Tag: Politics

Let’s Rethink All Elections in Australia.

#covid_19

After this period of time now and beyond our world will never be the same.

We will have to have a total reset in Australia after the risk management exercise and we will have to analyse our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats at a scale never done before.

Our leaders and their performances at all levels plus industry, workers, in fact society will be part of that assessment that is if our politicians put the nation before self interest.

We will, probably demand our leaders have a skill set to move us into the new World that everyone will be looking inward on how they performed in this crisis at all levels of government that is why I feel we should suspend all elections now as the people we elect today may not be the ones with the ability to take us forward in the unknown.

Locally who knows where we will end up, but it won’t be the same. We want people to match the times at the helm and we the punters can’t judge now on a landscape we know will never be the same.

Yes a big call but it’s time for big calls from leaders who have that forward vision and in this case practically must outrank process and I’m sure our public servants should be allowed to continue without the responsibility of holding the hands of the new kids in the sandpit on changeover in a national crisis.

This will upset some who think in the present, but it’s the ones who think past the present are the ones we need in our council chambers.

WAYNE Offer

The Poor will be Forgotten.

While we all are under ther pump in the Cov19 spread I recall that when the GFC was in full flight we saw some unscrupulous employers and organisations exploited the situation to attack workers rights and conditions that were never reinstated after the recovery.

Since then our casual workforce has increased to about one third and again its those people who will be the first to feel any repercussion due to containment of the spread.

Watching the Attorney Generals and some government frontbenchers I am convinced they do not get the fact that millions of people live on a day to day week to week basis under their watch and any disruption to their income can be the difference of weather you eat, get medications, or have a roof.

This blasé approach of the blue ties worries me as as we move towards a recession footing, its the most vulnerable the ones on New Start, Pensions, and the casuals that will be overlooked as they will aim any stimulus towards the business sector who will gratefully take it and put it in their pockets, as they have done in all hand outs. No trickle down there.

We have a government that is there by default, they did not plan to win and this virus has just compounded the issue as when the chips are down and money has to be spent on the little people it won’t as it goes against the ideology of good liberalism, and they will do everything possible to ensure that mantra is sustained at all costs regardless of the masses pain.

Wayne Offer

AAP Loss Endangers Democracy in Australia.

Ever since I could listen to a news broadcast and read a newspaper I was always taught to consider the source of the information. Propaganda thrives on the ignorant I was drilled even before I knew what the word meant.

Societies, democratic societies rely on competent ,reliable, credible journalists with no boundaries and such was AAP.

Old style foot and leather reporters hitting the courts ,parliament local cop shops grass root stuff that often gave a slant main stream either lost or were not allowed to print or say. They are to me the real engine room of news from across the world and to say that that service is being closed because it gives free news to competitors quite often news that News Limited won’t print anyway is totally against journalistic ethics where we the punters are the customers to balanced reporting.

It’s becoming quite obvious News think Australia is like America or want us to decide between left and right and those entities decide on what we see or hear and that will backfire as indicated by falling subscriptions across the world.

The attacks by them on the public broadcaster is clear indication that any view outside theirs is not valid, or slanted which makes me fearful when AAP is terminated.

No doubt the platforms are changing and I’m definitely not a journalist but over the years I have seen brilliant journalists evolve into respected go to people when truth and analysis is paramount and seeing 180 employees of different levels of expertise just disappear should be a concern to all who look for balance not Bullshit.

WAYNE Offer

America is Drowning.

Rarely do we have the opportunity to witness history being played out in real time especially when it’s a nation that is descending into self destruction.

The once keeper of free world standards has set about dismantling its legal system, it’s social justice system, even its democratic and constitutional base to appease a president with a vocabulary level and word count that of a Grade 6 Australian child.

This nation has been dumbed down to a point where professional people with a lifetime of experience in international protocols, law, and other civic experiences have surrendered or been dismissed in favour of people who respond to a tweet, and the sad thing is it only going to get worse.

I have no political allegiance to any party in America but when it’s decisions effect my country I will weigh in, and I’m afraid if we do not highlight the descendency we will follow as we have done in its ascendancy of the past. Comparisons of cultural standards, populations are far apart with the base standard of illiteracy in America equals our entire population, Flat earth believers, one in 6 equals , the population of several states here, and our Medicare is regarded as something out of a communist propaganda book that they can’t read anyway but Fox tells them so.

Most of both houses of government qualify for Nursing Home status not Governing status and the simple fact the are prepared to sacrifice their youth in military conflicts around the world lends credence to nepotism of the upper classes to retain power and money regardless of which side politics you follow. It’s a great plan, even if they do survive they are heroes for a day then abandoned as they were conscripted without formal education past basic stuff. Keep them dumb and feed them bullshit and give them a flag in hand or on their coffin. GBA.

As I watch this self demise I’m not sure if America can ever return to a status the world respects as it turns inward and I can see its trending on building a wall a watertight wall around America but then it will drown in its own sewage.

Wayne Offer

Jackboot Legislation Threatens Media Watchdogs.

I respect to Supreme Courts decision on the legality of the raids on Sky journalists and the ABC but that decision does not make the law just.

If we lookout the entire landscape of the way we get our news the days of just picking a a rag or clicking on a site and believing the spin or chose to research the story from different outlets then have a somewhat expansive view.

It is not beyond government regardless left or right to attempt to manipulate then truth for political advantage and it is up to the media to scrutinise, question , investigate, expose the dark truth and that includes the them who enforce the governments legislations.

Once separation of powers, law and politics was respected now its optional if the narrative suits yet some outlets turn a blind eye while others play it straight often to their ridicule from the yes men.

If your confused how a government can spin they support whistle blowers then raid them demanding their sources or else, or tip off the media of raids before warrants are served for political gain , be assured we are not in some facist republic but we could be on track if we continue to allow jackboot legislations to prevail.

Please question if we want to be like America and have political appointed judges to deliver government ideology or have that separation of power that can be protected by a robust and investigative professionals who do their job unhindered without the fear of midnight raids.

Wayne Offer

Attacking the Messenger

Rarely I respond to opinions aired in the Letters to Editor Column as I believe we are all entitled to our views on all subjects across the board however I will respond if I truely believe their has been a injustice as a result.

I have seen many editors in my time as a contributor to this rag from before Tony Moore to present day and with a few exceptions the Queensland Times has been a regarded as a local credible source.

When Murdock entered I had huge apprehensions that we Ipswicharians would loose it’s balance yet that has not happened even though we have to tolerate the cut and paste of the Masters wishes in some copy our local news and opinions have and are well aired thanks to our local team of journos, so when I read that this paper has bias against our PM or publishing only anti government slant is untrue to say the least.

Thanks to Shannon and her team we get a pretty good local rag considering the trash coming out of the Courier Mail and that’s why we support our local QT, so when we decide to attack the media we have to look deep at ourselves and decide where the actual bias really lies.

Our Working Poor Does not Fit Scotty From Marketing’s Model.

It’s rude to eves drop. It’s probably unethical to write about it but this is a story that needs to be told.

While shopping in a major chain complex i inadvertently overheard two employees discussing if one had received a email from management re a issue. A negative reply then the conversation expanded into why the email was generated as one employee dared to question a manager.

The end result was that employee lost hours, and then the fear of that happening to them fully revealed how we allowed our people be manipulated as throw away human beings.

When loosing one hour is the difference of having a roof or on the streets for a family it becomes inconceivable to some who live in the land what we regard normal Australians.

These people are the working poor and in some cases destitute. They have pride and often present well clothed from charitable outlets or in uniforms and the only thing they have to trade is their labour and when your that low in the labour chain you are expendable and the ruthless employers prey on that vulnerability.

My initial thoughts was seek union advice but this contract society has taken away that safety net, and keep in mind millions of these are officially employed although they may only have 4 hours or less and do not appear on national un employment data, and then we wonder why our crime rate continues to rise as people struggle between New Start and manipulating employers of survive but when it gets down to feeding your kids or loved ones people resort to desperate measures, filling our courts and costing the community billions in enforcement.

Scotty from Marketing’s “have a go get a go” slogan does not apply to this level as his rejection of New Start increase is rejected and big business gets tax breaks about sums up the care factor to raise the living standards of all Australians not just the Silent Ones.

Wayne Offer

Greta Thunberg Like Bernie Banton Stands Her Ground.

It must be a pretty big thing to have the President of the United States to fly 4 thousand Kilometres to have a lash at a young teenager. Probably a bit of diversion politics from home issues but this trend to attack the young climate messenger across all media platforms is actually building the case and growing the support no matter of how many of the climate deniers propaganda portray her disability, age, school level, or intelligence.

Its a hard road if you choose to take on an issue that establishment see their status quo challenged, however without those who choose to step up always face the wrath of quite often personal attacks over a debate on fact.

Personally me and many others have to thank our real warrior Bernie Banton who’s fight against politicians. Lobbyists, shareholders and the greater business sector who suffered the same wrath that Thunberg is copping today and that fight is still ongoing across the world as politicians deny or covered up to appease their donors and launched into personal attacks as a means to deflect responsibility.

Be sure this kid ain’t going nowhere and while the men in suits go into palpitations every time they see her one thing is certain,

we had our chance and blew it when this issue first arose back in the 80’s and 90’s and that’s a fact no one can deny.

Wayne Offer

In the Know, You Got the Dough from Scotty from Marketing.

Over my time involved in the Not For Profit (NFP) organisation’s I am well aware of the pains and hoops the members and supporters have to do to get support from either Federal or State governments and no doubt it helps to have support from your elected member but once that process is completed we all expect each and every application to be judged on equal merit because politics and sport should not be mixed.

That was the case until of late when Scotty from Marketing come on the scene with his slogans, but unfortunately like all things they have a expiry date.

You know “Have a Go the Get a Go” now has morphed in this case to “If you in the Know you get the Dough” and I could go on but really my issue is about all the little clubs who need basics like sprinklers, disability handrails, general repairs small ticket items to help the little organisations who are struggling to survive overlooked and funds given to organisations with massive turnovers or high end exclusive paying memberships taking 6 figure sums out of the pool.

I have no doubt those funds will be used legally but those exact funds spread lightly across the entire spectrum would have a better impact.

Sorry if that sounds to some like a Socialist point of view but if I was a elected member I would rather all my constituents had a bit that only the selected got all, but like all political landscapes there are winners and looses, and its always the little people who loose.

To me if their was ever a case for a Federal ICAC this is it. Australians love sport and fair play, and this is not within our code of sporting ethics and to those who repeat consistently the Sandpit Response of “They All Do It” is a cop out if we want our kids regardless of demographic be given a fair go regardless of who is in government.

Let’s Pause and Think for Ourselves.

Blame is important and strategic, and that is now the norm in today’s political narrative across the nation and it all depends on who’s team you choose to align yourself with is only the view you will hold.

This is a dangerous climate for truth. Whoops did I say Climate?

Be it Climate change, fossil fuels, renewable energy or migration across the board each and every subject is either funded or supported by some big corporations who’s basic existence is profit, money and we the parrots of policy are their mouthpieces following their set narrative and some of us just do it blindly once we are indoctrinated.

This is not fertile ground for objective and lateral thinking.

Every one of us has a opinion but that should never stop us from questioning that opinion when presented with a alternative, something the manipulators do not want us to do.

This “With me or your Against me” spin is the divide and rule strategy played out since mankind evolved and has been recognised as a cancer for open democracy and the media should be the circuit breaker delivering unbiased truth and accountabilities regardless of who is in ownership.

That information source is a a factor and a player we the consumer has to judge weather it has its own agenda. Big responsibility I know and for some just too hard so they go along like cattle to the slaughter rather think before I speak or more importantly vote.

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