Had a radical idea this morning ....
We've had Royal Commissions into the various Police Forces around the country, we've had a Royal Commission into the Building Industry and over the years Royal Commissions into various facets of the infrastructure that makes up modern day Australia....
What I would dearly love to see is a Royal Commission into all Political Parties!
I am so sick of the bullsh*t that goes on behind the viel of entities called Political Parties. I've been a member of nearly all of them and left because of the corruption and bullying I've witnessed within them. Note that this wasn't behaviour directed at me but behaviour I've observed. These incidences are not small or one off yet we continue to misconstrue the role of political parties. They are NOT to bully and make back room deals that mislead the public, they are simply a group of people that advocate for certain policy approaches to the delivery of government management services. The Australian Public sits back and watches and does nothing to demand more ethical representation by these parties.
I can see the merit in the independent approach to seeking election. I can understand the difficulty of an independent attempting this though. The Political Parties have become the bullies that dominate the governing of our resources and our people yet only a very small percentage of our country men and women actually belong to these parties.
What are the chances of getting these Party dominated governments to actually turn the cries for accountability and ethical behaviour on themselves? Frustratingly the odds are very very very poor.
When will Aussies stand up for themselves, stop being bullied by the Parties that dominate our political landscape?
Ironically the Political Party behaviour is yet another source of bullying we subject our kids to during prime time news reports and still many wonder where there kids learn the horrid traits of a bully.
Friday, 24 May 2013
Friday, 17 May 2013
Taxes and the voting age in Australia
I can fully understand why someone with resident status only should pay taxes and not be able to vote.
BUT why is it that we tax our own citizens before they are old enough to vote?
Why should a young person, who is an Australian Citizen, be denied the right to influence how their taxation money is spent?
To some extent the raising of the tax free threshold to $16k by the current Federal Government has alieviated the situation, but it still does not ameliorate the situation entirely.
Why don't we just have a carte blanch policy that states if you don't pay PAYG or other income related taxation until you are able to vote? Seems fair and equitable to me.
It's simply wrong to take taxation money from an Australian Citizen and then deny them the right to vote on how that money is going to be used.
BUT why is it that we tax our own citizens before they are old enough to vote?
Why should a young person, who is an Australian Citizen, be denied the right to influence how their taxation money is spent?
To some extent the raising of the tax free threshold to $16k by the current Federal Government has alieviated the situation, but it still does not ameliorate the situation entirely.
Why don't we just have a carte blanch policy that states if you don't pay PAYG or other income related taxation until you are able to vote? Seems fair and equitable to me.
It's simply wrong to take taxation money from an Australian Citizen and then deny them the right to vote on how that money is going to be used.
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Where's a real politcal party when you need one?
So the choices are pretty grim in terms of political parties in Australia. Where can a girl find a party that encapsulates the following:
- Integrity, transparency and impeccable work ethic
- A realistic view of self employment as a serious employment option from sole traders through to corporate ownership and mandatory inclusion of the self employment option in all careers planning/guidence during secondary school and mandatory business planning subject in secondary schools.
- Mandatory civics education for all primary and secondary students and for all new citizens.
- Nationalisation of Education, Health & Law Enforcement (including court systems)
- A truly streamlined taxation system
- Marriage equality
- A genuine and proactive commitment to supporting and facilitating the production of green energy
- A fully functional and appropriately funded Defence Force and National Security capacity
- A strategic plan that extends past the election cycle
this is just a wish list ... there are probably more issues I could add, but for the time being these are the ones which are of most importance to me.
Friday, 3 May 2013
Political Misbehaviour & Misunderstanding
When will political debate in this country (Australia) resemble an intelligent interaction between people of differing policy viewpoints and not the explosive and pointless behaviour akin to the meeting of rival football supporters?
We wonder why our kids behave like bullies when we subject them to political news reports during so called 'kid friendly' broadcasting hours?
I'm so sick of the scare tactics and the irrational debate based on either the fear of the 'rich' or the fear of the 'unions'.
For goodness sake! Politics in this country needs to mature past the point of not trusting someone just because of they way they chose to derive their income on this planet. The left of Australian politics will have you believe that the employers are the nasty control freaks who will exploit you until you have no more to give them. The Unions have their place but to use their position to incite fear and mistrust of employers generally is merely their tactic for maintaining their membership in a victim mindset. Not healthy for the membership and totally misrepresents employers. I dare to wonder if the creation of a victim mentality by some Union officials is done to further their own power base and political ambitions.
Likewise there are those who are more fortunate that fail to stop and consider the myriad of reasons why others are less fortunate. Often the ignorance and intolerance of some of the more fortunate among our community creates resentment.
Too much of our political debate is based in mistrust and fear, not facts and intelligent conversation. I hear the argument at times that not everyone understands politics, policy and the economy and that this collective misunderstanding is representative of the weakness of those who don't understand.
My argument is that the weakness is in those that do understand and have failed to achieve an effective mechanism to ensure that understanding is shared by everyone.
We wonder why our kids behave like bullies when we subject them to political news reports during so called 'kid friendly' broadcasting hours?
I'm so sick of the scare tactics and the irrational debate based on either the fear of the 'rich' or the fear of the 'unions'.
For goodness sake! Politics in this country needs to mature past the point of not trusting someone just because of they way they chose to derive their income on this planet. The left of Australian politics will have you believe that the employers are the nasty control freaks who will exploit you until you have no more to give them. The Unions have their place but to use their position to incite fear and mistrust of employers generally is merely their tactic for maintaining their membership in a victim mindset. Not healthy for the membership and totally misrepresents employers. I dare to wonder if the creation of a victim mentality by some Union officials is done to further their own power base and political ambitions.
Likewise there are those who are more fortunate that fail to stop and consider the myriad of reasons why others are less fortunate. Often the ignorance and intolerance of some of the more fortunate among our community creates resentment.
Too much of our political debate is based in mistrust and fear, not facts and intelligent conversation. I hear the argument at times that not everyone understands politics, policy and the economy and that this collective misunderstanding is representative of the weakness of those who don't understand.
My argument is that the weakness is in those that do understand and have failed to achieve an effective mechanism to ensure that understanding is shared by everyone.
Wednesday, 1 May 2013
The importance of providing all Australians with effective 'Civics Education'
I despair at the number of adults that I meet who have no knowledge of how each level of government in Australia operates. Even more desperately over represented are the numbers of Australians who've never read the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia. Shockingly there are even those who do not know what the Constitution is!
How can you be part of the Australian Community and not have been taught the very fundamentals of the infrastructure that supports it? And worse still how can anyone choose to be ignorant of their role in the maintenance of that infrastructure i.e. through their vote and participation in political parties or lobbying?
Is it in the best interests of the power brokers to keep people ignorant? And, what's the solution?
How can you be part of the Australian Community and not have been taught the very fundamentals of the infrastructure that supports it? And worse still how can anyone choose to be ignorant of their role in the maintenance of that infrastructure i.e. through their vote and participation in political parties or lobbying?
Is it in the best interests of the power brokers to keep people ignorant? And, what's the solution?
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