What I am going to do

Hi there... Yes... This blog hasn't completely died. It has been nearly 6 months since the last Australian election. I have really tried to stay as engaged as before. But I lost a bit of steam. It is really time-consuming to stay politically engaged! And when one is balancing work, family, housework, friends etc keeping up with the news and trying to read outside news and reading between the headlines takes effort that sometimes just isn't there at the end of the day. I like to think I am not unlike other Australians, so I wonder if some of this busy-apathy (as I call it) is norm for Australians in general.

I hope that this is one of the major reasons for the amazing ability that one of my main policy issues (see old post here for all of them) feels like it is getting smashed all over the park! (To put it nicely!)

Apart from busyness, the other reason I haven't stayed engaged is that when I read about the current government's policies on refugees and the environment I am appalled/dismayed/sad/angry/cranky/overwhelmed.

This picture really describes it best...

George in Jan 2014

I cannot believe how "firm" means "will dehumanise others" physically, emotionally & psychologically in a squandering tent city of a third world country. That's not punishing human traffickers. That's punishing the desperate people who are so desperate they enter into the hardship of asylum to escape the hardship of their homeland!!!!!! (to still from the mindblowing article on the boat people here.) 

But I digress...

I struggle to see how I should allow my government to reflect views and values I do not share. Of course there will be points of difference with all governments but I feel overwhelmed and powerless to do anything. 

This is not democracy.

What can I do?

I don't really have time to work with refugees in Sydney and or fund-raise for them or other lobby groups. I have signed various getup campaigns and shared FB articles with my friends, but the cynical part of me thinks "what does that really achieve?" Do I wait for the next election and use the power of my one vote to change (too many years away!!)?

There is one thing I can do

I can write. Not on this blog (which no one reads) but to my local Federal member and Federal Senator. They are technically speaking on behalf of me when they vote for policies in Parliament. I should tell them what I, one voting member in their electorate values. I am going to get involved in the political process beyond the once-in-4-year vote. 

So, I am going to write to one of my member once a month. And, I am going to post the letters (actually emails) on this blog. If I get a response, that's will be good.  And hopefully I can post about that here too. (Though of course, probably not their actual response as I will try to respect their confidentiality)

This may well be an interesting political experiment.

And, would love any help I can get! So if you have any suggestions on what to write, what to read, what other things I can do, let me know in the comments. 

Maybe it's not a massive move. But it's something I can do. It's better than nothing. And it might help change something.