Q: When is a grub, not a grub?

A: When it is Tony Abbot that uses the term in Parliament.

Duplicity and inconsistency dwells within many facets of our society, duplicity in declared alliances and true allegiances, inconsistency in what people say they are when it suits them and what they hide from the community when they feel it will affect a favorable outcome. Such factors are oft beyond the control of the average John or Joanne Citizen...However when it comes to the House Of Representatives, the so called Peoples House where the representatives of our electorate speak for us and in our stead the tone of equality and consistence needs to be unquestionable.

This was not the case on May 25th when Mr Abbott decried Mr Thompsons attempt to pass a motion in regards to debate about AWB shares held by and sold by John Anderson. Abbott requested moved a motion "that the snivelling grub over there be not further heard" and after outrage by the Opposition ,Abbotts response was "If I have offended grubs, I withdraw unconditionally". This set a precedent for motions about "snivelling grubs" and lowered the tone of the peoples house considerably,some action or reprimand shouldd have been made by the Speaker but he accepted the withdrawal of "If I have offended grubs, I withdraw unconditionally" WHAT A JOKE.

Yesterday, in a test of the objectivity and equalityty afforded in the House of Representatives; Julia Gillard, bravely and unbeatablyly, passed the exact same motion in regards to "snivelling grubs"and with the exact same worded withdrawal, she was consequently, suspended from Parliament for 24 hours.

Whilst I do not want to advocate the drollness or disdain with which the motion was primarily made nor do I wish to heap platitudes on the actions which have succinctlyly pinpointed the inadequacieses of the House of Representatives speaker; I feel it is fair to say that a point has been taken and made. The Speaker needs to address the issue of the inequality of the decisions he makes, the Government need to act as adults, and govern with transparency and honesty, they need to accept that the questions and motions put to them are for the people by the people and the use of terminology such as "snivelling grubs" they are encompassingng all constituentsts in that realm. They are showing disrespect for the people they have been elected to govern and lead, they are showing ill regard for societes rights to question the roles and interests of their elected officials in illegal and clandestine activitieses.

Elected officials at any level need to be sorely reminded that their place is but by the grace of the people who elected them, forget factional in fights, branch stacking and the ever present corporate interest groups. It is the PEOPLE you govern and decide for, not petrol companies, big business, multi national corporations or the USA. We need people ,such as Julia Gillard, to stand up for what is right, what is unequal and to prove the inequalities, inadequacies, inconsistencies and duplicity where ever it is.

I went to church...And the place is still standing!!!

I went to church yesterday and it did not fall down about my ears, actually I went last week too and a few weeks ago before that...No I have not seen divinity rather setting an "example" for my kids( example of what, you may ask...Well...Me too but we digress) As Miss 9 is making her first communion this year, they tend to like you to attend Mass a bit ( funny about that) and yesterday was to celebrate the arrival of the Message Stick which was arriving in Sunbury yesterday, it is to commemorate the 1986 speech by Pope Johnnie Paul 2 in Alice Springs when he "called for all Australians to respond to the challenges of justice and reconciliation faced by our indigenous people" (OLMC newsletter 24/5/06)
Strangely enough, I found the incorporating of the indigenous culture and the catholic mass very relaxing and insightful. The Prayers of the Faithful included a prayer of sorry and apology for the historical wrongs against indigenous people, a prayer for world leaders to accept mistakes and apologise ( ARE YOU READING THIS JOHNNIE HOWARD!!!!!) Whilst religion and politics should remain separate, their is nothing wrong with religion making political comment. This was done so yesterday, as a community we have a responsibility to ensure social justice for all...Call me a social justice junkie but I think it is more than a religious belief but a grounding in being a person. It was interesting to see who was there representing the indigenous of our community and who wasn't. Miss 9 was in the choir singing the indigenous "Our Father" and she was presented ( along with every other child in the Parish who are undertaking their First communion this year) with a copy of the Our Father but which also has a copy of the indigenous version which goes as follows:

Our Father,
You are in heaven May we talk your name in a good way,
May you be boss in our lives,
May we follow your feelings here as they do above
Give us bread today
We have hurt your feelings;feel sorry for us
Others have hurt our feelings we feel sorry for them
Stop us from doing wrong
Save us from the evil one
Amen

I am 100% sure this was about years ago but can't be too sure where I read it. But I also thought it apt that we prayed to the points of a compass which represent different things indigenous people and for the sign of peace we used the local word for peace which escapes me. It was a learning experience and a welcoming experience and in so far as my limited visits to Church go over the past ...(ah ah thought I 'd give a number then, didn't you?) few decades it was one of the better experiences of my lapsed belief.