What has happened to this country? It is like the chicken
& the egg scenario, are we drawn to sensationalism because it
is handed to us by the media OR do the media mete out the
ridiculous hyperbole because the public demand it? That
situation is bad enough, outside looking in though, the fact that
what is being used as hysterical coverage, cements both the
media and the Australian public that buys into it as a nasty,
self-obsessed nation.
Today alone we are told the biggest issue affecting our political
landscape is the dreaded ‘illegal’ Asylum seekers and Kevin Rudd
has to address this. Really? That is the biggest
problem in this country, that needs to be put on the front page
of the papers? How many people have actually even met an
Asylum seeker? Beverley O'Connor on ABC breakfast this
morning stated that this “Asylum seeker issue resonates in
the public”? Yeah, umm why? Because the media
have constantly flogged it as being a problem, regardless of
FACTS. I have to admit, I love trolling the die-hard
conservative with one simple question “really, OMG! You must
be so scared of the harm those Asylum Seekers will do here in
Nambour”... Yes Nambour, FFS! How many who raise
this ‘problem’ have no bloody idea, never met one of these poor
buggers fleeing poverty or persecution, how many in this country
actually will have their lives affected by an Asylum Seeker?
The Asylum Seeker issue is extremely complicated, a situation
that has perplexed many far more knowledgeable than me. IF
Australian’s were actually the caring compassionate people we
like to think we are, we would not be tolerating this persistent
demonization, but, we are!
Same with the FBT changes. Really? PM Agenda had to
focus on the “OMG one company is already sacking people”...
Seriously? 24 hours after a perfectly reasonable request that
people actually prove they deserve the tax break, a company
announces sackings... Sorry, I smell bullshit. This
company obviously already had a problem, saw the announcement
& went happy days, we have a good excuse to sack half the
staff.
Again this morning, they are still carrying on about the FBT,
getting finance experts on TV to tell us how scary this all
is. Basically, we want a surplus, we have to cut costs, the
Government picked out an area that is being rorted. Yes
being rorted & the Finance people and other talking heads
they get on TV from the Novated Lease companies that say that it
is not being rorted are bald faced liars. We all know a few
people who have taken advantage of that loophole. That is
not a problem, hell, good on you, if you could take advantage
& legally reduce your tax, fair call. Sorry, it is
over, you have to actually ‘prove’ it now, big bloody deal!
Where was the outcry from the media of the sky falling in when Single Parents had their payments reduced to ‘help the budget get into surplus’? Where was the wall to wall coverage? Where was the 24/7 talking to experts with dire warnings of children being made homeless due to poverty? Where were the experts discussing the serious concerns in regard to extra pressure on Charities to help these people? Where were the Mental Health professionals advising that a system that can’t cope now will be crushed in coming months with support needs for struggling families coping with depression?Wonder what people who have to wait at Centrelink think of the outrage at thought of having to fill out your log book every five years?
— Nareen Young (@nareenyoung) July 18, 2013
Media & politicians (of all flavours) need to take themselves outside & give themselves a good uppercut. You are responsible for feeding into the most base, racist, selfish & self-obsessed aspects of human nature and it is disgusting. All you Australians that are buying into this, you follow them out the door and give yourselves an uppercut at well!
We have a shocking amount of rising homelessness in this
country. We have people on New Start who may never get out
of the poverty cycle. We have children growing up with very
little hope for a brighter future in this country. We have
people in Aged care facilities being abused. We have
Australians suffering from mental illness who can’t afford or
don’t have access to help. I could fill a page listing
serious concerns for people in this country, yet all we are
seeing in the media is the ‘problem of illegal asylum seekers’
and ‘drama of FBT changes’. Really, those 2 issues are the
most important facing our country?
Yesterday on PM Agenda on Sky, David Speers questioned
Julie Bishop in regard to the Coalition stating that this
election will be a ‘referendum on the Carbon tax’ and Mr Speers
point blank asked Ms Bishop that should the ALP win the election
would the Coalition respect that the Australian public had given
the ALP a mandate and would the coalition therefore support
that. Ms Bishop after a ridiculous amount of Carbon Tax
tyre kicking, refused to agree to that. Basically stating
that what the Coalition thought was more important than what the
Australian people thought. This is actually what I think is
the biggest problem we have in this country!
We are pretty much in a situation where what political parties
think will win votes & protecting their ideology is more
important than actually representing the Australian public.
Forgive me for being naive, but I thought representing punters
was actually the primary job requirement for an MP?
I would like all Australians to give our politicians & media
a kick up the butt. Every time you see racist dog
whistling or defence of aspirational bogan middle class welfare
at the expense of real issues , call it out! Write to your
papers & complain. Email the TV stations &
complain. Write to your politicians & complain.
What is happening in this country at the moment is not politics,
it is just plain nasty pandering to the lowest common denominator
and it is time we all stood up to it and took our country back to
the caring, ‘fair-go’ Australia we like to think we are.
Best wishes that we can turn back this tide, not of Asylum
Seekers, but tide of nastiness our infecting our national psyche
:(
Noely @YaThinkN
