Reflecting upon the last 12 months; in Australia this comprises concerns of a stock market downturn that instead has bubbled along, housing market bubble about to burst still bubbling along, decreasing demand, price tightening and job losses not spoken about much, shock at unethical corporate practices, executive behaviours, comfort knowing that the persistent record of profits of the four pillar banks can be achieved whilst meeting increasing standards of capital adequacy and onerous prudential authority requirements, widening of the socio-economic gap between vulnerable and well-to-do Australians, same-sex marriage debate that could unite if we were more thoughtful of others, royal commissions into widespread paedophilia and alleged activities by those we trusted exacerbating the hurt felt by many, and lack of commitment to equitably address the needs of Indigenous people in all parts of this land, not just the north. Regionally, the rise of an agitating North Korea power and volatility fuelled by statements from the USA, yet galvanising our commitment to the ANZUS Treaty whilst balancing our economic and cultural exchange with our near neighbour China…a delicate balancing act. Internationally, with the rise of nationalism and rethink about globalisation, reflected by the Trump election, Brexit proving what many originally thought; that Britain would have best stayed independent of the EU, Germany adopting an unprecedented immigration plan in support of human rights with resultant impact and unfortunate resentment, ‘everybody watching everybody’ (Max Romeo 1975). Locally, evidence ignored and worse, people misled so others can achieve their personal gain, homeless street people numbers grow as sport people salaries grow, weather patterns continue to change as climate sceptics dig deeper holes for themselves. Not much has changed.

A year of ‘back to the future’?