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Firstly, a happy new year to all my readers, I hope this year brings you everything you wish for.
I’m not one to make new years resolutions, there are enough rules to be broken without setting new ones for myself, I also don’t like setting myself goals for which I seem destined to fail. I gave up smoking the year I gave up making new years resolutions, that says it all really…
While I do not have any resolutions there are some things that I hope to see happen in 2013, however I will not be holding my breath. They are more like a wish-list, or pipe-dreams, but I thought I’d share a few of them with you anyway.
Bring Back The Honourable
We are supposed to refer to our elected officials as the Honourable Member for so and so, it is in their title. However with the race to the gutter that we seem to be in the midst of, it may be hard to refer to any of these people as honourable soon.
Many of those in politics no doubt scratch their heads and wonder why politicians are trusted less than insurance salesmen. Maybe if they looked to the tactics of their party they might find a clue. Last year we have seen people like Craig Thomson and Peter Slipper have their image destroyed on the flimsiest of evidence that has been provided by people who upon closer inspection come across as less trustworthy than an email from the Nigerian royal family.
Most of this less than honourable muck-raking has come from one party in particular, no prizes for guessing which one. Others in their sites have included Bill Shorten and Rob Oakeshott, and when no dirt could be raised on the women on the Labor front bench, childish terms like the handbag hit-squad were deployed.
Some of those who most eagerly participate in the public smearing seem odd participants, as you would think they would be best to avoid it like a blind date with one of the Milat family. After all one wonders what would come to light if one were to look past the veneers of Sophie Mirabella, Christopher Pyne, Eric Abetz, Kelly O’Dwyer and George Brandis.
Skeletons In The Closet?
I hope that the honour in honourable comes back into politics and we can see the debate turn to policy rather than the petty personality politics. This type of dreary debate is turning our newspapers into gossip rags that would make the editors of New Idea and New Weekly proud.
Some Balance In Reporting
This is not a shot at journalists, more a swipe at editors and news agencies.
The recent school shooting in the US was an absolute tragedy, and sadly we can probably expect more this year. I’m sure that we can all agree that the death of any child is tragic, no matter what the circumstances.
With that in mind I look forward to the day when the reporting of 20 children dying for any reason and in any part of the world receives as much attention as another mass shooting in the US.
Whether it be children starving to death or recruited as militia in parts of Africa, 20 kids dying over there in a day is a slow day indeed, yet it hardly rates a mention in our papers or on our news.
If he’d died in a school shooting, I’d have a name to put here….
It’s not only Africa either, children are dying all over the world as collateral damage in battle plagued places like Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and countless others.
Whatever the reason, these issues will only ever be addressed when public awareness is raised and people demand that action be taken.
Unfortunately, it would seem that some children are worth more than others, and that worth is seemingly based on ethnicity.
The End Of All Racism
The emphasis here is on the ALL.
Some of you who have had the benefit of an education before John Howard took charge may remember their history. Back in the 1930’s there was a political party who put a blanket blackban, or boycott on Jewish businesses with great success. They were called the Nazi Party, and I don’t think I needed to explain where that policy led their country.
Here in NSW some rogue elements of another political party attempted the same within the Marrickville council. These people were from The Greens, a party that apparently prides itself on being anti-racism, however somebody apparently forgot to tell these councillors.
Boycotting the business of Jews
The twisted logic behind this boycott was the never-ending conflict between the Israeli’s and the Palestinians. This is a never-ending battle that raises pulses and tempers on both sides, however no matter which side you sit on it is safe to say that not every Palestinian is suicide bomber in waiting as many would like to portray. It is also safe to say that not every Jew in Israel is a supplier or funder of military hardware either. Therefore any blanket boycott is an act of racism rather than realism as its only basis is the race of those boycotted.
Don’t give me any of that crap about tax dollars going to the Israeli government either. Using this logic there should be a ban on all Australian, English, and American businesses if your Party opposes the war in Afghanistan. Maybe you could also boycott Australian businesses for Australia’s long history of oppressing indigenous Australians, it makes just as much sense.
I too feel for the Palestinians, and support them in their plight, however I am smart enough to realise that just as not everyone in Australia supports us backing every US led war, not every Jew supports the battle against Palestine. It’s called common sense.
This is not a shot at The Greens as such, but I think that the Greens should not be endorsing candidates with extremist views such as these, save them for One Nation.
It is not just The Greens however, one only has to look at the opinions of bogans with ties like Cory Bernardi when it comes to human rights and equality to see how dangerously close we come to extremism in this country.
For those of us in the ALP we have our own set of issues…
Taking The Labor Party Back
Those waiting for the Labor Party to be given back to the membership may as well be waiting for Joe Hockey to learn basic math, it’s not gonna happen. The membership need to take the Party back for themselves, these things don’t come served on a silver plate.
We all know that the party comes from a background of Trade Unionism, and that as a party we represent those who believe in work, and a fair go for all. I don’t think you would find a member that disagreed with that.
However, the unions have taken over the party and as result we are seeing the result of factional agendas. This has taken its toll on party membership numbers, member morale, and has left us open to media criticism.
Unions voting as a block is undemocratic as it places the votes of many in the hands of a select few. The majority of ALP members are Union members anyway so the Unions will always be represented, but decisions for the membership need to be made by the membership. The same should go for policy direction on many issues, particularly social policy such as asylum seekers and same-sex marriage policies.
We now have this thing called the internet, we should embrace it, we used it to elect members into policy forums, we used it to pre-select a candidate for the City Of Sydney Mayoral Election, we could use it put the decision on social policy to the members surely. Hell, we could even start an online branch or two, imagine people in remote locations having a say without having to drive 200 miles to a branch meeting, or those with disabilities being able to have a say online without the need for assistance. Those who work night shifts would also be able to participate, and single parents who cannot arrange or afford child minding may even appreciate the chance to put an opinion forward. What a way to increase membership… It’s a part of being a progressive party I would have thought.
I hope that those in a position to make positive change have the guts to do so for the good of the party. If there is one thing that the current ICAC controversy should have taught us it is that serving self interests should not be tolerated, we are here to serve the public and take the country forward, not feather our own palatial nests.
Lets get a grip shall we?
While we are at it, we also need to embrace the largest employer in the country, small business. It shouldn’t be too hard, our opponents are the supporters of big business who only seek to crush small business. Surely there is a narrative to found in there somewhere?
Justice For Those Abused & Protection For Our Children
If there is one thing that the Royal Commission has shown us so far it is that the atheists have a more Christian attitude than the Christians when it comes to the protection of children, go figure…
The attitude of the Catholic Church towards the Royal Commission into sexual abuse has been nothing short of a travesty. The organisation that has seemingly become the paedophile employment service has treated its victims with such disdain that it makes the recently deceased Dennis Ferguson, arguably Australia’s most notorious paedophile, seem like a decent chap in comparison.
George Pell states the churches “position”. Transparency was never going to be an option….
I don’t normally wish harm upon anyone, but I hope some of these paedophile priests get their chance to meet some big bald bikie named Bubba in prison when they get a tap on the shoulder in the shower block. I also hope that those that have knowingly harboured these monsters and supported them also feel the same shoulder tap one day.
The opinions of Tony Abbott, and the insulting of victims of childhood sexual abuse by NSW Attorney General Greg Smith serve as a reminder of just how far removed the views of the Coalition are from that of the public on this issue and should flash red lights in the minds of every voter.
Tony Abbott has said he wouldn’t sell his arse, but it would seem he is only too happy to sacrifice your childs arse to a paedophile if it helps his buddies in the church….
I hope that this long overdue investigation leaves no stone unturned and draws out every one of the sick paedophiles out of their tax-free havens we call churches, and sends them to that prison shower block.
An End To The Self Righteous Blog Wank
I know the “those in glass houses” rule may apply here, but at any rate…
As I have suggested earlier, the issues with the Main Stream Media are not the journalists for the most part, it is the editors, and those in a position to dictate direction. We bloggers should hop off the high and mighty band-wagon and realise while we play our part, so to do the MSM journalists.
If my posts had an editor they may well look considerably different ( this one for example may be a lot shorter). I can imagine many a journalist looking at their article in the paper and being dismayed at what was edited out. We should be considering this possibility before slagging off that journo all over Twitter or Facebook.
Over the last couple of years I have been fortunate enough to cross paths with many of the countries journalists, and while I may dismay at the depth of reporting within the main stream media, I do not blame the journalists, as most of those who I have spoken with and all of those whom I have met so far I have nothing but admiration for.
We may not agree with everything they say but so what?
When someone who reports as much as Latika Bourke is quoting someone like Tony Abbott you can expect to see questionable opinions, however just because she quotes it does not mean she agrees or shares the opinion. Somebody who receives the amount of misdirected abuse that many of these journalists receive is bound to be a bit defensive or quick on the Twitter Block button. We need to try to imagine a mile in their shoes before shooting off about them over a tweet, or a profile post about those shoes.
So what say we cut them a little slack?
There are many other things I wish for, these are just a few, and as said earlier I don’t have high expectations for any of them. It’s still nice to dream though….
I guess the best I can hope for this year is happiness, and the happiness for those I care for, and for you dear reader, I hope for the same.
I hope you enjoy your stay with me in 2013 no matter how long or short that stay is.
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Lovely….
happy new year Peter (and readership).
hang on a sec … you say …
“Unions voting as a block is undemocratic as it places the votes of many in the hands of a select few.”
true enough … but is that any different to party voting blocks in Parliament?
NO – it is precisely the same undemocratic practice at a much more scandalous level.
what we lack is representation. our ‘elected representatives’ are not representational of their constituents … they are hollow puppets doing the bidding of their sponsors under the guise of party politics … as opposed to representing thie constituents.
this disgrsaceful trend continues to occur, despite the rumblings emenating from these ‘representatives’ about their committment to their electorate. it’s a furphy … we’re suckers.
Thanks Owen 🙂
I totally agree with you, however if an MP pisses their electorate off that much they will be voted out next time round…. this is often not the case with unions, until the recent elections the HSU was a shining example of this
But when some issues don’t even represent the views of most party members, let alone the public, things need changing…
Yes, true but remember there are many members who should be in the conservative party with Tony Abbott. Ben Chifley had to use the army on the miners for example. However, I’m not against representative government I am more against the corporatisation of the labor party, there privitisation policies for example embrace of free trade with the IMF and WTO.
How did Australian Banks become worth more than the entire European Union? How do Australians have the highest credit card debt in the world? How much money are these wars costing taxpayers.
Are Australians better off under the GST as promised by the Liberal Party? Where do our taxpayers money really and how is it spent?
The conversation has been taken over by libertarians with there Central Bank philosophy running the country and not since Ben Chifley have we had an election to nationalise our reserve bank. Menzies running the labor party is communist which has worked since WWII for the conservative party only when Hawke promised to implement Friedman’s ideas did labor receive support in the media finished by the Howard Government. With Gillard running a country on empty. We have had 4 elections to nationalise the Reserve Bank.
I would love to see Premier Lang’s ghost in Canberra giving it to these Milton Friedmanites increase the total amount of money every year or as the newspapers and abc call target rate inflation. Increasing the money supply is not economic activity…
The questionable character of Ms High and Mighty, Sophie Mirabella – Liberal MP over her alleged elder financial abuse similar to our local ex-Tory, Logan Councillor of Logan machinations, Hajnal Black are indicative of escalating problem in wider community. Are our representatives supposed to be better than us? They claim to be. It’s a shame when there is so much hypocracy from those supposed to leading the way.
Here’s for keeping the bastards honest….Interestingly these two cases don’t typify the usual as many older people who need a trusted person with their finances and are ripped off is by their sons.We had a case in our own family of small business owner/gambling desperate to get out of debt and not paying tax/super bill pressured wife to let him have approx 15,000 of mother in laws money to pay her nursing home bills etc and pay it back – yeah right.
The Public Trustee took over, but the money (and inheritance for grandchildren gone). This is policy work we can all contribute to – how to protect our olds money.
You’ve given me pause for thought on the racism of reporting on avoidable deaths of kids – more lack of protection of vulnerable.
Back to my own blog ha ha Happy New Year and Epiphanies Wixxy.
hi Peter my blog has a post on this very issue (the representation – or lack thereof) – amongst other things. maybe you are interested … maybe not … in case you are, it’s here http://rarara.com.au/?p=6 owen
Child safety? In Queensland, apparently the govt department launches lawsuits claiming child rape victims are partly responsible: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/question-for-the-minister-why-is-your-department-partly-blaming-the-child-victims-of-sex-crimes-and-their-parents-for-the-incidents/story-e6freoof-1226528634618
BDS is not extremist, why on earth do people who claim to support Israel not understand that BDS is for their benefit and not the benefit of us.
Israel is a vicious, racist hellhole, why the fuck would anyone in their right minds give a damn about it?
It has nothing to do with Jews per se, it was largely started by Jews like Uri Avnery and Israeli human rights organisations in protest against the illegal occupation.
There is no reason you have to climb on a soap box of Sydney ignorance over it.
It’s nothing to do with money going to the Israeli government either, it is about the Israeli’s stealing more and more land and knocking down more and more homes in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
Sometimes you know, it is difficult to care too much about the rotten place.
Frank Lowy, other extremists in Australia and settlers from Australia in the west Bank are complicit in the crimes and BDS is worldwide and better than the sort of violence we see from Israel.
Other than that bit of blind and blinkered racist ignorance Peter, a very good article.
I say racist by the way because your rant did not once include or mention the rights of the Palestinians who actually own the frigging land the jews are stealing.
wixxy, I hate to say this, but most members take no interest in their union. None at all.
My beef with those who complained over the years, if you do mot like what is happening, get off your backside and do something about it.
.
Apathy is the biggest bugbear.
Worked my butt off trying to get them involved, with no success.
All were very quick to complain when the goodies did not come through quick enough.
Lack of interest is a perfect recipe for corruption.
Thanks Owen, great post too by the way.
For those who missed the link, here ’tis
http://rarara.com.au/?p=6
Bit of a thinking out loud Wixxy. Your heart is in the right place, and I have been here for about 5 months and back you and support your efforts. This will be an interesting year, and I hope some justice prevails and the dishonourable LOTO gets a bit of what he dishes out. Under “Hypocrite” in the dictionary there has to be a picture of bad abbott. The child abuse investigation is years late but better late than not at all. your comments are to the point. Regards
Actually Marilyn, I did mention that I supported the Palestinians in their struggle and felt for their plight…
Just as not every person in Afganistan is a terrorist, all I’m pointing out is not every jewish business should be boycotted. Happy to Boycott Max Brenner for providing money to military, but that doesn’t mean all business’s should be banned. That is just arrogance….
Maybe we should jail everyone who lives in Kings Cross because it’s a high crime suburb? Similar logic…
And a public enquiry into the Slipper/Ashby business would also be hoped for!
Hi Pete… I strongly disagree with your assessment of the Marrickville Council boycott. One only needs to consider South Africa under Apartheid… your arguments are the same as those used by sanction-busters. Perhaps you are right there should be consequences for countries like Australia and the US that invade sovereign nations for invented reasons.
It is a bit incongruous that it’s up to a council to take a principled stand against the Netanyahu government and its determination to make Israel a pariah state, but one does not need to be a neo Nazi to ask why this nation gets such staggeringly favourable treatment from Australian politicians even as it violently attacks unarmed aid ships, steals innocent Australians’ passports to cover its international terrorism and assassination program, and systematically dismantles the nations around it with preposterously disproportionate attacks against those whose dispossession was something of a crime (albeit not necessarily an Israeli one).
Jews, go for your life…. but Zionists determined to settle Eastern Jerusalem and other non-mandate territories because their god told them they are the Chosen People? A master race perhaps?
Thanks Lloyd,
I too am strongly opposed to the Israeli govt and their determination to steal more land from already oppressed people, nor do I support their ridiculously over the top acts of terror upon those same people and others and try and justify it as retaliation…
Jews historically are historically oppressed people, I agree with them there, but it does not give them the right to oppress others
My point is to base a boycott on businesses on the race of the business owners is racist, no matter what way it is spun.
If Sutherland shire council put the same ban on businesses owned by Palestinians what would we say?
Actually the best way to deal with sensitive journos is to not follow them in the first place.
Sorry, but Judaism is a religion, not a race.
BDS is not aimed at racism so much as nationalism and Israelis are nationalist par excellence.
The BDS against apartheid South Africa succeeded in the end, but it took a long time. Zionism looked like a good idea at the time 1890s because of the pogroms against the Jews in eastern and central Europe, but this did/does not justify stealing other people’s countries to establish your own police/apartheid state.
The 2-state solution is long dead because the Israelis have stolen west bank land and blockaded Gaza so that people there are in a shocking state, and to try and justify the argument against the Greens and Marrickville council is again to defend the indefensible.
Israeli businesses support the Israeli occupation and oppression of the Palestinians and although it is difficult to boycott Israeli businesses and products, the most difficult being intel in all your computers, just remember that they support the Israeli army murdering Palestinians on a daily basis.
It must be great to feel so comfortable generalising about all Israeli business supporting murder, unfortunately I have the burden of common sense that tells me that persecution of all, for the views and actions of their government is ridiculous.
People may want to bear that in mind as we face the possibility of an Abbott govt, and ask themselves if they would like to face persecution for his views
Those generalising about Israeli businesses being all in support of their government should consider this….
Would you liked to be judged as supportive of Australia’s asylum seeker policy? The policy of offshore indefinite detention that came about as a result of the smear of racists, bogans and right wingers putting pressure on the government.
If the answer is no then maybe you shouldn’t be so quick to judge an Israeli for the views and actions of their government
It does seem a touch hypocritical
Hmm this post is rather like the Curates egg, good in parts
Cheers
Iain
Supporting BDS says you are against Israeli policies, but if you are not boycotting Palestine(Hamas), Lebanon(Hezbollah), Syria(Assad/Russia/China), Afghanistan(Taliban), Pakistan(ISS, Taliban) and the rest of the future ‘Caliphate’ infected by the roots of the muslim brotherhood like Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, Lybia, Egypt etc then you obviously support their methods and agenda. People who support BDS get excited over events like the Ramallah lynching. You know, where a bunch of Palestinians rip apart a couple of Israelis with their bare hands, and then bathe themselves in the blood and entrails of the victims in a rapture of praise to allah. To this day Palestinian children paint their hands red in tribute and commemoration of the deed.
But yeah, you know, Israel is the only bad guy in the region, so lets just boycott them? They achieve a higher body count so slap a handicap on them like it is some kind of game? Intent means nothing now does it? Keep playing a useful idiot to the MB cause, what a great outcome you fight for.
Wixxy, they won’t put a ban on Palestinians(or any muslim state), no matter what atrocities they commit, because at its heart BDS is not about principles, it is about jew hate.
Pete, I think you might be going a little soft on the Journos by letting the editors take the flak.
I understand what you are saying, and from experience, I know how frustrating it is to have your work ‘edited’.
However, this does not explain why journalists who are on live TV and radio ask such bad questions and give ridiculous ‘insights’. They don’t want clarity, they are endlessly striving for ‘gotcha’ moments, regardless of their gravitas. Its really quite simple, if they don’t want to come across and be treated as useless idiots, don’t act like useless idiots.
True, but the semantics do not change the argument. It is still bigotry.
Peter…this quote from the above article rings true to my own feelings on the subject in a small piece on NBN. Networking I put up for comment on a blog-site a while back..:
“We now have this thing called the internet, we should embrace it, we used it to elect members into policy forums, we used it to pre-select a candidate for the City Of Sydney Mayoral Election, we could use it put the decision on social policy to the members surely. Hell, we could even start an online branch or two, imagine people in remote locations having a say without having to drive 200 miles to a branch meeting, or those with disabilities being able to have a say online without the need for assistance. Those who work night shifts would also be able to participate, and single parents who cannot arrange or afford child minding may even appreciate the chance to put an opinion forward. What a way to increase membership… It’s a part of being a progressive party I would have thought.”
I agree entirely! I proposed the same for local govt’ elections in arid regional areas.
Yes Jaycee – I think you are on the right track, and will be suggesting things like this at branch level. We used open telephone at womens policy committee meeting for regional members, but I think the use of technology and NBN roll out will see further participation. Good thing only if the ‘office’ takes real notice of members inputs.