Paid Parental Leave #2 which is really about childcare

(Hard to find good childcare... I mean eggs.... July 2013)

As a user and one heavily reliant on childcare 3 days a week, I am a tad ashamed I didn't really have childcare up there as one of my policies of concern. However, with the recent release of the Coalition's budget and position, something has to be said:

* I understand that the National Quality Framework has been a bit painful to implement as it tries to regulate a system that, in many ways, has been quite a casual arrangement by some groups to look after children.
* However, as someone who uses childcare regularly, the Framework provides assurance that childcare centres have a good standard to care for our children.
* I am unsure what the Coalition is proposing however the industry does need reform. Better wages, better qualified staff. It is extraordinarily hard to get affordable and good childcare.
* Access to childcare is intrinsically linked to the ability of women to go back to the workforce after children. It should be accessible to all without having to wait in ridiculously long waiting lists that we had to place our child just after they were conceived.
* I have been blessed to have experienced two excellent childcare centres. However, they are expensive and this is not the norm.

So I will vote for improvement and reform to the childcare system.

I found this and this helpful to read.

foreign aid #2

So the last 24 hours has seen an abundance of criticism to the Liberals budget cuts, especially foreign aid. It has called into question the public's ability to "trust" a government, that holds out details of its budget until it is too late. It also calls into question "trust" when they promised, not so long ago for large spending in foreign aid.

Paid Parental Leave

(George & Peppa - happy beneficiaries of paid parental leave - April 2013)

The last election issue I want to cover is the paid parental leave scheme. I am all for it and it appears so are the major parties.

I found this article very helpful. I also mention it in this previous blog post (wow... I have enough posts to refer to old ones already).

It appears Liberals will give me more (though I don't plan to have any more children). Funded, as in previous blog, but cutting resources to the environment and foreign aid.

Labour will maintain the current arrangement and also investigate an overhaul in the childcare system (which as a regular user of this system, I think its really important).

The Greens promise to do a combination of both, though the funding is not clear.

As I have previously said, I think paid parental leave is a really important "welfare" benefit, especially for mums as they manage the change (financially, socially and emotionally) of becoming a mother. And for partners to get some of this money, helps with the whole family. I think this is especially for low income families where money is tight.

The additional aspect of review the current childcare system and possibly increasing the wages of childcare workers is very appealing. As someone who has had to experience the stress of limited childcare places, and witnessing first hand the large spectrum of "care" that is available, the system cannot be sustainable in its current form.

This policy is very close to being one that feeds straight into my back pocket, but I would hope it would also benefit many other parents in the future.

Foreign aid

(From World Vision Facebook 5.9.13)

Though foreign aid is not specifically one of my election policies of interest, this just had to be shared.

http://www.worldvision.com.au/resources/media/13-09-05/Coalition_aid_cuts_leave_Australians_broken-hearted_World_Vision.aspx

$4.5 million cut from the budget to fund inhumane refugee treatment, exorbitant parental leave scheme and a climate change policy that doesn't work.

If you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your table and a bed to sleep in, you are richer than 75% of the world's population. Please vote for the poor and not for your back pocket!

I think foreign aid should be one of the many instruments used to reduce refugees seeking asylum in Australia and elsewhere.

(and I confess the thing that makes me most angry is that this is announced less than 48 hours before the election.)

The green vote #2

Now, I am sure readers, when it comes to the Green Vote, the Greens party is the most obvious choice.  However, as we all know, the Greens party will not (and probably should not) be the governing party considering Australia's current political situation.

However, what each party is saying about the environment and particularly climate change is important because this particular issue is one that has long term ramifications, far greater than our economy.

So, it is alarming that a few more articles have come out in the last 24 hours that target the Liberals' stance on the environment. This article is quite detailed. This one is just damning, (by former Greens Senator Bob Brown). It scares me though because I am unsure what voter Liberal is aiming for, but it seems like it is ignoring science (not just climate change but anything remotely natural history related) and also valuing resources on only economics (read extraction) value only. Short term. Business.

The nail in the coffin for me is today's discussions about the budget from the Liberal party. This article summed up that a lot of party's holes in their budget will be funded by cutting resources to climate change, resource management and foreign aid.

I understand the argument that jobs are lost when timber mills are closed. But in a capitalist society, one area of restriction leads to another area of growth? Tasmania has enjoyed a boast in tourism, eco-tourism and organic farming of all types as such produce, fishing and dairy.

I am particularly sad to think that my children may one day not get to see the Great Barrier Reef or the Tasmanian Wilderness (or enjoy the clean air and water these ecosystems make) because a mining company, a timber mill or a farm want to make a 10% profit for the next 5 years.

I am glad I can vote and have a say (even if it feels small).

(From Earth - The Operators Manual)

Asylum seekers #3

Unlike the environment issues, it appears the two main parties are similar on this issue.

This very helpful article compared Labour, Liberal and the Greens asylum seeker policy, showing that not much is different between the two major parties.

Both major parties will have mandatory detention, offshore processing and a inflexibility with bridging visas. The Greens support increasing Australia's refugee quota, onshore processing and increase rights to refugees settling into Australia.

It seems like it is really a vote between Labour/Liberal hardline asylum stance vs Greens softer approach to refugees.  After this, it seems like the main difference is the choice between our current set up and using extra money for the military (Liberal's policy) for maintaining border control and buying boats in Indonesia (to stop them coming here).

I guess the most disappointing part of this election issue is that there isn't much "thinking out of the box" with a possible solution to deterring asylum seekers to Australia via leaky Indonesian boats.

This sponsorship option is something I would of liked to have seen more. Or something like Sweden?

It is articles like this that remind me how inhumane the current refugee/asylum seeker process is in Australia. It is good it is a big election issue.  Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any really good options by the major parties. It seems it may have to go to a Senate vote. The below graphic just shows how small a number we are talking about.

The green vote

I have been pretty clear that there are three main election issues for me:
1) Humane treatment of asylum seekers
2) The environment
3) Paid Parental Leave

(18.3.13 - Which straw man to vote for?)

The two main parties are very similar on issues 1 & 3 (will discuss later). Issue two, the environment, is one that is coming across as the issue that will sway my vote.

I want to reinforce that I am not a member of either party.  I equally distrust both parties.  However, it greatly disturbs when I read that Tony Abbott, the opposition leader, who has, in the past, denied climate change, would straight out speak something as per this article, misrepresenting the carbon tax, clearly not understanding an emissions trading scheme and suggesting that an expensive, ineffective "direct action" of financing limited, outdated fossil fuel technology to stop polluting will actually benefit the environment.

See article below:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-03/llewellyn-smith---abbott-climate-change/4931534

It is amazing that we should comprehend the "direct action" strategy when it looks like it won't work - even confessed by the Coalition themselves.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/carbon-target-may-be-missed-abbott-20130902-2t16g.html?rand=1378166667641

Then, to read, four days before the election, that the Coalition will sponsor coal seam mining has really tipped me over.

Now I am not a card carrying greeny. I do not campaign or march. I am not an "activist" in that regard. But, the logic of trying to rely on very limited, polluting, fossil fuels instead of investing in renewable energies seems to be beyond the comprehension of the opposition party.

See article here: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-2013/use-or-lose-offshore-gas-leases/story-fn9qr68y-1226710075172

What annoys me is that this news doesn't even touch on the sensitivities of coal seam mining - the environmental risk, the loss of farming land, the impact of small communities. It's a throwaway election promise that has some awful consequences.

I do not mean to be so bias in my blogs, but I feel that this issue might be the one that helps me decide where to put my numbers on Saturday.

Lethargy

Apologizes for the absence of posts in the last week or so. It is hard to believe that in less than 7 days a new Prime Minister will be elected. Will it actually change anything? 

One thing I have noticed, in both myself and others, is the lethargy of election talk in the air. People are tired of K.Rudd, economists are tired of Australians whining (or the Liberal party telling us) we are poor & the economy is the top election issue, people are tired of no humane action on asylum seekers. Everyone is tired of the election! 

I know the busyness of life has stop me from tuning in. However, there is also another, more subtle reason for my disconnect - that belief that nothing has or will change. Both major parties are offering, what appears like similar offers. Both PM hopefuls are as distrusted as the other. Their policies have not changed in the last week. Both have hard-to-believe promises.

With only 5 days to the polls, I am trying to rouse myself back from political sleep. Like falling asleep in a uni lecture, I know I need to pay attention to what is going on. But like uni, there are so many other things to check out (AFL finals footy anyone?) As I wake myself I hope that the rest of the country stays awake and that Saturday's winner will be the best for the country. 

(27.8.13 - PPL experience #2, asleep on the couch.)

Climate change link

Picture by me 28.7.13. (Climate change discussion requires a picture with the beauty of mother nature against the constructions of man with automobiles in it just to emphasis the GHG emissions, right?)


As I have said in my intro, one of the three policy concerns I have in this election is about the carbon tax. Or, more broadly speaking, what-the-government-plans-to-do-about-the-environment, be it climate change, management of resources, reduction of fossil fuels etc.

I found a page that had some good discussion and comparison on Labour's Climate change policy and on Liberal's Climate change policy.

Though I think Labour has not been very successful in their climate change strategy (the carbon tax & mining tax are both a bit lame), I don't think they are as lame as the Liberals proposing to pay polluters to pollute less. Huh? With my tax money?! That seems crazy! Or have I got that wrong?

This articles from SMH has a really good analysis (though a little long). It is really helpful and detailed (especially for a greenie like me)

Comparing these two, I confess my vote is going towards Labour. However, the Greens should really win my vote in this "environmental" policy area, partly because that is their main game, but I particularly like their stance on biodiversity and protecting the Great Barrier Reef. I think that being able to vote on these big national issues is a very important part of a Federal election. (Also their policies on refugees, university, duopoly of supermarkets and paid parental leave are attractive)

Any other good links to climate change policies?

Helpful article/page #2

For those of Christian faith (or at least sympathetic to Christian ideas) this website by the Bible Society is quite insightful.  It has great articles about each parties different policies which will help anyone, even if they do not have faith in Jesus.

I found the leader profiles particularly interesting - K.Rudd & Abbott. I have not particular opinion about if I think their faith is a good thing for a PM as I do not think it will sway my vote as much as their policies. 

Hoping this will help others. Let me know what you think.

Asylum seekers week 2

For another week asylum seekers who arrive by boat have been front and centre of the political talk this week.

The more I read and engage with the issues, the more complex and difficult it seems. The intricacy of the "problem" (for want of a better word) actually makes me dislike our main media news outlets even more as they seem to paint the problem as black and white. The propaganda is quite unbearable.

Thanks to a friend who works in international policy, I see there are three main issues working in tension that make the "problem" of boat people hard.
1) The need to deter human traffickers;
2) The need to maintain border security; and
3) The need to have compassion for people desperate enough to try to come to Australia by boat.

The stories from the people on these boats are heart breaking. As a mother particularly, I find the stories about the children and the babies drowning just plain awful. Yet, the solution is not to just let everyone come to Australia if they want. This article opened my eyes to see the current asylum seeker policy in a positive light. I still do not think it's ideal but it is trying to find a happy medium between the three tensions that pull at this issue.

Any solution that has a strong emphasis on compassion for the boat people needs to also appeal to the residents in Australia and (selfishly or sadly) needs to appear as a benefit to Australia (not a negative). Stories like this are heart-warming and exciting but we need larger figures of the benefits of increase immigration (including asylum seekers that come by boat).

One piece of writing that challenged me this week is this article about the "why" of Australian's aversion to boat people particularly (not asylum seekers in general). It is easy to use the compassion card to get away from racism but to be challenged about why we need to "defend" our lifestyle when we have actually not done much to deserve it is confronting in a good way. It aligns with how I feel that as Australians we have a life and a lifestyle that is the envy of probably at least 75% of the world's 7 billion population. Us lucky 20 million who live in the land down under.

Lucky Country, Austinmer Jan 2013

Greens are GO!

(Hobart, February 2009)

For those of you who are wondering if there is another option than Liberal and Labour, the most obvious candidate for "the other guy" are the Greens. And (thanks to The Man), they have listed out the policies that they will be pushing in a rather clear way.

http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-releases/greens-plan-australias-future

I realise that the 2 major parties may not be able to spell out their policy-points this clearly, but it would be awesome if they did!

My favourite bit:

"To secure the innovative industries of the future, Australia must stop spending billions subsidising the fossil fuel sector and redirect money to science, research, education and innovation," Mr Bandt said.

The part I am most cynical about:

"Every policy announced by the Australian Greens this election will be fully costed by the Parliamentary Budget Office and we will collect the revenue to pay for every single one of our policies.

Asylum seekers - Asylum seekers - Asylum seekers

(Looking at boats October 2012)

In the news this week, if you missed it (which may not be surprising if you are anything like me and between work, kids, cooking and cleaning are lucky to catch the news of the day let alone read an article) has been about ASYLUM SEEKERS, or the term used by the media BOAT PEOPLE.

At the beginning this blog I raised one of the key policies I was interested in was Australia's treatment of refugees. In my naivety, I thought that onshore detention was better than offshore. I confess I am still trying to get my head about all the issues involved with asylum seekers who come to Australia by boat. The most common sense, human feeling is to think that people who are so desperate to flee their own country to come to us via a dingy boat must need help. So, when Labour released their Refugee policy this week, and brought this to the forefront, it has provided a lot of fodder for me (honestly, maybe too much).

I haven't worked out what I think yet, but this is what I am thinking at the moment:
* Separating child from family should not be allowed, no matter how the child arrived in Australia;
* Mandatory detention seems wrong. Should this not be on a case by case basis?
* Not allowing asylum seekers to work reduces their existence even further.
* What happened to the the words in the Australia anthem that says "From those who come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share"? (Yes, I have seen the memes.)

Here are some articles that some of you might be interested. Please let me know how they make you think:

Highly informative and huge article (ie, need time to read this) http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/youve-been-misled-on-boat-people-here-are-the-facts-20130718-2q5rv.html

Poignant, first hand, personal challenge point of view: http://christinemead.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/so-you-think-its-a-good-idea-to-welcome-refugees-excuse-me-while-i-burst-your-bubble/

A Christan take on things: http://markrglanville.wordpress.com/2013/07/20/australian-refugee-policy-for-dummies-1-disingenuous-rhetoric/

Slightly sad/realistic viewpoint: http://theimmigrationblog.com/2013/07/19/so-what-should-we-think-of-the-rra/#more-430

Let me know your thoughts!!

Helpful article #1

I read this article a few days ago and it helped articulate the frustrations I was having about not getting any clear information on policies.

http://thehoopla.com.au/politics-dumbing-begun/

The start of something

Today is Thursday 27 June 2013. Australia just lost another Prime Minister by a bloodless coup and we are looking at another election in next than 100 days time. In light of the strange political environment that Australia appears to be in, plus also the even stranger, superficial, skew-iff media coverage politics in Australia is currently getting, I thought i would start this blog; to help process my thoughts as I try to decide who to vote for. I do it so that others can interact, because my FB feed isn't big enough and also, that these discussions might help others.

 So, who am I? (said just like Lizzie Bennett) I am a woman, in my mid-thirties, who balances a part time corporate job with loving a husband (The Man) and two little children (Peppa and George). I live in a main city of Australia; in an electorate that Labour holds with a small margin. I am not very educated in politics (often confusing the left and the right) but I try to keep abreast of what is going on, even in the toddler-hazy phase that I am in. As I start thinking about this federal election, my three big policy issues currently stand as:

1) Maintain paid parental leave, because it helped our family a lot;
2) Processing boat people onshore, providing some form of compassion; and
3) Maintaining a carbon tax, as an effective (though small) way of seeking to combat climate change.

I hope to post anything I find helpful on this blog, so happy for people to post links as well. However, since this is my blog, I also maintain editorial rights. Enjoy.

(all these random pieces of coloured playdough & thoughts. What will they become?!)