the big political farce

Nearly three weeks ago we had a state election in Tasmania, but only today were the results of said election announced. A little bit to do with a crazy electoral system which sees a ten day wait between the initial count of primary votes and the ensuing complicated divvying out of preferences, and a hung parliament of buffoons who won't just get along with one another.

Ten Labor members, ten Liberal members, five Greens (woot woot) and the Liberals think they can claim victory because they won a few more primary votes, Labor vowed to hand over power if they did not win the majority of votes, and no one will talk to the Greens who just want to work together. Now the Governor has stepped in and declared Labour shall form the minority government while the Liberals are throwing a most unattractive hissy fit.

It seems to me this might be the perfect opportunity to work on a new style of government. Because I'll be honest with you - this adversarial way of doing things just doesn't cut it with me. It seems to be more about being in power and less about caring for the people. (The Tasmanian Government's silence and reluctance to intervene on ensuring Tasmanians have safe drinking water is a case in point. Their refusal to listen to the wishes of the majority on the pulp mill is another. I could fill a blog with other examples. We have been left high and dry by the very politicians who are supposed to make decisions on our behalf.)

Of course, the politicians think we can't all see through their power tripping games. They pretend to care, throwing money out here, there and everywhere on projects they hope will win our hearts... and our votes.

I am not a monkey, nor am I one of Pavlov's dogs. I personally do not respond to money being thrown in my face, and I resent being treated like an idiot, as if money will cover up the ineptitude and heartlessness of government after government, or switch off my brain to the reality of the corruption and complete lack of integrity we have experienced in this state. I am not the only one who feels this way, since the Greens picked up five seats and we have no majority. One can conclude we are all fed up.

Interesting times that is for sure. One can hope the Greens holding the balance of power might bring some accountability into our government, but I really wouldn't put it past Labour and Liberal to work together... once they get over their school boy antics, and put their noses back in joint after failing to win majority that is! In the mean time, keep holding onto that whiff of change. Everyone I have spoken to wants the politicians to get over their bipartisanship and work together... may it be so. But like I said, not holding my breath on this one!

obamarama

After all the anticipation and excitement about the US election, I ended up on an isolated camp site with three classes of beastly careless school children just when the whole thing was being decided (credit where credit is due - one did tell me he hoped Obama would win. I was impressed he even knew who Obama was). Such an anticlimax. One enormous, gigantic thankyou to my friend Robyn, who texted me with one word: 'woohoo :-)'. Her message said it all.

I know some of you in the USA aren't sure about Obama. I know I don't have to live with whatever economic policy he decides to implement - although in this global village maybe I will live with it despite our differing citizenship. I know a new person at the helm brings with it uncertainty. I know my mum thinks he is a dark horse who has not revealed everything he stands for. I know that some of his liberal policies do not conform to the moral values others hold dear. I know that at every election certain crazy Christians attempt to determine if the new president mightn't just be the antichrist. I know all that, but I still feel an incredible sense of relief that Barrack Obama is now the president elect.

I am reading a book by Barbara Kingsolver called 'Small Wonder'. In this collection of essays written after the 9/11 terrorist attacks she explores what in American society might have provoked such attacks. I am only three essays in, but her willingness to acknowledge the faulty value system of the USA (and most of the western world really) is confronting, refreshing, and challenging. She questions the benefit of fighting violence with violence, wonders if capital gain at the cost of people in other countries might not have fuelled the anger and bitterness that resulted in the attacks, and urges people to return to a deeper connection with the earth that sustains them. I cannot help but think the world would be a better place if we all lived by the alternative values she argues for so beautifully.

For me, Obama embodies some of these values Barbara Kingsolver espouses. He advocates for diplomacy over war, justice and respect for people of all persuasions, distributing wealth more equitably. These ideals resonate strongly with me. I am tired of the old way of doing things. Right down to Australia we have been protectionist, looking out for our own interests, rejecting compassion, worshipping profit, searching after continual economic growth while others less fortunate than ourselves have suffered the effects of our excesses.

I doubt Obama is a messiah able to solve all the ills of the world, but if he can respond to injustices and pain with compassion and peace then maybe he can change more things than we imagine. And perhaps that approach will cost us in terms of our own personal comfort. But that might not be so bad. We've had it pretty good for a long, long time. It's other people's turn now.

this is taking things a little too far

I don't even live in the USA, but I've been having delusions of Obama grandeur.

Two nights ago I met Senator Obama. In my dream of course. As happens in dreams, I just so happened to be at one of the presidential candidate debates. The chair of the debate overheard me asking Obama a few questions and invited me to ask my questions from the floor during the debate. I demurred, protesting that I was from Australia, what I thought wasn't relevant, I would not be voting etc, but the Chair assured me my question was quite pertinent and helpful in revealing the height of international interest in this election. And then, as so often happens in dreams, before I could publically pose my question, there was a smooth segue to the next dreamy location of which I am now none the wiser.

Tonight I noticed someone in Hawaii visited my blog. I wondered if it was Senator Obama cruising around blogs, checking out what has been written about him. Because I did write about him. But I imagine he has a lot more important things on his mind.

OK, enough of the drivvle I am so good at producing late at night. To bed!

NB This is not one of my afore mentioned fragmentary posts.

better than a soap opera

I've never been a huge follower of the plethora of soap operas on offer, unless of course you count my almost daily dose of Neighbours while living in London. I would suggest this had more to do with feeling homesick than being a true Neighbours-believer!

Suddenly I find myself rushing home for the next round of my favourite show on television - the news, with its daily updates on the great American Presidential race. I love it.

I cheer for Barack Obama, I laugh uproariously at the Sarah Palin parodies, I gag at the sight of John McCain, and I grin when any Democrat hopeful makes a good point in the ongoing debate. Of course as I am patently biased, I am yet to hear a good point from the Republicans.

All I can say is this: America, please, please, please don't subject the rest of the world to four years of McCain and Palin. I just couldn't stand it! (And as you know, it's all about me)

Of course I do have a few more cogent and logical thoughts than these, but who really cares - I'm in Australia for goodness sake! So I'll stick to the rush and thrill of this fascinating, unfolding drama.

Keep it coming baby!

i have a dream

I feel quite deflated tonight.

Not because I'm unhappy with the election result (in fact I am very happy with it).

Perhaps because I stayed up too late last night just to hear Kevin Rudd give his acceptance speech. After I stayed up too late the night before. And too late the night before. And the night before... my head has been a little dizzy all day.

Mostly I'm deflated because I feel gypped by the Australian election process. Yes I wanted change. Yes I think our country has become more selfish, mean and self absorbed under Mr Howard's leadership and I would like to see us move towards embracing compassion, justice and good stewardship of more than just our money. But it's terribly harsh.

Last night I watched the whole thing, from the start of the count to Kevin Rudd's first speech as Prime Minister elect. I rode the crest of the ever increasing wave of Labour's victory and I rejoiced.

But at the same time I felt the pain of those who lost their seats. Some had been Ministers in the Liberal Government. Poof. Gone. Others had been representing their communities tirelessly for only three years. Again - poof, gone.

So black and white.

And yet the reality is so grey. In many areas (with our crazy system of preferences) it's difficult to know who an electorate really wants to represent them. Truth be told, I don't really want a Labour or Liberal candidate representing me, but in the end I had no option but to vote for one or the other at some point on my voting slip. No doubt there are countless others who feel as I do.

I always remember reading a book called 'Partly Right' by Tony Campolo. He points out that most philosophies, perspectives and political persuasions are... partly right. So Labour are partly right, Liberal are partly right and yes, even the Greens are partly right. But only one can be in Government at a time.

What a shame! Rather than work together for a better world, we tear each other apart and oppose each other for the sake of a parliamentary system built on 'keeping the bastards honest'. How much a better country would Australia be if we could take those partly right bits from each party and turn them into a whole right. We could all work together. We could make the world a better place by combining the best from every side.

Sounds like a much better idea to me. And then John Howard wouldn't be packing his bags after an embarrassing loss. He wouldn't be facing loss in his own electorate. Love and camaraderie would rule as we all work together for the greater good. That would be wonderful.

For now I'm just hoping Kevin Rudd can lead us forward wisely and well. Maybe we won't be as economically prosperous, but hopefully we can hold our heads proud and high as we respond to the pressing needs of our world with justice and integrity.

That's my dream. That Australia might lead the way in promoting peace, kindness, compassion and generosity. And that one day we'll all be one. Living in perfect harmony.

postman, postman stop bringing those letters

Over at Dublin City Girl, Dublin City Girl wrote of her joy at recently receiving a real life letter.

I agree.
I love receiving real life letters.
I just hardly ever receive them.
However, despite hardly receiving any, I still check the letter box religiously with keen anticipation... reminds me of when I was a kid. At the slightest sound of the postman's motorbike coming up the street I would run out to meet him at the letter box. I think one year I was even waiting there with a Christmas present for him.

I don't run out and wait anymore, but I am still hopeful of receiving bona fide mail. It's a hope that makes for daily disappointment, a feeling that has only grown more intense over the last few weeks, for other than the steady stream of pre-Christmas junk mail (oh, and the credit card bill), all I receive is envelope after envelope filled with pre-election propaganda.

Apparently this election will have seen $60 million spent on advertising. I'm not sure if that includes all the mass mailings or not. If it does or doesn't, I'm heartily tired of the constant bombardment of claims and counter claims. Thank goodness for the media blackout on television and radio election advertisements that started last night... I was slowly going mad. Unfortunately I'm still receiving letters from my friendly local member of parliament (Michael) almost daily. If I'm not getting a letter from Michael I'm getting them from a local fat-cat businessman who supports him. I even received one from his wife! At first I sent them back, but before I'd even stuffed them in an envelope another two appeared in the letter box and eventually I gave up. These letters are nothing more than desperate measures in the face of polls suggesting Michael is going down.

It's a funny thing... when I am bombarded with letters telling me how to think, act and vote I want to do nothing more than think, act and vote in a completely opposite way. So Michael... all that money you spent on writing letters was wasted on me. I will not be voting for you. I will be looking forward to an empty letter box.

If you feel sorry for me after enduring such a barrage of propaganda or would just like to make my day by posting a real nice letter, just email me and I'll give you my address....

the most embarrassing moment to top all most embarrassing moments

Can I just ask... how embarrassed would she be?!

I would be mortified. Though I must say her tracksuit is nicer than my old worn things. But wouldn't she be wishing she'd dressed up a bit more?!

nablopomo indecision

Now that I'm in the swing of daily blogging (and even Frank is getting used to it) I'm having a little trouble discriminating between what is blog worthy and what is not. For instance, today I would like to tell you about the letter I got from the would-be politician outlining her three-typed-pages response to my letter asking for her take on world poverty and the environment.

But I'd also like to share how moved I am by my friend who is a rough, rough diamond. Her clothes aren't always clean, she comes from the wrong side of the tracks, and she's as rough as guts. On the surface she might not strike you as a particularly good parent - sometimes she yells at her kids in public, they are most often unruly and uncontrolled, course language flows from all their mouths and they don't behave appropriately in church (meaning they fail to follow our bland social norms). But my goodness, her heart... her heart is all mellow softness and kindness. And now, when someone has done wrong by her children and she is struggling with the devastation, her mother heart is coming to the fore. As we talked tonight her sentences were punctuated with love, concern, righteous anger, sadness, longing and faith. She peeled back the exterior shell to reveal fierce tenderness and a determination to help her children through this time.

But it's been a long, hard week and I don't feel too much like writing such a moving post. So maybe I'll tell you about the episode of 'House' I watched tonight (I've never seen it before) and how I sometimes wish we could all talk to our patients like that. And that if I have a thing for any actor it just might be for Hugh Laurie. (He is hilarious. And the contrast of his role in Sense and Sensibility with that of his film wife makes the movie for me!)

But that's a bit trite I suppose. So I'll settle for telling you about Frank and his current cold. He caught it last weekend at camp and has been coughing and complaining since. Complaining nicely I might add. But he does make me laugh! This morning I woke up to find him in bed beside me wearing his puffer jacket - apparently he decided (in the middle of the night) that his cough is worse when his neck is cold. Tonight he has swathed his neck in a scarf and has resorted to hand signals in an effort to rest his poor sore throat. I love my Frankie, but he's such a boy when he's sick! (I ran this past him just in case and he... silently gave it the thumbs up)

pulp mill graffiti

We train 'em young in Australia, stemming right back to the kids who were sent here for stealing a loaf of bread in the 1800s! Thumb your nose at authority... it's the Australian way.

So the youth of Tasmania have been creating a bit of a stir against the pulp mill. They can't vote in the election, but they want the politicians to know they don't want the mill in their backyard when they grow up, and they've been holding protest rallies during school time. (And yes, even with permission letters from their parents some received detention)

Last week in Hobart the rally turned into a spontaneous march in the streets, and the police threatened to charge the 15 year old who organised the event. Right. A 15 year old enterprising enough to organise 500 students to protest against the mill is threatened with court action. Did we just become Tasmania the police state as well as Tasmania the corrupt state? Impressive.

The police action didn't stop students getting in on the act here in my part of the state. Today 350 teenagers gathered to have their say. And to write on the footpath outside the current polies office. I had to laugh... they'd written "Anti pulp mill rally at Civic Square" in giant chalk letters on the footpath... and someone from the sitting member's office had come out with a bucket of soapy water to wash it away. Hilarious! Teenage chalk graffiti got up the nose of the politician. Perfect!

As I said, we train 'em young!

party politics

The present pre-election shenanigans are increasingly irritating. Every day I am bombarded with television advertisements espousing the personal benefit to my back pocket of voting for this party or that. My letterbox is frequently overloaded with party based propaganda that I no doubt paid for somewhere along the line, but didn't ask for and certainly didn't authorise. Country drives are marred by ubiquitous roadside signs emblazoned with political party colours.

It seems that this election has a little to do with presenting a vote-worthy plan and a lot to do with utilising advertising know-how to attract votes. Every cell in my body is resisting this dumbing down of politics that plays to my base instincts. I would gladly bury my head in the ground while the politicians and would-be politicians play their little games.

Except I can't. There are a few issues that are very important to me this election, so I'm paying more attention to the para-messages than ever. (Because the messages are so inane and dollar focused) In fact I wrote to a couple of politicians and asked them to let me know what their stance is on the environment, world poverty and refugees. I don't know if it was because I also told them I won't be voting for them due to their support for the pulp mill, but I haven't had much response...

...until today when I received a hand written letter from our present politician advising me that he didn't have time to address my individual concerns and I should refer to his previous public comments for guidance in my decision about who to aware my second vote to.

Thanks mate! Appreciate the help there!

What I'd really like to see is a party that cares... not about winning my vote, but about doing what is right, acting with integrity, responding with compassion. Making decisions that might not be so great for our economy, but that acknowledge we have a responsibility to the earth and to people less well off than ourselves to do more than just make money for our own benefit. I'd like to see a party that cares about social justice, not just in word, but in action, that charts a course for the good of humanity not just the good of their popularity. A party that doesn't see winning as the aim of the game, but good governance.

At the moment I can only see one party doing this, and that's the Greens. So despite everything my father taught me about the evilness of the Greens because their leader is gay and they support gay rights, I'm going to vote for them at the next election. I don't agree with everything they espouse, but at least they have integrity and stand for justice and the moderation of our Western excesses!

Fifteen days to go and it will all be over... Phew!

(with respect) there is a god!

Tasmania has gone crazy with elections. The whole country will soon go to the polls to (hopefully) get a new Prime Minister, but last month we also had local council elections here.

And the results are official... our local pro-pulp mill Mayor has been ditched! Justice has been served! Woohoo!

Of course, he claims it had nothing to do with the pulp mill and he still thinks we're all 'misinformed'. Unfortunately for him, we have the final say at the ballot box. When thousands of us signed a voters block declaring we wouldn't vote for anyone who supports the mill we meant it. This is the first chance we have had to follow through and it appears to have made a difference. Power (at last) to the people.

Since both State and Federal governments have voted to allow the mill to proceed this could be seen as a hollow victory... but it is a significant statement about the strength of our feelings. Those candidates in the Federal election who support the pulp mill would do well to take notice. (Be afraid. Be very afraid.) Take heed. We mean business!