I’m a troublemaker sometimes
What I’m pondering for this Saturday’s state election is who am I going to put last? It’s not like a Federal byelection, when every man and his dog decides to run. No, in my district there isn’t a huge assortment of weird and wacky parties, nor are there any independents. All you’ve got are ALP ... [More]
The streets were closed to traffic, the barricades went up. Yes, the Bentleigh festival was on again. But 15km away from the sausage sizzles, roaming families, showbags and Humphrey B Bear, some streets in central Melbourne were blocked-off for the third day, for the G20 meeting. Hearing about the violence in Collins Street on Saturday, ... [More]
Rosa Lee Long, Queensland’s only sitting One Nation MP, was returned in her seat of Tablelands in the Queensland state election on Saturday. I only mention this because she’s actually a distant (non-blood) relative of mine. On the Chinese side of my family there are a mass of Lee Long family members, and I understand ... [More]
The Howard government is doing it again. It’s just like the republic debate all over again. Back then it was not Do you want a republic, it was Do you want a republic with a Prez replacing Her Maj and the GG, appointed by a two-thirds majority of parliament. This time the energy inquiry being ... [More]
My bloody car is still playing up, despite a service the other week that included an astronomically expensive ultrasound on the fuel injection! Given that that was prompted by reporting the same fault it’s still suffering, what are my statutory rights here? Anyway it’s been at the service place since last night (so they can ... [More]
According to a sticker left on the glass partition of a now dis-used office at work, “Mountain cattlemen care for the high country.” The other week I was chatting to a friend about the issue of the Victorian Government banning livestock grazing from the Alpine National Park. Apparently the image of the mountain cattlemen — ... [More]
Goodnight and Good Luck — A dramatised version of the campaign against Joe McCarthy by 50’s CBS programme See It Now, but with so many modern parallels in today’s climate of terrorism, fundamentalism, secrecy and censorship. Beautifully shot, and compelling. My eyes didn’t waver from the screen for the full 90 minutes. On a couple ... [More]
I look down my street, and wonder how this exists elsewhere in my country: (From The Age: ‘Chicken coop’ village fights to shed despair) Successive governments have let things get this bad. Please Mr Costello, don’t give me a tax cut, use the money to fix this and other problems of poverty in our society.
From MX, Melbourne’s free afternoon commuter newspaper, 19/10/2005 page 1: Trains in an instant Inga Gilchrist Trains would run every 10 minutes during peak hour on all lines under a radical plan to boost Melbourne’s public transport. The Public Transport Users Association today called for a massive lift in train frequency to ease overcrowding in ... [More]
Imagine this: you’re a councillor for a metropolitan local council. On your patch is an outspoken community advocate, who is something of a thorn in your side. What could you do to shut him up? How about register the organisation name he’s been using for months as a business name yourself? Some wacky fantasy, eh? ... [More]
Well, there’s one bloke I shouldn’t expect a Christmas card from this year… Maybe that came over as being a bit harsh, but it was an attempt to subvert what was essentially a fluffy publicity piece and provide a view of how well his ministry is actually performing. Most people, including those who don’t use ... [More]
Right now, innocence is being taken by faceless government bureaucrats. The Age: Back at school after being illegally detained Immigration officers arrived unannounced at Stanmore Public School in March and removed Ian Hwang, then 11, and his six-year-old Australian-born sister Janey, after their Korean mother was arrested arriving at Sydney Airport with a false passport. ... [More]
On William Street, some Jeep promotional girls (amusingly the Jeeps all had P plates) gave me a brochure for the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. I can’t think of anything I am less likely to buy. There are few less efficient ways of getting around the place than in a hulking great juggernaut like that. Meanwhile, ... [More]
The Essential Services Commission draft decision on power prices wants price cuts to electricity. Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? Provide more concessions to those on low incomes, sure, but across the board price cuts? How is that meant to encourage people to use less power? Remember, the bulk ... [More]
Review: The End of Suburbia. I saw this at a PTUA screening to about 60 people a week or two ago. A fascinating film about the consequences of the forthcoming shortages of oil and natural gas. The film is North American-centric (as you can tell from the subtitle “Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the ... [More]
If you were listening to the radio on Tuesday afternoon after the state budget was announced, you may have noticed that it wasn’t me doing the media for PTUA… I’ve bowed out as my real work is getting too busy to be able to do media effectively. Chris did the budget comment, and did a ... [More]