A woman somewhere in Africa, surrounded by dust resulting from drought, holds her dying child in her arms.  There is nothing she can do.  There is nowhere she can look for help.  There is no food.  A person comes by from the western world, from Australia.  He speaks of how many people in Australia speak of ‘the politics of envy’.

As we know from the response to Labor’s so-called attacks on the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, over certain issues related to his wealth, Malcolm Turnbull replied by saying they were indulging in ‘the politics of envy’.  Many Australians think that this was a good reply for it is not a criticism of the wealthy, it is a criticism of those who criticise the wealthy.  Many Australians want to believe that they have the chance to be wealthy too, so they mindlessly support the right of the rich to be rich.  When the Australian explains to the African woman what this phrase means, she is surprised.