Author: Wayne Offer

Put the questions, invite thoughts, respond truthfully.

The Vegan Dilemma

Many of us in our youth took to the streets if we felt civil protest was the only way to change governments or  Legislative powers for the good of living conditions of our fellow workers or democratic rights were challenged. 
The vegan protest philosophies  however, do not fall into that category in my view and are based on core beliefs on how humans should exist today compared on how we got here over evolution. 
To be clear from the onset I am not and never will accept animal cruelty, but we have to accept the fact  the food chain exists and right down to the basic kitchen gecko chasing mosquitos to lions chasing gazelle we humans come from  carnivores and changing that will never happen, but like all beliefs be it spiritual,  political, or society changing we are entitled to have them, even live by them , but we are not entitled to force them upon others in their own homes. 
I feel invaded when people turn up wanting to convert me to their beliefs as do many, but that does not stop the right of those people holding them but forcing them by invasion is not the way to go. 
I feel deeply in  todays world animal experiments should be a thing of the past, our science should have expanded past that age, but we cannot change the way we evolved, agreed not pretty in places but to be brutally honest we as humans do much more damage to each other in daily life physically and mentally on this planet than we do to when we take to survive and maybe that’s where our own back yard would be a good place to start to clean up first. 

Invisible People with Invisible Disabilities with Invisible Support.

I wish to raise a subject on behalf of people beligned by our present society by the broad term of dole bludgers.

I agree some people use the system out of pure laziness often stretching back generations however there are some very desperate people caught up in broad perception projected by our politicians that are living a life in abject poverty and can do nothing to break out.

They are the physically disabled, the mentally ill, the ones that just can’t work and do not transition to a disability pension or are in transition or cannot get through the NDS mazes alone.

Support Services for these people has been cut or does not exist so they are left in their houses or rooms if they are fortunate enough struggling to pay rent, food and usually medication last.

Suicide rates among these people is high unfortunately but suits the government data on unemployment hence low on the priority list.

Luckily some medics are sympathetic to this group but the social stigma stays when they have to venture into main stream population to get medications not on the PBS and struggle to pay at the counter.

This issue is not about raising the New Start allowance, although that would help greatly it’s about defining the people who are invisible in the present system.

This issue is in the too hard basket for many politicians regardless of allegiance.

The real issue is getting classification, getting approved or rejected then getting them into care be it NDS or Disability options, not letting them slowly fade into natural attrition.

We are supposed to have a surplus if we listen to the spin so let’s give the least able bodied people some life saving support.

Investigative Journalism must Survive.

I have been guilty of pulling the trigger maybe too quickly on the media on what I see as slanted reporting or cartooning but with the Al Jazeera story I can only commend the media on its speed on self analysis if ethical standards were breached.

Within hours of release, self questioning commenced weather it reported the story or created the story.

That debate will be ongoing but it’s my simpleton belief is overall if it’s in the public interest, the public should know.

The method of acquiring the evidence is played out regularly in capturing terrorist, online predators, drug dealers, gun runners all regarded as fair game if any investigative journalist outlet exposes the culprits.

The fact that they did not secure the funding does not change the intent or the toxic advice on how to nullify murder.

I believe this is a clear example on the value of investigative journalism, and regardless of what side of politics you support it is imperative to democracy these outlets across the world continue their work, and must be protected.

Atheist Point.

As a onlooker without a alliance to any religion I am troubled at the way the Kiwi Tragedy is being handled by social media and the media in general.

If we are to be consistent with reporting and coverage news their is no need to give the perpetrators religion a mention or ensure that when a unfortunate event happens call it equally.

However we  consistently read and view the Islamic faith linked to events by fanatics but rarely do we see the word Christian leading a headline when they impede. 

Hard Right Wing has blazed the headlines not Hard Right Wing Christians Fundamentalists for example which truly identifies those who hold that view but rarely identified in the media or any platform. 

I concede Christianity hold approximately 60% of Australian faith but that should not stand in the way of balanced reporting as that imbalance leads to false impressions and feeds divide.

Calling it as it is sometimes upsets and could threaten income streams of some news outlets but I suppose it comes down to journalistic ethics and brave editors to keep us well and truthfully informed.

Spot the Differences

Sporting Costs disqualify Struggle Street.

At a kid in the 60’s in a war service /housing camp area kids had to make their own entertainment but when the word got around the local Football Club ( Wog Ball as it was known then ) were looking for players a few of us fronted up with absolutely nothing and the rest is history.

After reading the costs involved in the QT report I wonder who will look after those kids from real struggle street who’s parents are the living poor. The odds are those kids will be the problems of the future and never given a chance.

We all know sport is better than any lecture to teach the real lessons of life. Respect, humility, integrity and it goes on and it’s not always parents that can be trusted to impart those standards, so are we as a society prepared to accept those who are priced out in childhood will become tomorrow’s problem generations?

Sport and it’s infrastructure particularly in the lower demographic should be critical, and maybe across the board should be regarded as essential service or we can to play the risk management game and hope the pluses outweigh the minuses?

I appreciate all the government grants to existing and emerging organisations but looking at the data in the qt report sport should never be for the have and the have nots, it is the best classroom in the world regardless of how rich or poor your country is and that applies to parents as well.

Self Regulation in the Churches cannot be Trusted.

In the past week or so I have watched the wave of emotions surrounding the Pell decision and I am one who’s vote falls with the victims.

Sadly it’s not only one church or godly organisation that stands condemned it many. It’s not only one man it’s 100’s of years of perpetrators hidden, relocated or just plain tolerated to keep the cloth appearing sacred.

As a atheist I feel for those who’s faith in their gods and churches has been tarnished if not destroyed but I’m sure they will recover over time. They too are victims of this world wide culture of denial however I refuse to concede the churches do not have enough money to compensate the physical abuse.

I see church hierarchy’s bathed in gold, while their followers starve, struggle for food or justice and I appreciate the excellent work by the believers who work tirelessly across our nation as do the non clerical organisations helping our fellow travellers, but these “keepers of the cash” run the religion business’s ruthlessly as exposed by the commission.

My faith in our legal system is solid and justice will be done in the end, but after the dust settles who will watch the watchers as self regulation has proved totally inadequate for far too long.

Time for a Life Rethink I think.

As I sit here listening to my wife laughing and talking at a garage sale next door selling crap we just don’t need at our age or we have grown out of the habit or been outdated I do reflect on why I am here this morning and not at my beloved golf course as I have done in various tracks like Rosewood’s and Laidley every Saturday morning for about 30 years.

Yep off to golf, home and review the day, it’s ups and downs my performance and others, what to improve and what to do to improve. All in a bid to lower my handicap and give me some sense of pride in my ability to compete at the highest level I can.

Today I am asking that question about weather I have outdated the lifestyle of golf and all its glory and if golf now should be a pastime instead of the lifestyle it has been for decades.

I look at myself as a sportsman. A fair and honest sportsman. A person who wants to perform at the game highest level on my ability, a person who played off single figures for a short time but mainly hung around 10-13 for decades and shook cages in both B and A grades.

Now as I age, 69 this year and a bit of a lung issue, I find myself drifting out and not enjoying the fact that age and health are slowing me down. I don’t enjoy coming home shagged for two days. I don’t enjoy not performing and knowing I can do better but ….. I have challenged myself with equipment that probably does not suit my age group but I love the personal challenge fo dealing with something tough on the competition field and winning in some way even if it’s only self esteem.

I cannot except the fact it’s fun to have more shots on holes than anyone else. It’s not fun to underperform and be rewarded for it by letting your handicap slide out. That’s not how I play now or ever.

Old mans game and old mans thinking is not what I enjoy and I know the game caters for the majority of people at all levels, it’s my standards, my personal standards I respect more.

Maybe that attitude has been in my blood since I first started playing sport in football competitions back at 10 years old and have carried that in my playing and coaching career, later my trade and business career and now my ageing career.

I guess I’m looking for a new challenge. I think.. I love sport, I love the people who play sport, I love my fellow club members and their company but with time on this place getting shorter by the day I feel it’s time for rethink for what I can challenge myself to.

I have considered re entering the Football Coaching field as a advisory, a caddy for some youngster, a manager for a sportsperson, just to name a few and as you are aware I love writing and politics, which I might add gets me into a bit of strife at the club some times but is talked under hands when I leave.

We have bought a new Subaru Forrester Sport, the most challenging vehicle I have ever driven, and that’s saying a bit as I have driven heavy vehicles, 4x4s, buses and some sporty Mercedes Benz, all with different personalities but this one is special. I reminds you you are the driver and your expected habits compared to your actual habits.

It will upset those who know it all but embarrassing them might just save their life if they choose to take notice. It’s all about choice and ego I suppose.

Any way this is not solving my issues but I am enjoying the off-road trips and visiting places where wildlife is a little more natural. Both of us enjoy that freedom of just stop and listening to the silence and song of nature, and change from living on a main road drag trip at times.

Anyway I’ll still keep playing golf and with this drought going on that too is a pain as tee up takes another level of skill away from my toolkit and I get no jollies from teeing up driver on fairways at all. It’s embarrassing to the integrity of the golf course and inflates faulted egos.

In my football career which extended in semi pro coaching , when you beat a player and he has time to get up and bite your legs it time to consider retiring, you’ve proved you point but the game is catching you up and you will be only remembered by your last game… and I don’t want to be remembered as a old man who played who manipulated a system.

It’s a pastime now nothing more and let the battle for honour boards begin.. without me.

Grumpy old fart aren’t I? And proud of it too. 🖕🖕🖕🖕

PS Hope the garage sale is going well, if not she will be as pissed Ruby the dog is looking over the fence at them….

Laser Lady Departs


With my record I would be the last to be seen as a supporter of Julie Bishop. Her ruthlessness in representing James Hardie in the Bernie Banton days supported by Abbott made us victims of asbestos never forget.
She carried that mantle into her parliamentary career and although I debated intently against her political beliefs I respected her opinions and her loyalty to her cause.
She held herself above that of her party colleagues yet had to tolerate them and at times I’m sure was disgusted with their antics particularly in the Gillard times when the Abbot and this government were waging a war not on politics but the female sex achieving the top job in the land.
That ideology of male inner culture of supremacy within the Liberal Party was and still exists, and is why she is taking her leave in my view.
As foreign minister she represented our country with dignity and class exceeding any of her parties predecessors.
The media does not go unchallenged as they too as they did with Gillard made infantile references to dress, shoes, fashion issues and disrespectful language over the substance of being a nations highly elected representative.
Bishop as is Gillard will not fade into obscurity as the Old Boys Club wish, they will continue to stand and speak well above the intellectual capacity of their knockers, and personally I am proud I support a Party that has recognised the value of women in politics and walked the walk not just talk the talk.

Its not Just Nature”s Fault


No one loves a good steak than me, but I as many are horrified by the losses of our beef cattle across our state but I do have some questions I feel need answering.
On many occasions I have seen cattle survive massive floods in the past by employing its natural survival techniques developed over time its has evolved in the Australian outback. Breeds like Poll Herifords, Bramahas, adapted and thrived and were the backbone of the nations beef industry.
Now the focus of the industry is focused on meat that suits export markets and I have to question “ has the resistance to Australian climate and conditions been modified and overlooked to suite an overseas meat market been bred out, and feedlot confinement strategies have dulled the animals natural ability of survival that has resulted in so many cattle have been lost?”
Locally we have seen cattle washed from the Brisbane Valley to Moreton Bay and turn up grazing on the foreshores simply by natural survival bloating.
Yes regardless, this event is another one of many one in hundred year happenings but I can’t help thinking we cannot continue to just blame nature without us “intelligent” humans taking some accountability.

Enter Serhilda Subaru.

Well is been about 20 days of ownership of Serhilda Subaru and what a ride.

For a pair of near 70 year old old farts getting a vehicle with leading edge technology on board has been a real buzz

It took years to get my beloved to progress from a flip Nokia phone of the nineties to a iPhone 6s, as the family passed off old phones when one got a upgrade.

That was a step that equaled a moon walk, however after about a fortnight of total remorse of the dead Nokia one realised how much fun it was to learn to play with things like emoji and sounds and to her credit she has progressed dramatically since crossing the boundary of self imposed ignorance.

iPads once just electric newspapers now are a more a interactive challenge and now with the arrival of Serhilda the curve and interest is nearly vertical.

I have the feeling that friends and associates are a little apprehensive to put mildly of our/my decision to move into such a tech loaded machine but in my view as we get older we must embrace the available technology to assist us with the driving / travelling task as it does not take that much research that if you are a elderly you are immediately assumed to be at fault because of age and we have to prove innocence from a handicap of assumed incompetence.

This car will not and does not drive itself, make decisions, but it does make you more aware of you being in control of a vehicle.

Face eye cameras, lane departure, observation of head movement away from road and fatigue all thing we do naturally but sometimes we might just need a jog to remind us. Age is irrelevant with these tools but the fact it’s there reinforces the obligations of holding a licence.

Some younger find it objectionable, a imposition of accountability when you already know everything, the older are afraid they will be jolted into realism of how habits can develop into hazards and the fact that repetition and getting away with it does not make it right.

Personally I love driving with a passion, being fortunate via PMG, Telecom, TELSTRA to have some of the best training one could have in heavy vehicle and mechanical aids and I have never taken for granted that learning when upgrading vehicles and technologies across the board.

Serhilda has put me/us back in the classroom and both of us are loving the experience, and in saying that I enjoyed the Honda CRV but as a vehicle where corrigation and potholes are a daily occurrence was under the pump,but ideal in city and minor bumpy stuff. Long term for me was a unit that could fit stuff if and when needed with my issues and with the new platform Subaru is now delivering my wife is in the safest vehicle of its class in the world made our decision easy.

Last car ever so we now have a unit that compares with 15 years of Lauren Landrover TD5 in character and technology and I hope performance and reliability.

Serhilda means “Armoured Battle Women.”

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