in gravyland

Reasons to be cheerful

I’ve not written anything here since the election result. It was a shock and a surprise and it took me a little while to recover my words. Anyway, here are some reasons to be cheerful:

- I spend most of Saturday plumbing in hot water to our bathtub in the garden. The only break was to go to a great lunch at a friend’s place. And came home to finish the plumbing, fill the bath and climb in as the sun was setting. A bath in the garden under the almond trees. Bliss.

- blognite is coming. Only ten days now. And we have the regular blog meetup this week.

- Splatt has a survey for bloggers to fill out to help plan an Australian blogging conference.

- William Gibson is blogging again.

- National Novel Writing Month is coming and I am really tempted to spend November writing 50,000 words of dubious novella. Thanks to Mark for the reminder.

And a million other things. I’m fully over pretending to be a political blogger, so more personal posts from me from now on, ok….

Down at the polls…

I spent some time this morning down at the North Fremantle polling booth, handing out Greens how-to-vote cards.

Where I was, the ALP and the Greens folks were hanging out together on opposite side of the path, chatting away. The Liberals had set up a table a ways away complete with a big picture of John Howard and a bunch of ‘fear posters’ going on about Latham’s inexperience. That was a bit sad.

At the other entrance to the booth, Liberal, ALP and Greens folk were having a good old chat and a laugh.

You know, all the people I met were great, from all sides, and the chance to have a political chat with other folk interested in politics was really enjoyable. It adds a human face to the election. Much better than a bunch of talking heads on the TV.

I liked it so much I’m going back for more this afternoon. And then off to a small gathering to watch the results come in. Go Greens!

Reasons for voting.. my way

Here’s my voting intentions and my reasons. If you’ve read my blog a bit, you’ll figure that the coalition is not going to get my vote. Here’s a summary of my reasons, and some thoughts on who will get my vote.

Tax and cash handouts

Firstly, I don’t vote based on how much money one side or the other is going to give me, or who is giving me the best tax deal. A wise accountant once said to me: “focus on earning the money, not on tax deductions.” Since then I’ve noticed how Australians seem to be obsessed about tax cuts, where similar effort could just make some more money.

Interest rates

Howard spreading fear and doubt about Labor while pouring huge amounts of cash into the economy has no credibility. I believe the markets and economists on this one. Also, his selective use of history is misleading.

Free Trade Agreement

The FTA was a dangerous and stupid idea. We are yet to see the damage it is going to cause. Those of us in the internet and creative industries will see the worst of this thing. The coalition bought the whole package on this one, and Labor made a couple of tiny little amendments before accepting it. Both the Democrats and Greens sensibly rejected it.

Human Rights

The coalition: children in detention, mandatory detention, failing to uphold human rights treaties, bombing other countries, leaving our citizens to rot in Gitmo.

Labor: yet to find their voice.

It is the Greens and Democrats again that get it.

Depth in policy

It is hard to find any depth in a Coalition policy. They hand out cash while crowing about ‘economic management’.

Labor sneak in the occasional depth in policy, like in childcare for example, making them worth consideration.

War in Iraq

My bottom line is that nothing should have happened in Iraq without at least UN support.

Coalition: War for the wrong reason, or no reason at all.

Labor: Forgot about UN support. Followed along half-supporting the coalition.

Opposition has been strongest from the Greens on this one.

Environment

Coalition: Hopeless. Need I say more?

Labor: Ok, but still caught in the old economic metaphors.

Greens: They actually understand what sustainability is about. Thank goodness somebody does.

My vote

I’m really happy the way Green preferences are flowing to Labor, for I’m hoping for a Labor majority in the lower house. It makes it easy for me to give the Greens my votes in the lower and upper house, knowing that preferences will ultimately fall to Labor. Unfortunately, the Democrats just seem a spent force now, torn apart by supporting the GST and other deal with the coalition.

The thing about the Greens is that you need to read their policies. There is a lot of good stuff there. A lot of depth. A real indication that they understand the issues, and want to take them on, not just seduce the swinging voters with cash or a “I’m doing good” halo.

So, go the Greens. I’m handing out how-to-votes for the Greens today. Maybe see you down at the polling booth.

Time for a change — crikey editorial

Crikey.com.au have just published a cracking good editorial on their assessment of the parties and how to vote. Unlike almost all of the print media, they are not siding with the coalition. They say it is time for a change:

We believe Australia deserves fresh ideas on both sides of politics. It’s time for John and Janette Howard to pack their bags and enjoy a well deserved retirement at their holiday shack in Hawks Nest. Time for a new generation of leaders to take us forward.

We like the idea of Mark Latham vs Peter Costello. Both have untapped potential, and deserve to be removed from the political shackles that have held them back - albeit with a strong Senate and a robust media to hold them accountable.

We believe that overwhelmingly it’s time for change. Not change for change’s sake. Change for the nation’s sake.

Link

Unfit to govern: Tony Abbott

See the transcript from ABC Lateline this week. See Tony Abbott ‘forget’ about a meeting he had 10 days ago that he doesn’t want to talk about.

Either he is a liar, or he has memory problems. Either way he is unfit to govern.

Bye Tony.

TONY JONES: Tony Abbott on another matter, have you met Archbishop Pell during the election campaign?

TONY ABBOTT: Not that I can recall.

TONY JONES: Not that you can recall, because we believe that you’ve had at least one meeting with him quite recently?

You don’t recall that?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, when?

Where?

TONY JONES: At the presbytery in Sydney.

TONY ABBOTT: Ah, actually now that you do mention it, I did met with Cardinal Pell.

So what?

Why shouldn’t I meet with Cardinal Pell?

TONY JONES: Why couldn’t you recall meeting him, I think, 10 days ago?

Howards End competition results

The results are out on in the Howard’s End 04 Fridge Magnet competition. You can see the winner and other cool entries here.

Sensible words

The six billion dollar rodent was throwing cash at childcare this week, and Mark Latham was giving away one free days for all three and four year olds, and making more places in long day care and after-school care.

Why does Howard think that thowing cash at things is the only answer. Does the guys speak any other language than cash?

Forget about the cash for the moment. Which of these guys best understands early childhood education? Latham does. Listen to Latham’s comments on childcare this week (from ABC’s PM program, Monday 27 Sept):

MARK LATHAM: In so many respects this has been the missing link in our system of life long learning in Australia. The traditional thinking that learning starts with the beginning of the school years, of course, ignores the fact that from nought to four, these are the formative years, the years of brain development, language development, the little personalities and minds racing. We neglect the full potential of our children if we don’t have a comprehensive national plan for early childhood development.

We want childcare to be more than child minding– that’s an important function, it’s an important part of the work and family arguments, the labour market arguments – but for the young ones themselves, it’s an opportunity to start the formal learning process in life, and that’s an opportunity that’s too good to miss, an opportunity we’ve got to take for their benefit, an opportunity we’ve got to take as a nation.

(my emphasis added in the quote above)

And all the rodent wants to do it make the kids cheaper to run. Typical. Out of the sandpit John.

Regional Bullyboys

I’m getting really, really pissed off with the Howard, Hill and Downer regional bullyboy show. They seem determined to piss off all our regional neighbours by talking silly tough “pre-emptive strike” craziness.

The neighbours will stop taking us seriously, get scared, stop sharing intelligence with us, figure we are crazy, etc. And it makes Australia look like a branch office of the ever-so-slightly-nuts Bush presidency.

Let’s look at how things are going with the neighbours and friends:

Spain hits back at Downer attack - this after Downer grabbed the wrong end of the stick and said that Islamic militants were encouraged by Spain’s decision to withdraw troops. Actually, the newly elected Spanish government just continued their pre-election, pre-terrorism plan.

Downer comments “Rash” and “Narrowminded”: Phillipines Govt. - this came after Downer decided to get stuck into them for dealing with a hostage crisis their own way. Their own business, I figure.

Indonesia concerned over Australia’s ‘most lethal’ cruise missile plan - this after Defence Minister Hill announced Australia was going to get some cruise missiles, but he forgot to have a quiet chat with the neighbours first. I’m not surprised they are concerned. Also see: Cruise claim “devious”: Thailand

And now, Howard talks up pre-emptive strikes in the region. Reading from the Bush hymn-book, eh, John: Malaysia warns Australia over pre-emptive strike threat

I think these three are getting tired and lazy in their jobs. They aren’t engaging with the region, just tossing off threats and opinions without discussion, listening or care. And if we piss the neighbours off, are they going to help us control terrorism in the region. Probably not.

Howard’s End

I think this is the funniest election website yet:

Howard’s End ‘04 is a competition to create the best slogan expressing why it is time for Prime Minister John Howard’s end. The slogan has to be less than 65 characters because you don’t have much to offer over 65!

The best entry will be printed onto 5,000 fridge magnets and distributed in John Howard’s seat of Bennelong in the days leading up to the Federal Election on 9 October.

Link

Using Fear and Uncertainty to get votes

I’m writing this as John Howard is meeting with the Governor General, presumably to call a federal election.

In the last 24 hours, I’ve been reflecting and wondering about the campaign we are going to see. I’m thinking the coalition will probably try to use fear, uncertainty and “national security”to convince the Australian public to stick with the coalition. The general idea is keep the population afraid and then they’ll vote to keep the current government.

So, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the following from the coalition during the campaign:

• Raised terror alerts, but with no specific targets or dates. See this graph of Bush popularity and timing of terror alerts.
• More ‘regional threat’ stuff from Foreign Minister Downer, like the silly outburst a couple of weeks ago about North Korea having nuclear missiles that can reach Australia.
• A few convenient quick arrests of ‘terror suspects’

to show that there is a threat right here.

• Some subtle stuff suggesting that Latham’s not a safe bet for the country at this time.

Of course, using fear like this doesn’t work forever. If the coalition has already pushed the buttons too many times (like in the last federal election), then Australians may well see it all as more tricky lies. We’ll see.

Axis of Deceit

I’ve just finished reading Andrew Wilkie’s Book “Axis of Deceit”.

Andrew Wilkie, for those that don’t know, was a senior intelligence officer in the Australian Office of National Assessments and previously an Australian Army officer. He resigned just short of the beginning of the war on Iraq and went to the media, saying the intelligence presented to the government and the way the government was committed to the war did not add up. He’s also the Green candidate for John Howard’s seat of Bennelong.

The book is a really good read, especially for somebody like me who has an interest in the workings of intelligence and government and a burning need to find out just how we managed to go to war illegally for a lie. Wilkie shows how the US, UK and Australian governments ignored the ambiguity in intelligence and selectively believed what they were reading to make a case for war.

The key bit of the book for me, though, was an explanation of how friendly nations like the Australia and the US do collect intelligence on each other, and that our intelligence services were reporting to our government on the reasons the US wanted to pursue this war before the decision was taken.

Our intelligence services and government knew it was not just flimsy WMD claims, but a complex set of reasons the US wanted to invade Iraq: Iraq’s immense oil reserves and strategic location in the middle east, shifting US military power from Saudi Arabia to Iraq, and, of course, Israel’s security, among others. Howard knew all this and played along anyway. Knowing this, Howard went forward with an illegal (not UN-sanctioned) war anyway. Even now the real reasons behind the war have not been admitted by out government.

The book opens telling Wilkie’s story of leaving the Office of National Assessments and going to the media as a whistleblower. He risked a lot to come out and tell his story. Good on you, Andrew. Good luck against John Howard in Bennelong.

Howard wants to spam like America, too.

I bet you John Howard read the article saying that the US was the top spam sending country and decided that Australia needed to up it’s game and send more spam.

Has he even started his own personal spamming campaign so he can be even more like America?

Seriously, big kudos to the first political party that comes out and says it will change the anti-spam laws to remove the exemption for political parties. Who is it going to be?

As long as you lie consistently, John, that’s ok…

According to Liberal Senator Brandis, as long as John Howard lies consistently, that is ok:

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Senator Brandis said even if the new inquiry does find Mr Howard guilty, he should not have to step down because his version of events had remained consistent since the children overboard affair in November 2001.

Make sure you read Robert Corr’s eloquent rebuttal of this silly line of reasoning.

Milestone for values? WTF?

The Australian Parliament reached new lows yesterday when the Senate wasted time passing legislation to make sure that ‘marriage’ has to be between a man and a woman, thus making very sure that no gay couple could go and get married.

Labor lost the plot big time here and combined with the coalition combined to pass this narrow-minded, bigoted legislation, amid protests from the Democrats and Greens, who gave example after example of how this was going to discriminate against people and create confusion as to the validity of some existing marriages.

Howard presumably got the idea from US Republicans and George W himself who have recently passed similar legislation. [Update/Correction: As Chris explains in comments below, it hasn't been passed in the US yet. Looks like Australia is leading the way for a change :-( ] It is a piece of the Neo-Con fundamental-values agenda which makes it OK to get stuck into gay people or anybody who isn’t me and my mates, really.

I’m really pissed off about this. It should never have happened. For a start, there is no burning need to change the law. It is just a bit of gay bashing by the major parties at a time when they think they can get away with it. It plays to Australians bigoted lower selves, where we fear and hate people different to us. It messes with peoples lives for no good reason. Already married people undergoing gender reassignment for whatever reason are left with potentially ‘illegal’ marriages. That is cruel.

The bigoted Government says the new law is “a historic milestone for Australian values“. Um. You mean a historic milestone for Neo-Con values, don’t you?

Yet another reason to vote for the Greens or Democrats in the coming election. They are the only ones with any heart or compassion or sense.

Last Chance to stop the FTA

The Labor Party is meeting tomorrow to decide to support or not support the Free Trade Agreement with the US.

It is not too late to send a message to Mark Latham to ask him to stop the legislation in the senate. Go to the NoFTA website and send an email to Mark Latham.

Why don’t we need this agreement? See my posts here, here, here, here and here.

But in a few words: No more multi-region DVD players. More money for Disney and other US companies by extending their copyrights. Interference in our pharmaceutical benefits system which will make our drugs more expensive. Ties us closer to the US rather than regional trading partners.

Link

Technorati does political blogging

In an interesting political blogging development, Technorati are going to be providing real-time analysis of political blogs for CNN from the US Democratic National Convention.

I wonder how long before we see something like this happening in Australia. Maybe next election — three years from now?

More info from David Sifry’s blog.

via Joi Ito’s Web.

Free Trade Agreement starts to smell

Crikey.com.au reports on a few articles by key people that criticise the usefulness of the FTA to Australia. Here are some links:

• No free trade in so-called free trade agreement (Sydney Morning Herald)
• Why Latham should reject the FTA (Age)

Of course, the US are happy and proud of the agreement, especially gaining access to our pharmaceutical markets, with a yet-to-be-disclosed mechanism allowing US drug companies to appeal about our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

And why is this the first free trade agreement the US has completed with any industrialised nation. Is it because we are the only one stupid enough so far?

At best, the benefits are doubtful. At worst, it will cost us a lot.

It is not too late yet, but we will all regret it if this agree The ALP can still block the enabling legislation for the FTA in the Senate, but they need to Visit nofta.org to send a letter to Mark Latham asking the ALP to not pass the legislation.

Lies, Broken Promises and Looking Backwards

Everybody seems to be talking about johnhowardlies.com and the site is getting a lot of hits.

The site is worth a look, but it doesn’t quite work for me, for a couple of reasons.

Lies are different to Broken Promises

Firstly, I think that lies and broken promises are different things and ought to be dealt with separately. Now, there is no doubt that John Howard has broken a number of promises. The spectacular one is on the GST:

“There’s no way that a GST will ever be part of our policy. Never ever. It’s dead. It was killed by the voters in the last election.

Any suggestion that I left the door open is absolute nonsense. I didn’t. I never will. The last election killed the GST. It’s not part of our policy and it won’t be part of our policy at any time in the future. ”

John Howard, May 1995

Look at that. Could he be saying a more definite “no” to a GST. But you can’t conclude he was lying in 1995. Just that he broke this promise three years later. It doesn’t encourage me to trust Howard. He knowingly broke his word.

Now, looking to the future, can you expect Howard to keep his promises? I’d say, No. That’s important information.

Not lies, just Broken Promises.

Negative and Looking Backwards

Secondly, johnhowardlies.com makes out it is something like the MoveOn.org movement in the US. Now MoveOn.org has always had, as far as I can see, a relatively positive, forward looking message. They comment on the past, but they are more focussed on a new democratic future.

Johnhowardlies, however is only about John Howard. It doesn’t present an alternative or anything for the future. Once John Howard is gone, what is left? No more community. I get the feeling that creating something like JohnHowardLies just reinforces the need of the left to have a John Howard to hate and poke fun at. And that kind of behaviour helps get him re-elected, because he is necessary in the process. Take the John Howard out of JohnHowardLies and all you have is Lies. Nothing special. Margot Kingston has fallen into the same trap with Not Happy, John.

[Update: I just had a bit more of a read of Not Happy John and I was being a bit unfair. On the Not Happy John home page, Margot is making an appeal for a better political future for Australia and looking for support.]

Positive Future

So, we need some sort of vision for a compassionate, democratic future. We need a MoveOn.org.au. We know we have an unhappy political past. We need a happy, compassionate, honest, real political future.

Am I dreaming here? Do we really need to play everything against Howard? I hope not.

Costello blocks release of tax burden documents

See this interesting Crikey Article talking about a News Ltd reporter’s attempts to get access to treasury documents on the impact of taxation on ordinary workers under Freedom of Information.

Seems like the Treasurer Peter Costello is frustrating the FoI process, claiming the request “has the potential to lead to confusion and to mislead the public”.

Bogus. Totally Bogus.

Lateline - 08/07/2004: US has gone too far: Fraser

Lateline - 08/07/2004: US has gone too far: Fraser