Sunday, November 21, 2010

Welcome back Pauline.

I read that failed pollie, Pauline Hanson is to (re)settle in Australia, having disowned her birth country just a few months ago proposing to live in England instead. "I love England but so many people want to leave there because it's overrun with immigrants and refugees," Ms Hanson said on return.

Further she has not ruled out another tilt at politics. Why would she? I used the term ‘failed Pollie’ very loosely because, while not elected in 2007 to the Senate in Queensland, she did collect $213 095.49 in Public Funding from The Australian Electoral Commission for her token effort. Not a bad little earner. All she has to do is keep her public profile up and she can probably do it over and over.

Let’s see, how could she do that? How about appear on a popular TV show, announce she’s moving overseas and then come back, propose rejoining the Liberal Party (as if they’d have her). In short, anything to keep the brand “Pauline” active. Anything that is except come up with an original idea of any political substance.

There must be a still mostly white, Anglo Saxon, conservative country out there somewhere a la Australia 1950. Somebody find one for her please. No matter that it’s probably as dull, boring and backward as Australia was before we discovered the economic, cultural and social advantages of multiculturalism based on tolerance and understanding.

Welcome back Pauline.
 

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Beware of Pollies Bearing Showbags

As a kid I, like most others, attended the Royal Easter Show at least every few years. The biggest attraction and the one that required the most comtemplation, was located in the Horden Pavilion. My dilemma, which of the seemingly hundreds of different showbags would comprise my two, my parents' imposed limit.

I would be escorted up and down the aisles, weighing up the pros and cons of the various bags. Some contained sweets that would give short-term satisfaction but be gone before we got home. Others contained plastic toys that might last marginally longer. Still others included magazines and puzzles that one could enjoy for weeks at least. My parents would advise but ultimately it was my decision. It was a difficult choice and a taxing one for a child from a poor family who was determined to make best use of his limited budget.

Recently I watched Tony Abbott announce his party’s aged care policy- spend the same as Labor but slightly differently would be a good summation. Then I saw Julia Gillard promise more money for something or other. Later I watched Bob Brown deliver The Greens campaign launch speech; real vision for a future Australia. All this prompted memories of my childhood and my visits to the Hordern Pavilion.
As a kid I often made the mistake of choosing the lollies or the cheap plastic toys but as I matured I increasing opted for the bags with more satisfying, less ephemeral inclusions.

As this election campaign unfolds, if you are feeling you are being treated like a kid; being promised $ here and more $ there but the adult in you knows it’s actually a con to get your vote, then ask yourself which pollie’s showbag would you advise for your children’s future.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

The (Not So) Great Debate

Having watched the debate between both our would-be PMs, I’m reminded of the old slogan of the Homer Hudson ice cream company: “Find out what the people want, and give ‘em lots of it.” It’s a great recipe for ice cream but not necessarily a great way to run a country.

Both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott seem to be totally poll-driven. Neither shows any true leadership although Ms Gillard does at least appear more statesman-like.

It’s little wonder that neither wanted Bob Brown on the same stage. Both would have paled by comparison with the only pollie with real conviction and courage to prosecute what’s right, not just what’s popular at the moment.

If you’re feeling a little depressed at the thought at either Julia or Tony as our next PM might I suggest you have some more ice cream. Just remember though, whilst it tastes great at the time, ice cream is bad for you.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Our Own Aussie Oracle

Paul the Octopus has thus far picked six successive winning teams in the World Cup and this uncanny ability of a member of a 'lower order' to outsmart human pundits has got me thinking.
My horse has been training a lot better since Julia Gillard became our first female PM and is due to start in Canberra no less, tomorrow. You might recall (see blog below) that he was running increasingly badly as Kevin 07's fortunes waned.
What if he wins tomorrow? Does that mean he is predicting a Julia Gillard led, Labor Party victory at the upcoming Federal election?
Should I organise a start for him at Nowra to bolster the chances of the defeat of the current Liberal Member for Gilmore? Since her electorate now almost reaches Kembla Grange racecourse would that be close enough? He's won there twice before so another start there is on the cards.
Should I declare my candidacy on the strength of his return to form? Could a miraculous victory by the man with the silly name- but not the silliest ideas- be possible after all?
He's number 4 in race 5 at Canberra tomorrow if you fancy taking his advice.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Form reversals and the Super Tax

My horse lost again last today; third poor run in succession. Apart from confirming the suspicion that the weight of my money could stop a train we decided that after-the-race punters are much smarter that their pre-race cousins.

With that truism in mind let me pass comment on the Federal Government's Resource Super Tax, or rather its handling of it. It would appear that the idea was hatched by the Gov's inner circle and presented as a fait accompli to the industry, unions and public alike. Contast this with the concensus approach which might have had a completely different outcome both practically and electorally. (Or are they the same thing in an election year?)

What if Kevin 07 had called in the big players for a 'chat' and presented them with an ambit claim for the 40% tax hike and then intimated that he was negotiable. By the end of the day they might have been happy to have walked away with, say, a 25% Super tax. No mega advertising campaigns- from either side, no slide in the polls, no stockmarket hiccups; just a lot of extra cash for schools, hospitals etc. Hooray for Kevin!

Almost a year ago my horse was going gangbusters; seven placings in a row including two magnificent wins at Kembla. Now he's struggling to beat time. A bit like Kevin really, isn't he. Hope springs eternal though and we're already planning his next start at which we reckon he'll improve many lengths and win running away. Don't laugh, it can happen. Don't know if Kevin can do likewise but if you think it will help I'll put a few dollars on Tony "Great Big New Tax" Abbott for you.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

The Good, the Bad and the Downright Offensive

Church Leaders in Sydney (Pell, Fisher and Jensen) have used the occasion of Easter to put the boot into we atheists for not being, as they see it, active enough in the area of community service.

This is obviously a ridiculous argument as the large numbers of non-Christian members of service clubs attest. In any event who declared that you need to be a member of a ‘club’ to do a good deed for others. Many of us regularly ‘do unto others’ on an informal basis. Does this not count?

Count towards what, I hear you say. Good question. So lets take a look at the questions of motivation and reward for effort.

A long suffering battered wife has finally had enough and in the face of yet another beating picks up an axe and takes what she sees at the time as her only opportunity to get out of her predicament. No doubt she will be charged with murder and probably convicted, although many of us, if on the jury, might be tempted to recommend a medal instead.

What will be her sentence? No doubt the judge will, quite rightly, take into account the dire situation she found herself in and her consequent mental state at the time. If she receives a custodial sentence, it will almost certainly be much lighter than that dispensed to the axe murderer who kills for the vicarious pleasure of it or because “the Devil made me do it”. In other words motivation is a key factor in determining the essential ‘quality’ of the act and the result, or reward, will be much different.

So, why should not the same logic apply to the corollary of acts of evil? ie good deeds. Take for instance someone who performs acts of kindness for the sake of it or because his/her own sense of right and wrong compels them. Should this not be seen as intrinsically more worthy than someone who helps others because he/she fears the wrath of God in an afterlife? “God made me do it” should result in a discount in the perception of the ‘quality’ of the act, just as the axe murderer’s crime is seen as more heinous than that of the battered wife, although the result is exactly the same; one person dead.

So how should good deeds be rewarded? Here on Earth, in this life, we have a range of ways of doing so from Orders of Australia through various lesser honours all the way down (sic) to bunches of flowers and pats on the back. Using the argument outlined above these honours should be heavily skewed in favour of atheists but I suspect they are not. The Christian lobby has long claimed the moral high ground for itself as evidenced by the statements by Pell, Fisher and Jensen yesterday.

In an afterlife, should it exist, I’m sure the system will be much fairer. No doubt the ‘discount’ argument will be applied rigorously at the Pearly Gates and as a consequence Heaven is likely to be heavily populated with altruistic atheists and, God willing, Pell, Fisher and Jensen et al are unlikely to be able to annoy us for eternity. Hallelujah!