Keep writing!!

(Instagram March 2014)

Not just leaving it to one MP this time, I also decided to write to the two closest Opposition MPs, form the Labour Party, in regards to the Australian Human Rights Commission's investigation into children in detention. I wanted them to realise that this was an important issue for my electorate so maybe theirs as well. These other electorates are only 1 - 2 suburbs away from mine.

See below....

To the Honourable XXXX and the XXXX,

I am writing to you as the closest Labour MPs to my suburb in XXX. I write to ask that the Labour Party please response to the Government’s appalling response to the Australian Human Rights Commission into children in detention centres.

Their views do not represent my views nor, I am sure, many in my electorate or in yours.  This issue is not an attack on any particular government but about how sequential Australian governments are institutionally torturing children who have not had the chance to gain justice in their situation. As an Australian citizen,  I feel the guilt and the weight of the system that I have indirectly supported by voting in governments like yours and the current one. The blood of these children’s lives are in our hands.

I believe that the treatment of refugees, especially children, has to change.  These children are the same like mine and yours.  The only difference is that they were born in a different country.  They have human rights, and the right to justice and a real childhood. It can change! And last week, the Coalition government could of responded with more compassion, more empathy, more humility and more openness.

But it appears Prime Minister Tony Abbott, decided to respond with a misinformed, heartless and callous response to the Commission’s findings. His views do not represent mine, nor, I believe, many other Australians on these children in detention.

I have written to my local MP about this.  I am writing to you because I, as well as many other Australians, are wanting to hear an alternative, compassionate voice to this Government’s opinion.

I look forward to your response.  

Regards

Cannot NOT do something

There has been a lot going on this last week. There was a glimmer of hope of change in a government that appears to be systematically attacking the political issues I am most interested in.

But it didn't happen. 

That wasn't the big thing for me this week.  The big thing was the findings of the Australian Human Rights Commission and, more importantly, the awful response that the government provided to it.

It made my blood boil.

I actually struggled to sleep as I thought about children, just like my Peppa and George, behind bars, wishing for another life outside of confinement and fear of death. I've even blogged about this before!

So, I wrote. I wrote again to my local MP. Who, by the way, I have been playing phone tag with. One day we will meet. 

Here is my next letter:

Hi XXX

Happy New Year! I know you have called me and I have tried to call you back but I am guessing you might be in Canberra at this time of year. The media makes it look like it was a busy week in Canberra.

I am writing to say that that Government’s response to the Australian Human Rights Commission into children in detention centres is appalling and does not represent my views nor, I am sure, many in your electorate.  This issue is not an attack on the Coalition but about how sequential Australian governments are institutionally torturing children who have not had the chance to gain justice in their situation. As an Australian citizen,  I feel the guilt and the weight of the system that I have indirectly supported by voting in governments like yours.

I believe that the treatment of refugees, especially children, has to change.  These children are the same like mine and yours.  The only difference is that they were born in a different country.  They have human rights, and the right to justice and a real childhood. It can change! And last week, the Coalition government could of responded with more compassion, more empathy, more humility and more openness.

But it appears your leader, Prime Minister Tony Abbott, decided to respond with a misinformed, heartless and callous response to the Commission’s findings.

I do not mean to complain every time I write to you XXX.  I haven’t actually written this much to my local MP before.  But, I am not going to keep living in your electorate without letting you know that I do not hold the views your party is portraying.  You are misrepresenting me! And if you keep this up, I will look to someone who will represent me appropriately and encourage others to do the same.

Regards

The only type of detention children should have

New leader's game

In light of the leadership performance that occurred this week, I just had to share this funny image.  From here:

I want this as a real game!!

A hiatus explained

Ok, so it has been a near 7 month hiatus from blogging.  I confess it has been a bit of hiatus from keeping up with things in the political realm because:

a) I just got too busy; and

b) I was finding it all too depressing.

It felt like every second news story was a tale of how my current government is making actions that I just cannot agree with. And I try not to believe the headlines. I try to dig deeper, do some research, thinking "they can't honestly mean THAT, can they?" Trying to get a more rounded opinion takes time, which I don't have. But, even sadder, when I have tried to dig below the surface, the answer has been "Yes, that IS what they meant." And THAT has been even more depressing!! It has actually been kind of paralyzing. 

I have fallen behind in my challenge of a letter a month to my member.  As in my previous post, time to be politically engaged is hard. But I confess, I also stopped writing because I got a response from my local Federal MP. Shock!

I GOT A RESPONSE!!

And the response was actually a missed call on my mobile and a voice message. A voice message! The message was very gracious and very apologetic about not replying sooner. The member asked if we could meet for coffee to discuss education. MEET FOR COFFEE!!

My first reaction was to feel little scared being so directly contacted.  There is definitely a nice anonymity about writing a letter or email. And to meet for coffee, face to face, could be quite unnerving; requiring me to be totally on-the-ball with the facts and the issues at hand, and maybe also feeling social obligation to be nicer than I actual felt. 

My second reaction however was to feel annoyed at the suggestion. I am struggling to have time to manage a family, a part time professional job, have meaningful relationships with friends and family plus stay engaged with what the rest of the world is doing and is heading, let alone have time to have coffee with my local MP. I am not sure if they are really on my highest priority of my time! And I don't think I am the only one in my electorate who is like that.  

I get that if I believe the issues are so important, I should invest in the time. It is definitely a case of priorities and the immediate well being of my family and friends is more important to me. But also challenging these issues will help with their long term well being. 

But it's January and things have been quieter and I've had more brain space to look at the issues again. I also note that the fear that "no one else cares" is subsiding as the polling shows that other. I note the QLD election results tonight as well as Victoria's a few months ago. NSW state election is just around the corner. It's time to get fired up again!!! 

Post script: this has been incorrectly dated as February when I originally posted this in January. Weird.