The conflicts hyped as the ''history wars'' that raged during the Howard era were not about history, but politics. These ''wars'' were public and polemic mostly because they centered on race, racism and the reliability of the claims of violence in Aboriginal history. Common disputes about sourcing and evidence were inflated into ''battles'' where conservatives flung mud at ''leftist'' historians, accusing them of ideologically driven fraud, and historians alleged amateurism.
Commentators tried to shame historians; politicians tried to shame each other.
Ugly things were said.
In February 2008, Kevin Rudd apologised to Aboriginal people and argued we should ''leave behind the polarisation that began to infect every discussion of our nation's past''. Since then, the ugliness has largely faded.
But we are now seeing strong signs the Coalition may reignite culture wars if it wins in September. According to this rhetoric, the Coalition represents basics, the Queen, calm, Britannia, cheer, Anzac, the constitution, freedom and the Bible.
In the Sir Paul Hasluck Foundation lecture given on September 27 last year, for example, John Howard - still the spiritual leader of federal Liberals - vehemently condemned the new school curriculum, due to be adopted after the federal election, as failing to examine our British heritage as well as ''the historic influence of the Judaeo Christian ethic in shaping Australian society''.
Tony Abbott has made powerful speeches about the need to acknowledge the shameful treatment of Aboriginal people, with words some might even call ''black armband'': ''We need to atone for the omissions and for the hardness of heart of our forebears, to enable us all to embrace the future as a united people.''
But he channelled his former leader in his speech to the foundation this month when he argued: ''There is a new version of the great Australian silence - this time about the Western canon, the literature, the poetry, the music, the history and above all the faith without which our culture and our civilisation are unimaginable.''

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/dont-dismiss-nations-blemishes-20130426-2ijsd.html#ixzz2ReaDjWCK

Residents were furious at council plans to kick them out of their homes, take their land and homes by compulsory acquisition and leave them out on the street. That way, the council could put up high-rise apartments and make a tidy profit.

Also questionable is Liberal Mayor Len Robinson, who has been pushing this sudden rush to up the ante on high-rise apartment development. Len Robinson’s business arrangements are quite hard to track down, as he seems to have been involved in several companies, all of which involved Strata Management. As a result, I have referred this matter to ICAC in the hope that they may be able to get the straight answers residents haven’t yet received as to his business practices since being on council.

At long last, however there is some good news from the council regarding this action.

The Liberal Councillors, including Federal candidate Isabelle White and Jess Diaz – the father of Federal candidate Jaymze Diaz – have heard the cries of the residents, listened to the pleas of the community, and acted in a manner they deemed appropriate.

The bad news is they have now decided to take the local Aquatic Centre as well. Just for good measure.