Friday, June 09, 2006

Heeeeerrrrrreeeeessss...GUESS WHO?


OK, I cannot stand the emptyness any more , everyone needs to go and read this blog.
And then place it in your list of blogs visited or whatever and look in about once a week or so. I think it will work like Field Of Dreams..if you build it, they will come. So if you visit, comment and read, more will get written.

This person spends many hours formulating their posts and loading pictures and hogging the PC, so show some mercy and read, COMMENT and keep visiting if you enjoy the walk on the wild side.




Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Work choices or justice at Work?

Informative speakers discussing:
The new workplace and welfare laws The moral dimension-impacts on the most vunerable Building solidarity in the community

MC: Fr. Bob Maguire

Supported by Trades hall Council ( Vic) AMWU, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Melbourne Citymission, ETU, Melb. Catholic Commission for JUstice, Development and Peace,Angicare,Maritime Union Of Australia, Fairwear, Justice and International Mission Unit: Uniting Church Of Australia,Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, VCOSS, AEU, Federation Of Community Legal Services (Vic),ACTU, Union Solidarity, NTEU, Jobwatch, Victorian Council of Churches, TCFUA(Vic) Rail, Tram and Bus Union, AEA, UFA, Good Shepherd, Youth and Family Service, Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, ASU,CEPU, Emilys List, Australia, Yourrightsatwork.

Something which will affect us all at some stage and certainly will affect our children, I know I want my kids to grow up with a choice of being an employee with choices or an employer who values the rights their forebearers worked for.

With so many vast and varied bodies and advocacy groups involved a clear message is being sent via this meeting, it affects many in many ways and much of the impact will not be felt for many years after the instigators have long gone and are living high on the hog of tax payer funded pensions, superannuation and benefits.

We need to speak now and learn more about this mass social change.

Monday, June 05, 2006

Politically Me

Economic Left/Right: -5.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.08

I took a Political Compass test courtesy of Guruann.
Apparently I am in good company ,right in there with Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, couldn't ask for more.
Interesting, that I have never really had complete satisfaction with any political party since Hawke 's ALP and before that I was known as a Greenie Boshie at school. I supported Bob Brown and the Greens for the saving the Franklin in 82/83, I argued politics and policies with several members of the Young Libs continually in Legal Studies class much to the amusement of many as I was one of a few who supported things like Greenpeace, communal property, environment issues and social conscience and responsibility in secondary school.
I often do not vote as such but have my name ticked off in the roll and proceed to write a tirade about what is wrong with the candidates and/or their policies on my ballot card, thereby creating an invalid vote which cannot be counted; if you are not worthy, you cannot expect me to give you my confidence in ruling me and mine. My mother did the same for many years also.

I guess you could say I am a self related cause activist for want of a better term, if the subject is against my beliefs, my ideals, infringing on my rights or just plain wrong, I will speak out against it, refuse to support any thing to do with it ( EG: MBF closed the local hospital 4 years ago, I refuse to do business at Terry White chemists as they are a subsidiary of MBF) I act on principle and if it emits a response so be it, but I am happy enough to know I am doing what I know is right. Puddles form from little raindrops and rivers from them do flow.

I have been a unionist and shop steward and State representative of a union, I believe unions have a important place in our society to educate, promote safety and act as advocates of many. I have been in student unions, workplace unions and more advocacy groups I can to recall. I believe in the basic good in all people before I believe the bad. I do not agree with capital punishment, religion in politics, governing without accountability, perceived mandates without referendums, incarceration of asylum seekers and refugees, the holding without trial of peoples at Guatamalo Bay, the absolute governing of the USA and the apathy of the people to accept such governance when they have the power to veto it. I despise the killing of animals as sport, the joke that is Japanese whale research, the rape of the forests for the sake of profit and the commentary made by many uninformed about the benefits of nuclear power, etc.

I do believe in the right to a fair trial by ones peers, the right of freedom of speech, the right to support any one political party or candidate without repercussions, that elected officials need to be accountable and all actions of government be transparent and permitted to be questioned without limit. I support social justice and believe society has a resposability to care and support others in the community, NOT MATTER WHAT. No one person is more superior in rights than another. I believe in religions right to support and comment on political matter for debating and social conscience reasons, but not laws created from religious diatribe. I believe it is a woman's right to chose and government has no place in a woman's womb. I believe same sex marriages and relationships need to be recognised with the same rights as heterosexual relationships, inclusive of support benefits, tax breaks, superannuation allotments, etc., politicians were never elected to be the moral bullyboys of the minority.