Two days ago, Prime Minister Julia Gillard attempted a warm and fuzzy speech in Adelaide.

She talked about her parents who “thrived in this egalitarian country with its larrikin embrace of informality because they are egalitarian by instinct . . . .”

It is wrong, said JG, to “defer to anyone simply by dint of them having a title, occupation or background different from your own”.

Basically she was boosting disrespect as a way of life.

She doesn’t believe it herself, of course. Let any back-bencher vote against Gillard’s advice and see how they enjoy the resulting quick rabbit-killer.

Those not respecting her title, background or whatever will find it advisable to respect her naked brutality.

Moving forward, Gillard-style, means moving into a jungle, a chaos, where back-stabbing is normal behaviour.

* * *

A bit west of Adelaide is the town of Norseman, WA, where a different approach has been tried.

Unlike Gillard’s face-stomping methods, the Aboriginal elders, the liquor outlet and the police reached an agreement, based on mutual respect, regarding limits on sales of takeaway wine.

12 months later, what is the result?

A 60 percent fall in alcohol-related hospital admissions and less crime – local police report fewer traffic offences and less anti-social behaviour and domestic violence.

Respect for a community’s elders, because of who and what they are, has generated increased respect for road rules, other people’s rights and family loyalties – with lives saved and injuries prevented.

* * *

Respect for authority is indispensable for a society to hold together.

That is why the Church is governed by a hierarchy.

That hierarchy has failed in many ways, but the Church survives and remains the principal force for good in our society.

The Church should have done better in the past. It will do in the future.

How do we know that?

Because it is a hierarchy, with God himself at the top.

As the Church improves its act (slowly, it must be confessed) what is the rest of society up to?

It gets worse every day.

Children’s innocence is destroyed more ruthlessly, and at ever younger ages,. by our society’s ever-increasing media porn, advertisements porn, and government school “sex-education” which is basically porn.