But …..
Have a look
Poor Julia
We Aussies are good( the politicians at least) at putting women in the top jobs when there is a likely loss looming
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In the words of one of the commentors:
This is probably the most succinct, accurate? and hilarious summary? of the campaign.
The apathy I heard and saw today while waiting after completing my own vote was heartbreaking and especially sad given the apparent closeness of the expected outcome. I would normally have expected a close election to fascinate more than bore. But still there were people more interested in finding out if they’d get fined for not voting because <insert excuse here> than in exercising a democratic right only afforded once every three or so years, despite their influence on our lives.
It certainly wasn’t an awe inspiring campaign but surely the closeness should engender interest? No?
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Update 7:15 pm Since linking to the news piece it has been updated to include comments of a similar nature to mine regarding Mr Peacock’s comments from another disability organisation here in Australia
This election has been scareingly un-inspiring this time around. There doesn’t seem to be a good place for a thinker more interested in the long debate than the sound bite to be.
Then we get this from a former leader;
“You’d need to be pretty handicapped not to appreciate this Government is dissolving before your eyes daily,” he said.
Yes indeed unfortunate. However Bill Shorten who as Parliamentary Secretary responded in two ways one worked one didn’t. Yes Mr Secretary you are right it wasn’t the most appropriate choice of words. But neither sir was your response.
He doesn’t have to attack and use the intellectual disability of thousands of people and say that that is the distinguishing factor of whether or not you know what’s going on in this country or not.
We need to claim language back. The definition of handicap includes
a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult .
But more on that at a later point.
Even in the more unfortunate interpretation of the word handicapped can refer to other impairment types than those with intellectual disability even when referencing the general public’s “appreciation” of the current situation. My perception of the current state of affairs is impacted because I live with an impairment. It’s not intellectual one, but it does impact the choices I make and will make in 12 days time. Just as you picked up on the intellectual disability angle of the quote, you missed the reference to sight loss. But maybe the votes aren’t there with the vision impaired community as with the carers lobby eh?
Don’t play favourites please Mr Shorten. Some of us are noticing.
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After watching the Federal government election debate online tonight (don’t get me started about how underwhelmed I feel at this point about this election despite my usual interest) I waited.
I was supposed to go to Melbourne again this last weekend, but once again couldn’t so spent most of the weekend, doing “workish” stuff and waiting. Trying to just chill a bit. Not entirely successful (as my Saturday 6 word entry indicates) I felt strange awkward and strangely alone. I wasn’t altogether traumatised by the feeling. Just trying to work out where I fit these days and how I feel about that. As well as what I actually enjoy and what I don’t.
Oh dear it sounds so morbid if you say it like that. It was a pleasant difficult but oh-so-honest ride. I’m glad I’m here now.
I listened to various musics; all good but none just right.
Then the gifts arrived from Melbourne, from the intensely practical thermal shirt, to another hat, to the incredible intense music of the band I was to travel to the launch of their album. Daquqi is helping me be.
I am lifted by their equation. I thanked her. I thank her again.
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In my view this is not the only way its hard to tell them apart.
Helpful reality check. Despite the vociferous debate between Joe Hockey and Wayne Swan about debt, stimulus, spending and who would be worse for the economy, AMP Capital’s Shane Oliver reckons there is little to differentiate the parties when it comes to the economic big picture. In a note out today, Oliver says: “The Federal election is unlikely to have a major impact on financial markets at an aggregate level. In fact, the historical record suggests little clear impact, with other factors proving more important. This may partly reflect the broad similarity in terms of macro economic policies between both sides of politics.”
Can you tell I’m bored yet? And its day 3 (officially) of the campaign.
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I want to believe that our first female PM can be reelected but I don’t know. We Aussies are good( the politicians at least) at putting women in the top jobs when there is a likely loss looming. Sacrificial lamb mentality.
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It’s lovely to read such a great account of the two men. Here’s hoping I can help the “Google effect” on Johan van Vloten:
“Do you know, if you Google Johan’s name, what comes up is not this prudent, loving, faithful companion. What comes up is (the) attack. I regard that as sad and offensive. I hope that one day if his name is Googled what will come up is his example of human kindness, support, intelligence and goodness to everyone.”
Interesting take on getting married himself.
Which prompts the question: if it were legal, would he and van Vloten marry? The answer is a small surprise. While he supports gay marriage, he wonders if it would be wise to tamper with a partnership that has withstood the test of so many years.
“We possibly would not,” he says. “We have gone through long years and we have, I think, a wonderful relationship. You’d have to be worried about [losing] the magic.”
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In response to this segment from Q and A from Monday night(full video here)
To Peter Garrett MP
Re- Q and A
As a woaen with what Singer would probably at some point term a severe disability I want to say thank you for respecting my right to life without turning it into a “sacred” comment.
I scored a 3 out of 10 on the first Apgar test after birth (less than a minute). It increased but I still have at best a “moderate” disability by many standards. Yet, now in my 30′s I have been a career woman with strong community, social and intellectual roles my entire life. While my parents may or may not have found raising me rewarding, I believe I’ve earned my spot here.
Without meaning to sound too conservative, I worry about the slippery slope of these topics. I know that Peter Singer was talking about severely disabled kids but I worry about decisions based on subjective words. At what point does a 3/10 Apgar score become “too low?”
Anyway, thanks,
J
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Get ready its going to be a bumpy ride and a long run.
In the wake of what seemed a somewhat elongated UK election (who is David Cameron anyway?), I got to thinking about our own political landscape here in Australia. For those of us in New South Wales at least, we can look forward to two general, compulsory elections between say July this year and March next year. The state one next year is a fixed date election, so we can see it coming and boy can we see it coming.
Those with an eye for politics are expecting our PM to call the Federal election before the end of this year. Before Federal issues start getting (more) mixed with State ones. It can’t happen during September because of Fathers’ Day and all the football finals. I think the latest in the year I’ve voted at that level is November. October elections are more common. I’ve even voted on my birthday. Some of the folks in the know here are predicting either August or October.
You can tell things are gearing up. Tuesday night saw the delivering of the Federal budget, an amazingly low-key low spend budget for a Labor government in an election year. In order to bring the budget back into the black. My guess is (as Peter Hatcher has proposed) is that the intent was to take the “Labor are financially irresponsible” argument away from the Opposition, something that appears to have worked:
THE morning after and Canberra awoke with a post-budget headache only to have Tony Abbott add to the pain by saying the Rudd government started out as Paris Hilton and ended up Uncle Scrooge.
I don’t think that’s much of a sting to come back with. Circumstances change. The economy has changed. It might be quite confident to not feel one has to spend but still.
That was yesterday. Today of course, leadership speculation.
Tomorrow?
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Updated today with the letter that I actually sent this am
An open letter to the
Minister for Transport
the Honourable Mr David Campbell MP
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Dear Sir,
I’m told I tell a great story whether fiction or fact. My education and experiences over many years has reinforced that telling stories is a good way to understand a new topic, or a differing point of view.
So I’m going to tell you a story. It’s a story starring me and the accessible bus network.
By way of background to this story; I use an electric wheelchair to get around and have done in one form or another all my life. I’m in my 30’s and have worked in public policy development my entire career. Currently, I’ve also got other health issues that affect my ability to sit for long periods without pain as well as fatigue. These last two are new developments which require a fair amount of planning, often taking a cumulative approach.
I’ve been using the accessible buses on the network since they were first put on at the depot in Ryde some 15 or so years ago. While I do hold a license, I have elected not to drive in Sydney as I’ve held the belief for 20 years that there is too much congestion here and an unhealthy reliance on private vehicles for a world-class city. I do use taxis but try to avoid doing so for direct routes.
Last Friday I had lunch plans in South Newtown a straight 4.4 kms from where I live. Lunch was set for 12:30pm. I got to the bus stop early for the scheduled 11:05 service which was the latest one I could catch that would get me there on time. I have learnt to arrive early because of the flow of traffic close to the Tempe depot. I have also learnt to expect anything. When an un-timetabled accessible arrived at the stop at 10:40 I decided to grab it in case this was the 11:05 arriving early, or otherwise affecting the scheduled service. The bus ride was pleasant and by soon after 11am I was sitting in the shadiest spot I could find across the road from my destination reading. It was as you may recall rather warm.
Lunch was pleasant. There was a fight happening at the bus stop directly outside our venue, so just before 2 pm I accompanied my friend south towards his car and a safer bus stop than the one at the cafe. I waited at the next one and after 5 minutes saw an almost empty 422 with a ramp came up. I stuck my hand out and it went straight past me.
Reasoning that my visibility must be poor, I went straight back to the bus stop near the cafe which is more of an interchange but directly in the heat.
I waited expecting to wait an hour. People queued behind me and looked a tad guilty when they got on buses (4 inaccessible 422’s, three or four 352s and half a dozen 370’s mostly accessible). Over the course of that hour four of those waiting were mothers with prams, one of whom gave up and headed towards the train station, while another escaped into a 370 for the air-conditioned comfort, given her child was just asleep.
As the time approached for the 3:05 service. I watched every bus that arrived, my breath catching in my throat with bursts of excitement then disappointment as each service passed. I looked at my phone only to check the time. I did not dare read lest I miss its arrival and the chance to get out of the heat. I felt embarrassed and humiliated to have been sitting there watching people arrive to go to the gym or the supermarket and then leave all fit or with a full load of groceries. I was sure it would arrive soon.
School children released just before 3pm literally flooded out of school overtaking the already crowded footpath. They boarded buses without hassle. I stood my ground. My bladder was under increasing pressure because even if I had left the stop there was no easily wheelchair accessible public toilet anywhere nearby. I have had to train my bladder to assume that for one reason or another toileting in this area is hard and to hold on, dehydrate and rehydrate where you know there is an appropriate toilet. Though stressed and uncomfortable, after an hour and a half of waiting, I lost the battle of the bladder about 3:30pm further adding to my discomfort and embarrassment.
Long before this time I had been sitting up for too long and was in severe pain as well as spasm. I had considered booking a cab, but given the time of day and the shortness of the journey as well as the awkward pickup location, decided against it. I began to feel like I should cancel all my commitments, my work, my social and civic, my recreational, even the practical things like shopping and medical. While I don’t consider myself house bound and feel I have a lot to contribute, days like last Friday make me feel quite hopeless. Some of the bus drivers assured me it was coming and I got a few apologetic glances from drivers of Route 370, for which I’m grateful.
Sir, the 3:05 422 bus scheduled to be accessible never arrived. It wasn’t that it was too full. It never arrived.
The next one I could catch was one soon after 4 pm and I was home at 4:30pm It had taken me 6 hours to have an hour and a half lunch 4.4 kms from home. The bus trip home was as pleasant as it could be, the driver kind and efficient given my obvious heat and sunburn but oblivious to the delay.
I lodged a complaint by phone with 131500 that afternoon and am awaiting a response. (Ed note Heard from depot at 1:55 pm today apology included)
In writing to you I’m trying to give you a sense of my experience. While perhaps more dramatic than most times, this is not uncommon. In order to travel from South Newtown to the CBD for work for example if I have to be at a meeting at 10am the latest bus I can catch is the 7:34am (assuming it’s ramp is working and its not full). I tend to organise my life around the bus timetable and have to build in a large buffer every time that my contemporaries without disabilities do not have to include, both in time and in money (when I cannot afford the time buffer). I must point out that these long delays do not happen every time. But as with my forward journey last Friday, it happens consistently enough that it must be built into planning my day, often leaving me embarrassingly early.
I congratulate you and the Ministry on the progress towards the Transport Standards with which I am very familiar. Statistically NSW is doing quite well. However those numbers do not reflect my regular experience locally.
While I understand that all times given on timetables are approximate, given the infrequency of some timetabled accessible services, is there any way we can assure that these ones turn up?
If we only let women or another minority on at best one bus every hour (and expected them to build their lives around it and be grateful), there would be an almighty outcry. Why must it in 2010 be any different for those with disabilities, trying to get on with life in an ecological way?
Sincerely yours,
Joanna Nicol
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