bishops got it right with their position. The key issue is whether there particular republica n m odel at the ten principles of morality and justice in can be a description of indigenous Republican Convention urging the Prime relation to tax reform, published on 28 July custodianship and unique contribution to Minister to show leadership while later 1998. But that document would be a dead national life which satisfies Aboriginal negating any detailed church position on a letter in the political debate nine months leaders and the government. GST, saying politics is for the laity and that on unless there were an authorised church A constitutional referendum is very 'there is no one Catholic position on an agency w hich could speak authoritatively different from the legislative process in issue as complex as taxation'. There is pres­ and make judgments as to how the detailed that it will succeed only with cross-party ently no coherent position of the Australian government proposals measure up. Such an support. The non-Labor side has always Catholic hierarchy about the issues on agency must also be at liberty to agitate been the most successful side of politics in which they will speak, either for the church publicly and privately, in the name of the constitutional reform, precisely because of or for themselves, and neither is there agree­ church, for the maximum recognition of their con servativeness. So the Prime m ent about the degree of specificity of their those principles. Church leaders ought to Mini ter is holding the trump cards. If the comments and interventions. Imagine the do more, or at least resource others to do indigenous leaders are not interested in a reaction if a Catholic Archbishop were to more, than simply take the approach compromised document, they sh ould urge a position on tax reform or federal­ adopted by Archbishop Pell after the release abandon any call for constitutional change. state relations according to the tenor of of the bishops' ten principles. Compromise is not antithetical t o Archbishop Pell's key intervention at the Conceding that the ten criteria for reconciliation in this instance. Cons ti tu tional Convention when he moved equitable tax reform 'naturally ... remain in the motion for a very specific model of place', he went on to say, 'There is no one Distinguishing law, Social Policy and Morality republic, 'That this Convention upports Catholic position on an issue as complex as There is insufficient consideration by those the adoption of a republican system of taxation. Opinions will continue to differ. speaking and acting in the name of churches governm ent on the bipartisan appointment Time is still needed to study the detail and about the different roles of morality, law model in preference to there being no change the consequences. This is best done by the and social policy. Just because I and m y to the Constitution.' He declared: political parties and interest groups. The co-religionists believe something is wrong Government's tax package [is] a serious does not m ean there ought to be a law I submit that we stand in need of attempt to address the problems of an ailing against it. We also n eed to distinguish leadership-and strong leadership-from tax system.' He then urged 'all Catholics to tolerance, acceptance and endorsement. In our elected leaders, especially in the federal make an informed assessment'. a pluralistic democratic society, there are parliament. I come fro m a church which But how are they to make su ch an many activities of others which a person knows abou t hierarchy, fr om a church informed assessment? Ought not the church

V OLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 35 dedicate resources to a competent group to low-incom e families and individuals be no for and against euthanasia are agreed on the make such an assessment and then offer it worse off. That is a credible Catholic position need to protect the vulnerable. They disagree publicly to the faithful for their considera­ in the present debate-a position which has on the extent to which you limit individual tion? Could not such a group properly speak been taken by most of the hierarchy. Provided autonomy of all in order to protect the in the name of the church? the other eight principles are complied with, vulnerable few. They disagree completely According to Bishop Manning, who gave they are THE Catholic position. on the extent to which yo u limit individual evidence to the Senate Select Committee freedom so as to maintain the quality of the on a New Tax System, the Cen t ral four Problems docto.r-patient relationship, the quality of Commission of bishops and the key church This overview leaves us with four problems the relationship be tween all dying agencies did reach agreement on the which I have been unable to resolve to my dependent persons and their responsible principles to govem the tax debate. Manning satisfaction after 20 years' involvem ent in relations, and the state's commitment to told the committee that Pell 'did not see the field. resourced palliative care given that active eye to eye with the position, and so he went First, the enuncia tion of principles is euthanasia is not an option even in the inter­ out and had his say'. The result was a public fine, but how does the church play a ests of efficiency. To what extent should perception that there was no church position constructive and responsible role in moving religious notions of the common good and on the way the principles were to be applied beyond principle to scrutiny of proposed public interest hold sway when the good to to the political issue at hand. laws under the auspices of a competent be achieved is m ore than the protection When questioned by the Opposition in mandated agency without running the risk only of the poorest and most vulnerable? Q uestion T ime on 30 March 1999, John of party political alliances? Fourth, there is little consideration by Howard was delighted to be able to quote Second, w hat is the role of the hones t those speaking and acting in the name of the Pell dictum: 'Whenever any of us start broker in an era of a mbit politics? church es about matte rs of political invoking the name of the church, we ought Stakeholders who want 'x' at the end of the morality. By the time Wik go t to the Senate to rem ember that there is no su ch thing as democratic process start by claiming '2x'. the third time, the question was not a Catholic position on taxation reform.' They perceive the honest broker w ho primarily, 'What should the law be? ' The claims only 'x' as the unwitting question was, 'T o what extent was one T !JUL' 1\ ll\llf/7( zcnt t nn,uft7!Il7C,J1 [l\ thr,')t' accomplice who will ensure the independent Tasm anian Senator entitled delivery of only ' lf2x' . This and able to amend the government's J1t { I II £111 l /( t llJ ~ 111 I ht' 11(1111 was eloquently expressed by proposals honouring the limits on the Senate rJ L lmu I£ al 1 r ut thL tlzh u 111 rol '.'l Aboriginal leader N oel Pearson and the significance of the proposed during the Keating negotiation s legislation 1' Jf 111 ll 1 1 \. lcm and -.ot wl pr,J L' on native title in 1993. He offered Some church personnel who are strong this assessm ent of my approach: supporters of Aboriginal rights were /LI'>l b(llf I (: I tllld 111\ ( ) TL h,U1! Ill h adamant that the Senate should reject I always have a go at Frank for [J 1£\-£ !lll t/1111' 1\ WT011 d!l() llOt JL' l11 the government's Bill, even though they bei ng too cynical abo ut politi­ were of the Keating school of thought that t h 'It m ht o IJ a lm u:~uill I 11 cians. Sadly, white politicians the Senate is unrepresentative swill. seem to find it easier to talk I rank Brcnn.m Church people active in the political about Aboriginal issues with process of the State have to be principled someone like them. It 's more comfortable Appearance of position speaks volumes pragmatists who are always prepared to for them to talk to someone like Frank in the political process. I think it regrettable articulate the moral principles on which than to come and talk to us. He's a very that on a critical issue like tax reform, the their preferred outcome is premised, influential player, and if he suggests the Prime Minister can be in a position to rebut professionally disinterested in which party middle grou nd as the position for politicians Opposition objections by quoting a church is in power, consistent in their articulation to take, then what actually happens is less leader to the effect that ' there is no such of the param eters on power to be exercised than that. I think he doesn 't realise how thing as a Catholic position on something by the various cogs in the machinery of much weight white politicians put on his like taxation reform'. State, calculating in their assessment of imprimatur. He tells them what they can As I understand it, Archbishop Pell said what is achievable, and unstinting and get away with. It 's im portant that he doesn't this during the election campaign in order impartial in their eff orts to achieve the aim too low, because inevitably he will get to negate any prospect of other church o utcom e. If social conscience is an less than he asks for, and it can drag the personnel positioning the hierarchy to take expression of the believer's righ t to aspirations of the Aboriginal people down. on a position opposed to the government. participate fully in society, the believer Still, I am always saying that if black people Bu t this was too simplistic because there is must be prepared to have dialogue with thin k Brennan is stri king an unacceptably a Catholic position on tax reform, namely anyone and to welcome any intervention conservative position, then it's up to them the ten principles or outcomes enunciated made in good faith. to articulate how a less conservative by the bishops. The two critical principles position might work. are: that l ow-incom e fa milies and Frank Brennan SJ is director of Uniya, the individuals are better off in absolute terms; Third, the secular humanists seem to Jesuit Social Justice Centre in Sydney. that to the maximum extent possible the enjoy a stranglehold over the thin notions These are edited transcripts of talks given on essentials of life remain fr ee of tax. of public interest and common good which 27 April in Sydn ey and 28 Apri l in Melbou rn e as T herefore, if the essentials of life are not are permitted in the public forum. The part of th e 'Transfo rm ati ons' se ri es. See page 4 to remain free of tax, it is essential that euthanasia debate is a good example. Those for details of the seri es.

36 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 BooKs

P AUL R uLE Learning from China

The Analects nf Confucius Tr.mslttHlll .tnd Not~~ ln <; tmon Ley' W Vv ortnn J9t)7 ()~t)~(,.HJ]t)4,RI 1..jll, A Dral-:Oil not tor the Killin):, Brendan Lmctt ( lt•et•;JT' l'ulhcatl!ln~ 1du)' " ll7J -,() ..,,, 1 1 C HINA HAS ALWAYS been a muror for way out? Can Christianity h elp negotiate N evertheless, Lovet t is always pro­ the anxieties and dilemmas of the West. the way? These are all urgent questions and vocative and much of his critiqu e of The two books discussed here, while super- Lovett poses them with urgency and a fine contemporary society, his plea fo r ecological ficially very different in content and m ethod, passion. sustainability, his focus on the human dem onstrate this admirably. In discussing In his second chapter, Lovett discusses person, is as relevant to our interaction China they comment on our society and the extraordinary phenomenon of 'culture with China as anywh ere on earth. 'Is there exploit modern Western ideas to illuminate Christianity' in China, a m ovem ent of another way?' he asks, quoting the poet ancient China. intellectuals, m ostly not them selves R.S. Thomas' 'Bleak Liturgies'. 'Is there In his version of the sayings of the believers, w h o, impressed by the role another way of engaging?' T he engagem ent Chinese sage known in the West as Christianity has played in Western culture, m ay be a little abstract but it is nonetheless Confucius, Simon Leys, in the translation by Christian altruism , the Christian myths real and sincere. itself as well as the introduction and notes, of sin and repentance, faith and hope, obliquely comments on the great issues of advocate it as a way for China to follow. our time-the source of values, the price of Their writings, much muted since 1989, econ omic dev elopment, the place of remind m e of an elderly professor I once education in a civilised society. Brendan workedunderwhowouldfrequently lam ent Lovett, a Columban priest resident in the the loss of religion in our society, always Philippines, looking at China today through prefacing his rem arks with: 'I am not a the eyes of a social scientist as well as a believer myself, but ... ' Christian theologian and missionary, asks Lovett is, of course, a believer, but he the sam e questions in a very different way seem s to m e at times to com e close to an but with a surprising convergence of the instrumental reading of Christian mission answers. and to a secularising of the gospel: The extent of agreem ent with Leys is Moralistic appeals to the common good, surprising because of Lovett's rejection of subsidiarity, and a just wage are hardly what his theological m entor, Bernard sufficient. Nothing less will suffice than Lonergan, calls 'classicism ', or 'the fallacy the attempt to develop a new macro­ of misplaced normativity', to use Lovett's economic knowledge of the produ ction words (pl37). Confucius does not even get process, to be pl aced at the service of the a m ention in the index to Lovett's book, values incarnate in agapic praxis and and the only m ention that I can find in his prophetic narratives. (pp65-6) text is a conventional reference to Confu­ cianism 's allotting the state prime respon­ It is som ewhat surprising, then, after sibility fo r maintaining the culture of a many pages of very Western, very academic society (plO). He favours a fundam ental discu ssion, to com e upon som ething like rethinking of values in an age of globalisa­ this: 'But the block [to a breakthrough in tion and masses an army of contemporary Chinese consciousness] is the necrophilia commentators in his support, with Lonergan of the Western academy, making only Pierre Ryckmans, the sinologist, has always at the head of the m otley array. The another version of truncated subjectivity chosen to put his Simon Leysnom deguerre scatter-fire of Lovett's approach, ranging available to Chinese universities' (pl63). to his translation of the Lun Yu (The Sayings, from cosm ology (illustrated on the cover by Lovett is probably right in terms of the kind badly, but conventionally entitledAnalects) a m agn ificent picture from the Hubble of Western writing popular in China, but of Confucius, which at first sight puzzled in-space telescope of the Orion N ebula), except for economics and science, the m ost m e, as did his claim in the Foreword that it through development theory, sociology, influential writers seem to m e to have been was primarily a writer's translation . A close philosophy and theology, is a little wearying not academics but popularisers like Alvin reading, however, especially of the notes, at times, and its relationship to Christian T offl er. And the ' Kala OK' b ars, brought enlightenment as to his choice. presen ce in China is tenuous. The broad discotheques, drugs and pirate videos of His Confucius is a politician, first and thrust, however, is clear. The future of American films that have proliferated in forem ost, not prim arily a philosopher or China is the future of the whole world. We Chinese cities testify to the influence of an even a teacher. 'Politics is an extension of are all caught up in a destructive race for ecumenical pop culture and a consumerism ethics', Leys writes in the Introduction (page consumption. Can China, can we, find a that owes nothing to the academy. xxv) in a section entitled 'the politics of

V oLUME 9 N uMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 37 Confucius'. And the politics are those of important ambiguity the notes alert us to when I tell them that many great Chinese our day, of the West as well as China, as the fact. There were times when the English philosophers were also statesmen and shown by the notes which are so much struck me as a little Frenchified-for generals), and so that Confucius was more than the usual philological and example, the 'Is it not1' at the end of 1:10 possibly quite serious even if not necessarily historical commentary. It is Leys the smacked of 'n'est-ce pas1'. I personally proposing an immediate voyage. Arthur sardonic commentator on today's China would translate zheng as 'government' not Waley in his commentary refers to the and today's Australia who dominates this 'politics' (1: 10) which sounds too modern notion that the sage has a mission to spread translation of a text two-and-a-half for the fifth century BCE; qi as a 'tool' not civilisation to the barbarians (like us?) who millennia old. a 'pot' (2:11, but both acceptable readings), inhabit the 'four seas'. This also explains Here, for example, is a passage from the ren as 'humaneness' not a bland 'goodness' the not-sa-well-hidden condescension of third page of an extended annotation on (4 :3,4,6). many Chinese in Australia towards our two lines of the Analects (19:13 ). These I found his constant preference for the barbarian culture. lines read in his translation: 'Zixia said: readings of Arthur Waley over D.C. Lau One point Leys makes about the "Leisure from politics should be devoted to (the Penguin Classic Analects) curious. One significance of the Analects in Chinese learning. Leisure from learning should be could argue that Lau, philosopher as well as history is important-the emphasis on devoted to politics."' The translation here linguist, over-philosophises Confucius-his education, on its transforming but non­ is brilliantly right. It captures the brevity of Confucius is a philosopher more than a utilitarian function in society, its centrality the original and the essence of Confucian­ politician. Again a matter of taste, or rather in moral and social development. Not so ism, the inextricable entanglement of fundamental orientation. Still, I found the long ago, the president of a Hong Kong politics and culture. Leys comments: lively colloquial renderings generally university asked me in genuine puzzle­ appropriate. Even if they are philosophy, m ent: 'Isn't your government concerned Now the great paradox of our age, of they are philosophical sayings, obiter dicta, about economic and social progress? Why course, is that, whereas the wretched not truncated trea tises, and certainly not is it cutting educational funding at a time lumpenproletariat is cursed with the what 'Confucius says' in Western folklore. when we are increasing oursl' I suspect enforced leisure of large-scale, permanent I was pleased to see due weight given to both Leys and Lovett would query some of unemployment, members of the educated my favourite passage from the Lun Yu, the implications of that question but the elite, whose liberal professions have been 11:26, where Confucius asks his leading genuine incomprehension comes from turned into senseless money-making followers what they would most like to be. Confucian assumptions. machines, arc condemning themselves to He is amused at their brashness and There are many Confuciuses and the the slavery of endless working hours, day ambition, false modesty and apeing of his recent transmogrification of the Master in to and night, without respite-till they views. It is the choice of Zeng Dian, who an economic rationalist, while remarkable, collapse like over-loaded beasts of burden. significantly has been strumming his lute is by no means the most bizarre. In many The commentary is ironic (the nod to in the background, which gains his approval: ways the statist, authoritarian Confucius Marxism), polemical (Vol tairean is an of much of China's history is even more 'In late spring, after the making of the adjective that has been applied to the aberrant. Yet the power of the text of the spring clothes has been completed, together writings of Simon Leys), learned (laced with Analects to liberate remains. I think Lovett's with five or six companions and six or allusions to European writers and thinkers) master, Bernard Lonergan, would have seven boys, I would like to bathe in the and ultimately over the top. But I would approved of much of the Confucius that River Yi, and then enjoy the breeze on the prefer it to the ponderous platitudes of Simon Leys bas r evealed: humane, Rain Dance terrace, and go home singing.' most Western as well as Chinese commen­ reflective, inducing insight in others by The Master heaved a deep sigh and said: 'I tators. He takes Master Kong seriously, showing them one of the four corners, am with Dianl' which is the greatest compliment one could emphasising inner conversion, respecting pay him. This is far from the puritan workaholic heaven as revealed in the world, eschewing Sometimes, alas, the commentator nods. of Chinese and Western tradition. But I am false religiosity, loving, inner-directed. We For example, a note on 4:6 refers to Spinoza­ not sure that one can call Confucius, as can know this Confucius only through close 'it took another two thousand years before Leys does in the notes on this chapter, a attention to the text and Simon Leys enables Spinoza would ponder again the puzzling mystic. A man with a mission, yes, even a those who read no ancient Chinese to do fact that we do not desire what we know to religious mission, but for him Heaven does this. It requires m editative reading, but, as be good'-which ignores Augustine's not speak directly to rnen (17:19). the last line of the Analects (i n Leys famous discussion long before in the There are many opaque passages in the translation of course) puts it: 'He who does Confessions of just this issue. Leys is right, text. Leys frankly admits when he is baffled. not understand words is incapable of however, to remind us in the preceding There are a few places, however, where he understanding men.' note (on 4:3) of the danger of unconscious brings an episode to life brilliantly and Western-that is, ultimately, Christian­ convincingly. In 5:7 Confucius talks about Paul Rule teaches Chinese history and misreadings of Confucius which even such building a raft and setting out to sea on it. religion at LaTrobe University where he is as Arthur Waley fall into. This is usually read as ironic and his disciple Director of the Religious Studies Program. This is not the place to discuss Zilu's enthusiastic offer to accompany him sinological minutiae. In any case, I decided as folly and rashness. Leys points out that The winner of the Eureka Street Gift that my minor quarrels with the translation the Chinese at that time did sail the seas on Subscription Competition is Mrs Jun e were on matters of taste rather than rafts, that the scholar was also a man of Leahy of Portland, VIC. Mrs Leahy fundamentals. Where there is real and action (my students are constantly puzzled wins a Panasonic Portable CD player.

38 EUREKA STREET • Ju NE 1999 Music

PETER CRA YEN Singing up a storm

Opera Australia 1999. Hilly lludd; 11 Trova tore; l'cih•a\ ct MC]i,tmde; Fidelio; l~omeo ct fulielle.

BILLY Buoo MIGHT HAVE stood as a burs t s of something like sunlight, a with the ship-at -sea setting and the rejoinder to anyone who thought Opera cryptomodern parable: a wicked Master at bleakness and agony in which the moral Australia was not capable of 'excellence'. Anns falsely accuses a lovable sailor (who, choices are enshrouded. I came to it with a recent dose of prejudice yes, hath a daily beauty in his life which This is a 'state of the art' production by against the director, N eil Armfield, whose m akes him ugly) and thus provokes the any international standard. It does ample production of David Hare's Oscar Wilde knockdown blow that kills him. And Vere, justice to Britten's opera and to a score play, The Ju das Kiss, had seemed to m e, to the captain, knowing that Billy is good and which is characterised by intensity and say the least, over-praised. Billy Budd, in Claggart evil, is forced to sentence the dramatic coherence rather than attractive- contrast, was a triumph. stammering innocent to death. ness and lilt. There is an extraordinary vigour It is a difficult work, this brooding It would have been a terrible thing if in the massed chorus, with their strife and untuneful morality drama which Benjamin N eil Armfield had minced his way through struggle and seas pray, and a flickering Britten seem s to have made out of his this material, which is as stark as David's menace in the way Claggart's evil is largely Christianity, his sense of the terribleness of lam ent for Jonathan and less lovely. H e written in the minor mode. But Britten's human judgment, and the associations su ch doesn 't. The production is full of the contrast music is as unrelentingly unpretty as the things might h ave (easy to gu ess at, of Napoleonic war naval dress, with bicornes Melville vision he has made his own by the impossible to know) with the sexualisa tion and heavy cloaks, and a minimalist stage Borges-like procedure of re-endorsing it of cruelty and the feeling for male beauty with a deck that tilts at whatever angle is point by point. In fact (given the dynamism during a period- the e arly '50 s-of necessary to the storm and vertigo of the of the musical translation) Billy Budd is heightened m oral rigour. drama. It's a production which captures the one of the great operas built on a literary At one level Billy Budd is a flog opera, at harshness ofthenaval discipline that slashes text, as empathic in its way as an y Verdi another it is a kind of H egelian tragedy. But and bellows from this score. Armfield animation of Shakespeare or Schiller. it is remarkable how deep the collaborative achieves a marvellous sense of dynamic If Armfield does Britten's vision proud layers of homoerotic intensity go to produce and indeterminate space which tallies both h e h as singer-actors of stature to give a music elrama which is bracingly masculine substance to his direction. Robert Tear is and 'straight'-this is a late, lame stretch of one of the great Britten singers (admired by a m asterpiece out of M elville with a libretto the composer himself) and his Captain Vere byE.M.Forster(andEric Crozier)to Britten's is m asterly-full of agonised restraint. music performance by Peter Pears and an Tear's voice is no longer in its prime but it all-male cast. Perhaps with such impacted is a stronger voice than Peter Pears' and provocations it's not surprising that Billy every inch as expressive. TheimageofVere, Budd is as chaste as it is. stripped of naval regalia, giving his Not that Britten fails to do justice to the wondering, m editative lament for the sinister schadenfreude which is at the heart injustice in which he has been complicit, is of Claggart's desire to destroy Billy. The one of the most remarkable things I have perverseness of the overwhelmingly seen in the musical theatre. Tear and sexualised aspect of the characterisation is Armfield apparently disagreed over the so effective precisely because of the conception oftheCaptainandhisdilemma, starkness of the Christian allegory. H e is with Armfield opting-with what might be perceived, rightly, as evil, and in such a way thought of as predictable sentiment-for that the homosexual nature of his the view of Vere as the honourable man inclinations become at once trivial by who adheres to the principle of fiat ;ustitia, comparison and acceptable as the ecriture and Tear believing Vere was a coward. The of his denial of the light. N ever mind that latter conception did not unambiguously he sum s up, by negation, what is written all prevail, but T ear did give the final over this world with its 'brute beauty'. characterisation a searing depth of self­ I don't wish to m ake Billy Budd sound reproach which was all the more affecting like m ore of an allegory in a changing room for the restraint and refinem ent of what h ad than it is, still less to campify it. It is, with preceded it. stark and snarling brilliance, and great Stephen Bennett's Claggart may not have depths of pessimism as well as intermittent Above and be low deck with Billy Budd. been quite at this level but the singing was

V OLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 39 strong and there was a convincing sense of been nothing else remotely on par with slumped where they should have skipped. the kind of masculinity which is naturally Billy Budd, there has also been nothing to And it didn't h elp that attracted to authoritarian forms. The char­ justify calls for the opera to lose its funding. sometimes had the State Orchestra of acterisation could have done with a shade It is always a difficult thing to defend an Victoria playing too loud and in uncertain more blackness perhaps, but the upright art form, more particularly a traditional tempi. Caruso supposedly said that all you 'normality' of the characterisation, the very and establishment one, that requires subsidy needed for I1 Trovatore was the four best Anglo-Saxon starchiness despite the kinks, for its survival, to critics who have no singers in the world. In this production had considerable power of persuasion. appreciation of its charms and mighty Maria Pollicina produced a certain largesse The title role in the / claims or who require that it be don e of sound as Leonora but she was sometimes Richard Hickox production was taken by superb! y if it is to be done at all. This is the raw-toned and she couldn't act. There the London-based Australian baritone Peter kind of argument that would only justify were hideous m oments where the singer Coleman-Wright and if his acting was fine, bubblegum adventure stories if they were appeared gleeful at points of dire distress. hi s singi ng was marvellous. I listened to all as good as Star Wars. So much for The Antonio Nagore was better, but Richard Peter Glossop in Britten's recording of the Matrix. Jones did not succeed in allowing this large­ opera as a preparation for this production Chesterton was right when he said that voiced tenor to give more than a perfunctory and Coleman-Wright really did seem to have if a thing was worth doing it was worth performance, full of taste but lacking the the edge, not least in Billy's great act two doing badly. Of course it's necessary to redbloodedness and outrage that Verdi solo, before his death, 'Look 1 Through the qualify immediately and say that the kind requires. Only Elizabeth Campbell as port comes the m oon -shine of ' badly' which is Azucena sang and acted with the passion astray', where the musicality of acceptable from a and style appropriate to the work. Hers the singing becomes an extraor­ company like Opera was a commendable attempt to come to dinary dramatic thing, poignant Australia sh ould be terms with one of the greatest of Verdi and plangent. compatible with some­ m ezzo roles, and the fact that Campbell Something similar is true of thing like the aspira­ appeared to be incarnating Azucena in a Richard Hickox's conducting. tion to be 'world class' ghost production peopled by ghosts, Hickox is a major exponent of (and pace , made the performance all the Britten's work (some of his inter­ that's not a parochial n more formidable. pretations-of the War Requiem judgment: it's a simple for example-are even more practical comparison L LLEAS ET MEL/SANDE was in a different highly regarded in some quarters that every society in category altogether, though it produced than the composer's). What he the world makes). polarised reactions from the punters. The brings to the score of Billy Budd Admittedly the decision to stage this earl y modernist opera, is a meditative intensity and production of Il with its post-Wagnerian critique of Wagner deliberateness, an ability to Trovatore that hit and its strange dappled symbolist score, listen to the connections and Melbourne (in the was clearly an attempt to get out of the If Trovatore attend to the longer paragraphs. manner of an ancient, chocolate box, and present one of the He doesn't have Britten's impatience or his wettish fish) didn't do much for important and difficult modern operas extroversion but the upshot-which is Chestertonian paradox. This was the old rather than just another bit of Puccini. extrem ely powerful and pensive-is to tilt Elijah Moshinsky version with the Sidney The result was a close-run thing. The Billy Budd all the more strongly in the Nolan sets. It was looking the worse for production, by Patrick Nolan, was neither direction of modern tragedy. Hickox also wear-a pity really because this was a bad nor wrongheaded but it was without manages to hear the hush and the yearning splendid and viable production in its da y. the kind of instant ability to visualise (and behind the storm toss and the windlash. It is It had been a vehicle and a showcase for indeed conjure) which is all but essential a wonderfully intense and restrained Joan Sutherland, a production that showed with an opera like this. Nolan's production performance. what opera could do rather than what could showed signs of being intelligent and Billy Budd was one of those all too rare be done with opera. Most people who had thoughtful without quite working. There opera productions where it's obvious even seen it in one of its earlier incarnations were also odd confusions, for example where to an unbeliever that this form of musical would have had fond memories of things a forest had to double with a castle and the drama can touch on things which are urgent like the nonchalant fencing rehearsal with effect came across as som ething like an and calamitous and full of electrica l which the soldier's chorus 'Squilli, ech eggi Eltham lounge room circa 1970. Lots of intensity. The director and Billy Budd were Ia tromba gu erriera ' was sung. The night glass. Australian, the conductor and Captain Vere I saw it the ghost had fl ed and only the It's a production burdened by symbolism were British. The production itself was some corpse was in evidence. Richard Jones had and literalism in equal measure but with form of Australian export which was coming s upposedly rehearsed Moshinsky's little sense of balance. Symbolic waterholes back home. It was also a production rated as production but the original director's manage to get real clothes wet. We are a world event in International precision of movement and gesture was neither enchanted nor convinced. And it rr Opera Collector. nowhere in evidence, and in the absence of featured one of the worst distractions ever any sense of epiphany or action, Nolan's let loose in an opera production: for every .l. I-IE REST OF THE Melbourne tour (to the sets looked simply old. one of the many musical interludes Debussy time of going to press) has been a mixed bag, Ev erything went wrong. Soldiers leapt wrote for Pelleas, N olan had the curtain though in no way shameful. If there has on to chairs at the wrong moment, gypsies com e sai ling across, clangingl y and

40 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 P OETRY

0UYANG Yu treacherously, so that even the most high­ minded soul could think of nothing but champagne and toilets. The winter sun That said, the State Orchestra of Victoria played very well under John Fiore and the was fa st fading beyond principals were good. Kirsti Harms had the half-transparent wall presence as Melisande, Angus Wood sang of my garage better than he acted as Pelleas and John Scribbling across the wall face Pringle (although too old for the role) gave with something like trees m enace and dramatic savagery to the part lying on a lethargic sofa of Golaud. I was watching it fade So it was an interesting attempt at a doing nothing to stop it very important opera. But it showed that in a work which can seem to be about the closing my eyes nature of interpretation the director can't for it to fade further go in and expect the story to tell itself. counting the names of people To som e extent he or she can when the on the inside of my eye-lids work is Fidelia and the composer is for possible support Beethoven, not so much because the story and finding none is a creaky old pile of Romantic fervour as each one of them a would-be embarrassm ent b ecau se the music so triumphantly aware that the world must be fast progressing justifies itself at every point that the drama around m e becom es absolutely vivid as its necessary advancing where there would be no more need pretext. for books and the likes of m e This was Elke Neidhardt's restaging of a I wasn't dreaming Michael Hampe production and it was in high Germanic chocolate box style: easy on for I knew the sun had gone down the eyes and soothing enough to the mind leaving the winter behind for the music to be able to do its work. on the wall Which it did, imperfectly but triumphantly. and a few gilt-edged clouds Elizabeth Whitehouse as Leonora had an drifting extraordinary sparkle and bite, even if not or frozen every note was perfect. It was a terrific I remember the rejection singer's performance, soaring and intense, the disgust with the human world and served to symbolise the way this music of competition creates happiness less like a drug than a and my own thought: religion . Whitehouse is precisely the kind of singer Opera Australia should be hugging was it because I was old? to its bosom. As it should Julian Gavin, a rich tenor with a more powerful voice than we are u sed to h earing, who essayed Gounod's which meant som ething to the director with a fierce pride in Russia and Eastern Romeo et Juliette. His is a swoopingly Sarah Canadine, but not much to anyone Europe. It's also a form which pulls in more sensuous and graceful voice full ofltalianate else. Any mice of the State Theatre might young people who realise the truth of Susan tone, and if Leanne Keneally's Juliette didn't just as well have come on stage and assisted Sontag's saying that opera is the most quite rise to meet him, she nevertheless the singers and chorus in eating up overwhelmingly emotional of all the arts. created som e very pretty music with him. the scenery. Song, spectacle, sex and death: what more Ju st as important as Gavin here was the could you want? conductor Richard Divall (the former 0 PERA IS C ERTAINLY an expensive activity. And, yes, if a thing's worth doing it is Artistic Director of the VSO) who brought In order to have the rem otest chance of worth doing badly. In the past few months a m arvellou s warmth and brio to this performing it half-well you need to invest a I've seen a great singer, Bryn Terfel, essay 19th-century score which is always bound great deal of money and even more faith. one of the great roles, Falstaff, for the first to seem like the wedding cake that makes But if we're to live up to the tradition of a time, in this country. With Billy Budd I saw a joke of the lovemaking because it is a less country that produced the Melbas and an ensemble produ ction as dark and subtle markedly 'musical' thing than the Shake­ Sutherlands as well as a great number of as any the world's great opera house could speare it gallicises and rhapsodises. distinguished singers and musicians and yield on a good day. Given such riches who N evertheless, this was a handsome produc­ directors and conductors we have to bear cares about the also-ran productions? They tion to listen to, and Suzanne Johnston's with the opera. It's a form of music that is are a sm all price. pants role aria as the page was very stylish. loved by the very large number of people T o look at, this production was hardly there who'll switch on to it on TV or radio. It's an Peter Craven is editing Best Australian at all. Lots of monumental minimalism art form the Communist world maintained Essays 1999.

V OLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 41 THEOLOGY

Integrity: the long walk

Antony Campbell continues his series on an unconditionally loving God. This month: unconditional love­ a different view: decisions, decisions.

VI Your love is better than wine. (Song of Songs 1: 2)

I RES IST T H E IDEA THAT FA ITH in an unconditionally loving God is the easy option. It isn't. As a matter of fact, being unconditionally loved isn't an easy option either. It sounds good. It is good. It isn't easy. The more A theology of an I have talked with people about accepting God's unconditional love for us, the more I have come to realise how challenging it is. And the more I've found people agreeing that it certainly is not an easy option. unconditionally We need a good look at what may be involved in a widely held approach to Christian faith (the Roman loving God involves Catholic version, at least) and what sort of differences are associated with the acceptance of God's unconditional love. The 'widely held approach ' is what I grew up with; it's fine as long as you don 't push a deep and it. But it's what I think I'm growing away from. The theology of an unconditionally loving God is what passionate I hope I'm growing towards. relationship. The • Pla ying fields playing field is Probably the most helpful description for this widely held, oft en traditional, approach to Christian fa ith tilted. Many of us is faith that searches on a level playing field for its sense of God. The theology of an unconditionally loving God that I've been advocating is faith that searches for its sense of God on a tilted playing field. By a 'level settle for a different playing field', I m ean that the m etaphors for God- judge, lover, patron-cum-benefactor, etc.- are given view of God and a equal value, pointing towards what can be said of God, subverting each other, constantly reminding us of the limits and inadequacy of each, the tension between them disclosing the mystery. By a 'tilted playing playing field that is fi eld', I mean that priority has been given to a primary m etaphor for God, to which others are level. This view subordinated. I've been arguing for priority to be given as the primary m etaphor to that of God as one who unconditionally loves. involves a belief in The level playing fi eld w here all m etaphors are equal (a lthough at any given time some metaphors may God as a benevolent be m ore equal than others) has the advantage of allowing us to play one off against the rest. There are times when it is advantageous to have God as a benefactor or a judge or a patron as well as a lover. Alongside being, a decent sort its passion for truth, theology (ou tside the sects) has a desire to get as many into heaven as possible. of a God. Certainly Catholic casuistry has normally favoured the faithful against the law, seldom the law against the faithful. Life before God can be easier with appeal to multiple metaphors. In actual living, the advantages of the not a fanatic level playing field have to be balanced against its human risk-the risk, where the metaphors are sectarian God; but contradictory, of numbing, paralysing, even soul-destroying ambivalence. an understanding • Analogies God, well disposed With a tilted playing field, the analogy in human experience for a theology of an unco nditionally loving to us creatures and God may be a deep and passionate relationship. I'm not talking about sexual experience, but something much more; sex is not the only realm of passion. A deep and passionate relationship speaks of total forgiving of our acceptance, of both lover and beloved; it speaks of engagem ent and utter commitmen t to the well-being fragility. of both; it speaks of a mutual joy of presence and being. It speaks of much more. That's the challenge­ and the fear. The tilted playing field puts the love first and foremost.

42 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 For the level playing field, a different experience of relationship might be sketch ed as analogy. It might be, but I am not going to do it. Each of us has to draw the sketch for ourselves. Drawn by others, it som ehow Toda y m ost people won 't be right. It is a sketch of life when the spark isn 't there. Living goes on satisfactorily enough, but there's no flame to the fire. Things are comfortable; but almost too easy, almost anodyne. Safe and secure, are not hugely with no place for surprises. Nothing deep and passionate. N othing nourishing for spirit and life . The bothered about painful can be evaded; priorities can be shifted. Level playing fi elds allow fo r that. Of these two analogies, most of us are attracted to the first, the deep and passionate. But tilted playing imaging heaven. fi elds are tricky. Many of us settle fo r the second, the safe and secure, because that's where we are-and we count ourselves lucky. Level playing fi elds give players m ore possibilities; no single aspect or But we do need to m etaphor dominates. image our • relationship with Implications God here and Overall, that's about where it may be with God. A theology of an unconditionally loving God in volves a deep and passionate relationship. The playing fi eld is tilted. Many of us settle for a different view of God now-and the two and a playing fi eld that is level. This view involve a belief in God as a benevolent being, a decent sort are related. The of a God. Certainly not a fan atic sectarian God; but an understanding God, well disposed to us creatures and forgiving of our fragility. Well disposed and able to be prodded a little by prayer. All prayer has its major benefit and, place. Prayer of praise and thanks, of course; but also intercessory prayer wh ere we are asking for things at the same time, fo r ourselves or others. We can ask God for fa vours and we do; we m ay not necessarily expect to get what we ask for, but we do assume that appropriate behaviour on our part will be appropriately rewarded by the basic flaw of a God. There is an aspect, therefore, of the patron or benefactor: we expect God to take care of us and to be favourably disposed toward our interests. traditional portrayal There may be a recognition that the scales of justice don't work out in this life; there is an expectation is an uncoupling of that they will in the next one. Not too savage! y of course. We do expect God to be understanding of foibles and not too strict on minor infractions. Whatever our misgivings, m ost of us see ourselves on the side of the quality of life in the angels. The comforting aspect is that evildoers will receive their deserts. We may not be very clear heaven from the about who the real evildoers actually are and we may not be very clear about what happens to them, but there is this feeling that the unfairnesses of life are evened out. There is a rewarding reason fo r sticking quality of life on close to the straigh t and narrow. Divine justice will catch up with those who don 't. earth. Th ere will be With a level playing field view of God, elem ents of the lover, the judge, and the patron -cum-benefactor etc. may be m ixed in. The en ormou s practical advantage of a traditional view is that we aren't constantly degrees of happiness, challenged; we just have to be found on the side of the angels at the end of life- keeping the rules basically. but we will not be We can expect to be helped by God along the way, which is psychologically valuable even if it doesn't always com e off. We know that being good is going to bring its reward and, perhaps even more satisfying, aware of the those who don't bother about goodness will get their appropriate com e-uppance in due course. Or differences. something like that. A tilted playing fi eld, with priority given to an unconditionally loving God, is not quite so easy. It is not enough to be on the side of the angels at the end. It's a poor relationship if all we can say fo r it is: we were there at the encl. A loving God affirms a relational elem ent in faith, invites a personal involvem ent. If I accept God's love, I'm accepting a relationship and taking on a lot m ore than just keeping rules. I won't be able to accept love for very long without returning it. If I return that love, I will be constantly looking to the beloved rather than the rules. What will matter is how much I love, not what the rules allow m e. Theoretically, there can be a maddening sense that others aren't bothering about it and are still being loved. Practically, the basic challenge is not about what others are doing but about us. The challenge is: accepting ourselves to be u tterly loved by God, how do we respond? Our achievem ents are not the key; we're loved for who we are, not what we do. How do we respond w hen it dawns on us that it is not th e things we do that ultimately m atter n or the dint we m ake on the outer world ? What m atters is the person each one of us is, as well as the persons each one of us affects. Who I run , and who others are because of m e, is the ultimate m easure of my life. Seen in the light of God's unconditional love for us-for each of us. Today most people are not hugely bothered about imaging heaven. Bu t we do need to image our relationship with God here and now-and the two are related. The major benefit and, at the same tim e, the basic flaw of a traditional portrayal is an uncoupling of the quality of life in heaven from the quality of life on earth. There will be degrees of happiness, but we will not be aware of the differences. A one-litre jug and a two-litre jug and a five-litre jug hold different quantities of liquid when they are full; although the quan tities are different, each of the jugs is full. Each individual w ill be perfectly happy. Whatever the exh ortation to full human living and whatever the attractions promoted, the basic goal in this view of life is to be in God's good graces at our death. In sporting terms, when the final whistle blows we want to be Opposite and nex t page: am ong the players-not sent off or in the sin-bin. survey in g th e metaph ysi ca l This approach diminishes the seri ousness of our lives. In this approach, what matters is not how fully playin g fi eld, graphic after we live, but that we keep the important rules of the ga m e. In sporting term s still, when that final whistle Leone Battista Albert i.

VOLUM E 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 43 blows, we'll be there on the sam e fi eld, no matter how well we played. Equally important, all that memory holds for human life and identity will apparently be passed over. The reality of m em ory demands a place for regret and sorrow as well as delight and joy. To be honest, I don't see how m em ory can be left out in any scenario. • Choices Which attitude to our relationship with God is going to enrich our lives most? That is the challenge we have to face and the basic choice fa cing us in life. What has bite fo r us is the question: what is the fu llest way that we can live our lives? If we have tried to achieve that, then at the end we'll have no regrets. Whatever the outcome, I tried. As one wise old leader suggested fo r his epitaph: He did what he could with what he had. What can we do to live our lives to the fullest ? We may wish we didn't have to ask that question, but we can hardly escape it. Som e people do escape it m ost of their lives, maybe all their lives. Too bad, but the rest of u s can't; we'd be living in permanent denial- and that is scarcely enriching. We can't escape the faith questions. I've tried, God knows. I had a ten-year stint as an agnostic, but I fi nally realised I was playing gam es. So I have to accept what my answers to those fa ith questions are. Yes, I do believe in a God. Yes, I do believe I survive my body. Yes, I do believe that God is unconditionally loving. So where does that leave us? We can alter the last response to replace 'unconditionally loving' with: yes, I do believe that God is benign, kindly, and understanding. Well disposed. All that jazz. But I know that I don't quite believe it as the whole answer. Not deep down som ewhere. Reality doesn't make full sense to me if God doesn 't love us passionately in the ordinariness of life. Maybe it doesn't make m uch sense if God does. Bu t for m e there is m ore sense if God loves us deeply and passionately. So, like it or not, that's where I have to be.

Antony Campbell SJ is professor of Old Testament at the Jesuit Theological College within the United Fa culty of Theology, Melbourne. Nex t m on th : Unconditional love-mystery: silence and speech.

~welcome!'

Two people will be on their way soon to be welcomed by the angels on the Sant' Angelo Bridge across the Tiber. Or some other wonderful destination of their choice.

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All tickets are due back by Monday 21 June 1999. Drawn on Monday 12 July 1999. Resu lts published in The Australian, Saturday 17 July 1999.

44 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 C LOsE To H oME

D AVID SHAN KEY Soul stealer

H

V OLUME 9 N UM BER 5 • EUREKA STREET 45 THEATRE

GEOFFREY MILNE Rent rocl

I Hm TO CON"" 'h" I •m no,, on '"' opinion of that elegant and intelligent plot deals with many shifting relationships whole, a big fan of American musicals. composer's work. Along the way, the STC but focuses m ost particularly on three love When the daily papers announced a couple weighed in with a persuasive Into the Woods affairs, two of them tragic. Rent begins on of years ago that Australia might 'lose' the (in 1993) and Merrily we Roll Along in Christmas Eve when Mark, who is an latest of that ubiquitous breed (Ra gtime, 1996. experimental filmmaker, and Roger, a rock I think it was) because of some problem Thus, with a mixture of trepidation and musician, are presented with an ultimatum with its Canadian multinational presenter, anticipation (would this be the next leap by ex-roommate Benny, who has plans to Livent, I did manage to compose myself. forward for the form, as the publicity evacuate the area and develop it into a There would be others soon enough. And so promised I), I ventured into Melbourne town cyber-arts studio. This is not a popular there were: vacuous new entertainments from my mountain retreat to see the latest move in the community and performance like Crazy for You and Sisterella, along new US musical Rent. It was worth the trip. artist Maureen is planning a prominent wi th a pretty competent revival of Chicago Rent is a punchy little rock musical protest gig that night. Benny's ultimatum and a tired old faxed-i n version of Fiddler which runs completely against the grain of is that Mark and Roger will stop Maureen's on the Roof. the mos tly massive, overblown and protest or pay the rent on their loft for the Nothing, surely, could ever come within technology-driven n ew musicals from whole of the year. Being broke starving cooce of the two really great American England and Europe to which we have been artists, the rent is not to be found. musicals-West Side Story and Hair-or subjected over the past 15 years. It has a cast But the protest gig goes ahea d, with even the next best, which are most of of just 15, a band offive and a single standing Mark's assistance, and it's a great success. Stephen Sondheim's. All power, by the way, set with a couple of elevated platforms, This and its afte rmath (including a to the arms of the state thea tres-most staircases and walkways, contrived to look marvellous party in the Life Cafe and then n otably the M elbourne and Sydney as if it is stood up within the bare walls of a riot) form the social background to the Thea tre Companies- who have given us the theatre. It was written over several real action. For, m eanwhile, another such terrific productions of Sondheim over years and many drafts in the early 1990s by ex-roommate, Collins, is rescu ed from a the past decade. I thought the MTC's a young actor/ writer named Jonathan mugging by transvestite street artist Angel Sweeney Todd in 198 7 was excellent, as Larson, who was evidently a devotee of and they fall in love ... and Roger m eets the was its A Little Night Music in 1997; even Sondheim but not of the prevailing trends dancer Mimi (the only character to retain its less effecti ve Assassins in music theatre. He is quoted in the her name from the Puccini original) and in between failed to Australian production program as saying they fa ll in love. The third tempestuous modify m y that 'the fact that a lot of musicals still love affair is between Maureen and her hi g h sounded like Oldahoma in 1996 [was] manager Joanne. The problem is that Angel depressing'. After a sell-out workshop season has AIDS and both Roger and Mimi are HIV at the N ew York Theatre Workshop in positive; this is 'Living in America/ 1994, Rent in its present form At the end of the millennium.' opened there in 1996. Unfortuna t ely, A LL OF THIS IS NARRATED by Mark, who Larson never follows and films it lovingly with his faithful tasted t h e hand-held Bolex. fruits of his Act 2 begins on New Year's Eve and success: he died fo llows the wider social events and the of an aneurysm tragic love-plot developments up until the on the night of fo llowing Christmas a nd it would be the final dress unsporting to give away too much more of rehearsal. th e plot. Suffice to say that some of it The sh ow is follows Puccini but much of it fl ows from based l oosely on t h e internal l ogic of t h e s ituations Puccini's La Bohem e, Larson sets up. Puccini's Marcello, by the whose left bank artists' way, is Larson's Mark; Rudolfo becomes colony is transported to Roger, Benoit is the yuppie Benny and the lofts, sq uats and alleys Musetta is Ma ureen. The tune Roger Rodge r Corser of New York's East Vil­ occasionally picks out on his guitar sounds as Roge r and lage at the end of the mil­ more than a bit like 'Musetta's Waltz' but Chri stin e Anu as Mimi, in Rent. lennium. Its complica ted the biggest tribute to the ori gi nal is the

46 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 Act 1 finale-'La Vie Bohem e'-sung by But ina show like this, it's the performers the whole cast at the celebration after who carry the momentum. The cast are Maureen 's sh ow. m ostly excellent as individual performers; MELBOURNE There are n early 30 songs in the show, as an ensemble, they are outstanding. The UNIVERSITY PRESS including reprises and a couple of times wonder of this is that hardly any of them are when two songs are intricately woven experienced music theatre actor/singers, ETHICS INTO ACTION together. They're nearly all terrific; Larson coming m ostly as they do from backgrounds Henry Spira and the really had something as a song-writer. There in rock, pop, commercials, dan cing and Animal Rights Movement are plenty of big love songs, the best of entertaimnent. them between Roger and Mimi, like 'Light Rodger Corser (who plays the rock by PETER SINGER my Candle' and 'I Should Tell You'. There musician Roger) is a pub band singer by The new book by world renowned trade. He has the voice and brooding presence are big company numbers like the ethicist, Peter Singer, tells the inspiring celebratory Act 1 closer and the wistfully to suit the role. His roommate Mark is story of a lifelong activist, Henry Spira, beautiful Act 2 opener, 'Seasons of Love' played by Justin Smith-a veteran of Harry whose creativity and careful thought and a slightly sentimental hymn to living M. Miller's revival of Jesus Christ Super­ about strategies for change will serve as in America at the end of the millennium. star in 1992, aged 17, and som e orthodox a model for activists fighting injustice in There are also plot -advancing songs like acting work in Sydney since-with the right a wide ran ge of causes . Collins''Santa Fe', which outlines his plans degree of filmie nercliness, replete with Paperback $29.95 to open a restaurant with Angel, and a very glasses and a huge woollen scarf. Mark clever narrative gimmick in the form of a Richard Ford and Fred Jones (Collins and series of voice m ail m essages sung in Benny) are imported for the show recitative style. and both do the job pretty well. The show I kept recalling through much of this was, of course, Hair, although H OW EVER, FOR MY MONEY, it's the wom en Larson 's bohemians are nothing like as characters who stand out. Christine Anu is countercultural as that sh ow's m otley sensational as Mimi. Her big dance numbers assortment of ch aracters, and Rent's are extraordinary and her dying mom ents millennial insistence doesn't quite have poignant but never cloying. T echno rock the m agic or excitem ent of 'The Dawning and pop singer Michelle Smith is a of the Age of Aquarius'. But it's easily the wonderfully eccentric M aureen , and best rock mu ical since that landmark. It's counterpointed by b and singer (and about genuinely contemporary issues and som etime musicals performer) Genevieve A FURIOUS HUNGER people and it doesn't trivialise them . N or is Davis as Joanne. But the m ost extraordinary it afraid of hard questions. performance of all comes from a young man America in the 21st Century T o try to sum up in a single sentence called Opell Ross, a m odel, dancer and by BRUCE GRANT what a piece as complex as this is about is cabaret artist whose Angel is stunning. not all that hard if one rem embers one of Such unorthodox casting achieves two A penetrating ex ploration of America's Bertolt Brecht's little epigram s: 'In the clark ends. It brings people with real 'street cred' way of life, its people, its history, its times, will there still be singing? Yes, there to the roles and new blood into the business. rhetoric, its government and politics, will be singing. About the clark times.' Rent I wish no ill fortune on perfo rmers like and its arts and popular culture. The author's 'modest intention' is to try to is singing about the dark times. And this Marina Prior or Rob Guest (w ho have made understand the United States better, not Australian co-production by Cam eron their names and fortunes in Cam Mack as the leader of th e Western world, but Mackintosh, the Sydney Theatre Company musicals fo r a decade or more), but it is good as itself. and others does it proud. After a reasonable to see fresh faces and bold new talent. Rent season in Sydney last year, it has really charts a way fo rward. And its relative Pap erba ck $24.95 taken off in its Melbourne eason (w hich sm allness of scale, (size doesn't comprise began in late March ). its artistry) means that it doesn 't have to The show, directed here by the original run and tour for years to make it worthwhile THE ASIANISATION OF N ew York director Michael Greif, looks fo r its producers. N or does it have to have AUSTRALIA? deceptively simple with its very fluid stag­ theatres rebuilt fo r it. Some Facts about the Myths ing. Greif uses every square foot of the We h ave seen the last of the big by LAKSIRI JAYASURIYA and KEE space and is not afraid to play important blockbusters-for the time being. Until the POOKONG m om ents at the sides, up high, at the back inevitable next wave, let's have more of the or wherever it suits him; hardly anything likes of this. Recent political rhetoric and forecasts happens dead centre in the time-honoured are exposed for the myths, prejudices musical tradition. A few versatile trestle Geoffrey Milne is h ead of theatre and elrama and over-simplifications that t hey are . tables and a bunch of simple chairs are at LaTrobe University. Paperback $16.95 practically all design er Paul Clay needs, Rent will run in the Com edy Theatre, while Angela Wendt's costumes take Melbourne, at least untilfuly; it m ay run contemporary dress to an interestingly longer. Who knows, it miglJt even tour www.mup.com.au eccentric and theatrical edge. further.

VOLUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 47 the m essage seems to be that justice is subservient to wealth, or as old lawyers say, 'everyone is presumed innocent until proven broke'. Performances are uniformly good. Travolta achieves an acceptable metamor­ phosis from cynicism to compassion, and Robert Duvall (nominated for an Academy Award) gives a splendid performance as the elderly fo lksy lawyer representing the local tannery. Kathleen Quinlan plays the grieving mother of one of the dead children with compelling dignity, while David Thornton provides the most memorable scene when, as a distraught father, he describes the circumstances in which his son died. The end of the fi lm is untidy, but when a story is linked to reality, the facts cannot always be accommodated neatly in the running time. -Gordon Lewis A nick in time

Plunl

48 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 'Sarrenderr is ferwahnkerrs'-thus setting ingenious and som etimes funny ways. It hysterical wronged wife and he's the guiltily the argot and tone for the rest of the film. was Cah ill, for example, who was selfish neurotic we used to barrack for in Language is not all that is modernised in responsible for the theft of priceless Dutch Annie Hall and Manhattan. Branagh gives this zappy costume adventure. Dance music masters from Russborough House. The us a scarily accurate Woody imperson a­ and souly vocals boom over many of the recrea tion of such crimes maintains the tion, but is far too personable to disarm us scenes, and the character- and set-dressing pace of the film. But it is its psychology and with its underdog pathos. This lays bare the is decidedly at odds with any 17 40s I've ever the sh eer mundanity of the ch aos it misogyny and coldness which was always seen. Pierced eyebrows and dance-house represents which stick unpleasantly in your behind the Sad Little Man's quest for the flunkies pepper the film with great effect, imagination. - Michael McGirr SJ goodies, and we don't empathise when he but the script is a mite empty. Storylines whines. Davis, in desperation m eltdown, are resolved conventionally and love wins sympathy, success and most of the interests, while feisty, never really capture Star bores lau gh s. In h er vulnerability and self­ the imagination. questioning, sh e offers aspects of Allen 's Performances and the film-makers' fool­ Celebrity, dir. Woody Allen. The sight of persona which he lacks. And unlike Simon, hardiness are what make this film. It is a joy the gods was traditionally supposed to send she is 'lucky', ending up happily remarried to watch Michael Gambon pottering about m ortals mad. In the presence of celebrity, and herself a minor TV celebrity. In the the screen as a corrupt and warty uncle. Woody Allen's characters don't go m ad but final scene (a device reminiscent of Purple Robert Carlyle plays a divine runty little they do expose themselves as abject, needy, Rose of Cairo), Simon/Branagh sits in a villain perfectly and Jonny Lee Miller and movie theatre, his face reflecting the Liv Tyler are both appropriately beautiful Spectacle, condemned to remain in the real and edgy. -Siobhan Jackson world. -Lucille Hughes Bleak nous Calling Mork

The General, dir. John Boorman. This is Encounter in the Third Dimension, dir. Ben on e of the most violent films I've seen for a Stassen. This latest IMAX production is long time. N ot because it is more graphic quite short-less than 40 minutes-but feels than m any films. It isn't and, from memory, a bit like a Luna Park ride while you're there is only one murder in the film. But the there. The problem is that, although the 3D violence is raw. It hurts to watch it, an production values are stunning, with plenty experience intensified by the fact that the of stomach-lurching dives down endless film is m ade in black and white. There is no caves and through outer space, and lots of silver lining on the bleak lives it represents. things poking a t you r face phantas­ Martin Cahill (Brendan Gleeson), a magorically, the narration fails to grab. The leading figure in Dublin's underworld, was problem is the front-man, Stuart Pankin, killed in 1994. He had become notorious fo r who plays a nutty professor type of character the audacity of his crimes and the loyalty without a scintilla of irony. The Muppets he demanded from his followers, who called are Swiftian by comparison. Someone like him ' the gen eral'. In one of the most Rik Mayall or even Robin Williams would m emorable sequences in the film, Cahill have brought it all to life. orchestrates a heist on Dublin's biggest If they'd only splashed out a bit on the wholesale jewellers. It's a raid that the IRA and robbed of humanity. Among them is actors as well as the production the grown­ had tried and failed to pull off. Cahill Lee Simon (Kenneth Branagh), a frustrated ups could really enjoy this too. What we're suspects that one of his crew h as helped travel writer who stinks of failure, chases left with is a very American short kids' himself to som e of the gold bullion. So interviews and glossy women while h e flick with fantastic special effects. The Cahill nails him to a billiard table. pitches his obviously lousy screenplay. This history of the medium is quite interesting, Personally. The scene is shot with such Robert Altman-like device brings him into and the snippets of '40s 3D gangster precise observation that it is almost contact with Melanie Griffith, Leonardo movies are great. The trouble starts when impossible to watch. Its aftermath, in which DiCaprio, Winona Ryder and other m eta­ Pankin's Professor talks. The stuff with Cahill decides his accomplice is not guilty celebrities, who apparently gave their Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, fa lls rather flat after all and takes him to hospital, m akes a services to this film for a fraction of their as well, because sh e is better seen pathetic nonsense of Cahill's m ethods of usual fee. The credibility of the Woody introducing a h orror movie on TV rather justice. Allen oeuvre has its own currency-and than trying to sing a very silly song about Cahill is portrayed with human qualities they are clearly having fun. DiCaprio is the being scared. but, nonetheless, is difficult to like. He standout as a beautiful brat regnant who There are grown-up IMAX m ovies, ones lives with and has children with two sisters, gets everything h e wants, and in whose you really should see, such as Extreme, Frances (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and Tina backwash Simon briefly bobs. which is very good indeed. This one you can (An geline Ball). H e manages to out­ Simon/Branagh and Judy Davis are a take the eight-to 12-year-olds to see and try manoeuvre the law, including his rival nervy N ew York couple who break up in to argu e them out of Maccas afterwards. Inspector N ed Kenny (Jon Voight) in classic Allen horse-laugh style. She's the -Juliette Hughes

V O LUME 9 N UMBER 5 • EUREKA STREET 49 Don't spoil it

I HA" mM< cleve< h;end' wh~f~:~.. ~: h~: ~ly exomplegiv

50 EUREKA STREET • JuNE 1999 Eureka Street Cryptic Crossword no. 74, June 1999

Devised by Joan Now otny IBVM

ACROSS 1. Cricket shot more or less to square leg goes beyond the fence to the aquatic centre! It could be a clear winner. (5,3,4) 8. Move to Rome or I'll find a place that has greater capacity. (7) 9. Give ground and try to come to terms again. (7) 11. Meerschaum used to be of a same variety as the ocean spray. (7) 12. Fellow on outing with girl does so with authority. (7) 13. Auditor observed part of the act. [5) 14. Looking in all directions a chap sets out to sell papers. [9) 16. Bank credit I'm in also, partly because of my fear of con men, for example. [9) 19. Someone initially competent-being black. [5) 21. US lawyer riven with anxiety over alien entering. (7) 23. Incidental benefit from return of bowler's action. (4-3) 24. Showing common sense, hair-cropped Merv inside suddenly becomes jittery. [7) 25. Boy and his dead-ringer take a trip to Lake Lucerne? (7) 26. Right-wing attachment to difficult dogma ruins report, lacking left version as an alternative yardstick. (9,3) DOWN Solution to Crossword no. 73, May 1999 1. Add charge for storing to wages. [7) 2. In literary competition the record is lyric poem to take the event' [7) 3. After empty pomposity, country becomes subject to arsonist's obsession. (9) 4. In Bihar, embassy staff are forbidden entry to the eastern enclosure. (5) 5. Being in a huff, international body makes one first-class bloomer. (7) 6. Some thugs shove raw eggs at you to intimidate. (7) 7. Representative sample, given pamphlets, annoyed religious group in accepting nothing. (5-7) 10. Dramatic presentation of the Battle of Waterloo, perhaps? (7,2,3) 15. Being utterly spent, I was worrying about what Portugal might have been had history been different. (4,5) 17. Contrary to expectations the writing had a poetic form. (7) 18. At-home party, or soiree to begin with, cannot be held alfresco. So what is the alternative? (7) 19 . Quarrel depicted in the first part of the series produces later attitudes that are somewhat starchy. (7) 20. Brother I guided in cooking course became furious. (7) 22. He gets up to reach the vertical pipe. (5)

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