Many of us are grieving today. There are jokes about moving to New Zealand, and memes about excising Queensland. More seriously, though, here are some initial thoughts to prompt discussion on what lessons there may be in this moment.

So while they have a file on almost anyone new to the left, these files are pointless. Indeed, they are a monstrous waste of time and resources.

‘The Greens in Sydney come from many backgrounds. Environmental and resident activists. Nuclear disarmers. Dissidents from the Labor Party who have witnessed betrayals by both wings of that party. Feminists. Anarchists. Socialists of various kinds.’ This is how the Sydney Greens described themselves in 1984. Fast track thirty years and we witness the leader of the Australian Greens explicitly courting the votes of wealthy conservative retirees.

But this does not mean that doing nothing is a good, or even the least bad, option. Opposing certain forms of action (namely, military action) by our governments has not led to proposals or demands for alternative action. Indeed, it hasn’t led to much action at all from those of us in the anti-war, anti-interventionist, pro-peace camps.