A lot has been written and said about Bernie Banton. I can't add a lot to it. I never met him and take all of my knowledge from what I have seen on TV.
I do know a bit about asbestos though and that gives me some insight into what he took on.
I knew little about the stuff until the early 80's - other than using it as A/C sheeting. Very handy and cheap stuff it was. Chopped it up happily, dust everywhere. No knowledge about danger and took absolutely no care.
In the early 80's I started to hear more about it and of its dangers but this material was routinely dismissed by the industry and all of the 'reputable' scientists of the day. It was important material, there were no effective alternatives and it really wasn't dangerous at all. People only had problems if they were unlucky. You could eat the stuff! I remember seeing photos of people working in situations like Bernie. They were having no problems.
In those days, 1983 to be precise, I played a role in union. Our mob had some grunt in the (then) ACT Trades and Labour Council but we were a public service union and not much used to industrial action.
We received complaints that 'white crap' was falling out of the air conditioning ducts at the National Library but that management wouldn't do anything about it. When we investigated we found that it was 'white' asbestos that had been sprayed into the roof cavity as a fire retardant.
Approached management. The head of the NLA was a very nice man. Distinguished and dependable. But he dealt with books and such, not asbestos spewing out of the roof cavity. Add to that the strong information from just about everyone you could find that asbestos was OK and you will see the difficulty for the NLA. Surely this union was simply being difficult.
At the time we had a brand new ALP government so we had a rather lovely, but naive, view that this might mean that they would listen. So we took the matter up a couple of levels. Didn't work.
Next step was pretty obvious. We couldn't really call a strike and couldn't use bans so we set up a picket. We didn't want to stop the public but we did want to stop services and supplies.
It lasted many, many weeks.
The poor NLA. It must have hurt them deeply. A 24 hour, 7 day a week picket on the two entrances with grubby unionists. A 5 meter scaffold out the front with a massive sign across it saying 'EVEN ONE FIBRE CAN KILL'. Unionists standing around 44 gallon drum fires in the cold Canberra winter.
The industry and their scientific backers came out of their trees. Learned articles complained that we were misleading the public (we may have exaggerated just a tad). Talkback shows were full of people complaining about us. We had Ministers telling us to back off and those of us who were on long term leave without pay from the Commonwealth Public Service received letters telling us that our leave was over and we should immediately return to full time duty or resign.
On the day they decided to break the picket we were ready. We had become used to trucks and vans charging the line and picketers were told to let them go rather than get flattened. But the word was that this particular day they would be both breaking the line and removing the picket.
A chain was provided by the BLF from the site of a new police building. We needed about 25 people to hold the chain across the road. The police came and after the routine directions etc they chopped up the chain, link by link, alongside each hand. They then arrested the picketers. We brought in more. They arrested or moved on the new picketers. We brought in more. And so it went on.
Over 200 public servants were on the line that day. None were charged. The picket continued.
Finally, a deal was done. Nine Ministers represented the Commonwealth Government. The world changed. Asbestos was removed wherever it was in an unsafe condition under strict guidelines. Programs were established and funding was provided.
This was a tough and difficult time but, to be honest, it was pretty exciting until the day I watched an old bloke be helped out of car near the union office.
He was so decrepit that it took him ages to get across the lawn to the building. Eventually, the receptionist told me that there was someone to see me. Turned out that he wasn't a particularly old bloke but rather a bloke that was just about at his end. He had worked on the Australian War Memorial where they sprayed blue asbestos under that big copper dome. He had mesothelioma. He made the journey just to shake the hands of people who were having a go.
It appalls me that 25 years after that fight it was necessary for Bernie Banton to fight for compensation. But I remember the strength and savagery of those who supported the industry and I guess that they were never going to give up easily or after just one battle.
People like Bernie are vital for a strong country. Someone who was prepared to take on a major international company that had honed its skills fighting the asbestos fight over the last 30 years. In the end their political friends deserted them and the scientific community came to its senses but, without a Bernie, most of the people who are suffering and will suffer would have quietly died without recognition or compensation.
Bernie is receiving a lot accolades. He deserves every one but most of all he did not deserve to die just because he went to work
Friday 30 November 2007
Monday 26 November 2007
A Class Act
It seemed that there would never be an ALP government in the Northern Territory. The CLP were there for 27 years - for 4 years before self government and the rest after. Incumbency in the Territory with small electorates is a powerful thing.
The CLP used the self-government package well to ensure its future. Of course, it ignored the bush but then most of the blackfellas didn't vote for them anyway. It was just a bit surprising that the CLP lost track but, when the rot set in and became obvious to all, Clare Martin was there to make them pay.
The first ALP victory in the Territory was no easy or assured thing. It took a centrist leader who could relate to people, who could convince them that there was another option, was not too frightening and who could possibly make the Territory a better place.
We needed someone who could take on the CLP and win. Clare did it and she did it where many had failed before her.
Clare took over as Chief Minister when unemployment was growing, the NT economy was dying, infrastructure spending had stopped, there was no secondary school in any Indigenous community and much, much more money was spent on fighting land claims than on supporting Indigenous enterprises. She took over a public service that had lost its enthusiasm for the task and where good governance was not given priority.
In government, Clare, and her deputy Syd Stirling, have led a government that has been careful and centrist. It has worked hard to support and build the economy using the well tried formula of getting cranes onto the skyline and mines into the ground. Unemployment is at very low levels, gas is now on-shore and the place is booming.
In social terms we are now a different place. We are no longer automatically regarded as red neck or racist. We have more Indigenous MLAs than any other parliament and now have a female Deputy Chief Minister. Who would have thought that could happen before Clare?
Social policy advances have not matched those in the economic area. The Government has struggled, I believe, to deal effectively with the law and order issue. Allegations that crime is on the increase are rubbish but the perception that things are getting worse are growing. It has taken a long time to deal with issues of alcohol and substance abuse, although recent moves appear to be in the right direction. It started out well on local government reform but has become frustrated and is now making a mess of the area (but then I am by no means a disinterested observer on this one).
The Indigenous area is one where Clare has been lambasted. The criticisms have been very unfair. She had the courage to take on the job as Minister for Indigenous Affairs and to continue with it. Any Minister for Indigenous Affairs in the Territory is on a hiding to nothing. You simply cannot win. Clare could have given it to one of her Indigenous Ministers but that would have simply meant that she was painting a target on them. Clare was always a Minister who gave strong support to any sensible proposal for changes to Indigenous policy. Her reactions and judgement were good and she had the courage to carry through on decisions.
When she came in Clare inherited a public service that both desperately wanted a new government but where some key individuals wondered whether they would survive. She guaranteed public servants their jobs, calmed them down and has worked with them ever since.
As a long time professional public servant, it pains me to say it but it could have been a different world if Clare had followed up on her removal of the (then) head of the Department of Justice with the removal of a few others. By removing the blockers and self servers she could have sent a message to all that it truly was a different world and that she wanted advice on both what she should do to make a change and how that could be done. Instead, after an initial period where the public service tried to do the job that seemed to be required, enthusiasm waned as the blockers continued to operate and the self servers prospered.
Clare was not perfect but she was just about the only way that the ALP was going to get through the CLP stranglehold. She has changed the Territory from a red neck, racist place to one where we are still optimistic and happy to have a go but where we now better recognise the value that our cultlural diversity brings.
It is often the little things that stand out. For me, two instances define Clare Martin's Chief Ministership.
Not long after she was installed the long time CEO of a major agency was pulling the pin. He was 60 and, in going that day, he was carrying out a decision he had made when he was 18. On the day of his departure a car pulled up in front of the building. Out came the CM with a bunch of flowers. She simply walked in, handed them over, gave him a kiss on the cheek, said thanks and left. Absolutely no fanfare - nothing. If she hadn't already won every vote in the department then that day she won the rest.
Many years later at Wadeye shortly after a series of well publicised riots, the CM visited to see for herself what was going on. She had appointed a Coordinator to pull together a whole of government response and develop a plan to try to ensure that this never happened again.
At the airport on that day she didn't climb into a car to travel around the community. Instead, to the concern of some of her advisors, she agreed with the idea that she walk. She visited all key locations, including the house where a major gang was headquartered.
Unfortunately, while the place was settled down and the community engaged in the development of a plan that was negotiated through the bureaucracy, much of it didn't hit the ground and Wadeye has recently exploded again.
Clare is a person with good judgement, excellent reactions and great courage. She has not been well served at all times by her advisors and public service. Perhaps if she had been just a little more ruthless she would have had more success - but then she may not have been so good.
I am sorry to see Clare go. She will be remembered with affection by most.
The CLP used the self-government package well to ensure its future. Of course, it ignored the bush but then most of the blackfellas didn't vote for them anyway. It was just a bit surprising that the CLP lost track but, when the rot set in and became obvious to all, Clare Martin was there to make them pay.
The first ALP victory in the Territory was no easy or assured thing. It took a centrist leader who could relate to people, who could convince them that there was another option, was not too frightening and who could possibly make the Territory a better place.
We needed someone who could take on the CLP and win. Clare did it and she did it where many had failed before her.
Clare took over as Chief Minister when unemployment was growing, the NT economy was dying, infrastructure spending had stopped, there was no secondary school in any Indigenous community and much, much more money was spent on fighting land claims than on supporting Indigenous enterprises. She took over a public service that had lost its enthusiasm for the task and where good governance was not given priority.
In government, Clare, and her deputy Syd Stirling, have led a government that has been careful and centrist. It has worked hard to support and build the economy using the well tried formula of getting cranes onto the skyline and mines into the ground. Unemployment is at very low levels, gas is now on-shore and the place is booming.
In social terms we are now a different place. We are no longer automatically regarded as red neck or racist. We have more Indigenous MLAs than any other parliament and now have a female Deputy Chief Minister. Who would have thought that could happen before Clare?
Social policy advances have not matched those in the economic area. The Government has struggled, I believe, to deal effectively with the law and order issue. Allegations that crime is on the increase are rubbish but the perception that things are getting worse are growing. It has taken a long time to deal with issues of alcohol and substance abuse, although recent moves appear to be in the right direction. It started out well on local government reform but has become frustrated and is now making a mess of the area (but then I am by no means a disinterested observer on this one).
The Indigenous area is one where Clare has been lambasted. The criticisms have been very unfair. She had the courage to take on the job as Minister for Indigenous Affairs and to continue with it. Any Minister for Indigenous Affairs in the Territory is on a hiding to nothing. You simply cannot win. Clare could have given it to one of her Indigenous Ministers but that would have simply meant that she was painting a target on them. Clare was always a Minister who gave strong support to any sensible proposal for changes to Indigenous policy. Her reactions and judgement were good and she had the courage to carry through on decisions.
When she came in Clare inherited a public service that both desperately wanted a new government but where some key individuals wondered whether they would survive. She guaranteed public servants their jobs, calmed them down and has worked with them ever since.
As a long time professional public servant, it pains me to say it but it could have been a different world if Clare had followed up on her removal of the (then) head of the Department of Justice with the removal of a few others. By removing the blockers and self servers she could have sent a message to all that it truly was a different world and that she wanted advice on both what she should do to make a change and how that could be done. Instead, after an initial period where the public service tried to do the job that seemed to be required, enthusiasm waned as the blockers continued to operate and the self servers prospered.
Clare was not perfect but she was just about the only way that the ALP was going to get through the CLP stranglehold. She has changed the Territory from a red neck, racist place to one where we are still optimistic and happy to have a go but where we now better recognise the value that our cultlural diversity brings.
It is often the little things that stand out. For me, two instances define Clare Martin's Chief Ministership.
Not long after she was installed the long time CEO of a major agency was pulling the pin. He was 60 and, in going that day, he was carrying out a decision he had made when he was 18. On the day of his departure a car pulled up in front of the building. Out came the CM with a bunch of flowers. She simply walked in, handed them over, gave him a kiss on the cheek, said thanks and left. Absolutely no fanfare - nothing. If she hadn't already won every vote in the department then that day she won the rest.
Many years later at Wadeye shortly after a series of well publicised riots, the CM visited to see for herself what was going on. She had appointed a Coordinator to pull together a whole of government response and develop a plan to try to ensure that this never happened again.
At the airport on that day she didn't climb into a car to travel around the community. Instead, to the concern of some of her advisors, she agreed with the idea that she walk. She visited all key locations, including the house where a major gang was headquartered.
Unfortunately, while the place was settled down and the community engaged in the development of a plan that was negotiated through the bureaucracy, much of it didn't hit the ground and Wadeye has recently exploded again.
Clare is a person with good judgement, excellent reactions and great courage. She has not been well served at all times by her advisors and public service. Perhaps if she had been just a little more ruthless she would have had more success - but then she may not have been so good.
I am sorry to see Clare go. She will be remembered with affection by most.
Monday 19 November 2007
Not another 1961 please
It is that time in an election campaign when those closely involved are in the zone. Totally focused on not putting a foot wrong until THE DAY. Keeping those things that are going wrong to a minimum. Dealing with the daily disasters so they sound ok to everyone else and, above all, holding the line.
For those of us who are interested but not insiders it is a tough time. We think it looks good. We read all of the polls, examine all of the analysis, nervously watch the leaders for signs of panic/ disappointment/worry etc etc. It all looks good but we know it can all go very bad and get very sad, very quickly.
It may be just a case of too many scars but they were nasty ones.
Take 1969 for instance. Election late in the year - 25 October.
The previous election in 1966 was the 'khaki' election. ALP slaughtered - Holt the PM - and we were in Vietnam for the long haul. But by 1969 it was all different. The protests against the war had kicked in and I couldn't see why anyone would think it was a good idea to keep a government that was keeping us in a war like this. I also took extreme umbrage at being told to register for conscription before I had the chance to have a vote.
The Libs campaign was all about '17 Faceless Men' who ran the ALP. Union bosses telling Gough and Lance what to do and neither of them were even on the Fed Executive of the ALP. Lovely photo of Gough outside the door. All sounded pretty silly stuff as far as I was concerned. I mean as if an unelected group could tell a representative government what to do. I was young.
The ALP needed to win about 25 seats. It didn't. It did win 18 and it did get a swing of just under 7% across the nation. One of the great victories of all time.
That is, it was a victory if you really didn't expect to win, you were really interested in numbers and you were closely in touch with reality.
I was none of the above and found the whole exercise to be one of the most depressing experiences of my life.
1969 followed 20 years of conservative rule.
The thing that worries me is that the closest the conservatives came to being turfed out during the Menzies/Holt era was in 1961. Menzies was returned but only with the help of some preferences - from the Communist Party I think - for Jim Killen in Moreton. In the unkindest cut of all the ALP actually won the same number of seats as the conservatives but two were in the ACT and NT and these members didn't have full voting rights in those days. The ALP received many more votes than the LNP overall.
What makes me nervous is that they made it with 130 dodgy preferences in 1961 and we had another 11 years of them with the Vietnam war, conscription and the continuation of 1930s and 40s ideas and policies.
It doesn't look like it will happen again. It can't can it?
For those of us who are interested but not insiders it is a tough time. We think it looks good. We read all of the polls, examine all of the analysis, nervously watch the leaders for signs of panic/ disappointment/worry etc etc. It all looks good but we know it can all go very bad and get very sad, very quickly.
It may be just a case of too many scars but they were nasty ones.
Take 1969 for instance. Election late in the year - 25 October.
The previous election in 1966 was the 'khaki' election. ALP slaughtered - Holt the PM - and we were in Vietnam for the long haul. But by 1969 it was all different. The protests against the war had kicked in and I couldn't see why anyone would think it was a good idea to keep a government that was keeping us in a war like this. I also took extreme umbrage at being told to register for conscription before I had the chance to have a vote.
The Libs campaign was all about '17 Faceless Men' who ran the ALP. Union bosses telling Gough and Lance what to do and neither of them were even on the Fed Executive of the ALP. Lovely photo of Gough outside the door. All sounded pretty silly stuff as far as I was concerned. I mean as if an unelected group could tell a representative government what to do. I was young.
The ALP needed to win about 25 seats. It didn't. It did win 18 and it did get a swing of just under 7% across the nation. One of the great victories of all time.
That is, it was a victory if you really didn't expect to win, you were really interested in numbers and you were closely in touch with reality.
I was none of the above and found the whole exercise to be one of the most depressing experiences of my life.
1969 followed 20 years of conservative rule.
The thing that worries me is that the closest the conservatives came to being turfed out during the Menzies/Holt era was in 1961. Menzies was returned but only with the help of some preferences - from the Communist Party I think - for Jim Killen in Moreton. In the unkindest cut of all the ALP actually won the same number of seats as the conservatives but two were in the ACT and NT and these members didn't have full voting rights in those days. The ALP received many more votes than the LNP overall.
What makes me nervous is that they made it with 130 dodgy preferences in 1961 and we had another 11 years of them with the Vietnam war, conscription and the continuation of 1930s and 40s ideas and policies.
It doesn't look like it will happen again. It can't can it?
Friday 19 October 2007
Quietly sitting at the lights ...
... in the ute the other day waiting for the traffic to take off from the Berrimah lights up the Highway (there is only one). I was heading for Berrimah so was side on to the traffic.
Nothing special about the line up - bike, couple of cars and a truck or two.
Lights change and, with a high pitched whirrrr, definitely not a roar, the bike took off. It was through the lights before anyone else had left the grid. No wheelspin, no dramatics, just mega acceleration.
And it was a woman - I think. Leathers and helmet made it difficult to tell but the flat, girlie type shoes were a give away.
I cheered and clapped. Looked left and right and the people on either side of me were doing the same. All joined in the appreciation of a great demonstration of power.
I know, I know. She probably broke the law, she wasn't being fuel efficient and she could possibly have caused an accident if someone had pulled around the corner expecting her to be slower.
But it was still great to see.
Maybe I am heading back to my second childhood and have hit the adolescent bit?
Nothing special about the line up - bike, couple of cars and a truck or two.
Lights change and, with a high pitched whirrrr, definitely not a roar, the bike took off. It was through the lights before anyone else had left the grid. No wheelspin, no dramatics, just mega acceleration.
And it was a woman - I think. Leathers and helmet made it difficult to tell but the flat, girlie type shoes were a give away.
I cheered and clapped. Looked left and right and the people on either side of me were doing the same. All joined in the appreciation of a great demonstration of power.
I know, I know. She probably broke the law, she wasn't being fuel efficient and she could possibly have caused an accident if someone had pulled around the corner expecting her to be slower.
But it was still great to see.
Maybe I am heading back to my second childhood and have hit the adolescent bit?
Thursday 11 October 2007
The Eagle Has Landed
Judd to the Blues!!!!!
Wahoooo!!!!!!
Actually he should always have been playing for them. Best player in the best team and all of that. Bring on the next season
Wahoooo!!!!!!
Actually he should always have been playing for them. Best player in the best team and all of that. Bring on the next season
A Morning's Work
You need a plan. Without a plan you spend a lot of time doing things that are not useful, not a high priority or not in the most efficient sequence.
The plan this morning was to spray some foliar fertiliser on to the citrus. This would allow me to cover the whole orchard area of about 2.5 ha before about 9.30 and before the breeze picks up. On completing that and washing out the spray tank it would be about 10.00 and I would spend the next couple of hours connecting and shifting equipment into the shed. (This is the new shed. The one that I have just spent a month or so building. Thing of beauty!) After lunch it is into research on animal welfare.
A nicely planned day that ensures that I get the spray out before the temperature rises to above 30 degrees. After this it could burn the leaves. It will be on 30 degrees by about 10.00. And I am either around the shed or on the front veranda when the temp gets over 35.
Rear tyre on the tractor has a slow leak. No worries. Whack a bit of air in. Compressor - reliable and used all the time - gives a strange whirr and dies. Check all of the bits - oil, air intakes and filters, lines - all seem clean. Fire it up again. Blows the overload switch. Another look. Nothing obvious. Spray some WD40 about. Electric motor seems to be working OK. Internals are something I know nothing about. May be about to learn.
Anyway, is the tyre that far down? Maybe not. Let's go.
Tractor needs some fuel. No problem. Put 40 litres in. Start it to drive out of the shed (new, very nice shed that is) and the power steering is tight. Will need to do a lot of tight turns at row ends so better put some more fluid in the reservoir. Nuisance of a job. Hard to get at the filler and the thread is dodgy on the filler screw. Have to keep the tractor going and reach in past the fan.
Attach the spray unit. Needs to be carefully lined up because it is difficult to shift if you get it wrong. Very heavy. Got it wrong twice but eventually in place.
Fertiliser is all nicely stacked in its new home in the new shed so don't have to hunt around for that. Fill the tank and mix everything in. Nice organic fertiliser. Smells good and tastes OK - although I didn't really mean to have my mouth open when the splash hit me in the face.
Off we go. Not too bad on the time but may only get one load out before it heats up. No cloud and warming up fast.
First row, sprayer on, all the right noises - nothing. Not a sausage. Nothing coming out of any of the nozzles. Quick check of the basics. All working - or seem to be - but there is nothing coming out. A more serious issue?
Now I have a situation.
440 litres of nicely mixed, organic fertiliser all ready to go. The thing is that, if you let it settle, it can be a problem. The little solids all get together and form a sort of gel that provides a nice gluggy mass on the bottom of the tank. The tank is hard to clean. You have to get your head and shoulders inside with you ending up with your legs sticking out. Most undignified and very difficult to extricate oneself. Also a bit uncomfortable. Small children could do it. Pop them in and only let them out when it is clean. Can't find one.
Check the filters I know about and they are clean. I am going to have to start to pull things apart so I need to empty the tank. Find a 200 litre tank. There is a 75 litre tank on the back of the quad. The rest goes into 20 litre buckets. I have no idea how I will move it back into the spray tank. Siphon? Doesn't taste that good. Lift the 200 litre tank? Difficult but not impossible when you have a tractor that is a precision instrument.
Time has beaten me. Too hot and too late. Will have to happen tomorrow but I have meetings in town tomorrow - so Saturday or Sunday. I will be popular. I like the smell, my neighbours might not. Monday another appointment. Maybe Tuesday.
I will do the job properly. Take the unit off the tractor. Put it in the (lovely new) shed where it will be in the shade and start to pull it to pieces.
All nicely in place to come off, everything comes apart as it is supposed - except the power shaft. Wont move. For some reason it is jammed on significantly further up the spindle than it is supposed to be. Try a small lever to shift it back. Wont move. A bigger lever. A hammer. A crow bar. That shifted it. Finally off.
Now was that part of the problem? Don't know.
Phone ringing. Message bank picks up. Rings again. Must be important. Trek to the house. Message to call real estate agent about a rental property. A prospective tenant has decided not to move in so would we like to go to the next on the list? No - forget it, we will take it off the market. If they don't want it then no one can have it.
Now getting angry and cursing is not sensible. Doesn't get you anywhere. So answer sensibly and as if this was a reasonable question.
Phone rings again. Dive back up the stairs, race for the phone. Don't make it and no message. Rings again and this time I get there.
It is not her fault that she works for these people so it is not right that I should abuse her for wasting my time. So I simply tell her that if I want the product I will go to the shop and buy one but that I have a policy of banning any product or firm that rings me without my request.
Back to the plan.
Shifting equipment into the shed is going to increase its working life by reducing the effect of weather and allowing easier maintenance - and with me there is a direct relationship between ease and frequency.
The shifting involves connecting the items to the tractor and moving them into the shed, placing them on stands that allow one to connect them easily next time. Pretty straightforward.
And it was - pretty well anyway.
And I worked out what was wrong with the compressor. Found a drain plug that I had never located before and opened it - when in doubt pull it apart. Out came a lot of water obviously built up over time. I then checked the book to see if I had missed doing something that I should have been taking care of over time. Nothing in the book so I am both vindicated and just a little dirty on the suppliers for not telling me about it - not that I would have necessarily checked.
I haven't fixed the spray unit though. Had a look and a poke about but couldn't see anything that was going to be in any way straightforward so I decided to leave it for a day or two.
If I fix it over the weekend I will have TWOMD to help me. She can .... hold things and such I guess.
The plan this morning was to spray some foliar fertiliser on to the citrus. This would allow me to cover the whole orchard area of about 2.5 ha before about 9.30 and before the breeze picks up. On completing that and washing out the spray tank it would be about 10.00 and I would spend the next couple of hours connecting and shifting equipment into the shed. (This is the new shed. The one that I have just spent a month or so building. Thing of beauty!) After lunch it is into research on animal welfare.
A nicely planned day that ensures that I get the spray out before the temperature rises to above 30 degrees. After this it could burn the leaves. It will be on 30 degrees by about 10.00. And I am either around the shed or on the front veranda when the temp gets over 35.
Rear tyre on the tractor has a slow leak. No worries. Whack a bit of air in. Compressor - reliable and used all the time - gives a strange whirr and dies. Check all of the bits - oil, air intakes and filters, lines - all seem clean. Fire it up again. Blows the overload switch. Another look. Nothing obvious. Spray some WD40 about. Electric motor seems to be working OK. Internals are something I know nothing about. May be about to learn.
Anyway, is the tyre that far down? Maybe not. Let's go.
Tractor needs some fuel. No problem. Put 40 litres in. Start it to drive out of the shed (new, very nice shed that is) and the power steering is tight. Will need to do a lot of tight turns at row ends so better put some more fluid in the reservoir. Nuisance of a job. Hard to get at the filler and the thread is dodgy on the filler screw. Have to keep the tractor going and reach in past the fan.
Attach the spray unit. Needs to be carefully lined up because it is difficult to shift if you get it wrong. Very heavy. Got it wrong twice but eventually in place.
Fertiliser is all nicely stacked in its new home in the new shed so don't have to hunt around for that. Fill the tank and mix everything in. Nice organic fertiliser. Smells good and tastes OK - although I didn't really mean to have my mouth open when the splash hit me in the face.
Off we go. Not too bad on the time but may only get one load out before it heats up. No cloud and warming up fast.
First row, sprayer on, all the right noises - nothing. Not a sausage. Nothing coming out of any of the nozzles. Quick check of the basics. All working - or seem to be - but there is nothing coming out. A more serious issue?
Now I have a situation.
440 litres of nicely mixed, organic fertiliser all ready to go. The thing is that, if you let it settle, it can be a problem. The little solids all get together and form a sort of gel that provides a nice gluggy mass on the bottom of the tank. The tank is hard to clean. You have to get your head and shoulders inside with you ending up with your legs sticking out. Most undignified and very difficult to extricate oneself. Also a bit uncomfortable. Small children could do it. Pop them in and only let them out when it is clean. Can't find one.
Check the filters I know about and they are clean. I am going to have to start to pull things apart so I need to empty the tank. Find a 200 litre tank. There is a 75 litre tank on the back of the quad. The rest goes into 20 litre buckets. I have no idea how I will move it back into the spray tank. Siphon? Doesn't taste that good. Lift the 200 litre tank? Difficult but not impossible when you have a tractor that is a precision instrument.
Time has beaten me. Too hot and too late. Will have to happen tomorrow but I have meetings in town tomorrow - so Saturday or Sunday. I will be popular. I like the smell, my neighbours might not. Monday another appointment. Maybe Tuesday.
I will do the job properly. Take the unit off the tractor. Put it in the (lovely new) shed where it will be in the shade and start to pull it to pieces.
All nicely in place to come off, everything comes apart as it is supposed - except the power shaft. Wont move. For some reason it is jammed on significantly further up the spindle than it is supposed to be. Try a small lever to shift it back. Wont move. A bigger lever. A hammer. A crow bar. That shifted it. Finally off.
Now was that part of the problem? Don't know.
Phone ringing. Message bank picks up. Rings again. Must be important. Trek to the house. Message to call real estate agent about a rental property. A prospective tenant has decided not to move in so would we like to go to the next on the list? No - forget it, we will take it off the market. If they don't want it then no one can have it.
Now getting angry and cursing is not sensible. Doesn't get you anywhere. So answer sensibly and as if this was a reasonable question.
Phone rings again. Dive back up the stairs, race for the phone. Don't make it and no message. Rings again and this time I get there.
It is not her fault that she works for these people so it is not right that I should abuse her for wasting my time. So I simply tell her that if I want the product I will go to the shop and buy one but that I have a policy of banning any product or firm that rings me without my request.
Back to the plan.
Shifting equipment into the shed is going to increase its working life by reducing the effect of weather and allowing easier maintenance - and with me there is a direct relationship between ease and frequency.
The shifting involves connecting the items to the tractor and moving them into the shed, placing them on stands that allow one to connect them easily next time. Pretty straightforward.
And it was - pretty well anyway.
And I worked out what was wrong with the compressor. Found a drain plug that I had never located before and opened it - when in doubt pull it apart. Out came a lot of water obviously built up over time. I then checked the book to see if I had missed doing something that I should have been taking care of over time. Nothing in the book so I am both vindicated and just a little dirty on the suppliers for not telling me about it - not that I would have necessarily checked.
I haven't fixed the spray unit though. Had a look and a poke about but couldn't see anything that was going to be in any way straightforward so I decided to leave it for a day or two.
If I fix it over the weekend I will have TWOMD to help me. She can .... hold things and such I guess.
Wednesday 10 October 2007
Do They Think We Are That Stupid?
Are we a reflection of the media or is the media a reflection of us?
Put another way - are we as stupid as they think we are or are they?
We are being treated like fools again over this issue of the death penalty for the Bali bombers.
Both major parties have long standing policies against the death penalty. Both major parties hold the basic principle of equal rights for all. Australia signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in 1949 and has since confirmed that view many times.
Somehow there are those, possibly in both parties but certainly in the Liberal/National Parties, who are able to ignore logic and principle and agree that the knocking off certain people is OK.
Now I am confused. Does that mean that it is OK to kill people or not? Is it OK to kill people, for instance:
There doesn't seem to me to anything terribly complex or difficult about putting such questions but, faced with politicians running obvious lines, the media have ignored logic and gone completely to the so-called 'populist' position. They are running Alexander Downer's lines as if they mean something, not putting obvious questions to John Howard and gleefully tearing into Robert McClelland as somehow incompetent for stating the bleeding obvious.
Maybe we are fools. If we let the media get away with this sort of rubbish over and over again then it is arguably so.
Put another way - are we as stupid as they think we are or are they?
We are being treated like fools again over this issue of the death penalty for the Bali bombers.
Both major parties have long standing policies against the death penalty. Both major parties hold the basic principle of equal rights for all. Australia signed the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights in 1949 and has since confirmed that view many times.
Somehow there are those, possibly in both parties but certainly in the Liberal/National Parties, who are able to ignore logic and principle and agree that the knocking off certain people is OK.
Now I am confused. Does that mean that it is OK to kill people or not? Is it OK to kill people, for instance:
- if they are in another country?
- if they are in another country and are not Australian?
- if they are in another country and have killed Australians?
There doesn't seem to me to anything terribly complex or difficult about putting such questions but, faced with politicians running obvious lines, the media have ignored logic and gone completely to the so-called 'populist' position. They are running Alexander Downer's lines as if they mean something, not putting obvious questions to John Howard and gleefully tearing into Robert McClelland as somehow incompetent for stating the bleeding obvious.
Maybe we are fools. If we let the media get away with this sort of rubbish over and over again then it is arguably so.
Monday 8 October 2007
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini has written two books that I have read. 'The Kite Runner' was a heart warming story set around a boy growing up in Afghanistan. A well written, well told story that gave me a very different view of Afghanis and of life there than the one that is normally provided by the media.
I have just finished the second book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Actually, I finished it very early on Saturday morning on a plane from Darwin to Brisbane.
This book may not have the depth of 'The Kite Runner" but it had a more powerful effect on me.
The story centres around two women. Mariam is an harami, or bastard. This is definitely not a term of endearment. She is caused to marry a man many years her senior when she is 15. It starts out better than you might expect but heads down the reasonably obvious path pretty quickly.
Laila joins the household some years later. The relationship between the two women has a very rocky beginning but grows.
All the while the misery that is recent Afghan politics swims around the household. The Soviets come almost as saviours and go. The mujahadeen arrive as saviours and fall into tribal disarray soon after with terrible results for the population. The Taliban arrive as saviours and, again, soon deliver a continuing disaster for most of the population.
Don't be concerned though that this is a heavy, political book. It is, but it doesn't feel like one. We are taken into the household. We are given an insight into the reality of life. It is tough in parts but by no means without hope and there is plenty of light and love.
I have been told - by someone smarter than me - that the concluding parts could seem a little contrived but I have exercised my right to disagree, just a little.
The characters were able to get under my skin. I felt for Mariam and could empathise with the hard headed decisions of Laila. I can't say that I really understood Rasheed but I could understand some of why he might be as he was. The weakness of Jalil is something with which we are all probably familiar as we are with the bitterness of Nana.
If you read it for no other reason than that you would like a good story then you wont be disappointed. If you want to put a human face to the decisions that refugees actually have to make you will enjoy it more.
And for the young bloke in the nearby seat on the flight from Darwin to Brisbane - that old bloke had tears running down his face because some things in life make you both angry and sad and deserve a tear or two.
I have just finished the second book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Actually, I finished it very early on Saturday morning on a plane from Darwin to Brisbane.
This book may not have the depth of 'The Kite Runner" but it had a more powerful effect on me.
The story centres around two women. Mariam is an harami, or bastard. This is definitely not a term of endearment. She is caused to marry a man many years her senior when she is 15. It starts out better than you might expect but heads down the reasonably obvious path pretty quickly.
Laila joins the household some years later. The relationship between the two women has a very rocky beginning but grows.
All the while the misery that is recent Afghan politics swims around the household. The Soviets come almost as saviours and go. The mujahadeen arrive as saviours and fall into tribal disarray soon after with terrible results for the population. The Taliban arrive as saviours and, again, soon deliver a continuing disaster for most of the population.
Don't be concerned though that this is a heavy, political book. It is, but it doesn't feel like one. We are taken into the household. We are given an insight into the reality of life. It is tough in parts but by no means without hope and there is plenty of light and love.
I have been told - by someone smarter than me - that the concluding parts could seem a little contrived but I have exercised my right to disagree, just a little.
The characters were able to get under my skin. I felt for Mariam and could empathise with the hard headed decisions of Laila. I can't say that I really understood Rasheed but I could understand some of why he might be as he was. The weakness of Jalil is something with which we are all probably familiar as we are with the bitterness of Nana.
If you read it for no other reason than that you would like a good story then you wont be disappointed. If you want to put a human face to the decisions that refugees actually have to make you will enjoy it more.
And for the young bloke in the nearby seat on the flight from Darwin to Brisbane - that old bloke had tears running down his face because some things in life make you both angry and sad and deserve a tear or two.
Thursday 4 October 2007
The Other Kevin
Our school bus used to bring kids from the valley up to town winding around bush roads for about 30 kms on the way to pick up the kids from Reidsdale who, for some reason, were allowed on to the Araluen bus.
There were no Catholics from Araluen. I have no idea why not. But there were a few from Reidsdale. Not many though. We gave them a terrible time. All dressed up in their neat uniforms with their neat haircuts they were a lot of fun for the public school kids.
Whenever I see Kevin Andrews on TV I am reminded of excessively neat, prissy, hidebound, righteous school kids who seemed to look down their noses at everyone else secure in their knowledge that they knew what is best for everyone else and had the right to tell them.
Outside of school and the bus, those Catholic kids were actually reasonable people and we got on pretty well. And it turned out they were not always neat. They also grew up.
Unfortunately for Kevin Andrews, he never did grow up. He clearly still thinks that he has the right to make judgements for everyone else. He did it in his sponsorship of the legislation to overrule the NT Rights of the Terminally Ill. He was not concerned that the ROTI legislation was introduced and passed only after a long and pretty well informed debate. He simply knew that he was right so he introduced the bill to overrule.
As Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations he stayed true to form. He was so bad, so uncaring and so completely sycophantic to big business that, eventually, even John Howard had to shift him.
Now, where do you put someone like this? Knows he is right, has no feeling for people and knows he is better than everyone else. Immigration! What a perfect fit - that is, if you want to run an immigration policy that ensures that anyone who comes here is properly grateful and if you want to keep out anyone who is not neat.
I saw the interview with Dr Haneef the other night on Four Corners. I guess he could be a terrorist but, to me, he just looked like a young, keen, slightly naive doctor who embodied the hope of his family and gave them some financial security.
Kevin Andrews had the advantage over me - and everyone else. He has seen all of the information that we were given on Four Corners, read all of the transcripts and all of the analysis. Unless there is something that is not yet even hinted at, Kevin Andrews formed a view of Dr Haneef's character that is totally at odds with all of the information available.
You would expect him to do so though because he is, after all, right. He has a capacity to see through the reality to the darkness behind.
Now Kevin Andrews has decided to get stuck into those terrible Sudanese. The kid who was bashed to death in Melbourne brought it all on himself because he 'failed to integrate'. We should stop them coming here because they are from a war torn country and it takes them a while to learn how to live in a peaceful, compassionate country. So don't let them come here. Keep them where they are until they learn how to live peacefully. We are not the sort of country to give anyone a chance.
Kooyong is as safe a seat as the Liberals hold. Kevin Andrews will be there, I expect, for as long as he wants to be. Let us hope that, for the good of us all, he is restricted to fulminating on morality and righteousness from the Opposition benches for the rest of his political career.
There were no Catholics from Araluen. I have no idea why not. But there were a few from Reidsdale. Not many though. We gave them a terrible time. All dressed up in their neat uniforms with their neat haircuts they were a lot of fun for the public school kids.
Whenever I see Kevin Andrews on TV I am reminded of excessively neat, prissy, hidebound, righteous school kids who seemed to look down their noses at everyone else secure in their knowledge that they knew what is best for everyone else and had the right to tell them.
Outside of school and the bus, those Catholic kids were actually reasonable people and we got on pretty well. And it turned out they were not always neat. They also grew up.
Unfortunately for Kevin Andrews, he never did grow up. He clearly still thinks that he has the right to make judgements for everyone else. He did it in his sponsorship of the legislation to overrule the NT Rights of the Terminally Ill. He was not concerned that the ROTI legislation was introduced and passed only after a long and pretty well informed debate. He simply knew that he was right so he introduced the bill to overrule.
As Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations he stayed true to form. He was so bad, so uncaring and so completely sycophantic to big business that, eventually, even John Howard had to shift him.
Now, where do you put someone like this? Knows he is right, has no feeling for people and knows he is better than everyone else. Immigration! What a perfect fit - that is, if you want to run an immigration policy that ensures that anyone who comes here is properly grateful and if you want to keep out anyone who is not neat.
I saw the interview with Dr Haneef the other night on Four Corners. I guess he could be a terrorist but, to me, he just looked like a young, keen, slightly naive doctor who embodied the hope of his family and gave them some financial security.
Kevin Andrews had the advantage over me - and everyone else. He has seen all of the information that we were given on Four Corners, read all of the transcripts and all of the analysis. Unless there is something that is not yet even hinted at, Kevin Andrews formed a view of Dr Haneef's character that is totally at odds with all of the information available.
You would expect him to do so though because he is, after all, right. He has a capacity to see through the reality to the darkness behind.
Now Kevin Andrews has decided to get stuck into those terrible Sudanese. The kid who was bashed to death in Melbourne brought it all on himself because he 'failed to integrate'. We should stop them coming here because they are from a war torn country and it takes them a while to learn how to live in a peaceful, compassionate country. So don't let them come here. Keep them where they are until they learn how to live peacefully. We are not the sort of country to give anyone a chance.
Kooyong is as safe a seat as the Liberals hold. Kevin Andrews will be there, I expect, for as long as he wants to be. Let us hope that, for the good of us all, he is restricted to fulminating on morality and righteousness from the Opposition benches for the rest of his political career.
Thirty!!!
How about that? My son turns 30 today - or, more precisely, he turned 30 very early this morning. I can't remember the exact time but his mother will.
Amazing thing it was welcoming this new son into the world. It was the first time for me - and for him for that matter.
I clearly recall walking out of the hospital - the old one in Canberra that has now been blown up -and getting into the car. The news came on the radio and I was very surprised that the first item was not about the birth of this new baby boy - seriously.
Over the next few days I came to understand why people often carry on about the birth of babies, gooing over them, congratulating the parents and generally being very chuffed about the state of the world. I wandered about with my chest puffed out as if I had actually done something special.
Which of course I had.
My son has made it to 30 as a competent, confident person. He will go on from here making his own decisions and his own life.
We got him started and I am pretty proud that we did.
Amazing thing it was welcoming this new son into the world. It was the first time for me - and for him for that matter.
I clearly recall walking out of the hospital - the old one in Canberra that has now been blown up -and getting into the car. The news came on the radio and I was very surprised that the first item was not about the birth of this new baby boy - seriously.
Over the next few days I came to understand why people often carry on about the birth of babies, gooing over them, congratulating the parents and generally being very chuffed about the state of the world. I wandered about with my chest puffed out as if I had actually done something special.
Which of course I had.
My son has made it to 30 as a competent, confident person. He will go on from here making his own decisions and his own life.
We got him started and I am pretty proud that we did.
Tuesday 25 September 2007
Feet of Clay??
I knew Bob Collins.
I had to brief him once when he was Opposition Leader in the NT on a new piece of legislation. Over 500 sections and relatively complex stuff. There was a hole in it but it had been pretty well disguised. Handed the Bill to Bob and he started flicking through it while I started the spiel. He was respectful, waited till I drew breath and then hit me with the question. Nailed me to the wall. Luckily, he agreed that we were trying to do the right thing and never raised the question again. No one else ever spotted the problem.
Driving down the highway one morning saw a Landcruiser pull up on the side of the road. Bob jumped out and headed into the bush. I thought he must have been caught short but not this time. He had spotted a bloke laying there. Turned out to be a drunk who had been trying to walk home. Bob loaded him into his vehicle. A lot of other people had passed the spot before Bob arrived.
I know some of those who accused Bob.
I wouldn't feed them bad meat.
Bob may have had feet of clay. I do know that he often developed a yearning for pizzas and champagne often late at night. His self control where food was concerned was not always evident. Did he also succumb to a yearning for young boys. I don't know and now we will never know.
He was a good man who did a lot of good. A lot of good people have feet of clay. Doesn't mean that they weren't good.
I had to brief him once when he was Opposition Leader in the NT on a new piece of legislation. Over 500 sections and relatively complex stuff. There was a hole in it but it had been pretty well disguised. Handed the Bill to Bob and he started flicking through it while I started the spiel. He was respectful, waited till I drew breath and then hit me with the question. Nailed me to the wall. Luckily, he agreed that we were trying to do the right thing and never raised the question again. No one else ever spotted the problem.
Driving down the highway one morning saw a Landcruiser pull up on the side of the road. Bob jumped out and headed into the bush. I thought he must have been caught short but not this time. He had spotted a bloke laying there. Turned out to be a drunk who had been trying to walk home. Bob loaded him into his vehicle. A lot of other people had passed the spot before Bob arrived.
I know some of those who accused Bob.
I wouldn't feed them bad meat.
Bob may have had feet of clay. I do know that he often developed a yearning for pizzas and champagne often late at night. His self control where food was concerned was not always evident. Did he also succumb to a yearning for young boys. I don't know and now we will never know.
He was a good man who did a lot of good. A lot of good people have feet of clay. Doesn't mean that they weren't good.
Monday 17 September 2007
A Shed Raising
Any afficionado of Louis L'Amour books, people who know about the practices of the early settlements in the USA and Canada and people who watch movies about Mennonites and the Amish will know what I am talking about.
Someone decides to build a barn - in my case a shed. On the appointed day people come from everywhere and every one gets into it and either builds the shed or feeds the people who build the shed. Every one has a great time. The shed goes up and they all go home again feeling that very nice sense of community. Importantly, no one gets shot at a barn raising.
My Shed Raising happened on the weekend. Because we live a bit of distance from their residences the work gang arrived on Friday night complete with many pizzas and the occasional bottle of beer and red wine. The plan was to commence work at pretty close to first light and, as happens with good plans, we were at it at pretty close to first light.
The first portal frame was already in place and there were another 5 that had been constructed and packed in a careful pile near the construction site.
Raising the first portal frame had been a difficult job. It was built in 3 different ways and raised 3 times. Without spending too much time on it I should note that the first 2 attempts were successful in the achievement of an outcome of raising a portal frame but not successful in that the frame would not have held up its required element of a shed. The 3rd attempt had worked though and it stood supreme as a starting point. It took some weeks, much cursing, a couple of hits on the head (mine) with bracing and a bit of panel beating. Of course, it did only take one person.
The remaining 5 portal frames are now in place. Not only are they in place, they are held in place by foundations that were almost all (29 of 32) in precisely the right place, they are bound together by roof purlins and most also have eave purlins binding them together.
I trust this doesn't sound like an easy or insignificant achievement.
Each portal frame is constructed of columns, rafters, haunch brackets, an apex bracket, knee braces, an apex brace and lots of nuts and bolts etc. They are heavy and difficult to handle. They must arrive in their appointed position in as close to the state in which they leave their home on the ground. If they don't - if they go out of square - they will not fit the foundations and it will be impossible to get the rest of the frame or cladding to fit. Our team was able to raise the portal frames with only a little help on occasion from the tractor (yet again being used as a precision instrument).
All of this was done in 35 degree heat and 60% humidity.
The best teams are those who are fed well and we were. Liquid to replenish that which had been lost in the heat was required and consumed. We probably also replenished some extra.
Injuries? None that I know of. There were one or two almosts. Bracing came down pretty close to one head. Things occasionally became a little tense when the pressure was really on and those bloody frames were neither up nor down. But we came through and are still friends.
Amazingly for me everything fitted together. I had spent a lot of time on those foundations. Measuring, digging, cutting and welding structures and mixing concrete (almost 5 meters). I have complete faith that they will never leave the ground in the worst of cyclonic winds but none whatsoever that they would be in precisely the right place. One test was whether we could get the purlins on. Towards the end one did not fit, looked a long way out but a swing of the hips by our Amazon and, presto, the frame moved smartly into position.
So now it remains to put up the rest of the frame - the easy bits - and to clad it. I intend to finish this well before mango season - this week if I can.
What a birthday present eh?
Oh and I did find an extra 16/18mm ring spanner, an 18/16 open ender and a shirt that were not included in the tools that were intentionally left behind. I will return them.
And no one was shot.
Someone decides to build a barn - in my case a shed. On the appointed day people come from everywhere and every one gets into it and either builds the shed or feeds the people who build the shed. Every one has a great time. The shed goes up and they all go home again feeling that very nice sense of community. Importantly, no one gets shot at a barn raising.
My Shed Raising happened on the weekend. Because we live a bit of distance from their residences the work gang arrived on Friday night complete with many pizzas and the occasional bottle of beer and red wine. The plan was to commence work at pretty close to first light and, as happens with good plans, we were at it at pretty close to first light.
The first portal frame was already in place and there were another 5 that had been constructed and packed in a careful pile near the construction site.
Raising the first portal frame had been a difficult job. It was built in 3 different ways and raised 3 times. Without spending too much time on it I should note that the first 2 attempts were successful in the achievement of an outcome of raising a portal frame but not successful in that the frame would not have held up its required element of a shed. The 3rd attempt had worked though and it stood supreme as a starting point. It took some weeks, much cursing, a couple of hits on the head (mine) with bracing and a bit of panel beating. Of course, it did only take one person.
The remaining 5 portal frames are now in place. Not only are they in place, they are held in place by foundations that were almost all (29 of 32) in precisely the right place, they are bound together by roof purlins and most also have eave purlins binding them together.
I trust this doesn't sound like an easy or insignificant achievement.
Each portal frame is constructed of columns, rafters, haunch brackets, an apex bracket, knee braces, an apex brace and lots of nuts and bolts etc. They are heavy and difficult to handle. They must arrive in their appointed position in as close to the state in which they leave their home on the ground. If they don't - if they go out of square - they will not fit the foundations and it will be impossible to get the rest of the frame or cladding to fit. Our team was able to raise the portal frames with only a little help on occasion from the tractor (yet again being used as a precision instrument).
All of this was done in 35 degree heat and 60% humidity.
The best teams are those who are fed well and we were. Liquid to replenish that which had been lost in the heat was required and consumed. We probably also replenished some extra.
Injuries? None that I know of. There were one or two almosts. Bracing came down pretty close to one head. Things occasionally became a little tense when the pressure was really on and those bloody frames were neither up nor down. But we came through and are still friends.
Amazingly for me everything fitted together. I had spent a lot of time on those foundations. Measuring, digging, cutting and welding structures and mixing concrete (almost 5 meters). I have complete faith that they will never leave the ground in the worst of cyclonic winds but none whatsoever that they would be in precisely the right place. One test was whether we could get the purlins on. Towards the end one did not fit, looked a long way out but a swing of the hips by our Amazon and, presto, the frame moved smartly into position.
So now it remains to put up the rest of the frame - the easy bits - and to clad it. I intend to finish this well before mango season - this week if I can.
What a birthday present eh?
Oh and I did find an extra 16/18mm ring spanner, an 18/16 open ender and a shirt that were not included in the tools that were intentionally left behind. I will return them.
And no one was shot.
Wednesday 12 September 2007
Crook Foot
You should always look for the positives they say. Well my foot - and ankle - is bloody sore and I find it difficult to walk around too much. Can't get a boot on and this makes it less than safe to work on my building site (although I am not really sure why I should worry about a foot that is being such a nuisance.)
Read a book yesterday. I read a lot of books but, unfortunately rarely get a chance to read one all at once. The one I read yesterday is one that I didn't really want to finish - wanted to savour it - but one that I couldn't put down.
I am not normally inspired to read books by reviewers. This book "The Broken Shore" by Peter Temple was reviewed on the ABC Book Club program. They raved about it. I spotted it in a shop and bought it on spec. It is a beauty. The reviewers were right - and I should learn not to dismiss all reviewers as wankers.
I do enjoy crime novels and 'The Broken Shore" does fit into that category. It is a good crime novel. A better than average plot. Some good twists and excellent pace. But the crime is not the point with this book.
Peter Temple uses a technique that sometimes works well and it does in this case. He does not lead in with a detailed establishment of the scene, no obvious setting of the context and no detailed character development. Instead you move into the events with the characters and context being built as these events proceed.
But the events are quickly overtaken by the characters and the context. Temple describes the area, somewhere on the southern Victorian coast, in a way that you can feel, without actually spending too much time doing so. You meet his two dogs and you know them. His hero, Joe Cashin, is flawed and pretty much buggered, but you don't find out why until it comes up in the context of the story.
The story is like moving into an area and gradually getting to know the place and the people in it. There is a gradual process of revelation as there is in any new place. In this case we have the assistance of a bloke who has lived here before and can fill in some of the history.
An excellent book, whether or not you like crime novels.
Read a book yesterday. I read a lot of books but, unfortunately rarely get a chance to read one all at once. The one I read yesterday is one that I didn't really want to finish - wanted to savour it - but one that I couldn't put down.
I am not normally inspired to read books by reviewers. This book "The Broken Shore" by Peter Temple was reviewed on the ABC Book Club program. They raved about it. I spotted it in a shop and bought it on spec. It is a beauty. The reviewers were right - and I should learn not to dismiss all reviewers as wankers.
I do enjoy crime novels and 'The Broken Shore" does fit into that category. It is a good crime novel. A better than average plot. Some good twists and excellent pace. But the crime is not the point with this book.
Peter Temple uses a technique that sometimes works well and it does in this case. He does not lead in with a detailed establishment of the scene, no obvious setting of the context and no detailed character development. Instead you move into the events with the characters and context being built as these events proceed.
But the events are quickly overtaken by the characters and the context. Temple describes the area, somewhere on the southern Victorian coast, in a way that you can feel, without actually spending too much time doing so. You meet his two dogs and you know them. His hero, Joe Cashin, is flawed and pretty much buggered, but you don't find out why until it comes up in the context of the story.
The story is like moving into an area and gradually getting to know the place and the people in it. There is a gradual process of revelation as there is in any new place. In this case we have the assistance of a bloke who has lived here before and can fill in some of the history.
An excellent book, whether or not you like crime novels.
Monday 10 September 2007
Bugger!
I am not spectacularly good at seeking or accepting help. I am not sure why this is the case but there you go.
My shed has been waiting quietly for 3 years to be built. This is a good sized shed in a kit. To build it you need to put together portal frames and then lift them into position on the pre-prepared footings. Everyone who has put one of these sheds together tells me that precision is essential and that, if you are able to be precise at each step, the shed will go together pretty well.
The foundations are done. Took a while but there were other things to do along the way. One of the most difficult portal frames is in place. Looks a lot bigger than I expected. The second (of a total of 6) has been constructed but I have not yet found away to get it into place. My neighbour is very keen to give me a hand. Two others have offered to help.
One technique I have used to some effect is to use my tractor as a lifting tool. Unfortunately, tractors are not really all that good as precision instruments and it has been difficult to achieve the necessary level of accuracy.
Anyway these wonderful friends of ours have made a decision that they are coming down to help. This is to be my birthday present and one of the best I reckon. A job that I would struggle for a couple of weeks on could conceivably be done in a day or so.
To achieve the best benefit I need to put the frames together before they get here. There is a week or so in that job.
So, yesterday I was getting into it. Needed to clear a bit of ground to allow me to lay out the frames. Stepped off the tractor as I have a thousand times before. Sprained my ankle. Can't walk too well.
Bugger!!!!
My shed has been waiting quietly for 3 years to be built. This is a good sized shed in a kit. To build it you need to put together portal frames and then lift them into position on the pre-prepared footings. Everyone who has put one of these sheds together tells me that precision is essential and that, if you are able to be precise at each step, the shed will go together pretty well.
The foundations are done. Took a while but there were other things to do along the way. One of the most difficult portal frames is in place. Looks a lot bigger than I expected. The second (of a total of 6) has been constructed but I have not yet found away to get it into place. My neighbour is very keen to give me a hand. Two others have offered to help.
One technique I have used to some effect is to use my tractor as a lifting tool. Unfortunately, tractors are not really all that good as precision instruments and it has been difficult to achieve the necessary level of accuracy.
Anyway these wonderful friends of ours have made a decision that they are coming down to help. This is to be my birthday present and one of the best I reckon. A job that I would struggle for a couple of weeks on could conceivably be done in a day or so.
To achieve the best benefit I need to put the frames together before they get here. There is a week or so in that job.
So, yesterday I was getting into it. Needed to clear a bit of ground to allow me to lay out the frames. Stepped off the tractor as I have a thousand times before. Sprained my ankle. Can't walk too well.
Bugger!!!!
Sunday 9 September 2007
It is a Sin
Graham Richardson used to say that you do 'whatever it takes' to win an election. It looks a lot like John Howard and Kevin Rudd agree.
Howard has shown he will give 'non-core' commitments. Rudd has perfected the 'me too' art, winking at Labor policy which might not always fit precisely.
I am not averse to the view that you do what you have to in order to win. I have run and worked in campaigns where we have done things that have gone pretty close to the bone. Vote early, vote often was useful once - very useful. 'Bin teams' did a top job in another. Dirt Committees are a feature of most campaign teams, even if no one normally admits it.
But there are rules, places you don't go. For me the most important has been that you don't use people unless they know about it and agree.
I know that it is dangerous to require that everyone else follow your principles but I make an exception for this one. It really gets up my nose when I see political campaigns using people without their consent.
A lot of people suspected that Howard and Brough were not serious about saving the Indigenous children from sexual abuse in the NT, but many have been prepared to go along because it was clear to everyone that something needed to be done.
We are now starting to see the results. Brough says that $500million will be spent. In briefings to senior people in organisations it is now becoming clear that the majority of this is 're-badged' money. In fact, there doesn't seem to be much 'new' money at all. The money seems to be flowing from programs that funded services back into administration - high priced administrators who are often new and inexperienced.
New money is coming in but a lot of it seems to be coming from the Aboriginal Benefits Account. This is the money that is the royalty equivalent for mining on Aboriginal Land. The committee that does the distribution is being asked to deliver the funds to the Federal agenda rather than projects that the committee might see as useful.
I am told that over 1,300 children have had the medical checks so far and that 73 communities have been surveyed. No case of sexual abuse or suspected sexual abuse has been located yet. Four kids have been referred to Family and Children's Services for follow up.
Brough talked about new houses as a major component of the effort to be made. New houses were promised for people who went along with the Federal agenda. Now they are being told that the houses wont actually be 'new'. They will actually be current houses that are refurbished and repainted. The Fed officers are telling organisations that, when people have demonstrated that they can live properly in these houses, then they might get new ones.
The estimated cost of each refurb and repaint will be $20-30,000. They obviously have a really good manager because when I was running Indigenous Housing we normally worked on about $40,000 for a similar job. The saving is apparently going to come from the squads of volunteers coming up from down South to help.
CDEP is being dismantled. The 8,300 people who were 'employed' on CDEP and achieved some dignity as a result - for being paid a little over what they would have received on Newstart - will all lose their jobs. At this stage it looks as if less than 1,000 will find 'proper jobs.
Brough and his off siders are blaming the Territory, Indigenous organisations and the non-government organisations for failing to put in the effort.
It is increasingly clear that it is all a con job and that has every sign of turning into a massive stuff up but a lot of people still want to hope that good will come. After all it has been possible to get some good out of other similar, if less dramatic, exercises.
Howard and Brough have committed a sin. They are using people for their own electoral ends and causing pain to people who have limited avenue for complaint. They deserve what the polls are telling us is on the way for them.
Howard has shown he will give 'non-core' commitments. Rudd has perfected the 'me too' art, winking at Labor policy which might not always fit precisely.
I am not averse to the view that you do what you have to in order to win. I have run and worked in campaigns where we have done things that have gone pretty close to the bone. Vote early, vote often was useful once - very useful. 'Bin teams' did a top job in another. Dirt Committees are a feature of most campaign teams, even if no one normally admits it.
But there are rules, places you don't go. For me the most important has been that you don't use people unless they know about it and agree.
I know that it is dangerous to require that everyone else follow your principles but I make an exception for this one. It really gets up my nose when I see political campaigns using people without their consent.
A lot of people suspected that Howard and Brough were not serious about saving the Indigenous children from sexual abuse in the NT, but many have been prepared to go along because it was clear to everyone that something needed to be done.
We are now starting to see the results. Brough says that $500million will be spent. In briefings to senior people in organisations it is now becoming clear that the majority of this is 're-badged' money. In fact, there doesn't seem to be much 'new' money at all. The money seems to be flowing from programs that funded services back into administration - high priced administrators who are often new and inexperienced.
New money is coming in but a lot of it seems to be coming from the Aboriginal Benefits Account. This is the money that is the royalty equivalent for mining on Aboriginal Land. The committee that does the distribution is being asked to deliver the funds to the Federal agenda rather than projects that the committee might see as useful.
I am told that over 1,300 children have had the medical checks so far and that 73 communities have been surveyed. No case of sexual abuse or suspected sexual abuse has been located yet. Four kids have been referred to Family and Children's Services for follow up.
Brough talked about new houses as a major component of the effort to be made. New houses were promised for people who went along with the Federal agenda. Now they are being told that the houses wont actually be 'new'. They will actually be current houses that are refurbished and repainted. The Fed officers are telling organisations that, when people have demonstrated that they can live properly in these houses, then they might get new ones.
The estimated cost of each refurb and repaint will be $20-30,000. They obviously have a really good manager because when I was running Indigenous Housing we normally worked on about $40,000 for a similar job. The saving is apparently going to come from the squads of volunteers coming up from down South to help.
CDEP is being dismantled. The 8,300 people who were 'employed' on CDEP and achieved some dignity as a result - for being paid a little over what they would have received on Newstart - will all lose their jobs. At this stage it looks as if less than 1,000 will find 'proper jobs.
Brough and his off siders are blaming the Territory, Indigenous organisations and the non-government organisations for failing to put in the effort.
It is increasingly clear that it is all a con job and that has every sign of turning into a massive stuff up but a lot of people still want to hope that good will come. After all it has been possible to get some good out of other similar, if less dramatic, exercises.
Howard and Brough have committed a sin. They are using people for their own electoral ends and causing pain to people who have limited avenue for complaint. They deserve what the polls are telling us is on the way for them.
Tuesday 4 September 2007
Headed in the Right Direction?
The mantra for Government Ministers and many of the commentariat for some time has been the line that 'The country is headed in the right direction and eventually the voters will realise this and come back to the government".
Alexander Downer made the comment again last night on Lateline and Tony Abbot repeated it today in interviews about the latest poll results.
It is highly unlikely that anyone from the LNP campaign team will read this blog but an old mate of mine, Peter Conran, is a key Howard advisor and I used to work in the same small building as Mark Textor - before he became a super hero - so I feel just a tiny bit of an obligation to let them know that they have it wrong.
I like being proud to be Australian. I don't like it when my government makes me ashamed. I am ashamed of our laws about immigration and refugees and have been ashamed for a long time.
I believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, notwithstanding their race, religion or beliefs. We are not headed in the right direction when we treat Indigenous Territorians as pawns in a ham fisted attempt at wedge politics.
I felt good about our respect for other cultures and out embrace of multi culturalism. It is not right for our government on our behalf to use dog whistle messages to sanction abuse of Muslims or any other group.
A sensible economic strategy for individuals, businesses and governments in good times is to both address outstanding requirements and set yourself up for the future. This means that priority should have been being given to issues, say, like public housing for Indigenous people (the $2billion necessary would scarcely cause a blip in the surplus), up-grading transport infrastructure, making child care an affordable right for everyone and ensuring greater access for all to the whole education system. Instead, we have some money put away and the rest put into an election war chest.
And also on economic management we are not headed in the right direction if the level of government with the money is not effectively shifting that money in reasonable amounts to the places where it is needed for services. I know the GST con worked on most of the States and I could accept you having a bit of a giggle at their expense but there comes the time when you need to address the financial imbalance issue. Your job that one and it has not been done well.
Climate change is, and has been an issue known to governments for many years. For crying out loud I attended national meetings on greenhouse in the early 90's. We knew well how serious it was then. (You remember Peter. You sent me.) Our government is not headed in the right direction if it ignores issues of importance because there are some who wont like the solutions.
The list could go on but I don't really have the time.
You need to know that this is just me. Others will have different views. Unfortunately for you there could be a lot of views but at least if you address mine you will make a start.
On second thoughts don't bother. You have left it too late.
Alexander Downer made the comment again last night on Lateline and Tony Abbot repeated it today in interviews about the latest poll results.
It is highly unlikely that anyone from the LNP campaign team will read this blog but an old mate of mine, Peter Conran, is a key Howard advisor and I used to work in the same small building as Mark Textor - before he became a super hero - so I feel just a tiny bit of an obligation to let them know that they have it wrong.
I like being proud to be Australian. I don't like it when my government makes me ashamed. I am ashamed of our laws about immigration and refugees and have been ashamed for a long time.
I believe that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, notwithstanding their race, religion or beliefs. We are not headed in the right direction when we treat Indigenous Territorians as pawns in a ham fisted attempt at wedge politics.
I felt good about our respect for other cultures and out embrace of multi culturalism. It is not right for our government on our behalf to use dog whistle messages to sanction abuse of Muslims or any other group.
A sensible economic strategy for individuals, businesses and governments in good times is to both address outstanding requirements and set yourself up for the future. This means that priority should have been being given to issues, say, like public housing for Indigenous people (the $2billion necessary would scarcely cause a blip in the surplus), up-grading transport infrastructure, making child care an affordable right for everyone and ensuring greater access for all to the whole education system. Instead, we have some money put away and the rest put into an election war chest.
And also on economic management we are not headed in the right direction if the level of government with the money is not effectively shifting that money in reasonable amounts to the places where it is needed for services. I know the GST con worked on most of the States and I could accept you having a bit of a giggle at their expense but there comes the time when you need to address the financial imbalance issue. Your job that one and it has not been done well.
Climate change is, and has been an issue known to governments for many years. For crying out loud I attended national meetings on greenhouse in the early 90's. We knew well how serious it was then. (You remember Peter. You sent me.) Our government is not headed in the right direction if it ignores issues of importance because there are some who wont like the solutions.
The list could go on but I don't really have the time.
You need to know that this is just me. Others will have different views. Unfortunately for you there could be a lot of views but at least if you address mine you will make a start.
On second thoughts don't bother. You have left it too late.
Wednesday 29 August 2007
Happy Birthday
I reckon that my mum would have loved the blogosphere. As the family communicator she took on the responsibility of writing to those of her children who were away from 'home', that is, where Mum was, once a week, on a Monday.
This practice started when someone left 'home'. I think it probably started when my older sister went off to boarding school. It certainly carried on when my little brother who left initially for Melbourne and then went to work in London. The practice expanded when one sister went to live in Canada and, again when another went to live in Washington. It continued when my family went off to live in the Top End.
We bought Mum a computer in her later years so that she could email 'the letter'. It worked sometimes. She had problems with the way the computer worked - it was different from the typewriters she had spent 50 years working with. But I have no doubt that, perhaps if she had been introduced a little earlier and particularly if she had been able to blog, she would have loved it and would have found a great way to give and get news of the family.
I guess that Mum found it difficult on many Mondays trying to think of something to tell those of us that were away from the centre of the family. At times she apologised for a letter being a 'poor effort' but the letters always arrived and were always read with interest. Every now and then I would reply. That would give Mum something to say in her next letter, carefully answering everything that I had said.
I don't know whether there is anything that follows this life but I do know that something has followed my Mum's life. She lives on in our memories, some of our habits and probably more of our beliefs than we know.
'Everybody is equal. You are no better than anyone else - and no one is any better than you.' 'A smile costs nothing.' And every time I find that I have been chewing my bloody tongue. The list could go on and on.
Today would have been my Mum's birthday.
This practice started when someone left 'home'. I think it probably started when my older sister went off to boarding school. It certainly carried on when my little brother who left initially for Melbourne and then went to work in London. The practice expanded when one sister went to live in Canada and, again when another went to live in Washington. It continued when my family went off to live in the Top End.
We bought Mum a computer in her later years so that she could email 'the letter'. It worked sometimes. She had problems with the way the computer worked - it was different from the typewriters she had spent 50 years working with. But I have no doubt that, perhaps if she had been introduced a little earlier and particularly if she had been able to blog, she would have loved it and would have found a great way to give and get news of the family.
I guess that Mum found it difficult on many Mondays trying to think of something to tell those of us that were away from the centre of the family. At times she apologised for a letter being a 'poor effort' but the letters always arrived and were always read with interest. Every now and then I would reply. That would give Mum something to say in her next letter, carefully answering everything that I had said.
I don't know whether there is anything that follows this life but I do know that something has followed my Mum's life. She lives on in our memories, some of our habits and probably more of our beliefs than we know.
'Everybody is equal. You are no better than anyone else - and no one is any better than you.' 'A smile costs nothing.' And every time I find that I have been chewing my bloody tongue. The list could go on and on.
Today would have been my Mum's birthday.
Tuesday 28 August 2007
Australians All
I took the chance to read the booklet that has been issued by the Commonwealth Government on being an Australian last night. I have to say that, in my opinion, it is reasonably well written and will provide some people with a statement that will allow them to feel that, yes, they are right.
Of course, there are bits of the booklet that jar and bits that I believe are sure to draw criticism from significant parts of the community. At one point there is a comment made about those who pioneered the land, white people that is, or rather white men. Women were recognised though. They were the ones who stepped in when the men died or needed some help.
In another area the writers mention the '8 hour day' campaign. They speak approvingly of the principle of '8 hours work, 8 hours leisure, 8 hours sleep'. Strange that there is no mention, not even a hint, of the battle fought by the union movement with the employers and the government of the day to achieve the acceptance of this principle.
Indigenous people get a number or mentions, although I suspect that they will find it hard to accept that the analysis provided is as complete as they might reasonably believe it should be. There is, for instance, no suggestion that the policy of removal of mixed race babies from their mothers - which operated for over 30 years - was done in pursuance of a rascist policy even though there is mention made of the rascist nature of the White Australia Policy when discussing early Chinese migration - without mentioning the name of that policy.
For me, the point is not that this is a poor document - it isn't too bad - but that it tries to achieve something that is both unnecessary and impossible.
I am an Australian. Born here and so was my father and grandfather. In fact I can go back almost 200 years to when the first of my forebears arrived here. It wasn't his choice. He was expelled for life from his homeland. My mum wasn't born here. She was proudly a 'British citizen' and the holder of a Canadian passport - and, an Australian one as well. Nor was TWOMD born here but she holds an Australian passport.
I don't think I would have any difficulty explaining to a new arrival what it means to be an Australian from my perspective. I suspect that there would be similarities to the way my mother or wife would discuss the same subject but I am equally convinced that it wouldn't be the same explanation.
My neighbour on one side is a proud Greek - spray painted his fence blue and white when Greece won the European Cup. He is no less an Australian though - and seen as no less an Australian - than the Aboriginal bloke who is my neighbour on the other side, or me for that matter.
What good comes from trying to set out in one set of words from one perspective what it means to be an Australian when we are a mixed bunch and when we owe most of our shared values to the fact that we are a mixed bunch and that we have developed ways of generally getting on together.
There are a couple of reasons for the production of this booklet. It may be that some are worried that they are no longer really seen as Australian, or perhaps they don't like being called 'skips' by the newer arrivals. Perhaps some are trying to create a barrier that all must pass through and, by doing so, are somehow turned into true blue Australians who forget where they came from. Maybe some just need some statement that gives them some security.
It worries me though that this exercise is about an attempt to engender a greater sense of nationalism and this is a much more serious issue. Nationalism is a step too far along the road to fascism for me.
I am as proudly patriotic as anyone. I will cheer Australian teams and individuals when they take on the world. I am proud of the achievements of Australians and have been proud to identify as an Australian overseas (normally).
Nationalism is a term that, at its heart, is a concept that aims for the identification of a group, normally an ethnic group, and the exclusion from the group of those who are not seen to belong. Australia is a state that is a 'nation' that is not comprised of one ethnic group and one which has, for many years, aimed to be inclusive of people of other nations rather than exclusive. Exercises that seek to place some artificial set of values or ethnic requirements on being an 'Australian' take us a step closer to place where many of 'us' would be very uncomfortable.
It worries me that John Howard is talking more and more of national identity and now of 'aspirational nationalism'. He likes the idea of nationalism - or he doesn't understand it. Either way he is a worry.
Of course, there are bits of the booklet that jar and bits that I believe are sure to draw criticism from significant parts of the community. At one point there is a comment made about those who pioneered the land, white people that is, or rather white men. Women were recognised though. They were the ones who stepped in when the men died or needed some help.
In another area the writers mention the '8 hour day' campaign. They speak approvingly of the principle of '8 hours work, 8 hours leisure, 8 hours sleep'. Strange that there is no mention, not even a hint, of the battle fought by the union movement with the employers and the government of the day to achieve the acceptance of this principle.
Indigenous people get a number or mentions, although I suspect that they will find it hard to accept that the analysis provided is as complete as they might reasonably believe it should be. There is, for instance, no suggestion that the policy of removal of mixed race babies from their mothers - which operated for over 30 years - was done in pursuance of a rascist policy even though there is mention made of the rascist nature of the White Australia Policy when discussing early Chinese migration - without mentioning the name of that policy.
For me, the point is not that this is a poor document - it isn't too bad - but that it tries to achieve something that is both unnecessary and impossible.
I am an Australian. Born here and so was my father and grandfather. In fact I can go back almost 200 years to when the first of my forebears arrived here. It wasn't his choice. He was expelled for life from his homeland. My mum wasn't born here. She was proudly a 'British citizen' and the holder of a Canadian passport - and, an Australian one as well. Nor was TWOMD born here but she holds an Australian passport.
I don't think I would have any difficulty explaining to a new arrival what it means to be an Australian from my perspective. I suspect that there would be similarities to the way my mother or wife would discuss the same subject but I am equally convinced that it wouldn't be the same explanation.
My neighbour on one side is a proud Greek - spray painted his fence blue and white when Greece won the European Cup. He is no less an Australian though - and seen as no less an Australian - than the Aboriginal bloke who is my neighbour on the other side, or me for that matter.
What good comes from trying to set out in one set of words from one perspective what it means to be an Australian when we are a mixed bunch and when we owe most of our shared values to the fact that we are a mixed bunch and that we have developed ways of generally getting on together.
There are a couple of reasons for the production of this booklet. It may be that some are worried that they are no longer really seen as Australian, or perhaps they don't like being called 'skips' by the newer arrivals. Perhaps some are trying to create a barrier that all must pass through and, by doing so, are somehow turned into true blue Australians who forget where they came from. Maybe some just need some statement that gives them some security.
It worries me though that this exercise is about an attempt to engender a greater sense of nationalism and this is a much more serious issue. Nationalism is a step too far along the road to fascism for me.
I am as proudly patriotic as anyone. I will cheer Australian teams and individuals when they take on the world. I am proud of the achievements of Australians and have been proud to identify as an Australian overseas (normally).
Nationalism is a term that, at its heart, is a concept that aims for the identification of a group, normally an ethnic group, and the exclusion from the group of those who are not seen to belong. Australia is a state that is a 'nation' that is not comprised of one ethnic group and one which has, for many years, aimed to be inclusive of people of other nations rather than exclusive. Exercises that seek to place some artificial set of values or ethnic requirements on being an 'Australian' take us a step closer to place where many of 'us' would be very uncomfortable.
It worries me that John Howard is talking more and more of national identity and now of 'aspirational nationalism'. He likes the idea of nationalism - or he doesn't understand it. Either way he is a worry.
Friday 17 August 2007
Their Just Deserts
I really do feel for the people who have invested in the share market only to see it bounce around as it is at the moment and I am sorry that some of them are losing money they might have made if they had sold a little earlier.
But I have the this sneaking suspicion that well deserved retribution is being visited upon the hedge funds and those greedy sub-prime lenders. I know that trading in money is something that provides a lot of good for some people but I can't help seeing it as being as unproductive as any other form of gambling. Much fun for some of course but still unproductive. They don't actually make anything of any value to anyone.
The pity is that people who have invested in productive investments for quite proper purposes are being caught up in the correction/melt down/minor glitch etc.
But I have the this sneaking suspicion that well deserved retribution is being visited upon the hedge funds and those greedy sub-prime lenders. I know that trading in money is something that provides a lot of good for some people but I can't help seeing it as being as unproductive as any other form of gambling. Much fun for some of course but still unproductive. They don't actually make anything of any value to anyone.
The pity is that people who have invested in productive investments for quite proper purposes are being caught up in the correction/melt down/minor glitch etc.
Thursday 16 August 2007
Brough vs the Yolgnu
Poor Mal Brough. He has run into a problem in Arnhem Land and it seems to be upsetting him.
Brough's survey team were quietly asked to leave Yirrkala last week and didn't get much of a run at Raminginning a day earlier.
Ronnie Baramala, the spokesperson for Rammo, told the survey team that he had no problem with them. They were just public servants doing their job. He told them that they should come back with the two 'troublemakers', Howard and Brough and that they should be prepared to answer questions about the linkages between the takeover of land, removal of the rights of landowners to control access to their freehold land and child sexual abuse.
The survey team then went to Yirrkala where they were told that, if they were unable to answer questions then, they might as well leave. The team was told that they should get Minister Brough to come to the community and answer the questions. Their questions were similar to those of Rammo but they were also worried about the prohibition of kava.
All of this was pretty calmly done. Not too much in the way of histrionics. Everyone was being pretty respectful, although they were clearly not happy.
Then Mal had a good idea. He would talk to Noel Pearson and Galarrwuy Yunupingu. It is not clear what he talked to them about but he did it in NE Arnhem Land on the weekend so there are many who assume that it had something to do with recent events at Rammo and Yirrkala.
The perception is, and was always going to be, that Mal came to talk to Galarrwuy as the bull goose of the Yolgnu. But, while Galarrwuy is a powerful man and has played a significant role, in NE Arnhem Land he is simply one of the senior men of one of the eighteen clans in the general area. He has no right to speak on behalf of others and there have been, at times, deep distrust between his clan and others.
Inevitably, there was criticism of the meeting. Mal responded by saying that the people complaining, and who threw his survey team out, were really just doped up kava drinkers who
were upset about the prohibition on kava couldn't care less about children.
Let the games begin!
Mal sees himself as a pretty tough guy. The Yolgnu clan leaders are not shrinking violets. Djawulpi Marika is the Town Clerk of Yirrkala. He was a CLP candidate at the last Territory election. The Rev Dr Djinyniyi Godarra is ex-Moderator of the Uniting Church in the Territory. He is a leader of one of the more significant clans. Wali Wunungmurra was the Principal of the Yirrkala School. Raymatja Marika is an internationally regarded artist and a woman who serves on a number of authorities. There are many other men and women of real standing and considerable capacity who would have no fear of a public stoush.
These are people who have never 'lost' their lands. Ownership has never passed to anyone else. The Land Rights Act formally recognises their ownership, but the people didn't need the Act to tell them they owned the land. They have known that, except in extreme circumstances (such as the Gove Mine), they are in control - until now.
It is relatively easy to deal successfully with the Yolgnu people. You show respect and an appreciation of their interests and concerns. If you are going to try to divide and conquer then be sure to get it right. Make sure that the group you divide off has some real numbers and will be able to hold sway against opposition. Oh, and be prepared to fail completely with the people you have divided off.
This dispute gives all indications of getting more messy. It probably wont worry Brough too much. He is playing to an audience who believes that something, anything, needs to be done to 'sort out' the Aboriginal affairs mess. He doesn't really need to care what anyone in the NT thinks, let alone five thousand or so Yolgnu.
But these people will not give up easily and they have long, long memories. I wish them well.
Brough's survey team were quietly asked to leave Yirrkala last week and didn't get much of a run at Raminginning a day earlier.
Ronnie Baramala, the spokesperson for Rammo, told the survey team that he had no problem with them. They were just public servants doing their job. He told them that they should come back with the two 'troublemakers', Howard and Brough and that they should be prepared to answer questions about the linkages between the takeover of land, removal of the rights of landowners to control access to their freehold land and child sexual abuse.
The survey team then went to Yirrkala where they were told that, if they were unable to answer questions then, they might as well leave. The team was told that they should get Minister Brough to come to the community and answer the questions. Their questions were similar to those of Rammo but they were also worried about the prohibition of kava.
All of this was pretty calmly done. Not too much in the way of histrionics. Everyone was being pretty respectful, although they were clearly not happy.
Then Mal had a good idea. He would talk to Noel Pearson and Galarrwuy Yunupingu. It is not clear what he talked to them about but he did it in NE Arnhem Land on the weekend so there are many who assume that it had something to do with recent events at Rammo and Yirrkala.
The perception is, and was always going to be, that Mal came to talk to Galarrwuy as the bull goose of the Yolgnu. But, while Galarrwuy is a powerful man and has played a significant role, in NE Arnhem Land he is simply one of the senior men of one of the eighteen clans in the general area. He has no right to speak on behalf of others and there have been, at times, deep distrust between his clan and others.
Inevitably, there was criticism of the meeting. Mal responded by saying that the people complaining, and who threw his survey team out, were really just doped up kava drinkers who
were upset about the prohibition on kava couldn't care less about children.
Let the games begin!
Mal sees himself as a pretty tough guy. The Yolgnu clan leaders are not shrinking violets. Djawulpi Marika is the Town Clerk of Yirrkala. He was a CLP candidate at the last Territory election. The Rev Dr Djinyniyi Godarra is ex-Moderator of the Uniting Church in the Territory. He is a leader of one of the more significant clans. Wali Wunungmurra was the Principal of the Yirrkala School. Raymatja Marika is an internationally regarded artist and a woman who serves on a number of authorities. There are many other men and women of real standing and considerable capacity who would have no fear of a public stoush.
These are people who have never 'lost' their lands. Ownership has never passed to anyone else. The Land Rights Act formally recognises their ownership, but the people didn't need the Act to tell them they owned the land. They have known that, except in extreme circumstances (such as the Gove Mine), they are in control - until now.
It is relatively easy to deal successfully with the Yolgnu people. You show respect and an appreciation of their interests and concerns. If you are going to try to divide and conquer then be sure to get it right. Make sure that the group you divide off has some real numbers and will be able to hold sway against opposition. Oh, and be prepared to fail completely with the people you have divided off.
This dispute gives all indications of getting more messy. It probably wont worry Brough too much. He is playing to an audience who believes that something, anything, needs to be done to 'sort out' the Aboriginal affairs mess. He doesn't really need to care what anyone in the NT thinks, let alone five thousand or so Yolgnu.
But these people will not give up easily and they have long, long memories. I wish them well.
Wednesday 15 August 2007
The Blues Cup
It may be an omen, in fact I think it is, but I am not too sure what it all means.
I have had a Carlton cup, just a coffee cup that is, for many, many years. Not sure when it first arrived here but I know that when it first arrived it had a bright, dark blue Carlton badge.
Over time it faded. So did the fortunes of the team and the entire club for that matter. Chairman John Elliot was finally shifted along with others on the board, we lost draft picks for two years and dropped from a regular finals contender to the bottom feeders.
I have been supporting Carlton since the early 60's when I had a compelling reason to pick a team to support (having just moved to Canberra, knowing nothing about the game but thrown into a school yard where everyone had a team). Alex Jezualenko played for Eastlake and he was getting married to a girl from the suburb I lived in and he went to play for Carlton so Carlton it was.
I didn't actually join the club in the good days - they didn't need me -but, when they slipped down to the bottom, I joined up and hand over my money every year.
Anyway, back to the cup. It faded until TWOMD believed it was actually just a white cup - a bit like Carlton's away jersey but without the touch of blue. That was OK. Sort of symbolic. But now it has cracked, right through, completely buggered.
What does this mean? Is it all over for the team? Will they never win again? Or does it, could it possibly mean, that they have broken their run of bad times and are about to start to climb the ladder again?
I believe that it is the latter - of course. The cup deserves respect. It will receive an appropriate fate. The club should never forget the bad times but let this be the end of it. For 2008 let us see a finals campaign with the Blues battling to win.
For this to happen I suspect that it might be a good strategy to sell Fev - unless he performs a miracle and grows up in the next few weeks - and use the money to get a couple of good un's.
But with or without Fev just remember that Carlton will be there in September in 2008!
I have had a Carlton cup, just a coffee cup that is, for many, many years. Not sure when it first arrived here but I know that when it first arrived it had a bright, dark blue Carlton badge.
Over time it faded. So did the fortunes of the team and the entire club for that matter. Chairman John Elliot was finally shifted along with others on the board, we lost draft picks for two years and dropped from a regular finals contender to the bottom feeders.
I have been supporting Carlton since the early 60's when I had a compelling reason to pick a team to support (having just moved to Canberra, knowing nothing about the game but thrown into a school yard where everyone had a team). Alex Jezualenko played for Eastlake and he was getting married to a girl from the suburb I lived in and he went to play for Carlton so Carlton it was.
I didn't actually join the club in the good days - they didn't need me -but, when they slipped down to the bottom, I joined up and hand over my money every year.
Anyway, back to the cup. It faded until TWOMD believed it was actually just a white cup - a bit like Carlton's away jersey but without the touch of blue. That was OK. Sort of symbolic. But now it has cracked, right through, completely buggered.
What does this mean? Is it all over for the team? Will they never win again? Or does it, could it possibly mean, that they have broken their run of bad times and are about to start to climb the ladder again?
I believe that it is the latter - of course. The cup deserves respect. It will receive an appropriate fate. The club should never forget the bad times but let this be the end of it. For 2008 let us see a finals campaign with the Blues battling to win.
For this to happen I suspect that it might be a good strategy to sell Fev - unless he performs a miracle and grows up in the next few weeks - and use the money to get a couple of good un's.
But with or without Fev just remember that Carlton will be there in September in 2008!
Tuesday 7 August 2007
Mary River
For many years a group of people have hired house boats on the Mary River for one long weekend. We drive slowly up the river, meet for one lunch, drive further, look at things - crocodiles, birds, buffaloes, sunsets, sunrises, water - eat some excellent food, drink excellent wine and beer, play cards, play mahjongg and generally have a very relaxing time.
Many of us only see each other once a year but there are some that come from a long way to play.
Now I will try to put some photos up.
Unfortunately the croc was hiding his head. He wasn't by any means the biggest but he was very calm about us - or perhaps trying to lure us in just a little closer.
The fish the jabirus were eating looked a tad off but they are beautiful birds. The sea eagle took off just a little later - but you will have to imagine that.
I have many, many more of the sunsets. Perhaps this will do for a taste.
Many of us only see each other once a year but there are some that come from a long way to play.
Now I will try to put some photos up.
Unfortunately the croc was hiding his head. He wasn't by any means the biggest but he was very calm about us - or perhaps trying to lure us in just a little closer.
The fish the jabirus were eating looked a tad off but they are beautiful birds. The sea eagle took off just a little later - but you will have to imagine that.
I have many, many more of the sunsets. Perhaps this will do for a taste.
Thursday 2 August 2007
Is It Ignorance or Doesn't He Care?
Our local councillor is a woman, Sue, who lives up the road. She works at the local servo, has been known to have a beer and smokes rollies - but she is going to give up. Thanks to Sue's representations, our road has now been sealed past our gate, but not to Sue's place.
Sue and I don't agree about everything but, on most things that matter at the local council level - roads, fire and weed management, community services, development and animal control - we are pretty much in agreement. And if we don't agree we can have a chat. In fact, if we disagree enough then I could get myself organised and run against her. Probably wouldn't win but it would shake things up enough to have my point well heard by all.
Our MLA, Rob, is a mate of mine. He used to work for me and stayed a mate afterwards. Rob doesn't get involved in local issues. Instead he is held accountable for the things that are the Territory Government's responsibility - health, major roads, education, housing, infrastructure development. Rob may not always agree with me but he always pays attention. He knows that I am a vicious sod and if he upsets enough people like me then he is out of a job. In an electorate of just over 4,000 electors everyone is a potential 'vicious sod'.
Rob is a member of the ALP and, while he is personally accountable to his electors, his party is also accountable. Rob may do the right thing but we still might have to throw him out if his party stuffs things up. This is precisely what happened to Tim, the previous MLA - good bloke, good representative, wrong party.
Warren, or more properly Wozza, is our local MHR. Wozza is also a pretty good sort of bloke. He has been there for a long time and I suspect that the next will be his last term unless he cracks it and becomes a Minister. Lingiari is a safe Labor electorate. Some would call it rusted on. Voters in this electorate obviously make their decisions on all sorts of factors but it would be no surprise to find that Indigenous and regional development issues are up there for most people and the ALP is clearly seen as better on those.
All of these people are my representatives. They are accountable for their actions and the actions of their parties - and they know it. The people who stand against them were also held accountable for their actions and the actions of their parties and that is why they were not elected.
It seems to me to be stating the absolutely bleeding obvious that the capacity to hold our representatives accountable is at the heart of a representative democracy.
Buck passing and cost shifting are diseases that can make this 'heart' of our representative democracy very ill. They are probably impossible to cure completely but they are so much more debilitating where it is not completely clear who is responsible for something. No level of government is immune from the seductive influence of being able to spin a line that someone else is to blame. A bureaucrat who fails to get someone else to pay for something that needs to be done when that is remotely possible would not last.
So I would argue that the first step in allowing us to hold our representatives accountable, and thus keeping the heart of our representative democracy well exercised and healthy, is clarity of responsibility.
As with anything that involves the division or provision of power, achieving clarity of responsibility between Federal, State and local levels of government is very hard to achieve. Those who developed our Constitution were well aware of the issue. Unfortunately, they were actually 100% wrong in thinking that they needed to try to protect the Commonwealth from the States, but they still provided a system for sorting out problems.
The system is actually pretty simple. Specify the powers of one level of government, add a couple of absolute prohibitions, leave all other powers and functions to the States, give the High Court the power to interpret and, if all else fails send the issue to the people in a referendum.
Many, many people would say that we have an imperfect system. Gough Whitlam as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1966 in a speech to the Fabian Society proposed a system that would abolish the States and create 18 regional governments. It might have been a good idea but it never had a show because the other side of politics - and probably most of his side - wouldn't wear it. And as everyone knows a referendum that is not supported by both major parties has no hope.
There are other ways of changing the system. Again it is basically very simple. You simply get control of the money and use it to both strangle the States and pursue your own agenda. You can do this now quite legally under the Constitution. The High Court is likely to support your moves.
This situation, by the way, is not new. The Concrete Pipes Case in 1971 gave the Commonwealth a very powerful weapon in the corporations power and Moore v Doyle on industrial relations was decided in 1969.
It may be legal but is it right? Do we want a system where one level of government makes all policy decisions? Do we want a system where our State/Territory governments wither on the vine and where our local councils, in whatever shape they end up, are simply purveyors of the policy of our federal government?
I don't know what everyone else wants but I know that I want to have a say. I want the chance to have the case debated and, on something this important, I want to have a vote.
And I have to say, in my most restrained voice, that I object strenuously to a Prime Minister and a government that, for short term political purposes, are prepared to create precedents that will make it so much easier for another government to move just a bit further and further and further ....
And what is this rubbish about the Commonwealth's supposed 'overwatch' role. Where the blazes did that come from? Certainly not the Constitution.
Sue and I don't agree about everything but, on most things that matter at the local council level - roads, fire and weed management, community services, development and animal control - we are pretty much in agreement. And if we don't agree we can have a chat. In fact, if we disagree enough then I could get myself organised and run against her. Probably wouldn't win but it would shake things up enough to have my point well heard by all.
Our MLA, Rob, is a mate of mine. He used to work for me and stayed a mate afterwards. Rob doesn't get involved in local issues. Instead he is held accountable for the things that are the Territory Government's responsibility - health, major roads, education, housing, infrastructure development. Rob may not always agree with me but he always pays attention. He knows that I am a vicious sod and if he upsets enough people like me then he is out of a job. In an electorate of just over 4,000 electors everyone is a potential 'vicious sod'.
Rob is a member of the ALP and, while he is personally accountable to his electors, his party is also accountable. Rob may do the right thing but we still might have to throw him out if his party stuffs things up. This is precisely what happened to Tim, the previous MLA - good bloke, good representative, wrong party.
Warren, or more properly Wozza, is our local MHR. Wozza is also a pretty good sort of bloke. He has been there for a long time and I suspect that the next will be his last term unless he cracks it and becomes a Minister. Lingiari is a safe Labor electorate. Some would call it rusted on. Voters in this electorate obviously make their decisions on all sorts of factors but it would be no surprise to find that Indigenous and regional development issues are up there for most people and the ALP is clearly seen as better on those.
All of these people are my representatives. They are accountable for their actions and the actions of their parties - and they know it. The people who stand against them were also held accountable for their actions and the actions of their parties and that is why they were not elected.
It seems to me to be stating the absolutely bleeding obvious that the capacity to hold our representatives accountable is at the heart of a representative democracy.
Buck passing and cost shifting are diseases that can make this 'heart' of our representative democracy very ill. They are probably impossible to cure completely but they are so much more debilitating where it is not completely clear who is responsible for something. No level of government is immune from the seductive influence of being able to spin a line that someone else is to blame. A bureaucrat who fails to get someone else to pay for something that needs to be done when that is remotely possible would not last.
So I would argue that the first step in allowing us to hold our representatives accountable, and thus keeping the heart of our representative democracy well exercised and healthy, is clarity of responsibility.
As with anything that involves the division or provision of power, achieving clarity of responsibility between Federal, State and local levels of government is very hard to achieve. Those who developed our Constitution were well aware of the issue. Unfortunately, they were actually 100% wrong in thinking that they needed to try to protect the Commonwealth from the States, but they still provided a system for sorting out problems.
The system is actually pretty simple. Specify the powers of one level of government, add a couple of absolute prohibitions, leave all other powers and functions to the States, give the High Court the power to interpret and, if all else fails send the issue to the people in a referendum.
Many, many people would say that we have an imperfect system. Gough Whitlam as Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1966 in a speech to the Fabian Society proposed a system that would abolish the States and create 18 regional governments. It might have been a good idea but it never had a show because the other side of politics - and probably most of his side - wouldn't wear it. And as everyone knows a referendum that is not supported by both major parties has no hope.
There are other ways of changing the system. Again it is basically very simple. You simply get control of the money and use it to both strangle the States and pursue your own agenda. You can do this now quite legally under the Constitution. The High Court is likely to support your moves.
This situation, by the way, is not new. The Concrete Pipes Case in 1971 gave the Commonwealth a very powerful weapon in the corporations power and Moore v Doyle on industrial relations was decided in 1969.
It may be legal but is it right? Do we want a system where one level of government makes all policy decisions? Do we want a system where our State/Territory governments wither on the vine and where our local councils, in whatever shape they end up, are simply purveyors of the policy of our federal government?
I don't know what everyone else wants but I know that I want to have a say. I want the chance to have the case debated and, on something this important, I want to have a vote.
And I have to say, in my most restrained voice, that I object strenuously to a Prime Minister and a government that, for short term political purposes, are prepared to create precedents that will make it so much easier for another government to move just a bit further and further and further ....
And what is this rubbish about the Commonwealth's supposed 'overwatch' role. Where the blazes did that come from? Certainly not the Constitution.
Monday 9 July 2007
It is Not Just About Power
John Howard has done something that current ALP Premiers and Chief Ministers, and possibly a new Labor Prime Minister, should reflect on and then replicate. He has had an agenda and he has pursued it.
Our current PM has changed the society in a way we wouldn't have imagined possible 10 years ago. He has turned us from a society that was proud of its place as a safe haven for refugees to one that regards them with suspicion, from a society where tolerance and respect for difference were lauded as desirable goals to one where the views of Alan Jones are favored and from one where unions played a diminishing but still important role to one where they are being painted as pariahs, apparently successfully.
Mr Howard has done this and more by never taking his eye off his real agenda, even while he allowed the opinion polls to make most of his day to day decisions.
I have a real worry about the current State Labor governments. I wonder if they think that being in power is what it is all about.
I am not in a search for ideological purity or rampant reformers. I spent the first 22 years of my life being governed by a LNP government. The line that it is better to have our principles intact and remain in opposition never cut much ice as far as I was concerned. Australians threw out Labor when I was born and it wasn't until I voted for the first time that the party made it back.
And I remember well the discussions and debates in endless party meetings and over many beers about whether and how much could/should be sold out, changed, massaged or forgotten in order to present a package the electorate would go for. But there was never a time when we actually believed that a Labor government would not advocate and implement what we considered to be progressive social and economic policy.
The Hawke government shook my faith somewhat but Keating brought a lot of it back.
What of the current Labor governments in the States and Territories? Which one is out there driving a progressive agenda, creating an environment where there is opportunity for all and providing real assistance to the people on the bottom of the heap?
I haven't spent a lot of time looking at what is happening in every State and Territory but, with the honorable exception of John Stanhope, I can see no Labor leader doing what I want to see a Labor leader doing.
Yes, you have to be in power. As Clare Martin said once 'the worst day in government is better than the best day in opposition'. But it is necessary that you do more than be in power.
Standard operating procedure seems to be focus on the economy, keep business on-side, keep a close eye on the polls and shamelessly spin every issue to maintain the desired image of a 'don't scare the horses' government, leaving any possibility of a social policy agenda to be dealt with only when the situation becomes critical.
John Howard has done well. Would that Labor leaders observe and find a way to set and achieve their agendas.
Our current PM has changed the society in a way we wouldn't have imagined possible 10 years ago. He has turned us from a society that was proud of its place as a safe haven for refugees to one that regards them with suspicion, from a society where tolerance and respect for difference were lauded as desirable goals to one where the views of Alan Jones are favored and from one where unions played a diminishing but still important role to one where they are being painted as pariahs, apparently successfully.
Mr Howard has done this and more by never taking his eye off his real agenda, even while he allowed the opinion polls to make most of his day to day decisions.
I have a real worry about the current State Labor governments. I wonder if they think that being in power is what it is all about.
I am not in a search for ideological purity or rampant reformers. I spent the first 22 years of my life being governed by a LNP government. The line that it is better to have our principles intact and remain in opposition never cut much ice as far as I was concerned. Australians threw out Labor when I was born and it wasn't until I voted for the first time that the party made it back.
And I remember well the discussions and debates in endless party meetings and over many beers about whether and how much could/should be sold out, changed, massaged or forgotten in order to present a package the electorate would go for. But there was never a time when we actually believed that a Labor government would not advocate and implement what we considered to be progressive social and economic policy.
The Hawke government shook my faith somewhat but Keating brought a lot of it back.
What of the current Labor governments in the States and Territories? Which one is out there driving a progressive agenda, creating an environment where there is opportunity for all and providing real assistance to the people on the bottom of the heap?
I haven't spent a lot of time looking at what is happening in every State and Territory but, with the honorable exception of John Stanhope, I can see no Labor leader doing what I want to see a Labor leader doing.
Yes, you have to be in power. As Clare Martin said once 'the worst day in government is better than the best day in opposition'. But it is necessary that you do more than be in power.
Standard operating procedure seems to be focus on the economy, keep business on-side, keep a close eye on the polls and shamelessly spin every issue to maintain the desired image of a 'don't scare the horses' government, leaving any possibility of a social policy agenda to be dealt with only when the situation becomes critical.
John Howard has done well. Would that Labor leaders observe and find a way to set and achieve their agendas.
Sunday 8 July 2007
They're Watching
There are many good things about working in the bush on your own all day. There is, for instance, no one about to see the stupid things you do. At least not everything.
I am putting in a fence around our big block at the moment. The fence is going in a fair way from habitation. Most of it about 2 kms away, but coming closer down the northern boundary.
My dad taught me to fence in the very different conditions of the Southern Tablelands of NSW. He built good strong fences that kept the rabbits out and the sheep, cattle and horses in. They were always straight, the posts were straight up and things were done properly.
My fence needs to keep cattle, horses and (if I can convince the appropriate authority) buffalo in but needs to allow wallabies, pigs and all wildlife easy movement.
I thought the ground down South was hard but I have to say that, compared with some of the ground I am digging in here in Eva Valley, it wasn't so bad. When you drop the posthole digger into the ground and it simply polishes the surface, you know this is going to be a difficult one.
But every Wet season the ground gets very soggy almost everywhere. So the trick is, as it is with most things to do with soil up here, to add water. I am pretty sure that my dad would smile and shake his head if he heard this but standard procedure is to dig out as much as I can - you know when the crow bar bounces back up and smacks you in the ear - and then add as much water as you can get in the hole. Walk away and come back in a few hours. Repeat.;
Part of the problem is over engineering, possibly. I am putting in a fence that will be 1200 mm high. Strainers need to be in the ground 1/3 of their length. These are the rules. Thus they should be in about 600mm. I have built strainers that are 2m long, at least, just to be sure.
There should only need to be 3 sets of strainers for this job because I only have 2 sides left to fence but, instead there are 6 and I may need to put in a couple more. This requires 12 holes, at least.
This happens because, as my neighbour tells me, either the first surveyor - who marked out the blocks 100 years ago - or the one I hired at great expense to tell me where the boundary is, were drunk at the time. Possibly both. The boundary wanders a bit you see. Nice straight lines are really what you want. They are easier and everyone can admire them.
To make things more interesting, one part of the boundary goes through a Wet season creek line. This means that, although it is like iron at the moment, the ground will turn to soup during the Wet. What will happen to the strainers in there? Two sets of them. I have a plan based on bracing them to others that should be more solid but I don't know if it will work.
The location of these labours is, as I said, well away from anyone along a track that the council does not maintain.
Neighbour gives me a call to discuss shifting his cattle, 'that fence is going to be a bugger to build through that swamp'. Up at the shop to get the paper another bloke 'how many pickets will you be putting in? About 350? They'll be a bugger to drive in that country'. Yet another 'jeez mate, you have taken on a big job there. You should get someone in to give you a hand'.
My current worry is putting up a 1.6 km line, dead straight up a bit of a hill. Problem is that, when it is built, you will get a glimpse of some it from the main road, if you happen to look.
My occasional adviser on matters to do with the development of this block would say to me - I can almost hear her, - 'what does it matter if there is a little kink in the fence. People don't go round checking whether other peoples fences are straight do they? Don't worry about it.'
They aren't watching! They don't look! Don't kid yourself.
I am putting in a fence around our big block at the moment. The fence is going in a fair way from habitation. Most of it about 2 kms away, but coming closer down the northern boundary.
My dad taught me to fence in the very different conditions of the Southern Tablelands of NSW. He built good strong fences that kept the rabbits out and the sheep, cattle and horses in. They were always straight, the posts were straight up and things were done properly.
My fence needs to keep cattle, horses and (if I can convince the appropriate authority) buffalo in but needs to allow wallabies, pigs and all wildlife easy movement.
I thought the ground down South was hard but I have to say that, compared with some of the ground I am digging in here in Eva Valley, it wasn't so bad. When you drop the posthole digger into the ground and it simply polishes the surface, you know this is going to be a difficult one.
But every Wet season the ground gets very soggy almost everywhere. So the trick is, as it is with most things to do with soil up here, to add water. I am pretty sure that my dad would smile and shake his head if he heard this but standard procedure is to dig out as much as I can - you know when the crow bar bounces back up and smacks you in the ear - and then add as much water as you can get in the hole. Walk away and come back in a few hours. Repeat.;
Part of the problem is over engineering, possibly. I am putting in a fence that will be 1200 mm high. Strainers need to be in the ground 1/3 of their length. These are the rules. Thus they should be in about 600mm. I have built strainers that are 2m long, at least, just to be sure.
There should only need to be 3 sets of strainers for this job because I only have 2 sides left to fence but, instead there are 6 and I may need to put in a couple more. This requires 12 holes, at least.
This happens because, as my neighbour tells me, either the first surveyor - who marked out the blocks 100 years ago - or the one I hired at great expense to tell me where the boundary is, were drunk at the time. Possibly both. The boundary wanders a bit you see. Nice straight lines are really what you want. They are easier and everyone can admire them.
To make things more interesting, one part of the boundary goes through a Wet season creek line. This means that, although it is like iron at the moment, the ground will turn to soup during the Wet. What will happen to the strainers in there? Two sets of them. I have a plan based on bracing them to others that should be more solid but I don't know if it will work.
The location of these labours is, as I said, well away from anyone along a track that the council does not maintain.
Neighbour gives me a call to discuss shifting his cattle, 'that fence is going to be a bugger to build through that swamp'. Up at the shop to get the paper another bloke 'how many pickets will you be putting in? About 350? They'll be a bugger to drive in that country'. Yet another 'jeez mate, you have taken on a big job there. You should get someone in to give you a hand'.
My current worry is putting up a 1.6 km line, dead straight up a bit of a hill. Problem is that, when it is built, you will get a glimpse of some it from the main road, if you happen to look.
My occasional adviser on matters to do with the development of this block would say to me - I can almost hear her, - 'what does it matter if there is a little kink in the fence. People don't go round checking whether other peoples fences are straight do they? Don't worry about it.'
They aren't watching! They don't look! Don't kid yourself.
Saturday 7 July 2007
This AWA Business
There has been a hell of a lot written about AWAs and I am sure that every point and its brother have been covered many times in the debate. But there is one that I haven't heard yet.
Most of what we hear is about people on the bottom of the pile being done over by bosses or about how those workers in high demand are able to negotiate good contracts with their bosses.
My situation was not covered by either of the above situations. I was a 'permanent' public servant for many years. I reached a level where permanence was considered not appropriate by my employer and I was offered a fixed term contract. I resigned my permanent post and signed up for a contract.
Now I had a job that I loved. I had the power to make things happen that I believed were important to significant parts of the community. I was able to influence decisions of government in a pretty direct way and I was able to create teams that were often enthusiastic and highly productive. The fact is, and my bosses knew it well, I would have done the same job, with the same amount of zeal, for half the money.
My negotiation skills were considered sufficiently good for me to lead negotiations on behalf of government in major inter-governmental agreements and I believe that I had the reputation of bringing in a good product.
There is, however, no doubt whatsoever that the only reason that I received a reasonable contract from my employers was because others had set the precedent. I was simply a terrible advocate on my own behalf.
When I decided to leave it wasn't because I was not receiving enough. It was primarily because I realised that, if I was ever going to do some of things I had always wanted to do, then I had better get moving. When I left they broke my job into 2 and then added 3 more off siders.
The point is not that I felt I was done over. It is that I was not, am not, unique. There are many people in public services, non government organisations and private enterprises who are dedicated to their jobs and who feel that they are playing an important role. These people are easy meat in any contract negotiation.
In the new world of individuals I suppose there is less place for people who are not able to represent themselves. I am not convinced that this is a good thing or that the world will benefit in the long term.
Neither is the high end of town. Unions of workers may be on the nose but business continues to operate collectively bigger and better than ever before.
It all strikes me as a con job - and the surprise for me is that people don't seem to realise it.
Most of what we hear is about people on the bottom of the pile being done over by bosses or about how those workers in high demand are able to negotiate good contracts with their bosses.
My situation was not covered by either of the above situations. I was a 'permanent' public servant for many years. I reached a level where permanence was considered not appropriate by my employer and I was offered a fixed term contract. I resigned my permanent post and signed up for a contract.
Now I had a job that I loved. I had the power to make things happen that I believed were important to significant parts of the community. I was able to influence decisions of government in a pretty direct way and I was able to create teams that were often enthusiastic and highly productive. The fact is, and my bosses knew it well, I would have done the same job, with the same amount of zeal, for half the money.
My negotiation skills were considered sufficiently good for me to lead negotiations on behalf of government in major inter-governmental agreements and I believe that I had the reputation of bringing in a good product.
There is, however, no doubt whatsoever that the only reason that I received a reasonable contract from my employers was because others had set the precedent. I was simply a terrible advocate on my own behalf.
When I decided to leave it wasn't because I was not receiving enough. It was primarily because I realised that, if I was ever going to do some of things I had always wanted to do, then I had better get moving. When I left they broke my job into 2 and then added 3 more off siders.
The point is not that I felt I was done over. It is that I was not, am not, unique. There are many people in public services, non government organisations and private enterprises who are dedicated to their jobs and who feel that they are playing an important role. These people are easy meat in any contract negotiation.
In the new world of individuals I suppose there is less place for people who are not able to represent themselves. I am not convinced that this is a good thing or that the world will benefit in the long term.
Neither is the high end of town. Unions of workers may be on the nose but business continues to operate collectively bigger and better than ever before.
It all strikes me as a con job - and the surprise for me is that people don't seem to realise it.
Tuesday 3 July 2007
An Experiment - Sort of
Well. It has happened. The woman of my dreams has left me. Only for a week though. Has had to go to Perth and Alice Springs. I suspect it is for playing up purposes but she would have me believe she has work to do. Is that believable? And on Saturday night there is a major function in Alice that she is working on getting all done up for. Even less believable.
Now this is a strange situation. You see she is a woman who just loves to shop. She is going to a place where there a lot more shops than here or even in Darwin. Her Perth meeting will only last for a few hours but she has to stay on until she can pick up plane connections. Loads of free time and she is in the center of a city with lots of shops. Should be heaven.
Not so.
She will shop alright, but that simply means looking - and very occasionally trying something on. It doesn't mean actually buying. That is where I come in. Not to pay or anything like that. My role is to work out what she might actually want to buy and then try to convince her to actually make the purchase. I always err on the side of buying more rather than less so it can be a painful process - for me that is. The lady just keeps looking and is totally relaxed about it all. Smiles a lot.
With me not there she is going to be in trouble. Unless there are some excellent specials I suspect that this whole trip will be a shopping failure.
Of course, she may read this post. That will be interesting. I am prepared to punt that she will either buy a lot or buy nothing. Interesting eh? Sneaky perhaps but you have to be sneaky sometimes.
Now this is a strange situation. You see she is a woman who just loves to shop. She is going to a place where there a lot more shops than here or even in Darwin. Her Perth meeting will only last for a few hours but she has to stay on until she can pick up plane connections. Loads of free time and she is in the center of a city with lots of shops. Should be heaven.
Not so.
She will shop alright, but that simply means looking - and very occasionally trying something on. It doesn't mean actually buying. That is where I come in. Not to pay or anything like that. My role is to work out what she might actually want to buy and then try to convince her to actually make the purchase. I always err on the side of buying more rather than less so it can be a painful process - for me that is. The lady just keeps looking and is totally relaxed about it all. Smiles a lot.
With me not there she is going to be in trouble. Unless there are some excellent specials I suspect that this whole trip will be a shopping failure.
Of course, she may read this post. That will be interesting. I am prepared to punt that she will either buy a lot or buy nothing. Interesting eh? Sneaky perhaps but you have to be sneaky sometimes.
Monday 2 July 2007
Have a Look
at this one on Club Troppo. The bloke who wrote this must be intelligent. We agree with each other.
Wednesday 27 June 2007
Time to Reel Them In
Howard and Brough are now pretty well on the hook. They are committed to making 'something' happen and are starting to talk about this being a 'well planned' approach that will operate over the 'long term' - not that it was or is.
There is a long way to go and there will be snags along the way that could give them the opportunity to spit the hook but a gradual increase in the pressure should keep them there and set the scene nicely for a new government. John Altman's statement today that it could cost $5 billion to fund the Australian Government's intervention is the sort of thing that is useful. Now we need the police, doctors and others to find that the health of kids is worse than we thought and that it is connected to poor housing, lack of family support and, most importantly, lack of education and lack of meaningful occupation.
Don't get me wrong, this is still an abhorrent approach that fails in a most basic way to recognise that the people who are the target deserve dignity and respect. As I was just reminded, Paul Keating in the Redfern Speech put the question "Ask yourselves. What if this was done to you?"
But it still gives me some satisfaction that Howard and Brough have opened this can of worms. They wont want to shut it and neither will they be able to. Imagine if Rudd had tried to spend up big in Indigenous affairs in government early next year. The right would have had a conniption and I am not sure that Rudd would have had the necessary to carry through. Now, though, he will simply be operating in a bipartisan manner - in fact, if it is played right, the ALP will have no option but to introduce real programs backed by real dollars.
So let's keep the line moving in, building the pressure until they are all well and truly in the boat and can not wriggle out of doing what needs to be done to give Indigenous kids a chance.
There is a long way to go and there will be snags along the way that could give them the opportunity to spit the hook but a gradual increase in the pressure should keep them there and set the scene nicely for a new government. John Altman's statement today that it could cost $5 billion to fund the Australian Government's intervention is the sort of thing that is useful. Now we need the police, doctors and others to find that the health of kids is worse than we thought and that it is connected to poor housing, lack of family support and, most importantly, lack of education and lack of meaningful occupation.
Don't get me wrong, this is still an abhorrent approach that fails in a most basic way to recognise that the people who are the target deserve dignity and respect. As I was just reminded, Paul Keating in the Redfern Speech put the question "Ask yourselves. What if this was done to you?"
But it still gives me some satisfaction that Howard and Brough have opened this can of worms. They wont want to shut it and neither will they be able to. Imagine if Rudd had tried to spend up big in Indigenous affairs in government early next year. The right would have had a conniption and I am not sure that Rudd would have had the necessary to carry through. Now, though, he will simply be operating in a bipartisan manner - in fact, if it is played right, the ALP will have no option but to introduce real programs backed by real dollars.
So let's keep the line moving in, building the pressure until they are all well and truly in the boat and can not wriggle out of doing what needs to be done to give Indigenous kids a chance.
Sunday 24 June 2007
The Howard/Brough Plan
The response by the Australian Government to the report on the sexual abuse of Indigenous children in the Northern Territory has been getting a lot of coverage in the news and current affairs programs and, of course, on other blogs. I have started a contribution many times but each time my anger and frustration has generate far too much obscenity. So I have stopped. Because simply railing against such moves is not going to make anything happen.
Sexual abuse, any abuse, of children is beyond the pale. There are few actions that I would not support if they stopped abuse happening. I would even support John Howard and Mal Brough and, for me, that would be a major step.
For me the point is that the action must stop abuse happening.
Does the Howard/Brough plan meet that test?
I watched Insiders on the ABC this morning. It struck me yet again that there seems to be a serious confusion in play. There is no doubt that there are paedophiles operating in Aboriginal communities in the Territory. I suspect that it will be found that there are both black and white ones that are there, and that have been there. I suspect also that there are kids who have been abused and that are being abused by these people.
But is this it? Are there really so many paedophiles operating in remote NT communities that they are causing the sorts of effects that are noted by the report of Pat Anderson and Rex Wild? Or is the real situation different?
The average age of first birth of girls at Wadeye during the last couple of years is 12. I have listened to young men - young being less than 20 - arguing about who had fathered the most children. There was no suggestion that they were paedophiles and no suggestion in the community that the girls were other than willing participants. They enjoyed the money that comes with children. Quite lucrative is the having of children. Even without the baby bonus, family support payments are useful and they come every week. You don't have to do anything. Just have babies.
Before TV hit remote communities there were people who were worried about what some programs would do to society on Aboriginal communities. People were concerned that young impressionable people would be given a strange view of the world by programs such as Baywatch. They shouldn't have worried. Many young impressionable people on remote communities moved quickly from TV to DVDs. These days there are stories of wide scale use of hard core porn DVDs being used in many communities. There is increasing evidence that some are getting some education about what is acceptable form these DVDs.
The system of promised wives had broken down in some places but it remains strong in others. There are prohibitions on men taking up with their promised wives too early but 'too early' is a definitional question. The 'too early' for some may not always be the 'too early' for others.
Australian law requires monogamy. It is quite possible, however, for a traditional Aboriginal man to have more than one wife, and at times quite a few. The practice is possibly gradually being abandoned but it is still a factor in many communities.
Add alcohol, petrol or ganga to this mix and you have a recipe for what may be the abuse of children.
I could go on.
The point of all of this is that the problem that the Howard/Brough plan is attacking is not as simple as chasing paedophiles and protecting kids from them. There are a range of both old and new cultural mores and practices that are in play here as well, of course, as the probable paedophiles. The Wild/Anderson report recognised the complexity, as does anyone who has any knowledge of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
This is all a long way of talking about why I have been infuriated by the Howard/Brough plan. We have police and the army being sent in to 'stabilise' the situation. Stabilise what exactly? Rampant paedophiles stalking the streets of townships? Isn't it the nature of these people that they are normally good at hiding what they do and thus take considerable, careful detective work to find?
Is it grog running they are going to stop? Given that all bar 6 or 7 communities are already 'dry' there is a lot of grog running that goes on. Extra coppers may slow them down but stop them? There is a level of dedication in the grog runners that inspires high levels of innovation. Just fly over Ali Curung and look at the dozens of tracks leading into the township. Consider the blokes who are prepared to walk across a crocodile infested river with a carton on their head night after night. 60 coppers and 60 communities. And just for 6 months. Need to be smarter than that.
Medical checks on the girls under 16. What will they find? That many of the teenagers have had sexual relations? Highly likely I would have thought.
Remove the need for permits to enter Aboriginal land. What has that got to do with sexual abuse?
Take over administration of communities from the current community councils. Could be relevant but it is not easy to see an immediate connection.
What is needed is a strategy that deals with all of the aspects of abuse of children. This is precisely what was attempted by the Wild/Anderson report and, while I don't agree with all of it, there are recommendations there that could address a truly appalling situation.
How then should we react to the Howard/Brough plan? Tell them it is a load of rubbish and they might go away. But if they do then they will probably take their money with them and the money is what is needed. The trick for Aboriginal communities in the Territory and for the Northern Territory Government is to manage this situation to ensure the money flows into a plan that actually does address the situation. To do this they will probably have to cop the silly, intrusive and racist bits of the Howard/Brough plan while they do their best to manipulate and move things to achieve some of the outcomes that are necessary.
I well understand the strategy being pursued by the Martin Government. If I worked for them I would probably have suggested something similar. Once you have a force like the Feds moving you can often gradually shift their focus. Getting them moving - or paying attention - is always the larger problem.
But I still bleed for the people who are being demeaned and dimished by the actions of people who have not learned that all people should be treated with dignity and respect.
Sexual abuse, any abuse, of children is beyond the pale. There are few actions that I would not support if they stopped abuse happening. I would even support John Howard and Mal Brough and, for me, that would be a major step.
For me the point is that the action must stop abuse happening.
Does the Howard/Brough plan meet that test?
I watched Insiders on the ABC this morning. It struck me yet again that there seems to be a serious confusion in play. There is no doubt that there are paedophiles operating in Aboriginal communities in the Territory. I suspect that it will be found that there are both black and white ones that are there, and that have been there. I suspect also that there are kids who have been abused and that are being abused by these people.
But is this it? Are there really so many paedophiles operating in remote NT communities that they are causing the sorts of effects that are noted by the report of Pat Anderson and Rex Wild? Or is the real situation different?
The average age of first birth of girls at Wadeye during the last couple of years is 12. I have listened to young men - young being less than 20 - arguing about who had fathered the most children. There was no suggestion that they were paedophiles and no suggestion in the community that the girls were other than willing participants. They enjoyed the money that comes with children. Quite lucrative is the having of children. Even without the baby bonus, family support payments are useful and they come every week. You don't have to do anything. Just have babies.
Before TV hit remote communities there were people who were worried about what some programs would do to society on Aboriginal communities. People were concerned that young impressionable people would be given a strange view of the world by programs such as Baywatch. They shouldn't have worried. Many young impressionable people on remote communities moved quickly from TV to DVDs. These days there are stories of wide scale use of hard core porn DVDs being used in many communities. There is increasing evidence that some are getting some education about what is acceptable form these DVDs.
The system of promised wives had broken down in some places but it remains strong in others. There are prohibitions on men taking up with their promised wives too early but 'too early' is a definitional question. The 'too early' for some may not always be the 'too early' for others.
Australian law requires monogamy. It is quite possible, however, for a traditional Aboriginal man to have more than one wife, and at times quite a few. The practice is possibly gradually being abandoned but it is still a factor in many communities.
Add alcohol, petrol or ganga to this mix and you have a recipe for what may be the abuse of children.
I could go on.
The point of all of this is that the problem that the Howard/Brough plan is attacking is not as simple as chasing paedophiles and protecting kids from them. There are a range of both old and new cultural mores and practices that are in play here as well, of course, as the probable paedophiles. The Wild/Anderson report recognised the complexity, as does anyone who has any knowledge of Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory.
This is all a long way of talking about why I have been infuriated by the Howard/Brough plan. We have police and the army being sent in to 'stabilise' the situation. Stabilise what exactly? Rampant paedophiles stalking the streets of townships? Isn't it the nature of these people that they are normally good at hiding what they do and thus take considerable, careful detective work to find?
Is it grog running they are going to stop? Given that all bar 6 or 7 communities are already 'dry' there is a lot of grog running that goes on. Extra coppers may slow them down but stop them? There is a level of dedication in the grog runners that inspires high levels of innovation. Just fly over Ali Curung and look at the dozens of tracks leading into the township. Consider the blokes who are prepared to walk across a crocodile infested river with a carton on their head night after night. 60 coppers and 60 communities. And just for 6 months. Need to be smarter than that.
Medical checks on the girls under 16. What will they find? That many of the teenagers have had sexual relations? Highly likely I would have thought.
Remove the need for permits to enter Aboriginal land. What has that got to do with sexual abuse?
Take over administration of communities from the current community councils. Could be relevant but it is not easy to see an immediate connection.
What is needed is a strategy that deals with all of the aspects of abuse of children. This is precisely what was attempted by the Wild/Anderson report and, while I don't agree with all of it, there are recommendations there that could address a truly appalling situation.
How then should we react to the Howard/Brough plan? Tell them it is a load of rubbish and they might go away. But if they do then they will probably take their money with them and the money is what is needed. The trick for Aboriginal communities in the Territory and for the Northern Territory Government is to manage this situation to ensure the money flows into a plan that actually does address the situation. To do this they will probably have to cop the silly, intrusive and racist bits of the Howard/Brough plan while they do their best to manipulate and move things to achieve some of the outcomes that are necessary.
I well understand the strategy being pursued by the Martin Government. If I worked for them I would probably have suggested something similar. Once you have a force like the Feds moving you can often gradually shift their focus. Getting them moving - or paying attention - is always the larger problem.
But I still bleed for the people who are being demeaned and dimished by the actions of people who have not learned that all people should be treated with dignity and respect.
Thursday 21 June 2007
Our Contract with Society
I have always had a strong view that with rights comes duty - or responsibility if you prefer. I have a suspicion that this principle was embedded at a very young age, forcefully, by my parents but don't recall a specific event. It may have been my father quietly explaining that riding around on the horse in the afternoon was OK but that getting the milking cows in was required. But there were certainly other occasions. 'You live in this house, you follow the rules'. My mum was always pretty specific. Anyway the principle stuck.
The necessary connection between rights and duty seems to be less well appreciated than is useful for an effective society at the moment. Take political leaders for instance. We have given them the right to govern us. We have said that we will accept the decisions they make and, if necessary, pay with money, time and some even with lives.
Implicit in the principle is that the more significant the right, the greater the duty. Thus, political leaders carry a very heavy duty. The duty to tell us the truth, to govern for us all and to treat us with dignity and respect. That sort of thing. How does this fit with some of what goes on now and what we have become used to? 'Non-core' promises, divisive legislation, 'fudging' on the advice that has been received and flat out lying about matters of major importance because it is impossible for the great unwashed to know the truth.
I am not picking just on political leaders though. The problem is more pervasive in the society. Recently in the Northern Territory we had a terrible situation to do with the McArthur River Mine. The Federal Court made a decision on a technicality that could have looked like it had given victory to people against the mine's plans. The problem was always capable of a relatively easy fix and the determination of the government and the mine for the plan to go ahead was crystal clear. Why then was there a belief on the part of the people opposing that they had won? Why were they celebrating? Because their leaders told them they could win and had won . It was useful to have them believing this to try to put pressure on the government.
It is amazing to me that the people on Palm Island believed that they would see Glen Hurley convicted. Any sensible analysis of the situation would tell you that it was highly unlikely. I am not saying that Hurley did or didn't do what was alleged, just that it was always going to be extremely difficult to prove that he was guilty of murder beyond reasonable doubt. Wasn't it the responsibility of the leadership to ensure that the people they represent were fully aware of this? Is it not almost criminal to create expectations that are not likely to be met?
I am perfectly well aware of the value of mass anger when you are trying to get a government or some other power to change their view. I am also perfectly well aware that the level of anger is closely related to the gap between expectation and reality. It is always seductive for leaders to use the anger of the people they represent to push a point. But with the power to lead comes a duty to the people you lead. That duty does not allow you to lie to them. In fact, it requires that you treat them with dignity and respect.
It may just be me but the sin of all sins is to sell out your own. You tell them the truth and, if you need to use them to make a point, you do it with their informed collaboration.
I used to wonder whether it was much use having rights if with them comes all of these duties. It might be easier just to bop along and not pay much attention to anything. But even if you are living in the long grass there are people who reckon you have a duty not to humbug people or cavort too much in public places. So I guess there is no escaping it.
The necessary connection between rights and duty seems to be less well appreciated than is useful for an effective society at the moment. Take political leaders for instance. We have given them the right to govern us. We have said that we will accept the decisions they make and, if necessary, pay with money, time and some even with lives.
Implicit in the principle is that the more significant the right, the greater the duty. Thus, political leaders carry a very heavy duty. The duty to tell us the truth, to govern for us all and to treat us with dignity and respect. That sort of thing. How does this fit with some of what goes on now and what we have become used to? 'Non-core' promises, divisive legislation, 'fudging' on the advice that has been received and flat out lying about matters of major importance because it is impossible for the great unwashed to know the truth.
I am not picking just on political leaders though. The problem is more pervasive in the society. Recently in the Northern Territory we had a terrible situation to do with the McArthur River Mine. The Federal Court made a decision on a technicality that could have looked like it had given victory to people against the mine's plans. The problem was always capable of a relatively easy fix and the determination of the government and the mine for the plan to go ahead was crystal clear. Why then was there a belief on the part of the people opposing that they had won? Why were they celebrating? Because their leaders told them they could win and had won . It was useful to have them believing this to try to put pressure on the government.
It is amazing to me that the people on Palm Island believed that they would see Glen Hurley convicted. Any sensible analysis of the situation would tell you that it was highly unlikely. I am not saying that Hurley did or didn't do what was alleged, just that it was always going to be extremely difficult to prove that he was guilty of murder beyond reasonable doubt. Wasn't it the responsibility of the leadership to ensure that the people they represent were fully aware of this? Is it not almost criminal to create expectations that are not likely to be met?
I am perfectly well aware of the value of mass anger when you are trying to get a government or some other power to change their view. I am also perfectly well aware that the level of anger is closely related to the gap between expectation and reality. It is always seductive for leaders to use the anger of the people they represent to push a point. But with the power to lead comes a duty to the people you lead. That duty does not allow you to lie to them. In fact, it requires that you treat them with dignity and respect.
It may just be me but the sin of all sins is to sell out your own. You tell them the truth and, if you need to use them to make a point, you do it with their informed collaboration.
I used to wonder whether it was much use having rights if with them comes all of these duties. It might be easier just to bop along and not pay much attention to anything. But even if you are living in the long grass there are people who reckon you have a duty not to humbug people or cavort too much in public places. So I guess there is no escaping it.
Tuesday 19 June 2007
As a Welder ...
... I make an excellent report writer. So why do I try to weld?
These days I am spending an inordinate amount of time building. There is a shed to build - foundations are almost there and the rest will be easy. There is 2.5km of fencing to put up - I now have most of the material and just need to weld up the strainer assembly. Job is straight forward. Just bloody hard work.
I have never really learnt how to build things. Have worked it out as I have been going along. Trial and error really. Nothing I put up falls down but it does seem that I often build somewhat over-engineered structures. Standard practice is to look at the plans and the increase the strength by between 33 and 50% - maybe more.
One problem, or challenge if you like, is welding. I am well aware that this is a taks that requires a level of skill and knowledge. Training takes a while and I shouldn't really expect to fire up a welder and get stuck into it. But of course that is what I am doing. Mistakes abound. There is frequent cursing and not a little frustration. It takes a lot of time to get it right. Considerably more I suspect than it would if I was competent.
Welding is just one of the tasks where I leap in and have a go at something when I don't have the skills . Why do I do this?
I have written reports, managed organisations, run projects, analysed policy and developed proposals for over 30 years. There are those who say I am, or was, pretty good at it. Why then am I not doing the things I am good at and battling away instead at doing things I am not? Is life about always doing the things that you are comfortable with or about having a go at something else? Where does satisfaction come from?
For me these days a well welded joint is every bit as fullfilling as a well crafted Cabinet Submission and, when that shed is up and the fence is holding the cattle in, well that will be a cause for celebration.
These days I am spending an inordinate amount of time building. There is a shed to build - foundations are almost there and the rest will be easy. There is 2.5km of fencing to put up - I now have most of the material and just need to weld up the strainer assembly. Job is straight forward. Just bloody hard work.
I have never really learnt how to build things. Have worked it out as I have been going along. Trial and error really. Nothing I put up falls down but it does seem that I often build somewhat over-engineered structures. Standard practice is to look at the plans and the increase the strength by between 33 and 50% - maybe more.
One problem, or challenge if you like, is welding. I am well aware that this is a taks that requires a level of skill and knowledge. Training takes a while and I shouldn't really expect to fire up a welder and get stuck into it. But of course that is what I am doing. Mistakes abound. There is frequent cursing and not a little frustration. It takes a lot of time to get it right. Considerably more I suspect than it would if I was competent.
Welding is just one of the tasks where I leap in and have a go at something when I don't have the skills . Why do I do this?
I have written reports, managed organisations, run projects, analysed policy and developed proposals for over 30 years. There are those who say I am, or was, pretty good at it. Why then am I not doing the things I am good at and battling away instead at doing things I am not? Is life about always doing the things that you are comfortable with or about having a go at something else? Where does satisfaction come from?
For me these days a well welded joint is every bit as fullfilling as a well crafted Cabinet Submission and, when that shed is up and the fence is holding the cattle in, well that will be a cause for celebration.
Monday 18 June 2007
The Kids Need Us to Pay Attention
It is impossible not to bleed when you read the report on child sexual abuse in the Northern Territory. You can't avoid feeling as the authors do that something must be done, and urgently. If we judge ourselves as a society on the state of those on the bottom of the pile then we are in deep trouble.
It is to the consiserable credit of Pat Anderson and Rex Wild that they didn't react to the appalling information they gathered by bringing down a report that recommended a massive law and order campaign. They have a few recommendations that call for greater enforcement but there are others that recognise a better way forward.
It is not the law that will sort out this mess. The changes required can't be forced. They can only occur as people themselves change.
The other day on the radio they were talking about Carter Brown novels. Most will be too young to remember these literary masterpeices but you will get some idea what they were like when I tell you that the front cover was normally of a beautiful woman, often scantily dressed and perhaps with a suggestive look on her face. There was nothing too explicit in these novels. It was all suggestion and innuendo. It was in the 1950s after all. The more you understood the more you understood, if you follow me.
The point is that, as a very young bloke and living in a relatively isolated area without any TV in those days, I gathered a lot of my information and analysis about women from Carter Brown novels. Most of it destroyed with the first actual warm breathing woman that I was with but the fantasies were nice for a while - as I dimly recall.
If you have no real education, no job and bugger all else to do all day than sit around watching DVDs and you have easy access to hard core porn, what do you think that young people are watching? Some of the time at least porn DVDs are on the box.
Increasingly, the expectations in Indigenous communities about what is acceptable in the wider society seems to be being formed by TV and DVDs. It is a mixed bag but just think about some of the messages that might come from popular TV and then consider the effect of porn.
Porn means little to most because we know that it is rubbish and that any dose of reality that is present is accidental. We know this because we have some education. We have been to school, our parents have provided and reinforced positive messages. We have a basis on which to assess the material presented. This is not always the case for Aboriginal people in many remote communities.
I am not suggesting that porn should be regulated more heavily or that porn is, in any way, the only reason for the current problem. I am suggesting, pleading actually, that every bit of emphasis that can be given goes to education and communication.
No more crap about not going to school or it being too hard. Get them in there and make sure they have the benefit of an education. And communicate. Tell people the truth and make sure that you do it in the language they know best. And listen to what they tell you, discuss it and come to a joint decision on the way forward.
It is time to act. Has been for a long time.
It is to the consiserable credit of Pat Anderson and Rex Wild that they didn't react to the appalling information they gathered by bringing down a report that recommended a massive law and order campaign. They have a few recommendations that call for greater enforcement but there are others that recognise a better way forward.
It is not the law that will sort out this mess. The changes required can't be forced. They can only occur as people themselves change.
The other day on the radio they were talking about Carter Brown novels. Most will be too young to remember these literary masterpeices but you will get some idea what they were like when I tell you that the front cover was normally of a beautiful woman, often scantily dressed and perhaps with a suggestive look on her face. There was nothing too explicit in these novels. It was all suggestion and innuendo. It was in the 1950s after all. The more you understood the more you understood, if you follow me.
The point is that, as a very young bloke and living in a relatively isolated area without any TV in those days, I gathered a lot of my information and analysis about women from Carter Brown novels. Most of it destroyed with the first actual warm breathing woman that I was with but the fantasies were nice for a while - as I dimly recall.
If you have no real education, no job and bugger all else to do all day than sit around watching DVDs and you have easy access to hard core porn, what do you think that young people are watching? Some of the time at least porn DVDs are on the box.
Increasingly, the expectations in Indigenous communities about what is acceptable in the wider society seems to be being formed by TV and DVDs. It is a mixed bag but just think about some of the messages that might come from popular TV and then consider the effect of porn.
Porn means little to most because we know that it is rubbish and that any dose of reality that is present is accidental. We know this because we have some education. We have been to school, our parents have provided and reinforced positive messages. We have a basis on which to assess the material presented. This is not always the case for Aboriginal people in many remote communities.
I am not suggesting that porn should be regulated more heavily or that porn is, in any way, the only reason for the current problem. I am suggesting, pleading actually, that every bit of emphasis that can be given goes to education and communication.
No more crap about not going to school or it being too hard. Get them in there and make sure they have the benefit of an education. And communicate. Tell people the truth and make sure that you do it in the language they know best. And listen to what they tell you, discuss it and come to a joint decision on the way forward.
It is time to act. Has been for a long time.
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