Where have all the good guys gone?

I want to talk briefly how saddened I am by the new budget. The impact personally will be marginal (excluding the Superannuation and retirement impact, which seems like it isn't happening as it's still a long way off). I am one of the lucky ones. However, I am truly saddened by the implication it says about us as a nation.

We used to be the good guys. We were the race that did the right thing, even if there was no personal benefit. We were the people you could depend on, to selflessly chip in. Part of the Anzac spirit was that we were "naturally egalitarian". The tall poppy syndrome is due in part to our preference for the underdog or 'battler'.

This budget reflects none of these. We as a nation, for economic reasons, are turning our backs on the less fortunate, both at home and abroad. We are no longer extending the helping hand. We are no longer looking after our frail and weak.

I understand books have to be balanced, and money has to come from somewhere, but I think it is a sad day indeed when the people of this nation aren't the priority.

I have no solutions (though there are protest marches in both Sydney and Melbourne this weekend), but implore you to please think deeply about whether we have a moral obligation to help others.

While I won't go into all the specifics, obviously Medicare, Bulk Billing and Foreign Aid, Disability and Aged funding cuts are the main issues what have distressed me, I do have to question one, as it seems so impractical and ill conceived. The huge amount of money put aside to fund sending Chaplains into schools; couldn't that have just gone to the schools (or to the CSIRO, as let's face it, praying to cure cancer can happen anyway)? The ethics teachers volunteer their time - they aren't paid. I presume currently the scripture teachers are the same. Couldn't the chaplains do the same? Don't you choose (and pay) for your child to go to a religious school? One reason for that is there are a lot of different religions. You pay for your child to go to the school that supports your religion. Will the chaplain be my religion or do I have to change my beliefs to fit with the variation of religion you set up at the school? Has any thought been put into the practicality of this funding? This will not even be pleasing the religious - if you are Catholic and the funding goes to a Church of England chaplain, that won't work for you. Nor will the converse. One religion doesn't fit all. Even Christianity varies greatly.

We were once a better people. I loved Australians for their sense of justice and what is right. It made us better than other people in the world. We've lost that moral superiority. I hope it will be found once more.

As a foot note - please note, while you don't have to share my opinion I will delete any comments that are abusive towards me or other commenters. I will also delete comments that are abusive towards individuals of the Liberal Party. So play nice.