STOP

 March 2015 - children telling us to stop

Yesterday, this beautifully written piece by Australian author Tim Winton on Palm Sunday eloquently expressed all I feel on the issue of asylum seekers in Australia. My favourite section (and there were so many to choose from) was:

To those in power who say they're exiling and caging children for their own good, I say we've heard that nonsense before. So, don't do it in my name.

To those who say they're prolonging misery to save life, I say I've heard that nonsense before. You don't speak for me; I don't recognise your perverse accountancy. 

To those in power who say the means will justify the end, I say I've heard that nonsense before. It's the tyrant's lie. Don't you dare utter it in my name. [my emphasis]

To those who say this matter is resolved, I say no. For pity's sake, no. For the love of God, no. A settlement built on suffering will never be settled. An economy built on cruelty is a swindle. A sense of comfort built upon the crushed spirits of children is but a delusion that feeds ghosts and unleashes fresh terrors.

If current refugee policy is common sense, then I refuse to accept it. I dissent. And many of my countrymen and women dissent alongside me. I don't pretend to have a geopolitical answer to the worldwide problem of asylum seekers. Fifty million people are currently displaced by war and famine and persecution. I don't envy those who make the decisions in these matters, those who've sought and gained the power to make decisions in this matter. I'm no expert, no politician. But I know when something's wrong. And what my country is doing is wrong. [my emphasis]

And just like above, I really don't have any idea what the best political solution is but I really want this inhumane, unjust, foul, brutal and dishonest treatment of vulnerable people to stop NOW!

Election happening in NSW soon!!

A lot of this blog has been about Federal politics.  Issues of immigration, environment and parental leave are federal issues.

State and Federal politics are two very different beasts.  Each state have their unique cultural, environmental, demographic and financial situations.  There are some states, like QLD, that have favoured one side of government more than the other.  State politics use to be considered less volatile to change, however the recent QLD election shows that anything can happen. I was amazingly fascinated with the results in QLD because they were so close and the result was surprising. I strangely started getting a little bit excited about the NSW election.

I have been thinking about this post for over a month, but struggled to have time to think and read.

It's important to realise that State Politics has very different issues they can control and to be wise about which ones you will vote about. State government control a lot of things that we touch, see and have to deal with each day.  Transport. Healthcare. Schools. The main ones that I am interested in are:

• Infrastructure- namely transport and the increase of public transport;
• Education - namely provision of public education in my area (not many co-ed comprehensive public high schools around here);
• Healthcare - namely funding for hospitals and area healthcare services; and
• Environment - mainly mining and mining licences.

I live in an electorate that has been historically Labour, by a slim margin. In the last election, it had a swing of over 20% against Labour to give the Liberal Party victory for the first time in over 20 years.  I don't think it was the candidate. I think it was more the perception of the party at the time.

In this election period, I have not see hardly ANY poster boards for anyone else except my sitting Liberal MP. Are there any other options? I have seen a few posters for these guys. Not sure if I am all for one-issue parties. I have received one hand out in the post for Labour and just received a letter, addressed to me, with my current MPs "plan".

To try to find out what options I have, since neighborhood light posts are not helping, I have gone to this electoral NSW website, which tells me what my other options are. Appears I have 5 other options (which is nice).

Even though my seat has been a swinging seat, I suspect that it will stay Liberal as the local member is very popular. I also think, that on the issues above, all bar one favour the current government than the the one who is challenging.

But I haven't read enough.

What you are thinking about in regards to this State election? Thoughts on one-issue parties? Or other minor parties?

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!!

Letter #2

It takes time, to write letters. To think about the facts and to shape a view and express it in words. 3 months in I have fallen behind my goal of one letter a month to my local member.

But I'm back! And I have lots up my sleeve!! I think that it is because there is so much I feel like complaining about, that, in the rush to get out of my brain, the ideas get clogged. Sounds silly, I know.

Below is another letter. It was suppose to be about the budget, but it became about education again. Maybe too safe. But I thought I would try again since I got NOTHING - zip/zippo/zero/ nuttin' - no response from my first letter.

It may be because it was via email. So I am going to do this the old fashion way - snail mail on paper.

Here is it:

3 June 2014

To the Honourable XXX XXX,

I write to you as a member of the local community, a working professional and a mother of two young children, to speak against the governments' proposed cuts to education.  I request that these changes are not acted on and that the funding proposed in the Gonski report as well as continued support for the FEE-Help and other tertiary education funding at their current levels.

I understand that cuts are required to service the budget deficit.  But for a country who has one of the lowest deficits in the world, cutting education seems to be a very short-sighted.  It lacks respect for the needs of future generations.  It will affect the opportunities open to children, not just as young as mine but also as old as yours.  I know you have two currently in primary school and these changes would challenge their opportunities at university.  As someone who had the opportunity to go to university because of the HECS scheme, I want my children to have equal opportunities and these not be reduced by financial constraints.  Education should not be limited to only those who can pay.  It limits Australia's ability to harness the intellectual capacity of all people in the country. 

As the member of a marginal seat in Sydney, please know that this voter, and many others like me, have taken note and are not impressed with a government that has decided to take away our children's educational opportunities instead of considering taxes in other areas (ie. mining tax or company tax).

I also note that I did not receive a response from an email dated 20 March 2014 in regards to education as well.  I understand that everyone is busy.  It would of been nice for my local member to at least provide a receipt from a letter from a member of their electorate.  Because of this, I write to you the ol' fashioned way.

Regards

Me (and I provided my details)

Let's see how this goes!!

A bit of kick-ass

For the casual observer, reading this blog, they would think that my politics maybe more left than I acknowledge. As my introduction stated, I actually don't really get left or right in politics, but if I am agreeing with anything that comes out the Greens party, I realise that makes me a bit left.

As previously stated, I do not hold a membership to any political party and I don't really think I align with any.

But I loved Senator Scott Ludlam's final speech on 4 March, 2014, before Western Australia goes to the polls again to vote for the Senate. It's kick-ass to a Prime Minister who seems to be hitting hard against the 3 policies I am particularly interested in.

Read or watch the speech here:

http://greensmps.org.au/content/speeches-parliament/adjournment-speech-abbott-well-see-you-wa

My favourite lines are:

Mr Prime Minister, at your next press conference we invite you to leave your excruciatingly boring three-word slogans at home. If your image of Western Australia is of some caricatured redneck backwater that is enjoying the murderous horror unfolding on Manus Island, you are reading us wrong. Every time you refer to us as the 'mining state' as though the western third of our ancient continent is just Gina Rinehart's inheritance to be chopped, benched and blasted, you are reading us wrong. 

and....

Mr Abbott, your thoughtless cancellation of half a billion dollars of Commonwealth funding for the Perth light rail project has been noted. Your blank cheque for Colin Barnett's bloody and unnecessary shark cull has been noted. Your attacks on Medicare, on schools funding, on tertiary education-noted. The fact that your only proposal for environmental reforms thus far is to leave Minister Greg Hunt playing solitaire for the next three years while you outsource his responsibilities to the same Premier who presides over the shark cull has been noted too.

and this is just plain funny....

So to be very blunt, the reason that I extend this invitation to you, Mr Prime Minister, to spend as much time as you can spare in Western Australia is that every time you open your mouth the Green vote goes up. 

and my real favourite, because it reflects some of how I feel about the Abbott government's treatment of asylum seekers.....

And, perhaps most profoundly, your determined campaign to provoke fear in our community-fear of innocent families fleeing war and violence in our region-in the hope that it would bring out the worst in Australians is instead bringing out the best in us. Prime Minister, you are welcome to take your heartless racist exploitation of people's fears and ram it as far from Western Australia as your taxpayer funded travel entitlements can take you.

I wished I lived in Western Australia! (That maybe the only time I ever say that!) Voting happens on 5 April.

I don't know about anyone else out there trying to keep abreast of Australian politics but it's amazing how little I heard from the other political parties on the media. It felt like Tony Abbott's face was everywhere during the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years. But Bill Shorten is no where. I have actually had to subscribed to a certain Labour MPs FB just to get some of Labour's comments. Is there a government stranglehold on the media? (*conspiracy theory*)

And, no, I have not received a reply from my first letter to my local MP. It's early days though. I am gracious.

Letter #1

It has taken me a while to decide what the best topic to write my first letter as there seems to be so much I could write (complain?) about. Was feeling slightly overwhelmed.

The topic needs to be timely. And there seems to be new issues every week that require research (time) to write a good, informed letter to my local representative. 

So, I've decided in writing to ask that the funding to Schools as the first topic. After researching how to write a letter to your local politician, this felt like a good start point, considering I am a mum with a child on the verge of starting school (how did she get so big?!!) So, see my letter below. I am sending this to them via email, as The Man has already contacted him in this way (yes, the political edge runs in the family).

To the Honourable Mr Local Federal Member,

I am writing to you as a member of your electorate and as a mother with her eldest child on the verge of starting school in 2015.  I write to ask that you vote not to reduce the funding recommended in the Gonki review that became the Better Schools Program. Our children are our future and to cut funding to their education will have impact long after any budget surplus. Cutting the funding shows that the Abbott Government do not value equality, our children and the people who teach, train and help them to become the successful people of the future. The Gonski report highlighted fundamental funding changes needed to not just improve our children's education but attract intelligent and gifted teachers and also provide Australia with intelligent and smart population. 

Though I have heard The Government's claims that it is not reducing the funding, the reality of funding for only four of the committed six years (so cutting funding by 2 years) plus providing unspecified and unstructured funding to the three states and territories that didn't agree in the original rounds of talks still sounds like funding cuts. 

Thanks for your time. I would appreciate a response to this email.

Regards

What do you think? Let me know below.

Writing a letter is not as easy as making a cup of tea. Tea at Nan's (2010)

Today's mail......

Debate #1

So, in the midst of feeding and putting kids to bed, I missed the first debate last night between the PM and the Opposition leader.

By the sounds of it, it wasn't worth watching. From the videos and replays and articles I have read it appears that they K.Rudd and Abbott battled it out on known territory, appealing to the hip-pocket of middle class voters (yes like me).

Here are some of my thoughts:
* Wasn't a game changer. I don't think the debate would of changed or helped you with your vote
* K.Rudd appealing to his good management of the GFC (fair enough)
* Abbott attacked for the potential to increase taxes
* K.Rudd playing the gay marriage card (remember the Apology to Indigenous Australians anyone?)
* K.Rudd seemed more nervous than Abbott (a little bit of a surprise)
* Liberals adamant that the carbon tax will be scrapped. Sorry, but I do not believe that the "direct action" Abbott is talking about will do ANYTHING. (BIG thumbs down)
* Both men, but particularly Abbott appealing to voters with really broad, abstract vision and (frankly false) promises. The best is Abbott's "We can make your life better." Seriously? (Promise the world...)

(for some articles I found helpful - link 1, link 2 & particularly link 3 - love Natalie Mast's opinions!)

Speaking of debates, there was one on Wednesday night between Bob Car and Julie Bishop about Foreign policy, but (for some reason) I cannot find much information on it or what is was like. Anyone out there in the wide world web have good info??

The verdict of the debate: same same but different kettle of fish (or prawns)??

Watsons Bay, October 2012

Propaganda #2

The one thing that an election brings is the large amount of propaganda as every party and independent tries to win your vote through inspiring you to their ideals (Greens) or criticizing the other parties (EVERYONE!)

This is probably one of the my un-fun-est part of being in an election. Watching the politicians slag it out on the TV; the condescending ads that like to strike fear into ignorant hearts; the ridiculous amount of pamphlets that flow into the letterbox and the large mug-shots of prospective candidates that are nailed to electricity poles all around the place.  All this propaganda reaches a climax on election day when one must wade through the flapping arms waving more paper in our faces because we think it might change out vote.....

[ take a deep breath!]

The thing that gets me the most is how some of the propaganda has turned deceptive.  This article was really interesting to me as I received one of these letters just the other day.

I first thought  - "Wow, we can do a postal vote straight away!".
2nd thought was "Wow, there is Liberal Party crap all through this!"
3rd thought was "How can the AEC send this stuff out? It's so one-sided."

But now I know.

I have been amused by my various FaceBook friends who have "liked" either Abbott or K.Rudd. Social media is yet another avenue where the parties can try to get you with their message. I noticed Youtube have lots of ads for the Liberal Party (just when I thought I could be safe from just turning off the TV).

What is your experience with the election propaganda? Maybe I am being a bit harsh and really should just go to sleep?

Propaganda

As we near the end of week 1 of the official election campaign, I thought I might address some of the "information" that is given out at the election time.

I am not a supporter or sponsor of any major party but I was taken back by this cover on the Daily Telegraph on Monday's paper, the day after the election date was announced.

(image from the Australian newpaper 7.8.13)

The shock came from the very one-sided view this major newspaper was communicating and how it was influencing its readers to vote. It is very in-your-face and aggressive in its opinion.

I am glad that I was not the only one. This FB campaign has started, saying we should complain when the "information pamphlets" cross the line.

I would be interested to hear what others have seen and heard on the campaign trail so far.

This type of propaganda has to make you realize that we, as voters, need to be really discerning with what messages we allow ourselves to read and believe. The media is not a neutral medium that is just providing information. After this came out there have been many articles about the political agenda of a certain media owner.  (see here and here)

I actually see parallels with the communist propaganda posters of the former USSR and of China. The way that posters and other media was and is used to control the masses and to make a large number of people conform to a socialist way of thinking. There is good and bad socialist undertakings (public health is an example is good). But, at all points, discernment is required.

Love to know your thoughts on the election propaganda (or of socialism in Australia)

Thought this was an interesting way to fight back: