Peter Carey calls government ‘inhumane’
6:56pm, Oct 22
Antonia Acott Entertainment Editor
Acclaimed Australian author Peter Carey says that the Abbott
government is ‘inhumane’, becoming the second high-profile writer in a
week to criticise Australia’s political leadership.
government is ‘inhumane’, becoming the second high-profile writer in a
week to criticise Australia’s political leadership.
Peter Carey's new book Amnesia appears to have perfect political timing.
Award-winning Australian author Peter Carey has
accused the Abbott government of being “inhumane” and ruled by big
business interests.
accused the Abbott government of being “inhumane” and ruled by big
business interests.
Mr Carey, who claims in his new book Amnesia that the
CIA conspired to bring down Gough Whitlam’s government, says Australia
has become a right-wing “corporation state” that is “terrifying” to live
in.
CIA conspired to bring down Gough Whitlam’s government, says Australia
has become a right-wing “corporation state” that is “terrifying” to live
in.
· Extract: Whitlam’s revolutionary first days in power
· Richard Flanagan: ‘I’m ashamed to be Australian’
· Richard Flanagan: ‘I’m ashamed to be Australian’
“We have a situation where the right has come to rule, the
corporation has come to rule,” Carey says. “It seems an inhumane
regime.”
corporation has come to rule,” Carey says. “It seems an inhumane
regime.”
Speaking to The New Daily, Mr Carey said
Australians were experiencing trauma equivalent to that of living
through the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s, when “one glimpsed one’s
own extinction”.
Australians were experiencing trauma equivalent to that of living
through the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s, when “one glimpsed one’s
own extinction”.
“Now we live with that, and kids live with that, day after
day, after day, after day, after day, and given the failure of
governments to act – and given the fact that they’re acting in the
interests of corporations continually, the corporations don’t care about
the future – I think that’s terrifying.”
day, after day, after day, after day, and given the failure of
governments to act – and given the fact that they’re acting in the
interests of corporations continually, the corporations don’t care about
the future – I think that’s terrifying.”
Mr Carey made his comments about the current government
when asked about former prime minister Gough Whitlam’s legacy and the
state of the nation, a day after the former PM passed away.
when asked about former prime minister Gough Whitlam’s legacy and the
state of the nation, a day after the former PM passed away.
“Looking back [on Whitlam's time in power] … it was a time when we had hope and could have hope,” Mr Carey says.
“We just pulled the troops out of Vietnam, the draft
resistors were let out of jail. A week and a hundred different things
happened and we were proud of ourselves, we were proud of Gough and we
were optimistic about our future.”
resistors were let out of jail. A week and a hundred different things
happened and we were proud of ourselves, we were proud of Gough and we
were optimistic about our future.”
Thecriticism also comes a week after fellow Booker Prize winner Richard
Flanagan said he was “ashamed” to be Australian because of the Abbott
government’s climate change stance.
“I’m very saddened because Australia has the most extraordinary
environment and I don’t understand why our government seems committed to
destroying what we have that’s unique in the world,” Mr Flanagan told
the BBC’s Kirsty Wark.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. We can grow our economy but we can do so much for our extraordinary environment.
“There are so many things and, to be frank, I’m ashamed to be Australian when you bring this up.”
Mr Carey’s new novel is both an homage to the audacity of
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and what he sees as gross American
influence on the downfall of the Whitlam government.
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and what he sees as gross American
influence on the downfall of the Whitlam government.
The book centres around a downtrodden journalist, Felix
Moore, who, having ruined his relationship with his family and lost his
job, takes on the somewhat dubious role of writing about a young, female
hacker who has become America’s enemy number one.
Moore, who, having ruined his relationship with his family and lost his
job, takes on the somewhat dubious role of writing about a young, female
hacker who has become America’s enemy number one.
The cyber-hacker, Gabrielle ‘Gaby’ Bailleux, a striking
blonde, has unleashed a virtual worm that has opened up the doors of
Australian and US prisons.
blonde, has unleashed a virtual worm that has opened up the doors of
Australian and US prisons.
Interweaved into the race to get her story are Moore’s own theories on the CIA’s involvement in the removal of Whitlam.
Mr Carey says the extent of the US-Australian relationship
has always worried him and Assange’s emergence as a traitor or
savior, depending on your point of view, reignited his passion for the
subject.
has always worried him and Assange’s emergence as a traitor or
savior, depending on your point of view, reignited his passion for the
subject.
“The US-Australian thing has long been in my mind,” he says.
“With Assange, it was a sense of amazement and wonder –
and some admiration, I must admit – at what he’d done. He’s clearly very
complicated.”
and some admiration, I must admit – at what he’d done. He’s clearly very
complicated.”
So is Mr Carey, it would seem.
Amnesia is out now through Penguin. Purchase a copy of the book here.
No comments:
Post a Comment