It is funny how things pass you by, but don't pass others by. 50 000 people apparently attended this year's National Folk Festival in Canberra, which is held yearly during the easter weekend. Personally, I didn't even know there was a national folk festival.
Canberra is of course better known for being the nation's capital and the home to Parliament House, the War Memorial and other "Nationals" - not just the party members, but also the gallery and museum. Makes sense that they would have the National Folk Festival then I suppose.
It suits Canberra in many ways to have this kind of music festival. Although I know of a more broad music past, it is a quaint town of a thousand roundabouts, Floriade, the flower festival and at the moment a conservative government, so I suppose the less offensive genre of folk suits Canberra more than say thrash would. (I say that, but it has been home to Metal for the Brain).
So anyway, keep Canberra in mind for next year's Easter Weekend if folk music is your thing. 800 performers and some decent crowds makes for a good event by the sounds of it!
Is anyone else bored by the Australian media's coverage of the Brian Bourke affair? Talk about news creation. Despite the story being essentially nothing, the media has strung it out by asking man and his dog their opinion of Kevin Rudd having met with this Bourke character. The Government are loving it of course because it is taking focus away from their meetings with Ron Walker and company.
I hope people see through this. To me, the consequences of meetings with three men looking to move into the nuclear industry are much more significant to our nation's future than Kevin Rudd's meetings with a dodgy labor businessman. Yes, Rudd was idiot to meet with the man, but Bourke wasn't going to build nuclear power stations!
It's time for the media to get their shit together and let news dictate their agendas and not their agendas dictate what is news. That goes for all the networks, as the ABC have been just as bad as any other in this case.
So the news of today and the weekend is that should the process that is currently in place to try David Hicks actually happen, unhindered by the defence lawyers, David Hicks could be back in Australia by the next federal election.
Wouldn't that be convenient, Alexander Downer? The bloke has only been held without trial for the last five years, during which the American courts found the charges Hicks faced were unconstitutional. Many of the same people in the USA who said the original charges and trial process were unconstitutional think the same of the current charges, so you get a situation that means if Hicks is willing to cop charges he shouldn't even be charged with, in a process he shouldn't have to face, then he could be returned right in time for the Liberals to use him as ammunition for an election campaign.
What a joke.
At this point in time, Hicks' lawyers should keep fighting against the US government's choice of trial process. They shouldn't allow the government who turned their back on him to use him as a political pawn. You can guarantee if they get the chance they will use David Hicks as a way to save their arses, which polling shows will need to happen, just as they did with Tampa.
Hicks should be home now, and if there wasn't a law at the time in Australia he broke, then he should set free. It has been too long.
I am going on a bit of trip lately with the issue of climate change. Despite it being relevant worldwide, the effects of climate change is really being felt in Australia. The drought is harsh, water restrictions are tight and pacific nations surrounding us are slowly becoming smaller as waters rise.
So what is going to be done about it? Up until about a month ago the Federal Government were saying nothing. The term 'sceptics' comes to mind, which is not a new thing when it comes to environmental issues and the Liberal/National Coalition. I would suggest talking about the environment would place them too close to those terrible maoists, the Greens, God forbid.
All of a sudden though, climate change is THE issue for the Government. Finally they have realised it is a topic important to the electorate (see: could cost them the election if they don't act) and so have put forward some ideas.
Personally, I don't think their ideas are much chop. Their clean coal idea is trying to appease an industry that has long had government support. They have seen great profit and do not need any more help. Regulate their emissions and make them deal. The money could be much better spent on solar and wind and despite some money going to such areas, it just isn't enough. The problem can be aided with renewable energy, so do it! Think about the employment that would created with a major injection into those industries and for a Government so concerned about numbers, what does it matter what industry the jobs are in. Retrain, re-employ and do something about climate change.
It was interesting to hear treasurer Peter Costello say carbon trading is something we need to move towards. Not a very popular comment in Government ranks I would imagine. Of course we need to move towards carbon trading, and one has to ask, if the former social democrats man, brother of humanitarian Tim, turned Liberal man, would be a better leader than Howard, IF we can't have a change of government entirely.
I ask the question in the title is Australia a secular society and I will answer it by saying increasingly so. Not long off becoming a high school teacher, I couldn't ignore the topic in the news today of John Howard announcing 20 grand would be available for public schools to bring in a chaplain if they wish.
You have got to be kidding!
I answer my original question with the answer then that although I think we are becoming a society where religion is seen as less important, our Prime Minister and the conservative government who have close ties with the neo-con American government, is trying to return to the past. Sorry Johnny but it isn't going to happen.
The church and state should be seperate and public schooling should be free from religious influence of any kind. It is the choice of individuals if they want their children to receive spiritual guidance and by no means should it be made a priority when schools need more funding in areas that could actually educate children.
I personally don't want my taxes going to any religious activites because look at the history and religion tends to be, not behind intellectual furtherment, but behind conflict in the world. Learn from mistakes, take away the influence of religion.
Come to Australia, religion doesn't dominate thinking and despite Howard's best efforts, it never will.
Oracle of Delphi
KC Hill
Paladin
Craig Hill
Add Comments
Comments (6)
