My view and thoughts on everything!

More Valuable Than Gold

2020-03-21T08:46:00.000+11:00

Saturday morning and a military style operation is about to kick into gear. The alarm goes of at 06.45am. The sky is getting lighter as day time wins its regular battle against night time. In 12 hours time the victory will be reversed.

There's a stirring in the bedroom as a zombie like person rises from another fitful sleep. Following a quick visit to the bathroom the zombie has metamorphosed into a human. That human is me.

Time is ticking away, the deadline time of 07.00am will not be achieved. I need to quickly change. Within a minute I am dressed and ready for action. A last minute decision to leave the flak jacket at home turns out to be a good decision. I remember that these are strange times indeed.

I set off at a fairly quickish pace. The early morning dog walkers are out in their leggings and shorts and looking quite sporty. However, the takeaway cup of coffee is a sign that the apparel is for show only. I turn a corner and am nearly flattened by an early morning running group. Approximately 40 runners bunched together are doing their regular weekend run. The fittest are at the front and the hangers-on at the back. Two thoughts come to mind - I wonder if the ones at the back of the pack will soon quit and head to a cafe? The other thought - whatever happened to social distancing?

Anyway, my thoughts turn back to my goal. I must maintain my focus. I check my watch, and realise I am not wearing one. My phone says I am already 5 minutes late! Time to step up the pace.

As I near, I can see others have succeeded with their own military operations. One middle-aged male has a manic smile, or is it a grimace? Either way, he is happy with the outcome. Soon, I see another two maniacal looking humans. Have I timed my operation too late? Should I have read up on Churchill's wartime memoirs? Whatever the case, I am nearing my destination. It is all or nothing. Success or fail, an outcome will be achieved.

I enter a small building and can see the security guard at the entrance to my destination. I decide to lower my gaze. Even though I am sure if we had a staring contest I would win, I do not want to make contact and want to remain nondescript.

I am now inside. I survey my surroundings. Things look calm and sedate. What is going on? I expected chaos, anarchy and at least one Ramones T shirt on view. I head downstairs. As the escalator takes me to my goal I can see there are others with the same thoughts as myself. A father and daughter split up to undertake the classic '2 for 1 manoeuvre'.

Now there is a woman, dressed for the gym, starting to panic. She runs down the escalator, not wanting to miss out. I can see my personal nirvana just ahead of me. Already I know that my operation will be an astounding success. I take a casual approach as I make my way to a part of the floor where humans are gathering. It reminds me of bees around a hive. I can see there is plenty of stock available.

I grab one pack and then head to another part of the floor to grab 3 other items that are required. Within 5 minutes the operation is over and I am heading home. A feeling of achievement starts to overcome myself. I start to feel elated! This is short-lived as I see a group of women heading my way. They are chatting enthusiastically about something. Not sure if it is about a recent 'Neighbours' episode, or the latest Autumn styles out now.

Whatever it is, I feel like a social pariah as clearly they can see what I am carrying. I get an evil stare from one of the women. Oh no, I think. They must assume I am one of those 'preppers'. I pass them looking at the ground and not wanting eye contact. I am now four minutes from the safety of my home.

In the distance is another group of women who are approaching me. It is clear that they can see what I am holding. I look away before we pass as I do not want to feel awkward again. However, this time it is different. One of the women offers a chirpy 'good morning!'. This takes me off-guard and my voice does not react to the command from my brain.

Finally I am home. I put my rewards on the kitchen bench. All in all, the operation took just over 30 minutes. I stare at the main item that currently seems to be more valuable than gold. However, all I see is a pack of toilet rolls!

A Cricket Conundrum

2016-04-03T21:07:00.000+10:00

Noel Coward once famously sang ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun’. When I first heard this way back when Sunday cricket was relatively new, I remember asking my father what it meant. When he explained, I remember looking confused and promptly went back to playing with my toys. After all, I had a plan to achieve world domination before I was 10 years old!

Many years later, and there I am umpiring my two daughters in a cricket game whilst exposing my pale English skin to the mid-day sun. You see, I had been roped into umpiring the under 13’s girls T20 game at one of Sydney’s many cricketing ovals. I suppose in reality I was slow to react when the coach asked who wanted to umpire the game. Almost immediately all the Dad’s at the game started answering their phones, even though I personally didn’t hear them ring. Others started heading to their cars at a rather swift pace. I was literally the last man standing and before I knew it I had the new shiny red cherry in my hand.

I had given both my daughters some backyard cricketing lessons. I had drilled into them what my father had taught me “straight bat, son”. I had truly passed on this holy grail of advice to the new generation of family cricketers.

As my oldest came out to bat I quickly told her to remember to keep her bat straight. Obviously the advice paid off as my daughter cross-batted the first ball off her toes with Laxmanesque like skill for four runs. The other umpire (the opponents coach) gave me the thumbs up. I just smiled awkwardly back.

As with most junior cricket there is invariably a run-out or two at every game. This time my oldest daughter fell victim to that old chestnut ‘yes’ followed by ‘no’ and then ‘erm….sorry!’. Still 68 runs off 20 overs wasn’t to be sniffed at. Our star player named ‘extras’ notching up yet another half century. I’m sure representative cricket awaits our main player in the next few years.

As an umpire you get to see all types of different bowling actions. The girls under 13’s are no exception. The slight rule change for the competition means the ball can bounce twice before the batsman has to play a shot. My youngest daughter is generally more of a bowler than my oldest.

This day her bowling was way off line. Think Steve Harmison’s first ball of the 2006/07 Ashes series but repeated frequently. I decided to have a quick fatherly chat. I needed to motivate her quickly. I gave my youngest some inspirational words “you really are bowling badly today”. I could feel the daggers in my back as she walked back to her mark.

Her next ball saw the middle stump uprooted and the batsman looking stunned. My youngest turned to me and said “So, do you still think I am bowling badly?” For once I was lost for words.

Yet again I was shown that Cricket truly is an unpredictable and magical sport!

From Captain Chaos to Captain Sensible

2015-12-28T09:12:00.000+11:00

They say 12 months in politics is a lifetime, and the past year has proven to evidently justify that saying.

2015 started with Tony Abbott at the helm of the good ship Australia and finished with a mutiny that left Tony abandoned by his shipmates, and a new captain - one Malcom Turnbull taking control and steering our ship to hopefully calmer waters.

When I thought about writing this blog, I thought that an apt title for it would be "From Captain Chaos to Captain Sensible". Because it feels like this has genuinely been the case. It is as if the nation has collectively breathed a sigh of relief since the change of leader. So what went wrong? and how come the mood of the nation has changed so quickly since Abbott's demise?

Let's rewind to the beginning of the year when Tony Abbott made one of his 'Captain's Calls' without consulting his cabinet. I am of course talking about honouring Prince Phillip with a knighthood. If you search Prince Phillip on Wikipedia you will find that he already has a plethora of honours from many countries within the Commonwealth and outside of it. To most Australians this award to the Queen's husband just didn't make a lot of sense at all.

In the world of politics you have to be careful as to what you say and how you react. Two examples of Abbott's gaffes came when he laughed at a joke that Peter Dutton had said in Parliament House over a debate on Syrian refugee intakes. In addition, Abbott referred to Bill Shorten as the "Dr Goebbels of economic policy". Quite clearly both of these examples showed a lack of tact on behalf of the Prime Minister and certainly affected the opinion polls.

Probably the incident that sealed Tony Abbott's fate was that known as "choppergate". In brief, the Speaker of the House of Representatives had hired a helicopter, at tax payer expense, to fly a short distance from Melbourne to a Liberal Party Fundraiser. Despite the public ire shown at Bronwyn Bishop, the Speaker, Abbott steadfastly remained loyal to his friend, until it was obvious the mistake was a terminal one and Bishop had to be removed from her role.

Then, of course, there was the fear factor that was being delivered by Abbott in respect to terrorism and the troubles in the Middle East. This was exemplified by the increasing number of Australian flags being displayed during press conferences on these matters.

All of this time the opinion polls were moving further south for the government. Bill Shorten and the Australian Labor Party were so far ahead that a potential whitewash at the next election was looming. However, there was hope on the horizon for the beleaguered government.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. In September Malcolm Turnbull challenged Tony Abbott and won convincingly to become the new Prime Minister of Australia. Tony was sent to the backbench to contemplate his next career move. Immediately Turnbull set about rebuilding the governments reputation and removing the fear factor that had become a common theme during the Abbott tenure.

Turnbull's first speech was a positive one and mentioned that this was the best time to be an Australian and that the future ahead was looking good. Immediately the polls showed a huge rise in support for the government and a rise in unpopularity of the ALP leader Bill Shorten. Soon after Turnbull removed the 'knights and dames' policy that Abbott had announced earlier in 2015. Not long after the much maligned Treasurer, Joe Hockey, quit politics and headed to New York as the Ambassador to the US.

So where are we at the present? Poll speaking, the government command a huge lead over the ALP and should win a 2016 election quite comfortably. However, there are a few obstacles that might not make it all that easy to get re-elected. Firstly, two by-elections have shown large swings against the government in what are traditionally safe seats. Whilst this may not impact greatly at the next election it is something that should be kept in mind.

Secondly, the talk of raising the GST, most likely from 10% to 15%, will cause some derision from the electorate. For the less well off this is something that will not be greeted warmly at all. Tax revenue has to be increased somehow as government debt has grown at a quicker rate under the Abbott/Turnbull regimes than under the previous Labor government.

Recently, there has been talk of removing penalty rates for workers who work on Sundays. Already there has been a backlash to this from even LNP voters. Turnbull will need to handle this issue delicately if he is to keep voter confidence.

Another issue is within the Coalition itself. Whilst Turnbull is portrayed as a moderate, the true conservatives within the party are not that happy. On the one hand they will probably retain government but the policies that Turnbull may want to implement might not be agreeable to the Hard Right of the party.

So 2016 is shaping up to be another crazy year in the world of Australian politics. One thing is certain though. By the end of 2016 we will know exactly who will be captaining the good ship Australia for another three years. As the saying goes 'time will tell'.

My Rose

2015-08-17T21:23:00.000+10:00

The following is a short story entitled 'My Rose' that I recently entered into a writing competition. Even though I didn't win I am very proud of this effort. I hope you enjoy reading it.

It’s amazing how things can change so quickly. It was only a few months ago and I was home and enjoying life with my lovely Rose. She is my soul mate. I knew we were meant to be together from when I first set me eyes on her. I will never forget when the fair came to town. There I was with my mates having a great time. I was playing Shove Ha’penny when I saw the most gorgeous person I have ever set me eyes on! I will always remember that day until I meet me maker upstairs, which will be soon. She was with her sisters and had a flower printed umbrella to protect her from the sun. I caught her smiling at something her sister said. Her smile was to die for, I tells ya.

Anyways, somehow I had to pluck up the courage to talk to her. It ain’t easy when you are a country boy working on the farm. To be truthful I can go days without seeing any sort of female, apart from me mum and my little sis!

Thankfully the good Lord above must’ve been smiling on me.

A little later on as the fair was in full swing, Rose had her umbrella snatched by one of those pesky little urchins. Fortunately I knew it was Old Tom’s son Harold. Before he could get out of the fairground I had launched into a tackle. We both hit the ground with a thud. I remember telling him “Don’t you ever steal anything again, or I will beat you all the way to next week”. I felt a bit guilty at threatening this little tyke. So I whispered “thanks” in his ear as he had now given me a chance to talk to Rose. I gotta admit little Harold had the most puzzling look on his face after that! To this day I still chuckle as I recall the incident that led me to my Rose. Not your Rose but MY Rose!

After brushing myself off I wiped my face on me sleeve and made my way to my future love. Funny thing was I wasn’t nervous as I handed back the umbrella. Maybe I am a modern guy. After all it is now 1915! I remember Rose thanking me and gave me the best smile I had ever seen. Even better than the smile me Dad had when he won 2 pounds on the Melbourne Cup. Her smile melted me inside. My throat suddenly became dry. I somehow plucked up my country courage and asked if she would like to go on a bike ride. Amazingly she said yes. If I had died then I could have died a very happy bloke.

It seemed like ages before the day of the picnic. In truth it was just over a week. So after Church I borrowed two bikes from my uncle and met up with Rose in the town centre. I had packed some bread and meat for a snack for us. I remember she giggled when I told her that. I wasn’t sure if she was impressed or amused. It didn’t matter cos it was Rose time – my time.

We cycled out to the nearest lake. Rose struggled at first with her long dress but somehow managed to cycle pretty well. I sometimes deliberately cycled behind her, just so I could get a glimpse of her wonderful legs. Yes, my Rose is perfect in all respects. Don’t you worry about that!

We got to the lake at just after 2 O’clock. I forgot to bring a picnic rug so I laid down me best jacket that I had been wearing. I then helped Rose off her bike and we sat down. There was a deathly silence for a few minutes before Rose suggested we eat the food I had brought. This was the, what do you call it? Oh yeah the icebreaker. After that we talked as if we had known each other for all of our lives. My only regret was that I didn’t get to kiss her on her cheek on the first date. That would have been too forward of a modern guy even for myself.

It wasn’t too long before I did get my first kiss. I think it was at the harvest festival 6 weeks later if I remember correctly. Our time we spent together has been pure happiness.

I was about to pluck up the courage to ask her father if I could have Rose’s hand in marriage when war broke out. When Britain declared war on Germany I didn’t think too much about it. After all, I was besotted with my Rose. However, Britain is our Motherland even now, so I had to enrol and fight the enemy. You know the ‘King and Country’ thing.

I remember enlisting with Stan and Arthur. It was a hoot. We thought a few months away would be great. We could experience a new country, or two, and come back to our town knowing that we had done our part in a British Empire victory. How wrong could we have been?

Anyways, the training wasn’t as hard as I thought. Stan, Arthur and I had been firing rifles since we were youngsters. We were fit too. Playing rugby and working on the farm saw to that. The hardest part was saying goodbye to our families and my beloved Rose. I will never forget the tears that streamed down her beautiful cheeks. She shouted out “I love you!” I was too choked to reply but nodded and smiled. That image of her fading into the distance as me ship pulled out of the harbour will never leave me.

Time on the ship was tedious in the extreme but we did meet some great blokes and we formed our own group of friends called ‘The Family’. Days were taken up with drills, fitness and a smoke or two. Finally, we were told we were heading to Turkey. Stan quipped that the only Turkey he wanted to see was on a plate on Christmas Day. Even our Captain laughed at that!

Our laughter soon turned to fear and despair when we arrived at our landing spot. I had never heard of Gallipoli before. Now I know it well and hate it. As we were about to get off our boats we could see and hear gun and missile fire. It was scary and so loud! The bloke next to me in the landing boat vomited over the side of the boat. It was a nervy and scary time.

Somehow we made it to the beachfront and run through smoke and chaos and made it to the nearest hills. We caught up with other soldiers from Australia and New Zealand. The first thing I noticed was all these trenches. At times it was like looking at a long snake as it made its way across the hill. The first few days were the hardest as we had to push further up the hill despite the Turks shooting back at us. Some of us made it, thank God. Others didn’t. The members of The Family halved in a week. Twenty of them died. It was at this stage I cried. These blokes were like my true brothers. To be honest, I wanted to leave there and then. But I couldn’t I am Australian and I pledged to fight for the Empire.

Eight months on and I have become a real hardened and humourless soul. I received a couple of letters from Rose and they have helped me a lot. I wrote a few letters back but to be truthful I haven’t the spirit to write more. I have lost too many friends here. Stan got caught in barbed wire and was mowed down by the Turks. This happened within feet of me and I couldn’t get to him in time. Arthur followed a few days later. A sniper put a bullet into his forehead as he momentarily took his helmet off. At least neither he nor Stan felt any pain. God bless their souls.

So that leaves me as the sole survivor from my town. Aside from battling the enemy I have to ensure that when sleeping the rats do not bite me. Disease is rife in the trenches let me tells ya. Then there’s the lice in my hair, lack of food and water and artillery noise. It’s a Hell on this blessed Earth.

Well there ain’t much more to say really. We are awaiting orders for one last major push to take the hilltop. The thing we dread most is the Captain’s whistle. Once he blows that we go over the top of the trenches and advance towards the Turks. It’s suicide really but we all signed up, and we have our honour. I’ve been told within the next hour we will push forward.

Well I must stop now and get ready for the next phase of the war for myself. I honestly think this will be the last moment of my life. The Grim Reaper is sharpening his axe and my name is engraved on it.

I will miss my parents and sister. They are the world to me. One day upstairs I am sure we will all catch up and experience true paradise. There’s only one person I will miss more and that’s my lovely and beautiful Rose. She is my life, my soul and my destiny. Rose, I Iove you so much. I am sorry that I never got to take you as my wife and for us to raise my two sons on the farm. I hope that whoever you do marry treats you well. If they don’t I promise I will haunt your husband!

Whoever finds this final letter can you please deliver it to Rose first.

This is it. May God have mercy on my Soul.

Pte Nathaniel Harris,

What To Write?

2015-08-01T21:21:00.000+10:00

It’s been a long time between drinks, as the saying goes. Or more to the point, a long time between blogs. I could use the usual excuse that I have been busy these past few months and as such I have been time poor to write blogs, or I could just ‘fess’ up and say I really didn’t think about writing another one. Whatever the case may be, the good news is ‘I’m Back’!

There are so many things to write about that I truly do not know where to start. Indecisiveness kills the blogger. My recent (or not so recent) blogs have been fairly political and there’s plenty of subject matter of that ilk to write about. Things like Bronwyn Bishop’s ‘Choppergate’ affair and her being put on ‘probation’ by Captain Tony Abbott is something I could get my teeth stuck into. At times the whole incident is like a Laurel & Hardy sketch. Or maybe the Three Stooges (or Two) is more apt.

The good point, from a bloggers point of view, is that our Prime Minister is always such a rich outlet of things that can be blogged about (think Captain’s Call and Shirt fronting). It generally is one gaffe after another. I’m sure a stand-up comedy show beckons Tony Abbott after he finishes his long and notorious political career.

Another hot topic currently is the Ashes cricket test series. This is the ultimate Cricket battle. A battle between England and Australia. As at the time of writing this blog, the scores are level at one test all. The Ashes are always keenly contested and there’s normally some controversial moment or two. However, at the moment both teams are appearing to be behaving themselves.

Or maybe I could write about some music I have been listening to lately. Recently, I have rediscovered the heavy rock group Saxon and have been listening to some of their most popular opuses. One thing that struck me is how musically talented Saxon were/are. There really is a huge chasm between the rock stars of today and those of yesteryear.

Alternately, maybe I should write about the Sydney winter. July has certainly been one of the coldest winter months for many a year. It even snowed heavily in the Blue Mountains a few weeks ago. Mind you, winter in Australia is not like a winter in Europe. To some it is ‘tropical’. According to my weather application, tomorrow is going to be 6 degrees above the average close to the Mid 20’s. Hardly winter weather indeed.

So I still don’t know what to write about. Hang on a minute. If I am not mistaken I have just written a blog!

Abbott's Year of Failure

2015-01-08T20:56:00.000+11:00

Well it was certainly a crazy 2014 here in Australia. Politically the government is currently more on the nose than prawn shells left in the sun for a few days.

Fifteen months into the stewardship of the Abbott government and it looks that, barring a miracle, it will be a one term government. However, John Howard was facing decimation prior to the 9/11 attacks – and look what happened to him at the next election!

Tony Abbott was elected mainly on an anti-labor vote. The Rudd – Gillard – Rudd debacle had left a lot of voters disillusioned with the ALP. Abbott fed on this disillusionment by using effectively three word slogans and reminding all and sundry how bad the then government were. Abbott would fix the budget, stop the boats and would bring stable adult government back to Australia. Oh, and the sun would shine and lovers would walk hand in hand through corn strewn fields!

However, Abbott and his cohorts did not experience any form of ‘honeymoon period’ that all new governments generally experience. In fact, the Abbott government never really made it to the bedroom on the wedding night! The country had already developed a ‘headache’.

Most voters trust their governments to do the right thing. So if pre-election promises are clearly stated then they must be honoured. Australians do not like governments to get elected and then to not stick to their promises. For whatever reason, the Abbott government chose to break theirs thereby potentially cutting ‘their jugular’ with the electorate. What made things worse was that the 2014 budget had some extreme measures in it that were not ‘hinted’ at before the election, or prior to the budget announcement.

The backlash was immediate and the government was probably surprised at the anger shown by the electorate at large. The budget was seen as being pro-business and anti-working class. An example was the proposed lifting of caps on university course fees which meant that some courses would triple in price.

I have always held the view that selling the budget and government policies are akin to selling a second hand car at a dealership. You have to be able to put across your message simply and succinctly and with no small amount of professionalism. So how come this government has failed on so many levels to get their policies and messages across? Let’s take a look.

The Prime Minister is the figurehead of the government and must be stately when required and also empathetic. John Howard was one of the previous Prime Ministers that could do this effectively. However, Tony Abbott comes across stiffly and without any real fluency to his speaking. He looks at times like he has been stunned by the headlights of the oncoming truck heading his way. I like to call it SMS – Stunned Mullet Syndrome. The fact also that he has to wear an earpiece to help answer questions doesn’t look good to the average Aussie out there. I won’t even go into the ‘foot in mouth’ things that our PM has said in the past 15 months.

Our Treasurer has probably had the worst year out of anyone in the government. Roll back the clock a few years and there was Joe, an amiable and affable type of fellow. Someone that had a great rapport with the public. Nowadays that rapport is non-existent. Joe has sent out so many mixed messages “we must fix the budget” “the budget is not a problem” that it’s hard to work out what the situation is! He has looked especially nervous especially after his budget was totally panned by all bar the right wing commentators and obligatory Newscorp journalists. Nowadays he is looking like a spent force – a parody of his former self.

Aside from Julie Bishop, the Coalition’s only shining star, the general public does not have high opinions of Chris Pyne, Barnaby Joyce, Eric Abetz, Warren Truss and especially Scott Morrison. The way this government has put the electorate offside so quickly is quite an achievement in itself. The question is how can they fix it? In short, it may already be too late.

A revamp is required aside from the mini cabinet re-shuffle that was announced recently. For the Coalition to win another term in office, or at least put pressure on the ALP, they must sack Peta Credlin. Ms Credlin comes across as a total power hungry control freak albeit one who has the full backing of the PM. However, her stifling of senior ministers means that they are unable to be themselves or put across their message to the country. If ministers were allowed to be themselves more then maybe, just maybe, the public would warm to them.

Joe Hockey should be axed as Treasurer as he has totally made a complete hash of the job to date. If this was an office job he would have already been sacked. It would probably pay the government to appoint a lesser known candidate to this role. That way there would be less backlash than, say, if Matthias Cormann is appointed to Treasurer.

However, the biggest problem for the government is Tony Abbott himself. He is clearly not winning over many with his policies and actions. The Catch 22 is that if he is removed as PM then the Coalition will be deemed to be no better than the previous government. The only two pretenders to the throne would have to be Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull. However, Malcom has lost favour with the public due to the cost cutting exercise with the ABC and SBS.

So what can the government do? Probably not much if the truth is known. The good ship LNP is floating rudderless into dangerous waters and there doesn’t seem anything that they can do to stop this. So the next 20 months will see more of the same. The Senate will continue to be troublesome and the expected economic forecast for Australia isn’t all blue skies and sunshine either.

Given that most of the cabinet are devout Christians then they could always spend more time praying for an upturn in fortunes. Only One person knows whether this policy will work!

Woes and Inexperience of the Budgetary Kind

2014-06-11T14:42:00.000+10:00

The Abbott government has a huge issue that it needs to resolve. In fact, it is really two issues. The first is to try and convince the Palmer United Party senators (with Ricky Muir of the Motoring Enthusiasts Party in tow) and other independent senators to pass a hugely controversial budget. The second is to sell this ‘austerity’ type budget to the electorate. So far the Government has not succeeded with either of these issues.

Even if the bills pass the Senate, and therefore becomes law, it is expected that there would still be a lot of hostility from the public. How can the government turn this around and effectively sell the specifics of the budget to an already sceptical electorate? If we look at it another way, how did the Government dig this huge ‘hole’ for themselves in the first place?

To answer this it is best to look at a couple of sporting analogies. With the FIFA World Cup breathing down our necks, I thought it would be best to start with an analogy of the football type.

A football manager has to take into consideration a number of factors when selecting a team. It is not just a case of choosing 11 players and 5 substitutes. Managers and the coaching staff would have spent many hours studying the opposition and working on appropriate tactics. Especially in relation to how not to concede goals. They would also be looking for their opponents ‘Achilles Heel’ to see if that can be used to their advantage.

Aside from this, the weather conditions would also play a role in team selection. For the FIFA World Cup, some matches are being played in the tropical region of Brazil. This means that heat and humidity will take a toll on the players. A good manager would ensure that his team are fully equipped to handle this. Finally, on the day of the game, a Manager will pick the best team to play the opposition and hopefully win.

Similar considerations impact cricket, and indeed all sports. A cricket coach, together with the captain, will firstly look at the wicket and assess what it is likely to do over the next 4 or 5 days of the game. They would factor in that, for example, Sydney is traditionally known as a spinners wicket, whilst Perth is seen as a fast bowlers paradise. Hence team selection will be made accordingly. In addition, the state of the weather prior to the coin toss will have an impact on whether to bat or bowl. A cloudy day could influence a captain to bowl first rather than to bat.

Politics is a similar beast to sport. Every government has an agenda that they want to implement. Some of their policies can be seen to be ‘controversial’ whilst others will be universally accepted. What the government has to do is to gauge public opinion and work out the best strategy to sell the message to the public. To do this, there would be discussions within the cabinet and advisers as to how to effectively implement their policies. Remember, if you can get the public onside then more than half of your budget battles are won.

Incumbent governments tend to issue a ‘nasty’ budget first up knowing that they can offer ‘sweeteners’ in the succeeding two budgets.

The Abbott government, and especially the Treasurer Joe Hockey, decided to paint a picture of ‘doom and gloom’ prior to Budget Day. Leaking details of parts of the budget prior to its reading in parliament is not a new thing. All governments do this. The idea is to mentally attune the public to the ‘bad’ parts of the budget.

The other aspect of the budget is to sell it once it has been read in parliament. Generally the Prime Minister and the Treasurer will go on a type of media ‘roadshow’ espousing the reasons behind the budget decisions. Favourable media can certainly help with selling the message.

So where did it all go wrong for Tony Abbott and the Coalition? Obviously, the ‘all guns blazing’ approach of the government in relation to the budget has backfired. It is simply too harsh for a first budget. Also, continually blaming the ALP for the budgetary decisions wears thin after the first 100 or so times. It would appear that the government didn’t do their research correctly and have totally underestimated public reaction.

In my opinion a large part of the failure of the budget has to sit quite firmly with Peta Credlin - the Chief of Staff. Peta Credlin is reputed to have a stranglehold on all policy decisions that the government makes. She is the conduit for the Prime Minister, the cabinet and back-benchers. Ministers, for example, have to get her permission just to undertake a media interview. So it can be seen that Peta Credlin has a lot of power and influence as well as being the Prime Minister’s confidante.

It would be natural to assume that Credlin played a major part in the shaping of policies for the budget. As such, she has totally overlooked the reaction from the public. If we look at the earlier sporting analogies it could be said that she did not do her ‘homework’ in relation to the anger from the public. If this is the case then it clearly shows Credlin’s naivety and possible inexperience.

So where are we at the moment? Well, we have a government who cannot pass all of their bills in a fairly hostile senate without ‘watering down’ a number of policies or, heaven forbid from their point of view, scrapping a few of the controversial ones. Given the theme of the budget, Tony Abbott could go for a Double Dissolution of parliament but, based on the opinion polls, the Coalition could end up out of government. The bleak economic picture that the government has painted does not give them much room to manoeuvre anyway. Whatever happens one thing is sure, the next few months in parliament are going to be far from boring!

Finally, could it be that Peta Credlin is out of her league as the Chief of Staff to the government? How many times have we heard of promising footballers and cricketers who just couldn’t take the next step up despite their ability? This is reminiscent of the scene where the coach goes up to the young budding sport star and says “look son, you are just not going to make the grade. I am sorry”. Maybe this is an apt description that fits Ms Credlin. Only time will tell.

Racism, Religion and Internalism

2014-04-10T15:51:00.000+10:00

There has been a lot of debate recently over the Australian Government’s decision to look at amending section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. The amendments proposed include removing the provisions making it unlawful to “offend, insult or humiliate” based on a person’s race. This would be replaced with a new clause that bans racial vilification. In brief, a large number of Australian’s feel that the proposed changes will, in effect, allow people to be more racist to others.

Since the debate about section 18C has started there has been a couple of incidents, most particularly in multi-cultural Ryde, where a poster was displayed with the words “No more Asians. It’s not the face of Australia. We speak English. Save our Aussie culture”. Under the proposed amendments a number of migrant groups fear that they will incur more racist incidences like this one.

Before I move on, I would point out that every country has elements of racism. This can be along the lines of hierarchy, culture, religion or even social groupings. Australia is no different to any other country. There is, and always will be, an element of racism from a small group of Australians.

Since the tragic events of 9/11, Muslims and other religious groups, have had to cope with racist attacks – both verbal and physical. John Howard, the then Prime Minister, hardly helped racial tensions in Australia by announcing, in the lead up to the 2001 election, that “we will decide who comes to our country, and under what circumstances”. Four years later and racial tensions reached boiling point during the Cronulla riots.

Fast forward to today, and a search on Twitter will easily show racist tweets here in multi-cultural Australia. These tweets are normally aimed at Muslims, especially those who can easily be identified as such. Women who wear the hijab (headscarf) are particularly vulnerable to attack.

The main issues that some Australians have are that we could allow asylum seekers who are terrorists into our country who would then attack our beliefs and also look to hurt and kill innocent Aussies. Others feel that migrants are generally ‘dole bludgers’ who don’t want to assimilate. In addition, some feel that there is a plan to take away ‘our’ Christian values and make Australia a Muslim country through stealth. Note that at the last Australian census in 2011 Muslims made up a mere 2.2% of the population. Christians, on the other hand, made up a total of approximately 63%.

The media certainly plays a role in swaying our views on subjects. A number of right wing commentators often make reference to the danger of letting asylum seekers into Australia. Is this fear valid? Or do we need to look at how our Christian faiths and values stack up against other religions. Is our real enemy, from an historical point of view, ourselves and not religious groups who make up the minority?

A quick search on the internet shows that Christians, as a rule, have a long history of decimation and destruction. Consider these examples:

· Between the 10^th and 12^th centuries it is estimated that more than 20,000,000 non-Christians were killed.

· The 30 year war in Germany in the 17^th century saw approximately 40% of the population of the country decimated.

· With the arrival of the Spaniards to the Americas in the 16^th century it has been estimated that 60,000,000 locals were slain.

· During the Second World War, 6,000,000 Jews were killed in concentration camps and roughly 600,000 non-Catholics in Catholic Extermination Camps.

· During the Vietnam war 80,000 locals were killed whilst in concentration camps.

In the last two decades we have also witnessed mass murders in Bosnia and Kosovo as well as Afghanistan, as the Allies went searching for Bin Laden.

Certainly it can be seen that Christians have been responsible for many atrocities in our history.

Before, I conclude I am certainly not saying that other religions are ‘holier than thou’. Certainly there has been many atrocities in a number of Muslim countries. Especially in the Middle East and North Africa. To this day this continues to be the case. Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists have also been involved in aggressive campaigns that have left many thousands dead. It is part of the Human psyche that we attack and kill each other regardless of any God that we may worship or not. Historically this has been the case and this will no doubt continue in the future.

So let’s remember that Australia is blessed with migrants from all corners of the globe. Over the past two centuries they have brought their culture and way of life into this country. How many of the people reading this drink cappuccinos (Italian), enjoy a kebab (Turkish) or love eating burritos (Mexican)? It is important we sway the argument away from the phobia that is attached to migrants and recognise the role they have played in giving us a rich and well founded lifestyle that we are proud of.

We need to embrace our multi-culturalism with open arms and learn from each other. You may find that we have similarities that you never realised before. Remember too that the vast majority of people are just like you- friendly and peace loving!

Social Media Respect

2014-01-22T22:51:00.000+11:00

It has been a while since my last blog, so I thought I had better rectify this!

So much has happened over the past few months that it is hard to know where to start. However, I would like to start with a topic that touches every one of us and that is "Respect". In particular social media respect.

As human beings we can be very self-opinionated. On the whole, this is an admirable quality. If we didn't sometimes challenge each other, authorities or our beliefs then the world would be a much more boring and backward thinking place.

However, we need to show respect to others when we are using social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. People use social media for a variety of reasons from keeping in contact with family and friends, sharing interests, following 'celebrities' and also to share opinions on a number of topics.

In the old days (pre-internet) a lot of conversations would take place in the tea room or at the water cooler at work. In reality, these conversations still happen to this limited audience today. However, social media allows people to access a larger audience. The use of hashtags are a common way to find a topic and comment on it.

Social Media allows people to hide behind their comments without the recipient (of the comment) knowing who they are. This leaves everyone's opinions and beliefs open to potential attack. These attacks are nowadays known as trolling.

I, myself, have been trolled on a few occasions. These troll attacks have been in relation to my views on gun control, politics, asylum seekers and ensuring religious tolerance. Except for one occasion I have not worried about the attacks. The only occasion it affected me I really felt infuriated!

However, as time goes on I have realised that not everyone will share my views. In fact, a number of my friends differ with me on a variety of topics. Having said this, some people react differently to other peoples views. In extreme cases, due to trolling and cyber bullying, some people have taken their lives after being attacked.

So when you read a comment or post on a social media site remember that a human being with feelings has posted it. Healthy debate is always to be welcomed but do not overstep the mark. Lets keep conversations healthy and non-aggressive.

Are We Robots?

2013-10-20T00:12:00.000+11:00

As a prequel to the topic of this blog I would like to make reference to the Pink Floyd song 'Welcome To The Machine' from their classic 'Wish You Were Here' album. The main premise of the song is that we are all part of a well oiled machine, a factory processing unit where we are but a cog in that process. Our life revolving around the repetition of life/work and so on, whilst the company we are working for makes huge profits. So with this view in mind read on as I look at if we are robots or not...

Over the past thirty years there has been something of an underground revolution going on. It is a revolution that has not required guns, bombs or even covert operations by elite militia. It has not required UN Peace Keeping forces and it is not religion based. By and large this revolution has been under the radar of the media. In fact, the only time that you would have heard about it would have been through industry related forums and workshops. Even though this revolution was borne out of good intentions, it has become clear that there is a potential dark side to it as well.

So what is this mysterious revolution? Well, this is the revolution of business efficiency.

Over the last three decades businesses worldwide have been looking at ways to make processes more efficient. By efficient I am really talking about minimising errors, making the process simpler and, of course, making the product or service cheaper (or should I say more profitable). After all, if you eliminate errors you will save money on your production costs. For a large number of industries (think the car industry) it can make sense to streamline production. That way, at every stage of the evolution of the construction of the car you can easily monitor its quality as well as being able to pinpoint where any defect or error has occurred.

Business efficiency has become a science as well. There are a number of theories and worldwide standards that can help businesses and employees alike. One is Six Sigma which some of you may be aware of. Six Sigma, for the uninitiated, is a set of tools, techniques and strategies used for process improvement. It was originally developed by Motorola in 1985. Since then it has been implemented by a large number of companies worldwide.

Another efficiency tool is Prince 2. This is used for project management purposes and covers the management, control and organisation of a project. Somewhat surprisingly this was developed by a UK government agency in 1989. It is now seen as one of the global industry standards for projects across all industries.

There are many more theories and concepts aside from the two I have mentioned above. A quick internet search will provide a plethora of different ideals for business improvement.

From a different angle it could be argued that all business processes that follow these concepts have, in fact, morphed into factory processing lines. Without a doubt for some this is a good approach (again, think the car industry). For other industries it does take away the ‘organic’ thinking that is important for the good or service being developed. This lack of ‘organic’ thinking has, in my opinion, impacted workers. Nowadays employees who are utilising Six Sigma, for example, may not always see what the overall end result will be.

They may also not be able to think ‘outside the square’ clearly which is a very important element not only in business, but also for the growth of us as humans. It could be argued that after three decades of the implementation of these concepts that we are turning into human robots. Robots that are unable to compute anything outside of their immediate vicinity.

Recently, I came across this on a project that I have been working on for 12 months. An issue arose that required input from a number of people as to the best way for resolving it. However, some of the project team had trouble coming up with a required solution. Their view was that all the boxes had been checked from their partitioned view, and therefore, all was fine. They could not grasp what the ‘Big Picture’ was. It actually took a few phone calls, emails and time to resolve this issue.

Now Sir Richard Branson is certainly not one to get bogged down with theories and concepts. Aside from any regulatory requirements he utilises an organic and consultative approach to business and issues. I remember reading that he normally makes decisions based on his gut feeling rather than spending many hours researching. I think it is safe to say that Sir Richard has had a fairly successful career adopting this approach! I am also sure that he surrounds himself with like-minded people (I am still awaiting a call from Sir Richard – hint, hint).

My worry is that as we improve technology then more and more business concepts and theories will be introduced. This could well lead to less ‘thinking outside the square’ situations. Probably the best way ahead is to combine both business efficiency processes with organic thinking. We must ensure that all workers and employees are fully aware of what the end picture is. Until we do this we run the risk of us all turning into human robots.

Remember, that we must always look at the end result. That is the good or service that we are supplying to our customers is the correct one. This may require more of the ‘grey matter’ inside our heads rather than any process.

What A Wonderful World - Or Was It?

2013-10-19T23:48:00.000+11:00

Nearly half a century ago an African-American recorded a song that was to define not only his career, but also Music in general. The song itself had already been rejected by Tony Bennett, one of the top singers of the time. In hindsight, it probably turned out to have been a very bad decision by Bennett. Anyway, the song was referred to an ageing 66 year old jazz musician who eagerly agreed to record the song. The musician was Louis Armstrong and the song was entitled “What a Wonderful World”.

Over the decades since it was released it has become a beacon of hope for the future, as well as being a staple song at weddings during the father and bride dance. With lyrics such as:

“I see trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom for me and you. And I think to myself what a Wonderful World”.

It is easy to see the positiveness in the song. A song of hope, of a bright future and of the things in life that we take for granted but ultimately we should be thankful for. Indeed, from a certain angle it could be seen to be a very spiritual type of song. However, I have recently been wondering if in fact it is quite the opposite. If we look at the era in which it was released it could be deemed to be a very sarcastic take on society. Let me explain further.

The song was released in the US in 1968. At the time the US were well and truly entrenched in a war in Vietnam that would ultimately end in a stalemate. From documentaries and films we know that a lot of young Americans were enlisted to fight the Viet Cong and ended up being there for a number of years as well as witnessing many atrocities. Statistics show that somewhere in the region of 58,000 servicemen lost their lives fighting in Vietnam. At the time of the song there were many anti-war protesters who were against the US involvement in Vietnam. Protests up and down the country were growing in numbers virtually by the day.

In 1968 the African-American Civil Rights movement was going from strength to strength. For more than a decade up to then African-Americans had been staging non-violent protests and civil disobedience in an attempt to end racial discrimination and segregation. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were two prominent leaders in this movement.

1968 also saw the assassination of two prominent progressive public figures. The aforementioned Martin Luther King was assassinated on 29^th March in Memphis. Less than two months later the President-elect Robert F Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles. These two assassinations had a profound effect on the nation.

Likewise, Louis Armstrong was seen as a colourful character. He was one of the few African-Americans that enjoyed celebrity status and benefits that were generally only apportioned to White Americans. He was often seen as an anomaly amongst his own people. Armstrong was born in 1901 and was the grandson of slaves. He spent much of his early life living in poverty in a rough neighbourhood of New Orleans. At a young age he learnt to play the cornet which was to define his career.

Biographers have always had trouble trying to map out Armstrong’s true life story. Louis Armstrong was known to tell many stories and innuendos about his upbringing and early years. So much so that no-one is really sure as to what the truth is and what is false. Although Armstrong was not as politically active as other African-Americans he did take a stand for desegregation during the Little Rock Crisis. He even called President Eisenhower “two-faced” and “gutless” over his handling of the crisis.

So, given the above, it is clear that the song was released against a background of social upheaval and political activity. Although Louis Armstrong did not write “What a Wonderful World” it can be seen that during the late 1960’s it was a time of change. In addition, this was also the time of the Summer of Love and hippy power was taking off. The times were certainly a changing as Bob Dylan would sing.

When you look at this era it can be safe to assume that the supposedly uplifting song “What a Wonderful World” was actually a bleak outlook on American Society. Certainly for a large number of African-Americans racism and segregation were still huge issues and they, for one could not see “trees of green and red roses too” unlike their White-American compatriots.

Social Media Fasting

2013-07-20T15:36:00.000+10:00

Recently a fellow tweep @little_freedia and I decided to go a week without access to any social media. We decided to see how we would cope without it. Would we have withdrawal symptoms? Would we give in prior to the end of 7 days? Or would we discover things that we didn't know existed?

To make it easier (or harder) we had to deactivate all social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. For myself, Facebook wasn't an issue as I had permanently deleted my account more than a year ago. Twitter and Instragram are my main social media nowadays. We decided that emails were allowed as it really is a communication platform and not a social media outlet.

So on Sunday night 7th July, I deactivated my Twitter and signed out of my Instragram account. Having done this I actually felt like a naughty schoolboy who has done something mischievous in the classroom. Well I couldn't worry too much about this as I had made a commitment to my fellow Tweep and was determined to see this experiment through.

Monday came and normally I would access my iPhone and check Twitter. This time I couldn't. So I got ready for work and made my way to the bus stop. Immediately, my bus arrived and I shuffled on board. I noticed that virtually everyone had their head bowed and were on their smart phones. It struck me that I could not do that, so I decided to look out of the bus window. It was a glorious sunny day and as the bus made its way over the Sydney Harbour Bridge I glimpsed the Opera House looking resplendent in the early morning light. It was kind of therapeutic looking out of the window rather than looking at my phone screen.

Work was a challenge as well. Periodically during the day I do check Twitter and Instragram for the latest updates. Naturally, I was not able to do this. What I noticed was that I was more focused on my work and engaged more with my co-workers. The temptation was to check my phone but I stood firm.

Monday evening was certainly the hardest. I always send numerous tweets out during the Q and A show on ABC. This time I had no choice but to watch the show and not participate from a social media perspective. I noticed that some of my Tweep friends (Em, Jennifer and Mariam) got their tweets posted. I felt helpless and unable to congratulate them.

Tuesday was also another hard social media free day but it seemed easier to handle than Monday. I noticed also that I seemed to have more time on my hands by not using social media outlets. I seemed to engage better with friends and colleagues as well as spending more time on things like reading books.

This trend continued throughout the week. The more I was off social media the less I missed it. I also noticed that I seemed to be more in control of my time and, strangely, felt quite relaxed. That may have been in part due to the fact that I had a long weekend in Ballina, rather than my social media exile.

Finally, the end of the experiment came around. I was now able to access Twitter and other social media platforms. Quickly I re-activated my account for Twitter and re-logged into Instagram. It felt strange being back after a period away.

So what did I learn? probably the obvious things. In today's society we are very reliant and addictive to social media. It is a drug that we cannot live without. It also takes over our lives at the expense of proper interaction with our friends and loved ones. Like most things, once you have been absent for a period of time the addiction wanes. I found that time seemed to slow as I had to revert to the pre-social media ways - talking directly, watching television and movies without accessing a phone as well as reading magazines etc.

I am now thinking of doing this on a regular basis - possibly every three months. I will see if I can get @little_freedia to join in again. If anyone else wants to take the social media experiment then I can thoroughly recommend it.

Migrant Musings

2013-07-07T17:35:00.001+10:00

I am a migrant. I have been in Australia for many, many years and call Australia home. Likewise, as I didn't come to Australia as a youngster I still have a soft spot for my country of origin - England. Naturally, I am not a refugee, unless you can call the English weather grounds for applying for refugee status!

For the benefit of all migrant phobic readers, yes I did steal one of your Aussie jobs. I have been able to create a life here through sheer hard work, and the fact that Australia offers opportunities to those that grab them. I went out and grabbed mine with both hands. Although I haven't reached what I set out to do, I cannot complain as to where I am today.

As a migrant I feel a kinship towards all other migrants whether they are from Zimbabwe, Bosnia, Iran or Venezuela. To settle into a new country, even if you can speak the language fluently - which naturally I can, takes a lot of getting used to. This can range from the different climate, unusual food types, culture and understanding what you need to do to, for example, applying for a job or even catching a train across town.

In my time in Australia, I only have been abused twice - both a long time ago. One was by an Aboriginal who was blaming me for what Captain Cook did in 1788 by bringing 'white people' to Australia. In this case I didn't really know how to reply, all I could say rather weakly was that it happened well before I was born and was therefore out of my control. The other occasion was in a bar and I was resting myself against a poker machine. All of a sudden an ocker Aussie came and started abusing me, thinking that I had played the machine whilst he 'was in the dunny'. I hadn't played it, but that didn't help my plight.

Up until two years ago I had played soccer here. Then a snapped Achilles and two operations put an end to my long career. During my time playing I did get called 'wog' a few times as I am not a pale skinned, blue eyed Pom. I have slightly olive skin courtesy of my father's side of the family.

In social media, eg: Twitter, I have only really been trolled twice. Interestingly, neither time was by an Australian! One was an American who was a member of the NRA, and the other was a right-wing member of the UK EDL (English Defence League). Their personal attacks didn't affect me as I have grown much more thick-skinned and tolerant over the years.

As you can see I have had it fairly easy as a migrant. I am not going to deny this, as I cannot. Yes, there have been times I wished I wasn't in Australia but by the next morning my mind has always changed.

However, there is the other end of the spectrum. There are those of us migrants who have escaped from their country of origin due to a number of reasons such as war, fundamentalism, famine and religious persecution amongst others. I have met a number of migrants who have some of the most heart wrenching stories about how they came to Australia. One such story involved a husband taking his wife and young children through a minefield to get to safety, and then later on to Australia. You can only imagine what must have been going through his mind as every step he took could have lead to death.

So a number of migrants come here for a chance to rebuild their lives, a new start, a fresh beginning. A large number of migrants cannot speak fluent English when they arrive. This impacts their interaction with others and also restricts what they can do, certainly in the early stages of life in Australia.

Some migrants are of a non-christian faith and as such wear turbans or headscarves and contribute to their local place of worship. Head coverings have certainly become an emotive issue in the West ever since 9/11. Skin colour can also play a part in identifying a migrant from 'mainstream' Australia (whatever this is). For example, there are not a lot of Africans in Australia, unlike the US, UK or Europe.

However, if I was to ask some of them publically whether they have been abused personally, or trolled online I am sure I would get a reply of 'yes'. Now I am not saying that Australia is a racist country, but there are elements of racism here and all over the world. Unfortunately it is a human condition when we see something that is a little different to ourselves, we can be accepting of it, or fearful.

Recently, I watched the ethnic business awards on television and was amazed at the stories of migrants who arrived in Australia, and through hard work have made something of their lives, as well as employing Australians and giving time and money to charitable causes. In fact, migrants have been contributing to our society for more than 200 years. I was also humbled when a few of the migrants said they were abused for their background but just shrugged it off and kept on believing in their dream.

So where am I going with all this?

I really want everyone to realise the contribution that migrants have, and will continue to make to Australia. The vast majority of them are just wanting a better life for themselves and their families, which is no different to you and I. They may look different, they may be devoutly religious, they may even speak with a different accent. However, at the end of the day they are AUSTRALIAN!

If migrants seem scary to anyone who reads this, go out of your way to talk to one or two. Get to know them better. If you do this, your outlook on migrants may indeed change and we can all start to live together more harmonously.

Political Boxing

2013-07-06T12:51:00.000+10:00

Imagine this - you are watching a heavyweight boxing match between the two best boxers in the country. One boxer has been on the attack for the first nine rounds whilst the other boxer has been grimly hanging on, hoping for that one chance to launch a rare counter attack. Then, round ten starts and, all of a sudden, the boxer who has been on the back foot for most of the fight launches a couple of upper cuts. The other boxer is stunned, not only by the force of the hits, but also by this unexpected aggression from his opponent. The attacks keep coming and the roles are reversed. The aggressor is now defending, and the defender is launching blow after blow.

This analogy really sums up what the current political situation is here in Australia. Since the last election back in 2010, Tony Abbott and the Liberal-National Party have been on the front foot attacking the Government and, in particular, Julia Gillard. In scenes reminiscent of Groundhog Day, Abbott has been espousing phrases such as "we will stop the boats" and "we will get rid of the Carbon Tax" over and over again. As well as reminding all and sundry about how the Prime Minister got the top job in politics.

The Government had no option but to go into defensive mode. Things like justifying the Carbon Tax, explaining why the former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, was ousted, grimacing as the opinion polls showed that the Australian Labor Party was heading for a virtual wipe-out at the September elections. What could the government do? The sharks were circling, it was only a matter of time before the blood letting would start.

At the eleventh hour our hero arrives. He is nerdy looking, has a distinct mop of grey hair, wears glasses and looks like an older version of the Milky Bar kid. Enter Kevin Rudd. Yes the man who was ousted by his own party had been re-elected as Prime Minister of Australia. Virtually overnight the opinion polls showed a large swing back to the ALP. Instantly frowns started to appear on the Opposition's brows. The easy fight they had been experiencing for three years was about to get much harder. The worm was about to turn.

Rudd is a clever politician. He knows that he must nullify the only two real policies that the Opposition have made public. These relate to the Carbon Tax and the refugees fleeing from Indonesia, via boats, to Australia. Rudd also knows he has to attack Abbott and try to get under his skin. Tony Abbott is not popular with the electorate despite the polls showing that he would be Prime Minister at the next election, this is the Opposition's Achilles heel and must be exposed.

So what has Prime Minister Rudd done in just over a week? Quite a lot really. He has indicated that Australia will move to an Emissions Trading Scheme rather than an fixed price Carbon Tax. Rudd has also had talks with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) about the 'boat people' issue. SBY has made it clear he will not agree to Australia towing the refugee boats back to Indonesian waters, as indicated by Tony Abbott. It is a policy that will not work and gain favour with the Indonesians. Within a few days, the two main policies of the Opposition appear to have been stifled. Now it is Abbott with the problems and not the Government.

Rudd pulled off a masterstroke this week. Challenging Tony Abbott to a series of debates about the Government's and Opposition's policies for the forthcoming election. Abbott, not surprisingly, has declined.

Since the 2010 election Tony Abbott has not appeared on 'Q and A', a programme that enables voters to question a panel of politicians and non-politicians questions about relevant topics. Abbott has not appeared on the ABC show 'Lateline' for more than a year and a half, Insiders for a year and Radio National Breakfast for a year. For whatever reason Abbott seems to have a phobia of appearing on shows where he can be questioned in relation to the policies of the Opposition.

This has lead to Kevin Rudd saying that Tony Abbott "does not have the ticker" to debate him. The word "ticker" is a clear reference to the comment ex-Prime Minister John Howard said of Opposition Leader Kim Beasley when asked if he thought Beasley could run the country. In fact, Rudd took this further by saying that Abbott could take his 'assistant' John Howard along to the debates as well.

Rudd has come out with all guns blazing ala Milky Bar Kid style. This has caught the Opposition, temporarily at least, off guard. The upper cuts from Rudd are making their mark. Now it is Abbott and Co waiting for the bell to ring to re-coup and try to come out fighting in the last two rounds.

As for Rudd, he has one objective. That is to win the election. At the same time we can expect him to continuously attack Abbott and the Liberal-National party.

One thing is certain, this is going to be a messy election campaign up to and including polling day.

Multiculturalism and Migration - My View

2013-06-23T17:36:00.000+10:00

Australia is a country, similar to the US, that has been built on migrants. Since the 'White Man' arrived in 1788, and the numerous convict ships that followed, Australia has been home to many migrants from different regions, religions, cultures and traditions.

In the early days Australia definitely had an Anglo Saxon feel as virtually all migrants were from the British Isles. Most were petty thieves who were put on boats heading to Sydney, for stealing things like a loaf of bread. This migrant flow changed in the nineteenth century when gold was discovered 'in them thar hills' and before long a large number of Chinese prospectors arrived with dreams of 'making it rich' through what to some is the most precious of metals.

Fast forward to the twentieth century and Australia said g'day to a number of Greeks, Italians and other Europeans as the country expanded, and the domestic workforce was unable to cope accordingly. The 1970's onward saw an influx of Vietnamese refugees and migrants from other troubled areas such as Bosnia and Afghanistan.

Nowadays, migrants are an enriched and integral part of Australian communities. They have brought so much to this country in a number of different areas such as law, engineering, finance, small business, property development and so on. Even our food intake has been influenced by migrants. Just take a look at any supermarket to see the diverse range of food and products on display.

Despite this 'positive' picture there remains a small proportion of the community who are not so keen on migrants and refugees. In particular refugees who are labelled as 'boat people'. For those of you that may not know, boat people are refugees who risk their lives travelling on an overcrowded boat for the chance of a new and better life in Australia. The issue has become so emotive for some that both the Government and Oppositions policy on Boat People are very similar. It could be called a "we don't want them here" policy. Interestingly, the vast majority of refugees that arrive this way, have valid reasons for coming.

Racial tensions can also cause issues. The Muslim community were a target for abuse and attacks after the 9/11 Twin Towers terrorist incident. Sikh's who wore turbans were also targeted incorrectly for being Muslims by a small number of narrow-minded yobs too.

The Cronulla riots in 2005 were testament to racial tension that sent shock waves through Australia. Before I go on, I would point out that elements of racism do exist in every country. Here in Australia we do not see racist attacks too often so it appears a shock when they occur. Racism is caused predominantly through migration. It is also often sensationalised by the media which helps fuel people's prejudices.

For myself coming from England, I see myself as a migrant on par with other migrants in Australia. Whether we are from my home country, Botswana, Nepal or Brazil we are all one migrant family. The advantage that I have had is language. Fortunately for me Aussies speak English. So I haven't had to learn another language, thankfully. Over the many years I have been here I have become well adapted to the Aussie way of life.

I have also seen fellow migrants like my good friend Tanja thrive and prosper in Australia. Tanja came to Australia via Germany after the conflicts in Bosnia in the early 1990's. Today she is a qualified lawyer, speaks 6 languages and plays a part is raising awareness for organisations such as the UN Refugee Agency amongst others. She is also one of a number of migrants who have made a positive mark on this country.

I have other examples of people of migrant backgrounds who have made an outstanding contribution to Australia. In my example below I have deliberately chosen 3 female Muslims. The reasons for this is to try and break some stereotypes about Muslim women who wear hijab (headscarf). To some, they wear the hijab because they are oppressed and forced to do so, and only do what they are told by their families. To others they are pioneers in their communities, striving to help others as well as being model Australians. I am sure if you continue reading you will be nicely surprised I should say that the women mentioned below are all aged in their twenties.

Samah Hadid - Western Sydney born and bred of Lebanese background. To date Samah is the Australian Director of the Global Poverty Project an organisation whose goal is to end extreme global poverty within a decade. Samah is also a human rights specialist and social justice advocate. In the past Samah has worked with Oxfam, Red Cross and the UN Human Rights Commissioner.

Mariam Veiszadeh - Mariam came to Australia as a refugee. She came by plane as the vast majority of refugees do. She is a qualified lawyer, Human Rights campaigner and occasional piece writer for the tabloids. Mariam is also an Ambassador for Welcome to Australia an organisation that aims to cultivate a culture of embracement for refugees and migrants in Australia.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied - Yassmin arrived in Australia aged 2 from Sudan. At the age of 16 Yassmin set up 'Youth Without Borders' an organisation that enables young people to work together and create a positive change for their community. Yassmin is a member of the Australian Multicultural Council as well as being the winner of the Australian Financial Review's 100 women of influence list. Yassmin is a qualified engineer who works on gas and oil rigs.

As you can see from the brief descriptions above these women are striving to make a difference to the world and communities they live in. They are shining examples of why multiculturalism through migration can pay huge dividends for countries such as Australia.

Panic Attack

2013-06-14T20:12:00.002+10:00

Just over a week ago, something happened that had a profound affect on me. In hindsight it probably wasn't a big deal. However, at the time it certainly seemed like it was!

So what was this 'thing' that happened that affected me so much? Well the short answer is 'my iPhone'. Read on and I will elaborate...

There I was getting ready for bed after a hard day's yakka when I checked my iPhone. It wanted me to update some Apps that I have on the phone, as occasionally happens from time to time. So I clicked on the updates and let the phone do its thing. However, this time something different happened. All of a sudden my iPhone became frozen. The screen was stuck and the home key, or indeed any key, was not working. There was only one thing to do, and that was to reboot the phone.

Nothing special about that either. Occasionally an iPhone can get 'frozen' and a reboot will generally fix this. This time something different happened. My phone booted up correctly but would not allow me to put in my passcode. The keypad was frozen. Then after a few minutes the phone turned itself off. A couple of minutes passed and the phone started booting itself up again. As before, I was unable to enter my passcode. Again, the phone turned itself off! This process was to repeat itself all night and all of the next day. In fact it happened until I got the phone fixed.

Fixing the phone was a problem in itself as Apple would not touch the phone as I had replaced a cracked screen a few months ago at a non-Apple store. "It is not our problem" muttered the ever helpful Apple employee. Finally I got the phone fixed. The issue was that somehow my iPhone had been hacked. Hence it was stuck in an eternal loop of switching on and off.

Whilst this was going on I was mobile phone free. This is what impacted me the most. Normally I use my phone to speak to people (duh), communicate via social networks, read emails and occasionally surf the net! This comes in especially handy when my bus is stuck in Sydney traffic, which is normally every working day.

The first of the two days without my phone was the hardest. I felt like a reforming addict. I was constantly wanting to use a smart phone to do things. It was as if I had lost a very close family member or friend! My bus trip home became one of looking out of the bus window at the sights such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as the bus travelled at its usual snails pace. Inside the bus, virtually every passenger had their heads bowed, as in prayer. However, the God of worship was not a religious one but their Smartphones!

Day 2 and I finally dropped my phone off to a non-Apple repairer (praise the Lord). I was given the news that it had been hacked and that it was fixable. However, I would lose whatever had not been backed up on the phone. This didn't worry me too much as it would only amount to a few photos.

I had 6 hours to pass at work before I could pick up my iPhone. I felt more relaxed. Actually whilst at work I didn't really miss my phone. Maybe it was because I was going to collect it later that day. Maybe also because I realised that you can function without a smartphone. Whatever the reason, I did come to one conclusion.

Whether we like it or not, technology totally rules our daily lives. We are addicted to it. Especially platforms like iPhones, iPads and tablets. We are starting to lose our ability to interact on a personal basis with other humans on a train or bus, for example. We worship social network outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on. They have become religious-like in their status. We would rather read a status update than spend some extra time with a loved one or friend. Like most of you I am guilty of this.

Maybe what we need are 'technology fasts' every now and then. For example, leave your smartphone at home deliberately when you go out. Cutting off from technology for a few hours. Maybe we could instigate a sort of Technology Ramadan? That could be very interesting indeed!

Ebbsfleet United v AFC Telford

2013-05-27T21:23:00.000+10:00

The following is my article I wrote for the home game against AFC Telford in April:

Season 2012/13 has certainly been crazy as far as Ebbsfleet United are concerned. Admittedly there have been more lows than highs which has meant that for next season the Mighty Fleet will be plying their trade, hopefully, in the Blue Square South. The defeat at Hyde United effectively sealing our fate.

Discussions about what went wrong this season will no doubt take place after the final whistle has blown. However, for this article I thought it would be good to look at some of the highs of the season. Believe it or not, there have been a few!

A highlight was the first game of the season where the Fleet came out on top of a 9 goal thriller at Nuneaton. Despite going 2-0 down early the lads fought back to take the lead and come out eventual winners by 5 goals to 4. So after the first game we were equal top of the Blue Square Premier. Oh how we miss those days…

Another highlight actually happened in the FA Cup 4^th Qualifying round. Having not won an away game since the season opener, the Fleet travelled to Woking looking to get back on track. A last minute goal by Ashikodi saw Ebbsfleet through to the First Round proper of the FA Cup. Hopes were high for a local game, perhaps against near neighbours Gillingham, or a plum tie against a team like Portsmouth.

The draw was unkind and the team was pitted against League 1 Carlisle United. More than two hundred fans made the long trek to Cumbria to cheer the players on. By all accounts the team played superbly and were praised by the Carlisle management and fans for their battling spirit despite losing 4-2.

During March the Fleet needed to put in a strong performance to help in the survival push. Southport were the visitors to a very chilly Stonebridge Road and were sitting safe in mid-table. Despite this the Fleet turned on a great performance to win the game 4-1! This gave the team impetus for the next few games including the 1-1 away draw against Cambridge United.

The players have certainly given their all, every single one. Anyone who plays under Liam Daish always gives 100% and nothing less. A few players deserve to be singled out for a special mention. Preston Edwards, England C’s number one, has had a fantastic season. Despite the results this season, Preston has made many fantastic saves to keep the team in the match. He has certainly contributed to the points tally with his shot stopping.

Nathan Elder too has had a great season. As at today Nathan had scored 16 league goals. Not too shabby for a striker playing in a struggling team! There are certainly a number of teams in this league that would love to have a striker scoring that many goals. I would also like to mention Moses Ashikodi who has missed a large part of the season with injury. Despite this he did become Ebbsfleet United’s second International player, having played World Cup games for Antigua and Barbuda. A fully fit Ashikodi could have made a huge difference to the Fleet.

Finally, a special mention too for Joe Howe. Last year’s runaway player of the year has had another solid season and continues to be one of the backbones of the team. He has even managed to score a few goals as well, which is always appreciated!

So it has not all been doom and gloom as you may believe! In a few month’s time a new season will start and we can begin afresh with new challenges and the quest to return back to the Blue Square Premier League!

Ebbsfleet United v Forest Green Rovers

2013-05-27T21:20:00.000+10:00

The following is the article I wrote for the home game against Forest Green Rovers at the end of March:

The last couple of weeks have certainly been crazy to say the least. The lads had a fantastic 4-1 victory over Southport and were 10 minutes away from a stunning away win at Cambridge United. However, in the scheme of things a draw was a very creditable result.

Then came the wasted journey to the North West of England to Barrow. The heavy snow meant that the game was called off. The players then had to face a long journey back to Kent with the prospect of a future Thursday night game against Barrow, to be followed less than 48 hours later with another game! As our International goalkeeper, Preston Edwards, stated on Twitter that surely now the Football Authorities should consider extending the season by a week.

This view took on further credence following the postponement of the mid-week away game at Luton Town. This time due to a waterlogged and frozen pitch. Hopefully today’s game against Forest Green Rovers will go ahead as scheduled! One thing is certain though. There will be a lot of football played between now and the end of the season.

Given the recent spate of bad weather I thought that I would not mention that finally in Sydney we are experiencing a period of hot and humid weather. I thought that for this article I would take the opportunity to try and describe what it is like to play football Down Under in temperatures far different to what are experienced in England.

Aside from the A League (the Premier League equivalent) which is played throughout summer, most football is played from March until Late August. The friendlies and the first handful of league games are played in temperatures ranging from 26C up to 36C with high humidity. Needless to say that after 15 minutes or so the game has to be played at a slower pace, due to the energy sapping heat. After a season or two, expats, like myself, learn to adapt to the conditions.

The weather generally stays warm around the 20C mark until June. Then for the last few weeks of the season the temperature drops to the mid-teens, and that is when playing the Beautiful Game becomes enjoyable. The pitch conditions can vary too. From rock hard, where the ball at times bounces around like a beach ball, to soft and wet. I should say that one of the main issues playing here is the occasional artificial cricket pitch located in the centre circle! Sometimes when the ball hits the edge of the pitch it can go in any direction!

So as you can see, playing football Down Under is a different experience to that played in the Old Country.

Today we take on Forest Green Rovers who are having a great season and are just outside the play off zone. It should certainly be a great game today as both teams will be going all out to win and gain those precious three points. Hopefully, from our point of view, we experience a home win and a step closer to safety.

This weekend is also the Easter long weekend. Aside from the religious aspect, Easter is also a time for a family get together and chocolate! I hope that you all have a great time and don’t feel guilty about eating too many chocolate eggs! For myself, I will settle for 2 Ebbsfleet victories and a Cadbury Crème Egg!

Enjoy the game and remember to sing your hearts out for the lads.

UP THE FLEET!

Ebbsfleet United v Southport

2013-05-27T21:16:00.000+10:00

The following is the article that I wrote for the home game v Southport in March:

As we reach Mid-March we are certainly coming to the pointy end of the season. The pre and post Easter period is certainly a make or break time for most football teams the length and breadth of the country. This is the time to stand up and be counted – regardless of whether you are a player or a fan. We all have an important role to play from now until the end of the season.

With just over 10 games to go, there are three distinct groups of teams in the Blue Square Premier League. There are those teams that are vying for promotion to the ‘Promised Land’ that is League 2, those that are comfortably sitting in mid-table and are tentatively thinking about next season, and then there are those battling to save themselves from the dreaded drop to a lower league. Unfortunately for us, Ebbsfleet United fall squarely in the last group!

The fixture list shows that we have many battles ahead with our fellow strugglers. To use a worn out cliché, these are the six pointer games. Now would be a great time to go on an unbeaten run! Liam and the coaching staff will be doing their utmost to ensure that the Fleet are able to compete for another year in the top non-league.

Today we welcome Southport who are one of those teams who find themselves in mid-table. For them there is not the worry of a relegation scrap. Hopefully they will not be at the top of their game and the Fleet can gain a valuable three points. Only time will tell – well ninety minutes actually!

Being a big fan of trivia I thought I would trawl through the World Wide Web and find out some interesting facts about our opponents today, or I should say the town itself.

Did you know that the BBC football pundit and ex-Liverpool star Alan Hansen lives in Southport? No, neither did I! Marc Almond, the lead singer of Soft Cell was born in Southport. For those retro fans in the crowd today, who can ever forget the classic ‘Tainted Love’. Creative geniuses, the Reverend Marcus Morris and Frank Hampson created the Eagle comic and Dan Dare character respectively.

The name Rimmer is certainly one that has become synonymous with this seaside town. To date there have been two well-known footballers with the surname Rimmer (Jimmy and Stuart). Jimmy went on to represent England in one international in the 1970’s. Stuart made his name as a goal scorer with Chester City. Michael Rimmer is an 800m athlete who has represented Great Britain at athletics. Finally there is the renowned composer from the 19^th century, William Rimmer.

Not to be outdone the Ebbsfleet area (well Gravesham) has had its fair share of notable people too.

The Native American princess Pocahontas is actually buried in Gravesend. There is a statue of her in the grounds of St George’s Church. The chemist and Nobel Prize winner Derek Barton was born and bred in the area. One of the greatest writers of all-time, Charles Dickens, lived locally for a number of years.

Whilst writing this article, my wife has reminded me that she also grew up in Southport. This one happens to be about 12,000 miles away in Queensland, Australia!!

Enjoy your afternoon’s entertainment. Let’s hope it’s a great game of football!

UP THE FLEET!

Gun Control Perspectives

2013-03-28T14:51:00.001+11:00

The following is my view on the US attitude to gun control, and the current mindset that is prevalent in the powerful pro-Gun Lobby:

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon in Sydney way back on 28th April 1996. I was making my way to the local gym when I heard on the radio that a gunman had been on a killing spree in Tasmania. Initially, only a small number of people had lost their lives and when I got to the gym, the number of deaths had risen to 23. I mentioned this to my gym instructor. His response was that it was the gunman’s form “of self-expression”. The instructor was reading the Celestine Prophecy at the time, which probably explained his comments. Personally, I preferred the term “madman”.

The gunman was named Martin Bryant and the final death toll was 35. How could anyone kill 35 innocent people? There was an outpouring of disbelief and anger in the community. The whole of Australia was in shock. How could we stop this from happening again?

The Prime Minister at the time was John Howard, and he had only been in the role for only a few months. How would he respond? What could he do from a government point of view? The nation held its collective breath.

John Howard had to act fast. He introduced strict gun laws into Parliament. This had the bi-partisan support of the opposition Labor Party, led by Kim Beasley. The new gun controls had to also be made law via the State and Territory Parliaments. A number of citizens, particularly in Tasmania and Queensland, were outraged at the new laws. This outrage was fuelled by the support of the Christian Coalition and amazingly the US National Rifle Association.

New gun controls were finally made law Australia wide after a lot of intense debate. In addition, the Federal Government implemented a 12 month amnesty/buyback scheme to allow people to hand in any illegal firearm without running the risk of prosecution. Amazingly, 643,000 firearms were handed in at a cost to the taxpayer of $350M.

Since the laws were established, it has become extremely hard to purchase a rifle or indeed any gun. A number of valid reasons and references need to be supplied before a gun can be sold. Naturally, if there is a genuine reason to have a gun, and the person appears mentally stable, then they will be able to purchase one, subject to the relevant State and Territory requirements. It is safe to say that John Howard’s tough stance that he took all those years ago has paid dividends. Since that fateful day in 1996, Australia has not had any gun related massacres.

I mention the above purely to give any American reader an idea of how gun control can be implemented. Australians were deeply shocked at the Sandy Hook school massacre in Newtown last December. It is not hard to feel the shock and sadness, especially as it happened so close to Christmas, the time of traditional family gatherings. I feel for the parents who lost their children and the families of all those that were killed in that terrible shooting.

To outsiders, the US has way these type of shootings way too often. For pro-gun lobbyists to claim the Second Amendment as a right to bear arms in today’s modern society, is at best a bad joke! The question is a very simple one - how many more people have to lose their lives before action is taken? Yes the GOP (Republican Party) and the NRA are bed partners, and yes there are radicals in both organisations. Do ordinary citizens really require a semi-automatic weapon to protect their property?

The answer, one suspects, has to be a resounding ‘No’. The US has to tighten up its gun laws immediately. It is the only way to go to restore faith with the public at large. Barack Obama needs to act decisively, and he requires the GOP and others to support any proposed law changes. The good old days of “gun toting” are over. Let’s logically move on and ensure that our children and innocent bystanders are not used as “shooting practice” by a madman.

If the US can instigate tougher gun controls, I am sure its citizens will be able to sleep better at night. It will send out a message to the rest of the world that, finally, the US is serious about the
implementation of stricter gun laws.

Ebbsfleet United v Stockport County

2013-02-28T21:59:00.000+11:00

The following is my programme article for the Ebbsfleet United v Stockport County game played on the 16th February. The game ended in a draw.

February is certainly turning out to be a month of home games for the Fleet. In fact, the whole of this month revolves around Ebbsfleet not venturing away from the hallowed turf of Stonebridge Road. That said, it is safe to say there are more than a few away games coming up between now and the end of the season. This includes some very long road trips to Hyde, Barrow and Gateshead. The players will certainly have plenty of time then to master their card skills. Who will emerge as the Poker king? Time will tell.

Fortunes can change very quickly in football. Two games ago, and in front of the television cameras, the Fleet suffered a humiliating 0-4 defeat to Macclesfield Town. Then a week ago, the team got back on track with a well-earned 3-1 victory over Gateshead. This has now put the Fleet within 4 points of the safety zone.

Liam Daish has brought in a number of players to try and ensure that the team remains in the Blue Square Premier for another season. One of them, Josh Scott, scored two of the goals against Gateshead. There were also impressive performances from other new boys Gareth Gwillim and Stefan Payne. There is a new air of optimism within the club that the Fleet can stay up this season. A win today would certainly help that cause!

Today’s opponents, Stockport County, are one of the ‘name’ teams in the Blue Square Premier. It is only a few years ago that The County were playing a number of the ‘big boys’ in League One. Go back a few more years and Stockport were in a League Cup semi-final, before losing 2-1 on aggregate to Middlesbrough. So there certainly is a lot of tradition in the club. Interestingly, Stockport’s highest league attendance this season so far was for the visit of one Ebbsfleet United!

Given the league table, this is a crucial game for both of these teams. A win for the Fleet draws us closer to safety. A win for Stockport helps pull them away from a potential relegation battle. Hopefully the attendance today will be on the healthy side, especially given the importance of this game to both teams.

A couple of days ago it was Valentine’s Day. Hopefully all the ladies in the ground today were spoilt rotten by their husbands, boyfriends, beau’s and secret admirers! However, if there are any ladies here today looking for a present for their man, then can I suggest a MYFC membership. What better present than giving your footy mad partner, or even yourself, a chance to become an owner of the club! Please go to www.myfootballclub.co.uk or speak to one of the club officials here today about becoming a member.

Finally, a huge welcome to the officials, players and supporters of Stockport County who have made the long journey down from the North West. We hope you enjoy your visit – but not too much!

Enjoy the game today. Get behind the team and cheer the lads onto victory!

UP THE FLEET!

Ebbsfleet United v Macclesfield Town

2013-02-28T21:54:00.002+11:00

The following is my programme article for the Ebbsfleet United v Macclesfield Town game that was played on 1st February.

It was a televised match - the first time the Fleet had been on television for many seasons. Despite this, it was not a good game as Macclesfield ran out 4-0 winners!

January is certainly a crazy month in footballing terms. The inclement weather has meant that a number of teams in the lower leagues have had an “extended break”. Whilst snow can look nice, and create picturesque photos, it can also be a nightmare for football teams. A manager may have his team on a run of undefeated games, and then find their progress halted. On the flipside, a team could have been experiencing some bad results, but with the postponements a re-grouping happens and, all of a sudden, the results pick up.

From our point of view, we hope that the Fleet can go on an undefeated run, and hence move away from the bottom of the league. Liam Daish has been pro-active by bringing in defenders Gareth Gwillim and loan signing Jack Saville to bolster the defence. At the same time the club has parted ways with Jay Folkes and Ben Greenhalgh. Psychologically, the Ebbsfleet players must view the remaining league games as if the season has just started. A clean slate, so to speak.

The fans also have a role to play in the Fleet ‘renaissance’. We must ensure that we get behind the team and cheer them onto a much deserved victory. A vocal crowd can truly make a difference, and help the players to give 110%. Such are the league positions that 2 or 3 wins can see a club quickly move up the league.

Tonight’s game should certainly be an exciting one. Macclesfield have done the Blue Square Premier proud with their fantastic FA Cup run, and narrow 4^th Round defeat to Premier League Wigan Athletic. To side track for a brief moment, congratulations to Luton Town on their giant killing exploits against Norwich City. To see a non-league team in the last 16 of the FA Cup is truly amazing to say the least!

I should also mention two other things in relation to this evening’s game. Ebbsfleet’s last victory in the league was against Macclesfield Town back in November. Hopefully the Fleet can do the ‘double’ over the Silkmen tonight and get 3 valuable points. One player who will need no introduction is the Macclesfield goalkeeper, Lance Cronin. Lance, of course, played many games for Ebbsfleet in his career including 10 games on loan last season. I am sure, if selected, he will get a big cheer from the locals.

Tonight’s game is being televised. It isn’t often that a ‘less glamorous’ team like Ebbsfleet United is shown live so let’s make the most of it! Hopefully, a largish crowd will be there to witness a fantastic game. If you are a passionate fan of the Fleet and want to play a pro-active role in the future of the club, then please consider joining My Football Club – the community owners of the team. Details can be found at www.myfootballclub.co.uk.

Finally, a big hello to all the Macclesfield Town officials, players and supporters who have made the long trek to North Kent. Enjoy your time tonight and have a safe trip home, albeit a pointless one!

January was also a crazy time in Sydney. Temperatures of 42C and then a record breaking 46C were certainly hard to endure. For those of you who hanker for hot weather, I can ensure you it is overrated - at times!

As I write these notes Queensland and New South Wales are suffering from floods, wild winds and torrential rain. If only it snowed in Sydney…..

UP THE FLEET!

Ebbsfleet United v Dartford

2013-01-02T11:45:00.001+11:00

The following is the article I wrote for the New Year's Day local derby between Ebbsfleet United and Dartford. Ebbsfleet came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.

Firstly, a very Happy New Year to all the supporters of Ebbsfleet United and Dartford. Here’s hoping that 2013 is a fantastic year, not only for you personally, but also for both of our North Kent clubs. I also hope that you didn’t all get too merry last night, especially when the clock struck twelve!

The Festive Season is certainly one that involves an abundance of food, drink, family time and relaxation. It is also fair to say that the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day football matches are part of that tradition too. Nothing beats getting away from the house to go to the local football ground to support your team to a win.

Before I go any further, please spare a thought for me. I have had to spend Christmas and the New Year here in Australia. As you can imagine it is a tough life that I lead, especially when the sun is shining and the temperature is hovering around the 30C mark! Wearing t-shirts and shorts all the time also becomes quite boring too! Oh, and I won’t mention the New Year’s Eve fireworks…

Anyway, today is the match that the Fleet fans have been waiting for all season. A home game with a bumper crowd, against our near neighbours from ‘just up the road’. I think it is fair to say that when the fixtures were released in the summer, that this match was probably the first one pencilled in.

Football derbies are always hotly contested and this one is sure to be no different. The form book and league table positions are thrown out of the window, as ‘Local Pride’ takes precedence. The fact that this is the second game between these two clubs in six days adds an extra bit of spice to this afternoon’s meeting. Both our own Liam Daish and Dartford’s Tony Burman will certainly have their squads primed for 110% effort in what is expected to be a closely contested game.

Dartford have had a fantastic season so far. They have probably exceeded their own expectations, which is a tribute to their coach and players. From a Kentish point of view, it is great to see how they have progressed. However, I am sure they are due an off-day sometime soon!

New Year is also a time for resolutions. It is like the slate has been wiped clean for all of us now it is January! At MYFC we are always looking to expand our membership which, in turn, helps the club. The more members we have, the more we can contribute funds to help bolster and improve our squad.

Why not make a resolution to help Ebbsfleet United by becoming a MYFC member. Please contact the club for more details, or visit www.myfootballclub.co.uk . Your membership DOES make a huge difference to the club, so please come and join us.

Finally, with a huge crowd expected today, please get behind the team. Players respond much better to vocal support, so please cheer on the Fleet to a well-earned victory.

Although I will not be at the match, and believe me I would love to be there, I will take solace in having a nice cold drink whilst sunbathing on one of Queensland’s fantastic beaches. Anyone want to swap places with me?

UP THE FLEET!

Gun Control

2012-12-29T16:14:00.000+11:00

It was a sunny Sunday afternoon in Sydney way back on 28^th April 1996. I was making my way to the local gym as, in those days, I was a regular gym junkie. Just before I left my home, I heard on the radio that a gunman had been on a killing spree in Tasmania. At that stage only a small number of people had lost their lives. When I got to the gym, the number of deaths had risen to 23. I mentioned this to my gym instructor. His response was that it was the gunman’s form “of self-expression”. The instructor was reading the Celestine Prophecy at the time, which probably explained his comments. I personally preferred the term “madman”.

The gunman was named Martin Bryant and the final death toll was 35. The whole of Australia was in shock. How could anyone kill 35 innocent people? There was an outpouring of disbelief and anger. How could we stop this from happening again?

The Prime Minister at the time was the right wing conservative John Howard. He had been in the role for only a few months. How would he respond? What could he do from a government point of view? The nation held its collective breath.

Before, I go any further, I need to give some background information. Australia is very similar to the United States. Both are large countries, both were built from migrants, both have large agricultural areas and culturally we are very similar. Naturally, we speak the same language – well sort of! Guns in Australia are typically kept in the large rural areas. Farmers need to be on alert for scavengers of the animal kind, especially foxes. Although in parts of the country snakes and crocodiles can also be a problem.

John Howard had to act, and act fast. He introduced strict gun laws into Parliament. This had bi-partisan support of the opposition Labor Party led by Kim Beasley. The new gun controls had to also be made law via the State and Territory Parliaments. Initially Queensland and Tasmania were against tightened gun control. A number of citizens were outraged at the new laws. This outrage was fuelled by the support of the Christian Coalition and the US National Rifle Association!

Finally, the new gun controls were made law Australia wide after a lot of intense debate. In addition, the Federal Government implemented a 12 month amnesty/buyback scheme to allow people to hand in any illegal firearm without running the risk of prosecution. Amazingly, 643,000 firearms were handed in at a cost of $350M.

Since the laws were established, it is now extremely hard to buy a rifle or indeed any gun. A number of valid reasons and references need to be supplied before a gun can be sold. Naturally, if there is a genuine reason to have a gun, and the person appears mentally stable, then they will be able to purchase one, subject to State and Territory requirements. It is safe to say that John Howard’s tough stance has paid dividends. Since that fateful day in 1996, Australia has not had any gun related massacres.

I mention the above purely to give any reader from the United States an idea of how gun control can be implemented. Naturally, all Australians were shocked at the Sandy Hook school massacre in Newtown. I have two daughters aged 9 and 10 and I certainly felt shock and sadness, especially as it happened so close to Christmas, the time of family gatherings. I feel for the parents who lost their children and the families of all those that were killed in the shooting.

To outsiders, the United States has way too many shootings. For pro-gun lobbyists to claim the second amendment as a right to bear arms in today’s modern society, is a bad joke at best! The question, a very simple one, how many more people have to lose their lives before action is taken? Yes the GOP and NRA are bed partners, and yes there are lunatics high up in both organisations. But do ordinary citizens really require a semi-automatic weapon to protect their property? The answer has to be a resounding ‘No’.

The US has to tighten up its gun laws immediately. It is the only way to go, and also to restore faith with the public. Not only does Barack Obama need to act decisively, it also requires the GOP and others to support any proposed law changes. The good old days of “gun toting” are over. Let’s logically move on and ensure that our children and innocent bystanders are not used as “shooting practice” by a madman.

Finally, do not underestimate the rest of the world’s opinion towards the US and its lax gun laws. I can virtually guarantee you that the feeling of most people is that the US gun laws are a complete joke. It is now up to the United States to ensure that the joke comes to an end.

Ebbsfleet United v Grimsby Town

2012-12-13T22:26:00.000+11:00

The following is the article I wrote for the Ebbsfleet United v Grimsby Town Match-day programme.

It seems like only a couple of weeks ago that the Blue Square Premier League season 2012/13 kicked off. But here we are in December and fast approaching the halfway mark of the season. I am sure that both managers will have differing views about how the season has gone thus far. As we know, Grimsby Town are flying high at the top of the BSP, whilst Ebbsfleet are just above the relegation zone.

I am sure that the Mariners joint managers, Rob Scott and Paul Hurst, together with our own Liam Daish will agree on one thing – A win today! At present a mere three points separate the top five teams , and only four points separate the bottom seven teams. So it is a very tightly contested league at present.

At this time of year the general thoughts of most people turn towards Christmas. In less than a month, a rather portly old man with long white hair and beard, will pay us all a visit and bring gifts to the well behaved amongst us. Naturally, all football clubs have a Christmas wish list.

For football managers the wish will be for as many wins as possible whilst hoping that the players do not get injured. Add in a good cup run or two, coupled with a promotion and a victory in a local derby and the season will be deemed a success.

Goalkeepers will be wishing for as many clean sheets as possible. Not conceding a goal equates to a win, or at least a draw for the team. A dramatic penalty save or two and they will generally be happy.

The midfield players will be hoping for great performances in the middle of the park. These players are the engine room of the team. So keeping fit and not being injured will be high on their list of priorities. Throw in a goal or two and a few crucial tackles and the season will be complete.

Strikers will be wanting one thing. No prizes for guessing what that would be – goals! All forwards will be hoping that Santa provides them with the ability to score lots of goals in the remaining games. For those that are in a goal scoring slump, the hope will be that the goals return. A hat-trick or two will also be most welcomed.

Club officials will have a number of things on their wish list. First and foremost will be that the club continues to survive. As we all know, a large number of teams in virtually every division are under huge financial constraints, and for some, just managing to keep going is a huge issue. Naturally, a promotion or a good cup run will be welcomed with opened arms.

At MYFC, we are keen to ensure that Ebbsfleet United continues to survive and move forward. Being a part-time team on a small playing budget does make it hard to compete against the bigger teams. However, MYFC makes regular donations to the club to assist with costs etc. In addition, there have been a number of initiatives put in place to also assist the club. These will continue as the season progresses.

If you are looking for a Christmas present for a loved one, or a treat for yourself, then I can suggest a MYFC membership. Contact the club or MYFC for further details.

Finally, a big welcome to the fans, players and officials from Grimsby Town. Let’s hope it is a great game.