The law of "Supply and Demand "has been with us since the first trade in goods began along the old Silk Road at the beginning of time, and it is perfectly simple. When supply falls short of demand - the price goes up !
One of the most sought after commodities in New South Wales is a place in a childcare centre - and this is in short supply. There is constant parent anguish at rising prices and for some mothers taking on a job is only marginal because childcare fees eat up the major portion of the salary earned.
It seems that some childcare centres have hit on a new way to increase profitability beyond the scope of daily charges. Parents are now being asked to pay a "Reservation Fee " when they seek to enrol a child and this is usually in the vicinity of $ 400. This brings with it the expectation that when a vacancy occurs, the replacement will come from this waiting list, and some desperate parents enrol at a number of childcare centres to enhance their chances of securing care for their child - and some are finding that this fee is nonrefundable.
Now this reservation fee idea has been raised another notch. Some centres are now offering an upgrade to a "Priority Reservation Fee " at a cost of $ 1,500. The expectation is that when a vacancy occurs this extra payment will "queue jump " that applicant and secure placement ahead of all those on the lesser waiting list. Again, it is usually nonrefundable.
New South Wales Fair Trading comments that complaints about childcare doubled from 2013 to 2014. This refusal of refunds applies to a variety of circumstances. In some cases, the child reaches school age without being offered a placing and it is very hard to justify that waiting list charge. In some other cases, parents have flocked to reserve a place at a new childcare centre advertised as opening shortly - only to find that the project stalls and does not proceed. Retention of a reservation fee in such cases may be negotiated by Fair Trading, but without a degree of certainty.
It would be a good idea if the New South Wales parliament passed legislation to clear up this reservation fee mess. Some would question the morality of a priority listing at an enhanced fee and others might wonder why any fee should be charged when placement should be on a "first come - first served "basis. The imposition of any nonrefundable policy is certainly open to question. There is the expectation that paying a fee will result in an outcome and when that outcome does not eventuate the justification for the fee vanishes.
Leaving the option of refundable registration fees in the hands of childcare proprietors is to invite anomalies. Applicants have a right to know where they stand on such issues and have the protection of law. Clearly, such a law change is urgently needed !
Saturday, 7 February 2015
Friday, 6 February 2015
Debt Crisis !
When the Governor of the Reserve Bank and the Head of Treasury tell Australia that we have a debt crisis, that is something the people of this country should take to heart. Glenn Stevens and John Frazer briefed cabinet with a twenty page slide show and predict that if we can not reign in our spending we will reach the stage of never being able to achieve a balanced budget - and the consequences of that will deliver misery without relief.
Perhaps we should cast our mind back to the start of the twentieth century. At that time, the prospects of two countries emerging as future world leaders in trade and prosperity were Argentina and Australia. Both had the land and the climate to feed the world and both were finding vast mineral wealth to create jobs and prosperity.
Today, the people of Argentina and Australia face very different scenarios. Argentina had a troubled century that included a civil war and the emergence of a dictator. It has defaulted on it's national debt several times, and is a pariah in economic circles. It eventually returned to democracy, but it's leaders sparked a ruinous war when it invaded the Falkland Islands and this venture ended in defeat. It is facing crippling inflation and it's essential services are crumbling. The future of Argentina can only be considered "uncertain " !
In comparison, Australia has led a charmed life. Since Federation we have retained a Westminster form of government and this has been a prosperous nation. Our way of life is famous and we are high on the list of destinations for those fleeing troubled countries. The only cloud on our horizon appeared when we entered this twenty first century. Our spending is out of kilter with our income, and we are borrowing $ 110 million a day to pay our bills.
It must be apparent to even the most basic student of mathematics that we either cut our spending or increase our income - or do a little of each. Unfortunately, this comes into conflict with the politics that underpin the Westminster system of government
The Westminster system is adversarial. Whoever has the greater numbers forms government and those with the lesser numbers opposes as "the Opposition ", and this is now fragmented by the appearance of several minor parties and a few independents. This tussle for power has degraded common sense and we seem to have reached deadlock on passing bills to enable rectification of our fiscal imbalance.
The opposition denies that there is a financial crisis and it seems that whatever is proposed as a solution will automatically be denied passage by the combined votes of the Senators in the upper house. As a result, the government can not govern and the nation faces a crisis as outlined by Messrs Steven and Frazer.
This is a situation that is fraught with danger. In other parts of the world, we are seeing the emergence of extremist political parties which quickly gain public support because the citizens have lost faith in those bogged down in trench warfare. We expect the politicians we send to parliament to work for the common good as opposed to simply playing party politics. In desperation, it is possible for those with a strange sense of order to come to power and deliver governance that was not the intention of the people when they cast their vote.
Two very senior heads of our economic levers of power have delivered a clear warning. The answer to our economic problem - is compromise ! Those we have entrusted to represent us in parliament should heed that warning. The fate that befell Argentina beckons !
Perhaps we should cast our mind back to the start of the twentieth century. At that time, the prospects of two countries emerging as future world leaders in trade and prosperity were Argentina and Australia. Both had the land and the climate to feed the world and both were finding vast mineral wealth to create jobs and prosperity.
Today, the people of Argentina and Australia face very different scenarios. Argentina had a troubled century that included a civil war and the emergence of a dictator. It has defaulted on it's national debt several times, and is a pariah in economic circles. It eventually returned to democracy, but it's leaders sparked a ruinous war when it invaded the Falkland Islands and this venture ended in defeat. It is facing crippling inflation and it's essential services are crumbling. The future of Argentina can only be considered "uncertain " !
In comparison, Australia has led a charmed life. Since Federation we have retained a Westminster form of government and this has been a prosperous nation. Our way of life is famous and we are high on the list of destinations for those fleeing troubled countries. The only cloud on our horizon appeared when we entered this twenty first century. Our spending is out of kilter with our income, and we are borrowing $ 110 million a day to pay our bills.
It must be apparent to even the most basic student of mathematics that we either cut our spending or increase our income - or do a little of each. Unfortunately, this comes into conflict with the politics that underpin the Westminster system of government
The Westminster system is adversarial. Whoever has the greater numbers forms government and those with the lesser numbers opposes as "the Opposition ", and this is now fragmented by the appearance of several minor parties and a few independents. This tussle for power has degraded common sense and we seem to have reached deadlock on passing bills to enable rectification of our fiscal imbalance.
The opposition denies that there is a financial crisis and it seems that whatever is proposed as a solution will automatically be denied passage by the combined votes of the Senators in the upper house. As a result, the government can not govern and the nation faces a crisis as outlined by Messrs Steven and Frazer.
This is a situation that is fraught with danger. In other parts of the world, we are seeing the emergence of extremist political parties which quickly gain public support because the citizens have lost faith in those bogged down in trench warfare. We expect the politicians we send to parliament to work for the common good as opposed to simply playing party politics. In desperation, it is possible for those with a strange sense of order to come to power and deliver governance that was not the intention of the people when they cast their vote.
Two very senior heads of our economic levers of power have delivered a clear warning. The answer to our economic problem - is compromise ! Those we have entrusted to represent us in parliament should heed that warning. The fate that befell Argentina beckons !
Thursday, 5 February 2015
The NAPLAN Crisis !
When NAPLAN was introduced it made a lot of sense to a lot of people. The idea was to test all children on their reading and numeracy skills when they reached years 3, 5 , 7 and 9. This overall picture would identify areas that needed more resources and give our educators a picture of how we compare with other world countries.
It seems that we are facing an ever increasing withdrawal rate as NAPLAN is attacked from both ends of the education system. Some teachers are suspicious that it will be used to grade teaching skills and there has been a tendency for the weakest pupils in their class to be encouraged to take a "sickie " on test days. On the opposite side of that spectrum, other teachers run their charges through virtual "boot camps " before the test and concentrate their classroom efforts into what amounts to "cramming " to achieve a better result - and of course this tends to skew the test results.
Now we are seeing a growing fad amongst some parents who believe that any sort of testing increases fear and anxiety in their children - and demand that they be voluntarily withdrawn from the tests. This withdrawal rate rose from 1.7% in 2013 to an overall 2.1% now and the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority ( ACARA ) believes that even a one percent drop out nullifies the accuracy of the results.
We have seen how unproven ideas swiftly gain currency in the minds of parents with the growing rejection of vaccinations that are allowing some almost forgotten diseases to make a comeback. It seems to be an "over protection "syndrome, but the reality is frightening. As the percentage of those vaccinated drops, we open the door for horrors like Polio to regain a foothold. That disease has been almost eliminated on a world basis - until a handful of countries found religious objections to vaccination.
The danger is that rejection of NAPLAN may become a cause taken up by some people with social standing, just as actual associations have formed to publicly oppose any form of vaccination. This message can quickly take hold and if misguided people withdraw an ever growing number of children from testing NAPLAN will simply collapse.
There is also a danger that shielding children from any form of competitive testing will fail to prepare them for what is inevitable at the end of their school years - the time when they will sit for their Higher School Certificate. That is crucial to the income level that young adults may attain and it is the dividing point between university or the more mundane work force. As the years progress, the doors to a vast range of professions are closing to those who can not provide at least basic tertiary qualifications.
The people at ACARA have a problem. They need to "re-sell " NAPLAN to both parents and the teaching profession. It would be desireable if teachers could constantly improve their teaching skills by refresher courses and such upgrades should be reflected in pay levels. Unfortunately, that is anathema to the thinking of the teaching unions.
We probably need a campaign by people of stature in the business community to extoll the NAPLAN ideals and the benefits that will accrue. This testing rejection is still in it's infancy. Well presented logic would be helpful in countering the mindless innuendo that the "against everything " mob peddle and try to endow with legitimacy.
NAPLAN is worth saving !
It seems that we are facing an ever increasing withdrawal rate as NAPLAN is attacked from both ends of the education system. Some teachers are suspicious that it will be used to grade teaching skills and there has been a tendency for the weakest pupils in their class to be encouraged to take a "sickie " on test days. On the opposite side of that spectrum, other teachers run their charges through virtual "boot camps " before the test and concentrate their classroom efforts into what amounts to "cramming " to achieve a better result - and of course this tends to skew the test results.
Now we are seeing a growing fad amongst some parents who believe that any sort of testing increases fear and anxiety in their children - and demand that they be voluntarily withdrawn from the tests. This withdrawal rate rose from 1.7% in 2013 to an overall 2.1% now and the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority ( ACARA ) believes that even a one percent drop out nullifies the accuracy of the results.
We have seen how unproven ideas swiftly gain currency in the minds of parents with the growing rejection of vaccinations that are allowing some almost forgotten diseases to make a comeback. It seems to be an "over protection "syndrome, but the reality is frightening. As the percentage of those vaccinated drops, we open the door for horrors like Polio to regain a foothold. That disease has been almost eliminated on a world basis - until a handful of countries found religious objections to vaccination.
The danger is that rejection of NAPLAN may become a cause taken up by some people with social standing, just as actual associations have formed to publicly oppose any form of vaccination. This message can quickly take hold and if misguided people withdraw an ever growing number of children from testing NAPLAN will simply collapse.
There is also a danger that shielding children from any form of competitive testing will fail to prepare them for what is inevitable at the end of their school years - the time when they will sit for their Higher School Certificate. That is crucial to the income level that young adults may attain and it is the dividing point between university or the more mundane work force. As the years progress, the doors to a vast range of professions are closing to those who can not provide at least basic tertiary qualifications.
The people at ACARA have a problem. They need to "re-sell " NAPLAN to both parents and the teaching profession. It would be desireable if teachers could constantly improve their teaching skills by refresher courses and such upgrades should be reflected in pay levels. Unfortunately, that is anathema to the thinking of the teaching unions.
We probably need a campaign by people of stature in the business community to extoll the NAPLAN ideals and the benefits that will accrue. This testing rejection is still in it's infancy. Well presented logic would be helpful in countering the mindless innuendo that the "against everything " mob peddle and try to endow with legitimacy.
NAPLAN is worth saving !
Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Left Behind !
Peter Greste (40) is a free man after four hundred days in an Egytian prison. He is resting up in Cyprus and enjoying pork and beer, neither of which was customary fare in an Islamic country. He can expect world attention when he returns to Australia and recounts his story to a wide audience.
Journalism has become a dangerous occupation in our divided world. Greste worked for Al Jazeera, a television network based in Doha and his arrest on trumped up charges reflects the religious divide that sets Sunni and Shia at each others throats in the volatile Middle East. Doha and Egypt support opposite sides of this spectrum and Greste was accused of "spreading false information and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood ", which is banned in Egypt.
The fact that Greste holds Australian citizenship brought the full force of the Australian government's diplomatic service to pressure Egypt for his release, and because he is a world famous award winning journalist this was supported by other world leaders, including Barack Obama. A trio of Al Jazeera employees were part of the arrests, trials and sentencing and while Greste is now free, Mohamed Fahmy, who holds joint Canadian/Egyptian nationality, and Baher Mohamed - an Egyptian - remain in prison.
It seems likely that Mohamed Fahmy will soon gain freedom because the release of Greste was under a rather opaque protocol that simply calls for those with foreign nationality to be expelled from the country rather than held in prison. The problem is that Baher Mohamed lacks that protection. As an Egyptian citizen, it is likely that he will remain in prison to serve the balance of his ten year sentence.
When demand for the release of these prisoners was a daily news item on Al Jazeera and protest groups were active across the world it was Peter Greste's name at the forefront. It would be a tragedy if Egypt releases the two foreigners in it's prison and leaves the Egyptian to rot for a further number of years - and the world forgets him !
No doubt Peter Greste will use his talents to keep that issue alive and Al Jazeera can be expected to maintain the demand in it's daily news sessions, but it was surely the intense lobbying and condemnation from a range of world leaders that brought unbearable pressure on the Egyptian president to move on this matter. In the interests of justice, this mans release should not be allowed to go on the back burner.
The arrest of journalists for simply doing their job and presenting the news must raise the question of what protection their country of origin can provide. Australian journalists accredited to news sources such as the ABC gather news in an official capacity and it would not be unreasonable for them to travel overseas under diplomatic cover. There is a vast difference in the protocols that apply between the holder of a diplomatic passport and the passport issued to ordinary Australian citizens.
Peter Greste was working for the news service of a foreign country and as such he would not be entitled to this form of Australian protection, but it could be argued that Doha was sending him into a danger zone which could require the cover of that country's diplomatic immunity.
It would probably be unwise to issue diplomatic cover widely to journalists, but if the practice of arresting journalists as a means of shutting down the news to suit the interests of the parties in power becomes common - and it is certainly increasing in much of the world - then at least an official foreign correspondent needs that cover.
A lot will depend on what happens now to Baher Mohamond ?
Journalism has become a dangerous occupation in our divided world. Greste worked for Al Jazeera, a television network based in Doha and his arrest on trumped up charges reflects the religious divide that sets Sunni and Shia at each others throats in the volatile Middle East. Doha and Egypt support opposite sides of this spectrum and Greste was accused of "spreading false information and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood ", which is banned in Egypt.
The fact that Greste holds Australian citizenship brought the full force of the Australian government's diplomatic service to pressure Egypt for his release, and because he is a world famous award winning journalist this was supported by other world leaders, including Barack Obama. A trio of Al Jazeera employees were part of the arrests, trials and sentencing and while Greste is now free, Mohamed Fahmy, who holds joint Canadian/Egyptian nationality, and Baher Mohamed - an Egyptian - remain in prison.
It seems likely that Mohamed Fahmy will soon gain freedom because the release of Greste was under a rather opaque protocol that simply calls for those with foreign nationality to be expelled from the country rather than held in prison. The problem is that Baher Mohamed lacks that protection. As an Egyptian citizen, it is likely that he will remain in prison to serve the balance of his ten year sentence.
When demand for the release of these prisoners was a daily news item on Al Jazeera and protest groups were active across the world it was Peter Greste's name at the forefront. It would be a tragedy if Egypt releases the two foreigners in it's prison and leaves the Egyptian to rot for a further number of years - and the world forgets him !
No doubt Peter Greste will use his talents to keep that issue alive and Al Jazeera can be expected to maintain the demand in it's daily news sessions, but it was surely the intense lobbying and condemnation from a range of world leaders that brought unbearable pressure on the Egyptian president to move on this matter. In the interests of justice, this mans release should not be allowed to go on the back burner.
The arrest of journalists for simply doing their job and presenting the news must raise the question of what protection their country of origin can provide. Australian journalists accredited to news sources such as the ABC gather news in an official capacity and it would not be unreasonable for them to travel overseas under diplomatic cover. There is a vast difference in the protocols that apply between the holder of a diplomatic passport and the passport issued to ordinary Australian citizens.
Peter Greste was working for the news service of a foreign country and as such he would not be entitled to this form of Australian protection, but it could be argued that Doha was sending him into a danger zone which could require the cover of that country's diplomatic immunity.
It would probably be unwise to issue diplomatic cover widely to journalists, but if the practice of arresting journalists as a means of shutting down the news to suit the interests of the parties in power becomes common - and it is certainly increasing in much of the world - then at least an official foreign correspondent needs that cover.
A lot will depend on what happens now to Baher Mohamond ?
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
For the Common Good !
A lot of people stuck in the commuter gridlock that affects Sydney roads were delighted when both the Federal and State governments signed off on the West Connex motorway. Finally we are to get a thirty-three kilometre tollway to connect the western suburbs with the Sydney CBD and this will cost $ 11.5 billion.
On Sunday a thousand inner city residents held a protest march in Enmore which they dubbed "the King Street Crawl ". Amazingly, the objective of this small band of people is to prevent work getting under way on the West Connex because they claim it will "dump traffic into the inner city and clog local streets ".
If that sort of thinking becomes the norm, what hope do we have of ever creating a vibrant city with the facilities that attract residents, create jobs and builds an efficient business hub. It completely ignores the reality that our inner city can not function without a traffic flow. All the goods that make it onto the shelves of city stores make that journey by truck, the bus fleet carries passengers to and from their city jobs and the taxi fleets are an essential service for those without a car. There is a movement to ban private cars from the city centre and rely entirely on public transport and we are reintroducing trams under the guise of "light rail " to make inner city travel easier, but the car will still be needed in it's present form to a lesser degree when the public transport system is finally installed.
The biggest obstacle to progress in all it's forms is the NIMBY factor. No matter what is proposed, the benefits that accrue to the majority of people are almost certain to deliver some sort of detraction to a small number of others. It seems to be human nature for those others to use public protest and the media to resist change and retain the status quo. In many cases, they succeed in causing delay and hugely increase the price of whatever is planned.
Exactly this same NIMBY factor is plaguing the new metro rail corridor presently under construction. There is agitation to oppose the siting of stations on the line because residents fear that traffic will increase in their streets and the convenience of a rail station will increase residential density. They expect that this will increase pressure for leafy residential suburbs to go high rise and that private homes will be replaced with unit blocks.
It is unrealistic to expect that a major city can remain stagnant and without change. It is impossible to maintain an outward spread indefinitely and the obvious answer is more of the "vertical village "concept - and that means some people need to move to make that possible. In most cases, a surge in land value where this is happening more than compensates for any inconvenience.
Those thousand people who demonstrated in Enmore are simply swimming against the tide. The factor that led to the West Connex approval was that it was deemed "for the common good ".
That is the principle that must guide all public works decisions !
On Sunday a thousand inner city residents held a protest march in Enmore which they dubbed "the King Street Crawl ". Amazingly, the objective of this small band of people is to prevent work getting under way on the West Connex because they claim it will "dump traffic into the inner city and clog local streets ".
If that sort of thinking becomes the norm, what hope do we have of ever creating a vibrant city with the facilities that attract residents, create jobs and builds an efficient business hub. It completely ignores the reality that our inner city can not function without a traffic flow. All the goods that make it onto the shelves of city stores make that journey by truck, the bus fleet carries passengers to and from their city jobs and the taxi fleets are an essential service for those without a car. There is a movement to ban private cars from the city centre and rely entirely on public transport and we are reintroducing trams under the guise of "light rail " to make inner city travel easier, but the car will still be needed in it's present form to a lesser degree when the public transport system is finally installed.
The biggest obstacle to progress in all it's forms is the NIMBY factor. No matter what is proposed, the benefits that accrue to the majority of people are almost certain to deliver some sort of detraction to a small number of others. It seems to be human nature for those others to use public protest and the media to resist change and retain the status quo. In many cases, they succeed in causing delay and hugely increase the price of whatever is planned.
Exactly this same NIMBY factor is plaguing the new metro rail corridor presently under construction. There is agitation to oppose the siting of stations on the line because residents fear that traffic will increase in their streets and the convenience of a rail station will increase residential density. They expect that this will increase pressure for leafy residential suburbs to go high rise and that private homes will be replaced with unit blocks.
It is unrealistic to expect that a major city can remain stagnant and without change. It is impossible to maintain an outward spread indefinitely and the obvious answer is more of the "vertical village "concept - and that means some people need to move to make that possible. In most cases, a surge in land value where this is happening more than compensates for any inconvenience.
Those thousand people who demonstrated in Enmore are simply swimming against the tide. The factor that led to the West Connex approval was that it was deemed "for the common good ".
That is the principle that must guide all public works decisions !
Monday, 2 February 2015
Back to Basics !
It seems that the Federal government has scrapped the $ 200 Marriage Counselling vouchers that were supposed to save people from divorce. No new applications will be processed after February 9 and those with existing vouchers have until the end of June to put them to use.
It seems strange that we are spending money trying to preserve marriage at a time when marriage as an institution is fast falling out of favour. There was a time when having that ever important marriage certificate was almost a compulsory legal document to allow any couple to apply for a housing loan or access any of the services that a moralistic society provided. An unwed couple had problems gaining a rental property and were usually shunned by society.
How different it is today. The vast majority of couples cohabitate and many raise a family without the burden of marriage. Strangely, while the "straight "couples of this world are abandoning marriage, the "gay " community is demanding access to that piece of paper that proves that they are legally bonded in the eyes of the state. It is an issue that is confounding politicians and the churches, but it is also gaining legal acceptance on an ever wider front.
Exactly what those Marriage Counselling vouchers were supposed to achieve was unclear. Much publicity surrounded the supposed benefits of making estranged couples more compatible and this seemed to be aimed at providing " sex and desire "lessons.
That seems to bring the whole issue of "marriage "full circle. Neither the churches or the good burghers of the community were ever comfortable with the "sexual act ". It seemed a good idea to contain it within marriage and consequently it was seen as a "sin "if it were performed in any other circumstances. We enacted laws that punished "adulterers "and "fornicators " and swept even the suggestion of homosexuality under the carpet. The moral tone of the world tried to ignore sex and during the Victorian era it was unspoken in decent society.
The problem was that sex was - and is - something that has an overwhelming appeal to most people. Back in those days of sexual repression the sexual undercurrent moved freely and widely, but the "eleventh commandment "applied - do not get caught ! An exposed sexual liaison brought shame and disgrace, and a heavy financial punishment if it resulted in divorce action. Today - despite the common herd freely indulging in sex - it remains a danger to those at the pinnacle of society. A president narrowly escaped impeachment over an affair with an intern and a man who was probably the best military strategist on the planet stood down from office because of marital infidelity.
So - we have a two tier system. Politicians. Presidents. Kings and the vast array of those that rely on public support to remain in power are expected to be dutifully married - and faithful. The screen world, sports stars and celebrities in all other areas of entertainment actually burnish their image and gain supporters from the publicity their peccadillo's draw in the media - and they change partners more often than they renew the cars in which they travel.
Strangely, the marriage business is still a burgeoning industry. Very ordinary people pay extraordinary sums of money to stage an extravaganza fit for a movie star. Once, marriage was the end product of courtship. Today, "try before you buy " is the theme that sometimes ends in marriage - and sometimes simply becomes a way of life that no longer raises eye brows.
The money saved by curtailing those marriage counselling vouchers would be better spent in subsidizing the cost of child care facilities. Along with marriage, the notion of a home maker and a breadwinner lost favour as the economy made double incomes essential. The essential now facing Australia is to create the conditions that allow the modern family to work and still raise children. The ability to remain childless is now a fact of life.
Much of the thinking of government is still influenced by the morality that existed a century ago. Both the churches and the lawmakers need to clear the cobwebs and accept that sex is no longer the bogey of a distant age. Trying to corral sex within artificial boundaries didn't work in the past and it certainly won't work in the future.
The wise will accept reality - and legislate accordingly !
It seems strange that we are spending money trying to preserve marriage at a time when marriage as an institution is fast falling out of favour. There was a time when having that ever important marriage certificate was almost a compulsory legal document to allow any couple to apply for a housing loan or access any of the services that a moralistic society provided. An unwed couple had problems gaining a rental property and were usually shunned by society.
How different it is today. The vast majority of couples cohabitate and many raise a family without the burden of marriage. Strangely, while the "straight "couples of this world are abandoning marriage, the "gay " community is demanding access to that piece of paper that proves that they are legally bonded in the eyes of the state. It is an issue that is confounding politicians and the churches, but it is also gaining legal acceptance on an ever wider front.
Exactly what those Marriage Counselling vouchers were supposed to achieve was unclear. Much publicity surrounded the supposed benefits of making estranged couples more compatible and this seemed to be aimed at providing " sex and desire "lessons.
That seems to bring the whole issue of "marriage "full circle. Neither the churches or the good burghers of the community were ever comfortable with the "sexual act ". It seemed a good idea to contain it within marriage and consequently it was seen as a "sin "if it were performed in any other circumstances. We enacted laws that punished "adulterers "and "fornicators " and swept even the suggestion of homosexuality under the carpet. The moral tone of the world tried to ignore sex and during the Victorian era it was unspoken in decent society.
The problem was that sex was - and is - something that has an overwhelming appeal to most people. Back in those days of sexual repression the sexual undercurrent moved freely and widely, but the "eleventh commandment "applied - do not get caught ! An exposed sexual liaison brought shame and disgrace, and a heavy financial punishment if it resulted in divorce action. Today - despite the common herd freely indulging in sex - it remains a danger to those at the pinnacle of society. A president narrowly escaped impeachment over an affair with an intern and a man who was probably the best military strategist on the planet stood down from office because of marital infidelity.
So - we have a two tier system. Politicians. Presidents. Kings and the vast array of those that rely on public support to remain in power are expected to be dutifully married - and faithful. The screen world, sports stars and celebrities in all other areas of entertainment actually burnish their image and gain supporters from the publicity their peccadillo's draw in the media - and they change partners more often than they renew the cars in which they travel.
Strangely, the marriage business is still a burgeoning industry. Very ordinary people pay extraordinary sums of money to stage an extravaganza fit for a movie star. Once, marriage was the end product of courtship. Today, "try before you buy " is the theme that sometimes ends in marriage - and sometimes simply becomes a way of life that no longer raises eye brows.
The money saved by curtailing those marriage counselling vouchers would be better spent in subsidizing the cost of child care facilities. Along with marriage, the notion of a home maker and a breadwinner lost favour as the economy made double incomes essential. The essential now facing Australia is to create the conditions that allow the modern family to work and still raise children. The ability to remain childless is now a fact of life.
Much of the thinking of government is still influenced by the morality that existed a century ago. Both the churches and the lawmakers need to clear the cobwebs and accept that sex is no longer the bogey of a distant age. Trying to corral sex within artificial boundaries didn't work in the past and it certainly won't work in the future.
The wise will accept reality - and legislate accordingly !
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Delivering Justice !
It is an inescapable fact that the senior ranks of the New South Wales police are in disarray and this comes at a critical time because we are just a few months away from the retirement of the present police commissioner. The two people locked in battle are the deputy commissioners from whom the government would be expected to select the present commissioners replacement.
There is no doubt that about ten years ago the Police Special Crime and Internal Affairs ( SCIA ) division persuaded a judge to sign off on multiple search warrants that lacked the evidence required to support such action, and as a result over a hundred very senior police had their homes and offices bugged, and were subjected to a turned criminal policeman wearing a wire trying to trap them at social functions.
It is concluded that when the Ombudsman was tasked with holding an enquiry, the direction of this enquiry ignored the wrongdoing of SCIA and concentrated on harassing the victims and minutely examining the rectitude of every minor decision these officers had made in the execution of their duties. It took the form of a witch hunt that resulted in at least the suicide of one senior police officer and the attempted suicide of several more.
One of the deputy commissioners involved in this matter was the head of SCIA at that time and the other was the victim of the bugging. In the interests of justice, it is important that all the facts be tabled - and guilt determined. If there are suspicions of corrupt conduct, those should be clearly stated - and dealt with. This is a major police operation that can not be explained away by blaming "mistakes " by underlings. As that saying goes : The buck stops on the desk of the person in charge !
There is a very real danger that the government may decide that tension within seniority levels in policing makes it impossible to recruit a new commissioner from within. We could see a search for a new commissioner from other states or even overseas. Many will remember when we previously recruited from Britains Scotland Yard - and what a disaster that proved to be.
This present parliamentary enquiry is supposed to settle what has been lurking in the shadows for over a decade. There is no doubt that many of the actions taken crossed the bounds of legality and the bugging of phones and emails extended beyond police ranks. Some journalists were caught in the net and their sources compromised. This could rightly be called a personal vendetta - and that has no place in the structured operation of a modern police force.
Unfortunately, the ugly reality of politics usually intrudes into enquiries of this nature and there is a tendency to reach an inconclusive finding. Various searches over a ten year period have delivered nothing and it will be a complete travesty of justice if this present enquiry peters out with a whimper and is consigned to a musty report hidden away somewhere in the state archives.
Justice demands that guilt be determined - and if that means that the guilty person gets the sack - then so be it. Justice also demands that if the other party is innocent, then that person be exonerated. It is the job of those assisting this enquiry to diligently pick apart the web of facts and establish the truth, and if that offends some sensitive souls - such is the outcome of getting to the truth.
This has been a particularly ugly imbroglio and a lot of careers have been compromised and a lot of family lives wrecked. Unless it is cleared up, lock stock and barrel - it will continue to fester away in the shadows. We do a serious disservice to our police force if we allow that to happen !
There is no doubt that about ten years ago the Police Special Crime and Internal Affairs ( SCIA ) division persuaded a judge to sign off on multiple search warrants that lacked the evidence required to support such action, and as a result over a hundred very senior police had their homes and offices bugged, and were subjected to a turned criminal policeman wearing a wire trying to trap them at social functions.
It is concluded that when the Ombudsman was tasked with holding an enquiry, the direction of this enquiry ignored the wrongdoing of SCIA and concentrated on harassing the victims and minutely examining the rectitude of every minor decision these officers had made in the execution of their duties. It took the form of a witch hunt that resulted in at least the suicide of one senior police officer and the attempted suicide of several more.
One of the deputy commissioners involved in this matter was the head of SCIA at that time and the other was the victim of the bugging. In the interests of justice, it is important that all the facts be tabled - and guilt determined. If there are suspicions of corrupt conduct, those should be clearly stated - and dealt with. This is a major police operation that can not be explained away by blaming "mistakes " by underlings. As that saying goes : The buck stops on the desk of the person in charge !
There is a very real danger that the government may decide that tension within seniority levels in policing makes it impossible to recruit a new commissioner from within. We could see a search for a new commissioner from other states or even overseas. Many will remember when we previously recruited from Britains Scotland Yard - and what a disaster that proved to be.
This present parliamentary enquiry is supposed to settle what has been lurking in the shadows for over a decade. There is no doubt that many of the actions taken crossed the bounds of legality and the bugging of phones and emails extended beyond police ranks. Some journalists were caught in the net and their sources compromised. This could rightly be called a personal vendetta - and that has no place in the structured operation of a modern police force.
Unfortunately, the ugly reality of politics usually intrudes into enquiries of this nature and there is a tendency to reach an inconclusive finding. Various searches over a ten year period have delivered nothing and it will be a complete travesty of justice if this present enquiry peters out with a whimper and is consigned to a musty report hidden away somewhere in the state archives.
Justice demands that guilt be determined - and if that means that the guilty person gets the sack - then so be it. Justice also demands that if the other party is innocent, then that person be exonerated. It is the job of those assisting this enquiry to diligently pick apart the web of facts and establish the truth, and if that offends some sensitive souls - such is the outcome of getting to the truth.
This has been a particularly ugly imbroglio and a lot of careers have been compromised and a lot of family lives wrecked. Unless it is cleared up, lock stock and barrel - it will continue to fester away in the shadows. We do a serious disservice to our police force if we allow that to happen !
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