Massive test of political wills Queensland style

February 28, 2009 in Elections, Rants & Raves
Tags: ALP, Anna Bligh, Australia, Australian Greens, climate change, eco-tourism, economic boom, environment, farming, federal government, forestry, greenhouse gas emissions, Greens, Lawrence Springborg, mining, political parties, politics, public health, public policy, Queensland, renewable energy, Ronan Lee, solar, solar energy, state government, tourism, voters, voting

It’s not really an original statement that the upcoming Queensland polls will be massive tests of political wills. But what is different is that this test is happening in a state with peculiar politics. The punters are sending mixed messages and there’s the follow the bookies theory; so it’s a difficult election to see how it’ll turn out.

Recycling and 10c

February 21, 2009 in Campaigns, Rants & Raves
Tags: 10c deposit, ALP, Australia, collection depot, Colleen Hartland, environmental sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions, Greens, Liberals, litter, Nationals, political parties, politics, pollution, recycle, recycling, state parliament, Victoria, Victorian Greens, voters

The Greens MPs in Victoria are coordinating a campaign to support their proposal for 10c return for recyclable drink containers, you know the cans and bottles that can be recycled. It’s a sensible piece of legislation and needs the support of the community to shift the Premier. And remarkably for many it’s like a blast from the past; where no-one knows exactly when or why the deposit scheme was abandoned.

Not ‘thugs’

February 18, 2009 in Rants & Raves, Thoughts
Tags: ACTU, Australia, CFMEU, community events, democracy, education, events, human rights, Indigenous Australians, Parks Victoria, politics, sponsors, sponsorship, state government, union movement, unions, Victoria, Victorian Surf Life Saving Assoc, workers rights

There is a notion that is prevalent in the community that unions and unionists are thugs, bullies and/or corrupt. These dodgy old portrayals of unions and unionists are just that – dodgy – and couldn’t be further from the truth. Examples of the union movement being there in times of hardship and supporting members and their families are numerous. And I’d like to add the following tales about being more than just ‘thugs’.