Alex Antic (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Many public figures like politicians, sportspeople and celebrities feel the need to signal virtue to the hard left lest they be cancelled or taken to task. To me their overtures come across as insincere, as a sort of pledge of allegiance intended to appease the angry mob. JK Rowling is not one such celebrity. She's a woman who stood by her convictions in relation to women's rights and bore the brunt of the perpetually outraged leftist mob. Similarly, Elon Musk is not one such celebrity. He recently refused to bend the knee to the threats of corporate advertisers withdrawing from X, formerly Twitter, because it is now too triggering for them.

These principled stands have Rowling and Musk more popular, not less. More importantly, they've given people great hope that the authoritarian left can be defeated. People are sick and tired of wokeness, political correctness, leftism—whatever you want to call it. They're fed up. They want things to return to a semblance of normality. Too many people acquiesce by taking a knee or reading a welcome to country because they're afraid of losing their jobs or damaging their reputation, but when there are powerful people like JK Rowling and Elon Musk blazing the way, we regular people feel empowered.

The hard left has overplayed its hand for some considerable time now, and the reaction against their hubris is gaining momentum. What we need are more leaders to push back. It is not enough of those who disagree to simply smile and nod anymore. So my message to the rich, the powerful and the influential is this: stop letting the likes of JK Rowling and Elon Musk do all the heavy lifting. Your voice and leadership are needed. It's time to stop nodding and smiling while the hard left ride roughshod over us. After all, how much money do you need?