Update on the deterioration of Australia

[tangentlama]

postcard from the uk

dear julie

please send us more of your lovely australian wine instead of the US!
we could do with a nice trade discount if you are able to over the next 50 years or so, cos it's going to be rather expensive to clean up the nuclear waste we've dumped all over iraq for the last 12 years, and we can't do without our booze here

lots of love,
your english cousins,

XXXX

ps. we think howard is an odious creep as well

 

[ViolentPanda]

As I've also said, I despair at the direction Australia is heading. And in my pessimistic view, I believe it very hard to undo damage inflicted upon a nation's people... at some point in the future. Furthermore, which party can we rely on to do it anyway? They all suck as far as I can see.

From the (admittedly small) amount of reading I've done on Australian history and social policy, and as an "outsider" it seems to me not that Australia is lurching in a new direction with regard to the attempts to re-write legislation involving human rights but that one of its' colonial-era problems, isolationism based around fear of "the other", is re-asserting itself. The Aus establishment appears to have always contained a certain degree of skin colour-based xenophobia (the hypocrisy of a lot of Aus foreign policy toward other "Pacific Rim" countries is a case in point), and the whole "evil Muslim" (what halfwits like mears term "Islamofascism") bullshit helps part-legitimate official "racism", which in turn may end up feeding down into elements of the general population who were previously not concerned.
The problem with political parties is that Howard's competitors will very likely not attack his assault on human or labour rights until it has been discredited, as to do so before then would leave them open to charges from Howard that they are "soft".

Ever get the feeling we're governed by men with small genitalia who are trying desperately to compensate for their tiny cocks by acting extra-macho?

 

[Julie]

Assuming that economic growth is the only yardstick to a content life, then ok.

But fuck that man. There's far more to life than consuming night and day for a whole bloody life. Having time off to enjoy one's life rather than just work it all is another kind of indicator.

Having people getting on with each other instead of being all competitive all the time is yet another. And that's what this rampant consumerism, that is america's religion, and fast becoming australia's religion too, leads to. Getting ahead of people and treading on them, instead of remaining on the same level and getting on with them; in other words respect for others.

I think that's what julie means about the deterioration of her country's people. They've lost respect for their fellow humans, but hey what the fuck are we complaining about - everyone's got more money in their pockets. Yoohoo!

With all that extra money happiness must reign supreme down under, ain't that right julie?!!

Exactly fela. People have more money, at least those with massive wealth already, couples with two incomes who earn at least $50,000 + a year each or singles earning a very decent salary. And admittedly, there are plenty of financially comfortable couples and singles. (And before the conservatives accuse me of being a wealthist; no, there's nothing wrong with earning a good income or living comfortably. In truth, surely everyone deserves to live comfortably ).

However, as you say fela, there is an increasing, palpable disillusionment going on down here. As just one example, people drive like a bat outta hell, honking their horns, and cutting in on other drivers constantly, revealing road rage like never before. (By the way, the saying 'road rage' has always made me laugh - cynically - because it infers that people's anger has to do with driving/other inept drivers. Ha! People are simply aggravated, and the car is an excuse to let off steam).

I also use public transport all the time and the expressions on the faces of commuters to and from work in the mornings and evenings is so revealing. People are irritated, exhausted, bored, uninspired, etc, etc. And these are the people dressed very well, who no doubt live in a nice home, drive a nice car, can afford a holiday away every year, send their kids to "good" schools, and so on. In other words, they live the lifestyle to which we all (supposedly) aspire. And from I see? They're miserable.

Yes, the central conservative position that the acquisition of money is the be all and end all - and earned by oneself too goddammit! No government hand-me-downs... good lord no.... has never made sense to me. Yes, I like nice things. I'm not going to be a hypocrite. But the acquisition of such 'nice things' with a ferocity and determination that would inevitably see me have an ulcer, a stroke, an infarct, a nervous breakdown, or "simply" become a miserable and/or ego-maniacal pain in the arse is not in the least bit appealing to me. Like Toni Collette's character in 'In Her Shoes', I'd rather walk dogs for a living.

Following is a link to Mike Carlton's radio breakfast show Friday News Review. You have to scroll down the page a bit to find the downloads. He hasn't updated it in just under a month which is a bummer but anyway.... he takes the piss out of Howard, Beazley (and other politicians making a goose of themselves on any given week), as well as Aussie sport, and 'Gloria Parrot' (Alan Jones - Sydney radio shock jock/John Howard and Liberal Party suck).

http://www.2ue.com.au/programs.php?program_id=3

He sums up what's happening to a 't'

 

[Julie]

Indeed. Having the politicians and the media sorts in bed with each other is proving to be a lethal combination for those people who value their freedom. I guess since the advent of mass-media this has taken a nasty turn.

But what of the people who allow themselves to succumb to this fear and suspicion? It is they that are effectively sanctioning the beginning of a police state. What will be the price? For a robot life will be fantastic, for a human wanting freedom to be themselves, life will have become somewhat harder.

I reckon the advent of tv handed it all on a plate to the leaders, but maybe the internet will swing it back the other way at some point...?

The US, UK, and Australia are all on the journey to what i think can fairly be called a police state. I have to say though that australia always feels more dodgy in terms of what the police can get up to. And i'm told that in the US it's far worse, which is unimaginable. Soon as i set foot out of the plane on australian soil i'm bombarded by questions, drug cops, bomb cops, blue uniforms, grey (i think) uniforms, sniffing dogs, loads of signs banning things and threatening you, immigration power mads, customs power mads, searchings, and then finally after this insane series of actions is over, i am free to leave the airport. I'm used to it now, but fuck man, this is unreal. How did it all come to this??!!

I find it disgusting that visitors to Australia are put through such interrogation. Because that's what it is - no more, no less. Give certain people in a uniform a modicum of authority and they become power-crazed bullies.

With regard to your points about the media, the power they yield these days is obscene. I refer, in particular, to our very own scuzbucket Rupert Murdoch. If it weren't for Rupert, and if journalism had been truly balanced, it is possible (highly probable even) that Blair, Howard and Bush wouldn't have been re-elected.

However, the scare-mongering tactics employed by Fox (and other conservative-favoured) mass media, and the ease with which said reporting influences so many people, never ceases to amaze me. Beware the massive font on our television screens warning us to beware the latest terrorist threat.... reported by shiny-looking, hair-tinted, spray-tanned, extremely loud (call it shouting) journos with huge, white (Osmond-inspired) teeth. They are just so believable

Anyone who believes a word of any Murdoch owned media story, in whichever form it is delivered, needs to take a risk and try something novel: question the story and *heaven forbid* think for themselves. They might even learn something.

 

[Julie]

I might have guessed you'd be here making some rather woefully ignorant claims.

Yes, Mears still hasn't answered my question as to what Howard's 'remarkable stewardship' entails, other than to say that he's been elected 4 times.

This is an oldie but a goodie:

http://www.alp.org.au/features/lies.php

 

[Julie]

Evidence please or is this another one of your fact-free excursions?

Thank you nino; I'd like to know the answer as well.

 

[Julie]

dear julie

please send us more of your lovely australian wine instead of the US!
we could do with a nice trade discount if you are able to over the next 50 years or so, cos it's going to be rather expensive to clean up the nuclear waste we've dumped all over iraq for the last 12 years, and we can't do without our booze here

lots of love,
your english cousins,

XXXX

ps. we think howard is an odious creep as well

Absolutely fantastic. Very funny and very poignant.

I'd give anything to see Howard's face if he read these posts. His chest would puff out like Dolly Parton's if he read Mears' gushing appraisal.... but then he'd slump down in misery if he read the posts by yourself and my/our other English cousins. Hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!

He, of course, can be emailed (although the wanker doesn't have a normal email address: not one I can find anyway):

http://www.pm.gov.au/email.cfm



Edit to add: What kind of vino would you like?

 

[mears]

Absolutely fantastic. Very funny and very poignant.

I'd give anything to see Howard's face if he read these posts. His chest would puff out like Dolly Parton's if he read Mears' gushing appraisal.... but then he'd slump down in misery if he read the posts by yourself and my/our other English cousins. Hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!

He, of course, can be emailed (although the wanker doesn't have a normal email address: not one I can find anyway):

http://www.pm.gov.au/email.cfm



Edit to add: What kind of vino would you like?

Now Julie, look at these unemployment figures from March 2004. Hate it when those silly facts get in the way. Bet you do as well.

Long-term unemployment is at its lowest level in more than 13 years, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and reported by the Australian Human Resource Institute. In seasonally adjusted terms, long-term unemployment fell by 11,100 in December to 117,200.
Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews said that long-term unemployment was now 212,600 (or 64.5 per cent) below the peak of 329,800 recorded in May 1993, when Labor was in office.
http://ashrm.com/article.asp?id=62&page=Unemployment Down in Australia

I have seen Mr. Major speak on the telly a couple of time. He really gets it in my opinion, everything from the war in Iraq to economics.

The world is lucky to have leaders like Prime Minister Howard.

 

[Julie]

From the (admittedly small) amount of reading I've done on Australian history and social policy, and as an "outsider" it seems to me not that Australia is lurching in a new direction with regard to the attempts to re-write legislation involving human rights but that one of its' colonial-era problems, isolationism based around fear of "the other", is re-asserting itself. The Aus establishment appears to have always contained a certain degree of skin colour-based xenophobia (the hypocrisy of a lot of Aus foreign policy toward other "Pacific Rim" countries is a case in point), and the whole "evil Muslim" (what halfwits like mears term "Islamofascism") bullshit helps part-legitimate official "racism", which in turn may end up feeding down into elements of the general population who were previously not concerned.
The problem with political parties is that Howard's competitors will very likely not attack his assault on human or labour rights until it has been discredited, as to do so before then would leave them open to charges from Howard that they are "soft".

Ever get the feeling we're governed by men with small genitalia who are trying desperately to compensate for their tiny cocks by acting extra-macho?

You're absolutely right VP; we've always had xenophobia in Australia. The White Australia Policy (what a shameful policy that was) only began being "dismantled" between 1949 and 1973.

One of the observations I find disturbing in recent years is that some Europeans (e.g. some Greeks, Italians, etc) who suffered racism for years when they moved to Australia, are now being racist towards persons from the Middle East. Don't they recall the hurt they felt?

I agree... the culture of a country or organisation develops from the top down. We have racist, money-loving, hate- and fear-fuelled leaders in charge and their bile is spreading throughout Australia like a bush fire. It's very, very depressing.

Edit to add: Ever get the feeling we're governed by men with small genitalia who are trying desperately to compensate for their tiny cocks by acting extra-macho? Definitely!

 

[Julie]

Now Julie, look at these unemployment figures from March 2004. Hate it when those silly facts get in the way. Bet you do as well.

Long-term unemployment is at its lowest level in more than 13 years, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and reported by the Australian Human Resource Institute. In seasonally adjusted terms, long-term unemployment fell by 11,100 in December to 117,200.
Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews said that long-term unemployment was now 212,600 (or 64.5 per cent) below the peak of 329,800 recorded in May 1993, when Labor was in office.
http://ashrm.com/article.asp?id=62&page=Unemployment Down in Australia

I have seen Mr. Major speak on the telly a couple of time. He really gets it in my opinion, everything from the war in Iraq to economics.

The world is lucky to have leaders like Prime Minister Howard.

A Saudi organisation discussing our unemployment statistics. It's not owned by your pal Osama by any chance is it?

Who the hell is Mr. Major?

 

[mears]

A Saudi organisation discussing our unemployment statistics. It's not owned by your pal Osama by any chance is it?

Who the hell is Mr. Major?

Sorry, Mr. Howard of course.

Those figures were picked out of Australian government agencies.

They don't lie

 

[fela fan]

They don't lie

Unlike mr howard of course.

It's pretty incredible really that there is a political leader more slimy and more creepy than blair, but howard manages it very successfully. Especially when he plays the 'common man' touch and talks about sport... ughh.

Disgusting urchin.

 

[nino_savatte]

Sorry, Mr. Howard of course.

Those figures were picked out of Australian government agencies.

They don't lie

You're very fond of posting up statistics (many of them gleaned from dubious sources or interpreted in such a way as to support your 'thesis') but one thing I have noticed is that you remain -as always - ignorant of the facts; and in the case of Australia, you appear to be absolutely clueless about that country's politicians and its political system.

 

[nino_savatte]

A Saudi organisation discussing our unemployment statistics. It's not owned by your pal Osama by any chance is it?

Who the hell is Mr. Major?

He thinks John Major was a former Australian PM.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Sorry, Mr. Howard of course.

Those figures were picked out of Australian government agencies.

They don't lie

You claim to understand economics and come out with howlers like "they don't lie" in relation to statistics?

Idiot. Of course they do. They mean whatever you want them to, dependent on the context in which you present them.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Sorry, Mr. Howard of course.

Those figures were picked out of Australian government agencies.

They don't lie

With reference to employment figures, my little chickadee:

The raw data here shows that while the percentage of unemployed didn't increase, the actual physical number of unemployed persons did

And guess what, those figures (from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, not an Arabian "human resources" website) are for last month, not from mid 2004.

 

[ViolentPanda]

You're very fond of posting up statistics (many of them gleaned from dubious sources or interpreted in such a way as to support your 'thesis') but one thing I have noticed is that you remain -as always - ignorant of the facts; and in the case of Australia, you appear to be absolutely clueless about that country's politicians and its political system.

One of the graphs on the Aussie Bureau of Statistics website shows a "trend" graph of unemployment figures with a distinct plateau for the last 6 months, a phenomenon that hasn't manifested anywhere else in the graph. That suggests (along with the figures) that employment and unemployment are fairly stagnant, that variations in the "headline" figures are not statistically significant enough to register within the .1% degrees of measurement the stats bureau use. In other words, they're in much the same boat as Britain is for around half of every year.

 

[ViolentPanda]

You're absolutely right VP; we've always had xenophobia in Australia. The White Australia Policy (what a shameful policy that was) only began being "dismantled" between 1949 and 1973.

One of the observations I find disturbing in recent years is that some Europeans (e.g. some Greeks, Italians, etc) who suffered racism for years when they moved to Australia, are now being racist towards persons from the Middle East. Don't they recall the hurt they felt?

I'm sure they do. The problem is that you've named (and I could probably add to that the large communities in Aus from Balkan countries) countries that have significant historical problems with Islam (and of course its' promulgators, the Ottoman empire). We still see this animosity peeping out fro the shadows occasionally in Britain, with friction between the Turkish and Greek communities.
People will always have fears, and the media (who are almost always politically partial, I believe that a vast majority of privately-owned news media in Aus is pro-Howard, is it not?) will play on and manipulate those fears to the advantage of whichever ideology they support. In this case they're able to put together a convenient package (much as Tony Blairs' New Labour are attempting to) which allows them to set those immigrants with brown and black skins as targets, and uses "radical" Islam as a "trigger" factor for propagating this fear.

I agree... the culture of a country or organisation develops from the top down. We have racist, money-loving, hate- and fear-fuelled leaders in charge and their bile is spreading throughout Australia like a bush fire. It's very, very depressing.

The problem IMHO is that Howard (like Blair, and like the interests Bush is a mouthpiece for) know that greed, racism, hate and fear are primal human emotions. If you appeal to them then you can in many cases circumvent or at least partially neutralise rational debate, so until their gambit can be demonstrated to be false, or at least that their fears are nowhere near as significant as they have claimed, then they'll be able to keep on pushing that button and making the likes of mears salivate.

Edit to add: Ever get the feeling we're governed by men with small genitalia who are trying desperately to compensate for their tiny cocks by acting extra-macho? Definitely!

 

[fela fan]

Hey, that's a great post there, and finely written too.

Not sure what mears will do with it though! Something about money...

 

[fela fan]

He thinks John Major was a former Australian PM.

Syntax mate, syntax! He thinks major is the current aussie pm.

[sorry, just having a laugh]

 

[ViolentPanda]

Hey, that's a great post there, and finely written too.

Not sure what mears will do with it though! Something about money...

With mears it's only ever about money.

Now I don't happen to believe that "money is the root of all evil", but I don't believe it's a particularly accurate gauge of the political and economic health of a nation (rather than of a state, if you get my drift). After all, many countries are "rich" while containing vast amounts of "poor".

 

[fela fan]

With mears it's only ever about money.

Now I don't happen to believe that "money is the root of all evil", but I don't believe it's a particularly accurate gauge of the political and economic health of a nation (rather than of a state, if you get my drift). After all, many countries are "rich" while containing vast amounts of "poor".

But maybe money is the cause of all evil... well, a lot of it anyway.

And many poor countries have enclaves of rich.

 

[ViolentPanda]

But maybe money is the cause of all evil... well, a lot of it anyway.

I suppose the actual wording of the proverb, which is "the love of money is the root of all evil" is more applicable, as it is certainly the acquisitive urge that appears to drive so much misery.

And many poor countries have enclaves of rich.

Yep, and as far as many are concerned, it's good to have a captive population of the hungry. That way they'll work for less money, settle for fewer (or no) employee benefits and protections, and you can just move on to the next bunch of suckers when you've worn this bunch out.

As for Australia, how they believe that weakening their labour protection laws will give anything more than a transient boost to the economy, I really don't know, but then again, the "robber barons" are always sniffing after a quick killing, and this'll provide them with the fodder for a few more Mercedes, I suppose.

 

[Julie]

Unlike mr howard of course.

It's pretty incredible really that there is a political leader more slimy and more creepy than blair, but howard manages it very successfully. Especially when he plays the 'common man' touch and talks about sport... ughh.

Disgusting urchin.

That's hilarious fela!

We collectively when he turns up - yet again - at another sporting match in which Australia is taking part. All the while recognising he knows nothing about the sport concerned. He's such an imposter.

And have you seen any footage of him going for his morning walk in his Wallabies tracksuit? Gawd strewth he's an embarrassment

 

[Julie]

He thinks John Major was a former Australian PM.

I see

Isn't he one of the brethren in that arms financing organisation with Dubya Senior?

 

[mears]

With reference to employment figures, my little chickadee:

The raw data here shows that while the percentage of unemployed didn't increase, the actual physical number of unemployed persons did

And guess what, those figures (from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, not an Arabian "human resources" website) are for last month, not from mid 2004.

You can't argue with the numbers, personal insults aside. The Australian economy has grown and Australian unemployment has decreased under Mr. Howard.

Australia is an example of the success of free market economics. Britian, the US, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, New Zealand and Canada are some other examples which highlight the success of the free market ideological movement.

 

[Julie]

With reference to employment figures, my little chickadee:

The raw data here shows that while the percentage of unemployed didn't increase, the actual physical number of unemployed persons did

And guess what, those figures (from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, not an Arabian "human resources" website) are for last month, not from mid 2004.

Great link VP

And this figure is of particular import:

'EMPLOYMENT
... part-time employment increased by 41,000 to 2,908,600.'

The following is from: http://www.nuw.org.au/faq/faq6

' ... In Australia, 2.3 million people are part-time or casual workers.
Australia now has a higher number of part-time and casual workers than most of the other industrialised countries in the world. The numbers of casual employees in Australia are also growing at a much greater rate than that of other employees... '

Yes, unemployment may have decreased but there's a catch: The increasing trend since the 1990s has been that huge numbers of unemployed have been placed in part-time or casual employment rather than full-time work. As such, they're rolling in money But this lil fact is never discussed; at least not by Johnny and the Liberals and the Murdoch and Packer press.

It's much simpler, not to mention more vote worthy, to make the claim that "unemployment is at its lowest in... in... well... decades!!!!"

 

[Julie]

The world is lucky to have leaders like Prime Minister Howard.

I just need to respond to this statement. While you/everybody has a right to express opinions about anything and everything, I find your statement about John Howard incredibly naive.

Seriously Mears, what do you think of the following? And how can the lies contained therein constitute the makings of a leader in which the world is 'lucky to have'?

http://www.alp.org.au/features/lies.php

 

[mears]

I just need to respond to this statement. While you/everybody has a right to express opinions about anything and everything, I find your statement about John Howard incredibly naive.

Seriously Mears, what do you think of the following? And how can the lies contained therein constitute the makings of a leader in which the world is 'lucky to have'?

http://www.alp.org.au/features/lies.php

Parsing words of political leaders is an old game. Being elected to four consecutive terms is a first for your country.

If the world is not lucky to have world leaders like Mr. Howard, what leaders around the world ARE we lucky to have?

 

[Julie]

I'm sure they do. The problem is that you've named (and I could probably add to that the large communities in Aus from Balkan countries) countries that have significant historical problems with Islam (and of course its' promulgators, the Ottoman empire). We still see this animosity peeping out fro the shadows occasionally in Britain, with friction between the Turkish and Greek communities.
People will always have fears, and the media (who are almost always politically partial, I believe that a vast majority of privately-owned news media in Aus is pro-Howard, is it not?) will play on and manipulate those fears to the advantage of whichever ideology they support. In this case they're able to put together a convenient package (much as Tony Blairs' New Labour are attempting to) which allows them to set those immigrants with brown and black skins as targets, and uses "radical" Islam as a "trigger" factor for propagating this fear.

The problem IMHO is that Howard (like Blair, and like the interests Bush is a mouthpiece for) know that greed, racism, hate and fear are primal human emotions. If you appeal to them then you can in many cases circumvent or at least partially neutralise rational debate, so until their gambit can be demonstrated to be false, or at least that their fears are nowhere near as significant as they have claimed, then they'll be able to keep on pushing that button and making the likes of mears salivate.

I still don't know how to "break up" a post into quotes so I can respond to individual points made. Does anyone have a moment to show me how? A PM would suffice if such things are preferred that way. So, I'll c & p instead:

**************************

'I'm sure they do. The problem is that you've named (and I could probably add to that the large communities in Aus from Balkan countries) countries that have significant historical problems with Islam (and of course its' promulgators, the Ottoman empire). We still see this animosity peeping out fro the shadows occasionally in Britain, with friction between the Turkish and Greek communities.'

Too true. I shouldn't have specified races. That is racist, in my view. As such, I'm not at all happy with myself with the way I attempted to make that point I simply wanted to say I find animosity based on race completely nonsensical.

'People will always have fears, and the media (who are almost always politically partial, I believe that a vast majority of privately-owned news media in Aus is pro-Howard, is it not?) will play on and manipulate those fears to the advantage of whichever ideology they support. In this case they're able to put together a convenient package (much as Tony Blairs' New Labour are attempting to) which allows them to set those immigrants with brown and black skins as targets, and uses "radical" Islam as a "trigger" factor for propagating this fear.'

Yes, it is definitely true that the vast majority of privately-owned news media is pro-Howard. Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Packer own the bulk of said media who are conservative to the backbone. And yes, shock tactics in the form of language that evokes hysteria is their stock in trade. I must say though: When will people recognise they're being manipulated? While I completely agree that people will always have fears ('tis the nature of the human beast), I still struggle getting my head around how gullible so many can be.

'The problem IMHO is that Howard (like Blair, and like the interests Bush is a mouthpiece for) know that greed, racism, hate and fear are primal human emotions. If you appeal to them then you can in many cases circumvent or at least partially neutralise rational debate, so until their gambit can be demonstrated to be false, or at least that their fears are nowhere near as significant as they have claimed, then they'll be able to keep on pushing that button and making the likes of mears salivate.'

And here you have articulated, so well, my questions/concerns re: people's gullibility.

Great post VP