From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli – 11 July

Yearning for the days of yore – if indeed they ever existed – is an exercise in futility; however, the increase in public, anti-social behaviour has reached troubling proportions.

LOOKING back through a roseate hue to the ‘good old days’ serves little, if any, constructive purpose. Certainly, it does nothing to advance the narrative or to solve the problem; however, we have, unquestionably, reached a point in society where a concerted effort needs to be made to swing the pendulum of systemic anti-social behaviour. While the attention needs to be immediate, the solution is more problematic and long-term.

While it will not solve the root-causes, which are many and varied, it may well be that law enforcement officers need to be granted greater policing discretion; and while that comes with its own set of problems, lasting measures are needed to help eradicate the offensive and disturbing behaviour, which some would argue is, in part, the legacy of the greedy 80s.

While libertarians might dismiss such an invocation as draconian and a breach of our civil liberties, there are many victims of the scrouge who will embrace it as a long overdue civic reaction. It is a curious phenomenon how, too often, the perpetrator’s recalcitrance carries more weight than the victim’s suffering.

Social issues notwithstanding, we live in an age of entitlement. There are those who are prepared to do as little as possible for as long as possible, and expect as much as possible in return. In some quarters of society there is a pervading lack of regard for fellow travellers and a refusal to accept any responsibility for one’s life.

Conversely, too many of our young people are caught-up in a swirling wake of hopelessness; of disenfranchisement in every aspect of their lives: education, employment, careers, and housing. We are creating a dysfunctional society where the gap between those who have, and those who have not, is ever widening. There is a pervading lack of consciousness for the less fortunate. The disparity of opportunity is breeding frustration and aggression, and creating a permanent underclass from which it may be impossible to escape.

These are testing times. Across the nation, retail trade has never been more parlous. The COVID pandemic, and the subsequent lockdowns, has driven many to the precipice of financial disaster. Sadly, those who lacked the fiscal reserves to weather the storm have been forced to close their doors –forever, possibly.

Traders in regional Victoria are doing it tough. Bendigo is not immune. For those who are still operating, their plight is further exacerbated by feral behaviour in, and around, their premises. In particular, bus stops located in major shopping precincts are proving flashpoints. While efforts are being made to resolve the issue, more must be achieved.

The seismic shift began in the 1950s. Unquestionably, it was the social revolution of the 1970s which changed our mores – whether for better or worse remains a matter of some conjecture. Confusingly, behaviour which was once socially unacceptable is now deemed acceptable. While there are still those pockets of mainstream society where discipline is practiced, there is a milieu where standards have been discarded; replaced by a freedom of personal choice, and supported by little, if any, purposeful direction.

Technology has brought its own inherent problems. We live in an age where success is measured by an accumulation of wealth. Many of what were once classified as blue-collar jobs have disappeared into the ether, swallowed-up by the technological revolution. Social media has, in many instances, perverted the course, jaundiced the perspective, and given a free megaphone to the voice of discontent.

The problem is universal. Collectively, we need to look seriously at the imbalance causing the problem. Impossible though it may seem, we must set in place a pattern of assisted correction which will allow society to continue to function for the benefit and enjoyment of everyone, including those who are feeling forsaken.

Roland can contacted via [email protected].