General Chat

Ahhh politics. I must say that I'm disappointed that Julia Gillard has decided to do this. All week I've been hearing her on the radio up here saying that no, no, no; she is backing Rudd 100% and will not be challenging for the leadership and then yesterday, talk about a back flip: she sure could be used on the Olympic gymnastics team. Sorry, I've lost confidence in her. I don't like some of the decision that Rudd has made, and I'm not a Labourite. However, the country elected him and I think it's up to the people to chuck him out if that's what they wish to do. To choose another leader at this stage of the game is just the party's attempt to try to solidify their chances to be re-elected at the next poll. The famous Aussie 'give 'em a fair go' philosophy. I'm quite sure there will be those that have a different opinion, but that's mine for what it's worth.

Pam.

Gillard won.

Hello sue once again I Thakyou on your comements on brother sean.My Nan lived though the Coventry Blitiz

First female Prime Minister for Australia and born in Wales.

Just a bit of extraneous non valuable info.

Pam.

Well - Julia's in and Kevin's out. Who would want to be a politician? I hope she is treated with dignity. We now have a female State Premier and a female P.M. I can't help noticing that there are still some pollies who think there is no room for women in politics. I hope these two will prove them wrong and open up the way for more women in politics whatever party they belong to.

Just been listening to an interesting assessment on TV of where Kevin went wrong. Seems to be an opinion that it was his backdown on the Emissions Trading Scheme and then his backdown on various other key policies. Then it was pointed out that the backdowns came due to the fact that the Parliament wasn't going to back him on these issues. So what does a politician do? As Berona says: Who'd want to be a politician? And maybe that's why there aren't so many women in there. If you're married, have a family and have commitments to those things, you don't have time for all this garbage. I don't think I could stand to be in the House at Question Time at any time. Much more important things to do.

Maybe I'm just a cynic. Probable.

Pam.

Hello all - I was rather shocked at all the shenanigans in parliament last night and today. Pam do we really vote in the prime minister or do we vote in the party and the leader then becomes pm? Never sure about that - I'm not a political animal. I must say though that I'm quite sorry to see Rudd go - I think on the whole he wasn't too bad. He did get us through the global financial crisis and he did apologise to the "stolen generation" in a very moving speech. Of course we all have our opinions but mostly, as you say Pam, we just get on with it.

Kevin - hello. My husband's father went to Coventry from London with the National Fire Brigade during the war to help fight the fires after the bombings so I guess we have a link. Sounds like you're having a hard time coping with losing your brother. Have you got access to grief counselling through the defence force welfare programs? Perhaps you should enquire because I think it would be of benefit to you.

Sue xx

How remiss of me. When I said we have a female PM and a female State premier - I missed the other one - a female Governor General. I apologise.

From the reports on TV, it seems that the parties are ruled by people whose names we don't even know. One reporter stated that Wayne "jumped ship" this morning - then came up as deputy. I would have thought that anything Kevin said about tax would have been said on the advice of his Treasurer. Now, I'm confused again.

CC - that's complaining:-))

I'm sick of all the political talk on the telly already. OH put on the "questions in parliament" show this afternoon and sat laughing as if it was a comedy - well I suppose it was:-)) 'cos now the finance minister has resigned. Crikey!!

Sue xx

Hello, We don't vote in a Prime Minister, we vote for our local member, and the party, and they elect their leader. That's how I think it works, they are all really puppets.

Hi Hollzy - welcome to the Aussie thread. Yes - that's what I thought. Rudd said he was elected by the people - well I thought we vote for the party and then they vote for their leader. Having said that the leader of the party has to lead his/her party into an election. If you don't like the leader you're not likely to vote for the party.

Sue xx

Yes, Hollzy, That is the way it's done. Makes you sad, really. Like Sue, I rather liked Kevin Rudd. I don't think he got the backing of the party that he should have but then he wasn't one to toe the party line, either. They used him to get in and now they've put in someone who has been a party working member since she was 17 years old. I'm not knocking her. She's a really clever woman. But I don't like the way this was done and I don't feel comfortable with it. Thankfully, next election, my favourite contender for our electorate is back, having fulfilled a promise to his son not to run for election in the period that his son was sitting for his finals (HSC). He's back and he'll be getting my vote again. He has done a great deal for our area up here when most of the pollies forget we even exist. And this is where the mining interests of Queensland are - they sure as heck aren't in the South East corner!! I think I'll buy Anna Bligh an atlas for Christmas so she can see where Queensland is.

Pam.

Me again, I don't really go in for this politics stuff, yes! you are right
SueMaid but I think it will be more of the same anyway. I hope we get some stability in both parties for the election, not something chucked together.

Nice brisk day today it was about 20c.we are expecting rain on the weekend, I wish it was summer.

Hi, Pam. You've described exactly the way I feel. Uncomfortable. I don't mind Julia Gillard - she is clever and a passionate Labour party member but I just don't feel right about how this was done. She will have to keep looking over her shoulder - Swan is right behind her.

We're happy with our local member too. She has worked very hard for our area and gets in easily every election.

Hollzy where are you? It started cold and miserable today but warmed up to about 18 degs. and the sun shone all afternoon. Lovely.

Sue xx

I think it's a ploy to get the female population on side. We are smarter than they think.I'm not a Rudd fan, I like the local man who actually gets things done,at grass roots level, not the PM.I'm in Adelaide.

I would never vote for a party with a woman leader unless I thought she was the person for the job. I think she will do a reasonably good job I'm just not happy with the way it was done. I don't think we should focus on the fact she's a woman although it is a historical day.

Sue xx

Hi Hollzy. MS Gillard is from Adelaide, I believe. Enough of that though.

We've had a cool day up here in Kuranda/Oak Forest. Only got up to 24c but cloudy and windy. I noticed on the weather tonight that the winds we're getting are coming from New Zealand. Feel like it too.

Still, at least it isn't as cold as other parts of the country I've lived in. I could never go back to living in Sydney and, after living up here for the past 10 years, I think Brisbane is looking decidedly cool as well.

Pam.

Welcome to the thread Hollzy

It is a lovely day here today Sue - see I am not complaining. It is lovely and hot (21degrees) with a nice breeze. It is fairly cloudy not sunny, but that is good as OH is out for his walk with the Ramblers, it is only a short walk today, about eight miles.

I have just been down to the allotment to tend to the tomatoes and everything is growing really well now after the slow start it all had.

Goodness me 20 -24 degrees is positively hot not cool

Hello Linda, 21 degrees......... hot ????? Guess it's relative. I'm hoping to find our tomato plants once I get the long grass down again. Everything grows so fast up here I can't keep up with it. And didn't want to take the big mower to it because the tomato plants would be flattened.

Darned shoulder stops me from doing the stuff I want to do and it takes me 3 times as long to do the things I have to do.

grumble, grumble, grumble. Not in a good mood when in pain.

P.