Christmas Cake & Donations- How to divide the portions

As I sit down to write this post my Christmas Cake is cooking gently in my electric oven. Its another cool overcast day here in Melbourne, ideal weather to cook cakes and not suffer heat stroke.
Once cooked I will have to write strict instructions on the cake tin to make sure the cake is kept intact for Christmas Day. Or I can do what my mother does and freeze the cake, bringing it out when I defrost the turkey.
More worrying is how to divide my donations to charity this year. There are so many needy people and organisations. With the various environmental groups reeling in shock with Federal Governments decisions to repeal the Carbon Tax, axe the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, dismiss the Climate Commission, approve the dredging of the harbour at Abbott Point, Queensland for an expanded Coal Terminal and encourage logging in Tasmanian World Heritage areas, I don't know where to turn.
Now Getup has another save the ABC campaign which also is deserving of help.

So sorry to some of my normal people focussed charities, I'm going to divide my donation dollars and support some of these environmental campaigns. After all people need to live in an environment that supports them with clean air, water, sustainable energy, sustainable work and reliable information. As worried Holden workers are finding to their cost.

As Tony Abbott said prior to his election win as reported by SBS News on the idea of a mandate:

“As an Opposition our job is to hold the Government rigorously to account. Oppositions are not there to get legislation through. Oppositions are there to hold the Government to account, and unless we are confident a piece of legislation is beyond reasonable doubt in the national interest, it is our duty, as the Opposition, to vote it down.”

Greens Launch:

The Australian Greens 'launched' their election campaign yesterday at Brisbane. Obviously Queensland is where this election is at with K. Rudd and T. Abbott spending lots of time up there as well.

The Australian Greens are facing a reduced vote following the Australian public's perception of their role in the last Federal, minority Government. The fall-out of not having a clear winner in the 2010 election will be made plain in this coming election.

So it will be very interesting to watch what Tony Windsor says on Australian Story, ABC TV 8pm tomorrow- entitled "A Voice in the Wilderness". A key Independant who helped form the patchwork that was the last federal government, he will have insights into the process of governing. Policies for Regional Australia, key infrastructure (NBN) and the Carbon Tax are all part of his legacy and perhaps his measured thoughts may help to change perceptions of incompetence that haunted the politicians of the last few years.

I was brought up with a 2 party (left/right orientation), first past the post system. But my country of origin has, since I migrated to Australia, moved to a more truly representative system. You get a patchwork of small parties leavening the major parties. Sometimes adding extreme 'colour' in terms of behaviour.

For Australians pining after the tried and true 2 party state, I hope for the sake of our environment, they also respond to Christine Milne's appeal to enable the Greens to hold the balance of power in the Federal Senate. But beware of preference flows.

As a previous older statesman, Australian Democrat Don Chipp, once remarked- Lets keep the Bastards Honest!
(PS: and where are the democrats now? Lets hope the Greens survive their brush with governing and leadership change)

14 September 2012 - Election Announced

The Conversation

Aaaaaaagh 227 days of electioneering! The Prime Minister, Julia Gillards surprise announcement has put the media's knickers in a twist. Now the date is known, we will get 227 days of Tony Abbot's comments on the loss of freedom in Australia, stopping the boats, the dumping of the carbon tax and cancelling of the mining tax. All positive policy initiatives!
227 days of Julia & co's incessant pronouncements of what she(Labor) has achieved (!) will also try my patience.
"The greatest moral challenge of our times" said one Prime Minister. So where has that led??

Not too mention the absolutely boring announcements from politicians of all persuasions to try and persuade us that any of them can actually influence to any large degree the increasing costs affecting most people.

I don't see any government being able to bring the cost of housing in Melbourne down to a reasonable level. I don't see any of them being able to reduce the high Australian dollar trading against other currencies to a level the small business exporters can compete with.
I also don't see cancelling the Carbon Tax will substantially improve the cost of electricity given most of the increases incurred before the carbon tax. The only way for average home owners to reduce that cost is by energy efficiency measures, Solar Power and double glazing.
I don't see that the current measures will reduce sky rocketing insurance as floods and fires continue to ravage Australia.
I don't see the Federal Government being able to hold back the unemployment problem (yes its there, particularly  among young people) as our society moves towards online purchasing and outsourcing jobs to cheaper countries.
Or to reduce our Public Debt to nothing without taxing the big earners - eg mining - or us, the taxpayers!