Yesterday rallies for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) occurred around Australia. Despite the limited coverage of the event, it is encouraging to see people out in force keen to do something about disability issues in Australia. My biggest concerns regarding the NDIS are that either it will be funded poorly, too much money may go to administrative people who do little, or nothing will happen at all. In my own opinion I do not like nor support the Gillard Government's Carbon Tax. My main reason being that it will severely cripple business and people who are already struggling to get by in their everyday lives. I believe the tax has been poorly thought out and more importantly it will do nothing to assist the environment more so creating a bureaucracy and a tax which Australia and Australians do not need. It will also allow for the creation of a welfare state and people will lose the incentive to work or produce as the taxes will either be too high or people just wont be able to afford to get ahead in their lives. I have discussed the issue of welfare before. It is important to have welfare but it is not wise to give it to those who will simply rely too heavily on it and not make any contribution to productivity. I also fear that business and investment opportunities that could benefit Australia will go to New Zealand and other countries. I think the Carbon Tax will also increase the cost of living and make Australia a no go in terms of travel or investment. Finally I question how much of the carbon tax may help to assist funding the NDIS?
Recently I discussed Australians attitudes or understanding of politics to a person I know who works within the electoral commission. This person informed me which I found quite alarming, that when most Australians go to vote they don't even know what level of government they are voting for and have no idea of political parties, policies or candidates. This begs the question as to why Australia imposes compulsory voting when votes are either wasted, nor the concept of voting understood at all? Political parties in Australia fail in many ways to encourage people to nuture their own political beliefs and rather than educate and inform, instead there seems to be more complacency and a disinterest in the political process. What concerns me with Australian politics is that more so than criticise policy and attack disastrous or poor decisions, politicians in Australia either exchange blows, mud sling or head kick rivals. Such behaviour I guess does not look good on the world stage. I wont go into the current situation at all but I question the concept of compulsory voting and wonder whether it would be wiser to have voluntary voting but more of an involvement of the citizens in political discussions and affairs of their country?
Australia as we know from the history books was discovered by Lieutenant James Cook on the Endeavour in 1770. I don't think Cook had any intention at the time of seeing Australia as somewhere to colonise but more so discover on his political charts for the United Kingdom. At the time of Cook's discovery of Australia, the United Kingdom were on the brink of being involved in the American War of Independence. From my understanding it was made evident that with the loss of America that it was suggested that New Holland, renamed New South Wales under now Captain Cook could be a place to send England's worst criminals and those involved in petty crime. So it was in 1788 that the first colonists arrived into Port Jackson now Sydney and I will leave the rest to here for now. I often wonder about the deep down pscyhe of Australian people. Ned Kelly to many was a hero but really wasn't he a colonial thug? Also there is a worshiping of sport and a dislike of those who are different. I remember once visiting the Great Ocean Road in Victoria to where I encountered Australia's often poor service industry in tourism. Having arrived in Warnambool I checked into a model and was treated rudely. Instead of being greeted with hospitality, I instead was criticised with comments when I reaffirmed the price of the motel with 'you're lucky with what you got" and also more or less being treated abruptly with asking about the breakfast order. I thought to myself I am paying a service here and I am not interested in knowing whether you have had a bad day or not I just expect some professional service. How often do you encounter professional service when you contact an organisation or a travel destination? Are people properly trained and go out of their way to make you feel welcome? It seems that very little emphasis is placed on it today.
My attitudes to disability in Australia are that people more or less find you an obstacle if you require help or assistance. I see around me very poor wheel chair access or no wheel chair access or support for the disabled. I wonder how a person with a wheel chair actually gets around or whether they just have to lumber themselves into a maxi tax and try their best to go out into the community? I also hear stories of struggling families and carers who are managing or just about imploding with stress and fatigue to assist a person with a disability obtain a reasonable quality of life? I also ask the question about mental health in Australia and wonder how many people resort to alcohol as a means of hiding serious or other mental health issues? Surely something needs to be done! I just find that despite my efforts and energy into trying to get things happening that I am often held back or unable to channel my energies in ways to assist people and make for a better world. Yes I may sound like I am whinging but why not stand up for what you believe in? Why not make the world a better place? Why not have a community that understands more so than isolates you? These are my thoughts and I thought I would share them. I also believe that Autism needs to go a long way so that people understand it better.
Recently I discussed Australians attitudes or understanding of politics to a person I know who works within the electoral commission. This person informed me which I found quite alarming, that when most Australians go to vote they don't even know what level of government they are voting for and have no idea of political parties, policies or candidates. This begs the question as to why Australia imposes compulsory voting when votes are either wasted, nor the concept of voting understood at all? Political parties in Australia fail in many ways to encourage people to nuture their own political beliefs and rather than educate and inform, instead there seems to be more complacency and a disinterest in the political process. What concerns me with Australian politics is that more so than criticise policy and attack disastrous or poor decisions, politicians in Australia either exchange blows, mud sling or head kick rivals. Such behaviour I guess does not look good on the world stage. I wont go into the current situation at all but I question the concept of compulsory voting and wonder whether it would be wiser to have voluntary voting but more of an involvement of the citizens in political discussions and affairs of their country?
Australia as we know from the history books was discovered by Lieutenant James Cook on the Endeavour in 1770. I don't think Cook had any intention at the time of seeing Australia as somewhere to colonise but more so discover on his political charts for the United Kingdom. At the time of Cook's discovery of Australia, the United Kingdom were on the brink of being involved in the American War of Independence. From my understanding it was made evident that with the loss of America that it was suggested that New Holland, renamed New South Wales under now Captain Cook could be a place to send England's worst criminals and those involved in petty crime. So it was in 1788 that the first colonists arrived into Port Jackson now Sydney and I will leave the rest to here for now. I often wonder about the deep down pscyhe of Australian people. Ned Kelly to many was a hero but really wasn't he a colonial thug? Also there is a worshiping of sport and a dislike of those who are different. I remember once visiting the Great Ocean Road in Victoria to where I encountered Australia's often poor service industry in tourism. Having arrived in Warnambool I checked into a model and was treated rudely. Instead of being greeted with hospitality, I instead was criticised with comments when I reaffirmed the price of the motel with 'you're lucky with what you got" and also more or less being treated abruptly with asking about the breakfast order. I thought to myself I am paying a service here and I am not interested in knowing whether you have had a bad day or not I just expect some professional service. How often do you encounter professional service when you contact an organisation or a travel destination? Are people properly trained and go out of their way to make you feel welcome? It seems that very little emphasis is placed on it today.
My attitudes to disability in Australia are that people more or less find you an obstacle if you require help or assistance. I see around me very poor wheel chair access or no wheel chair access or support for the disabled. I wonder how a person with a wheel chair actually gets around or whether they just have to lumber themselves into a maxi tax and try their best to go out into the community? I also hear stories of struggling families and carers who are managing or just about imploding with stress and fatigue to assist a person with a disability obtain a reasonable quality of life? I also ask the question about mental health in Australia and wonder how many people resort to alcohol as a means of hiding serious or other mental health issues? Surely something needs to be done! I just find that despite my efforts and energy into trying to get things happening that I am often held back or unable to channel my energies in ways to assist people and make for a better world. Yes I may sound like I am whinging but why not stand up for what you believe in? Why not make the world a better place? Why not have a community that understands more so than isolates you? These are my thoughts and I thought I would share them. I also believe that Autism needs to go a long way so that people understand it better.
