A thought to carry you forwards

Brisbane City Councilor Norm Wyndham reflecting on the last two months: “We truly still are the lucky country, because if you see some of the atrocities that have occurred across the world in the past 12 to 18 months, you realise that by living in Australia there will always be someone beside you to help you through it.”

I'll buy your fallen bananas Queensland

I’ll buy your fallen bananas Queensland because that’s what mates do when times are tough.

But because these bananas will be going to my very elderly mother who suffers with health problems, I ask all growers to remember consumer safety ranks higher than their need for income.

If in doubt chuck it out!

Mike

Grafton NSW

* GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak AT gmail.com.au for consideration.

What is it about Tony Abbott that drives his constant desire to cut public health infrastructure & spending?

Still playing politics with flood, bushfire and cyclone victims, Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has released proposed budget cuts, with dodgy statistics gratuitously included.
These 'cuts' are presented as an alternative to the Gillard Government's proposed twelve-month flood levy and contain a desire to rip the hope of future GP Super Clinics away from one rural/regional community somewhere in Australia by re-directing $10M away from the clinic program. Perhaps it will be Mackay in Queensland (currently in the consultation process) which would not see a super clinic if Abbott had his way?
Or does Mr. Abbott sees his budget cuts coming at the expense of Emerald, Wynnum or Caboolture whose community consultations have been put on hold because of the Dec 2010-Jan 2011 floods?

Click on image to enlarge

I'm going polled turkey in February 2011

Just in time for the start of the 2011 term of the Australian Federal Parliament, Annabel Crabb (with tongue firmly in cheek) reminded us all of what it means to be a pollaholic.

However, like much that is humorous there is a kernel of truth in how the mainstream media, blogosphere and the general public have brought into that mindless game of political opinion poll percentages which feed the inner-troll found in typical examples of Canberra pond life such as [insert name here of the politician who most annoys you] the Hon.Tony Abbott MHR.

So, not only am I not mentioning any political polling for the remainder of this month, I will also refuse to give oxygen to those companies which produce them by ignoring links to these substitutes for genuine political analysis and debate.

Yes, I am going polled turkey*.

* Hatip to @Colvinius for apparently coining this term.

How many people have to have their homes destroyed before our leaders accept that climate change is here and now

Flood and Storm Update for NSW In the past four weeks the SES has received over 10, 300 calls for assistance on its assistance line (NSW State Emergency Services February 5, 2011)

Moment of truth as 64 homes lost in fire in West Australia (The Australian February 8, 2011)

Cyclone Yasi destroyed 150 homes and left at least 650 uninhabitable in northern Queensland (ABC Online February 8, 2011)

Queensland floods 5,900 homes damaged by floods in the past month (The Age February 7, 2011)

Floods force evacuations in southern NSW (ABC Online February 7, 2011)

Dozens of Victorian homes inundated by flood waters (News.com.au February 6, 2011)

In the face of dozens of headlines such as these over the last two months and the personal accounts of friends and family, I was amazed to hear the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Anthony Albanese attempt to deny any direct link between the multiple floods, bushfires and cyclones this country has experienced since the beginning of December 2010 and climate change.

How many homes and family businesses have to be damaged or destroyed before our politicians finally realise there is no more time left to play politics with this immense problem?

Sh#t Happens and Tony Abbott fights to keep control

UPDATE:

On Twitter 8 February 2011:
jodiespeers Jodie Speers
FYI - Abbott's GLARING at Riles actually lasted 1min 10secs. We only had room for 24 secs. It is extraordinary.

The Daily Telegraph 9 February 2011:
A DIGGER'S widow has accepted an apology from Liberal leader Tony Abbott over his comments about conditions facing troops in Afghanistan.

The Sydney Morning Herald 9 February 2011:
Ian MacKinney, the father of the dead soldier, Jared MacKinney, said the Opposition Leader's comments were ''out of line'' and made him ''feel sick''.
''My attitude would be to ignore it, to give it the least amount of credence,'' he said.
He described Mr Abbott as thoughtless, ignorant and uncaring. ''It just shows how good he is, or isn't. I'm not going to let it bother me, but it just shows he's not very thoughtful. He doesn't care too much.''

Proof positive that ethical investment and consumption has a strong influence on business practice?

Walking up and down supermarket aisles looking for food products that guarantee non-GM ingredients or have a low-carbon footprint, flicking though racks of clothes or rows of shoes in search of the now almost mythical Australian-made label and generally trying to avoid purchases from companies known to exploit their workforce or the environment, can leave one feeling that perhaps the attempt to be an ethical consumer is costing one time and money with little effect on the industries involved in producing a wide range goods on display in this country.

Then along comes a letter like this one from the beleaguered Gunns Ltd, linked to online at Tasmanian Politics and Other Stuff, which clearly shows that the combined weight of individuals attempting to act ethically does eventually bring big business closer to the desired outcome: