Most see no hope for democratic Iraq – VOTER’S VOICE: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Bachelard, Michael. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 08 May 2004: 29.
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Take Wanda Harris, 43, a management consultant from the marginal seat of Brisbane. She was “absolutely unequivocally against thewar in Iraq”, saying it was contrary to international law and the UN, and the “worst thing [the Government] could have done” in terms of winning her vote. But should Australia follow [Mark Latham]’s prescription and pull the troops out before Christmas? No. “We’re now an invading country … and we have an obligation to help them get back on their feet,” she says.
Warren Trezise, from [Deakin], proffers a refreshingly honest reason to wage war: “Not from any starry-eyed dream or humanitarian point of view but to shore up the supplies of oil.” But those who oppose Australia’s involvement say the war was wrong, illegal and immoral. Some say Australia was dragged into a war over a George W. Bush vendetta. “I think it was Bush’s own personal little revenge attack for his father,” says Suzanne Hargreaves from Brisbane.
A few want UN intervention. Jason Markwick, in Parramatta in NSW, says the war was illegitimate but: “If the UN was to intervene … then we should be a part of that.” The views of some have changed with the ebb and flow of the campaign. Gillian Gordon from thenorth Queensland seat of Herbert originally opposed our involvement, then came to believe it was necessary to stamp out terrorism. But after recent developments in Iraq, including the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners, she has again changed her mind. “That it’s gone on for so long concerns me — and that there’s no clear way out.” Latham’s policy of quitting Iraq has split our cohort down themiddle, as it has Australia generally. Those who want the troops back say Iraq is a quagmire. Others say the absence of weapons of mass destruction makes the whole project futile.
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Additional reporting for the series by Laura Costello, Nicolas Rothwell, Duncan Macfarlane, Amanda Hodge, John Stapleton, Drew Warne-Smith, Daniel Hoare, Carol Altmann, Andrew McGarry.
Australians‘ attitudes on Iraq are developing with the flow of events, says Michael Bachelard
IF John Howard or Mark Latham think Australian voters are swayed by slogans on the question of Australia’s involvement in Iraq, they are in for a rude shock.
Take Wanda Harris, 43, a management consultant from the marginal seat of Brisbane. She was “absolutely unequivocally against thewar in Iraq”, saying it was contrary to international law and the UN, and the “worst thing [the Government] could have done” in terms of winning her vote. But should Australia follow Latham’s prescription and pull the troops out before Christmas? No. “We’re now an invading country … and we have an obligation to help them get back on their feet,” she says.
Cheryle Irvin, from the West Australian seat of Hasluck, is also strongly anti-war. But the Opposition Leader’s Christmas withdrawal policy makes her doubt his credibility. “His home policies are fantastic and he’s very much in touch with the voters. But in his foreign policy he’s not as skilled as Howard,” she says.
But others take the opposite view — in support of the war but keen to get the troops out by Christmas. Matt Donat, 18, from theMelbourne seat of Deakin, is voting in his first election and will most likely vote Liberal. He believes it was worth going to war in Iraq, but says the troops must be brought home. “We need them here,” he says, echoing Latham’s policy word for word.
This complex set of views fleshes out the raw figures from Newspoll this week, which show for the first time most Australiansbelieve it was not worth going to war in Iraq — 50 per cent opposing the war and 40 per cent in support. But asked if the troops should be home by Christmas, the numbers were much closer — 47 per cent for Latham and 45 per cent for Howard.
These views are reflected in the opinions of the 120 voters taking part in The Weekend Australian‘s series, Voters’ Voice. While it cannot be considered scientific, it shows many voters are thinking deeply about these issues and resolutely making up their minds ahead of the election expected this year.
Those who support the war, such as Paul Langham, a mortgage consultant from the seat of Brisbane, do so because they think it was right to rid the world of Saddam Hussein and right to help our ally, the US, to do it.
Warren Trezise, from Deakin, proffers a refreshingly honest reason to wage war: “Not from any starry-eyed dream or humanitarian point of view but to shore up the supplies of oil.” But those who oppose Australia’s involvement say the war was wrong, illegal and immoral. Some say Australia was dragged into a war over a George W. Bush vendetta. “I think it was Bush’s own personal little revenge attack for his father,” says Suzanne Hargreaves from Brisbane.
A few want UN intervention. Jason Markwick, in Parramatta in NSW, says the war was illegitimate but: “If the UN was to intervene … then we should be a part of that.” The views of some have changed with the ebb and flow of the campaign. Gillian Gordon from thenorth Queensland seat of Herbert originally opposed our involvement, then came to believe it was necessary to stamp out terrorism. But after recent developments in Iraq, including the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners, she has again changed her mind. “That it’s gone on for so long concerns me — and that there’s no clear way out.” Latham’s policy of quitting Iraq has split our cohort down themiddle, as it has Australia generally. Those who want the troops back say Iraq is a quagmire. Others say the absence of weapons of mass destruction makes the whole project futile.
“They haven’t discovered anything that they went there for and they have captured their man, so what more do they need to be there for?” asks Jan Norwell in the WA seat of Hasluck.
But among those who want the troops to stay, “seeing it through” is an overwhelmingly common theme.
Malcolm Hocking, in Deakin, says leaving now would create a failed state. Rocky Porcaro in the WA seat of Canning, says withdrawal would be a red rag to terrorists wanting to pressure Australia.
Thomas Sudall, 41, a student from Brisbane, says he has contempt for Latham’s “provincial populism”.
But even those who want to see it through doubt the ultimate goal is achievable. This is one of two questions that unites almost all those we surveyed. Democracy, says Regina Hinz, from Parramatta, is a “pipe dream”; it’s a purely Western construct, “not their culture”, says Kath Rose, in Brisbane, in a typical response.
Paul Langham strongly supported the war and wants the troops to stay because the job’s “worth doing well”. But he says democracy is unlikely because there is “nobody over there that could do the job”.
The second issue that unites us is a series of views but is consistent — and it should concern Howard. While almost all support theidea of a strong alliance with the US, almost to a person they are worried that the Man of Steel has taken us too close.
“It’s too one-way. When it comes to major issues, like a war, it’s: `You’re in, we’re in,”‘ says Marita Bardenhagen, from Bass.
Many, like Ross Buchanan in McEwen, test the alliance by reversing the situation: “If North Korea wants to invade us, there’s not a lotthe Americans will do,” he says.
Latham’s attitude to the US has won wide support in our group — and few think his relatively independent stance will damage an otherwise robust relationship.
“I would prefer Latham’s tie-up with the US rather than Howard’s. It’s not real anti-Americanism, it’s just holding back a bit,” says Ray Watson, a Liberal voter in McEwen.
Additional reporting for the series by Laura Costello, Nicolas Rothwell, Duncan Macfarlane, Amanda Hodge, John Stapleton, Drew Warne-Smith, Daniel Hoare, Carol Altmann, Andrew McGarry.