THE LATEST AUSTRALIAN FEAR CAMPAIGN

By: Melanie McCartney

Fear in all of it’s formats has been used politically for a long time, Nazi leader Hermann Göringput it this way -

“The people don’t want war, but they can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and for exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.”

What is new is the times that we live in, with the Internet and information and social media at our fingertips. Now more than ever before, the public can question what they are being told by the Government and the media’s newspapers, TV and talk back radio. The beauty of social media is the ability to be able to share information and your point of view, not just locally or in your country but all over the world. A good example of this is the Ferguson shooting aftermath. Palestinians, Muslims and Black Muslims who normally don’t get along, came together in solidarity on Twitter, Instagram and live feeds.

ASIO head David Irvine has said this week that the he is contemplating raising our terror threat level from Medium, (it’s been that threat level since the last Iraq invasion in 2003) to High, meaning the Government thinks an attack is likely to happen instead of could occur. He retirestomorrow and it’s looking like it will be raised. On the 29th of August, Britain Prime Minister David Cameron announced that his Government was raising the UK terror level from Substantial to Severe, meaning they think an attack is no longer a possibility but highly likely. It’s to be noted that Northern Ireland has had that threat level for the past 4 years.

British based risk analysis company Maplecroft found this year as part of it’s Maplecroft’s Terrorism and Security Dashboard, (MTSD) world terrorism deaths have risen by 30% compared to the previous 5 year average. There were 12 fatalities in Western countries due to terrorism last year that includes 2 in Northern Ireland and 2 in Greece. Iraq had the highest number with 2 deaths on average per attack. Nigeria the home of Boko Haram, is the world’s deadliest with 24 deaths on average per attack. And what Main Stream Media (MSM) doesn’t report is that the rise in Western countries terrorism was due to Northern Ireland and Greece. Northern Ireland is fighting an upsurge in dissident republican terrorism and Greece is still battling it’s terrorism groups and austerity measures are inflaming their situation worse still.

Jihad is Arabic for ‘Struggle’ yet now it’s defined loosely as violent acts of terrorism. Language and it’s use by politicians and the media are very powerful psychological tools that can help to create a culture of fear. It is ironic that this is the same business model favoured by the terrorist group Islamic State (IS). The videos and the be-headings are done to promote fear and you have to ask how much does the MSM enable that and where do we draw the line?

Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam, the head of Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta called for Western media to stop calling IS extremists “Islamic State” militants but “Al-Qaeda Separatists in Iraq and Syria” (AQSIS) because the extremists are “far from the correct understanding of Islam.” He also has an online campaign that is tackling the extremist idealogy of Islam militants in Iraq and Syria and “to reflect that Muslims are against their practises.”

“The initiative by Dar al-Ifta came to express the institution’s rejection of many stereotypes that attach the name of Islam to bloody and violent acts committed by such groups,” Ibrahim Negm told Al Arabiya News.

“We are afraid that such incorrect stereotypes will be rooted in the minds of Muslim and non-Muslim viewers alike.”

Let’s remember the UK and the gory terrorist attack last year in May, involving the murder of British soldier Lee Rigby. He was randomly selected by British Muslim extremists because he looked like a soldier and brutally butchered and run over amongst other things. They reveled in the killing and stayed at the scene asking if people wanted to take photos on their phones saying -

“The only reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying every day. This British soldier is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

The beheading of James Foley is believed to be a Britain citizen, although they haven’t officially identified him or the voice of Steven Sotloff’s killer as yet. This has led UK Prime Minister David Cameron, to respond to reportedly 500 British citizens being recruited by IS to fight in Iraq and Syria by lifting the terror threat level, for fear of them returning home and committing acts of terrorism. He has also introduced stronger powers through their Immigration Act, to deprive naturalised Britons of their citizenship if found to be involved in terrorist activities. Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Government has introduced similar new anti-terror laws in response to reportedly 60 Australian citizens having being recruited by IS.

Mr Abbott’s go much further in that they want to make “it easier to arrest terrorists by lowering the threshold for arrest without warrant”; also make “it easier to prosecute foreign fighters, including by making it an offence to travel to a designated area where terrorist organisations are conducting hostile activities unless there is a legitimate purpose” and “ASIO to request suspension of an Australian passport (or foreign passport for a dual national) in appropriate circumstances.”

What is worrying is the lack of detail and evidence for these added measures and discussion with not just a failed attempt with Muslim leaders but also the Australian people.

Australia sending weapons to Kurdish fighters let alone the cost of inserting ourselves again, in a US-led Iraq venture is cause for concern considering the current Governments obsession with surplus and austerity. There are no reliable figures for how much the last Iraq war cost Australian tax payers, it’s been estimated at $5 billion and it cost the US tax payers $816 billion. Another question is has Australia or any other country involved learned from the last time that Iraq was invaded? Lets not forget either that the initial reason for the 2003 Iraq invasion, was the supposed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) that as we now know were lies seemingly for political gain. The overdue by several years, Chilcot Inquiry which is about the entire Iraq war and the UK’s role in it, has faltered again with accusations of white washing of correspondence between former President George Bush and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. Without the truth from the last attempt at America fixing Iraq’s woes how can we fix them now? How can the fact that links between foreign policy and extremism be ignored any longer?

If it’s revulsion to the extremism displayed by IS, we would be better off offering asylum for Iraqi and Syrian refugees and fighting the brain washing recruiters of IS; working together with Muslim leaders, not just domestically but globally to help identify extremism in all of it’s forms as preventative action and providing lasting infrastructure, including education for their countries. The G20 would be an ideal forum for leaders to share ideas and come up with global solutions for this because it’s an economical and migration problem as well. It’s time we all talked about gas, oil and mining collectively and globally and not use the guise of war and fear campaigns to keep the public ignorant as to political and vested agendas.

If these issues are ignored and glossed over for domestic political gain and with the measures being proposed by the Abbott Government things will only escalate. The ‘Team Australia’ rhetoric in particular will only further isolate vulnerable Australians, as it only reconfirms their misguided beliefs being fed to them in a format that is actually cult like, as Mr Abbott has suggested. But it’s dangerous because it reinforces the ‘Us against Them’ mentality that organisations like IS create and indoctrinate into their followers. The MSM particularly in America but ever increasing into Australia, is currently not only promoting fear but it’s also showing it’s appetite for it, with offerings parodied with insight by Jon Stewart including how Bahrain being part of the global effort against IS is a good thing exactly? Humour, comedy, education and insight are perhaps weapons to be considered in the fight against extremism and it’s many forms. Our biggest fear isn’t returning foreign fighters but a religious war that is not just threatening the Middle East and it’s borders but universal peace with a ripple effect across the global Islamic community that is hard to be measured.

It’s curious that our Government is now discussing proposed heightened security measures via the media after covert measures such as Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) and people smuggling measures. The idea that ASIO and the Government work independently in regards to security is offensive and frankly a dangerous image to portray to the Australian people. Does Australia belong in Iraq or Syria or is it just the 2014 version of the latest fear campaign?

Originally published: http://melmacpolitics.com/2014/09/11/the-latest-australian-fear-campaign/

The Purpose of March Australia: Intelligent Evaluation and making change for the better

By: Kim Presdee

I first came across the March in March at the end of last year. Not much was happening with the March in March Twitter account. The original person who had started the account had other things pop up and they were unable to do anything with March in March. In January a new March in March Twitter account was started and Sally, Jan, Craig and Tim were the original 4 who began to get the movement into action. Sally started the March in March FB page. I had been watching from Twitter for a couple of days and watched the FB page for a day, taking my time to decide whether it was something I was going to get involved with or not. 

I had never been to a rally in my life, let alone organised one! I guess I had never been around the right people or groups to think about becoming more involved. I had a bit of an understanding about our welfare system from studying a certificate IV Welfare (community services) at TAFE. I have known that the media is biased for a long time. Since I saw the damage that was done to my high school friend and her family by the media hounding them and reporting one-sided stories. My friend's family didn’t even get a chance to have their say, which resulted in the loss of all their friends, as well as verbal abuse. That, however, is a different story. 

I know we are so lucky because we do not have war or famine and are free to choose our beliefs. However I know from experience, observation and plenty of research that this beautiful rich country does have some great inequality and injustices. I know enough to not believe everything the media says and that things aren’t as simple as black/white or lefties and Tories. I found March in March appealing because it was not aligned with any political party, was grassroots and calling for decency, transparency and accountability in government. 

I put my hand up to organise Gosford on the NSW Central Coast. After taking this step and setting up the Gosord Facebook page (now Central Coast), I felt a bit overwhelmed and thought to myself “what have I just done”? I did a call out on the page for volunteers and had a great response. I set up a Facebook group we could liaise in and we organised a meeting. I have also have three girls aged four and under, so I had many late nights organising and spreading the word on social media. It was impossible to do much in the day with the girls around. 

In March we had a successful March in Gosford with 1200 people marching, which is amazing for Gosford and probably the largest rally Gosford has ever had. Nationwide we had 100,000 march. 50,000 were in Melbourne and there was a big silence from mainstream media. I also went to March in May Sydney and was part of the organising team for March in August Central Coast. I have to say all three Marches were a positive and inspiring experience. They were well organised, peaceful, and had great speakers who were well-informed as well as great music. There were a wide range of people there: young, old, students, professionals, disabled, and people from a range of political back grounds, including a few disgruntled LNP voters. 

If you have never been to a rally or don’t know anything about rallies, then it is easy to misunderstand the purpose of the March Australia Marches and dismiss the people marching as just lefties having a whinge or people who want handouts. That way it can be brushed under the carpet instead of acknowledging that most people that Marched are hardworking, educated people, who have paid taxes their whole life. Many are either personally affected or know someone who is affected by the government's decisions. Many who aren’t affected are informed enough to know what the impacts of policies are on the poor and our environment. It is a strange thing when some of the people, who are most informed, genuinely concerned and trying to contribute to making change for the better, are the ones labelled as lefties or whingers. I am actually not a member of any political party. Personally, I think we need a third major party and also to make some changes to the system. I don’t like to talk endlessly about politics or push my beliefs on to people. Although, I have no problem standing up for social justice, inequality, human rights and the environment. For me it is not about political parties but about humanity, truth and doing what is right.

It is quite easy to get caught up in propaganda, without any real knowledge or understanding of the issues, where we have deep-seated political beliefs that aren’t based on any facts or of any use in reality. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all take the time to do a bit of research, use intelligent evaluation and actually have an adult conversation about some of the issues and come together up with some better solutions? It is time to move beyond the sudden deadly silence when anything remotely political is mentioned. Why can’t we promote understanding and education on issues, instead of judgement and fear? It is mind-boggling to have an election based around ‘stop the boats’ and ‘axe the tax.’ Are Australian’s really so concerned about a small amount of asylum seekers that wouldn’t even fill the stadium at Homebush? Especially since most asylum seekers come by plane? Do we ever hear “stop the planes”? What about ‘stop the ignorance’ and ‘stop the fear mongering.’ Using words like ‘leaners’ and ‘illegals’ does nothing to help people understand the situation. Why not tell people that it is not “illegal to seek asylum, whether by boat, plane or any other means necessary”, and that most boat people have proved to be genuine refugees. It even says so on the parliamentary website. Why pander to people’s fear and ignorance? This type of ignorance is being fuelled by political ideology and the media. If people were a little more educated, then they most probably would have a different view. More understanding does not necessarily mean open borders either. It means we can work together on creating a more humane policy.

Australia has a fairly well-targeted welfare system. It was created as a safety net for those who need it most. Yes there is plenty of room for improvement, but labelling people as leaners or wanting handouts does not help at all. This type of attitude and labelling creates unnecessary stigma and actually demoralises people. Most people on welfare payments do not want to be on welfare. Newstart is way below the minimum wage and very difficult to live off. Most want a job and do not want to be in the position they are in. It is unfair to lump everyone together, just because a few take advantage of the system. There will always be people who take advantage of the system, who lie, who steal. There are unfortunately some people like these everywhere and in every industry. This type of stigma is not fair on pensioners, the single parent’s, low income families, those who were made redundant, who have not enough jobs in their area, who are disabled, ill, the list goes on and on. What ever happened to the view that those doing it tough were seen as “Aussie battlers”? Everyone wants to add their judgements and criticisms. Before passing judgement about certain groups of people, ask yourself: have I ever experienced, met, worked with or found out more information about asylum seekers, homeless people, unemployed or people with a disability? If the answer is no, then why do you have such strong opinions on something you have no experience with and know nothing about?

I understand that people aren’t into politics, especially since watching parliament can be like watching high school. It is quite easy to see that type of nonsense and decide not give a crap, because whatever I or say do is not going to make much difference any way. I am too busy; I have my own life to live. I have a roof over my head, I have friends, I have beer, and it doesn’t affect me. Why should I care? Why should I go marching around like an idiot for something that doesn’t affect me? Why don’t people just contribute to democracy with their vote at the next election? These are some of the attitudes and comments I have come across. Is it really so silly to take the time to do some research and have some discussion about what is happening in our country and our communities? Are we just supposed to stick our head in the sand like an ostrich and be oblivious to everything until next election rolls around? Does it not matter that the funds have been ripped out of vital community services? My electorate has high youth unemployment rate and the local youth refuge has lost its funding? Maybe these youths should go and get a job. Who cares if there are more unemployed than jobs available, they should all just get a job. Does it not matter that there are homeless families sleeping in cars because there is a lack of services to support the homeless? Maybe these homeless should just chose not to be homeless. Does it not matter that abuse, domestic violence, redundancy and mental health issues are some of the reasons for homelessness? Does it not matter that my electorate has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in Australia, yet funding to one of our local domestic violence support services has been cut. Legal aid has been cut, so it is harder for women who are victims of domestic violence to leave. These are just a few of the many Central Coast, NSW issues. I’m sure each electorate has their own issues. 

Marching will not change the government or the government's ideology., but it will help to raise awareness of important issues and get people thinking, talking and contributing new ideas. We can’t all help everyone all the time or change the world on our own. Every person's input makes a difference and when working together we can make change. We can all make the effort to question things and become a little more informed. This is the whole point of Marching, to raise awareness and in unity work together for the common good. The more people that become aware, the more likely change will happen. 

@kympresdee

Haiku 18th July 2014

Dammit! No comment!
I was going to ignore it,
Their stupid repeal

Common sense thrown out
It's rotting in the skip bin
As is all concern

For our sacred earth
Our miraculous planet
Our magical world

It's about money
Their measure of what matters
Leaves all in tatters

Ignoramuses
(Their brains are like anuses)
Deciding our fate

Slogans and mantras
To distract us from logic
And bypass reason

What of our children?
What of the world we leave them?
Don't our kids matter?

The planet can burn
As long as we're in surplus
That's all that matters

You stupid teabag
Tony Abbott you moron
Doesn't your brain work?

What were you thinking?
Oh, that's right....you don't know how
Just do as you're told

Right-wing agenda
Your conservative beliefs
Will leave us in hell

I can see your horns
You're possessed by the devil
And I condemn you

Dammit! No comment!
I was going to ignore it,
Their stupid repeal

Common sense thrown out
It's rotting in the skip bin
As is all concern

For our sacred earth
Our miraculous planet
Our magical world

It's about money
Their measure of what matters
Leaves all in tatters

Ignoramuses
(Their brains are like anuses)
Deciding our fate

Slogans and mantras
To distract us from logic
And bypass reason

What of our children?
What of the world we leave them?
Don't our kids matter?

The planet can burn
As long as we're in surplus
That's all that matters

You stupid teabag
Tony Abbott you moron
Doesn't your brain work?

What were you thinking?
Oh, that's right....you don't know how
Just do as you're told

Right-wing agenda
Your conservative beliefs
Will leave us in hell

I can see your horns
You're possessed by the devil
And I condemn you

Loz Lawrey

Electoral System Change is Overdue.

By: Dr. Klaas Woldring

The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters of the federal parliament has voted unanimously in favour of electoral reforms for the Senate that would benefit the three parties represented on it: Coalition, the ALP and the Greens.

The causes of the problem in the Senate are the Hare-Clark system of proportional representation and the split between “above the line” and “below the line” voting, introduced in 1984. 90% of voters opt for “above the line”. Compulsory preferencing has been addressed now in the reform. This suits the three parties concerned and would end the horse-trading behind the scenes. However, it really does nothing to improve the single-member-district systems used for most lower houses. If people start asking themselves: “How on earth could Australia end up with an Abbott Government?” this contribution may assist to understand that and also how it can be prevented in the future.

In stark contrast to the Senate’s Hare-Clark system is the proportional representation system based on Party Lists. This provides for meaningful choices as well as simplicity. In the main just one vote determines the preference of the voter for a particular party and the candidate on that party's list. It would result in much greater diversity in the legislatures than the Australian “preferential” system because with Party List the effective choice of voting for different parties is generally much greater. 

The only real choice now in Australia, in lower houses, is between ALP and Coalition. Minor party and Independent candidates rarely get in. The “preferential” system is an illusion of democracy that has existed since 1918. In reality the country is ruled by the dominant faction of a major party. That faction often represents no more than 35% of the voters. Voters have to choose for either the one or the other major party. The factions of both parties are held together by the straightjackets of these parties. Our major parties avoid real electoral system reform. In 2009 there was a major inquiry into electoral reform. The terms of reference clearly avoided system reform, it was essentially concerned with funding. 

So where would the push for real change come from? Of course, this is a vital question. The first step to achieve reform must be that the general public understands what the Party List system means and why it would enhance democracy. Clearly, an educational campaign is needed. Normally this would come from the Government but since neither party is interested, as they expect to lose seats, it needs to be generated by the media, community groups and minor parties. Some political journalists have woken up to the gross inadequacies of Australia’s electoral systems and a few raise questions or invite activist academics. The adversarial two-party hegemony, a direct product of the existing single-member district system, has become very dysfunctional. It has also been hi-jacked by corrupt influences; and it constantly pretends that there are only “two sides of politics”, which is simply nonsense. The two-party dominance has also stopped updating the Constitution, for decades already. 

Proportional representation is always based on multi‐member electoral districts. The task of the voter is very easy: to mark his/her preferred party and, at the same time, a preferred candidate on that party’s list of candidates, with just ONE mark. Candidates need to achieve a simple quota to be elected. The system results in multi-party parliaments and, often coalition government. It is cooperative in nature instead of adversarial, and ensures diverse and democratic representation. There are no by‐elections, no pork barreling and no horse‐trading on preferencing behind the scenes. It is meaningful, transparent and fair for voters and counting of votes is fast. A minimum threshold avoids too many small parties.

Where new constitutions were introduced in the past few decades the Party List system was mostly adopted and often enshrined in the constitutions such as in Portugal (1974), South Africa (1996), almost all of Eastern Europe (1991), and our neighbours New Zealand; 80% of proportional systems are Party List.

Changing the electoral system here can simply be done by replacing the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918. No constitutional amendment is required.

Essentially, we are considering two quite different political cultures here: A culture that is dependent on seeking common ground and the other on two opposing ideological platforms, an adversarial system. Achieving majorities in a legislature of multi-parties is more easily achieved than in a two party system. Coalitions can be changed without expensive elections.

Young voters have turned away from participation in elections in droves in Australia. Attracting young voters again requires the possibility for political campaigning to have a real effect in that candidates of a variety of parties have a real opportunity to be elected to the Parliament. Intra-party reform is only a very small step towards renewal and re-engagement. The real answer here is changing the electoral system right across the board.

How can the multi-member party list system be introduced? Administratively, the easiest initial transformation would be to use the existing states as electoral districts. A state’s number of MPs would be based on the size of its population. 

Dr. Woldring is a former A/Professor of Southern Cross University where he taught courses in politics and management from 1975 to 1999. 

How Australia Earned it's Democracy

By: Max Black

Yesterday the LNP's attempt to repeal section 18c of the racial discrimination act was thankfully brought to an end. The government backed off on an election promise to further free speech that would have allowed racial vilification to be lawful in Australia.

In the aftermath of this back down, something very interesting happened; a number of LNP parliamentarians threatened to resign from the party as a result of this broken promise. Never mind that the government had already broken dozens of promises before this. This was the point that they turned on Tony Abbott. It almost seems like the LNP had bought its own propaganda in terms of how racist they thought this country was.

LNP members are now turning on each other and their party because their leader backed down on a racist law change that almost no one in the country asked for, yet the government believed it had a mandate on.

I can think of no better example of how out of touch and repulsive this government is. But the fact of the matter is that nearly a year after it came to power this government is losing control. A budget they can't pass, unpopular changes to everything from Medicare to the environment, to this horrendous and infamous plan to repeal race hate laws. The lies have been exposed, the budget emergency debunked, increasing international pressure from the whole world in regards to our blatant breaking of international law. And they can't seem to take their feet out of their mouths at any point. The government is facing massive swings against it in every bi-election (sans Tasmania, what are you guys thinking by the way?) It appears that this government and quite likely the LNP itself are not long for this world. The damage they have done to this country and their own reputation both domestically and abroad, is too severe. Either a double dissolution will end them soon or they will face a catastrophic landslide loss at the next election.

For those of us that opposed this party from long before the election (myself included) it is a somewhat hollow victory. The damage done to education, health, the environment, infrastructure, research etc has been terrible, this government has sent Australia back, ten maybe even twenty years.

But it hasn't been a total loss. For we have gained one very important thing.

History.

For this is a story we will tell our grandchildren. It will be the story about how for years the people of Australia whined about how childish and frustrating our politics were. How we used to donkey vote and take our democracy for granted. How we were so blasé that we that we didn't even notice the ultra-right wingers usurp our government. It will be the story of how a country that never had its democracy tested was suddenly forced to face the dragon that was in power. And face it we did.

It started small, with a handful of people wanting to march. It gained momentum on social media. And on a fateful weekend in March, tens of thousands of Australia citizens took to the streets for their democracy. They did it again in July, and August, and as many times as it took until this hated government was removed from power.

We will tell stories of where we were the day the LNP left office forever. We will talk about the street parties and the atmosphere that day. It will go down in our history books, it will be taught alongside the Vietnam Moratorium and the Eureka Stockade. The March Australia movement stood against a terrifying government that sought to end our way of life. The people of Australia stood up and said, we didn't vote for this. They stood and they won.

For those of us that were there, we will look back on the day the government left office and we will remember the anniversary of our victory for the rest of our lives.

For a long time many Australians took their democracy for granted, it was assumed, it was something we were born into that we feel had always been around. The Abbott government made us question that, it threatened to take it away from us, it tested us. For me personally, it has been an honour to publicly stand against this government on every unjust and unfair policy it has sought to bring upon Australia and its people.

The March movement is about so much more than just reversing questionable policies. It has been real democracy, we fought for it, we took it to the streets, we screamed and we marched and we stood tall. We froze in the winter air and burned under the summer heat. We fought for our democracy and for the first time in our history, we, the Australian people, earned it.

And we never took it for granted again.

Haiku - 1st July 2014

Loz Lawrey

Forgive me, good folk
Had to extrude this Haiku
To dissolve the blues:

Q and A this week
Strutting red-crested rooster
The mayor of Geelong

"Surely a mistake?"
Thought I, in gob-smacked wonder
No, in fact it's true

They've put him in charge
Which surely begs the question
What were they thinking?

His voice gets louder
With crazy-sounding overtones
As he flings his spin

Passive-aggressive
Gets angry when confronted
Blustering buffoon

I'm very grateful
He didn't do the Lambada
He looked like he might

Meanwhile, over there:
Tight-lipped Liberal lady
Looks about with scorn

Refugees suffer
She can see no connection
With her policies

Talk of compassion?
Impatient, she rolls her eyes
The apologista!

Cruelty ignored
Harshest treatment justified
Evil sanctified

Does she go to church?
On Sundays, quite possibly
She's in denial

The damage is done
Move on! There's nothing to see!
The psychopaths pray.

Stopping the Boats

By: Loz Lawrey

I sometimes make the mistake of turning on the radio when I wake up. Today I was greeted with the news of refugee mothers attempting suicide by hanging, by poisoning, and by self-harm with glass shards.
Then I heard Abbott's sociopathic, robotic response: "We are stopping the boats....etc".
Then heard people saying they support what this government is doing!
I became ill - mentally, spiritually and physically. Curled up in a ball for a few hours.
How has this happened? It seems the people of this country have lost all perspective of what it means to be human.
The Bust the budget rallies were great, but if Australians were worth anything as human beings, there should have been many more on the streets. A sprinkling of empaths in a sea of sociopaths.
I'm wondering why those of us who do care are even bothering to hold our little rallies- it seems Australians want a sociopathic, xenophobic racist state run by jackbooted thugs.
Tell me we don't and I'll ask you why this government is in power, and is allowed to stay in power.
I'd give up and move overseas, but the inhumanity seems to be a global phenomenon.
If I was a Christian I'd be inclined to think Satan's forces of evil were winning the war and taking over.
When we care, and we try to raise the issues and fight for change and a better society, it's a bitter pill to swallow, realising most people couldn't give a tinkers. And the media does its best to portray us as rabid whingers.
Sorry, had to vent. It's a glass empty kind of day.

Them

By: Ben Konstantinos

Silvertails prefer mining
Minerals and resources
Recently its fracking
Releasing Earth’s gases

Boast about creating

Jobs for poor workers
Denigrate protesters
Labelled slackers and shirkers

No connection to country

Its natural state of beauty
Talkin bout economy
As first and major duty

Dismissing renewables

They prefer to plunder
Solar, wind and waves
Displease the number cruncher

Climate change has happened

How much more is up to us
Rampant greed’s gotta end
Come board the protest bus

Don’t tolerate abuse

To our sisters and brothers
No one can excuse
Hurting earth, she’s our mother

Starve the Unemployed

By: John Corby

Every day a new “crime against humanity” reveals it’s ugly face through the latest piece of legislation that the government wants to impose on the people it was elected to represent. You could write for hours on anything from Scott Morrison’s latest inhumane offering; or Glencore paying $0 tax on $15 billion coal mining profit when the rest have to “carry the weight”; or Kevin Andrews’ attack on people with a disability, but I’d like to air my disgust on just one issue in this blog. It is the issue that I feel is the most disgusting thing any Australian government has ever attempted to impose on the people it is meant to care for. Starve the unemployed.

We have a 12% Unemployment rate of People between 18-30. Therefore about 1 in 8 people in that age group (who are not in tertiary studies) will be sentenced to absolute poverty. We have many Australians living in relative poverty. In fact 14.4% of Australians live on less than half the median income – (compared with the OECD average of 11.3%). This is regarded as relative poverty and these people struggle to get food on the table and rely on the generosity of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and other volunteer welfare organizations to get the necessary food, shelter and clothing to survive. 

Absolute poverty is a different thing. It is when people have no means of support at all. This is what we see in many 3rd world countries- beggars, lots of homeless, heaps of street crime etc. I can’t envisage an economic situation in Australia where sentencing people to absolute poverty should ever be considered an option, yet giving no income support at all to 12% of 18-30 year olds for 6 months of every year will do exactly that. Contrary to what we are told by the Murdoch press and the LNP government, Australia's economy is not a disaster and is in fact one of the strongest economies in the world, with what is considered “a minor budget deficit”. We all knew that Wayne Swann spent heaps of money to ward off the effects of the GFC and that we would need to be a little more frugal sometime down the track, but a little more frugal does not mean imposing 3rd world conditions on people. 

I live in country Victoria with a wife and 3 school age daughters. We will be in Melbourne for the March on July 6 and I certainly hope that there are so many other people there that the message gets to the cross bench senators. The message that the people of Australia are not going to accept the rubbish the government and the Murdoch press is feeding us, and that we won’t allow our country to be ruined by a liar who thinks he has a mandate.

Educating Australia

By: Dr Liz Ryan

When I knew that a new government was in, I acknowledged that this fantastic notion of funding, fair funding, of education would be dismissed as it was a means of providing some equity to an education system where government and non government are divided by enormous equity issues. I know what it is like to teach in a disadvantaged school - I have done it. I know what to is like to teach in a school that is classified as a great government school. I also know what it is like in  a private school - I am a product as are my children. Why would I send my children to a private school? I sent them there as the education system was so badly resourced physically and in human resources that I saw immediate disadvantage which I did not intend to visit upon my children.

With our current government, it appears that little will change as more people seem keen to move their children out of public schools. What happens if you are not wealthy enough? You have no choice but to remain in poorly funded schools with lack of equity to resources.

An equal access to resources with a focus on lifting those schools who are disadvantaged would have made a difference - a difference in the lives of those children and for those teachers to whom frustration is a living reality and one that impacts upon their well being.

It is a call to hear the recommendations of the Gonski Report and to really use them. If we want thinking children we must have teachers who think and are encouraged to think. We need resources.

Instead we are getting knee jerk reactions as if someone went to bed , had a dream and thought it was a good idea. Suddenly we have Latin being brought in? Personally I think Latin is fascinating but actually , who is going to teach it? What is the purpose? Why Latin? Rather a silly thing to suggest, I would have thought.

A government who has ripped apart every scientific focus it can, denounced the changing climate and generally shown that science is not important  stated in its policy outline(2013)that it would increase scientific access for all  students.. strange thoughts when science is being dismissed as not important!

There is no planning; it appears that there are just  responses to whatever raises its head in the short term. There is recent discussion of having specific businesses sponsoring schools so the students are “trained” for employment in that industry. I find that extremely limiting and short sighted as well as extreme advertising. Education is about helping people to change, make choices, vary their lives and to not become drones . I am astounded at the audacity of this idea as it is short term and benefits no child’s future.

A good education system fosters the growth of all who are within it ,and being funded to do so. It is planned and carried out with vision and foresight..it is aimed to increasing the social wealth and capital that we need to have a  healthy and forward moving population. It  means all have equal access to the resources available.

Frustration and indignation are great motivators . I want an educated country! I want funding for our children and I do not want to see that only privileged children are exposed to excellence. I want to see a country whose philosophies are based around equity and tolerance . For Australia to be lifted it is incumbent upon Australians to call loudly for a greater expenditure on education and to encourage an education vision for this country.

What Do We Tell Our Children?

By: Sir-Max Black

I first started learning Australian history in primary school. I learned how the horrors of our past, from prison colonies, to wars, helped shape this nation into what it is today. How out of our brutal past we became one of the most developed, influential and progressive nations on Earth. As a kid I was so proud to be Australian.

That was twenty odd years ago. It is not how I feel any more.

I remember learning about the White Australia policy. I remember laughing in class at it. How on Earth did the government of the day convince anyone the policy was anything but utter stupidity? I ask this question even today, as our current government sends unaccompanied refugee children to prisons hidden out in the Pacific Ocean, with no plan of release.
I remember learning about the historic struggle in Tasmania and the landmark fight to protect the ancient forests from the logging industry. This was an event that was celebrated in our history books. I remember wondering why those people needed to fight. Those forests were unique and beautiful in their own right, why would anyone want to destroy them? I ask this question, even today, as our current government attempts to de-list that same world heritage rainforest, and plans to destroy the Great Barrier Reef by creating deep water ports in one of the most cherished strips of ocean in the entire world. Just so they can ship more coal out of our country, a commodity that is in dropping demand worldwide.

I remember learning about Women’s Suffrage, the Eureka Stockade, the Vietnam protests, the call to end nuclear testing in the outback, and endless plight of our amazing indigenous people, that have had to fight and endure every single government that has every come to power in this country, just so they can be considered equal with their countrymen. A fight that is still ongoing today.

When you think back on it, it almost feels like our entire history is made up of events where ordinary Australians had to fight our government just so our government would do the right thing by us.

That is a thought we should all keep in mind today, as we enter, seemingly, our country’s darkest hour.

No other government that has ever entered parliament has held such contempt for the Australian people and the care of our beautiful country. A government that effectively wants to scrap public Medicare, foreign aid, clean energy, science, education, secularism, aged care, disability care, and equally of all kinds, from race to LGBT rights. A government that tells us, the people of Australia, that if you aren't rich enough to pay for the things you need to survive, then it is your own fault. A government that has completely destroyed our international image, our relations with the entire Asia-Pacific region, holds our environment in total disregard and wants to further tax the poor while leaving those that can afford to do the ‘heavy lifting’ completely untouched.

This government lied to us all to get into power, they still lie to us, they lie to us every day. They told us we had a budget emergency, we don’t. They told us, the only thing that matters is getting the budget under control. It’s not. They sold this lie to us. They justified all the wicked things they are doing under their three-word, propaganda filled slogans. It’s all a lie, just so they can please their corporate sponsors and justify privatising everything under the Australian sun. This government, effectively seeks to destroy the government of Australia itself. This government is pure corruption.

We have never faced a threat quite like this before. This is way bigger than just some LNP vs. ALP rivalry. This government seeks to ruin our country and the opposition seems indifferent to our plight. Where is our leadership? Where are the brave men and woman that historically would step up to put a stop to this madness? Where are the people that will go down in the history books? That will be remembered for their brave acts to protect our way of life?
The answer is, they are everywhere. You are reading an article by one right now. You have seen pictures of them in the streets from Sydney to Perth. In rural towns from NT to Tasmania, ordinary Australians that refuse to co-operate with the corruption in power.
I openly stand against this government because when I look at my son, I wonder how I am going to explain this part of our history to him. When he asks me why the Barrier Reef was destroyed, when he asks me why we are still wholly depended on coal when the rest of the world is on renewable energy, when he asks me why there are so many homeless people on the streets or why he can never afford to go to university. What will I tell him?

Do I say, we had to fix the budget in 2014? Do you think he will believe that, when he lives in an Australia where only the rich can afford a decent lifestyle?

No. 

And he won't have to believe that. Because people like me, people like you, refuse to be idol while this government or any government, seeks to ruin everything that makes our country great.

When my son finally reads his history books, he will read about the March movement and how the people of Australia, stood up against a corrupt and immoral government.

Stood up. And won.

We the people are the defenders of our country and she needs us now more than ever. Our democracy today will not be counted at the ballot; it will be counted in the street. Our voice, the voice of Australia needs to be heard, and it needs to be heard loud, far and wide, until our government can ignore it no longer.

A Lesson in Displacement

By: Loz Lawrey

My sister-in-law Dagmara knows about displacement. As a Little Girl she left Poland with her mother in the 1980's, a time when hundreds of thousands of Poles emigrated looking for jobs and a better life abroad. She feels empathy for people who find themselves forced to travel halfway around the world to escape war, social dysfunction or simply to seek a better life.

Dagmara is an artist and often uses installations and viewer participation in her work. Her latest creation is “The Bureau of Worldly Advice” at the Melbourne Town Hall. Held over a week, this event has attracted great interest and participation and has been, for some, a life-changing experience.

From the Swanston St pavement I see an office window with official-looking signage which declares it to be the Bureau of Worldly Advice. The front doors are open. This bureau looks just as one would expect an office in the Melbourne Town Hall to look: sober and clerical. 

But there's a twist. A young woman in a suit, dancing on the spot, spruiks a bold and brassy invitation to passers-by to come in for some “worldly advice”. Her antics attract curious smiles. Now and then, the invitation is accepted.

Those who enter find themselves in a spacious office containing several large desks, at which consultants from around the globe dispense “advice” to those who seek it. Stories are told, experiences shared and questions answered. There is effervescent laughter and the occasional tear.

These “consultants” are asylum seekers living in the limbo of Australia's assessment process, their status as residents undetermined, their ability to move forward with their lives on hold. Yet they are here today in a spirit of affirmation, determined to focus on the positive aspects of finding themselves in this strange country at the mercy of an indifferent bureaucracy.

I sit down with Basir and Afifah (names changed), a couple in their early forties who have escaped the conflict and humanitarian disaster in Syria. They have so much to tell me that I struggle to take it all in. Each statement provokes several questions I haven't time to ask. I am stunned at the lengths to which this couple go to preserve their sanity in an insane situation. 

Since their visa status prevents them from working and earning, they spend their days as volunteers, giving their time and energy to our society which (for now) keeps them at arm's length.

Basir and Afifah have been meeting and talking with new people all week. I am stunned by their openness, yet can sense how close to the surface are their most raw emotions. I realise that being here talking to me is part of their survival strategy, something they're doing to stay grounded and in the moment.

Half an hour flies by and my consultation is over. I feel strangely emotional. I found myself apologising to Basir and Afifah for the treatment they continue to receive from my country's government. They would not hear of it, determined as they are not to wallow in self-despair. They have seen what despair can do, so they tread the fine line that feeds the soul and avoids the repetitive mantras of hopelessness. By giving, they receive.
I am confronted, intrigued and ashamed. I scribble in the comments book before leaving. I feel like a spoilt, complacent child who has everything yet appreciates nothing. The simple bringing together of people from diverse backgrounds in one room has proved to be a powerful artistic statement. 

The beholder becomes a participant. A conversation is begun, then ended all too soon. I am reminded of my own travels, of experiences and encounters in far-off lands, of the learning and understanding that flows from opening up to others. 

Conversations like these break down barriers and lift us above our differences, reminding us that we are one humanity.

Perhaps all that we need in this world are more conversations like these.

Why are we Revolting?

By: Margaret McMillan

I have often asked myself why suddenly I have become so involved in politics to the extent of becoming involved not just in protesting, but in organising the protests. I've always been interested, and followed the news, but it wasn't until Julia Gillard became Prime Minister that I started to see something dodgy happening.

All of a sudden, there was no news about what the Government was doing. It was all about how terrible Gillard was. Shock jocks were being horribly abusive – chaff bag anyone? She was being called a liar over one statement.  “There will be no carbon tax under a Government I lead, but I am determined to put a price on carbon”.  

That's what she said, and it was in The Australian, so it must be true. But week after week we heard  the cry “Liar”. Alan Jones called her Juliar – this from a radio shock jock to the person holding the highest office in the land.

Well, all that is what got me interested and involved in politics for the first time since the Howard Government came into office. Oh, I know Howard did some terrible things to the fairness of life in Australia. He squandered the mining boom on middle class welfare; he began the mass movement of students from public to private school by favouring the private schools in the funding models and he began the terrible demonisation of asylum seekers that we have seen grow and thrive in the last fifteen years, happily promoted by the media and those nasty shock jocks again. But there wasn’t the sense with Howard that he was setting out to destroy everything we stood for. Perhaps he was, and perhaps he was setting the groundwork for what is happening now.

And look what is happening now. As the wags have pointed out, unless you're a miner, a banker, a big businessman (would we call Clive a miner or a big businessman?) then there is something nasty in store for you.

You send your children to a public school? Then forget the Gonski plan to right the wrongs of previous years and ensure all children are treated fairly. Accept that if you can't afford private, then tough.

You or a family member has a disability? You felt for the first time that something to truly help you with a life that is so difficult was going to happen with the NDIS? Forget it. The country is too poor to look after it's most vulnerable. You care for the environment? You have read how the carbon pricing scheme was already having an effect, and we could all see how the uptake of clean, natural energy was picking up around the country. No longer. There is an ideological push to close all agencies that contribute to us losing our reliance on fossil fuels. World Heritage areas are under threat. Climate change is off the agenda. 

There are countless worrying examples of what has happened since last September, but let's not look at any more now. Let's just look at the Big Lie – the big lie that Australia cannot afford to have a just social security system, or top grade public schools and hospitals. It cannot afford to look after a relatively small number of desperate people who reach our shores. It cannot afford to protect the environment for the future. It cannot afford to make sure that the disadvantage suffered by our Aboriginal brothers and sisters is removed.

All around the world, people have recognised that Australia was one of the countries that survived the GFC best. We gained an AAA rating from three different international agencies. Our debt ratio is tiny compared to other developed countries. This is the lie – that we cannot afford to have first class services. 

The Coalition obviously considers the vast majority of Australians to be unworthy of a decent life. In fact they seem to think that we are revolting. Well, we're not exactly revolting yet, but we are certainly marching, and marching and marching again until Governments of all kinds around Australia start to listen to us.

“I intend to govern for all Australians” (Tony Abbott, prior to the September 2013 elections)

We intend to demand better governance for our country.