Entitlement needs to retire….

Will the age of entitlement ever be over for politicians?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entitlement

With the message for the people of Australia that the “age of entitlement is over”, one could reasonably expect that our politicians would be very vocal about tightening the strings on expenses.  However, there appears to be no strong suggestions of change from either Liberals or Labor.  Why not?

Perhaps because Joe Hockey meant the “age of entitlement was over” was a message that didn’t include politicians.  They continue to be “entitled”.

It is time to get their “expenses” under control for Australia’s sake.

Climate change….

Whether you believe it is man made or not (although how you could still be doubting I don’t understand), we cannot keep polluting our planet and not pay for it in the future.

The thought that we take top farmland and simply turn it into an open cut mine with so many risks to our water makes no sense to me at all.  You don’t have to look far to know that the promises of mining companies to clean up after their messes so often doesn’t work.  Although the promises are strong at the beginning the companies are less vocal when things go wrong.

Look at the smelter fall out around Newcastle, the EPA allowing mines to pollute water running into our dams with salt.  We just are not strong enough to hold to the rules we need.

Then look at what we pump into our atmosphere.  Belching smoke stacks polluting the air we need to breathe and impacting our atmosphere.  It makes no sense at all.  We have wind and solar that we can invest in.  We can use our research to make them cheaper and more effective.  Yes it may cost a little more in the short term but the legacy for the next generation is more important.

Tony Abbott needs to listen to his team and start to stand up against farmland mining and support wind and solar.  I believe wind farms are more pleasing to the eye than open cut mines putting our water at risk, producing coal that pollutes our air.

Have a look at these French wind generators https://www.google.com.au/search?q=french+wind+generator+like+a+tree&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB0QsARqFQoTCLOljbWr_MYCFSHopgodcbMLVA&biw=1232&bih=746

New low in political leadership

Catherine Livingstone AO, president of the Business Council of Australia said

“Yesterday marked a new low point for political leadership in Australia.  At a time of great economic uncertainty, Australia needs and deserves strong leadership, and the opportunity to discuss reform options as a community.  Our political representatives are elected and paid by the community to implement policies that will best serve the country.  Their responsibility is to ensure that there is constructive, well informed debate, leading to implementable outcomes.  It is not to undermine the debate in the cause of party political positioning.”

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/business-council-of-australias-catherine-livingstone-fires-up-over-reform-paralysis-20150716-gie008.html

I agree with her….could we please see leadership to support Australia into the future!

Australian Women….congratulations…

What a wonderful night at the town hall last night (#humanrights).  The four Australians of the Year – all highly articulate and passionate.  Rosie Batty is just amazing in her authenticity. She brings tears to my eyes every time she speaks.  Jackie French – so free and forthright and yes I smile when I think of wombats too!  Drisana Levitzke-Gray who so eloquently raised our awareness of deafness. Juliette Wright – how two bags of baby clothes was the foundation for GIVIT.

Annabel Crabb – facilitating the conversation.   She is so fabulous and what a great sense of humour – what a fabulous asset for ABC.  You should have heard the applause for Gillian Triggs – Tony must be aghast!  Now that is a women with integrity.  And then closing by Liz Broderick who has brought so much value to her position.

All in all a fabulous event!  Let’s hope there are no “Captain’s Calls” in 2016 when the new winners are announced.

I am alarmed …..continued

Last month I wrote why I was alarmed about the directions being taken by Australia.  After a month’s break in Italy, I come back to further reasons to be alarmed about our government and its impact on the Australian society.

Tony Abbott doesn’t like Q&A and wants to make them ineffective.  I hope the ABC stands strong and I feel sure Tony will change his mind as the next election approaches (thanks Ken Knight letters SMH July 13) or let’s use John Clarke as a replacement panellist as suggested by Ian Lothridge (letters SMH July 13).  We want our ABC to strand strong!

How about our directions on climate change.  Let’s stop wind, Tony far prefers big machines digging huge mines in our fertile farm land to the grace of windfarms.  Denmark produced 140% of their total power requirements last Thursday using wind (David Payne, SMH July 13).  And the latest no investment in smaller solar initiatives  – like the CEFC recently announced with Origin.

The Barrier Reef is now defined as “at risk”.  The government will need to put their words into real action. The Adani project is totally the wrong direction.

I believe at some stage Australia will find their international trade and tourism is significantly affected if we continue down our current paths!

It’s time for women to speak up for Australia’s sake!

Great to see Amanda McKenzie and Jennifer Westacott speaking out in the SMH today:

Thank you Amanda McKenzie, CEO of the Climate Council,  for your comment in the SMH this morning “The world is stepping up on climate change and countries that were laggards like China are dramatically changing their stance to address climate change… we risk becoming a pariah if we don’t join the rest of the world in doing our fair share to tackle climate change”.”

Thank you Jennifer Westacott, CEO of the Business Council of Australia with her comment on politicians “They have been forgetting that what the people of Australia want and expect it to see our country being well run”

Jillian Broadbent AO, Chair of the CEFC has brought this organisation forward with joint partnerships such as this solar partnership with Origin.  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-12/rosie-batty-to-appear-at-victorian-domestic-violence-inquiry/6613872. I hope the CEFC will stand strong against continuing ill thought decisions emanating from our government.

I was disappointed the there was not one letter in the SMH written by a woman…..

The “Captain’s Call” – no more windfarms

Once again we experience the “Captain’s Call” – No more investment in wind farms and wind technology.  It appears that his environment minister Greg Hunt had no prior knowledge.  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-11/abbott-wants-to-reduce-wind-farms-wishes-ret-never-implemented/6539164

I once thought we had a democracy but now I know we have dictator who makes little or no effort to take the recommendations from experts.  Why doesn’t the liberal party act?

Abbott prefers the look of coal mines in our fertile farm lands to wind farms.  http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-11/abbott-wants-to-reduce-wind-farms-wishes-ret-never-implemented/6539164.  During my recent trip to Italy the stately wind farms and solar farms, in my view, were much more aesthetic than coal mines.

His recent decision to allow a new expanded coal mine with the risk of damage to our aquifers stunned Barnaby Joyce as well.

Citizenship removed on the whim of a politician?

I am aghast that our politicians would even consider revoking single citizenship.  Why would any politician have that power – that is why we have courts.  Can you imagine Peter Dutton (or some other MP in the future)  deciding the fate of a person or a whole family with no evidence at all?  Did our PM really think this was so trivial that no paper was needed?

The photo of Peter Dutton, Tony Abbott and Philip Ruddock scares me http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/cabinet-revolt-over-tony-abbott-and-peter-dutton-plan-to-strip-australians-of-citizenship-20150526-gh9q8y.html

The cabinet members who spoke against the proposal were Defence Minister Kevin Andrews, Foreign Affairs Minister and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, Attorney-General George Brandis, Agriculture Minister and deputy Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, Education Minister Christopher Pyne and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, according to people present in the room.  At least they had the confidence to speak up!

Our PM seems to have lost the understanding of democracy.

Have a go!

Have you ever considered the two meanings of “Have a go”!

The first is to attempt of try something out, get out there and experience something new. In the case of the budget, the government is hoping that something new will mean each small business will go out and spend $20,000 on something they may or may not need. Let’s hope our small business leaders understand that such purchases will still affect their cash flow.

The second meaning of “Have a go” is to attack physically. It is this meaning that came to mind when I looked at “have a go” and once again saw our pugilistic Prime Minister preparing to fight. He is a fighter; of that there is no doubt. Having not won his fights in 2014 against pensioners, families, unemployed and others – “are you a lifter or a leaner”.

In 2015, he is fighting against the “double dipping” of mothers and the women experiencing violence or those who care about women experiencing violence. The minister for women is once again showing his true colours and true views of women.

Unfortunately for Australia, I think the second meaning influenced our current government when they chose the slogan.

“Double Dipping” – Tony you disappoint me again!

We had an election where you seemed to think paid parental leave was a good idea! Give all women their full salary (up to $150K) for 6 months plus Super!

I loved the 6 months and the Super payments. However, I believe a “fair” plan from the government would offer equal payments to women and then business could enhance as they saw fit.  Together with many others, I believe we needed focus on the 3 to 5 years and also pre and post school care so that parent’s work was not so impacted by hours of 9 to 3pm.

The plan we had already at least put us in the OECD list and was considered a little short by most but not too bad.

Then you drop the plan that you had constantly talked about. Then you have changed it so it is no longer universal so once again we are at the bottom of the OECD list. You are just motivating organisations to drop their payments. Super which was so important to you has gone by the board again.

Then you insult mothers who had simply and legally been paid PPL – what is wrong with you?

And how about childcare, before and after school care?

And we haven’t heard one word from you about the problem of “Domestic Violence”….37 women dead this year.

What kind of Prime Minister are you? In my view, just a prime minister for the boys!

Check out the “Fact Check”:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-15/double-dipping-parental-leave/6466068