WHEN Tony Abbott recently accused the Labor government's budget of being a foray into class warfare, he tried to make this sound like a dirty trick. But what's wrong with a little class warfare? Isn't it the job of an alleged workers' party to represent its less privileged constituents?

Labor was quick to deny the accusation, which tells us Abbott may have been on to something. The fact that Australia is a deeply divided nation is something most politicians are reluctant to admit publicly; for them, "class" is a dirty word.

Illustration: Judy Green

Politicians are keen to avoid using this ultimate c-word because they don't want to be seen as being radical in their thinking. As soon as someone introduces the idea that some groups in Australia do better than others, it raises questions that don't come with easy answers.

Central to our national myth is the idea that we are an egalitarian nation. We are the land of the fabled fair go, where anyone can succeed if they try hard enough. We like to think of our nation as stable and prosperous, which helps to explain why most Australians describe themselves, when pushed, as middle class.