I have been following with increasing agitation the moves being made by the right wing parties in Australia and New Zealand to cut back social welfare. In New Zealand, the governing National Party unveiled a raft of changes in March, while in Australia, the leader of the opposition Liberal Party, Tony Abbott, has been mouthing off about ( Read more... )

I think I better make an entry. I haven't been doing so well lately and retreated away from communication, hence the lack of entries and comments last month, but the past weekend has just thunderously put everything into perspective. I've received a few messages from people overseas who have seen the Victorian bushfires on the news. I'm ( Read more... )

It's bloody Invasion Day.

( My rant on the farce that is Australia Day. )

This month is just flying right past me. I refuse to believe that it is actually the 18th already. I suspect a number of my Worst Cards Ever will be late; I've posted about half, but the remainder I haven't even begun. Will try to churn out a bunch tonight/tomorrow ( Read more... )

God, New Zealand. What a mistake on Saturday. Not only did you fools (FOOLS!) vote in John Key and a National government by a considerable margin, but you also gave the right wing neoliberal nutjobs in ACT enough of the vote that they get five seats in parliament and, since they hold the balance of power, allow National to govern. So, great, not ( Read more... )

I am sometimes a complete fool. I initiate theological and political discussions when I haven't the time to see them through whatsoever. I squander a day I should be putting to good university use on watching the Bathurst 1000, though eye fatigue is kicking me in the arse anyway. My apologies; I'll get back to things eventually ( Read more... )

Sometimes, my mother and I come up with the most random stuff in our telephone calls. Today? A general principle for effective tourism campaigns. Basically, it was inspired by a Chaser skit with alternatives to the "where the bloody hell are ya?" slogan, such as "fuck, Australia's fucking great, so where the fuck are you, motherfucker?" The ( Read more... )

Today is one of those days that for a long time seemed very far in the future, and I thought and hoped it would never come. However, here it is. As of today, I have lived precisely half of my life in New Zealand and half in Australia. From tomorrow, the count will be going in the wrong direction, i.e. my time in New Zealand will be in the ( Read more... )

They went with songs to the battle, they were young ( Read more... )

Today will surely go down as one of the greatest days in Australian political history. As the first order of business of the 42nd parliament of Australia, Kevin Rudd offered an apology to the Stolen Generations, those thousands of Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their homes and made wards of the state, deprived of contact with ( Read more... )