"When I cannot sing my heart I can only speak my mind Julia" - John Lennon

I think I have to stop getting so excited whenever Julia Gillard shows any glimpses of reason or compassion. Why, I am wondering, does she go out of her way to discriminate? Maybe only she will ever know....



Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to you today to express my deep disappointment in your explicit stand against allowing everybody the opportunity to get married in Australia.

I am loved and cherished by my family and whether they are religious or not, they would like me to live a full and equal life under Australian law. I am particularly disappointed that you continue to alienate people that may support you in other areas in which you have  recently been quite progressive.

Please think about how you would respond if you were systematically locked out of participating fully in society. There are times in history when we look back and realise what a mistake we have made - before women were granted the vote, during the period of White Australia, and the Stolen Generation. I am convinced that we will look back on denying people the right to marry and regret how we allowed such blatant discrimination to occur.

Please reconsider your stance and reflect upon what it means for making Australia a fair and equal place to live and love.

Sincerely,

Me

Of cats and coalitions

What is it with the opposition? Go ahead, oppose, make a good argument but must you continue to refer to female politicians as cats? Western Australian Liberal MP Don Randall made comments in an address that Julia Gillard has 'pussy-whipped' the mining industry. Are you serious Don? I might not agree with everything that any politician says but I do know that my argument kind of goes out the window when I use sexist, racist or homophobic language to get my point across. What surprises me even more is how Julie Bishop thinks such insults towards women are fair game...internalized misogyny anyone?

Dear Mr Randall,

I am writing to you to express my concern about comments you made referring to Julia Gillard in a recent meeting. Regardless of your individual views related to economic issues associated with mining, suggesting that Gillard has ‘pussy-whipped’ the industry is insulting to her and other female politicians as professionals and misogynistic at its core. There should be a clear line drawn between disagreeing with a policy and resorting to demeaning language to challenge the views of others.

In light of Senator Bushby’s incident where he made ‘miaowing’ noises at Senator Wong and Tony Abbott’s record of disparaging comments about women it would appear that the culture of your party is sexist and must change to respect women and work with them as equals in our community.

I hope that you can grow to challenge people for the quality (or lack therefore of) their work and ideas rather than using sexist language to express your opposition to their ethos.

Sincerely,

 Me

I'm on a boat

I will be chasing up on a few different issues soon, but for now I will continue to hound our government overlords about their stance on refugee and asylum seekers. The expansion of the community detention program is making slight headway in treating people more humanely in our community, but we are a long shot from replicating the broad and accomodating migrant camps we were able to sustain in generations past. Chris Bowen you haven't heard the end of this!!


Dear Minister,

I am writing to you to express my concern over the government's 'Malaysia Solution' that fails to guarantee the safety of vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers in their plight for protection. One of the most troublesome elements of your government's policy is the failure to ensure detainees will be no worse off in the custody of the Malaysian government. I urge you to pursue talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to articulate what measures will be taken to ensure that detainees are treated humanely with dignity and respect.

I am also concerned about plans to disallow unaccompanied minors entry into Australia. Matters relating to refugees and asylum seekers should be assessed on a case by case basis, rather than assuming that the motives of every arrival are suspect. We should be seeking to protect the most vulnerable, not isolating them and refusing them shelter from persecution. I urge your government to review its current policy and reflect upon the positive contributions that refugees and asylum seekers past and present have made to our country.

Sincerely,

ME

Australia's politicians are still trying to out-do each other on being tough on asylum seekers. A lot of our population would not be here if this country had not accepted them or their relatives as asylum seekers, refugees or migrants. I always wonder how most of us would try and convince another country to accept us if we experienced natural disaster or war that made our country unliveable?

Here is a link to the UNHCR list of prominent refugees:

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49c3646c74.html?gclid=CJKZtZCX0qgCFc2DpAodwClJfw

Dear Minister

I am writing you to urge you to reconsider plans to reopen the Manus Island Detentention facility in Papua New Guinea.

Your government's decision to expand detention programs is inhumane and unjust. If detainees are here unlawfully they should be sent home. If the are not, we should be releasing them and integrating them into Australian society as occurred in past eras. More humane approaches are needed in this area as innocent people fleeing persecution do not deserve to be punished without trial in such a way. Money would be better spent speeding up the assessment process and placing people in community programs until their cases have been resolved.

The cost to the community of the current approach is unacceptable -  it places detainees in danger of developing severe mental illness and severe hardship which continues after their release. A more measured response would seek more practical solutions that do not use off-shore processing. 

Yours Sincerely

Me

getting the wind up Ted

 I admit, it's pro-forma again, but I still agree with the content. Usually government departments don't write back to mass letters like this, and if they do they also like a bit of cut and paste action...


Dear Premier Baillieu,

Victoria needs to increase its investment in clean renewable energy – not run it out of the state. Victoria needs wind energy.

Wind energy has become a viable energy alternative, but your government’s proposed planning restrictions will effectively send billions of dollars in regional investment and thousands of new jobs interstate.

Many wind farm companies, such as Pacific Hydro and Keppel Prince have already said that they will move their operations interstate if your proposed restrictions become law. Overly cumbersome planning restrictions will mean that when the Federal government sets stronger renewable energy targets, all new investment will go interstate.



Don’t make it harder to build a wind farm than dig a coal mine or build a freeway. It doesn’t make sense for Victoria from an economic or environmental view point.

Scrap the proposed 2km rule and base planning controls on scientifically verifiable impacts on landholders.

Will you lead us into a clean energy future, or keep Victoria reliant on brown coal for 90% of our energy needs?

Come on Ted - what is your policy on climate change anyway?

Sincerely,

more health...

I thought that I would see what the new Victorian state government would have to say about health issues. I'm still waiting for a proper response, but I'm not holding my breath (so to speak)

Here is a link to the organ donor registry in case you've forgotten to sign up....

 http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/public/services/aodr/index.jsp

Dear Secretary.

I am writing to you to urge your government to review the level of
funding and support currently given to Victorian hospitals given the
recent marked increase in registered donors.

I work in a large metropolitan hospital that undertook over 60 lung
transplants last year alone. In the first three months of this year,
there have already been over 30 mainly due to the increased number of
people registered to donate their organs.

Victorian hospitals need more staff and beds to accomodate the
increase in donor activity, and an increase in state government
support for hospitals would greatly assist the wonderful work we are
able to achieve in a new era of public interest.

The increased awareness in the community surrounding the importance of
registering as a donor needs equal support on the ground logisitcally
in our hospitals. I call upon your government to address this issue in
your first term to ensure that the gift that many Victorians have now
chosen to share is not given in vain.

Sincerely,

Me



And the non-response?


Thank you for your email to Nick, Parliamentary Secretary for Health.

Nick will raise this with the Minister for Health, the Hon David Davis MP on your behalf.


Louise Daniel for

Nick Wakeling JP MP
Member for Ferntree Gully
Parliamentary Secretary for Health
Unit 4, 91 Dorset Road
FERNTREE GULLY VIC 3156

Tel:  +61 3 9758 6011
Fax: +61 3 9758 8053
www.nickwakeling.org.au

oh and another thing nicola

 

 I think I must have been on a rampage against Nicola during the 2010 Federal election... this is another letter that I found from back then...

 

Dear Minister Roxon,

 

I am writing to you because I am concerned about your comment relating to mental health funding. I agree with the path that your government is currently taking regarding health reform, however I think that there should be more spent on mental health in a similar way to the Coalition's announcement yesterday 30th June.

 

The comment you made about proposed funding arrangements being 'crazy' is really quite disappointing. The stigma surrounding mental illness is still not acceptable, and the language that we all use can combat this continued discrimination. Please help by carefully considering the approach that you currently take.

 

Can you please tell me what plans your government has to improve the current state of mental health? Do you still intend to reduce medicare rebate funding to social workers and occupational therapists?

 

I know that your government is committed to health care reform, and I believe the right approach will save lives. I would like to see more effort towards reducing delays and gaps experienced by those experiencing mental illness.

 

Sincerely,

 

Me

more love to nicola

I'll be interested to see what they do in the upcoming budget with mental health funding, but they did back down from this one a while ago...

(Letter to the Editor 2010)

Nicola Roxon's decision to cut the Better Access funding for social workers and mental health OTs is nothing short of irresponsible. This decision leaves clients stranded in the wilderness of a mental health system that struggles to keep up with demand as it is. By paring back funding to make miniscule savings in an election year, we are reminded of the poor regard our governments hold for people with psychosocial issues and those who provide both formal and informal support for them. Improving our health system requires a more holistic approach and I would have thought Rudd and his merry bunch would be the last robbing from the poor and disenfranchised. Not a good look



http://www.aasw.asn.au/blog/latest-posts/aasw-wins-medicare-mental-health-campaign-government-backs-down

letters to the editor about equality.

Alright. So I take the bait a lot. Sometimes I might sound a bit belligerent about it all,  but I am on hyper alert about equal marriage rights in Australia. When I see homophobia in the media I put my two cents in as well. Here are a couple that have been published in The Age. OUTRAGED!! ha ha


 here is a link to the campaign....

 http://www.equallove.info/



I was pretty chuffed about this one...it got top billing up against all the other grumpy men and women out there in Letters to the Editor land.

(Published 14/4/11)
I am saddened by the report of anti-gay groups organized by ADF personnel. Stories of such discrimination continue to surface in sporting, school and military life. I think we really have to start questioning ourselves as a society when people in our community have to brace themselves for the next attack on their dignity. This is certainly not helped by the federal government and coalition who continue to oppose the right of gay, lesbian, transgender and intersex to marry. While formal discrimination continues to exist, and our leaders promote the message that we are not all equal, we can continue to expect stories of this nature. A vast majority of people in Australia treat others with respect and do not discriminate based upon who they are and who they love. Why do we continue to accept the poor behaviour of the minority who do not?



(Published 21/5/2010 )

Another day another person associated with the AFL demonstrating that homphobia is alive and well in sport regardless of campaigns pushing for acceptance. Jason Akermanis' comments that somebody coming out in the AFL would 'not be safe or healthy for the club' and that such an admission 'could break the fabric of a club'. What about breaking the fabric of a society that needs to recognise difference? I know Jason stated that he does not hold homophobic views himself, but when he mentioned that 'what you do in your private life is your own business' could he imagine a Brownlows ceremony where players were not allowed to bring along their girlfriends or wives? Time to get real and start fostering a real environment of support by singling out homophobic behaviour in clubs rather than leaving players to live in fear of living an honest life.

 

 

recycle this!

South Australia has had it for years. Europeans get discounts off their beer for taking bottles back. Is it that hard? This is a response to a pro-forma letter I send to the last state government about creating a container deposit scheme for Victoria. The campaign is STILL going. Here is a link to the campaign website.

http://mps.vic.greens.org.au/10cdeposit



Dear Correspondent

  PROPOSAL FOR DEPOSITS ON DISPOSABLE DRINK CONTAINERS


  Thank  you  for  your  recent  email  to  the  Premier,  advocating  the
  introduction  of container deposits in Victoria to increase recycling. I
  am replying on the Premier’s behalf.


  While  the  Victorian Government is not in favour of container deposits,
  for  the reasons outlined below, it is important to note that it did not
  prevent  debate  on the Greens’ bill. The Constitution Act 1975 requires
  that legislation which might require funds to be drawn from consolidated
  revenue must originate from the lower house. The Greens’ proposed scheme
  had  the  potential  to impose a cost on government, and so the Clerk of
  the  Legislative Assembly considered the bill a revenue bill, and it was
  therefore not possible for the Legislative Assembly to debate it.


  South  Australia  is the only State that has container deposits for some
  disposable  beverage containers, as well as running kerbside collections
  for  all  recyclable  materials as we have in Victoria. South Australian
  and Victorian recycling data suggests that both recycle at similar rates
  for  the items covered by container deposits. However, South Australians
  pay  significantly more for recycling services, as they actually run two
  collection systems.


  Beverage  containers  make up a relatively small proportion of all waste
  and  should  not  be given undue focus. A more comprehensive approach to
  waste  will  see  recovery of significant quantities of resources across
  the entire waste spectrum and the reduction of all types of litter.


  Because comprehensive waste reduction is our aim in Victoria, we provide
  kerbside  collection services throughout the State for materials such as
  glass,  paper,  aluminium,  steel  and  most  plastic  containers. These
  services   are   augmented  by  recycling  programs  in  public  places,
  specialist  services  for  smaller  volume  wastes such as batteries and
  electronic  goods,  and  specific  programs  to  reduce  commercial  and
  industrial  wastes.  We  are  also  working  to  increase  the  range of
  materials  for  which  recycling services are provided, and to influence
  manufacturers  so  that  they  consider  using  recycled  and recyclable
  materials in their products.


  The  Victorian  Government’s  Towards  Zero  Waste plan sets a target of
  reducing  all  waste generated by 12 per cent and increasing the overall
  recycling  rate  to  75 per cent by 2014. You can find information about
  Towards  Zero  Waste  and  our  progress  towards  these  targets at the
  Sustainability Victoria website www.sustainability.vic.gov.au.


  Increasing recycling is an important means of reducing the quantities of
  waste  reaching Victoria’s landfills, thereby reducing the environmental
  impacts  both  of  sourcing  raw  materials  and disposing of waste. The
  Victorian  Government  considers  it is essential to achieve these waste
  reductions as effectively and efficiently as we can.


  Thank you again for writing to the Premier about your views.


  Yours sincerely





  DAN O'BRIEN
  Chief of Staff

vintage outrage continued...

 because I am just starting up my letters blog, I am putting up some really old ones.

I actually got a response to this one with an official letter from the Minister letting me know that she had changed her mind about her choice of ambassadors. Who said being an eternally outraged nerd never got you anywhere?

 

 

 

Dear Minister,

 

I am writing to you to express my concern about your appointment of Warwick Marsh, President of the Fatherhood Foundation, and Barry Williams, President of the Lone Fathers Association as Men's Health Ambassadors. Whilst I do not doubt that either men have contributed in their own ways to men's issues, I believe that views expressed by both of these individuals run against the course of responsible men's health promotion.

 

The views expressed in their co-authored "21 Reasons Why Gender Matters" (http://redirect.cmailer.com.au/LinkRedirector.aspx?clid=67c2f115-ac2a-407a-87b8-23956775a576&rid=f5dec61a-01a8-450f-af44-922e4812062d  ) are inflammatory, homophobic and certaintly counterproductive in the light of high rates of depression and suicide in the gay and lesbian community, in particular young gay men. The opinions of your newly appointed "ambassadors" are posed in a pseudo-scientific and flawed manner, and are certainly not welcome within the wider community. Homosexuality is not a behaviour that is 'immature' or abnormal and most certainly does not lead to higher rates of drug use, crime or violence as suggested by these men. Spurious claims are also made within this document that suggest that the gay community contributes to a decline in health of not only their families, but the community as a whole.

 

Whilst I commend your government on the very recent changes to equality laws nationally, I do not believe that the selection of spokespeople such as Mr Marsh and Williams is in the spirit of an equal and just Australia.

 

I ask you minister to please seriously reconsider the appointment of these two men in the interest of responsible health promotion. I do not believe that the views of these men are in line with the views of either you or the broader electorate, and I urge you to take swift action in replacing Mr Warwick Marsh and Mr Barry Williams as health ambassadors.

 

I look forward to your response in relation to this matter, and hope that it may be resolved in the progressive style which has characterised your government to date.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Me

 

 

 

outraged!

 i tend to get a bit self righteous about these things, but when Peter Garrett went into federal politics I really thought he might be a bit better at the game....(surprisingly, my terse tone didn't get much of a response from Pete....)

Dear Mr Garrett,

I am writing to you to express my deep disappointment in your decision to approve the development of the Four Mile uranium mine in South Australia.

I have followed your activism from when I was a young child in the 1980s and saw you as a great voice of reason within the Australian political landscape. Your stance on Aboriginal rights and environmental issues was inspiring to me. I no longer view you as having such integrity, instead I see another firm example of how the need to conform and tow a party line can corrupt one's deepest held values.

Your decision about this development and others regarding Aboriginal land are frustrating and horribly sad. The lack of genuine consultation and destruction of the environment for years to come were not inevitable events but clear choices made by you. I think the thing that strikes me the most is the way in which you justify the decisions you have made. I really thought that someone in your position would wield more influence in making a positive change in mainstream politics rather than becoming a puppet for party conservatives.

You are certainly better than any alternative that we have had for an environment minister in the Howard years, however the public shedding of your environmental skin is one of the saddest developments I have seen in modern Australian politics.

Hopefully the decisions that you make in the future will give us some hope that the old activist that we knew and loved is still able to act with integrity and responsibility. Until then, I won't be holding my breath.

Sincerely,

Me

old letters/responses

 I might sound like a grumpy old man, but my arm got stuck in a tram door and the guy didn't have his mirrors out  - I can't find the original, but this is what they wrote back after i complained. I still hope he didn't get into too much trouble...

 "Thank you for Contacting Yarra Trams in relation to the actions and driving skills of a tram driver on the route 59 on 1 September 2008.

Yarra Trams is very concerned to receive reports of the nature you described, and subsequently an investigation into this incident has been concluded.

Yarra Trams takes very seriously any report of poor driver behaviour. The driver has been identified and interviewed regarding the incident and appropriate action taken.

Yarra Trams is committed to providing a safe, reliable, informative and customer friendly tram service, and where required immediate discipline will be initiated to uphold all of the above. Customer service and customer service skills are an integral part of our training course and our annual refresher training programs, and as such are an employment requirement of all our staff and especially our drivers.

Once again thankyou for bringing this matter to my attention."

Regards

Jim Hatzis

Depot Administrator

Essendon Tram Depot