I Blame John Howard

Australians are less secure and more fearful than ever before under John Howard's leadership.

Australian Social Attitudes: The First Report finds most people are satisfied with the economic gains made since the Prime Minister's election, and that they enjoy their work, are proud of their families, and feel confident and optimistic about the future.

We are becoming selfish ...

They are also more willing to forgo income to pay for major state services than at any time in the previous two decades.

John Howard is dragging us back into the 1950s.

"We need to go back to the 1960s to find a stronger mood for social spending," the report says.

Intolerance is rising:

More than 80 per cent of the 4000 Australians who responded to the survey support choice on abortion and increasing numbers are willing to accept same-sex couples as families.

And it's all John Howard's fault. John Howard, you bastard.

UPDATE: And I shouldn't forget to mention our rejection of multiculturalism:

Support for higher immigration has more than doubled since 1995 (from 11 per cent to 26 per cent in 2003). 57 per cent of Australians now want the immigration program to stay the same size or increase. Not since the 1960s has immigration been so well supported by the Australian public.

Our increasing job insecurity:

Fourteen years of economic growth have left Australians feeling secure in their jobs. Just 13 per cent fear losing their job in the next year. But half the Australians surveyed thought it would be 'Not easy at all' to find a job as good as their current one.

And our withdrawal from community activities:

Almost all Australians are a member of at least one voluntary organisation (86 per cent). Consumer and automobile associations are at the top of the list with 54 per cent membership, followed by sporting groups (45 per cent), financial cooperatives (29 per cent) and religious groups (24 per cent).

Fascist right-wing death beast nazis from around the nation will be rejoicing at this news. Why, John Howard, WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY???