Category: media

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talking at a garage sale next door selling crap we just don’t need at our age or we have grown out of the habit or been outdated I do reflect on why I am here this morning and not at my beloved golf course as I have done in various tracks like Rosewood’s and Laidley every Saturday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Today I am asking that question about weather I have outdated the lifestyle of golf and all its glory and if golf now should be a pastime instead of the lifestyle it has been for decades.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.

Stand Against Cronyism


My time writing in this column and others has made me aware not to be led by rumour and innuendo but I think its time to call out for clarifications before the cancer of propaganda and cronyism is allowed to flourish.
I have been informed from a series of sources that Yammanto and Cosco and other projects are delayed because of the removal of Councillors.
Im sure the present administration would like to give their side of the case but what really concerns me is who is generating these accusations and their agenda.
Councillors are paid employees by us the ratepayer exactly as is the road fixer, the garbo truck driver, the dog catcher, the administration staff, and attain their positions with probably less qualifications that the ones mentioned but have the happy knack of populous approval of the part of a community.
So when I see snd here accusations of our city being held back , one can only assume the source is by the supporters of reelecting present councillors and keeping divisional representations.
I look forward to the Administration response but this type of strategy reeks of the cronyism that has flourished within divisions and must be cleared for the new administration to clear a way in 2020.

Go After the Shysters in Suits.

Get the Shysters in Suits

#bankingRC #letterstoQT #equality #justice

If Joe orJane citizen wander in to a business and steals we expect the common law to apply justice delivered.. Not so the higher you go up the socioeconomic ladder, it’s who can afford the best barristers and call on influential mates and call in a few favours. 

That culture has continued with the Banking Royal Commission report with not one being held to account. Proven theft from pensioners, disabled, people looking for truthful advice, the dead, to name just a few all conned by shysters in suits and not one recommendation for the of true justice that applies to us mere working class punters. 

We  cannot allow two justice systems in this country and simply seeing the contempt the NAB top brass had to the Commission and participants demonstrated they were convinced they thought were above any accountability socially or legally, similar to James Hardy had to asbestos victims. 

Don’t expect the present government to act as they identified where they stood 26 times until some within their ranks indicated they would cross the floor, but it’s not beyond average expectations that rule of law should apply to all identified as knowingly committing fraudulent actions. 

The Unrecognised Aussie of the Year


By the time this goes to press The Australian of the Year 2019 would have been named and celebrated and well deserved. Some excellent nominations from all walks of life representing diverse parts of our great Australian culture.
But.. could we pause for second and look at the how we come to selecting the nominees and the criteria of those nominees.
I totally support the nominees but maybe we could extend the range of qualifications outside the professionals who get paid to promote their selected causes and give a chance to those who are not as high profile, the quiet achiever, the unknown Australian who looks after the elderly, the nurse or the emergency worker, the tradesman, the volunteer, who delivers the patients or food to outside venues who just does his or her thing often for a lifetime but will never get a chance at the big gig.
Yes I know we have local/state awards but that should not exclude a nominee just because of his or her personal status profile. We are at last considering the balance of men and women across our society so maybe we could look at rebalancing the nominee process.
And yes I do not want to be on the selection Panel

Aussie Compulsory Voting Works.


The world looks dewilded with the goings on we are witnessing in England Brexit and the ongoing circus America is having with just about anything to do with government.
In both cases the people have actually bought it upon themselves with total laziness and apathy when it comes to elections/ referendums.
I don’t think there can be a stronger case for compulsory voting when you look at the fallout happening in both cases not discounting the dollar cost to their nations looking for compromise.
Im not saying the voting system we have is anywhere near perfect but sometimes the carrot and stick approach serves the country better in the long run than a system where only the extreme ends of the debate turn out and the middle are ho hum until it hits the fan. Exactly what Britain and the USA are battling now.
Apathy costs nations across every aspect of its being and if we want true democracy we all have to be committed to making a effort when it come election time and no matter how much you hate or love politics you owe it to your country to take part in its process in a sensible state.
In saying that some find it hard to achieve that sensible state in day to day life, don’t they?

Outside America, Looking In.


Im not an American thank someones God.
That about sets the tone as a man who has been on both sides of the divide, business owner and worker and always politically attuned I am stunned daily on the man that wears the hat of President of the United States.
Im not a journalist nor attached to any publishing house, just an observer of our world, its leaders, its challengers, its impact on each and every being on this planet.
Democracy is sometimes tricked Ito believing what the people vote for and what is perceived good for the people and country, putting aside ideologies…. For a minute or so.
So let’s look at Donald Trump from the eyes off a person outside the Americans hype looking at both sides of the media including overseas publications.
Overall America needed redirection after the Obama years, not that he was a bad President but the system was open for corruption and had been since its constitutionalists wrote the thing.
Stating the obvious gave Trump a free ride into the White House. Not hard to work that one out.
But since his assent into office he has used that corruption and took away anyone who sees checks and balances as part of government.
Getting things done! Is the slogan, which really means bypassing or attempting same with the philosophy of the Ends justifies the Means.
Its confusing for us who believe a political system must have those boundaries of constraint that prevents a nation becoming a dictatorship.
We Australians have a system where if the people feel the leader or his party or colleagues see damage politically or nationally the leader gets the flick. Overuse however of that trigger by our politicians has made our electorate very distrustful and ambivalent of the system but it certainly gives the people and the media in play.
The yank system hands over power the day of inauguration and somehow the President becomes a god for life, like some Greek myth.
Their Congress and Government are on a scale that would qualify for a Aged People Home in Australia, similar to the House of Lords. All wealthy and heaverly obligated to some sponsor driven agenda. Not uncommon in other democracies but withdrawing from decisions or votes that impact on those sponsors is deemed ethical elsewhere is not required in America, and left to the investigation media who’s budgets just happen to be slashed by outlets that support feeds rely on feeding the chooks in news briefing brooms.
Of course it not corrupt , regardless of who’s in power. NOT
So much for the system as ill be dead before sorting that lot out but lets look at the individual now.
A business man… yep.. but not a self made businessman , daddy gave him a bonus and he rode out on the name of his family and continues.
The nepotism has never ever been more prevalent in any one before simply because he can’t trust anyone outside his bubble. Yes men and women soon get sick of saying yes, and his search continues but the standards are dropping after each change.
Where will it stop who knows. He doesn’t that’s certain.
As a person who has worked in the area of people with disabilities hands on, ones sees clear indications aspergillosis , dyslexia, and other symptoms all on show with Trump.
Instability and knee jerk responses, on twitter and in real time must be seen by professionals with far greater qualifications than me, and may one common within American elite, but here someone says it outright not withheld and dealt with in house but its dealt with .
They’er too scared I’m sure and if tests were required finding people who would put their name on a diagnosis in America would be open for hell the rest of their career.
The symptoms of withdrawal, self preservation, protectionism, keeping the status quo, keeping within known borders of race and ethnicity, plus all qualities once personal, now exhibited nationally on a greater scale followed by devout groups with same fears and beliefs, all symptoms.
No one outside America can help. We watch with amazement and take heed never to let it happen in our countries, that is the ones with people that are educated in democracy, true democracy and it will never be in a place where the entire population of my country cannot read or write, and never own a bank account.
Yep he knows what a wall does.. he’s been living behind one all his life sadly.

Let’s Give Our Bremer a Chance.

Every day we are witnessing the expansion of our great city and surrounds with new estates, developments, that impacts on our existing infrastructure as councils and governments should ensure it stays in front before approvals are granted.
In my area a huge estate “Waterleigh” at Walloon is going gangbusters with development and massive earth works is ongoing and pondage or retention dams are in place to hold back and enhance its naming signature a “lake”.
All new developments speed up water flow as soakage is replaced with bitumen and ends up in the Bremer River and from my area the 7 mile down little has been done to clear or improve water quality or flow. In fact our river rates a D- when it comes to quality, so isn’t it time we addressed this as it should be an asset as in our history past.
We whinge daily driving or sitting in air conditioned germ capsules on rails getting to places where with a some effort and planning we could upgrade our natural corridor from City Central to the the airport and beyond.
Im sure dredging technology has progressed and if we can manage the quality of water and volume at the entry points it will address the flooding and accompanying damage plus encouraging tourist and business opportunities en route.
This river asset is awaiting vision from politicians and governments but we the residents have our play a role by realising that every time you spray or put a chemical into the chain it will end up in a river or lake that you and your family will have to live with while sipping coffee on some board walk.
Our rivers and creeks are our arteries and must be respected

Our Women Set the Standard

Tis the time of the year to review 2018 and in sport no one could deny womens sport and sportswomen have carried the banner for our youth to follow.

The male contribution across most codes has been less than admirable and although the press may choose to overlook the facts but our papers and reports are littered with cheating, domestic violence, drug abuse, corporate deception,  and general grubby behaviour from our so called professional athletes and clubs  and yet not one life ban imposed. 

The fact is, compared with professional players worldwide our lot has far too much time on their hands. Overpaid and overrated compared with players who compete overseas where 3 games in 11 days and sometimes less times is common. Imagine the cry’s of our prima donnas if their schedules similar, and just maybe they would not have the time to misbehave as they would be under constant scrutiny publicly and privately. 

Secondly of greater concern is the influence of betting organisations are having on our sporting culture. Codes are selling their souls to these parasites with scant regard to what message they are sending to our future  sportsmen and women inviting corruption into the sanctity of developing minds.

We have a lot of work to do to tidy up the shop in 2019 if we want to meet standards our women have set on the world stage don’t we? 

 

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