State of the Australian Nation 04/11/2014 Media is unreliable at best - dominated by Newscorp and Fairfax, agendas drive reporting, opinion passes off as fact, changing business model pushing less robustness in fact checking. Sadly, this is how most of the Australian population keep informed, particularly when it comes to how our local, state and federal reps are working for us (or not), transparency (or not), oh - and which horse/football team will win (& why our cricket team is so bad). Turning to the internet - truth, spin, lies - even more prevalent so what are we to believe? Political landscape. Dominated still by three major parties (Liberal/National and Labor) who continually put up their own interests before those of the nation. Libs are in the pocket of business which we all know is largely corrupt as its aim is to make profit - the end, Labor in the pocket of the Unions which we know are largely corrupt as the power-brokers are corrput (sad when unions are supposed to be there for the workersrights). Nationals tow the line of the Liberals so they have power but are so in-effectual in driving policy that they are used as numbers by their big brother/sister. Then there are the Greens - they stood for more than just environment and there was a time they could argue the case where it wasnt all or nothing but put forward possibilities that would not see massive job losses while ensuring the future of our environment. Now, apart from one or two they are a shadow. The minor parties - PUP - a very rich egomaniac who has had some major wins for his own businesses (scrapping carbon tax and getting providers to pass on savings to consumers - a double whammy win for his mining businesses), offended China because of his own court case, a crazed Hanson/Palin esque MP who is......um......Ill leave it to you to judge her. Independents and other minors have one or two clear policies but then its a bit hit and miss what weve got. Leadership Our leaders have created a sense of fear - from when they were in opposition to government nothing has changed and our leaders are the ones that should be reassuring us. Budget emergency, terrorist alert, join team Australia, we need to monitor everyone, you have the right to be a biggot, the boat people will over-run us and we need to turn them back. Complicit in this is Labor - Asylum seeker policy is appalling - we cant even get independent reviews done of claims of abuse, torture, rape but leave it up to the contracted organisations. Of course we know the outcome of that. Yet Labor join in the chorus of the policy of turn back the boats, with only slight nuances so they can supposedly put forward a point of difference. How much more devisive could the Govt have made the terrorism issue - ill-chosen words and approaches have made negative generalisations about all & now we have racism & xenophobia running rife as if it has been given a right, Care for our people Our leaders have turned their back on scientific evidence on the environment and instead paying money direct to polluters in an unclear way. Our natural assets are being subjected to unprecedented risk - see barrier reef, tassie forests. Budget slugs hitting the lower-middle income earners hard while the blue-bloods suffer a mere mossie-bite. Economy Both parties continually put together reviews using OUR money then pick and choose, water down etc - Henry review - well done Labor - bugger all of the hard decisions of reform taken while spending bucketloads (some warranted some not). Libs - Well done Johnny H - our economy was going well but structural reform was required yet you handed back loads of tax. Well done Tony, Joe & Matthias - scare the shit out of the markets and the people then put together a hodge podge budget that neither reformed nor was really in the interest of the nation, particularly the average joe/josephine. Then turn around, regulate for one year on fuel excise which will hurt regionals and working class most (Nationals - are you saying much????) AND if it doesnt pass in a year as legislation will then have to be handed back to the fuel companies - WTF? Where are the reformists? Whitlam was pilloried but put in some very long lasting reforms as did Keating. Howard/Costello did well for the first 2 terms on economic reforms. Abbott & Co - nothing except fear and loathing (domestically and internationally). I feel really bad about where we as a nation are: The most vulnerable in society are getting left further behind with increasing cost of living, cuts to services etc Our sense of pride in being a reasonable nation and responsible international citizen are diminishing rapidly Corruption is rife in our political system Our media is appalling and until we demand better by not buying into it, it will remain so There is no vision for our country from our leaders, nor is there consistent policies by which to judge them - economic reform v social reform seems to have disappeared to be replaced by moving to each others side to negate any potential electoral issues. Once free citizens are now under surveillance and transparency are fast diminishing - democracy is disappearing and police state around the corner. Watch out Australia - Act now and tell the powers that be we deserve better. Put the ALL on notice.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 01:22:12 +0000
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