Category Archives: governance

Anything to do with how we do things – and the random opinion piece

urban ecology

climate change, equity, green infrastructure, health & well being, sustainability, , , ,

urban ecology

re-posted article: What are the social justice implications of urban ecology, and how can we make sure that “green cities” are not synonymous with “gentrified” or “exclusive” cities?

Here is Australia there is a lot of talk amongst city planners and such that there is a need for green cities, sustainable cities and lots more simplistic terms. It is very hard indeed to find amongst the rhetoric any realistic commitment to urban ecology.

The need to base all urban developments against a measure based around preserving and enhancing the soil, the ecology and the green infrastructure remains an optimistic wish for those interested in the survival of the planet. Current approaches to urban design and planning are still very much ‘business as usual’ with market forces, meaning the quick dollar, as the drivers and measures applied.

Continue reading urban ecology →

Canberra and climate change

carbon, climate change, governance, sustainability, ,

The city of Canberra and climate change

Re-posted from the Canberra Times

There are times here in the City of Canberra when one despairs at the actions of the planning authority in its spin about how it goes about the planning, design and redevelopment of Canberra’s suburbs. In short: It is shocking!

The authority uses all sorts of green wash in its spin. The planners within the authority still favour the so called market forces to translate their lose planning requirements to deliver what the local developers consider as adequate for residents. This means an extremely artificial nod to the urgent climate change adaptation issues that are impacting on our urban environments. Say no more.

Continue reading Canberra and climate change →

Inequity

Opinions, politics,
Opinion: On the growth of inequity in society

The ever increasing gap between the rich and the poor

 

I did not think the day would come in my lifetime when I would find myself agreeing with a speech made by a Pope.

There are many issues unresolved about his church and many nasty things that it remains responsible for.  It is one house that needs to get so many things in order before it can be credible on the world stage.

However at least on the topic of inequity this Pope seems to have hit the nail on the head.

Continue reading Inequity →

Edible City

biodiversity, carbon, cities, climate change, food, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, parks, planning, sustainability, , ,

Advocacy: Edible City

A presentation: Turn your city to being an edible city

Developed by the American Society of Landscape Architects, this presentation will assist advocacy to deal with the forecasted food shortages as climate change kicks in. The presentation demonstrates how to turn a conventional community into an edible city. Learn how to transform unproductive spaces into agricultural landscapes that help fight obesity and reduce food deserts. Make sure you note the address and send it onto anyone in decision making roles.

Continue reading Edible City →

Leadership in Design

cities, climate change, design, landscape, legislation, planning, professions, sustainability, ,

Leadership in design of the built environment

watson-House-P1030003I was attending a meeting of combined community council two years ago, when to members of the public who were in attendance made very similar appeals. Both were very upset with the quality of the redevelopments that had appeared within their street, despite the local communities objections about key aspects of the developments.

As far as I could ascertain, they were not necessarily opposed to the infill of their suburb. It was more about the nature of the apartments being built.

Continue reading Leadership in Design →

Urban Forests

biodiversity, carbon, climate change, energy, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, parks, planning, sustainability, ,

Advocacy: Urban Forests

A presentation: Urban Forests = Cleaner, Cooler Air

Developed by the American Society of Landscape Architects, this presentation will assist advocacy for more resource allocation for urban forests. Governments need to deal with climate change in the urban areas, and dealing with urban forests is a good place to concentrate some resources. The urban forest issues are linked to the population’s health and wellbeing and avoiding heat island effects.

Continue reading Urban Forests →

climate change and cold weather

climate change, politics, sustainability,

Research: climate change and cold weather

Public perception of cold weather events as evidence for and against climate change

A paper has been posted online by Stuart Bryce Capstick and Nicholas Frank Pidgeon. The Abstract reads:

It has been argued that public doubts about climate change have been exacerbated by cold weather events seen as a form of disconfirming evidence for anticipated ‘warming’. Although a link between perceptions of climate and weather is well-established, such assumptions have not been empirically tested. Here we show, using nationally representative data, that directly following a period of severe cold weather in the UK, three times as many people saw these events as pointing towards the reality of climate change, than as disconfirming it.

Continue reading climate change and cold weather →

Health Costs

health & well being, Opinions, politics,
Opinion: Health Costs – the reality

rabbott01The Australian Government is currently not doing much,  except to hand power to its business friends.

We expect all manner of stupid decisions to follow soon. That is, once the business groups have worked out what they want this Rabbott Government to do. Hence all the reviews underway, which are being overseen by the business and lobby groups who brought this government to power.

Continue reading Health Costs →

Urban Transportation Change Maker

cities, health & well being, People, sustainability, transport,

Re-posted from The Dirt

Rina Cutler: Urban Transportation Change Maker

When I retire I will write a book called, ‘you can’t make this sh*t up,” said Rina Cutler, deputy mayor for transportation and utilities, Philadelphia, at a National Complete Streets Coalition dinner in Washington, D.C. In a review of her experience serving seven mayors and governors, Cutler revealed the sometimes painful truths about pushing for positive change in urban transportation.

Continue reading Urban Transportation Change Maker →

Australia’s climate plan

climate change, politics, sustainability, ,

Australia’s climate plan: are you serious?

rabbott01We live in strange times. The former Australian Government had developed an international reputation for being in the business of looking after its people, of caring for the environment and for careful financial management.

The new Rabbott government is establishing itself as far more interested in the short term aim of providing for those who assisted it into power. This means handing decisions on social, financial and environmental issues back to the business lobby groups. This is the new version of government taking a back seat and allowing business to drive the agenda. In many cases, this means the business lobby groups are having government wind back programs, especially on any issues dealing with the environment. There’s a good piece in The Conversation on the attitude taken by this government to addressing climate change.

“Reverting to fossil fuels, phasing out of renewable energy incentives and increasing deforestation levels to accommodate expanding agriculture explains most of this. Which begs the question of Australia’s government: are you serious?” read the full article here.

 

Big Coal

climate change, politics,
Big Coal: It’s time to celebrate (or not) Australia Day
meanwhile people in North West NSW, continue to battle Big Coal.

 

From the Guardian (Friday 24 January): ; an article by Phil Laird.

9833f4cd-5e93-4db0-9d04-d5bb6bd07f9e-460x276Protest at Maules Creek. Photograph: Kate Ausburn

This Australia day, us underdogs will fight Big Coal to save Maules Creek. In the battle that is gripping my community, my fifth generation farming family and I are siding with traditional owners and environmentalists against miners to save the land we love.

Continue reading Big Coal →

Big Coal

carbon, climate change, energy, landscape, politics, sustainability, , ,

Big Coal: It’s time to celebrate (or not) Australia Day

meanwhile people in North West NSW, continue to battle Big Coal.

From the Guardian (Friday 24 January): This Australia day, us underdogs will fight Big Coal to save Maules Creek. In the battle that is gripping my community, my fifth generation farming family and I are siding with traditional owners and environmentalists against miners to save the land we love; an article by Phil Laird.

This Australia Day, many of us will gather to reflect on and celebrate what’s great about our democracy. It’s our good fortune as a nation to be blessed with abundant natural resources that are our common wealth. Our fertile land, clean air and water underpin our country’s agricultural heritage, which has fed and clothed us. Australia’s native wildlife is unique, and the bush where Australians walk, fish, hunt and camp is habitat for the animals that are emblems of the country itself. Traditional owners of the country have the longest continuing culture in the world, and a connection to the bush that goes back tens of thousands of years. click here for the Guardian Article

 

Play

health & well being, landscape, parks, People, planning, play, sustainability, ,

Play, Recreation and Children

While sustainable settlements debates more often than not focus on such key issues as climate change, carbon, energy, green infrastructure, weather etc, emphasis must also remain on the rights of children to have access to play.

It is overdue that planning and development legislation to be inclusive of the ‘need to create time and space for children to engage in spontaneous play, recreation and creativity, and to promote societal attitudes that support and encourage such activity’ (1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child article 31).

The problem has been that play has been a separated issue for planning. At worst it is a token of optional matter to be addressed. The contemporary view is that whether the planning is for a street, a park, a suburb or any form of redevelopment of urban areas, play and the rights for children to have access to safe and engaging recreation must be as important as the rest of the requirements. This is rarely the case.

Continue reading Play →

Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health

biodiversity, climate change, energy, governance, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, legislation, sustainability, , , , ,

Reporting on research being undertaken

Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health

You are urged to ‘watch this space’ for research and reports by scientists who have been carrying out research on Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health. To quote from their website:

Safeguarding future health in Australian cities, The CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship has funded scientists and researchers from a range of disciplines to develop adaptation strategies which will improve the health of urban populations in the face of a variable and changing climate.

The Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health Cluster was established in 2010 and officially launched in March 2011 at a Conference in Cairns, bringing together nine different partner organisations focusing on 7 major research projects.

Continue reading Urbanism, Climate Adaptation and Health →

Urban Heat

climate change, green infrastructure, Opinions, politics, Urban, urban development, , , , ,
Opinion: Urban Trees and Heat
A case study of neglect and willful blindness?

Ainslie-P1010108

There was a routine piece in the Canberra Times about the current heat wave, temperature around and above 40 Degrees Celsius, and backyard trees or in some case about the lack of them. The article pointed to the now well established reality, that during such times those residential properties that lacked shade were suffering higher temperatures.

Continue reading Urban Heat →

Green Spaces and the Health Budgets

biodiversity, cities, climate change, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, legislation, parks, politics, sustainability, , ,

Green Spaces and the Health Budgets

re-posted from the BBC

In Australia planning authorities and government administrative services sections still do not address the proven links between health and the access to open spaces. One has to only look to the small budgets for parks initiatives and worse still to the shrinking allocations for park maintenance within local governments.

Meanwhile all our governments are under stress because of the increasing requirements being identified under their health portfolios.

Continue reading Green Spaces and the Health Budgets →

Health Wellbeing and Parks

climate change, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, legislation, parks, sustainability, , ,

re-posted from BBC, science and environment

It’s about the links between Health Wellbeing and Parks

Green spaces, Parks, have lasting positive effect on health and wellbeing

Living in an urban area with green spaces such as parks has a long-lasting positive impact on people’s mental well-being, a study has suggested. UK researchers found moving to a green space had a sustained positive effect, unlike pay rises or promotions, which only provided a short-term boost.

The authors said the results indicated that access to good quality urban parks was beneficial to public health. The findings appear in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Continue reading Health Wellbeing and Parks →

Judeo-Christian

Arts & Culture, Opinions, politics, religion, the media,
Opinion: what is the government doing?

and now we have a misuse of the term Judea-Christian

I would recommend first reading the Wikipedia contributions on the use of the term, Judea-Christian (click on the image).

This term, Judea-Christian, is  being thrown about by our Rabbott government and its appointed camp followers who are to review the yet to be implemented National Schools Curriculum.

There is now doubt that this carefully orchestrated use  of the term Judea-Christian is in fact a nasty stirring up of discrimination.

Continue reading Judeo-Christian →

Threats to Climate Action

climate change, governance, politics, sustainability, ,

Opinion: Climate in danger from Australia

Threats to Climate Action

re-post from the Guardian

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

rabbott01Once upon a time, not that many years ago, Australia was on the world stage as a leading in actions on climate change. It was not that a lot had actually happened. The truth was that a many new initiatives were being proposed.

The aura was that the country was on the move. The Australian Government was open to do business on climate change.

Other countries were admiring the remarkable turn around on climate change actions from those of the previous Howard government years. If you happened to have been overseas, you felt proud of your country and were able to discuss these issues in the knowledge that your country was out their doing its stuff; or at least about to do so.

Continue reading Threats to Climate Action →

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

climate change, Opinions, politics, Urban,

Opinion: Climate in danger from Australia

re-post from the Guardian

rabbott01Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

Once upon a time, not that many years ago, Australia was on the world stage as a leading in actions on climate change. It was not that a lot had actually happened. The truth was that a many new initiatives were being proposed.

The aura was that the country was on the move. The Australian Government was open to do business on climate change. Continue reading Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid →

Heat and Australia

cities, climate change, health & well being, sustainability, ,

What’s cranking up the heat across south-eastern Australia?

re-posted from The Conversation, Tess Parker, 13 January 2013

In the midst of a January heatwave in South East Australia, with temperature outside being around 40 degrees Celsius for several days, it is refreshing to see the science being discussed as to what happens and why. As usual there will be the trolls who try to distract the facts being put forward. I for one thank the researchers who continue to seek evidence based answers to the many queries around weather and the links to climate change. Here’s the link to the piece by Tess Parker, on The Conversation

Cities and Biodiversity

biodiversity, cities, climate change, green infrastructure, landscape, professions, sustainability, , ,

Re-posted from The Nature of Cities

Cities and biodiversity and national parks.

It is about equating the Natural Environment of National Parks to the natural environment of Cities – there are the one environment!

Many the time I have had frustrating debates with bureaucracies over how we address the issues of biodiversity and landscape. Often it results in the otherwise intelligent bureaucrat insisting that we talk about two separate entities, the built environment and the natural environment. This perception has also surfaced in discussions with organisations such as Conservation Foundations and their like.

Continue reading Cities and Biodiversity →

Education in ecology and biodiversity

biodiversity, cities, climate change, design, governance, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, planning, professions, sustainability, urban design, , , ,

The Nature of Cities

Education in ecology and biodiversity

If cities look to stay within their boarders, there is the need to seek acceptable ways to intensify the number of residents within the older suburbs. This requires an intelligent engagement with the present residents of suburban areas on a case by case basis.

Given the need to address climate change within the suburbs as they are being redeveloped and upgraded throws up a host of requirements that should have by now have been built into legislation. Sadly this is not so as most of the re-development and intensification as been left to laissez-faire market forces.

Continue reading Education in ecology and biodiversity →

Cities and urban wildlife

biodiversity, cities, climate change, green infrastructure, health & well being, landscape, sustainability, , ,

re-post from the Guardian

Cities and Urban Wildlife

Take any city and ask, has the government in place a long-term strategy to enhance the biodiversity through maintaining and increasing its green infrastructure? This requires not just consideration of the public realm but also ways to encourage citizens that this needs to happen in the backyard of every home.

In the past governments have often established arboretums to undertake research on trees and shrubs. It is now far more realistic to continue the aims of arboretums not by having these specialist sites, instead the approach needs to be to increase the range of trees and shrubs within the urban areas themselves.

Continue reading Cities and urban wildlife →

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

Arts & Culture, cultural, Opinions, politics, ,
Opinion: Political Stupidity Reigns Again

The Latest from our Rabbott Government

rabbott01Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The national edukashon minister announced that after years of development, years of consultations and a bloody huge amount of work, that he considers he needs to appoint two close political associates to look into getting ‘balance’ back into the curriculum. They state that they will be independent. That probably means their report will be independent of facts and of intellect.

It is obvious that this is more about getting the old ‘culture’ wars started again and to drive particular ideological points into the headlines while loads of other disastrous changes are being put through by the Rabbott.

Continue reading Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid →

Cities and Women

cities, equity, governance, health & well being, People, politics, sustainability, , ,

Re-Post from the Guardian

Making cities safe for women and girls

It’s about Cities and Women:  World Alliance of Cities Against Poverty is focusing on how to tackle violence against women and girls in public spaces Whether walking city streets, using public transport, going to school, or selling goods at the market, women and girls are subject to the threat of sexual harassment and violence. This reality of daily life limits women’s freedom to get an education, to work, to participate in politics – or to simply enjoy their own neighbourhoods. Yet despite its prevalence, violence and harassment against women and girls in public spaces remains a largely neglected issue, with few laws or policies in place to address it.  click here for the full article

Climate Deniers

climate change, governance, politics, sustainability,

Re-Post from Climate News Network

‘Dark money’ funds US climate deniers

LONDON, 6 January – Approximately three quarters of the hundreds of millions of dollars that go to US climate change denial organisations is from unidentifiable sources, according to new research in the journal Climatic Change.

Robert Brulle, a sociologist at Drexel University in the US, set himself the challenge of trying to identify the financial backers who bankrolled more than 100 US organisations, the Climate Deniers, that make up what he calls the “climate change counter movement”.

Continue reading Climate Deniers →

Women and the city

cities, design, equity, governance, People, politics, sustainability, urban design, ,

Re-Posted from The Global Urbanist

A woman’s right to enjoy the city

Dealing with the overlooked issue in Urban Design, Women and the City. As part of our series on eliminating violence against women and girls in our cities produced in collaboration with the Huairou Commission, Mumbai architect Pallavi Shrivastava offers a personal reflection on how the threat of violence forces women not only to change our movements but also prevents us from enjoying our cities, and thus from helping to make them the cities we want them to be. click here for the full article.

Public Health

climate change, design, governance, health & well being, legislation, People, sustainability,

Re-Posted from UK Landscape Institute

Public health and landscape: creating healthy places (November 2013)

The UK Landscape Institute believes that greater priority needs to be given to prevention of ill health in public health and social care. All those involved in creating healthy places, public health professionals, planners and landscape architects, need to recognise that landscape has enormous potential to improve our health and wellbeing. In Australia, despite all the evidence being available, it has been a struggle to have the Australian Government recognise the importance of the links between our public spaces and the population’s health and well being.

 Click here for UK Landscape Institute Public Health Policy links

 

 

Climate Deniers

climate change, governance, politics, sustainability, ,

Re-Posted from The Fifth Estate

Peter Newman: Why climate whingers and climate deniers need to get real

Any climate change-related article in The Conversation, and indeed any newspaper, attracts some of the most diabolical discourse, the most offensive personal abuse and the most deeply felt rhetoric. It is not very elevating to read. Climate Skeptics dominate the media.

It has of course spilled over into politics and threatens to tear apart the fabric of our society.

Continue reading Climate Deniers →

sustainable communities

climate change, design, governance, sustainability,

Re-Posted from Island Press

Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities

Design Strategies for the Post Carbon World, Parick M Condon 

Questions of how to green the North American economy, create a green energy and transportation infrastructure, and halt the deadly increase in greenhouse gas buildup dominate our daily news. Related questions of how the design of cities can impact these challenges dominate the thoughts of urban planners and designers across the U.S. and Canada.

With admirable clarity, Patrick Condon discusses transportation, housing equity, job distribution, economic development, and ecological systems issues and synthesizes his knowledge and research into a simple-to-understand set of urban design rules that can, if followed, help save the planet.

No other book so clearly connects the form of our cities to their ecological, economic, and social consequences. No other book takes on this breadth of complex and contentious issues and distills them down to such convincing and practical solutions. And no other book so vividly compares and contrasts the differing experiences of U.S. and Canadian cities.

Continue reading sustainable communities →

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

climate change, Opinions, politics, ,
Opinion: Be afraid, be very Afraid

Stupidity in action

From The Guardian Australia: Tony Abbott’s top business adviser accuses IPCC of ‘dishonesty and deceit’. ‘The scientific delusion, the religion behind the climate crusade, is crumbling,’ Maurice Newman says.

It does not get much worse than this. The Rabbott government has been doing some stupid things of late, and there’s promise of even more stupidity to come in 2014.

Continue reading Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid →

be afraid, be very afraid

Opinions, politics
Opinion: Threats to human rights in Australia

rabbott01The Rabbott government has moved quickly to shut down and to strangle so many progressive, financial, immigration, education, indigenous, disability, social welfare and climate programs, that it is difficult to identify which of their ideological decisions are the most dangerous to the future of this country.

Freedom of speech and the freedom from discrimination are both fundamental to our way of life. Yet these are now very much under immediate threat thanks to this inhuman national government.

Continue reading be afraid, be very afraid →

Innovation

Opinions, politics, technology, ,
Opinion: about manufacturing and innovation
and a few more topics

While I am not too worried about the closure of GM’s (Holden) manufacturing plants in Australia in 2017, I am concerned as to whether manufacturing as an Australian industry and its associated innovations are not being supported. It is hard to find intelligent comment on these subjects in the Australian media.

Continue reading Innovation →

Political Distraction

Opinions, politics, random, ,
Opinion: Rabbott Distracts while cutting deep

rabbott01Very cleverly  the Rabbott Government used the ‘shock’ announcements of vehicle manufacturing closures to distract attention from the government’s cuts to key social programs.

The mainstream media filled headline after headline about the closure of a particular car manufacturing company.

Our loyal opposition parties did not help as they joined in crying out loud through the media about the closures. Meanwhile damage was being done elsewhere in plain sight.

Continue reading Political Distraction →

Equality

Opinions, politics, religion,
Opinion: The High Court Judgement on Marriage

Interesting to hear the mainstream media go on about the high court decision on marriage equality. Yes the ACT legislation was voted down by the judges.

But the real story is how the judges went further and made the call on what the court will allow to be constitutionally recognised as marriage when the Australian Parliament decides to get its act together and do the logical thing.

Under the judgement by the high court, once the National Parliament has passed the inevitable changes, the high court will not stand in the way of the changes, that is there will be no avenue for a challenge by all those vexatious religious types.

David Marr is on the case and has provided a neat summary of what really happened with this quiet landmark ruling by  high court – here is his article from the Guardian.

Julia Gillard

Arts & Culture, politics, women/equity,
Announcement:

Anne Summers Conversation presents Julia Gillard on DVD

Anne Summers has announced the release of the two conversations with Julia Gillard.

For more information, click on the image to the left (or here) to be taken to Anne’s website.

Anne’s “the Looking Glass” has other useful links and information so please support her work by at least having a look – click here.

Climate Change

climate change, Opinions, politics, random,
“It’s time to stop this madness”
Philippines plea at UN climate talks
click on the image above for the speech whereby the Philippines pleads with the world to get out of their ivory towers and to do something about climate change.
Listening were you Rabbott? Oh that’s right, you had important things to do rather than have Australia properly represented at these climate talks.!

Paul Keating

Opinions, politics, random,
Paul Keating: a most appropriate  speech

the Australian War Memorial 11 November 2013

Paul Keating’s Remembrance Day address “Those Australians fought and died not in defence of some old world notion of competing empires and territorial conquests but for the new world – the one they belonged to and hoped to return to.

This is why Australia was never in need of any redemption at Gallipoli, any more than it was in need of one at Kokoda thirty years later.

There was nothing missing in our young nation or our idea of it that required the martial baptism of a European cataclysm to legitimise us.”

full text of his speech at Australian War Memorial

Rabbott update

Opinions, politics, random
Review: Things beyond belief

rabbott01It it time to monitor the performance of our nation’s pet Rabbott now that he and his followers are inside the pen with all the assets of people of Australia to play with.

The trend is to make fools of the media – and this is a turn around given the role of the mainstream media  in promoting  the Rabbott and Murdoch messages prior to the last federal election.

Continue reading Rabbott update →

Democracy threatened by dangerous idiots

Opinions, politics,
Politicians & their supporting media types do not know when to keep their dangerous comments to themselves!

There’s nothing more basic in our democracy as the processes that underpin the election of our governments. At the time of writing , the WA Senate election has become  complicated, not just because of the necessary recount given the closeness of the first results, but because of the unfortunate event whereby by about 1,400 previously counted votes have been misplaced.

Continue reading Democracy threatened by dangerous idiots →

Climate Change

climate change, green infrastructure, Opinions, politics, urban development
Reform failed – so let’s try Revolution

The Australian politicians were called on to address climate change over a decade ago (at least). Local community groups have recognised the need for climate change adaptation and have been frustrated with the lack of meaningful leadership that should be offered by elected officials.

The mainstream press, as led by Murdoch, and the ABC have provided their own biased information on these complex topics. The general public has received mixed messages instead of meaningful and useful information based on the overwhelming scientific evidence.

16RegentsCanal-1100774

Continue reading Climate Change →

That Media Sneer

Opinions, politics, random, , , ,
A note on Crickey Reporting

cyclistEver so often, actually a little too often, Crickey puts out a silly and patronising report that leaves you feeling What was the point?

Here’s one by Andrew Crook, who has a few of these out there.

Hold the bus! He has researched the possible annual income of the outgoing Prime Minister. Well that ‘s important information I needed to know!

One can not help sense that he is not going to let that Julia Gillard retire quietly and resume life peacefully in her new roles. Must be some dirt here somewhere. Surely such a ‘senior journalist’ could do some real journalism. Is that asking too much?  Andrew – get a life, on your bike…

End of the Road?

Arts & Culture, books & readings, politics, , , ,
Review:  Book

End of the Road?, Gideon Haigh, Pengiun Specials, 2013

It’s a tough life taking an interest in your country. Traditionally the main sources of information for most people has been the media. In the last decade this source has become totally corrupted, especially the mainstream media and the ABC.

When it comes to the rhetoric around the car industry in Australia, the ideological arguments that are trotted out do nothing but harm and mislead. Thank god (or whoever is out there) Penguin has these ‘Penguin Specials’ and thank you to Gideon for his research and information that goes a long way to providing a reality check on where the country is at when it comes to having a car industry.

Continue reading End of the Road? →

Laura Tingle Great Expectations

Arts & Culture, books & readings, politics, ,
Review: Book

Great Expectations, Government, Entitlement and an Angry Nation, Laura Tingle 2013
an expanded version of her previous Quarterly Essay

The beginning of the 21st Century is a time when something changed in society due to a rise in the lack of civility and anger over expectations not being addressed. This unrest has surfaced within the larger political debates as well as in more discrete arenas such as companies, community groups, societies and associations.

The media has had a great time fueling this dissatisfaction through the constant emphasis on problems, large, small and imaginary, about our  governments. Continue reading Laura Tingle Great Expectations →

Being Honest

Opinions, politics, ,
The Crime of Speaking Up

On Monday this week, the new Labor opposition party met to talk leadership and opposition front bench positions. The leaders had already been elected and now the caucus would elect the members of the Opposition Ministers and then leave it to the leaders to appoint the actual opposition minister positions to those on the elected list.

No sooner had the list being announced, then one of their number, Anna Burke, the previous House Speaker,  let it rip as to what she thought of the process.

Continue reading Being Honest →

Democracry under threat

Opinions, politics, random
Be Alert and Be Aware

The democracy experiment continues to be under threat in the United States.

A revealing article on a the web site, Independent Australia, explains how frightening the current political crisis is within the US and the background to the government shutdown.

Unfortunately it does not take much to join the dots as to what is going on behind the scenes in Australia now with the Abbott government.

here’s the link to the article – hope it dos not spoil your spring day.

A Word

Opinions, politics, random, women/equity
 Give PM Julia Gillard credit where credit is due

an article re-published   – in no fibs – was originally published by Mary Crooks
Executive director Victorian Women’s Trust on 5 July, 2013 as a full page advertisement.

I identify with her finishing paragraph:

“The truly ugly aspect of our national life revealed by the past three years should give cause for us all to reflect on what else is required to restore and maintain respect, civility, common decency and a fair go for women – in our society and in our democratic politics.”

read the original piece as reproduced here

Battlers & Billionaires

Arts & Culture, books & readings, politics,
Review: Book

Battlers & Billionaires, Andrew Leigh 2013

lc-leadn-malone-20130720164836879543-300x0Have you been wondering whether Australia is that egalitarian society we keep talking about especially in comparisons with other western societies?

As I write this review we are witnessing a millionaire, Clive Palmer, use his wealth to buy personal power in the Australian Parliament. At the same time the millionaire clan of Gina Rinehart and her children are locked in some court battle over a family feud over their millions. Continue reading Battlers & Billionaires →

Truth is out there?

Opinions, politics, random, the media, , , ,
Julia’s ‘murderous rage’

An article in a paper today by Alecia Simmonds stopped me in my tracks.

In the piece she discusses the reporting of the conversation between Anne Summers and Julia Gillard in Sydney. Alecia questions why the reporting concentrated on the statement by Julia when she referred to ‘murderous rage’. Alecia point was that such reporting was about manufacturing controversy yet again. There remains so many celebratory aspects of this event to be highlighted and discussed but too many reporters have yet again chosen to concentrate on making a headline as some form of criticism.

Continue reading Truth is out there? →

Truth is out there

politics, random, ,
political spin at its worst

This morning on the ABC program, INSIDERS, the group were discussing the two very successful events last week whereby Anne Summers had two conversations with Julia Gillard, one in Sydney and the other in Melbourne.

Julia had made a statement that it was not acceptable to do things that undermine the government and the labor party. She was clearly having a go at Kevin Rudd and his close supporters and their three-year campaign to internally disrupt the Prime Minister and her government and to create the environment for Kevin to be re-installed. Continue reading Truth is out there →

Take Your Best Shot

Arts & Culture, books & readings, politics, , , ,
Review: Book

Take Your Best Shot, The Prime Ministership of Julia Gillard, Jaqueline Kent 2013

It was a very strange three or so years in Australian politics. It remains difficult to make sense of it all.

The media, Tony Rabbot, Kevin Rudd and his ruddites and the shock jocks all part of the murky times. Then there was the uncivilised behaviour that morphed into accepted everyday behaviour and all those supposedly close colleagues who turn on you. What a time for anyone!

Continue reading Take Your Best Shot →

The Prince

books & readings, politics, religion, ,
Review: Quarterly Essay, The Prince, Faith, Abuse and George Pell.
David Marr, September 2013

This is one of those essays that I picked up knowing some of this story and already having opinions on religion in Australia, the associated politics and the horrible abuse issues.

I read this essay in one sitting and was totally taken aback by the details of events and the nasty side of human behaviour as told by David Marr.

This is recommended reading for anyone interested in the story of where this country has been and the issues we are yet to deal with properly. Continue reading The Prince →

The Stalking of Julia

books & readings, politics, women/equity

Book Review

The Stalking of Julia Gillard, Kerry-Anne Walsh

I should be able to say that there’s really no need for thinking and observant people to read this book.

The last three years in relation to the governance of Australia were just something totally unbelievable. We all think we know what happened.

I now consider that the labor government lost power well before the election. Was it because it was delivering fantastic economic management or was it because it did not deliver an outstanding set of national programs?

Continue reading The Stalking of Julia →

Misogyny Factor

Arts & Culture, books & readings, politics, women/equity, , ,

Book Review

The Misogyny Factor, Anne Summers

It was a month or so after our First Women Prime Minister had been removed from her position and following a number of not so nice events in my own life that I had started to wonder just what is happening to our Australian way of life and culture. What has happened to civility and respect.

There is a generation or two who seem to think that feminism is a cause now won and we should move on.

I find that certain men and women are fully capable of all sorts of weasel words about equality and the role of women in the workplace and act as if they champion such matters. Continue reading Misogyny Factor →