Adventure Ausrama Blog

It seems very odd and even selfish for a leader to prevent a conscience vote just to get his own way. This is the only conclusion that can be reached when Tony Abbott, an ardent Catholic, will not give members of the Liberal Party freedom to vote as they like on same-sex marriages. It is common knowledge that the majority of the Coalition would vote to support it if freedom was given. Julia Gillard was just as bad when she was Prime Minister and would not allow the Labor party a conscience vote. Australia is too conservative for the rest of the world on same-sex marriage. We have been left behind. Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is one of the "dictators". He says, there is "no room for a personal view". These fossils are living in 18th century mode. The whole world is going down the road of more freedom. This issue will not go away. Private members' bills will continually be resubmitted, until rationality ultimately wins. Tanya Plibersek could ...

Australians like space. The major cities are relatively sparsely populated by world standards yet we still try to shun them to avoid people. Perhaps we are spoiled for space. Australia is the most sparsely populated country after Mongolia. Yes that is a fact. We do not hold the record, though many still claim it. Another issue is - What is a city? For world records this can be a problem. An "average" Chinese city would have more people than the whole of Australia. Some Australian politicians are aiming to keep our cities small in the near future. But is this still possible in a world seemingly full of refugees? Time will tell if placing refugees overseas from Australia will work.  It will certainly cost us a great deal.  Tony Abbott's idea of turning the boats around will only cause refugees to put a hole in their boat.  Most boats are seriously overloaded and unseaworthy anyway, so they should be taken into safe custody.  Ignoring safety concerns could be breakin...

There isn't much doubt that the bonus scheme for teachers will not work. Like the mystique of "time and motion" where the claim is made that human productivity is linear and is an increasing curve, it's a pipe dream! Machinery can only be speeded up so much before parts start flying off in all directions and everything shuts down for maintenance. Furthermore, when task are done too quickly a lot of "non-size" rubbish is produced. While output in some industry can be improved, for paper carriers such as teachers this is virtually impossible. Some teachers are better than others and for the main part this is innate: it is not learned and never can be. The only measurement is the quality of students that are lucky enough to be taught by them. Even then, tying down the factors that do improve matters is not easy to identify. Usually. students have an affinity with a teacher; thus they are prepared to work harder. It is not the teacher who is putting in m...

A University educated elite runs the Labor Party. Look at members of Australia's Government and you will not see anyone who learned a trade before entering politics. They are all middle-class professionals despite talking loudly about their working class origins. They are no longer called the "Left". When They hear the word "progressive" they put their hands up. Just like the early Marxists they are university educated elitists who claim to have the answers to society's woes. Interventionist policies in capitalism are the norm, though they willingly partake of the benefits from free markets. Most do not follow historical leftist beliefs apart from their condemnation of capitalism. They put into practice social "isms" Originating in the US. John Howard may well have said universities are controlled by Labor. For indeed they are. They also make the ABC, SBS and civil service government their own. Most journalists are of the same ilk but their editors...