John Howard's death by a thousand cuts in 2008

John Winston Howard always appeared so sure that he would leave an enduring legacy.

So it must flick him on the raw every time the Rudd Government announces that it is looking to cut into this 'legacy'.

Now one of his pet jingoistic policies, a national history syllabus modelled on his own personal values and beliefs, is under threat.

 

"THE Rudd Government is expected to scrap plans to force the states to introduce compulsory Australian history classes in years 9 and 10 from next year.

The new Government is also expected to dump a controversial model Australian history syllabus released by former prime minister John Howard on the eve of the election, after it was criticised for being overly nationalistic and "barely teachable".

A spokeswoman for Education Minister Julia Gillard has told The Age that although history would be a compulsory component of the national curriculum for parts of the secondary school years, the new Government would work collaboratively with states and territories, rather than impose things on them."

In The Age today:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/howards-plan-history/2008/01/09/1199554741706.html

 

The Rudd Government cannot in itself lead us back from the xenophobic abyss towards which Howard was urging Australia - but it is so good to see that it is trying.

Three political halleluiahs and a vote for me

I must admit that, apart from watching the SBS TV delayed telecast of US public broadcasting nightly news, I'm not closely following the Democrat and Republican presidential nomination races that are in progress right now.

What I do see in the news and current affairs programs has me wondering.

It may be that American and Australian media just go for theatrical bytes when selecting film clips to accompany news stories, otherwise it is hard to explain the almost total lack of broad policy articulated by these presidential hopefuls.

Vagueness appears to be the order of the day.

Most of their public appearances look and sound more like Christian revival meetings than political rallies.

I keep expecting a robed choir to break into a hymn behind each candidate.

Perhaps Obama, Clinton, McCain, Romney, Huckabee etc., should look at what recently happened to an Australian prime minister who relied on repetitious, 'aspirational' speeches.

He lost.

  

Vale George Moore, Australian jockey

Dear George,

I was an infrequent racegoer in my youth and always cautious with my bet. 

Like most track novices I had a theory about winners - ears pricked forward and stepping out calmly in the saddling paddock.

I would have been wrong more times than I was right with that yardstick.

However, most of my bets were on any horse which had Tommy Smith as trainer and George Moore as jockey.

Always for a win or a place, you never failed me and I went home with extra coins jiggling in my pocket.

I'm sorry you're gone, George. You'll always remain a fond memory.

Good on ya mate,

Pete 

Rudd Government looking to thwart Howard's attempt to empty kitty ahead of 2007 federal election

After almost eleven years in office it was becoming apparent that the complaisant former Howard Government had allowed substantial bureaucratic inefficiencies to flourish
However, when John Howard began to promise money like a drunken sailor ahead of the 24 November 2007 federal election, I suspected that he might also be attempting to reduce government coffers just in case the Coalition was voted out of office. So I was rather glad to see the following.

"Federal Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner says the Howard Government's pre-election promises will be the first to be cut under moves to slash Government spending.

Bureaucrats have been asked to start identifying the former government's commitments in a bid to cut billions of dollars in spending ahead of the May budget.
Mr Tanner has told Sky News he would prefer not to disrupt contracts that are already under way.
"In many cases, decisions that were made just prior to the election campaign have not been implemented," he said.
"They have not actually been actioned. Contracts haven't been signed, money hasn't gone out the door.
"That does mean that it's in some respects less difficult to focus on those kind of commitments than those things that are already the subject of existing contracts."
Mr Tanner says spending cuts are needed to put downward pressure on interest rates.
"We are in a tough environment. Inflation is getting beyond the 3 per cent level, that is the outer limit of the Reserve Bank zone," he said."
ABC News report:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/07/2133067.htm?section=australia

Good move, Minister Tanner. Time to cull the former Howard Government's attempt at pork barrelling and rein in an unwieldy and fiscally inefficient bureaucracy.
Your own party's election promises are going to be hard enough to fund as it is, in light of sustained inflationary pressures .
The Australian article today:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23015322-5013871,00.html

It's still a case of "Brendan who?"

Google Trends results for the last 30 days still show that very few people are bothering to search the internet for information about Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson in comparison to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Rather a poor showing for a new Liberal Party leader. A low profile before he became leader and a continuing low profile since.

Will Australia finally start to care once the new parliamentary term begins?

Google Trends result:

http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22kevin+rudd%22%2C+%22brendan+nelson%22&ctab=0&geo=all&date=mtd&sort=0

Winners and grinners on the NSW North Coast

Because many of us are a little wet and muddy right now as the North Coast flood plains do their thing, I thought we might look back at some of the North Coast's artistic achievers to cheer ourselves up.

North Coast artist Patricia Piccinini's work "Thicker than water". Photograph at http://www.artsnorthernrivers.com.au/

"Mapping Ulgundahi" by Frances Belle Parker, winner of the ABC North Coast ArtsNest 2007 Award.
Photograph at http://www.abc.net.au/

Ross Tamlin's "Beached Cod". Ross is a past winner in the Bentley Art Show. Photograph at http://www.visualartsnetwork.com.au/

Debrah Novak's "Cygnets during a performance of Swan Lake". Debrah has won numerous photography awards.
Photograph at http://www.arthouseaustralia.com.au/

Aunty Jack to host ripper Australia Day in Clarence Valley

Graham Bond of Aunty Jack fame will be the Australia Day Ambassador for the Clarence Valley this year.

He will be at three events in the Valley over the 26 January long weekend and everyone is bound

to enjoy a day which will "rip your bloody arms off".

There will be an awards ceremony at Ford Park, Yamba the night before, starting at 5pm.

A breakfast and rally registration in Memorial Park, Grafton on the morning at 8am.

And a family beach outing and barbeque at Main Beach, Yamba starting at 11am on the day.

Also this Australia Day on the North Coast, the Rotary Club Duck Race will kick off at 10am on Coffs Creek, Coffs Harbour.