The whisper of social change in Adelaide
If you know how the whisper of social change in Adelaide works, you can see it. You were there.
You were there at the pub when your belief in fairness was popped and she said ‘just keep turning up’.
You were there at the party at the Hyatt, celebrating the win that wasn’t supposed to be.
You know who is most vocal about domestic violence, despite their status, gender and class not being obvious indicators of progressive change.
You know the role of religion in politics.
You were probably on the table at the party in Glenelg with the carefully curated stack of progressive books, drinking and dancing while the band played it’s retro hits.
You definitely were at a party at a share house in North Adelaide. Possibly in a toga.
You might have been in Canberra for a while, or somewhere overseas. You might even be overseas right now.
Chances are you had family who came here in the 1830’s, brought together by the ideals of better democracy in a new land.
It might be social change in your own country of origin that brought you here.
You know who kissed who and who used to date and who came marching in anti-war protests - but only until Australia joined the fight because you don’t believe in protesting when there is active duty.
You quite probably went to public school - or boarding school. You might have gone to Scotch.
You very well could be a grandmother. Grandmothers have special roles in Adelaide.
You probably care a lot about our next generation and principles of equality.
You know that Adelaide is just one big club and that the groupings and loyalties form really young.
You definitely know who is principled.
It’s quite possible you formed respect for people very different to you way back in your schooling years. It’s also very possible you went together to uni. But maybe you didn’t.
You know that in Adelaide it doesn’t matter who talks to who right now. It’s about the networks of who is listening.
You definitely know that those networks of who is listening go all over the world and through the offices of greatest power. Far greater than little old Adelaide.
You probably know your history. You know how it’s been done before.
And if you can’t see it? You can’t hear it? You’ll feel it, when the change has happened.
You might even get to take credit for it.
That’s ok. It’s never about power, status or recognition.
It’s a whisper to create a better, fairer and more equal world. Because you believe in it. Because it is an Adelaide thing to do.
It’s what brought us all here, to South Australia.
To change the world.
