Suki has an opinion

I have moved.

2005-09-24T11:16:00.000+10:00

For a week or so now I have been working on building a WordPress site.
The delay in getting it up and running has been me and not them.

Madness of my own making was to import some 230 Blogger posts from here to there.
I still have some frustration-capacity (and coffee) left and will attempt to import Blogger comments next...

Please update your address for suki has an opinion to here

Narcissism and paranoia

2005-09-17T08:33:00.000+10:00

As the stories gush out of Latham's gaping mouth, I am thinking that the question I should have asked was "how do we manage people suffering with Narcissistic personality disorders and persecutory paranoia in bureaucratic structures?"

The lack of empathy for everyone exposed by his need for a "notice me" behaviour is profound, and only superseded by his belief that almost everyone is involved in a systematic "bury Latham" plot.

As Latham's rant becomes spew, any hope of insight gained by the ALP into distructive, unhelpful or flawed structures, policies, and cultures becomes more and more remote.
...Long,
longtime waiting.

Section of Echo and Narcissus painting by John William Waterhouse 1903

Longtime waiting

2005-09-16T17:50:00.000+10:00

I believe the ALP will be waiting a long time before they become something remotely close to electable.
Clearly they were in trouble before this latest round of Latham-inspired damage.

The furore created by the information contained in the Latham diaries has had me wondering how bureaucratic structures manage dissent, diversity and different opinions.
How do they create mechanisms that allow for new players with different ideas, however improbable and whacky, to be heard, let alone debated and *gasp* implemented?

Generally, people who speak out against the structures, policies, and cultures in their workplaces do so at the expense of their long-term careers.
A person who does not speak out manages whatever emotional investment they have (if they have any) and resigns. Potentially taking all their fabulous, innovative and fresh ideas with them.

Julia Gillard seems to be getting a whiff of an answer...

As much as Latham's venting is irritating; the alternative is silence-as-you-go which reveals nothing, exposes nothing and has the potential to change nothing.

Image from here

Bearing Tony's belief-based babies

2005-09-12T22:04:00.000+10:00

Why would the Health Minister oppose a health response that reduced the need for surgery?
Because he operates on, and is informed by belief.
When Tony with his belief-based views comes in contact with evidence which does not feed into his belief, that evidence is dismissed, diminished or ignored.
Evidence becomes the enemy and so do those that bring it or advocate for it.

Tony Abbott should be removed as Health Minister for allowing his beliefs to override evidence. And in so doing, he rejects outright one of the least invasive health choices available to Australia's women (and the men who support them) who have experienced contraceptive failure.

Image from here

Nationals don't believe women's rights extend to the womb.

2005-09-08T13:03:00.000+10:00

Pathologising a woman's hollow muscular organ in the pelvic cavity is nothing new. But now it seems the Nationals in the Senate see the womb as being completely outside the body of a woman. As such, she has no rights to its use, let alone an expectation of access to abortion-on-demand.

"It's about seeing everything in the prism of women's rights - particularly women's reproductive rights - and it's the first king hit, it's the first test for those of us who believe men and women are equal. This motion is inoffensive, progressive, constructive and supported by government - if you're going to vote that down, then bring on the fight guys."- Senator Stott Despoja.

A woman's right to control her reproduction is within the gamut of her human rights.

Right now, in Australia, across all states and territories, an abortion is lawful if performed to prevent serious danger to the woman's physical or mental health. The mental health clause can be satisfied by a woman stating that she is not able or willing to continue with the pregnancy.
Australian women expect this option be available to them as part of their reproductive rights.
Ron and Barnaby, do not mess with me, Natasha or Lyn.
We will not be silenced on our reproductive rights as women or grrrls!

Stigma and ignorance

2005-09-06T09:46:00.000+10:00

If you are wondering why Health Minister Tony Abbott was pressured into apologising for his insensitivity to a para suicide, consider this.

"Around one in six Australian men suffer from depression at any given time. From puberty onwards, women are twice as likely to experience depression than men. The experience of male depression is complicated by the fact that men are more likely than women to shy away from medical treatment of any kind. Instead of discussing psychological problems, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed or anxious. The statistics for teenage boys and young men are a concern. In the past 30 years, the suicide rate for males aged 15 to 24 years tripled." - beyondblue

Whilst depression is not always present in suicide ideation or completed suicide, it is a contributing factor.

"There is strong evidence that mental health problems are major contributors to suicidal behaviours in people of all ages. Various studies, both in Australia and overseas have shown that more than 90% of people who committed suicide were suffering from some form of mental illness. This was the case across all age groups. Indeed, people with recognised mental illness are 10 times more likely to take their own lives than the general population. It is quite clear that having a mental disorder places a person, whatever their age, at considerably higher risk of suicide than the general population. One of the most common forms of mental illness associated with suicide is depression." -Lifeforce

Jeff Kennett Chairman of beyondblue puts it best:

"beyondblue has been working very hard to destigmatise the illness, and one of the aspects of that is that we try and encourage people to understand that if they present the treatment and get the correct diagnosis, they can return to a very normal life. Mr Abbott's comments were inferring or saying that Mr Brogden could not return to a political life if he so elected to do so."

Image from here

I'm retracting bastard from Debnam...for now

2005-09-03T18:46:00.000+10:00

Peter Debnam was interviewed on Stateline last night.

Quentin Dempster:

"Let's look at the other religious right agenda items, if we could. I haven't had a chance to search the Hansard record, I'm sure your positions are already on the record here. But for the purposes of the viewers, can you quickly give us a checklist. Where do you stand on abortion, for example?"

Peter Debnam:

"Look, I stand, as I understand it, in exactly the same position as John Howard and John Brogden. We don't see any reason to change the current situation."

Image from here

drunks and junkies.

2005-09-03T01:13:00.001+10:00

Peter Debnam the new NSW Liberal leader has announced one of his first policy agendas if his party wins office in 2007 is to shut down the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) in Kings Cross.
From MSIC's website.

"The MSIC aims to reduce harm associated with illicit drug use by supervising injecting episodes that might otherwise occur in less safe circumstances such as public places or alone. Specifically, it is anticipated that supervising such injecting episodes will reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with drug overdoses and transmission of blood-borne infections, while providing ready access to safe needle syringe disposal. It is also hoped that by extending the circumstances in which health professionals have contact with injecting drug users (IDUs) more, particularly those most "at risk", will be engaged with the health and social welfare system sooner than otherwise. No drugs are sold or kept on the premises. Registered clients receive clean needles and equipment, and advice about their health."

Debnam you hypocrite.
An alcohol user gets your prayers, but drug usage...there's no compassion or undersatnding for them.
Alcohol and heroin are both listed as drugs that result in physical dependence.
One is ingested, one is injected, either way they both end up in the blood stream.
Is your problem your prejudice or your personal preference? Can we take our drugs in a gin bottle, but not in a syringe?

Alcohol and drug use (including heroin) can both feature heavily in a para-suicide's premorbid state.

"The role of drug abuse is very important in reference to the suicide risk increase (Garland & Zingler, 1991). It has been established that suicide risk is much higher in relation with alcoholics than people in general (Lester, 1993). Statistics show that the attempt and success in suicide among alcoholics ranges between 6% and 30%, though the tendency is around 20% (Monras, Marcos & Ramón, 1992). Statistics show that alcohol and other drugs are consumed in 20% of overdose attempts. Furthermore, a significant number of individuals consume alcohol some hours before they attempt to commit suicide (Freeman & Reinecke, 1995). Monras, Marcos & Ramón report that 2/3 of men and 1/3 of women have been intoxicated before the suicide act."

"Suicide risk is not related only to alcoholics. Research shows that drug consumers have had suicide attempts ranging between 25% and 50% (Martínez & Coraminas, 1991). Data from Spain show that 1 out of 13 drug abusers under 18 have had at least one suicide attempt, and the proportion increases for ages 18 to 24, to 1 out of 4 (Martínez & Coraminas, 1991.)" - Leonardo Aja-Eslava.

The role of alcohol and other drug consumption can be summarised in 3 points.

Alcohol and other drugs determine a behavior deinhibition role to attempt suicide.
The existence of affective disorders prior to alcohol consumption can trigger the disorder; or alcohol and drug abuse can generate affective disorders.
Family, labour and/or social problems resulting from alcohol and drug abuse, may weaken the social support of the individual which increases the degree of vulnerability towards suicide.

Dichotomous distortions, the belief in diminished self efficiency, the perception of lack of control over circumstantial contingencies, when combined with other risk factors, such as alcohol or drug consumption, a weakened social support network, may trigger a high risk suicide situation, especially if a crisis is involved.

Debnam, if you are serious in your concern for the welfare of the opposition member for Pittwater and that of his family, then understand that harm minimisation will be employed by him and counselor to address his alcohol usage. He will need to adapt coping sretgies that don'e always involvealcohol. He will need support, undestanding and care. He will have good days and not so good days.

"Of suicide attempters 30-60% have blood alcohol levels of > 0.05 mg%." - Suicide and Mental Health Association International SMHAI

The MSIC is also a harm minimisation strategy. The difference when it comes to data relating to substance use and parasuicde come down to drug of choice. The MSIC offers a a drug user a safe, clean supervised place to use. They too need support, undestanding and care. They too will have good days and not so good days.

All citizens deserve the best in health opportunities and outcomes, this includes injecting drug users. When you consider your policies, don't just focus on the personalised tragedy of your former leader, but also on all the lives of depressed, substance users. Men, women and their families, you don't even know you are saving.
Bastard.

Image from here

"Fuck off dogbreath"

2005-08-30T09:45:00.000+10:00

More details about Brogden's view of women.

Mr Brogden said yesterday his actions were in jest and made towards a journalist he had known for years. But this was not the case with Angela Cuming, a journalist with The Sun-Herald, who was present when the party moved to the Marble Bar.
Cuming said she approached Mr Brogden and asked him about his election chances.

"He then stopped me ... slipped one arm around the small of my back, leant down and said, 'Enough of that. Are you available?' I stumbled out some reply on the lines of, 'No, I have a boyfriend, thanks very much.'"

Until women learn to say "Fuck off dogbreath" or "If it's not 12 inches on the flop I'm not interested" (credited to my mate Moi) or "Like I want to see his willy" (credited to the girlchild's friend Jasmine, aged 10, who was flashed at) then we as women will continue to have to politely thank boorish, powerful, sexually predatory men every day of every week.

Helena Carr understands a man like Brogden and her right to be treated with respect and will not accept an apology from him. Rightly so. A powerful, self-assured woman knows what she is worth and Helena is one such woman. She knows that the only way to deal with men such as Brogden is to shine a big bright spotlight on their behavior and name it up for what it is.

My girlchild will enter the professional workforce at the end of this year. She has been brought up to expect respect as a person and has been given permission to say all of the above. Knowing her, she will add a few more choice and appropriate lines.
Understand this is not about abuse for the sake of it. This about deconstructing a predator's view of female and reminding them that a woman has a right to not be sexually harassed or assaulted.

"Well, he can ship his mail-order bride back on the boat." - Brogden

I'll keep Helena Carr and ship off Brogden thanks.
Does Pittwater have a jetty?

Image from here

Brogden sorry he was caught

2005-08-29T11:52:00.000+10:00

When asked at his press conference whether the two (possibly more, Brogden couldn't remember the second woman) had a case for sexual harassment against his actions he dismissed it as,

"They are acts that were meant in jest."

Clearly, the former leader does not understand what constitutes sexual harassment. He believes because he has known one of the women for a long time she would understand that he was joking. He says he is guilty of being too familiar, and of caring and engaging with people.

"I let some steam off, and clearly I let that steam off in a completely inappropriate manner after having about six beers over a three-hour period...it was the week of Bob Carr announcing he was resigning from politics."

Well, John Brogden, aren't the arses of women up and down NSW now grateful and safe that they will not have to endure your belief in your right to a celebratory, sexually assaulting and harassing grope...or three.

Images from here

Add Sole and parent gets little respect

2005-08-27T15:01:00.000+10:00

Sole parent; such a loaded term.
Are they:

women who try to trap men by becoming pregnant
vilified because of their predatory behaviour
sluts
irresponsible
widows
widowers
taking responsibility of a child/ren because the other parent won't or can't
naive romantics
to be supported and admired

This government is going to add indigent to the adjectives.

Sole parents are many things including intelligent, hardworking, resourceful and honest.
I used the Sole Parent Pension for six years and lived in public housing to undertake further study. Whilst in public housing I witnessed a murder that began as family violence. This murder started as yelling and pushing...I wonder if most do.
Most sole parents use Parenting Payment Single (PPS) as a short-term means to create regular income while they consider the rest of their life. This may involve re-partnering, further study or training. Most sole-parents work the maximum weekly hours to not affect their pension. Many more work cash-in-hand and are underpaid, exploited and often unsafe.
I guess I was luckier than most in that my boss said to us,

"I prefer hiring you single-mums, you're desperate and not many bosses want you. I know you will show up for work 'cos your babies get hungry."

"One-parent families are the fastest growing type of family in Australia. In 2001, there were 528,000 lone parents aged 18 years and over with dependent children. Of these, 88% (462,100) had no other adults (such as extended family members or members of a second family) resident in the household with them. In 2001, lone parents were predominately women (83%), and lone mothers tended to have younger children living with them than lone fathers. Around one-fifth (22%) of lone mothers had at least one child aged 0-4 years living with them, compared with one-tenth (9%) of lone fathers."

"The circumstances of lone parents differ to others in a range of areas of life. For example, in 2002, more lone parents aged 18 years and over (52%) relied on Government cash pensions and allowances as their principal source of income, than did all adults (22%). Consequently, lone parents were over-represented in the lower income groups, with 43% in the bottom quintile of equivalised household income and 30% in the second lowest quintile, compared with 20% and 19% of all adults."

"In 2001, 62% of lone parents aged 18 years and over rented their dwelling, compared with 25% of adults generally, and among renters proportionally more lone parents were renting from a State or Territory Housing Authority (31% compared with 17% of all renters). Relatively more lone parents felt unsafe or very unsafe at home alone after dark (19%) than adults in general (8%); and 34% of lone parents had been a victim of physical or threatened violence, or actual or attempted break in over the year prior to interview, compared with 18% of all adults." - ABS

Being a mother is only one part of my capabilities. It does not define me anymore than being Culturally And Linguistically Diverse (CALD) would. If you feel you know me, you can say you know a sole-parent.
Advocate for us.

Adding more poverty to the difficulty that sole parenting can be is beyond comprehension.
Creating a greater underclass of disaffected young people who often struggle with absent father syndrome is not in the interest of our communities.

I'm setting up a barter system for emergency childcare. Emergency being a loosely defined term...
Only sole parents need apply.

The bull-calf deposits at the sperm bank

2005-08-25T22:34:00.000+10:00

He's young, it's Spring and it was always going to happen.

Any decision that makes John HoWARd and Helen Coonan happy is worrying and HoWARdspeak will ensue.
Watch for the non-core promises to fall over...

"It's hopefully...it's a once in a political lifetime decision, because it's such...it's something that's absolutely crucial in people's lives, and you've got to give that all the respect it's due. You just don't want to be railroaded into a decision in Canberra, which you regret." -Barnaby Joyce.

Abbott's sneaky agenda

2005-08-23T17:56:00.000+10:00

A proposed Medicare item for pre-abortion counseling which is the brainchild of Federal Health Minister Mr. Tony Abbott is causing concern for some in the medical profession.
Gynaecologist and Obstetrician Dr Adrienne Freeman, who performs abortions, warned such an item would be an invasion of patient privacy because it would alert the HIC to the reason for the patient's visit to a doctor.
Counseling was already catered for in the current system and an additional item would be an incentive to dissuade patients from having an abortion. Dr. Freeman believes,

“It's another form of harassment.”

FPA Health medical director Dr Christine Read agrees that a pre-abortion counseling item would give GPs more time to discuss options with patients, but says it should not be made compulsory.

“Compulsory pre-abortion counseling is not something you would indicate was necessary, because it is coercive to some degree."

Katrina George from a lesser Women's Forum Australia site glosses over the sneaky agenda of the Health Minister. Katrina ignores the privacy issue this proposal raises for already vulnerable women and asks us to believe in the goodwill of a Health minister who states

“I don't think anyone, whether they're pro-choice or pro-life, is happy about the vast numbers of abortions that currently take place in Australia, and I think as a society it ought to be possible to do better.”

Better according to Tony and Katrina is not more abortions. Better is clearly less abortions. Less abortions would mean more women continuing with a pregnancy.
Continuing a pregnancy in the context of pre-abortion counseling would necessarily involve a pro-life agenda at the expense of a woman's right to choice.

Image from here
cross-posted at womens forum australia

Disruptive pattern, disrupted lives

2005-08-17T18:16:00.000+10:00

What exactly motivates a person that lives in Australia which does not (yet) have conscription to join the Military.
Is it

loyalty to the country
a desire for adventure
a desire to travel
a love of discipline
clear, defined structures
an urge to serve
fearlessness
a sense of invulnerability

It is not unreasonable for a member of the military to expect compensation for an injury or injuries they sustain whilst on active duty from the Government of the country that they serve.
That is unless you are in the ADF then it is seen as seriously and absolutely unreasonable.

"I would describe Defence's conduct as disgraceful and based on an agenda of wearing litigants down or deliberately protracting the legal action until they die in the process." - Solicitor David Forster

"It's certainly very concerning when we see veterans with mental health problems who may or may not still be in a battle for compensation, who are still young men whose relationships are breaking down, who are finding difficulty fitting into society. These problems do cause huge disability."

"And one hopes that's taken into account in making decisions about what we do and don't do as a country." - Director of the veterans' psychiatry unit at Melbourne's Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Professor Mal Hopwood

War as a last resort.
Always.

Original image from here. Photoshop inspired by Amco V. Knees

The bull-calf won't put out

2005-08-11T07:54:00.000+10:00

The new Senate sat for the first time on Tuesday of this week. Cohesion and unity were nowhere to be seen.
Senator Barnaby Joyce has been threatened with expulsion from the party and of treading a thin line between horse-trading and blackmail.

Nationals MP Bruce Scott gives us this analogy,

"Perhaps it's a little bit about an early spring in Canberra, the young bulls are out there with some of the old bulls and they're all looking around."

Independent MP Bob Katter offers this advice to Barnaby,

"He's demonstrating to all of them what a bunch of cowards and idiots and lightweights they are. Two to the valley, son, because there ain't anything that they can do. You hold all of the aces."

Senator Bill Heffernan, Liberal Senator seems to be aroused by it all as this statement suggests,

"Everyone knows I'm not a pansy and neither's Barnaby, mate. That's all part of the fun. Colour and movement you call that."

The Nationals' leader, Mark Vaile, said outspokenness was tolerated until the crunch of the vote,

"when we expect, and want to see, the family stick together."

The bull-calf does not disappoint with,

"If anybody was to go into the Senate and to put out that they would never ever consider crossing the floor, then you're basically useless, aren't you?"

Image from here

Almost enough to impress an Atheist

2005-08-06T19:10:00.000+10:00

I am not often interested, let alone impressed by conservative religious types. This indifference has just been challenged by the strong stand made by the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Dr Peter Jensen and the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell with regard to IR changes.

"It seems at this point that the proposals shift the differential of power in favour of employers, who can have a propensity to mistreat workers in the interests of the business." - Dr. Jensen

Image from here

I love my job it's the work I hate

2005-08-04T23:12:00.000+10:00

GetUp! is an online organisation that inspires voters to think up their own campaign ideas and lobby politicians by email and SMS.

In a display of profound ignorance of both the responsibility inherent in holding a public office and what spam actually is, Andrew Robb Liberal backbencher told all voters exactly how he wants his work day to progress and who he thinks is responsible for the terrible botheration that will ensue from GetUp!'s presence

"There are hundreds of emails arriving in Senator's offices. They're beside themselves, just to clear the screen. They get back to their office from meetings looking for important communications from whoever, and they're confronted with screen after screen of these emails, in some cases over 200 emails. This is highly irresponsible, this is spam, this is spam."

"It's first and foremost, let's not mince words, it is an anti-Government group and it's not there to keep us accountable. It's there to run an alternative policy agenda. It's a front for the Labor Party, it's a political front. They're quite entitled to do it, it's a free country, but it's a political front. That's what it is."

Two points Andrew.
1. The labor party is far too unimaginative for this venture and
2. Politicians cannot possibly expect not to get unsolicited communication including e-mails from their constituents. Such voter concern is not spam.

I cannot think of a better reason for Getup! than the presence of such a lazy, uninformed, unrepresentative politician.

Place of Birth: Australia. Homeland: Korea.

2005-08-02T18:36:00.000+10:00

Right now there is an appeal seeking to have Australian citizens recognised by birth right.
Naively, I thought that if you were born in a country it became your homeland. I think most reasonable people would assume the same.

"The law says a child is recognised as a citizen if either of his or her parents is an Australian resident or citizen, according to an amendment to the Australian Citizenship Act in 1986."

"If we win it will backdate the law to before 1986. There would have been thousands of cases of foreign nationals who would have departed or [been] forcefully deported within that time. US, Canada, and New Zealand have no problem declaring everyone born in their country to be a citizen."
- Michaela Byers, Lawyer.

What's the problem here? Is the government worried that people will give birth in Australia to claim the Maternity Payment which is currently $3079 per child?
Are they worried about too many children? Was the treasurer referring to bi-cultural or Asian or Muslim families when he said:

"You should have one for the father, one for the mother and one for the country. If you want to fix the ageing demographic, that's what you do."

Or is this just another sinister, thinly veiled racist policy enforcement from this government through DIMIA?

Images from here

G-SAVE

2005-07-31T09:52:00.000+10:00

"Recently, top officials of the Bush Administration have changed the way that they are talking about terrorism. They have stopped talking about a war on terrorism. Thinking it too narrowly defined, Administration officials now speak of a struggle against global extremism. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld describes AmericaÃ’s policies as a global struggle against the enemies of freedom, the enemies of civilization."

It was President Bush who called the illegal war in Iraq the war on terror.

"A war between good and evil, Bush called it. A war to save the world."

In recent days, the global war on terror which had been conveniently shortened to GWOT in bureaucrat-speak has been shelved in favour of the global struggle against violent extremism or G-SAVE"

What will HoWARd say?
Will he parrot Bush?
Will he shift the rhetoric from war using soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen?
Will war be replaced with negotiations? Using diplomats, mediators and conflict resolution counselors?

Our selectively deaf PM

2005-07-28T22:48:00.000+10:00

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and General George Casey are saying that US troops could be home as early as springtime in America. Does that mean that our troops can be home for Easter as well?
HoWARd is very silent on the issue of a season for our troops to be out of Iraq.
Is this because it suits him to keep us alert and alarmed. Considering instead a national security summit to keep us all from feeling un-safe?
You bet.
HoWARd craves power. Even the dim glow from his proximity to Bush's radiance is too seductive to extinguish.
It suits HoWARd to continue to milk the popularity of troops to stay in Iraq "until the job is done"

"In the poll of 1403 people, 61% agreed with the statement that "Australian troops should stay until the job is done", while 35% agreed that the troops "should be brought home immediately".

Oh my.

2005-07-24T20:49:00.000+10:00

Don't be in or near London's public transport system.
Don't be young.
Don't be male.
Stay pale or get pale.
Don't wear out-of-season clothes.
Don't behave suspiciously.
Don't run down an escalator
Don't ignore plain clothes police chasing you and warning you to stop.
Don't get shot in the head five times at point-blank range.
Don't be a victim of the Police's simple nervous system shut-down objective.

"We are now satisfied that he was not connected with the incidents of Thursday 21st July 2005." police said.

UK police officer targets his weapon during a house raid in south London (Reuters)

Meanwhile in Iraq...

2005-07-19T22:45:00.000+10:00

Unfortunately HoWARd is ours.
Less and less agree with Bush.
And once again we have a backslapping double-act.
When HoWARd goes to Washington it's hard to see where his rhetoric ends and Bush's starts.
I favour Blair and his calendar.

The peril of traveling as a pillion passenger

2005-07-18T21:14:00.000+10:00

In an article about the report from the Royal Institute of International Affairs (which also goes under the name of Chatham House) written by Paul Wilkinson and Frank Gregory, two academics specialising in terrorism has found that:

"A key problem...is that the Government has been conducting counter-terrorism policy shoulder to shoulder with the United States, not in the sense of being an equal decision-maker but rather as a pillion passenger compelled to leave the steering to the ally in the driving seat. There is no doubt that the situation over Iraq has imposed particular difficulties for the UK and for the wider coalition against terrorism."
"Riding pillion with a powerful ally has proved costly in terms of British and American military lives, Iraqi lives, military expenditure and the damage caused to the counter-terrorism campaign."

The UK's Foreign Secretary has come out saying,

"I a’m astonished Chatham House is now saying that we should not have stood shoulder to shoulder with our long-standing allies."

Is the role of Foreign Minister/Secretary deliberately given to an idiot or is this just a coincidence?
We have Alexander Downer here here here here here here here here here here and here.

The UK has Jack Straw.

Evidence of HoWARd's rhetoric believed to be with WMD's

2005-07-13T23:28:00.000+10:00

"If you imagine that you can buy immunity from fanatics by curling yourself in a ball, apologising to the world for who you are and what you stand for and what you believe in, not only is that morally bankrupt but it's also ineffective because fanatics despise a lot of things and the thing they despise most is weakness and timidity,"

This is HoWARd's statement, but is it based on evidence or is it empty rhetoric?

Professor Robert Pape from the University of Chicago is the author of a new book, Dying to Win. This book provides the first data-based analysis of suicide bombers.

"From Hezbollah in Lebanon to Hamas on the West Bank to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, every group mounting a suicide campaign over the past two decades has had as a major objective - or as its central objective - coercing a foreign state that has military forces in what the terrorists see as their homeland to take those forces out. The presumed connection between suicide terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism is misleading and may be encouraging domestic and foreign policies likely to worsen America's situation and to harm many Muslims needlessly."-Robert Pape

Then we find this data.

"The most important admission of the Department of Defense report is that historical data show a strong correlation between U.S. involvement in international situations and an increase in terrorist attacks against the United States."

Former president Jimmy Carter, some years after he left the White House, was unambiguous in his concordance with the above sentiment -

"We sent Marines into Lebanon and you only have to go to Lebanon, to Syria or to Jordan to witness first-hand the intense hatred among many people for the United States because we bombed and shelled and unmercifully killed totally innocent villagers, women and children and farmers and housewives, in those villages around Beirut. As a result of that we became kind of a Satan in the minds of those who are deeply resentful."

Scarily we see a high level of education and opportunity in almost half of the suicide bomber profiles.

"[...] operating on the blithe assumption that the suicide terrorists were all poor, young Islamic radicals. In fact, 42% have post-secondary educations, and they're part of concerted campaigns with coherent goals." - Robert Pape

Nowhere is there evidence that states that we (the west) are targeted because we are weak and timid.
If this were the case then homeless shelters and women's refuges would also be targeted.

I'm not with HoWARd or Dwight D. Eisenhower, who said -

"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid."

HoWARd - redundant rhetoric from a redundant time.

Applying the "Costello principle"

2005-07-12T21:30:00.000+10:00

Recently treasurer Peter Costello postulated that if you are not an expert on a specific subject, despite your public standing, or your formal qualifications in another discipline or your thoughts as a citizen, your comments should not impress other members of the community.
His arrogant quote was:

"Archbishop Aspinall is entitled to his opinion, but he is not an industrial relations expert. When an Anglican archbishop speaks on IR, he has every right to speak but his views on IR shouldn't be given any special weight I don't believe because of his theological training"

Well Peter LLB(Hons)BA, by applying your own principle let's just all ignore you this year and last year.
You are not qualified in theology, demography, sociology, social anthropology, social psychology or youth work so get the qualifications or be deemed irrelevant.

I'm starting my "Costello principle" by ignoring the following piece of pious, patronising, pap justifying his address to the Hillsong Conference this year.

"[...] My job was to bring a greeting and to welcome the crowd on behalf of the Australian Government. You know, we think events like this are important, frankly, to see young people, without any drugs, partaking in music, hearing great biblical truths I think is a good thing actually. I think it strengthens our society and it builds on values which are important for our society."

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We have measured, statesman-like responses, and then we have Kim...

2005-07-09T08:01:00.000+10:00

"This brutal, indiscriminate, unforgivable attack on innocent people going about their daily lives is a mark of the depraved character of the people who carried it out." -HoWARd

"What happened today again testifies to the fact that all of us are doing too little to unite our forces effectively in the struggle against terrorism."-Putin

"It is important, however, that those engaged in terrorism realise that our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people in a desire impose extremism on the world. Whatever they do it is our determination that they will never succeed in destroying what we hold dear in this country and in other civilised nations throughout the world."-Blair

"The war on terror goes on. I was most impressed by the resolve of all the leaders in the room. Their resolve is as strong as my resolve. And that is we will not yield to these people, will not yield to the terrorists. We will find them, we will bring them to justice, and at the same time, we will spread an ideology of hope and compassion that will overwhelm their ideology of hate."-Bush:

"These terrorists are subhuman filth who must be captured and eliminated and we condemn them and their evil."-Beazley

Yes the terrorist bombings in London are barbaric and yes they are unjust, but Kim's dehumanising hate speech will not help. Anger is a part of the grieving process, however, hate is not useful.
Hate scares people and Kim's hate scares me.
Hating has very little hope of resolution. It usually just becomes more entrenched and pervasive.
Hate mixed with power is dangerous. It can create a climate in which the powerful feel they can dehumanise and degrade other humans with impunity. Once a society dehumanises someone it can do anything to them.

If Kim "the-opposition's-offering-of-candidate-to-oust-HoWARd" Beazely is serious about being Prime Minister of Australia one day then he needs to employ a more measured, statesman-like response.

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Contact therapy

2005-07-04T23:00:00.000+10:00

I am so pleased that Barnaby Joyce has bouncer on his resume.
He's going to need to draw on everything he learned from Griff at the Wicklow Hotel in Armidale to best the undesirable elements of this government that is out to alter his opinions.
Members of the Ministry of Alteration Tony Abbott and Mark Vaile were seen waiting around the back of Parliament House, one with a phone book at the ready and the other waving an auctioneer's hammer.

Alexander Downer will no doubt need little persuasion to chase Barnaby down...

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Placards waving, whistles blowing

2005-07-02T09:00:00.000+10:00

Wow, I would never have predicted such a turnout.
Just when I thought that Australians were by and large politically apathetic they get out in large numbers and protest against the proposed changes to IR Law.

Now that I feel less anxious about IR legislation thundering unopposed through the Senate I'm going to chuck a sickie and celebrate.

What's that smell?

2005-06-30T21:26:00.000+10:00

It's the rancid mix of mediocrity, hypocrisy and selling out and it's coming from the Labor party and its conservative stand-for-nothing leader.

Workplace Relations Minister Andrews said that the right to strike was protected in Australian law when it was genuinely in pursuit of better wages and conditions, but the rallies did not fit that criteria.

"Today is a political action rather than industrial action, most of today's action would be unprotected in relation to the Workplace Relations Act."

Is there any surgery that can implant the hemisphere of Bob Hawke's brain that he had devoted to workers' rights into the vacuum that is Beazley's IR brain?
Please.

Senatophobia

2005-06-26T19:46:00.000+10:00

I am developing a very severe case of Senatophobia or "no-voice-in-Parliament" as the new Senate date looms. I have become more and more anxious as this week has been filled with exit speeches and farewells.

HoWARd's go softly speech, with his history of lying, just made me more frightened.
It's real now and I feel like a
kangaroo
in the headlights
of a roadtrain.

Laurie Ferguson - On the grass

2005-06-23T22:34:00.000+10:00

I have just read Laurie's first speech to Parliament. In Laurie's 1990 speech we find this,

"In fact these apologists are attempting to legitimise the naked power and authority of management."

I think that Laurie sees Kim as management and himself as worker and he just has to be diametrically opposed to management as a matter of course. He does this despite humanity, logic and justice. He's made himself a placard and he's gone on strike.

It looks like Kim's going to cross a picket line to sack his Minister for Immigration of 239 days.

Laurie Ferguson finds his voice and humanity cringes

2005-06-22T08:02:00.000+10:00

The Federal Opposition's spokesman on Immigration, Laurie Ferguson, says the proposed release of long-term detainee Peter Qasim could set a worrying precedent. Mr. Qasim is among 50 people invited to apply for a bridging visa by Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone.
But Labor's immigration spokesman, Laurie Ferguson, says he is not convinced the case sets the right example.

"I would think that up to recently there are issues as to his cooperation. I think it would be a very worrying precedent for people in Australia where we might establish a system where people aren't cooperative, they don't really clarify who they are, where they come from, what their political and religious or political and ethnic backgrounds are."

Not long after Laurie spoke out, Kim Beasley weighed in with this-
"I think you'll find Laurie has revised his position"

In the uncooperative stakes, having to choose between Peter Qasim and Laurie Ferguson, Laurie wins!

Bolt gets Marr-ed

2005-06-19T10:51:00.000+10:00

It is worth getting up early on a Sunday to watch the Insiders when Andrew Bolt and David Marr have only Virginia Trioli to separate their egos.
The best insult that Bolt could manage was "the reds on the couch" as he referred to David and Virginia which he delivered last over the closing credits.

Bolt a churlish, arrogant prick.
His feet always rooted into the right-wingery of the turd brown square of the Insiders mat.

Working women occupy a redundant time-line under HoWARd

2005-06-18T21:27:00.000+10:00

Thanks to Mushroom from the pen who sent me this,

"Hey Suki,
Thought you might like a heads up on the closure of the New South Wales Working Women's Centre due to lack of Federal Government funding.

Just another way to strip away workers (particularly women's) rights and avenues to seek recourse against unfair treatment in the workplace. No surprise it is coinciding on the eve of the Feds changes to IR policy.

My post about it is here.
The fight continues."

Daily Flute and Tree of Truth also cover it.

If I was a cynical woman I would say that there is a message being sent to women in this country by our government.
That message would be $m$o$n$e$y$ for babies. No money for employment support. And certainly no money for "Mum@work" programs.

I'm going to make it my business to introduce myself to every woman in my workplace in my capacity as an Equity Advisor. I will use my federally-funded training to subvert this government's dominant paradigm.

...and can't

2005-06-16T23:19:00.000+10:00

HoWARd is showing that he remains incapable of saying sorry or I got it wrong.
He has a Narcissistic personality and is building momemtum for the new Senate.

It seems the best counterpoint to a narcissist is a Green.

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...but didn't.

2005-06-14T22:13:00.000+10:00

Petro Georgiou and others sat with the Prime Minister last night and no agreement on the member's bills aimed at dismantling mandatory immigration detention, removing women and children and all long-term detainees from detention centres and allowing those on temporary protection visas to stay in Australia permanently was met.

Unsurprisingly, HoWARd was unable to reach a compromise and was quoted as saying,

"We decide the nature of immigration flows to this country. I believe that that policy is not only the right policy but it is a policy that enjoys the support of the Australian people."

I am inspired by Judi Moylan's optimism that HoWARd is capable of displaying humanity.

"[...] but I think, you know, there's an opportunity...I'm sure that the Government's willing to, as the Prime Minister stated on many occasions, to make the policy and its administration more humane, to introduce greater flexibility and to make sure that it's fair."

I am however unmoved from my position that HoWARd is a turd and await the bill's.

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How the meeting may have gone...

2005-06-11T07:55:00.000+10:00

Yesterday Petro Georgiou, Bruce Baird, Judi Moylan and Russell Broadbent met with Prime Minister HoWARd to discuss the Federal Government's immigration detention policies. Specifically, Mr Georgiou's private member's bills for the release of all women, children and long-term detainees from detention.

Petro Georgiou on behalf of Bruce Baird, Judi Moylan, Russell Broadbent and Suki Lombard asked the Prime Minister to read, listen and watch. Petro had created a powerpoint presentation that was able to be projected onto the wall of the room. It contained,

Images of children behind razorwire with vacant, lost gazes
Images of the babies
The sound of women wailing
Community feeling
The report of the state of mental health issues for people in detention

Image from here

John HoWARd was heard to have said,

"Oh my. How could I have presided over such cruelty and abuse? I will change the policy immediately. Moreover, I will fund a program of community workers to integrate every new Australian into our society and I will assign a mental health specialist to each person who has been detained. I hope Australia can forgive me for this wrong doing."

Surgical Termination Of Pregnancy spying

2005-06-08T20:34:00.000+10:00

As with all things regressive at the moment, it seems the US is leading the way.
Whilst Indiana or Kansas are not in Australia, the legislation, but more frighteningly, the intent, could certainly be imported here.

We, as health care consumers, must remain ever vigilant of our right to privacy. We must be able to continue to trust those that we share our medical history with. An abortion or 5 abortions is a medical history your Medical Practitioner should know about.

In Darwin there is a Surgical Termination Of Pregnancy (STOP) clinic - uncomplicated, unequivocal, public.
NT Law states that abortion happen in a Hospital. Darwin only had one hospital. In a town of 80,000 people everybody respected the need for privacy and very few breaches occurred.
Even in this respectful environment quite a bit of identity swapping happened. Hospital Record Numbers were offered for our Catholic sisters. This practice in an open and respectful system, where an external factor got in the way, potentially leaves us with inaccurate medical records.
Can we even begin to imagine what happens when we don't feel that we can trust an internal factor?

The news item that inspired this post was a birthday gift from diogenesian discourse, thanks Gerry.

Come on over, we're having cake

2005-06-06T00:15:00.000+10:00

The beautiful baby the world knows as Suki has an opinion was conceived during a particularly fertile I-hate-the-fucking-coalition cycle in mid April 2004.
Once again, I found myself in a room with too many conservatives and felt that something had to be done.

By early June, SHAO was fully formed and on 6 June 2004 a girl was born.
I named her Suki and, my, oh my, is she a handful!

As any proud matriarch would understand, I love my Suki unconditionally and have to share her presence with you all.
So sit back, relax and settle in for the slideshow.

Early on I had trouble with Suki taking things that didn't belong to her. She would forget to acknowledge sources and take home pictures without asking.
One time a playdate got very upset and changed a 'stolen' picture to this one...

Suki has been to paediatric counseling and is now cured of her kleptomania. However, as with any youngster, I am ever vigilant for the inevitable 'slippage.'

Suki's most popular post was when she made a picture of Alexander Downer.
His mum doesn't let him come over anymore since Suki ran him over with her mini chopper.

As with any beautiful baby, Suki had unwanted attention from a very naughty playmate. I had to call security on Marcel White and he has wisely respected a mother's warning.

I am most proud of this.

Happy first birthday Suki!

Dare we hope?

2005-06-05T09:43:00.000+10:00

What with the Immigration Department's magnanimous fuckups

"An appalling litany of maladministration, bungling and traducing of human rights in detention policy and by the Immigration Department generally has been unfolding for months now, and there is much more to come out."

and 11 MP's and senators willing to vote for the Georgiou bills...can we be proud of our nation and its compassion?

"I think around Australia ... no one wants to see kids in detention"

- our Amanda finally gets the worst of it!

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Childhood must be spared this huge responsibility

2005-05-30T18:14:00.000+10:00

Ian Whang, former student, man-of-the-house, interpreter, 12 years old.

That our Immigration Department does not offer an interpreter to all their clients is a matter of great concern, in fact it borders on a breach of duty-of-care.

DIMIA must adopt an opt-out-service culture.
Not this opt-in-service culture that we are witnessing that leaves 12 year old children with the responsibility to interpret for their parent documents that their tender years cannot comprehend.

I was the same age as Ian when I would help my grandmother with her shopping. I not only provided muscle...I also provided interpretation. I found that the delicatessen staff would bypass me and try and get her to agree to ham instead of bacon. They would look for any signs of agreement, after all they were running a business and time is money.
My English was not very sophisticated, it all took time and I had a child's worldview.
Pressure for profit...
I wonder how much pressure was put on the Whangs to get this DIMIA agenda driven document done?

"The Department of Immigration issued a statement denying it had deceived Ian Whang's mother. And they said at no time had she asked for an interpreter."

I believe that DIMIA does behave in this opt-in way as an overriding organisational culture and I call it abusive and I am beyond ashamed.

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I love my job it's the work I hate...

2005-05-29T10:56:00.000+10:00

Tony Abbott thinks that some jobs are really tough and if you just do your best, try your hardest, however poor that might be, then it's ok.

This is Tony justifying Amanda (and let's not forget Phil) breathing in and out somewhere near their office...

"What people need to remember is we're talking here about very difficult situations. We're talking about, in some cases, people who are in very difficult personal circumstances. It's not always easy to know exactly what is going on in their lives, it's not always easy to know exactly what's happening in their home countries or even which are their home countries. These are difficult personal situations and the idea that you can resolve these questions in a moment is just wrong."

It's been many moments strung together Tony, they go on to make weeks, months and years.

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David quiets a Goliath

2005-05-22T11:51:00.000+10:00

Today on the Insiders David Marr, Virginia Trioli and Piers Akerman were Barry's studio guests.
One of the Goliaths of bullying Piers Akerman was visibly uncomfortable.

David's presence on the couch-of-the-left raised fear in Piers, who at times was unable to comment from under his jauntily tied sweater to defend himself or his right-wing spew.

Piers managed a pathetic bitchslap under the rolling credits at the end of the show...thank you David Marr!

Now if we can only get David to quiet Insider Goliath #2 - Andrew Bolt.

When fascists eat their young

2005-05-18T20:04:00.000+10:00

I had a rare politically inspired giggle today when I read how intolerant Alex Hawke the national president of the Young Liberals is.
Mr. Hawke had this to say about being a Liberal,

"The party should adopt tougher stands on social issues such as drugs and abortion so people know what we stand for. Nobody joins the Liberal Party to be left-wing. If you stand for compulsory student unionism, drug-injecting rooms and lowering the [homosexual] age of consent, you can choose the Greens, Labor or the Democrats."

Earlier, we prepared this elected, successful dish of Liberal MP.
MP Robyn Parker, who is part of the moderate Liberal faction and a former president of the Liberal Women's Council, said recent discussions on abortion had been highly offensive to women and had taken place for the wrong reasons. Ms. Parker stated that,

"Any debate on abortion should be about supporting women and their choices, and it should ultimately be a decision made between a woman and her doctor, not a topic used to obtain political advantage on a ballot or anywhere else."

Tension has been simmering since the conservatives gained control of the Young Liberals.

Mr Hawke later denied that his criticism extended to the state leader, John Brogden, a moderate who has previously supported injecting-room trials and lowering the homosexual age of consent.

Typical fascist...
Kiss up
Kick down

DIMIA = Defensive Inward - Minded Ideologue Assessors

2005-05-14T09:07:00.000+10:00

A former Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (DIEA), John Menadue, has added his voice to calls for a broader, public inquiry into the workings of the Department now known as DIMIA.

John Menadue says that Amanda Vanstone's department is badly led, inward looking, has a culture of suspicion and contains racist elements.

Speaking to ABC Radio National John Menadue says,

"Those [racist and suspicious] sorts of attitudes are everywhere in the Australian community. Unfortunately I don't think we've had good leadership on those issues in recent years where, under the name of border protection, outsiders have been subject to appalling treatment. So I think in many senses, the Department reflects the community generally, but they've been very badly served by the leadership that they've had."

[...]"the Department and the community gets the nod at the senior level of Government, from the Prime Minister in particular, that they can behave this way towards some of the most vulnerable people in the world – asylum seekers – it is not surprising that some people in the Department pick up that sort of view and believe that they've got to translate it into toughness in their own administration of the Migration Act."

"But when there are so many people to choose from, it is not surprising that if an Australian migration officer has to choose between and English-speaking engineer who's a refugee and a refugee who's a single woman who's been raped and she's illiterate, the latter will scarcely ever get a look in."

I first heard 'Fuck me less' when my sister came back from Papua New Guinea. Over there it is used by a powerless person towards a powerful person.

Fuck us less DIMIA!

Accented English

2005-05-10T11:33:00.000+10:00

Absolutely every one of my relatives speaks English with a noticeable accent.
My father jokes that after 50+ years here he still sounds "fresh-off-the-boat."

With the recent revelations of DIMIA policy and process, I tell my family that this is no laughing matter.

The mindset of DIMIA, and by extension Australian society, is clearly to begin from a starting point that anyone 'other' = 'illegal immigrant.'
There seems very little capacity in this government, or in the wider community to accept that accented English or non-anglo features, could begin from a point of Australian and then widen into diversity.

At my work, when anyone with an accent phones, I will be called because I am the only 'foreigner' who has family who speak English as a second, third, fourth or fifth language. Therefore, it will be clearly for me or understood by me.
It wouldn't occur to anyone that my grandmother is in fact an accomplished linguist who speaks two languages fluently and three others conversationally.
No, accented English in my little workplace corner of Australia is a deficit and
a difficulty to be quickly moved onto Suki the foreigner.

In DIMIA, with these new revelations we can see that similar thinking occurs. Foreign is difficult, send it away...

I am so sad and angry that after all this time my beautiful family, and many like us, are still made to feel other, inferior and unwelcome.

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Placing a woman central to her right not to be abused

2005-05-07T11:00:00.000+10:00

Late one night in the NSW parliament women gained protection from violence without losing their right to reproductive choice.

The Government refused to consider an amendment by Christian Democrat MP Fred Nile, and backed by most Coalition MPs, that would have redefined the fetus as "a child in utero".

The Government alleged that MPs with an anti-abortion agenda were trying to hijack the debate.

Thank you Carr and Co., you saw the agenda coming and gave it no life.

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Placing a woman central to her reproductive health choices.

2005-05-03T17:28:00.000+10:00

Most people want to reduce the number of abortions, but don't want to limit existing access to abortion on demand, according to a national survey conducted for the Southern Cross Bioethics Institute, published in The Australian yesterday.

"Significantly, an overwhelming 87 per cent of Australians endorse an approach that works to reduce the number of abortions without restricting access to the procedure."

This measure (if implemented) places women central to the issue whilst adding extra services. It builds on already existing services that are increasingly overstretched. Whilst I understand that the person is political, worker neutrality is possible. Currently such counseling exists where three options are discussed,

abortion
continuing with the pregnancy
adoption

With careful screening of additional service providers which assures worker and organisational neutrality, providing counseling, information and referral, then more resources would be welcome.

Liberal MP not so pro-choice

2005-04-30T07:09:00.000+10:00

Peter Slipper came out as anti-choice while attempting to defend proposed limits to the government's IVF program.

The Government is considering limiting Medicare funded in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to three cycles a year for women under the age of 42, and a total of three cycles in all for women over 42.

"Now, the Federal Government funds 100,000 abortions each year through the Medicare system, and we've got a range of views in the community on this, but I find it difficult to understand that there's an uncapped ability to kill unborn children, and yet on the other hand there seems to be this suggestion that in some way, shape or form the creation of life through the IVF program should be limited."
-Peter Slipper

Peter, you need to rethink the oxymoron that "killing unborn children" is.
While IVF and abortion both involve a Uterus and a woman, they are very separate health issues. Every woman has the right to control her reproductive health, whether that be uterus full or uterus empty.

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UNSW Student guild adopts this government's Bribe-a-voter technique for upcoming rally

2005-04-26T19:23:00.000+10:00

The Federal government is denouncing student groups who may receive a cash incentive for influencing a political outcome.

The Federal government is hypocritical in their comment regarding this. Last May, in the form of a new maternity payment, commonly known as the 'baby bonus' HoWARd and his government did exactly the same thing - cash incentive for influencing a political outcome.

A spokesman for the federal Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, said yesterday,

"The average, normal students whose compulsorily collected fees are paying for this sort of rent-a-crowd have probably had enough. This is a perfect example of how they continue to be forced to pay for activities that they may not need or want."

What if we were to change fees to taxes, and activities to children?

Just how dismissive would the good Doctor be if the UNSW Student guild was offering cash incentives to student groups who did not go to the rally?

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Bring Carpenters, hammers and nails

2005-04-24T14:24:00.000+10:00

HoWARd's decision to send 450 extra troops to Iraq is certainly unpopular, and not just with Australians.

Speaking days before today's scheduled arrival of new Australian troops in Iraq, Sheik Muhnad Al Garayi said Australian troops, such as the Americans and the British, were not welcome.
Sheik Muhnad Al Garayi was quoted as saying,

"We are a peaceful people, but if someone touches us, we will strike back, we will kill them if we have to."

"It is incomprehensible to us. I would like to ask the Australian people 'what is the reason for your troops to come over here?' We have our own police, our militia. We are from this moment looking at the Australians as occupying troops and the Australian people . . . as a victim of the American and British strategy. What is the difference between an American pulling the trigger to shoot someone and an Australian holding the body while the murder is done? It is all part of the same crime. To help the invader kill people in their own homes, in their own country, is criminal."

Luscious Lynn confronting Canberra with women's rights

2005-04-21T23:06:00.000+10:00

The Australian Democrats will respond with a Bill of their own supporting women's choice on abortions.

"I want to send a very strong message to Senator Boswell to say that he doesn't speak for the whole parliament. He doesn't speak for the women in the parliament."

"(He is) dictating to women and making them fearful about terminations and telling them they don't have the choices that I believe women expect and have had for some time in this country."
- Passionately stated by Democrats Senator Lyn Allison.

Deep and sincere respect and thanks to you Senator!

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Six words Senator: A Woman and her Healthcare professional.

2005-04-19T18:55:00.000+10:00

Senator Boswell is pleased to have facts. He has data that reveals that 91,000 terminations of pregnancy procedures were carried out in Australia in 2003/04. The data is misleading as all terminations come under the same Medicare number. The Senator states that,

"I think this is such a monumental decision in people's lives that they should have counselling."

Who is the Senator referring to when he says 'they'?

The woman and her husband?
The woman and her boyfriend?
The woman and her partner?
The woman and the progenitor? (in case it's not her husband, boyfriend or partner)
The woman and her mother?
The woman and her father?
The woman and her sister?
The woman and her brother?
The woman and her child/ren?
The woman and her employer?
The woman and her support person?
The woman and her support pet?
The woman and all of the above?

Counselling for all these people already exists. It is part of the healthcare professional's role to provide a woman with local support services (for both continuing with the pregnancy and terminating it). The woman can then take any or all of the above people/pets along to any or all the appointments she makes.

The decision to continue with a pregnancy or terminate it remains a private one. The woman will tell those she trusts. She will seek advice from the sage from within the trusted group. A call from a well-meaning, but unwanted Counsellor is not ok. The process and intent has the potential to create involuntary clients. Counsellors have little impact (and even less attendance rate) on such a cohort. Moreover, ramifications for non-compliance (a client hanging up, not wanting to come, missing a scheduled appointment, saying "fuck off", lying about who they are, feigning wrong numbers, saying "oh she's moved out" etc.), if in fact such a thing is built-in to Senator Boswell's grand plan the consequences for non-compliance are too scary to contemplate.

Senator Boswell you are raising poor, unnecessary, invasive potential-policy.
Yet again, not placing the woman and her reproductive rights central to the issue.

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HoWARd talking up war and breaking pre-election pledges in the tropics

2005-04-17T08:46:00.000+10:00

As HoWARd stands on a podium on the parade ground at Robertson barracks, protected by security guards wearing designer suits and talking into their lapels, he gives his usual pre-deployment brief...

Australian men and women doing brave acts
Australian men and women doing important jobs
Australian men and women keeping this country safe
Men and women of Australia proud of our Defence force
I, and the people of Australia wish you every success
We hold you in our thoughts and pray that you come home safely

The member's loved ones' hearts will swell and then very quickly ache.

Being a part of the coalition of the willing, for the reasons given for invading Iraq has been proved to be nonsense. Sending a further 450 troops is nonsense on stilts.

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Tony Abbott plagued by ineptitude and a lack of credibility

2005-04-16T10:18:00.000+10:00

Tony Abbott has displayed a flat affect since DNA was gathered that showed that he is not the father of his then girlfriend's child.
Looking at him I would postulate that his treating Doctor has prescribed benzodiazepines.

Martyrdom is not your forte Tony, frankly you are far too much a of an insufferable mendacious prick.

Whilst I'm sympathetic to the numbing effect of your obvious personal pain, I have no time for your performance as Health Minister. Park it or drive it.
Take sick leave Tony or better still resign.

Rude or real? Process or practical?

2005-04-14T17:45:00.000+10:00

On 12 April 05, Alexander Downer came in contact with the uncomplicated 2GB Sydney Radio host Ray Hadley on the issue of child safety.

RAY HADLEY: "How many children do you have, and would you be happy for your children to be going to the little star club at the Sheraton Nusa Dua, knowing a three-year-old contracted gonorrhea? Yes or no?"

ALEXANDER DOWNER: "If I was, if I was rude to you, I would say that that is a preposterous thing to say. Obviously..."

RAY HADLEY: "You're a pompous dope. That's what you are. You're a pompous dope."

ALEXANDER DOWNER: "Don't be so bloody rude."

RAY HADLEY: "No, I'll be more than rude to you. You're a disgraceful, you're a disgrace."

ALEXANDER DOWNER: "Nobody on earth would put their children, really, you're just so over the top."

RAY HADLEY: "No, I'm not over the top. You knew, you knew..."

ALEXANDER DOWNER: "I didn't know. I've told you that already. The police investigated the case, and they were unable to establish who in this hotel was responsible."

Parents are asking for informed choice.
We are told when toys are unsafe and can damage a child, why are we not told of unsafe child care, so unsafe that we call it sexual assault?
Sexual assault on anyone is horrific, on children even more so.

Ray Hadley, in a very blunt way was telling the Minister that he doesn't give a fuck about anything other than the even chance a parent has of keeping their child safe when they know of unsafe places to take their children.

Thanks go to the NSW Police Commissioner of Police for having this issue on the agenda and attempting to create structural change in our region.

Alexander Downer, dangerous, inappropriate, out-of-touch and told so!

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a Child to nurture

2005-04-11T19:11:00.000+10:00

Parents are amazing. I have five. This is the result of a mixture of death, divorce, remarriage and serial-monogamous-defacto-relationships.

I am very fortunate as all of my wonderful parents were and are amazing, brilliant, loving, healthy, (if somewhat eccentric) people.

Figures out today show that every 13 minutes, in Australia, a child is abused or neglected.
This is a short post as I have a very strong urge to nurture the girlchild.
I hope that 219,384 of my fellow Australians feel the urge to do the same.

Image from here

Let's bury John Paul II's misogyny with the world's largest requiem mass.

2005-04-08T20:14:00.000+10:00

Pope John Paul II is being buried today.

Let's bury with him the Catholic church's view on abortion, contraception and women's reproductive rights.
Found here, here, here, here and here.

"Abortion is the last bastion of papal misogyny and megalomania."

-Beatrix Campbell.

Image from here

When accused of erring on the wrong side of life, Jeb Bush stated that he wasn't in the room at the time.

2005-04-06T22:03:00.000+10:00

When Jeb's brother George W. Bush said,

"This [Terri Schiavo's death] is an extraordinary and sad case, and I believe that in a case such as this, the legislative branch, the executive branch, ought to err on the side of life."

Jeb was not paying attention or heard lice instead of life. Either way he is happy to support the 'Stand Your Ground Bill'.
This would give Florida citizens the right to shoot and kill anyone who threatens them in public. This Bill would allow members of the public to:

"Meet force with force, including deadly force and defend themselves without fear of prosecution."

Elsewhere, however, courts have until now ruled that victims must at least attempt to escape before using lethal force, a provision which gun advocates say puts victims at greater risk. The latest bill removes that requirement if there is a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm.

"If the public has the clear right to kill without any legal consequences, it will cause criminals to think twice."

Image from here

Pharmacology for non Liberals

2005-04-05T20:36:00.000+10:00

The girl-child was caught traveling on a train early last year without a current student ID. She explained to the train police that she is still a student, but hadn't been to the University for the 2004 year to renew her student card.
She was informed by said train police that they have to issue an infringement notice which involves a $200.00 fine. They advised her to write to her local MP.

She wrote to her local (Liberal) MP who advised that it has to go to another (Liberal) MP.

Today, a letter arrives advising the girl-child of the court date to hear this matter. Fuck, now we (girl-child and parental dyad) are meeting with the Liberal MP.

My question is what drugs should I take to survive being in the same room as a Liberal MP?

Anti-histamine?
Anti-nausea medication?
Analgesics?
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory?
Prokinetic agents?
Anti-fungal medication?
Lysergic acid diethylamide?
All of the above?

Image from here

US intelligence brimming over with wrongability

2005-04-02T18:14:00.000+10:00

The intelligence community in the United States, despite a large budget and mass-spying legislation that broadens federal powers while eroding an individual's constitutional rights, were "dead wrong" in most of their judgments about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction before the war.

The US presidential report goes on to say that the US knows "disturbingly little" about the threats posed by many of the nation's most dangerous adversaries.

"We conclude that the intelligence community was dead wrong in almost all of its pre-war judgments about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. We simply cannot afford failures of this magnitude."

"The report implicitly absolves the Bush administration of manipulating the intelligence used to launch the 2003 Iraq war, putting the blame for bad intelligence directly on the intelligence community."

"Across the board, the intelligence community knows disturbingly little about the nuclear programs of many of the worlds most dangerous actors. In some cases, it knows less now than it did five or 10 years ago."

That said, I am not convinced that George W. Bush, and by way of blood spatter convergence our very own HoWARd, is free from responsibility.

Any mid-level public servant will ask for supporting data for any claim that involves using government owned paperclips let alone funding a preemptive strike.

Image from here

Merriwa pharmacist pitches tent next to horny citizens outside Mayor's office.

2005-04-01T18:36:00.000+10:00

A pharmacist, in rural NSW was today surprised to find that all the good camping sites outside the Mayor's office had already been staked out by residents of the town of Merriwa.

News just in reports that people described as

"sex-obsessed, coquettish, flirty, libidinous, nymphomaniac, philandering, floozies, harlots, hookers, loose women, molls, painted women, party girls, scarlet women, sluts, streetwalkers, strumpets, tarts, tramps, trollops, and whores were seen frollicking in readiness for the arrival of the postie."

Bill, a local, commented on the scene by saying:

"I haven't seen so many happy people since the drought of '53 broke."

Image from here

Collusion in the coalition even deeper?

2005-03-30T22:29:00.000+10:00

Just how much shared behaviour is expected of members of the coalition of the willing?
Just how willing is this government (with HoWARd at the helm) prepared to be?

How much have we swallowed already?
What will happen with the Senate's findings?

Image from here

A long weekend in March; a perfect time to reflect upon life and non-life

2005-03-26T12:59:00.000+11:00

In the wake of the legality, the religion and the politics relating to who can decide what life means for you, or me, or Terri Schiavo, I have been moved to research a "living will."

"[In NSW] An advanced health care directive or "living will" is a written statement which contains information about the medical treatment which you desire. It comes into effect only when you are no longer able to make your own decisions. In NSW, advanced health care directives are not supported by legislation, unless they are part of the appointment of an enduring guardian. However, if a potential decision maker, such as a health care worker, guardian of the Guardianship Tribunal is aware of the existence of your advanced health care directive, it is likely to be influential when decisions about your health care are made. An advanced health care directive should be up to date and consistent with anything you have said to the decision maker previously.

If you do nothing about planning, as discussed above, the Guardianship Act will apply to you by identifying persons who are best able to make decisions on your behalf."

It was this observation made by the rude one that moved me to action...

"[...]compares Schiavo's situation to abortion, infantilizing her, taking away her voice completely. And there's the truth of the matter, no? Those who want Terri Schiavo to be forced to live need those miracles because it will be as if she has come full-term, like a fetus. It is paternalism, sexism, and degradation.
In the end, it is her husband who, with the agreement of every court that's heard the case, wants to give voice, give agency, to the adult."

Image from here

Independent Senator can't grasp determinism or Karma

2005-03-23T22:24:00.000+11:00

Determinism

"Senator Lees was ousted as leader of the Australian Democrats in 2001 partly for compromising with the Howard Government over the GST."

Karma

"Outgoing independent Senator Meg Lees"

The sooner that Meg Lees gets the hell out of politics the better.
Not smart enough by a long shot Meg, to not see this coming...

Image from here

Christian religions shout Hallelujah (for now)

2005-03-21T10:05:00.000+11:00

You can be reconsidered a worthy potential Australian if you convert to christianity.

Previously, the Immigration Department has viewed conversions to Christianity with suspicion. But yesterday a spokesman for the Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone, confirmed the only reason for reconsidering 30 cases of people currently in long term detention was their new religion.

"All these people had exhausted the [assessment and appeals] process and failed. Once you have exhausted the process and failed, you're over. You've had your go and that's it."

- Spokesman for the Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone.

Once Australian, are you free to find Haile Selassie, Guru Adrian, or the Seventh Day Advent Hoppists?

Or will it be structured like a fiance visa? If the conversion doesn't end in consummation within six months then out of Australia you go?

Update:
HoWARd denies religious bias, and a new immigration worker gets moved to media liaison...

Image from here

Can you make mine a soy latte...to go?

2005-03-20T18:12:00.000+11:00

When describing the conditions of Australia's 450 extra troops, Lieutenant Colonel Noble said:

"Inside [the compound] it's basic, but it's got the essential things that we need, an area to fix vehicles, it's got a gym, place for soldiers to sleep, it even has a coffee shop."

Shopping centres have gymnasiums and coffee shops Sir. War zones are dangerous, and no amount of frothy coffee can mask that.

The experience of war to those that go and those left behind is traumatic. War is the last resort and that is why we marched today.

We should never have been part of the Coalition of the Willing and that statement is as true today as it was two years ago.

Image credited to Ann Hermes

Who am I, and can you control me?

2005-03-19T10:27:00.000+11:00

Senator Abetz is proposing legislation that could potentially curb my political opinions and those of anybody having any.

One of the reasons that blogs and sites such as JOHN HOwarD LIES.COM are so popular is because voters that want to read a less sanitised media are naturally drawn to the world wide web.
Clamp down and I will just slide off - HoWARd lies style...
If asked I'll say:

"Suki Lombard was not my core identity"

Melbourne bloggers show Sydney grrrl a great time.

2005-03-18T15:26:00.001+11:00

As I sat at Spleen,
early,
giggling at the premise of meeting bloggers whose physical identity I did not know (except for Barista), I found myself smiling at everyone who made eye contact with me (or my bits) instead.

This turned out to be a very successful tactic as I met:

Nabakov
Blogger on the Cast Iron Balcony
Northcote Knob
Vincent
AFTER GROG BLOG
Gummo Trotsky who navigated the waters for Tugboat Potemkin
The GG (and The Lady Livia) There Aint no Sanity Clause
BARISTA
Kent and Amy who want to blog
boynton
Laputan Logic
Mallrat from Brave our Burbs

There was wine, yummy food, enthusiastic discussion and some bloggers who would have passed each other on the way to lectures, long before our online words would have us meet...

A fun night out was had by this Sydney grrrl.
Thank you to all that made it memorable.

Image from here

Filial-social bonding (with subtitles)

2005-03-12T08:40:00.003+11:00

Am immersing myself in hugs, kisses, culture, language, gossip and food as I spend time with family in Melbourne.
Most are in Australia at the moment so I'm taking the opportunity.

Oh my, how I love the food!

You'll know I'm coming back as you look in the southern sky and see a Boeing 737 listing to the left...

The difficulty in assessing a negative

2005-03-11T14:43:00.000+11:00

Community Development work has been steadily losing respect, popularity and funding from Governments and others in positions of power since the 1970's.

This is primarily because CD work by its very nature is hard to quantify. It can also be too political. We are now assessing everything we spend healthcare money on (and I'm all for due diligence). But how can we prove that putting support in place today and maintaining that support and building resilience and strength can help 23 people in 3 years from now? What of recurring biyearly funding applications that demand to see snapshots and outcomes?

Let's just use Autism Spectrum Disorder as an example. You are the carer of a 3 year old child who has been diagnosed with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder. You have an older child who is at school. Naturally you want your children to go to the same school. You make some enquiries and find that the Education department can support your child into mainstream education, but there is a two year waiting list to find and train the right support person for your child.
You hear about the local ASD support group which was started by the CD worker attached to your Community health centre and attend. You hear similar stories from other carers. You begin a letter writing campaign to your local MP. You hold stalls in the local community and raise money to buy paints and cardboard to write placards to take on the bus you hire to attend State parliament to agitate for recognition, funding and change...

CD work, not too popular with governments who prefer to keep like-minded people separate because to put them in one place creates the impetus for structural change and they can't be having any of that.

This new money will address the most acute cases and probably reduce completed suicide rates, however, I'm with Professor Hickie that this will do very little to improve the day to day lives of those that live in our community struggling with non-acute mental health issues.

Heading south

2005-03-10T16:23:00.000+11:00

I will be in Melbourne for a while this month.

Barista is organising a loose colony (in all senses of that phrase) of Melbourne bloggers and friends and I will be there.
We are to gather at Spleen, at the top end of Bourke St on the south side, next Tuesday, the 15th, from 6.30.

Please come if you can.

If you can plan your life ahead, leave a comment. And maybe put a note on your own blog.

Images from here

Wellness is a holistic notion

2005-03-09T11:05:00.000+11:00

Yesterday on International Women's day women celebrated. As with most hearty celebrations, the day after is rough.

If we assess data from the Women in Australia 2004 report released by Kay Patterson, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women's Issues, the current state of the mental health status of Australian women is of particular concern.

Older Australian women present with the highest rate of anxiety disorders with 16% of women 45-54 years of age reporting Agorophobia, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Social Phobia (page 172).

This data is also disturbing when we look at overall mental health figures for women. Women have higher rates (than men) of mental and behavioural problems (page 171).
These include Bipolar Affective Disorder, Depression, Dysthymia, Hypomania and Mania (page 173).

I wonder how much of a causal link can be drawn between mental health wellness and workforce participation.

With outcomes such as these The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act, introduced into Parliament on 22 September 1999, replacing the Affirmative Action Act 1986 gathers much dust under the Prime Minister and his Minister assisting.

I would advocate for more mental health initiatives starting with the tripling of Community health centre funding. CHS centres could offer stress relief massages, reading and blogging groups and other 'pampering' events.
Workplace counseling options could be expanded to include a monthly 'celebrating achievements' session. Mentoring programs, a real commitment to work-life balance...

"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."
-Arthur Schopenhauer

Honouring my International women

2005-03-08T09:55:00.000+11:00

International women’s day focuses my memory on the amazing women that have touched and shaped my life.

Friedricke and Elise, both of you in different ways, taught me about unconditional love, discipline and inner strength.
Else you gave me permission to play and redefined being female.
Gertrude, my, so complex and sad, you forced me to learn patience and helped me understand "Blessed are the cracked for they let in the light."
Mrs. Woods you proved that a woman can have both - profound beauty and profound intellect, Karin you reconfirmed that.
Anna you redefined mothering and gave us all permission to do the same.

My greatest homage is to the women that I never met that mothered my mother's mother's mother…
I thank you.

Can I have this version of work-life balance too, please?

2005-03-07T11:36:00.000+11:00

Mr. Downer, I too am a public servant.
I also have my leave cut short when my country needs me. Can I work from my hotel room for a week while I attend to my tan in Cairns? Whilst it won't improve my driving skills it does raise the aesthetics in the environment.

I promise I will look at everything that is delivered by courier to me.
I will leave the security, logistics and cost of it all up to my Boss, but I am available from 8 pm until 10 pm every evening.

Yours Sincerely,
Suki Lombard
Australian Public Servant

Lê, Bolt and Schubert

2005-03-06T09:48:00.000+11:00

On our ABC's Insiders program this morning Andrew Bolt and Marion Lê discussed Asylum seekers returning to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Bolt postulated that Afghanistan and Iraq are now liberated and hasn't this country [Australia] with help, by these acts of liberation helped more refugees than any other action has?

Well, when Lê did not agree and stated that in relation to Afghanistan, outside of Kabul, there is lawlessness, Bolt talked over her saying that is not what Misha Schubert said. Schubert had to wait until the end of the show to correct Bolt and chide him for verballing her. Bolt remained petulant and refused to acknowledge either of these women's expertise.

Bolt, it is for men like you that Dale Spender published Man Made Language in 1980.

Read it, before you get anywhere near an intelligent, dissenting woman again!

NZ's UN Ambassador upholds Australia's credibility with the world's women (and men)

2005-03-05T13:31:00.000+11:00

Despite US lobbying, public support for Washington's initial abortion stance was limited to the Vatican delegate.

Is anyone surprised by this outcome when the US delegate offered the rest of the world this,

"We have stated clearly and on many occasions ... that we do not recognise abortion as a method of family planning, nor do we support abortion in our reproductive health assistance."

or this,

"US policy on AIDS prevention for adolescents: We emphasise the value of the ABC - abstinence, be faithful, and correct and consistent condom use where appropriate - approach in comprehensive strategies to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and the promotion of abstinence as the healthiest and most responsible choice for adolescents."

We here in the Pacific region thankfully don't subscribe to the US model. New Zealand's UN ambassador Don Mackay, speaking for his country, Canada and Australia, had this to say,

"The text of Beijing is unequivocally clear. We should not spend hours splitting hairs over phrases that mean the same thing."

Thank you New Zealand for Australia's use of Don Mackay.

Image from here

Feeling less squeamish

2005-03-04T12:52:00.000+11:00

Family First make this government all, but lactate.
It is widely believed that this fledgling political force is a party aspiring to become a permanent third force in Australian politics.

In a meeting with Mr HoWARd, Family First chairman Peter Harris and Victorian senator-elect Steve Fielding pressed for Government concessions on a lengthy list of issues. One such issue, raised by Peter Harris could mean pressure to end (or put a time limit on) the current policy of indefinite detention,

"Stealing someone's life by keeping them in detention for many many years is something that is not acceptable any longer, so we've lobbied the Government on that basis and they are very receptive to that issue."

This leaves me feeling slightly better about the new Senate.

More good quality Perspective

2005-03-03T21:15:00.000+11:00

Most of my family learnt English by listening to the Radio. ABC radio was consistently the choice of English learners in our neighbourhood.

Once again, ABC radio, via Radio National teaches me language.
Tonight Julian Burnside edified the airwaves.
These were my favourite of many fine words,

"Tact is kind; diplomacy is useful; euphemism is harmless and sometimes entertaining. By contrast, doublespeak is dishonest and dangerous.
[...]
Doublespeak uses language to smuggle uncomfortable ideas into comfortable minds."

"Mama, I hope my Uni doesn't fall over..."

2005-03-02T10:21:00.001+11:00

Yesterday the girl-child went back to Uni for the final year of her Degree.
I like to chat to her and compare my Uni experience with hers.

She displayed disappointment at the changes she has observed in the 3 years she's been at Uni. These include, student union services diminishing, access to lecturers and their individual time diminishing, number of student to tutor ratio increasing (if tutorials are offered at all), and overall student numbers diminishing, she describes it as...sad,

"It's sad mama, there are no places left to meet up. We don't stay at Uni any longer than is necessary 'cos the parking is just too expensive (public transport from here to there would take 2.5 hours one way.) No one seems to care anymore. All my lecturers seem so defeated and it's rubbing off on us. I hope my Uni doesn't fall over."

She tells me that only 25 percent of people she began the course with are still attempting to complete it.

What are we allowing this government to do to our tertiary education? Or should the question be "What are we allowing this government to not do for our tertiary education?"

As described by the girl-child, the 2005 University experience has lost much of what was delicious about being at Uni. The endless debates and discussions after, before and during seminars. The cross pollination of disciplines as you inadvertently sat with a group of anthropology students and were delighted by what you found. What fun to know if, after listening, you were more a multi-modal or out-of-Africa type of person...

Ok, I am a romantic and I accept that not everyone wants the same Uni experience, but is the best we can do now a form of 'assembly-line' learning?

An inclusive society

2005-03-01T23:56:00.000+11:00

Today I have my optimistic pants on and choose to believe that this government is not creating a compliance regime for people who are currently on Disability Support Pensions. 700,000 DSP recipients. There's enough for one for every medium-sized business in NSW.

My workplace could apply and become all manner of disabled person friendly.

We could look forward to learning the basics of sign language, understanding the finer points of recharging the battery of a wheelchair, carers coming and going, sharing the refrigerator with tiger balm, voltaren and poultices, colleagues on flexible work hours and working from home regimes, and of course, all those water dishes for all those support pets, companion animals and guide dogs...

Pleeaase Boss, pleeeaaaaaase can we get a disabled person?

This is what happens in a war. This is why war should be a last resort.

2005-02-28T10:44:00.000+11:00

This story highlights one of the reasons why the Invasion of Iraq was, and is, still wrong. This is why war should be used as a last resort. This is why all peaceful options are exhausted before there is a use of force.

War. Soldiers shoot at people. People get shot at.

The woman who was shot in the head by Australian Soldiers and her/a child who was wounded by the broken (presumably) windscreen is in an American military hospital in Baghdad's Green Zone, where she is in a serious condition.

The whole incident is part of war. We are in a war in Iraq. Women, children, soldiers will get hurt, many will die. Some are co-lateral damage some are not.
Most will suffer from psychological trauma.

Mind, HoWARd is cool with this. He is sending 450 more troops into this war and highlighting the legitimate, war-like, dangerous aspect of this Invasion is useful to him. The heat is rising on the question of economic benefit to Australia for this increase in troops and HoWARd does not like answering questions about his lies.

Reduce the PTSD now.
Bring them home.

Charles' woes

2005-02-27T11:25:00.000+11:00

Australian women are the most opposed group to Charles eventually becoming King.

He comes woefully short of meeting any fantasy of what it means to be of royal stock. His lifestyle choices could come straight out of a Jerry Springer show - "He wants to be a tampon so he can live in your birth canal". The only thing separating Charles of Buckingham Palace from Chuck of Dryknob Missouri, is access to better dental care.

We want our future royals to be refined. They are supposed to be well mannered and restrained. These two scrubbers come across as tawdry, gaudy white trash.

Now for the alternatives. Harry, sadly is just a silly boy.
William. First born. Parentage assured. Tall. Handsome. Compassionate.
William will be accepted as our dashing, regal King.
He engages with his peers. He is certainly more favoured by the girl-child's generation than his father or grand-mother are.

This is of course if we even want a Royal Family.

HoWARd happy to cut and run on seriously injured soldiers

2005-02-26T17:54:00.000+11:00

As Australia prepares to send more troops to Iraq, tens of thousands of military personnel injured in recent years stand to lose their rights to lump sum compensation.

The Government is changing the definition of "impairment" in a way that could deny lump sum payouts to people with serious back or limb injuries. The compensation overhaul will also affect thousands of other Commonwealth employees.

I do hope we don't follow the US with our number of wounded.
Shame HoWARd Shame.

Carers do it tough under Coalition-of-the-Willing HoWARd

2005-02-25T22:08:00.000+11:00

“Creating Choice: Employment and the cost of caring”, launched by the Taskforce on Care Costs (TOCC) on 24 February 2005 in Sydney, calls on the Government to improve financial support for carers to give them real choice about working and caring, and thus improve flow on effects for business and the national economy.

The report shows more than one in four workers with caring responsibilities have already reduced their working hours due to the high cost of care, and 25 per cent have considered leaving the workforce altogether. Juliet Bourke, Chair of TOCC said

“Forcing people to chose between work and care is not good for workers, their dependents, business or the national economy”.

The report observed that the Government has identified increasing levels of workforce participation as a key strategy for Australia’s future economic prosperity. Bourke said:

“Enabling carers to work to their optimal level will help achieve the Government’s objective of increasing workforce participation. It will increase taxation contributions, reduce government outlays and minimise skill wastage. This is a win-win situation”.

The report observed that the Government’s current financial support for workers with caring responsibilities is minimal, behind international best practice and narrowly focused (ie primarily on young children). TOCC’s survey found that a focus on children neglects the 20% of workers who care for elders and people with a disability. Bourke said

“We encourage the Government to be proactive about supporting workers with caring responsibilities.”

TOCC recommends that the Government:

1. Immediately draft legislation (for consultation) to implement its promised 30% rebate for care costs;
2. Extend the child-care rebate to cover elder and disability care costs;
3. Extend the 30% rebate to a more meaningful level (ie closer to a dollar for dollar rebate) and remove the proposed $4000 cap; 4. Introduce reforms to assist the cost of care in combination with a strategy to improve the accessibility and quality of care;
5. By June 2006 release a public report identifying the steps it has taken to implement the Taskforce’s recommendations.

I hope that HoWARd et al considers this data as he pushes through industrial relations reform with his compliant Senate.

What will be said of this dissenting voice? Dementia? PTSD? No recent battle experience?

2005-02-24T18:01:00.000+11:00

HoWARd would do well to heed and consider the voice of a former soldier who is drawing a comparison between Iraq and Vietnam.
Talking to commercial radio Major General Stretton said,

"Australia should not have been involved in Iraq in the first place as there were no weapons of mass destruction and no links with al-Qaeda. The whole lot of it has turned into a bloody civil war. All we are doing is reinforcing disaster. I just cannot understand it."

"You would have noticed the prime minister use a new word ... tilting. That is the same as the graduated response in Vietnam. In other words you just put a bit more in to stop it tilting the wrong way. It will end up exactly the same way. The whole thing is flawed strategy."

"This talk about fighting for democracy, that is absolute, to use a phrase, bullshit."

HoWARd had this to say in response to the Major General's comments,

"I don't think it is at all likely that we will send any more people but I am not going to get into this business of giving absolute guarantees and having everything I say on that analysed in the future."

Too late Johnny, we're onto you and we're counting your lies.

Dana wrong message wrong fax number

2005-02-24T11:19:00.000+11:00

Dana Vale calls it a tragedy that there is a lack of counseling after an abortion. She believes this is causing untreated depression. Therefore she is asking for an inquiry into abortions.

The more useful option, one which would address a greater tragedy, would be to ask for an inquiry into the paucity of Community Health Centres, their services and their staffing capability. Specifically the paucity of qualified Psychologists, Social Workers and other trained Counselors/Therapists.

If this was done we would find a myriad of underlying issues that contribute to depression and allocate millions of dollars for qualified Practitioners to treat widespread mental health issues.

Referral options in the form of a post-abortion information pack are made. They are also discussed with the post-abortion support person.
Just try and get a Community Health Centre appointment with any Counselor in under 8 weeks!
That is if they can recruit and retain qualified staff.

Image from here

When I grow up I want to be Dr. Louise Newman

2005-02-23T19:47:00.000+11:00

On my lengthy journey home from work every night I listen to Radio National. Tonight in perspective (just before the the six o'clock news) Dr. Louise Newman worked her lucid, insistent, just, logical, qualified, compassionate magic!

Thank you Louise.

HoWARd at the suggestion of Tony and Junichiro, changes the social landscape of Darwin, Australia.

2005-02-22T18:26:00.000+11:00

We are still in a war in Iraq.
Now HoWARd is sending more of our military because, well, Tony and Junichiro asked him.

In defense of his decision, HoWARd said:

"Al Muthanna was one of the safer parts of Iraq and was far less dangerous than areas around Baghdad and further north. It's remained relatively benign, it's a lot better and this is a much safer part of Iraq than the Sunni triangle."

"The government believes that Iraq is very much at a tilting point and it's very important that the opportunity of democracy, not only in Iraq, but also in other parts of the Middle East, be seized and consolidated."

"This has not been, is not and will not be an easy decision for the Government. I know it will be unpopular with many. I ask those people to take into account the reasons that I have given. I believe this is the right decision. It will make a significant contribution to the coalition effort."

"Self-evidently we would have liked the major combat to have gone differently ... [but] coalition withdrawal or defeat is unimaginable. The coalition must stay in Iraq if the country is to make a successful transition to democracy."

Kim, Andrew and Bob are not supportive of this latest commitment of 450 extra military personnel and
neither am I.

A snapshot of reality

2005-02-22T05:55:00.000+11:00

A Single Parent's August to do list.

Dust off resume
Find jobnetwork member
Make appointment
Research childcare options
Research more childcare options
Place name on waiting list
Call 131 500 to find out how to get to jobnetwork and childcare places
Do budget of money in and money out
Do sums again (this can't be right)
Make a plan for what to do if I'm sick or kids are sick
Count money again! (this can't be right)
Call Child Support Agency asking if child support can be increased
Call Centrelink. Make appointment with a Social Worker
Call mum and ask for a loan
Take savings and try to win money on the pokies
Work against feelings of isolation and resentment
Think about having another baby

Being a single parent is in and of itself very hard work.
Start up a conversation with the next one you see and ask them.
Thing is they don't get out much.

"Get familiar with Cannibalism" - Hunter S. Thompson dead at 67.

2005-02-22T04:09:00.000+11:00

Unlike the rude pundit I never met Hunter S. Thompson.
But I read him.
I shared his rage and through his words felt connected to a saner analysis of the world. Particularly the world of men, power and politics.

In October 2004, writing for Rolling Stone magazine he had this to say:

"Your neighbor's grandchildren will be fighting this stupid, greed-crazed Bush-family "war" against the whole Islamic world for the rest of their lives, if John Kerry is not elected to be the new President of the United States in November.
The question this year is not whether President Bush is acting more and more like the head of a fascist government but if the American people want it that way. That is what this election is all about. We are down to nut-cutting time, and millions of people are angry. They want a Regime Change."

I miss him already.

Ever had to do too much overtime because management can't manage time? This is what goes through my mind...

2005-02-20T11:13:00.000+11:00

I'd rather be blogging.
I'd rather be drinking coffee.
I have an urge to curse.
My favourite swearword is turd with unflushable in front of it.

Australians are different

2005-02-19T08:23:00.000+11:00

Prime Minister HoWARd wants us to believe that when Australians are in a war zone and they are involved with prisoners they only interview them. Others do the interrogating, not Australians.

Canberra scientist Rod Barton told the ABC Four Corners program he took part in an interrogation.

David Kay, a former head of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG), said there was no difference between an interrogation and an interview. Mr Kay, who led the search for Saddam Hussein's (non-existent) weapons of mass destruction, said Australians were involved in the questioning of prisoners.

Kevin Rudd weighs in demanding answers,

"So I've got to say after a few days in Parliament we've got a prime minister saying 'no, none of this happened', but we have Mr Barton, (a) respected official who even the prime minister refused to get stuck into in Parliament yesterday, saying exactly the reverse,"
"The key thing here ... is simply whether Mr Howard is telling the truth to the Australian people."

Joe Hockey defends his leader,

"This is a semantic debate about what is an interrogation and what is an interview. The fundamental point is: were Australians there whilst Iraqis were allegedly being tortured? The answer is 'no'."

in·ter·ro·gate
Pronunciation: in-'ter-&-"gAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -gat·ed; -gat·ing Etymology: Latin interrogatus, past participle of interrogare, from inter- + rogare to ask
1 : to question formally and systematically
2 : to give or send out a signal to (as a transponder) for triggering an appropriate response

in·ter·view
Pronunciation: 'in-t&r-"vyü
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French entrevue, from (s') entrevoir to see one another, meet, from entre- inter- + voir to see
1 : a formal consultation usually to evaluate qualifications (as of a prospective student or employee)
2 a : a meeting at which information is obtained (as by a reporter, television commentator, or pollster) from a person b : a report or reproduction of information so obtained

Two thoughts John HoWARd.
Is the Australian Military poorly trained for the invasion of Iraq and can't manage a decent interrogation?
Or, is the Australian Military prepared to do all things military except interrogation/interview.

Curious HoWARd, because under the Geneva convention, interrogation is allowed.

Interrogation: While POWs the detaining power may interrogate them, POWs are only required to provide their surname, first names, rank, date of birth, and their army, regimental, personal or serial number under questioning. POWs, cannot be punished if they do not, but are not required to provide any additional information. "No physical or mental torture, nor any other form of coercion, may be inflicted on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind whatever. Prisoners of war who refuse to answer may not be threatened, insulted, or exposed to any unpleasant or disadvantageous treatment of any kind." (Third Geneva, Art. 17).

John HoWARd, you have sent the Australian Military into an invasion of Iraq. We, as Australians are not naive. Stop sanitising war. Stop telling us Australians are different.
Stop patronising us, and them, and bring them home.

Minister of Defence says he wasn't in the room at the time, then asks for a glass of water...

2005-02-16T06:56:00.000+11:00

When Australia joined the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, HoWARd said he was very conscious of the dangers for the civilian population. Almost two years later, a parliamentary committee has exposed that no one in the Australian Government knows how many Iraqis have died.

The Office of National Assessments' (ONA) Director-General Peter Varghese has told Senator Faulkner he too doesn't have any reliable (or unreliable) figures on civilian deaths in Iraq.

Questioning Robert Hill the Minister of Defence, John Faulkner asks: "What attempts has the Australian Government made to try and ascertain what these figures might be?"

Robert Hill answers: "Well, we've accepted that it's not possible at this time to produce an accurate figure on civilian casualties."

JF: "So, the committee is to take that as no attempts have been made, none whatsoever - zero, blotto, nothing."

RH: "Well I don't think there is reporting mechanism."

JF: "Obviously not."

RH: "That's what we've been trying to tell you, because I don't believe the Americans know and the implication of the briefing I received was to that effect."

If we suspend disbelief and accept that the invasion of Iraq is actually Operation Iraqi Freedom then the rhetoric of March 2003 still holds. Read a few more News Transcripts from our allies Minister.

Iraqis are human and value life. They mourn when life ends. Children die and families and communities are left shattered.

Count them Minister.
They matter.

This movie should be viewed by Tony, Ron & George. Take along HoWARd and leave him in his beloved 1950's.

2005-02-13T12:23:00.000+11:00

Vera Drake is a portrait of a selfless woman who is totally dedicated to her loving working class family. Vera has a secret side, though. Unbeknownst to family and friends, she visits women and helps them to induce miscarriages for their unwanted pregnancies, a practice that is illegal in 1950's England. While Vera believes she is simply helping women in need of assistance, the dichotomy of her idyllic home life and her illegal activities make for a fascinating study.

Referees do it for the sex and voyeurism

2005-02-12T19:47:00.000+11:00

Referees are the latest group of men who gather in groups, near pubs, away from their homes and break rules regarding sex and women.

"When these guys aren't in the top flight and they're probably getting a can of Coke and a Mars Bar for their effort, of course it will discourage people from becoming a referee," - Players' Association president Tony Butterfield said.

Having read this piece it seems that referees aren't interested in their profession and only participate in refereeing for the chance to have sex, photograph sex or watch other men have sex with women.

"The big quest is to find the fattest or the ugliest woman, dance with her and see if you can get her back to your room," one referee told the Herald yesterday. "It is a boy thing. It is a laugh."

No, it's not a boy thing and it's not a laugh.
It is cruel and abusive and it can be defined as having an Antisocial Personality Disorder, displaying psychopathy or sociopathy.

A reverse fairytale where the mistress takes all...

2005-02-11T18:41:00.000+11:00

In my youth I completed an Apprenticeship as a Florist. It's a Trade in Victoria, with all the usual low wages, poor conditions, long hours, indenture, and exploitation. The first year weekly wage was $72.50 (after tax).

Even with all this, I loved being an apprentice Florist and no days more than Saturdays when all the freshly-proposed-to would come into the little 'Weddings a specialty' flower shop with either their bossy mother or their bossy maid-of-honour to order wedding flowers.

Their rings would sparkle almost as much as they did, with what I thought was the true love of it all. Even then my nascent cynicism was evident as after an hour of discussing the relative benefits of a Cascade bouquet with Stephanotis or Frangipani I would think

"Shit make a decision! It's just a wedding bouquet."

Then, usually at about six weeks before the wedding the mother or maid-of-honour would come in upset saying that it was just so sad the wedding is off, and can we refund the deposit on the flowers?

Older and more cynical, with one of my brothers married for 26 days, I see weddings differently. Now I see them as,

validation of your union before your god
a rite-of-passage that most women feel measures their 'success' in society
a community sanctioned structure to raise children with everyone having the ease of the same surname

I once created a huge wedding bouquet for a girlfriend who before her 36th birthday believed that she was too old to marry. Because this made her sad, we as her friends organised a wedding-day-themed-dress-up 36th birthday party to cheer her up.

I'm not anti-love, and I'm not anti-let's-give-it-a-go, but I am anti-dishonesty and Charles and Camilla have been profoundly mendacious. Unconditional, reciprocal love is so fundamental to a person's wellness that it is not unreasonable to expect it from those you marry, as Princess Diana did.

"Bring him a virgin and make sure she's fertile..."

...was what was overheard as Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother discussed Charles' future.

I'm not sure if I applaud Camilla and Charles for their love-above-all-antics or they make me wretch as I remember the emotional abuse story that Charles' previous wife told of living in a relationship with he-who-will-be-King and the 'other woman'.

They will not be married in a church and I doubt either of them will be wearing white.

Either way I want to stay far, far, away from them both and I hope it doesn't turn out to be a shotgun wedding...eek.

More liberal dissent, I'm hoping for an epidemic!

2005-02-09T18:19:00.000+11:00

Petro Georgiou has called for a complete reassessment of the immigration system, specifically the way Australia treats Asylum seekers on people who hold TPV's.

This is what Petro had to say,

"I believe in brief, that we need to release asylum seekers in detention, of whom there are only a couple of hundred, and who have passed health and security checks, into the community until their applications are processed. And I believe that thousands of genuine refugees, who have temporary protection visas, should be given permanent residence in a one-off amnesty."

Amanda Vanstone had something to say,

"Oh look, it's a measure of the Liberal Party. People are entitled to have different views. We have people with different views. There are different views in the community. Hello? This is a free country. You're entitled to a different view. I'm not going to lie on the floor and die like Louis the Fly because someone's got a different view."

Kim Landers, Reporter:

"But you outright reject his call?"

Amanda Vanstone:

"Yeah."

Now the image of our Amanda buzzzzzing around like a fly just has me running for the Mortein, however, because she came out on the side of pro-choice in the abortion debate I will blink on behalf of enemy and give the enemy a chance to retreat.

Amanda, take note of the humanity in Petro's request, and understand that his is a widely held position and dismiss it out-of-hand at your peril.

Queenslanders, liberal, Women, Goddesses!

2005-02-08T19:43:00.000+11:00

I know these women are currently on the wrong side of my usual Politics, but I am so impressed at their stand that I am making them honorary Labor party-ites/Democrats, and alumni of Emily's list.

Powerful gender representation was, and always will be so important.

Pro-choice women from all around Australia thank you liberal women of Queensland.

Back to the 1950's for you Suki...

2005-02-06T18:38:00.000+11:00

It seems I have been identified as a suspected uppity woman.
What is that van outside my house doing?