A long, long time ago, when I was a little girl, all shops were open till 12 on Saturdays, closed on Sundays and Thursday night trading was an adventure for the whole family. There were local stores open for a few hours on weekends and they were where we picked up bread, milk and the occassional salty plum. We would take all our glass bottles to the shop and swap them for a few cents, save those cents until we had enough to purchase a choo choo bar, redskin or some musk sticks.
Over the years the lollies didn't change, you can still buy all those I have mentioned at any good corner store, but the prices went up. The bottles we used to swap for money are now plastic and worthless. The one and two cent coins are a thing of the past and even the five cent coin can't buy you anything. Those things were all going to happen anyway, the world changes, the value of money goes down but prices go up. Nothing really unexpected in that.
What I do find ridiculous is the hours stores are now expected to remain open for. We are all working longer hours and weekends are almost a thing of the past, but surely opening all stores, 7 days till late, will only force more people to lose their weekends and encourage consumers to....well, consume. We are rabbiting on about the fact that Australians (actually, the world) is caught up in the buying cycle, we are purchasing things we do not really want or need, we are buying too much of the things we do need and we are constantly in debt because of it.
Local small traders trying to compete from their locations outside shopping centres and the ones who are really struggling. IGA is the exception. The national marketing of the brand and the fact that the trading hours are much more relaxed than those for the big two (Coles and Woolies)means that this is the one franchise that has thrived alongside it's competitors. They are able to buy locally with much more freedom, they can price themselves to be competitive and they are very conveniently located.
With the push to open supermarket grocery stores for later trading on weekends currently gaining momentum it is time to take a step back and look at the facts. IGA and other independant supermarkets currently remain competitive due largely to the fact that have more flexible trading hours. If you are unable to do the groceries during current trading hours for Coles or Woolworths, you need to take a good look at your job and perhaps make some changes in your life. These stores are currenly open till 9p.m weekdays, till 5p.m on Saturday and till 6p.m on Sunday. I can't remember ever thinking to myself that they needed to stay open longer on a Sunday.
Having worked for 19 years in the retail sector I am absolutely in favour of weekend trading. I firmly believe that these extra hours are required for those who work, giving them the opportunity to take the kids with them to try shoes on, or leave the kids at home with one parent while they frantically do the groceries. Those working crazy hours doing shift work should also have the luxury of having trading hours that suit them.
I have watched the erosion of weekends from both sides of the counter. Watched the penalty rates drop until Saturday was just another day and Sunday is not far off. I have seen people shopping like locusts the day after a cyclone because they went into a panic when the shops closed for half a day. I have watched IGA gain strength as a viable alternative to the major grocery outlets and I have seen the prices drop in Coles as a result.
Competition is only healthy if the playing field is a level one. The authorities that decide these things will get their way, there is little doubt of that. Once an idea has been launched into the media and public domain, it is almost not worth arguing against. The fact is that longer trading hours for major grocery stores is well on the way to becoming a reality. They asked the tourists visiting Cairns 'Would you prefer the stores stayed open till late on the weekends?' and got the standard response...'Yes, please!' Instead they should have asked the question 'Would you stop coming to Cairns and tell all your friends not to bother either if stores stayed trading at the current hours on a weekend?' I think the answer would have been 'No, haven't really found it a problem actually.'
In response to those who will soon make our Independant Retailers less competitive and cause headaches for the industry....I will continue to do the bulk of my groceries at Coles, I will ALWAYS do my small shops at IGA and I will never, ever pop in to buy milk or bread from a supermarket chain. Besides the fact that it is a time waster to trudge through an entire centre to get to the basics, I prefer the convenience of just stopping in at IGA for a few things when I need them, the money stays local and the cooked chooks taste better. I have never needed to shop late on a Sunday so the longer hours mean little to me but if I ever feel the need, I will shop locally, at a local chain, using local produce, with money going directly back into the local economy.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The helicopter has landed.
All forms of media are progressively vehement in their reporting of what is being referred to as 'helicopter parenting' and the dangers for children being 'hovered' over. The claims are that cotton-wooling our babies is causing long term problems in society ranging from obesity and higher incidences of ADHD to a lack of empathy for animals and the environment. It is a concerning trend to say the least.
We require interaction with our environment and our peers in order to learn, grow and be healthy. This fact is a given. Children who are covered in antiseptic, anti-bacterial gels and followed with a packet of wipes are less likely to explore their environment, tackle new adventures and cope well with the unexpected. They will more than likely have less confidence, require permission before attempting anything and suffer from stress.
I know plenty of parents who embrace this way of rearing a child. Those who plan days ahead for a two hour outing, who have in constant supply the tools of the trade beyond the usual hat, sun screen and bandaids and also carry wipes, gels, 4 sets of spare clothes, use nappies to avoid 'accidents' and are constantly saying 'be careful', 'get down from there' and 'you will fall and hurt yourself if you do that'. In actual fact, these kids will likely hurt themselves anyway, kids do. They are even more inclined to do so because they are afraid and unsure than because they lack the ability to climb a tree successfully. Making children petrified of themselves and the dangers inherrent in every activity they attempt is never going to produce successful, confident adults.
The other side of the coin is the apathetic parent. There are plenty of parents who would rather talk about the results from last weeks episode of Minute to Win It than pay attention to what trouble their children are getting into. These are the children who have a long line of snot running from their noses constantly, have hair filled with twigs and never, ever wear shoes. These kids are free to experiment and try pretty much anything their heart desires. Sometimes the choices they make are good ones, sometimes they aren't. Rules are out the window and discipline is non-existant. Anarchy is the name of this game and these children will struggle to sit still in a classroom, follow the rules society makes and know their own limitations. Over-confident and unruly, it makes for an interesting time for any teacher dealing with the 'helicopter' raised children too.
What needs to be understood is that these two methods of child rearing are in the minority these days and are not the norm. I raise my kids in much the same way as the majority of parents out there.
My own children are a bit of both. I am far from being the perfect parent and am sometimes lacking real consistancy at home and during outings. Some days I am the helicopter, some days I am the ignorant parent. Three or four days a week I bathe the sand from hair, the grit from under fingernails and rub paw paw ointment onto grazed knees. The remaining days I run after my children telling them to 'stop', 'slow down' or (more likely)...'get the hell out of that tree!'. I am producing children who are probably confused and wondering what the rules are.
Are there any? Is it okay to make sure your children are safely playing in the mud and hose them down immediately after? Is it perfectly acceptable to want them to stay clean if they have a white dress on and you have forgotton to pack spare clothes? Am I a bad mother because I occasionally forget to apply sunscreen until 15 minutes AFTER arriving at the beach? Should I make a list, plan for everything and try not to panic when the world around me has other ideas?
Parenting is a very tough job. There are no easy answers, no rule books and far too much contradictory information. An ideal parent would give a child a bit of space, but not too much. Let them climb a tree, but not too high. Give them a smack occasionally, but not too hard. Give them a lollypop or an ice-cream, but not every day. Try to let them sort out their own differences of opinions in the playground, but not let them get bullied. Dress them in white, but always have spare clothes handy. Let them make a mess, but make them clean it all up themselves. Let them help in the kitchen and not yell when they drop the bag of sugar on the floor. Allow them to make their own decisions, but give them perameters. I could go on all day.
Realistically, the majority of parents are doing their best. Most of us know we are not doing everything right. We all lie in bed at night wishing we had not yelled so loud at the kids that day or not given in to their demands for a second can of softdrink. We wish we could give them more, wish we hadn't given them so much, wish we were stronger, wish we could have predicted the split chin and avoided it.
Parents do not need more guilt. They do not need more confirmation they are doing it all wrong. What parents really need is adequate support. The ability to ask for advice and get it. We are open to suggestions and happy to try new techniques, but please don't demand we change everything and tell us we are wrong. Give us the tools to make better judgement calls. Give us a pat on the back when our child is happy and healthy. Let us know the things we are doing 'right' as well as the improvements we could make.
Most importantly, parents need to stop judging each other. It is never helpful to pick on another parent's methods nor is it helpful to have the attitude that you are doing things better. All parents do most things according to what works with their own children, all children are different. Even my own three are far removed from each other in personality, making it a three pronged approach when it comes to raising my brood. Listen and look at all the information out there if you must, but the most important judgement of your parenting skills will be made by your children. Look them in the eye with a strangers perspective. Are their eyes bright with enthusiasm? Do they have at least one good friend to play with? Do they have dirty fingernails at least one day a week? Do they sometimes require a bandaid? If the answer is yes to all of these questions.....carry on, you're child will more than likely be perfectly okay.
We require interaction with our environment and our peers in order to learn, grow and be healthy. This fact is a given. Children who are covered in antiseptic, anti-bacterial gels and followed with a packet of wipes are less likely to explore their environment, tackle new adventures and cope well with the unexpected. They will more than likely have less confidence, require permission before attempting anything and suffer from stress.
I know plenty of parents who embrace this way of rearing a child. Those who plan days ahead for a two hour outing, who have in constant supply the tools of the trade beyond the usual hat, sun screen and bandaids and also carry wipes, gels, 4 sets of spare clothes, use nappies to avoid 'accidents' and are constantly saying 'be careful', 'get down from there' and 'you will fall and hurt yourself if you do that'. In actual fact, these kids will likely hurt themselves anyway, kids do. They are even more inclined to do so because they are afraid and unsure than because they lack the ability to climb a tree successfully. Making children petrified of themselves and the dangers inherrent in every activity they attempt is never going to produce successful, confident adults.
The other side of the coin is the apathetic parent. There are plenty of parents who would rather talk about the results from last weeks episode of Minute to Win It than pay attention to what trouble their children are getting into. These are the children who have a long line of snot running from their noses constantly, have hair filled with twigs and never, ever wear shoes. These kids are free to experiment and try pretty much anything their heart desires. Sometimes the choices they make are good ones, sometimes they aren't. Rules are out the window and discipline is non-existant. Anarchy is the name of this game and these children will struggle to sit still in a classroom, follow the rules society makes and know their own limitations. Over-confident and unruly, it makes for an interesting time for any teacher dealing with the 'helicopter' raised children too.
What needs to be understood is that these two methods of child rearing are in the minority these days and are not the norm. I raise my kids in much the same way as the majority of parents out there.
My own children are a bit of both. I am far from being the perfect parent and am sometimes lacking real consistancy at home and during outings. Some days I am the helicopter, some days I am the ignorant parent. Three or four days a week I bathe the sand from hair, the grit from under fingernails and rub paw paw ointment onto grazed knees. The remaining days I run after my children telling them to 'stop', 'slow down' or (more likely)...'get the hell out of that tree!'. I am producing children who are probably confused and wondering what the rules are.
Are there any? Is it okay to make sure your children are safely playing in the mud and hose them down immediately after? Is it perfectly acceptable to want them to stay clean if they have a white dress on and you have forgotton to pack spare clothes? Am I a bad mother because I occasionally forget to apply sunscreen until 15 minutes AFTER arriving at the beach? Should I make a list, plan for everything and try not to panic when the world around me has other ideas?
Parenting is a very tough job. There are no easy answers, no rule books and far too much contradictory information. An ideal parent would give a child a bit of space, but not too much. Let them climb a tree, but not too high. Give them a smack occasionally, but not too hard. Give them a lollypop or an ice-cream, but not every day. Try to let them sort out their own differences of opinions in the playground, but not let them get bullied. Dress them in white, but always have spare clothes handy. Let them make a mess, but make them clean it all up themselves. Let them help in the kitchen and not yell when they drop the bag of sugar on the floor. Allow them to make their own decisions, but give them perameters. I could go on all day.
Realistically, the majority of parents are doing their best. Most of us know we are not doing everything right. We all lie in bed at night wishing we had not yelled so loud at the kids that day or not given in to their demands for a second can of softdrink. We wish we could give them more, wish we hadn't given them so much, wish we were stronger, wish we could have predicted the split chin and avoided it.
Parents do not need more guilt. They do not need more confirmation they are doing it all wrong. What parents really need is adequate support. The ability to ask for advice and get it. We are open to suggestions and happy to try new techniques, but please don't demand we change everything and tell us we are wrong. Give us the tools to make better judgement calls. Give us a pat on the back when our child is happy and healthy. Let us know the things we are doing 'right' as well as the improvements we could make.
Most importantly, parents need to stop judging each other. It is never helpful to pick on another parent's methods nor is it helpful to have the attitude that you are doing things better. All parents do most things according to what works with their own children, all children are different. Even my own three are far removed from each other in personality, making it a three pronged approach when it comes to raising my brood. Listen and look at all the information out there if you must, but the most important judgement of your parenting skills will be made by your children. Look them in the eye with a strangers perspective. Are their eyes bright with enthusiasm? Do they have at least one good friend to play with? Do they have dirty fingernails at least one day a week? Do they sometimes require a bandaid? If the answer is yes to all of these questions.....carry on, you're child will more than likely be perfectly okay.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Change is coming!!
Change is coming. To Cairns, to the region and to Australia.
Locally we have the announcement of a land aquisition in Edmonton for the proposed new hospital development that will change health services forever in the growth corridor of Cairns. Will it work? Only if the Government does what it promised and ensures that nurses and doctors are graduating much more quickly and in larger numbers. No point having a beautiful new health facility and no staff to work in it. It will not be a reality for many years though, and there is time to change the system by allowing nurses to learn on the job, giving them better, more practical skills and also allowing them to be sure that the job is one they will stay at. It's not an easy one and those questions should be asked and answered much sooner in the process to ensure we have quality dedicated nursing staff in all of our health facilities. Provided that is done, the new health buildings are a welcome boost to the area and much needed.
Sugarworld Gardens is about to get the promised All Abilities Playground. Finally. Work is due to start in October and should be complete by December, earlier barring complications. This playground is a large one, with multi-use areas, easy access points and exploritory and sensory play encouraged. In the area around Sugarworld it was recently discovered there are no parks, no play equipment and no green spaces. No one is sure why this is the case, perhaps it is due to the size of Sugarworld. Perhaps it negates the need to put more spaces in the surrounding new development according to the rules of these things. Whoever decided it was acceptable, is wrong. There needs to be immediate action on this before more homes are built, more streets developed, all without adequate parks and playgrounds. The area behind Sugarworld near Isabella has plenty of parkland and swing sets, why was the area in front neglected? Time to find out. In the meanwhile, the new playground looks fantastic on paper and I intend to visit often when it is completed. It's full of wonderful new ideas and has plenty of room for kids to explore.
The highway intersection at the Southern Access Road (Ray Jones Dr) is about to begin also. Regardless of who you voted for and who eventually wins Government, both parties were in agreement about stage one of the highway upgrade. The ability to travel south from the city from two directions without having to negotiate that corner will be an excellent start. The access to Ray Jones Dr being a simple turn without the issues we currently have with lights will also be fantastic. The fact that we will be able to turn into McCoombe Street almost directly from that corner, bypassing Lyons, Aumuller, Buchan etc... will save plenty of time for those wishing to travel further north than the city. The only concern is with Warren Enstch and his thoughts on this issue. He would like to re-visit the idea of a second major road into Cairns via the inlet again. It has been proven time and again that this option is not a viable one due to several factors. It does not address the current and future problems with traffic in Edmonton, Bentley Park, Forest Gardens or White Rock as it bypasses those areas completely. It is not financially viable, the bridge would cost near to 4 billion alone and would be the longest such bridge ever attempted in Australia. It would be classified as the highway, thus making the existing road council or state run and therefore not capable of attracting the funds required to upgrade it at all. Whichever way you look at it the solution given by the labor Government, was the only viable one. Businesses currently on this road already must be accessed by turning off the highway, this will make that turn off much smoother. I am happy that stage one is on it's way, it's long overdue, but I sincerely hope that the entire long term project is not abandoned again in favour of more talk and no action.
Federally, we have no real Government right now. A caretaker Prime Minister and no clear path for an outcome at this point. Yesterday the Independants and the Green MP stated that they would like all MP's to vote with their conscience on every issue presented to Parliament, making the vote fairer and in all cases, a direct view from the MP and his constituents. The belief was that there would be no Blue side / Red side of politics and instead we would have a mulit-party system as most other countries now have. All members would be entitled to the same amount of time to present ideas and argue for causes. Essentially, aside from the Prime Minister, all members would be equal and independant. An interesting proposal, and one which I initially scoffed at as unrealistic. Even in the little while they each had yesterday to chat, the differences on issues such as Climate Change, the Rent Tax on Miners and Gay Marriage was vast. Taking into account though, that there are 150 people voting on each issue, and at the end of the day it's a simple yes or no, perhaps the idea is not such a bad one. It would give a true representation of beliefs and opinions, people would be held accountable for their choices and the public would know who they are being represented by and be able to lobby that one person rather than an entire party. It wouldn't be easy initially, and probably won't happen right now, or even in the next decade, but it should be looked at as a serious option. The Independants are right, as is the Green; the public voted for a more accountable, independant political system, why not take the opportunity given, and make it happen?
Regardless of whether you watch the local happenings, the regional or the national, big things are happening and they will change all of our lives for the better. With some tweaking and some lobbying by the public, Cairns and the nation are in for an interesting, growth time ahead.
Locally we have the announcement of a land aquisition in Edmonton for the proposed new hospital development that will change health services forever in the growth corridor of Cairns. Will it work? Only if the Government does what it promised and ensures that nurses and doctors are graduating much more quickly and in larger numbers. No point having a beautiful new health facility and no staff to work in it. It will not be a reality for many years though, and there is time to change the system by allowing nurses to learn on the job, giving them better, more practical skills and also allowing them to be sure that the job is one they will stay at. It's not an easy one and those questions should be asked and answered much sooner in the process to ensure we have quality dedicated nursing staff in all of our health facilities. Provided that is done, the new health buildings are a welcome boost to the area and much needed.
Sugarworld Gardens is about to get the promised All Abilities Playground. Finally. Work is due to start in October and should be complete by December, earlier barring complications. This playground is a large one, with multi-use areas, easy access points and exploritory and sensory play encouraged. In the area around Sugarworld it was recently discovered there are no parks, no play equipment and no green spaces. No one is sure why this is the case, perhaps it is due to the size of Sugarworld. Perhaps it negates the need to put more spaces in the surrounding new development according to the rules of these things. Whoever decided it was acceptable, is wrong. There needs to be immediate action on this before more homes are built, more streets developed, all without adequate parks and playgrounds. The area behind Sugarworld near Isabella has plenty of parkland and swing sets, why was the area in front neglected? Time to find out. In the meanwhile, the new playground looks fantastic on paper and I intend to visit often when it is completed. It's full of wonderful new ideas and has plenty of room for kids to explore.
The highway intersection at the Southern Access Road (Ray Jones Dr) is about to begin also. Regardless of who you voted for and who eventually wins Government, both parties were in agreement about stage one of the highway upgrade. The ability to travel south from the city from two directions without having to negotiate that corner will be an excellent start. The access to Ray Jones Dr being a simple turn without the issues we currently have with lights will also be fantastic. The fact that we will be able to turn into McCoombe Street almost directly from that corner, bypassing Lyons, Aumuller, Buchan etc... will save plenty of time for those wishing to travel further north than the city. The only concern is with Warren Enstch and his thoughts on this issue. He would like to re-visit the idea of a second major road into Cairns via the inlet again. It has been proven time and again that this option is not a viable one due to several factors. It does not address the current and future problems with traffic in Edmonton, Bentley Park, Forest Gardens or White Rock as it bypasses those areas completely. It is not financially viable, the bridge would cost near to 4 billion alone and would be the longest such bridge ever attempted in Australia. It would be classified as the highway, thus making the existing road council or state run and therefore not capable of attracting the funds required to upgrade it at all. Whichever way you look at it the solution given by the labor Government, was the only viable one. Businesses currently on this road already must be accessed by turning off the highway, this will make that turn off much smoother. I am happy that stage one is on it's way, it's long overdue, but I sincerely hope that the entire long term project is not abandoned again in favour of more talk and no action.
Federally, we have no real Government right now. A caretaker Prime Minister and no clear path for an outcome at this point. Yesterday the Independants and the Green MP stated that they would like all MP's to vote with their conscience on every issue presented to Parliament, making the vote fairer and in all cases, a direct view from the MP and his constituents. The belief was that there would be no Blue side / Red side of politics and instead we would have a mulit-party system as most other countries now have. All members would be entitled to the same amount of time to present ideas and argue for causes. Essentially, aside from the Prime Minister, all members would be equal and independant. An interesting proposal, and one which I initially scoffed at as unrealistic. Even in the little while they each had yesterday to chat, the differences on issues such as Climate Change, the Rent Tax on Miners and Gay Marriage was vast. Taking into account though, that there are 150 people voting on each issue, and at the end of the day it's a simple yes or no, perhaps the idea is not such a bad one. It would give a true representation of beliefs and opinions, people would be held accountable for their choices and the public would know who they are being represented by and be able to lobby that one person rather than an entire party. It wouldn't be easy initially, and probably won't happen right now, or even in the next decade, but it should be looked at as a serious option. The Independants are right, as is the Green; the public voted for a more accountable, independant political system, why not take the opportunity given, and make it happen?
Regardless of whether you watch the local happenings, the regional or the national, big things are happening and they will change all of our lives for the better. With some tweaking and some lobbying by the public, Cairns and the nation are in for an interesting, growth time ahead.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
If it was me.
My household this morning was filled with shocked expressions from the adults and confused little faces from the kids. My children have no idea why mum keeps saying things like..."Oh My God!!" and "What about the Cultural Precinct and my GP Superclinic?". I was quite honestly shocked by the result of last nights election and could not believe my eyes when I realised that a hung parliament was a likely outcome.
After much fear and angst I decided it was time to pull myself together and be rational about the whole thing. As someone else said....always look on the bright side of life. I made the decision to look on the honest one.
The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were both offering a bland and boring Government with navy pin-striped leaders. They were both relying on the opposite side to stuff up and fall down in some spectacular way, and neither did.
The fear campaign run by the Labor Party fairly obviously did not work, and why would it? Labor have never been any good at running a negative campaign, they have always succeeded when they asked Australians to make an emotional decision at the ballot box. There was little, or no emotion this time round.
Labor needed to tell people what a difference voting for them would make in terms that make us connect on some level with each issue personally. They told us that the NBN would make our lives better because it would give us speeds up to 1TBps. That makes absolutely no sense to most of us unless you are a 'tech-head' and considering the way the vote went it appears more Australians are like Tony than the Labor Party thought. They should have focussed on the fact that it would allow teachers to teach a School of the Air class in 'real' time. It would give those living in rural areas better access to doctors via the computer allowing more residents the opportunity to stay at home or return home from hospital earlier than they currently can. This would free up beds and allow for better quality of care for those living remotely. It would open up our Australian University's to the world. It would enable us to not just compete internationally, but more importantly, to collaborate, with University's, businesses, Governments and scientists. It would make our small country a partner in progress rather than an observer. It would encourage new ideas, new possibilities and help in the fight against climate change, cancer, swine flu, poverty, pretty much anything you can imagine, because by working together as an entire community, the world can affect real change. The Broadband Network forcast by the Labor Government was the only way to do any of those things and the entire population should have been told that.
The fact that people voted Green in droves must indicate to the Labor Party that climate change and gay marriage are much bigger issues with high levels of support than they predicted and must be looked at closely. Climate Change Policy should never have been put on the backburner, it should be fought for until there is a clear result and it should then be implemented immediately. Gay marriage is almost a stupid argument. Why is it necessary to deny an entire group of people the rights we all have because part of the population thinks their lifestyle is abhorrent? If you don't like the idea of homosexuality, stay heterosexual. Is it my right to choose for them? No. As they now have the same legal rights as other defacto couples in Australia, the only thing a Marriage Certificate will give them is the public validation by family,friends and Government in the form of a ceremony and a piece of paper. For God's sakes, give it to them. It costs nothing, it changes nothing for the rest of us, but it gives equality to a portion of the Australian population who deserve it.
Locally, I should have been told more about the Green Zones. Don't tell me you will close parts of the reef for conservation reasons, tell me which bits I can still access. Don't tell me it's better for the environment, tell me where exactly I can still throw in a line and catch some fresh dinner for the family. I don't want to fish until the ocean runs out, I don't even like fishing, but those who love to throw in a line, should have been told precisely what they COULD still do, NOT what they couldn't.
Australians vote emotionally, they get enthusiastic, angry, frustrated and excited. Show them that the Financial Crisis was avoided by the stimulus package, not by experts, by comparing the numbers. How many businesses closed in the US or UK during the past 2 years? How many houses did the banks take in those countries? How many of those people joined the dole queue? Now tell me how many Australians suffered the same fates? Relate it to ME. Make it MY issue. Make me glad I have my house, my job and my health. Make me thrilled that my Super only lost 30 percent and I didn't lose the lot. If the 'experts' are right, I should be ecstatic with the outcome, all due to the stimulus spending. Why didn't you tell me that?
When did the Labor Party become a party that would not take risks, would not explain things clearly and was frightened of itself? When did they decide that it was better to do nothing and look like they were united as a party, than to argue the point and do what they were elected to do, make changes in Australia for the better? When did it come down to a choice between stability and stability and nothing to do with the grand visions and fantastic ideals for our future?
The Labor Party needs to get back to doing what it does best. Create passion and enthusiasm in our nation. Make Australians proud and excited again. Give Australians an alternative to the Liberals and make it a clear choice, not a muddy, vague one. The policies were there, the storytelling wasn't.
Labor has suffered a huge loss at this election. Even if they manage to govern with a minority Government, they have to contend with a hostile Senate and a balance of power that is far left and far right, all at the same time. Challenging to say the least. I wish Julia all the luck in the world with that one.
Regardless of the outcome, whether Julia gets the numbers, or Tony does, the Labor Party has to make some huge changes. Not to people, there has been more than enough of that, but to it's ideals and it's foundation principles. If there is such a thing as Labor 'school', then all elected members need a refresher course. Labor used to stand for workers rights (including the right of access that Unions no longer enjoy), social structures in health, education and the unemployed. They used to stand up for people's right to have options. We should have access to both Private and Public schools and hospitals, the right to marry the one we love, the right to choose whether we would like to be a stay at home mum, a working mum or not a mum at all. Access to University should be open to all as well as the option to gain trade or TAFE qualifications. It's all about having the options and the choices available to be whoever and whatever we like. It's about being excited for the future because of all the opportunities out there and it's about knowing that my children will continue to have the opportunities afforded me, when they grow up in Australia.
After much fear and angst I decided it was time to pull myself together and be rational about the whole thing. As someone else said....always look on the bright side of life. I made the decision to look on the honest one.
The Labor Party and the Liberal Party were both offering a bland and boring Government with navy pin-striped leaders. They were both relying on the opposite side to stuff up and fall down in some spectacular way, and neither did.
The fear campaign run by the Labor Party fairly obviously did not work, and why would it? Labor have never been any good at running a negative campaign, they have always succeeded when they asked Australians to make an emotional decision at the ballot box. There was little, or no emotion this time round.
Labor needed to tell people what a difference voting for them would make in terms that make us connect on some level with each issue personally. They told us that the NBN would make our lives better because it would give us speeds up to 1TBps. That makes absolutely no sense to most of us unless you are a 'tech-head' and considering the way the vote went it appears more Australians are like Tony than the Labor Party thought. They should have focussed on the fact that it would allow teachers to teach a School of the Air class in 'real' time. It would give those living in rural areas better access to doctors via the computer allowing more residents the opportunity to stay at home or return home from hospital earlier than they currently can. This would free up beds and allow for better quality of care for those living remotely. It would open up our Australian University's to the world. It would enable us to not just compete internationally, but more importantly, to collaborate, with University's, businesses, Governments and scientists. It would make our small country a partner in progress rather than an observer. It would encourage new ideas, new possibilities and help in the fight against climate change, cancer, swine flu, poverty, pretty much anything you can imagine, because by working together as an entire community, the world can affect real change. The Broadband Network forcast by the Labor Government was the only way to do any of those things and the entire population should have been told that.
The fact that people voted Green in droves must indicate to the Labor Party that climate change and gay marriage are much bigger issues with high levels of support than they predicted and must be looked at closely. Climate Change Policy should never have been put on the backburner, it should be fought for until there is a clear result and it should then be implemented immediately. Gay marriage is almost a stupid argument. Why is it necessary to deny an entire group of people the rights we all have because part of the population thinks their lifestyle is abhorrent? If you don't like the idea of homosexuality, stay heterosexual. Is it my right to choose for them? No. As they now have the same legal rights as other defacto couples in Australia, the only thing a Marriage Certificate will give them is the public validation by family,friends and Government in the form of a ceremony and a piece of paper. For God's sakes, give it to them. It costs nothing, it changes nothing for the rest of us, but it gives equality to a portion of the Australian population who deserve it.
Locally, I should have been told more about the Green Zones. Don't tell me you will close parts of the reef for conservation reasons, tell me which bits I can still access. Don't tell me it's better for the environment, tell me where exactly I can still throw in a line and catch some fresh dinner for the family. I don't want to fish until the ocean runs out, I don't even like fishing, but those who love to throw in a line, should have been told precisely what they COULD still do, NOT what they couldn't.
Australians vote emotionally, they get enthusiastic, angry, frustrated and excited. Show them that the Financial Crisis was avoided by the stimulus package, not by experts, by comparing the numbers. How many businesses closed in the US or UK during the past 2 years? How many houses did the banks take in those countries? How many of those people joined the dole queue? Now tell me how many Australians suffered the same fates? Relate it to ME. Make it MY issue. Make me glad I have my house, my job and my health. Make me thrilled that my Super only lost 30 percent and I didn't lose the lot. If the 'experts' are right, I should be ecstatic with the outcome, all due to the stimulus spending. Why didn't you tell me that?
When did the Labor Party become a party that would not take risks, would not explain things clearly and was frightened of itself? When did they decide that it was better to do nothing and look like they were united as a party, than to argue the point and do what they were elected to do, make changes in Australia for the better? When did it come down to a choice between stability and stability and nothing to do with the grand visions and fantastic ideals for our future?
The Labor Party needs to get back to doing what it does best. Create passion and enthusiasm in our nation. Make Australians proud and excited again. Give Australians an alternative to the Liberals and make it a clear choice, not a muddy, vague one. The policies were there, the storytelling wasn't.
Labor has suffered a huge loss at this election. Even if they manage to govern with a minority Government, they have to contend with a hostile Senate and a balance of power that is far left and far right, all at the same time. Challenging to say the least. I wish Julia all the luck in the world with that one.
Regardless of the outcome, whether Julia gets the numbers, or Tony does, the Labor Party has to make some huge changes. Not to people, there has been more than enough of that, but to it's ideals and it's foundation principles. If there is such a thing as Labor 'school', then all elected members need a refresher course. Labor used to stand for workers rights (including the right of access that Unions no longer enjoy), social structures in health, education and the unemployed. They used to stand up for people's right to have options. We should have access to both Private and Public schools and hospitals, the right to marry the one we love, the right to choose whether we would like to be a stay at home mum, a working mum or not a mum at all. Access to University should be open to all as well as the option to gain trade or TAFE qualifications. It's all about having the options and the choices available to be whoever and whatever we like. It's about being excited for the future because of all the opportunities out there and it's about knowing that my children will continue to have the opportunities afforded me, when they grow up in Australia.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Warren, Jim, Tony and Julia.
Tomorrow is the beginning of the end, for someone. Jim, Warren, Julia or Tony? At this point, nobody seems sure. What we are all sure of though, is that this has been the most frustrating campaign for Australian voters in a very long while. It has been pretty much fact free, a bit of a hate campaign and not really useful for anyone wishing to know more about the people they will be voting for.
Warren is not the same man he was 3 years ago. Gone are the funky shirts and the colourful language. Replaced instead with boring stripes that just make him look more like a bullfrog than anything else, and he appears to be relying on 20 odd people that follow him around to provide the language and the courseness we used to expect from him. Perhaps it's an effort to make him look more stable than he was before but it's made him come off a bit old and used up to be honest.
Jim has always had a bit of a boring look, suits in dark colours and ties that made him look even weedier than he really is. He used to stutter and stammer his way through long boring speeches that we all tuned out to half-way through, or cringed our way through to the end. Now he is wearing the same outfit as Warren and thankfully he looks healthy doing it, but the pin stripes are boring the heck out of me. He has taken to wearing clothes that at least look like they weren't borrowed from Dad, so that's something at least.
Tony went from being a gross, uncouth, chauvanist of a man and somehow has come out smelling like the baby oil he smears on before donning speedos. I have little doubt that the frightening individual that made news for all the wrong reasons is just biding time and, if elected Prime Minister, the public will be in shock before long at the bizarre actions or vocalisations coming from the one they chose to represent them. There is no way that this could have occured at any other time in our recent history. At this point it is just mind-boggling what the media and the Liberal Party spin can do if they put their mind to it. Realistically, if they are this good at prettying up such a strange man for public consumption then perhaps if they win they won't completely suck at the job......(what am I saying, it's even working on me!!)
Julia is a woman, a redhead, a Welsh immigrant and has an annoying voice. She is childless, unmarried and has a big bum. How on earth is she a representative of us? We loved Julia though, we liked her gumption, her stance, her conviction. We liked her so much it surpassed our love of Kevin and she was awarded the top job. Immediately following that though, she changed her voice to modulate it better, started wearing navy to hide the big butt, went for the Anna Bligh bob instead of the shorter funky 'do' and started hugging babies and talking marriage. Now we don't like her so much. We liked the quirks, the oddities, the blinding hair. Now we have a softer, duller version of a once vibrant personality and we are switching off.
Let's take a real look at things though. Has the policy slant of Liberal changed? NO. Has the policy slant of Labor changed? NO. Have the local issues changed? NO. In fact, the only thing that has changed in any of this, is the packaging.
When you stand in the cubicle tomorrow, with the long sheet of paper in your hand, vote for policy, not personality. As we all now know, personalities change, all too often, but the basic premise stays the same. Good luck to all.
Warren is not the same man he was 3 years ago. Gone are the funky shirts and the colourful language. Replaced instead with boring stripes that just make him look more like a bullfrog than anything else, and he appears to be relying on 20 odd people that follow him around to provide the language and the courseness we used to expect from him. Perhaps it's an effort to make him look more stable than he was before but it's made him come off a bit old and used up to be honest.
Jim has always had a bit of a boring look, suits in dark colours and ties that made him look even weedier than he really is. He used to stutter and stammer his way through long boring speeches that we all tuned out to half-way through, or cringed our way through to the end. Now he is wearing the same outfit as Warren and thankfully he looks healthy doing it, but the pin stripes are boring the heck out of me. He has taken to wearing clothes that at least look like they weren't borrowed from Dad, so that's something at least.
Tony went from being a gross, uncouth, chauvanist of a man and somehow has come out smelling like the baby oil he smears on before donning speedos. I have little doubt that the frightening individual that made news for all the wrong reasons is just biding time and, if elected Prime Minister, the public will be in shock before long at the bizarre actions or vocalisations coming from the one they chose to represent them. There is no way that this could have occured at any other time in our recent history. At this point it is just mind-boggling what the media and the Liberal Party spin can do if they put their mind to it. Realistically, if they are this good at prettying up such a strange man for public consumption then perhaps if they win they won't completely suck at the job......(what am I saying, it's even working on me!!)
Julia is a woman, a redhead, a Welsh immigrant and has an annoying voice. She is childless, unmarried and has a big bum. How on earth is she a representative of us? We loved Julia though, we liked her gumption, her stance, her conviction. We liked her so much it surpassed our love of Kevin and she was awarded the top job. Immediately following that though, she changed her voice to modulate it better, started wearing navy to hide the big butt, went for the Anna Bligh bob instead of the shorter funky 'do' and started hugging babies and talking marriage. Now we don't like her so much. We liked the quirks, the oddities, the blinding hair. Now we have a softer, duller version of a once vibrant personality and we are switching off.
Let's take a real look at things though. Has the policy slant of Liberal changed? NO. Has the policy slant of Labor changed? NO. Have the local issues changed? NO. In fact, the only thing that has changed in any of this, is the packaging.
When you stand in the cubicle tomorrow, with the long sheet of paper in your hand, vote for policy, not personality. As we all now know, personalities change, all too often, but the basic premise stays the same. Good luck to all.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The Final Countdown! Thank God!!
Final days of political persuassion coming up and I only have one wish. Stop the negative campaigning. I am a little sick of the entire campaign as it has been centred on what each party does not do, will not do or will remove.
All I want to know is, what does the party I choose to vote for, stand for? What are they going to do for my region and country? What are the other parties promising to do? What is their long term goal?
It gets truly annoying when all you are hearing are the negative aspects of each opposing party and none of the positive. Why do they think that I will be swayed by the promise that they won't do what the other will? At what point did my country become so caught up in the 'Opposite Game' that I am not hearing anything positive from any side of politics?
It has been a truly average performance from all of the advertising avenues this time around and I could almost guarantee that if polled, most of the population would say that they are watching the media and the candidates closely, to see which one says the things they are looking for and are completely ignoring all advertising.
Last night on Q & A the first question centred on the campaigning at this election and the lack of positivity coming from either party. Tony Abbott responded by slagging off the Labor Party and Julia Gillard, at which point the other Tony made reference to the fact that this type of response was exactly what the public have had enough of. In this issue I can honestly say that neither party has done very well.
Locally there is one truly abhorrent Warren Enstch ad, complete with flatlining black and white pic of Jim, and one ad with Warren himself that is not too bad. There is one Jim Turnour ad that I am in, and I am eternally grateful that it is not negative in any way and focuses instead on achievements.
Ignoring the shocker with the heartbeat, local pollies are not doing a bad job of remaining positive in their t.v ads. The pamphlets leave a lot to be desired, from all parties, and we are getting really sick of the large doses we are copping. The trees are suffering and our wheely bins are filling fast. I defy anyone to read each piece of political paraphenalia they have had sent to them in varied forms over the past two weeks and still have time for a life.
With ony a few days of campaigning left, both local candidates need to concentrate on their future visions for our areas, the issues they will fight for us on in Canberra and the reasons they became polititions in the first place. I bet it wasn't to slash the opposition down to size.
The Federal leaders are not going to read this,(and why should they, hopefully they have much more important things to do) but I ask the same from them. I know that Mr Abbott will close training centres, remove funding from hospitals and schools, build a crappy internet system, cap immigration and slug large businesses with a huge tax to fund a ridiculously unfair parental leave program. I also know that Ms Gillard will not stop the boats, the NBN will cost approx 5'000 per household making it the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken, has bungled the insulation scheme, wants to re-visit climate change initiatives that have previously failed and will tax big miners to pay for Superannuation increases and a few other things.
What we WANT to know now is pretty simple.....Why should we vote for you? Instead of...... Why should we NOT vote for them!
All I want to know is, what does the party I choose to vote for, stand for? What are they going to do for my region and country? What are the other parties promising to do? What is their long term goal?
It gets truly annoying when all you are hearing are the negative aspects of each opposing party and none of the positive. Why do they think that I will be swayed by the promise that they won't do what the other will? At what point did my country become so caught up in the 'Opposite Game' that I am not hearing anything positive from any side of politics?
It has been a truly average performance from all of the advertising avenues this time around and I could almost guarantee that if polled, most of the population would say that they are watching the media and the candidates closely, to see which one says the things they are looking for and are completely ignoring all advertising.
Last night on Q & A the first question centred on the campaigning at this election and the lack of positivity coming from either party. Tony Abbott responded by slagging off the Labor Party and Julia Gillard, at which point the other Tony made reference to the fact that this type of response was exactly what the public have had enough of. In this issue I can honestly say that neither party has done very well.
Locally there is one truly abhorrent Warren Enstch ad, complete with flatlining black and white pic of Jim, and one ad with Warren himself that is not too bad. There is one Jim Turnour ad that I am in, and I am eternally grateful that it is not negative in any way and focuses instead on achievements.
Ignoring the shocker with the heartbeat, local pollies are not doing a bad job of remaining positive in their t.v ads. The pamphlets leave a lot to be desired, from all parties, and we are getting really sick of the large doses we are copping. The trees are suffering and our wheely bins are filling fast. I defy anyone to read each piece of political paraphenalia they have had sent to them in varied forms over the past two weeks and still have time for a life.
With ony a few days of campaigning left, both local candidates need to concentrate on their future visions for our areas, the issues they will fight for us on in Canberra and the reasons they became polititions in the first place. I bet it wasn't to slash the opposition down to size.
The Federal leaders are not going to read this,(and why should they, hopefully they have much more important things to do) but I ask the same from them. I know that Mr Abbott will close training centres, remove funding from hospitals and schools, build a crappy internet system, cap immigration and slug large businesses with a huge tax to fund a ridiculously unfair parental leave program. I also know that Ms Gillard will not stop the boats, the NBN will cost approx 5'000 per household making it the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken, has bungled the insulation scheme, wants to re-visit climate change initiatives that have previously failed and will tax big miners to pay for Superannuation increases and a few other things.
What we WANT to know now is pretty simple.....Why should we vote for you? Instead of...... Why should we NOT vote for them!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Alternative for Sport
There has been a lot of chatter recently about the future direction of Cairns and whether or not we should make sport our focus. The debate over the proposal by Warren Enstch regarding the stadium he would like to erect that would seat 20'000 has led me to believe that perhaps Cairns actually sees itself as having a future as a sporting destination.
There are a few problems with this train of thought. The number one issue we would have with it is fairly obviously, the weather. Every facility built would have to allow for the fact that not only do we have a quite substantial wet season, but a pretty soggy dry season too (at least this year it is certainly the case). This means a retractable roof would have to be built over every field. I have no real understanding of the costs involved but don't think that this optional extra is a cheap one. People do not mind standing about in wet weather, or donning raincoats, but it must be acknowledged that our wet weather accompanies a far whack of humidity and wearing a layer of plastic would not be very comfortable. As for using the stadium for a performance venue as Warren suggests, the rain would not allow for that either. During my lifetime, many, many concerts have been cancelled or postponed at Kuranda's Amphitheatre because of inclement weather. This would not change, just be on a bigger scale.
Cairns has many suburban sporting clubs crying out for funding of their local facilities for kids. They require upgrades on existing parks and fields, more carparks, better lighting and more toilets. Others do not yet even have a field to play on! How could we justify the spending on such a large scale for something our youth could not access in the future because they have nowhere currently to grow their skills? We need to fund these smaller clubs before building a monstrous one.
At present, Cazaly's has several national sporting events they host during the year. The codes vary and cricket is also played there. I have been to a few of these and never have I seen a full house. It comes close, sometimes it's pretty packed, but to go to a full 20'000 seat capacity would be slightly ludicrious. The Cowboys facility in Townsville is not always packed, rarely in fact, and quite a few of it's patrons are Cairns residents who enjoy their weekend getaways the pilgrimage south affords them. Upgrading the current facilities to host slighly larger crowds would be more than adequate for our needs.
Lastly, Cairns is not a place that the rest of Australia thinks of when sport is mentioned. We have never marketed ourselves as a sporting town and although the lobbying to be a training base for athletes needing to aclimatise to humidity before a major sporting event should continue, and the holding of national sporting fixtures in our region is a highlight for many, the complete package is not really there.
Cairns should focus instead on it's already active, existing sporting culture. Alternative sports. These are largely held without an audience but the basis for growth is here and the facilities are great. We have white water rafting, triathalons, bungee jumping, downhill mountainbiking, skating, BMX, wakeboarding, just to name a few. The weather for these sports is largely irrelevant. You can watch or participate in any of the water sports in a bit of rain without the event being affected. Our humidity means that these sports are perfect for tourists and large scale events. We have the start of marketing begun, these sports are advertised already in our campaigns both nationally and internationally, meaning the cost of further promotion would be more effective.
These sports could form part of the Festival Cairns program, or form another, entirely individual event program for our wet season, drawing people here during what is traditionally a quiet time for tourists. The growth in these sports is huge and getting bigger all the time, we have world class athletes in these sports right here. Tell me you did not watch, with glee, the white water rafting events in the Commonwealth Games?
These sports augment well with our vibrant, tropical surrounds and will cement us as the place to go for alternative sports, unique cultural experiences, great food, coffee and wine. Why fight to gain a foothold in an already saturated market when we could offer so much more than that and stop ourselves from becoming a city that simply blends in.
There are a few problems with this train of thought. The number one issue we would have with it is fairly obviously, the weather. Every facility built would have to allow for the fact that not only do we have a quite substantial wet season, but a pretty soggy dry season too (at least this year it is certainly the case). This means a retractable roof would have to be built over every field. I have no real understanding of the costs involved but don't think that this optional extra is a cheap one. People do not mind standing about in wet weather, or donning raincoats, but it must be acknowledged that our wet weather accompanies a far whack of humidity and wearing a layer of plastic would not be very comfortable. As for using the stadium for a performance venue as Warren suggests, the rain would not allow for that either. During my lifetime, many, many concerts have been cancelled or postponed at Kuranda's Amphitheatre because of inclement weather. This would not change, just be on a bigger scale.
Cairns has many suburban sporting clubs crying out for funding of their local facilities for kids. They require upgrades on existing parks and fields, more carparks, better lighting and more toilets. Others do not yet even have a field to play on! How could we justify the spending on such a large scale for something our youth could not access in the future because they have nowhere currently to grow their skills? We need to fund these smaller clubs before building a monstrous one.
At present, Cazaly's has several national sporting events they host during the year. The codes vary and cricket is also played there. I have been to a few of these and never have I seen a full house. It comes close, sometimes it's pretty packed, but to go to a full 20'000 seat capacity would be slightly ludicrious. The Cowboys facility in Townsville is not always packed, rarely in fact, and quite a few of it's patrons are Cairns residents who enjoy their weekend getaways the pilgrimage south affords them. Upgrading the current facilities to host slighly larger crowds would be more than adequate for our needs.
Lastly, Cairns is not a place that the rest of Australia thinks of when sport is mentioned. We have never marketed ourselves as a sporting town and although the lobbying to be a training base for athletes needing to aclimatise to humidity before a major sporting event should continue, and the holding of national sporting fixtures in our region is a highlight for many, the complete package is not really there.
Cairns should focus instead on it's already active, existing sporting culture. Alternative sports. These are largely held without an audience but the basis for growth is here and the facilities are great. We have white water rafting, triathalons, bungee jumping, downhill mountainbiking, skating, BMX, wakeboarding, just to name a few. The weather for these sports is largely irrelevant. You can watch or participate in any of the water sports in a bit of rain without the event being affected. Our humidity means that these sports are perfect for tourists and large scale events. We have the start of marketing begun, these sports are advertised already in our campaigns both nationally and internationally, meaning the cost of further promotion would be more effective.
These sports could form part of the Festival Cairns program, or form another, entirely individual event program for our wet season, drawing people here during what is traditionally a quiet time for tourists. The growth in these sports is huge and getting bigger all the time, we have world class athletes in these sports right here. Tell me you did not watch, with glee, the white water rafting events in the Commonwealth Games?
These sports augment well with our vibrant, tropical surrounds and will cement us as the place to go for alternative sports, unique cultural experiences, great food, coffee and wine. Why fight to gain a foothold in an already saturated market when we could offer so much more than that and stop ourselves from becoming a city that simply blends in.
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