In 1996 we had a change of government in Australia. Selfishness and greed were promoted, community and equality were shunted. Individualism reigned which was great if you were born with the desirable attributes or into the right circumstances. We made Sunset Studies in 99-00 because it was evident one progressive and generous Australia was fading fast and another very strident and socially regressive one was emerging. The new values were given many, many years to flourish and were lovingly curated into a national ethos by a compliant, bought and paid for media, capitalised ruthlessly on by a taxpayer subsidised private sector, then carefully topped up by uninspired but effective concoctions designed by small, nasty men and women to keep us drunk with fear at happy hour. These values contained in themselves easy bristles to trigger, which was and is their dark, dumb genius. It’s 2022 and the damage is done, the corruption is a festered crater for all to see, but there’s a little bit of hope that the fortune we have here might not be fully squandered yet. As we finally celebrate the 20th anniversary of SS in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne (it’s a start!) we’d like to share that inkling and emerge just a little from the human behaviour induced plagues and multiple environmental crises, and for a little bit from the shadow of another horrific mass murdering military action in the name of selfishness and greed. See you soon AM community.
- The Good Gardener
