Howard Stays put

We all knew it was coming - there was NO way that Howard was going to stand down after the events of the last few weeks. I actually feel very sorry for Costello - the entire nation was against him rising to the Primeministership.

No really - the Opposition called for Howard to stay (publically, at least - privately they would have preferred Costello), the Labor Premiers all had a love-in for Howard, all but about 30 people in the Liberal party wanted Howard, the Greens wanted Howard (don't know why?!)... and the general population seem to want him to stay.

Even the young people seem to want to hug him (albeit with a screwdriver in hand). Just on that, though - i'm beginning to suspect that the hand of the insidious Young Liberals were in on the youth love-in for Howard during his week in Sydney and his birthday. It was invaluable footage to have 15 and 16 yr olds hugging the PM on the national nightly news.

Oh well, Beazely and Howard again. This probably won't be as colourful an election as last time, but if Labor can get the buts into gear, the have the IR legislation in their favour and economic conditions have neutralised the "low interest" campaign of the government. The "better economic managers" campaign is not yet neutralised, but with some cleve tactics, Labor could conceivably leverage the advantage here too. In the mean time, Beazely needs to pray that no terrorist organisation attacks Australia (or any nearby country).

Tim Blair - conservative blogger

http://timblair.net/ is the blog of Tim Blair, a "conservative". I disagree with him, but respect his opinion. However, reading the comments he attracts including "lets rid Bankstown and Lakemba of terrorists"... and other racist and bigoted commentary is a worry - particularly considering that most older conservatives probably wouldn't be familiar with blogging, meaning that this is the younger generation talking like this.

Related to this, I heard today an interview on "Conversations with Richard Fidler" (702AM ABC Sydney, 11am), with Mr. Hyde-Parkes - a former Liberal self described "party hack", who exposed the kind of antagonism and bigotry that exists within the party's right. He says that often the extreme bigoted statements start off as a bit of childish "look at me, I can draw attention by saying stupid things"... but due to the insular world of political parties, and the types of agenda driven loners it often attracts... these extreme childish statements work their way into a personal truth for these people.

Tommorrow, Tim Blair will be on "Conversations, with Richard Fidler", although I'm not sure I'll have a chance to listen.

I respect that people have a different view. The problem I have is with those who have a very simiplistic world view, who frown on intellectual and rational discussion and who do not think through consequences beyond their convictions. An example is the belief of many "conservatives" that Australia is a "white country" and arabs are the cause of crime. Lets not forget that the vast bulk of criminals are "white" in Australia.

Israel digging its own hole

400 Lebanese people have been killed in acts of Israeli war. Mostly civilians. I heard a commentator make an interesting poing: Yes, Israel has the right to defend itself in the way it has... but has it stopped to think if it should?

Hezbollah is organising hundreds of shelters for those lebanese who have had their homes flattened in indiscriminate bombing - it seems Israel knocks out a whole neighbourhood if they think one building might be housing one "enemy". If thats not terrorism, I don't know what is. Further, they have killed and maimed whole families drivin between villages, by bombing their car. Hezbollah have positioned themselves to offer humanitarian aid to the lebanese. They have set up mass shelters in schools. And the people now feel a debt to Hezbollah.

Hezbollah will rise to a new strength though Israels actions - they now have hundreds of willing supporters and sympathisers who would have otherwise stayed away from such terrorist groups. I saw a 10 year old sitting next to his wounded cousin - who was 12... and saying that 1000's of Israeli's must die. That Hezbollah would save them. What look like middle-class women are fronting the camera saying Hezbollah has and will protect them.

When with Israel (and the US - who gave them a blank cheque and continue to arm them) realise that they have succeeded in breeding a new generation of people who will believe that Israel has no right to exist. Israel creates enemies, then wonders why it is attacked. The American (and to a less extend, Australian) press use sanitised military terms when describing Israel's actions such as "campaign" and "operation" and "enemy targets" to mask to indiscriminate killing they are wreaking - yet when the Terrorists kill indiscriminately, it is an attack on out "way of life".

ANother good point raised by a commentator (i can't remember who) - was that in falling in lockstep with everything Bush has doesn, Australia has devalued our standing in the international community. Rather than being able to negotiate on our own terms, and put forward our own views (eg, to Israel about their conduct), we are now treated as insignificant, since our position is invariably the same as America's. Howard has suceeded in destroying this countries voice and respect in the global community, by failing to uphold and enhance our own identity: rather providing a faint echo to the moronic tones of Dubya.

A big shout out...

to Mr. N.T! Interested in selling fast-moving-consumer-goods? Kanjas is the way!

Lord Vader: Dayshift manager

Thought your boss was tough? ... gold from YouTube.

No more purchased degrees

The ALP has announced that it will abolish full fee University places.

I think this is a great idea: the Australian education system is designed to give opportunity and support to the best and brightest - it is a critical instrument in maintaining our egalitarian society. We should be proud of a system where it is your ability that decides what you are able to do - not the size of your daddy's wallet.

The full-fee places was implemented by the Howard Government in 1996, and essentially allows people to buy their way in over other students: students who have higher teriary entry scores. This, I believe, fundamentally opposes what our education system should be about. Its great to see Labor taking a stand for true Australian values, and they have announced they will boost funding and drive down HECS fees for in-demand professions. This is the true long term way of dealing with a skills crisis - something that the Libs can't get their heads around.

In a related matter, it has been reported on 4 Corners, that the Young Liberals are being stacked with extreme right-wing idiots. They apparently went to the NUS conference and chanted over speakers, with racists, sexist and homophobic messages. They say they are racists, homophobic and sexists, and proud of it - they also believe they will "always rule over everything". People: these are the next batch of Liberal politicians. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

40 zones near schools

I have a gripe with the 40 zones around schools. I reckon its a stupid rule, that nobody follows anyway. Yes, I can see where it may be practical in small streets around schools that aren't close to major arterials, but where they plonk a 40 zone on a major street - its really gets my goat.

I cite one example: Sunnyholt Road in Blacktown. Sunnyholt road is a major dual-carriageway, and is normally zoned at 70. THere is a 40 zone outside Blacktown Public. NOBODY slows down to 40, and people start honking if you do.

As far as I'm concerned, a car is bigger than me, its heavier than me, and its faster than me. So I look out for the car, and stay out of its way. Not the other way around. And the sooner school children learn this, the better. THere is plenty of signage and there are traffic lights. So as far as I'm concerned, if you are run over, most of the time, its your own damn fault.

We stress the importance of careful driving so much, but what about people taking responsiblity as pedestrians. CHECK the road, before crossing, if you have a green walk sign. Don't assume the driver has seen you. Simple things like that.

People say kids are not as road aware, and this is true; but we should not be sheltering people (including parents) from their responsibilities. I think there is too little responsbility on the individual today - its always someone else's fault. And this is just another manifestation.

Besides, even if there are a few accidents, we'd just be improving the gene pool :p

Israel

I'm going to throw a bomb into the room (hrm, perhaps poorly worded), but I think Israels behaviour is tantamount to terrorism, and they can claim no higher moral ground than Al-Qaeda.

Earlier this week, a soldier was kidnapped. There response was swift and deadly. Indeed, they succeeded in killing many insurgents, but they also targeted and destroyed the major Power Station in Gaza - effectively cutting off electricity for the whole area. Lets be very clear about this: this is a deliberate attack on civilian infrastructure.

Yesterday, several Israeli soldiers were killed at a checkpoint, and two more kidnapped, ostentatiously (i've no idea what that means, but it sounds cool) by Hezbollah, who are based in Lebanon and backed by Syria. Today, Israel destroyed the Beirut airport. Again, a deliberate civilian target. IN fact, there is a group of 16-18 year olds from an Australian dance company who are stuck there, because both major runways have been destroyed.

My point is this: Israels actions fuel the popular support of the terrorist movement - moderates who may have previously been opposed to terrorism are pushed further and further to extremes with such attacks. I cite an example of when a few months ago, Israels attacked a beach in Gaza, killing a 9 year old girl on a family picnic. Do you think the parents are going to denounce an attack on the people who killed their little girl? Israel has also taken to flying supersonic jets above cities, to create sonic booms. These are designed purely to terrorise the population (although they claim its a more humane way of carrying out war). THere was reports of a flood of pregnant women miscarrying because of the sonic booms.

Also, getting back to the issue of Lebanon - the first thing that the Lebanese government did was to deny any involvement in the acts. THey said it was done purely by Hezbollah (a terrorist organisation). Now, apparently the Lebanese government doesn't have much power over such radical groups - particurly since it was only a few years ago that the Syrian occupation left. Nonethless, Israel say that it was an attack by Lebanon (as a country) and therefore has declared war on Lebanon. Thus, they strike with impunity at civilian targets. As far as I can see, this is a little like whe Germany declared war on Poland - any excuse will do.

I by no means believe that what Hezbollah or Al Qaeda or Hamas do is acceptable. But Israel retaliates in exactly the same manner - they behave like terrorists, only with better weaponry. I would expect that Israel, as a developed country, to be able to take more mature stance. THeir behaviour simply makes the terrorist's cause more appealing to people, as they suffer greater and greater personal tradegies at the hands of what would seem to them to be a ruthless agressor.

I don't know the solution to the problems of the Middle East - but i know that what Israel is doing isn't it. Whilst Israel continues to behave like a mass terrorist organisation, they will only make it more and more difficult for themselves.

This post was supposed to be provocative: I look forward to comments, outraged or otherwise

The great man turns 90

...Happy Birthday Gough!

A truly towering figure in Australian politics, this man paved the way for the equitable and egalitarian society we have enjoyed - this man have a vision for a fair Australia, where education was a right for all - and your sucess depended on your ability and effort - not on your Daddy's bank account.

Modern conservatism has torn down much of the equalising institutions of Australia, but one day, a Whitlam Mk II will arrive and deliver us.

Happy birthday, sir. And Thank You.

Great News

To quote Bob Hawke... "Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a wonderful day!!".

This is fantastic! Howard's lying, that has help the Liberal party, is now a very painful thorn in the side of Costello. WHilst Costello has little support, I hope he continues to agitate, because this is just what the Libs deserve... the party to be shaken apart by the greed and "born-to-rule" attitude.

Nivcorp is a happy chappy!

Leadership Tensions

This has certainly been an interesting few months for the Howard Government. And I mean interesting in terms of the old Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times. Costello seems to think that there was a tacit agreement that the leadership would be handed over during Howards 2nd term. Its now his 4th. Howard flatly denies any such agreement, and this is breeding acrimony between the pair, and their respective gangs. Costello is definitely finding this difficult to stomach, given his very uncomfortable responses to media questions. Specifically, whilst Howard has consistently denied there ever being such a deal, Costello refuses to say this, despite being asked directly by Malcom Farr (Telegraph) whether such a deal existed. Clearly, Costello believes that an agreement was in place. The issue has reignited when a former Liberal MP was in on the supposed meeting, and has now recounted what Howard alledgedly said.

Costello simply doesn't have the support (inside our outside) his party, for a challenge. He is at the mercy of Howards retirement plans. The question is, what will Howard do? Does he hand over to Costello, therefore increasing the chances that Liberals loose the next election; or does he stay put, but then run the risk of himself losing, and not going out on a "high". Furthermore, the IR rape-and-pillage campaign has been one of his long dreams, and the laws will disappear if the Libs don't win the next election. He certainly has a lot to weigh up.

On the other side of the fence, Labor has done quite nicely out of these last few tumultuous months. The IR stories keep coming with human sob-stories of people losing their jobs (see... maybe ACA might be useful for something!). On top of this, there was problems with the Military (underfundend, ill equipped, overstretched, unable to ship a coffin home, etc etc,) and the Budget splurge has been largely overshadowed by rising Interest Rates and Petrol Prices. Whilst none of these issues are major election-losing issues, the constant negative hum in the background doesn't help the Liberal' cause. Beazly has done well to differentiate the two parties, and was paid almost immediately in the polls.

What will win or lose the next election for Labor, is not their ability to undermine the government, but their ability to provide a credible alternative. If they can pry away the "middle australia / Howard Battles " they stand a good chance of winning. The IR laws are a backslap to these people, and they just might break the "automatic" vote for Howard (because people don't like to change). Labor therefore needs to be the trustworthy alternative. And the vote swith is contigent on how badly people are hurt by IR, and whether they can overcome their irrational belief that Libs are better economic managers.

Australian History

A crash course in Australian History by the inimitable Richard Glover.

David Flint

And now from our favourite out-of-touch foppish self-aborbed professor... David FLINT! This is the man who was in trouble a few years ago, when the cash-for-comments scandal arose. He was the Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, and yet wrote love-letters to Alan Jones. Here is his latest truly stirring contribution.