The world is slowly grappling with the massive consequences of Britain’s stunning vote to leave the EU last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
North-west Queensland is about as far as you can get from the UK but the ramifications will be felt here too in the long term.
In the short term the Australian stock exchange reacted badly to the news as did stock exchange across the world – in fact European bourses did worse than London on the news showing Europe’s dependence on London as much as vice versa.
Australian business might have easier access to the markets of an independent Britain and the copper price went up on the news. But it is hard to see too many positives coming out of the result when the only one cheering are Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump and far right European politicians like the French Marine Le Pen.
Many Britons who voted “leave” were aware of what they might lose but there was one over-riding issue: the fear of rampant immigration. The waves of people leaving war-torn Syria and Iraq are immense and unlikely to stop while the politics of those countries remains in strife.
Voters in Britain are worried their way of life will be swamped, even though the refugees only want a safe place to live.
It’s hard to know how to counter that fear, and it is real here in Australia too.
That’s why despite the humanitarian concerns of locking people up indefinitely, both major parties are in lockstep about mandatory detention and keeping boat arrivals out of Australia.
But like Britain, we must come up with a better solution than simply locking down our borders forever.
***
And now a cautionary tale from the ballot box. Knowing I would be busy next Saturday, I trundled across the road from our office on Friday to get my vote in early (NB voting early but not voting often). However when I went to the booth I cursed myself for having left my glasses at the office. I could just about squint at the green House of Reps paper and work that one out but was hopeless when confronted by the large reams of paper that was the Senate ballot. We may have new Senate election rules but for all I know I may have voted Rise Up Hemp Rifle Sex Soldiers of God.
Voters beware! DB