Apologies for the swearing – it is very unlike me. This whole post is very unlike me, very off topic for me. I am not a political animal. But please stick around, it might strike a chord. We’re big people here. Sometimes difficult times call for difficult measures. Today calls for an f bomb. Deep breath. Now, where was I ….
…
I thought we’d seen the worst of it. Wave after wave of Australian men behaving real bad over the last few weeks. Australian journalists, who should know better, behaving even more badder. Yes you heard me, more badder. It’s called rock bottom in English.
I thought the dust had settled. Late last week, my hands had been quivering over the keyboard wanting to write a post lamenting the state of Australian journalism. And then The Hoopla started to publish some pieces that touched on the things I wanted to see articulated. See here, and here. Sharp. Clever.
But then along came Piers Akerman on Sunday morning, live on national TV doing his bit to puff a little air into the rumour embers about the PM’s partner, Tim Mathieson’s, sexuality. Maybe it was inadvertent I don’t know.
But let me say this.
Just because Tim Mathieson doesn’t fit your script of your ideal hairdresser Piers (sorry was that a Benny Hill scene that just ran across the page), let alone as the partner of the most powerful woman in Australia, get this through your head Piers …
We have an election in September. It is an important one.
There are serious issues on the table. The future of Australian manufacturing. The future of education. The future of business. Of health, finance, welfare, transport, farming, the environment. Will anyone, anyone find a humane way to stop people dying at sea as they try to reach our shores. It’s not illegal to try you know.
While Julia Gillard travelled to China in April and came back with guaranteed formal, high level, annual, face to face meetings for future Australian PMs, Foreign Ministers, Treasurers and Trade Ministers with their Chinese ministerial counterparts … Oceania and Eurasia (with a nod to Orwell) have been joining forces across the Atlantic, trying to stitch up a major free trade deal between their two regions.
How much did we hear about the Chinese visit in the Australian media?
Forgive me for being cynical.
Forgive me for being tired of politicians having their personalities airbrushed out of existence.
Forgive me for feeling depressed this week with the realisation that many Australian men simply do not respect women and view them as their property | toys | or sport.
Politics aren’t my thing. But that doesn’t mean I’m an idiot. Or that I don’t care.
I studied print journalism at university and I know good journalism when I see it.
We heard last night that Rupert Murdoch owns 75% of the media in this country.
Forgive me if if find that statistic incredibly depressing on so many levels.
And as for our current crop of politicians, understand this …
Serving this country is a right AND a privilege.
I don’t have to vote for you.
I don’t have to vote for any of you.
NEVER make the mistake of assuming you’re going to get my vote. Any of you.
If you want my vote, fuckin’ earn it!
end rant/>
Our normal programming will recommence shortly.
Thank you.
A little personal postscript: I am married to a beautiful Australian man and have a 15 year old son who I hope will follow his lead and be a decent human being. I feel sure he will. I would hate my overseas friends to think that all Australian males are complete tossers. They’re not.
Off topic: I don’t give a fuck if Tim’s gay and stop treating us like morons.
Apologies for the swearing – it is very unlike me. This whole post is very unlike me, very off topic for me. I am not a political animal. But please stick around, it might strike a chord. We’re big people here. Sometimes difficult times call for difficult measures. Today calls for an f bomb. Deep breath. Now, where was I ….
…
I thought we’d seen the worst of it. Wave after wave of Australian men behaving real bad over the last few weeks. Australian journalists, who should know better, behaving even more badder. Yes you heard me, more badder. It’s called rock bottom in English.
I thought the dust had settled. Late last week, my hands had been quivering over the keyboard wanting to write a post lamenting the state of Australian journalism. And then The Hoopla started to publish some pieces that touched on the things I wanted to see articulated. See here, and here. Sharp. Clever.
But then along came Piers Akerman on Sunday morning, live on national TV doing his bit to puff a little air into the rumour embers about the PM’s partner, Tim Mathieson’s, sexuality. Maybe it was inadvertent I don’t know.
But let me say this.
Just because Tim Mathieson doesn’t fit your script of your ideal hairdresser Piers (sorry was that a Benny Hill scene that just ran across the page), let alone as the partner of the most powerful woman in Australia, get this through your head Piers …
We have an election in September. It is an important one.
There are serious issues on the table. The future of Australian manufacturing. The future of education. The future of business. Of health, finance, welfare, transport, farming, the environment. Will anyone, anyone find a humane way to stop people dying at sea as they try to reach our shores. It’s not illegal to try you know.
While Julia Gillard travelled to China in April and came back with guaranteed formal, high level, annual, face to face meetings for future Australian PMs, Foreign Ministers, Treasurers and Trade Ministers with their Chinese ministerial counterparts … Oceania and Eurasia (with a nod to Orwell) have been joining forces across the Atlantic, trying to stitch up a major free trade deal between their two regions.
How much did we hear about the Chinese visit in the Australian media?
Forgive me for being cynical.
Forgive me for being tired of politicians having their personalities airbrushed out of existence.
Forgive me for feeling depressed this week with the realisation that many Australian men simply do not respect women and view them as their property | toys | or sport.
Politics aren’t my thing. But that doesn’t mean I’m an idiot. Or that I don’t care.
I studied print journalism at university and I know good journalism when I see it.
We heard last night that Rupert Murdoch owns 75% of the media in this country.
Forgive me if if find that statistic incredibly depressing on so many levels.
And as for our current crop of politicians, understand this …
Serving this country is a right AND a privilege.
I don’t have to vote for you.
I don’t have to vote for any of you.
NEVER make the mistake of assuming you’re going to get my vote. Any of you.
If you want my vote, fuckin’ earn it!
end rant/>
Our normal programming will recommence shortly.
Thank you.
A little personal postscript: I am married to a beautiful Australian man and have a 15 year old son who I hope will follow his lead and be a decent human being. I feel sure he will. I would hate my overseas friends to think that all Australian males are complete tossers. They’re not.