whatelliotthinks

Like all good things that must come to an end, today marks the final day of my six week stint in north east Arnhem Land, an experience that has been one that I will never forget. 

Professionally, it has been rewarding, diverse and challenging. From assisting members of the local Yolngu community with various forms and processes, to drafting territory and federal government funding applications, to even helping a teacher during a phys-ed class during a visit to the homelands, and to drafting and preparing media releases out at Garma Festival.......the list goes on. All though, in their own way, hugely satisfying. 

Before setting off on this six week journey, I’d been told that I, like my fellow secondees, were only ‘small cogs in a big wheel’, and that it was a wheel that can indeed sometimes take time to turn. As a result, as my time here ends, while some of my projects are complete, others are nearing completion, and some have only started. The latter will be - like a baton - handed over to a future secondee, who will then continue the work. And on it goes. 

The work that a place like Marngarr does, has highlighted for me the absolute importance of quality and focused policy initiatives, undertaken across all levels of government. Progress can be slow in some areas, but there is progress nevertheless. In some areas, this progress is significant: I heard at the Garma Festival that three years ago, this part of the world had the highest suicide rate in the southern hemisphere. Now, that rate is zero. Empowering the individual through meaningful training and employment provides a tremendous sense of worth and pride. Marngarr has played a significant part in this, and witnessing it first hand, and having had the opportunity to be a part of it, has been a remarkable experience. 

My time here has provided me with an appreciation of the delicate policy mix required to best manage the considerable social and economic challenges that face our first Australians. It has opened my eyes to the importance of broader whole-of-government initiatives like ‘Closing the Gap’, and inspired me to delve deeper into some of the bigger issues. One of them is the need for constitutional recognition of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, a topic I produced an article on while up here.

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On a more personal level, living in a remote part of Australia is not without its challenges: far from loved ones, family, friends, as well as many of the niceties of life that a city boy becomes accustomed to. But it is also cleansing, therapeutic, and even good for the soul. Indeed, self-awareness is key: for a community whose members rely on each other so much, you quickly realise there are more important things than the individual. Living in a house with four other secondees can sometimes have its moments, but for me, did not detract too much from the remarkable nature of the experience. In fact, I am positive that writing about my experiences as I went along, taking mental notes and processing everything that little bit more, was a great help, and allowed me to reflect on the bigger picture even more.

While there has been plenty of time to reflect on what has come and what lay ahead, the real delight was in connecting with a community that is warm, endearing and sincere. The locals come into the office, always smiling, maybe humming one of their traditional songs. It’s a million miles away from the hustle and bustle, and with it, comes a spirit that is very different to what one might find even in the nicest suburbs of a capital city. And it is the sense of community that binds these people together so tightly. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people up here, both Yolngu and ‘balanda’ (white men), many of whom-  despite the cliche - want to make a difference. The beautiful people, weather and laid back approach to everyday life - well, they’re all just an added bonus. 

I have no doubt that this will not be the end of my engagement with this part of the world, and some of the people I’ve met along the way. The ‘Recognise’ campaign is one that I’m looking forward to getting more involved in, and I’m also hoping to continue my engagement with Jawun in some capacity. 

It has been an amazing six-week journey, in a truly remarkable part of the world, and one that will stay with me forever. A thanks to all that made it possible, and those that supported me along the way: phone calls, messages, emails, they were all greatly appreciated. 

But for now, from north east Arnhem Land, it’s nha ma yalala (see you later).

So here I am, nearing the end of week five of a six week placement in north east Arnhem Land. To say that it has been an amazing experience, is but an understatement. The beauty of the Yolngu people never ceases to amaze: their warmth, enduring; their care, sincere. It is truly something. The highlights have been plentiful, but the last week or so has been all about the Garma Festival, and it will be the focus of this blogpost. We arrived on-site last Wednesday afternoon to assist with preparations, and be part of a crew of dedicated volunteers ensuring that everything was ready for the festival’s commencement on Friday. 

  Put together by the Yothu Yindi Foundation (Yothu & Yindi = mother + child (balance)), the full name is Garma’ wu Buku_Lunthurra, meaning ‘getting people together’. And that is exactly what the 4-day festival does, bringing people from all over the world who each share an interest, a passion even, in the furthering of the affairs of indigenous Australians. The festival this year would be that little bit more special - as it also celebrated the 50th anniversary of a special moment in the history of not just the local Yolngu people, but for the Australian nation: we know them now as the Yolngu Bark Petitions - two Church Panels that were statements of title to land, expressed through the sacred designs that each clan held to itself. It was a remarkable moment in the land rights movement for the first Australians, and to be part of this celebration, on land that is sacred to the Yolngu, was always going to be a humbling experience.

  Thursday kicked off with each of us being allocated our volunteer duties, and I was tasked with welcoming a number of VIPs upon their arrival, and then seeking to ensure that their transition into life at Garma was a seamless one. The list before me, was impressive to say the least. Dignitaries, respected academics, politicians, CEOs - my A-game was required. But then, at about 11am, before anyone on my list had even arrived - it all changed. A chance encounter with a fellow volunteer (who happened to recognise me off Twitter no less) would lead to me being seconded into the media unit that was managing Garma: a secondment within a secondment if you will. 

  For the next four days, I drafted and proof read media releases, prepared communiqués, took Garma to the world of social media, and engaged with journalists - whose number multiplied significantly on the Saturday when the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, decided to pop in for an impromptu visit. In the midst of an election campaign, managing the expectations of members of the Canberra press gallery isn’t easy - but when you have limited internet bandwidth, and you’re literally in the middle of nowhere - that’s exactly what we did. All up, an amazing professional experience. 

  But culturally, the festival was an absolute delight. From the breathtaking sights and sounds of the sunset Bunggul - with dance performances that relay story-lines that stretch generations - it is a truly special and unique art form. If you ever get the chance to see one, grasp it with both hands, and treasure it forever. 

Garma also brings people together to discuss the challenges faced by indigenous Australians. From a heartfelt opening of ceremonies by Gallarwuy Yunupingu, to a fireside chat on Friday night which began with a discussion by led Tim Gartrell - Director of the ‘Recognise’ campaign (www.recognise.org.au), and ended with none other than actor Jack Thompson reading bush poetry, to a panel discussion on the Saturday on constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians, to discussions on Sunday about the need for changes to current land tenure, it was not only educational, but also inspiring. The Festival is something I will forever look back on fondly, and I’m so fortunate to have had the experience.

But there’s one experience, that I will forever hold dear. The Friday night spawned an unlikely treat, one that came down to nothing but luck (and my obliging offer to drive a stranded ‘VIP’ back into Nhulunbuy, a 45 minute trip). I didn’t know who the VIP would even be, but boy was I glad I put my hand up, when I found out it was none other than Noel Pearson, who had delivered an inspirational speech earlier in the day about the ‘unity of opposites’. It is not overstating it to say that Pearson, for all that he has done for indigenous people, and with it, the social fabric of this nation, is a living legend. As I drove him back into town, a little starstruck, we canvassed the topics of politics, people, family, power. I couldn’t help but want to pinch myself, and I’ll forever look back on it with a big smile on my face. 

As I will the entire Garma experience. But for now, it’s back to Ski Beach, Gunyangara (below). With just over a week to go in my secondment, there are loose ends to tie up, projects to finish, and with it, also enough time to reflect on what comes next. 

  A little over two weeks ago, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the middle of winter, I boarded a flight out of Sydney that would take me via Cairns, to the town of Nhulunbuy, situated in North East Arnhem Land, the eastern tip of the Northern Territory. As I flew over one of the world’s most recognisable harbours, yachts and boats scattered below, I couldn't help but let my mind wander to the contrasts that lay ahead. It was not overstating it to say that an experience of a lifetime awaited me.

That same morning, my father had emailed me, and in amongst the warnings to not go swimming with crocodiles, bushwalking by myself, and to have twelve eyes (it's a Greek saying lost in translation) he said:

“I am sure that you will bring back stories, memories and experiences which will be with you for the rest of your life, and you will be telling them to your children in the future.”

Not surprisingly, he was spot on. Only two weeks in, and the cultural experience has been palpable, the stories - plentiful.

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Week one, an induction, provided but a taste of this truly extraordinary part of the country. It kicked off with a 4WD driving course that taught us how to avoid rampaging buffaloes, drive in rough and unstable terrain, and everything in between. We got out into the community, visiting the organisations that we would each be placed in the over the duration of our stay, as well as meeting some of the local people - the Yolngu. We also headed out to Gulkula, the site of the Garma Festival (www.yyf.com.au), camping for a few days and assisting with preparations for the festival, which hosted by the Yothu Yindi Foundation (@YothuYindiFound), will be held in mid-August. We'll be back there in a few weeks volunteering at the main event.

Working with festival staff as well as prisoners who were in a rehabilitative program as part of their respective sentences, it was an experience truly a million miles away from an office in Sydney, but also a hugely rewarding one. Sitting down together to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner - despite language barriers in some instances, body language was absolutely key: a simple nod, smile, acknowledgement: small steps to hopefully help bridge a considerable divide.

My first Friday night would be littered with the sounds of a didgeridoo ('yidaki'), clap sticks, and the chants of a culture thousands of years old filling the evening sky. I’ve listened to, appreciated, and even reviewed plenty of music in my time, but the raw emotion of the sound, of the heartfelt chants in particular, is one that will stay with me forever. On Saturday we cheered on the local AFL team, with exquisite skills and talent on display in grass roots footy at its most pure.

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The Jawun (www.jawun.org.au) program of which I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of, was borne out of the idea that the most value that corporate and government organisations could give is not necessarily money, but rather, its people. Handing over ‘skilled people with good hearts that want to be part of the transformation’ from a welfare economy to a real economy, is consistent with the need for deep social changes that extend well beyond the usual means of philanthropy of just handing over cash.

Jawun - meaning ‘for friends’ - groups people from different backgrounds and with different experience. The secondment group I am a part of sees people from Qantas, Commonwealth Bank, DFAT, Allens, Boston Consulting Group, and of course ASIC, placed into a local community organisation to observe, assist and advise on the processes that make up their day to day existence. In our own little way, it (quite flatteringly) gets “some of the biggest doers in the country tackling some of the highest social problems of the country”.

My placement is with the Marngarr Resource Centre, a small organisation based in the beachside town of Gunyangara. Marngarr, with its parent company Gumatj, assists in setting up small enterprises within the community, and in turn provides the appropriate training for locals to be gainfully employed within them. It creates self-sufficiency within the community, and with it, pride and confidence and the sense of achievement that comes with it. Working alongside the General Manager, in only one week, I have been struck by how much they are able to do on limited resources, both financial and human. In addition to servicing the local and immediate community, it also provides support to those living in the traditional homelands - one of which we visited during the week - and which provided an experience to remember.

The Birany Birany Homelands (pronounced BrenBren), is a small coastal community about 120 kilometres south of Nhulunbuy, comprised of five humble dwellings and populated by no more than 30 locals. The two hour drive tested the 4WD (as well as my driving), but the most rewarding part was meeting the locals, who welcomed us with sincere warmth, as well as open doors and hearts. Sitting down with a group of five males to assist them with a series of forms requiring completion, we required the details of one of their ‘sisters’ - although not in the sibling sense that we non-indigenous folk associate it with. What followed was a special moment. The gentlemen spoke to each other in their native tongue, doing so while almost chuckling. They then smiled at us, then again at each other, before asking for a pen and paper. Upon providing it, one of them wrote the name that we required, then asked us to say it out loud. The penny finally dropped; the name we needed, they were not allowed to actually say. If they did, it would be a sign of disrespect. A mere taste of the cultural sensitivities that are too often lost on the rest of us, and of the experiences that lay ahead.

No Labor minister or leader has ever had an easy job. The urgency that rests behind the Labor movement, pushing it on to do things, to create new conditions, to reorganise the economy of the country, always means that the people who work within the Labor movement, people who lead, can never have an easy job. - 1949, Ben Chifley, ALP Prime Minister

As Julia Gillard wakes up on the first day of the rest of her life, I’m sure she would agree. Faced with scrutiny and criticism that didn’t just go over the line - it ripped the line up, then pretended no line ever even existed and whoever thought otherwise was just being unreasonable - it finally came down to this: a more engaging day in politics not witnessed in some time.

From the early morning announcements that key independents Robert Oakeshott and Tony Windsor would not recontest the federal poll, to the falling of a Prime Minister by day’s end, it is a political junkie’s twisted form of heaven. But at the same time, a reminder of the brutal world of modern day Labor politics. With corporate, vested and media interests largely stacked against you, the going is tough.

In the end, the third serious move on the Prime Ministership by Kevin Rudd would be a successful one. After two failed attempts and one non-attempt, the cat was once again in possession of the cream.

As a Prime Minister, Julia Gillard achieved much more than she was ever given credit for. In the face of cruel and absolutely unnecessary spiteful criticism, she delivered reforms that will serve us well for years, decades to come.

DisabilityCare is the Medicare of the modern era, and a reform whose impact cannot be understated. Much like we cannot imagine a world without Medicare, in time, Australians will view DisabilityCare similarly, and the impact on the more than 400,000 Australians with a disability is considerable. And they will have Gillard to thank. On education, the Gonski reforms will bring benefits to children that we can’t even fathom yet. Once in a generation reform - that actually passed through the parliament yesterday, but was, like many other achievements of this government, overlooked by a media seemingly focused elsewhere.

Putting a price on carbon was gutsy, and ultimately politically costly for Gillard; the ‘tax’ that never truly was a tax. While pricing carbon pollution remains the most efficient way of dealing with the global challenge of climate change, such sense was seemingly lost in the story of a ‘lie’. And such reforms were undertaken while keeping unemployment low (5-6% is the envy of the modern world), the economy growing (14% bigger than it was in 2007, despite the GFC), inflation low, interest rates low, as well as the third lowest rate of debt in the OECD meant that receiving a AAA credit rating from the three leading agencies was no fluke.

That many of these achievements occurred despite a hostile minority government, makes them all the more commendable. As Prime Minister, Gillard’s negotiation skills, intelligence and work ethic, could not be questioned. Matched almost, by a sheer resilience to stare her opponents down and beat them, time again.

She was not without fault though. Her approach to asylum seekers disappointing; to marriage equality, curious. Policy gaffes like the watered down MRRT (mining tax) and cuts to sole parent payments, and questions on judgement (read: Slipper) and her back-tracking on pokie machine reforms, did not help. Together with hostility from across the chamber and even within her own ranks (that includes the incoming PM Rudd and his backers), the message of a positive agenda was seemingly lost. Australians heard a different tune.

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From menus, to her cleavage, to her shoes, to her knitting, to the size of her behind, ears or jacket, Ms Gillard put up with more than she would have ever thought she was signing up for. That so many people refused to show the Office of Prime Minister the respect it deserves is a blight on us as a society. That we are ridiculed overseas for this maltreatment, is testament to that.

Why? Why did so many resort to cheap name calling? In what country could you ask the PM whether they were in a marriage that was essentially a fraud? Ask yourself whether Messrs Rudd or Abbott would ever be asked such a question. If not, why not?

But Ms Gillard took it with the grace and aplomb that she was rarely given credit for. She stared the hate and vitriol in the face, and stood up to it. Her misogyny speech, which many will opine as being a highpoint of her tenure, put a fire into the belly of many women and girls across the country, and indeed, across the world.

Were Australians ready for a female PM? In the end, probably not. As the outgoing PM said herself though, ‘it will be easier for the next woman, and the woman after that and the woman after that. And I am proud of that,” she said.

As a media performer, Julia Gillard - while direct and on message - seemed to struggle to connect on a personal level through the barrel of a camera. In person though, the steely resolve that perhaps put some offside was lost, replaced with an engaging, articulate and delightful warmth.

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It is most likely that the next twenty-four hours will determine how far away an election is. It will hinge on whether Rudd goes to the polls swiftly in the hope of riding on the back of any honeymoon period, or whether he stays the course previously decided by his predecessor and wait for September 14. Keen to make a break from the past, the former seems the likely bet. Either way, the next few weeks and months will test both Mr Rudd, and the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott.

To date, Abbott has managed to escape considerable scrutiny during his tenure, campaigning on a simple platform of ‘government bad’, while providing little in the way of policies. Outside of a watered down and widely criticised national broadband offering, and a workplace relations policy that has little backing in Liberal party circles due to the claim that it doesn’t go far enough, Abbott has been a policy-lite zone.

In the interests of a democracy, with voters making informed decisions on polling day, this needs to change. As Rudd himself said last night, “Abbott shouldn’t be allowed to come to power by default.” In short, a glossy pamphlet does not a policy make. Abbott’s negativity and sloganeering in coming weeks will get old, quickly.

That we are potentially weeks away from an election and the Opposition has offered nothing in the way of policies relating to key areas such as education or health, is breathtaking in the Liberal Party’s confidence. Two key policy areas, both with significant impact to the budget bottom line, and there has been nothing.

There are differences elsewhere too, the key one being that for the first time, we will have in Kevin Rudd, a Prime Minister that supports marriage equality. While this is an issue that has generally had widespread public support, it will be interesting to see whether it translates into votes. If Mr Rudd is keen to reclaim the excitement and fervor of Kevin07, this may very well be a key plank of it. A fresh, progressive and positive pitch, compared with the more conservative and traditional views of the Leader of the Opposition.

If the polls are correct, Mr Rudd has a sizeable task ahead of him to even make the election a contest. While the difference in support is not as wide as some polls suggest, it nevertheless remains to be seen whether it can be overcome. He will also need to try and heal the party, bringing back into the fold those supporters - and they exist - angered by the treatment of our first female Prime Minister, who feel that Rudd’s undermining was in the end, rewarded.

While Rudd was unable to go quietly into the night in 2010, one thinks Gillard will do exactly that, and do it in style. While Rudd gathered with his family and spoke for thirty minutes, fighting back tears after being deposed in 2010, Gillard spoke for barely half that last night, her delivery efficient, resilient and disciplined. Even right to the end, she did not crack.

She will bother no-one, undermine no-one, and will leave politics with what it needs - some grace and class.

Outgoing Treasurer Wayne Swan said it best last night when in an impassioned resignation speech, showing a side that we probably didn’t see enough of, he referred to the outgoing PM as "one of the toughest warriors who have ever led the Australian Labor Party".

One only hopes that history is kinder to her than far too many Australians ever were.

Remember Craig Thomson? The MP whose alleged dirty deeds threatened to bring down a government? Whose alleged conduct was the reason for an abundance of articles, a small forest's worth of papers printed, plenty of examples of poor tabloid journalism, an equally distressing number of 'stories' told, lawyers briefed, and police dispatched?

All over, a disputed sum of $52,000. And 173 charges. That's about $300 a charge.

Doesn't really sound all that bad, does it?

"Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls. Firstly, I recognise the local land on which we meet, and thank the traditional owners for all their hard work on local issues. Your welcome this evening has been a touching and moving one."

"I am so glad to be here tonight, on what I know has been a big day for those of you gathered here. You have fought long and hard to right the many injustices that do exist, and on behalf of those who often can’t fight for themselves, I say thank you."

"I stand before you today as Prime Minister of this great nation, a nation that has for so many years built a reputation for being tolerant, inclusive, and above all else, fair."

"For decades, whenever we have come across discrimination, we have done our best to stare it down. To fight it. To right the wrongs that unfortunately, infiltrate our society."

"In the pursuit of a fairer go for all, we seek to right those wrongs. Sometimes, this occurs quickly. Other times, the progress has been a little slower."

"I’ve previously stated that our Party, this Australian Labor Party, has a vision. It is a vision premised on opportunity and care."

"Opportunity for all who seek it, and care for all who need it. I’d like to think however, that as a Party, and further, as a nation, there is a third premise that fits neatly with those other two:

"Fairness."

"For years, decades, centuries even, people have faced discrimination based on race, colour, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Slowly, many of those forms of discrimination have been removed. Over the years, it has been Labor that has introduced legislation to remove many of those imbalances.

"In 1973, it was a series of amendments by the Whitlam Labor government, that essentially brought an end to the White Australia policy. These amendments prevented the enforcement of racial aspects of the immigration law. Amongst other things, these amendments legislated that all migrants, regardless of origin, would be eligible to obtain citizenship after three years of permanent residence. The amendments also ratified all international agreements relating to immigration and race."

"In 1975, the Commonwealth parliament, again during the Prime Ministership of Gough Whitlam, passed the Racial Discrimination Act. This landmark legislation made it against the law to discriminate based on race, in areas such as employment, housing, even the provision of goods and services."

"In 1984, the Hawke Government passed the Sex Discrimination Act, which gave effect to Australia’s international obligations towards eliminating all forms of discrimination against women. It promoted equality between men and women, and sought to eliminate discrimination in a range of areas, including on the basis of sex, marital status or pregnancy."

"We look back on such milestones, and like many social justice reforms, today, we consider them to be the norm. As they rightly should be."

"One type of discrimination, however, continues. And it is one that I know is very dear to those of you here today. It has been a topic of conversation across the country, indeed, the world."

"It has been a conversation that I have had with many people. Some of these people have been friends, others colleagues. Others have been Australians I have met on my travels as Prime Minister. But one thing is for certain, they - we - are all Australians."

"In 2008 and 2009, it was under a federal Labor government that legislation was passed specifying that same-sex couples would have the same legal rights as de facto relationships between a man and a woman. Because de facto couples now enjoy many of the same legal rights as married couples, this has allowed same-sex couples to be entitled to the same treatment when it comes to health care, child support, workers compensation, veterans’ entitlements and social security."

"Since July 2008, both heterosexual and same-sex couples are treated in the same way in terms of superannuation when a member of that couple passes away."

"I have previously stated that marriage should only be between a man and a woman, on the grounds that Australia’s laws are based on Christian principles. For many people, ‘marriage’ is a concept that has some strong tradition and religious belief behind it. But the more I’ve thought about it, I’ve pondered: should not one of the most basic, the most fundamental of Christian principles, be that of fairness?"

"My views on marriage equality have been well publicised. But with time, those views have softened. They have progressed, just like we, as a society - as a nation - have progressed."

"As I’ve travelled across this country, from Darlinghurst to Dulwich, from St Kilda to Subiaco, people have shared their thoughts with me. Some have been personal, but all have been heartfelt, sincere and honest."

"With time, I have grown to understand how important it is to people that are directly impacted, but also those indirectly impacted."

"Most of us will have a colleague, a friend, a neighbor, or a family member who, despite being devoted to their loving partner, is currently unable to commit to that partner for the rest of their lives in the way a man and a woman can. I know that in my life, I have friends, colleagues, that are in same-sex relationships and who are lovingly raising adorable children."

"The time has surely come for all people to be treated equally, and that we treat others the way that we in turn wish to be treated. As a society, we should always be moving in a direction where more people - not less - are being treated fairly and equally."

"As a leader of this Party, a Party that has always stood for the fair go, for progressing society, for moving it forward, it is time that we did all we can to bring this form of discrimination to an end."

"I’ve come to learn that this is something that is important to many Australians. It is something which extends well beyond the views of one particular person."

"It is a choice that should be left to the individual couple - not to government."

"People wishing to declare their love for each other and commit to spending the rest of their lives together through marriage, should have the choice to do so. This doesn’t weaken the fundamental tenets associated with marriage - rather, it strengthens them, and with it, bolsters the broader concept of ‘family’."

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, is why we, this government, will go to the election in September seeking a mandate to amend the Marriage Act so as to also recognise a marriage between a same sex couple."

"In this current parliament, it was the Labor Party that was the only major party to allow a conscience vote on this matter. While that was a step in the right direction, we need to do better. We can do better. In Labor, we stand for fairness and equality. As a result, in the next parliament, we intend to take that one step further."

**

"For too long, I have listened to Australians say that the two major parties are the same. That we’ve become so similar that it matters little who they vote for. To these people, I say this: “look a little bit closer”."

"I urge those people to consider the policies of the two major parties, whether it be in relation to education reform, disability services, climate change, a National Broadband Network, or now, marriage equality."

"There is plenty that we do not agree on. In some of these areas, the difference could not be more stark."

"On education, only Labor is truly committed to increasing education funding, to give Australia’s children of today and tomorrow, the best opportunities to be ready for the challenges of the future. Further, only a Labor government is committed to equipping our children as best as possible for those challenges, arming them with a world-leading broadband network, one that will serve us well for decades to come."

"On disability services, it has been a Labor government, this Labor government, that has had the foresight and policy to tackle the recommendations of the Productivity Commission, and turn it into DisabilityCare Australia."

"This is no longer just talk..... this is not spin: this is happening, and it is happening right now. Trial sites are rolling out in a matter of months, and commitments have already been made with the South Australian, NSW, Tasmanian, ACT and VIctorian governments to roll out DisabilityCare Australia, in full in those jurisdictions. Ladies and gentleman, the difference this will make to Australians with a disability, as well as their families and carers, cannot be understated."

"The differences continue, though. Only a Labor government is committed to truly tackling climate change, in the best and most efficient way possible. Despite the unfulfilled hysteria from those that oppose it, we now have in a place a carbon price that, as it rightly should, charges those who pollute the most."

"This in turn provides an incentive for polluters to emit less, and further, to consider and invest in greener, leaner production. It is rarely reported, but since the commencement of a price on carbon, brought about by this Labor Government’s Clean Energy Future package, emissions in Australia have already begun to fall."

"And now, on marriage equality, we will be seeking a mandate from the Australian people to take our conscience vote one step further, and to make marriage equality part of government policy."

"This is about fairness for all. Much like the big social reforms that have come before it, whether it be the anti-discrimination legislation of the 70s and 80s, Native Title in the 90s, or the formal apology to the Stolen Generations in the last decade, it has often been Labor moving us forward."

"Same-sex marriage goes to fundamental values of family and society. It represents tolerance, inclusion and optimism. And above all, it represents fairness."

"And to quote the words of one former Labor Prime Minister, ‘it’s time’."

A few weeks ago, I went along and watched ‘Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’, a documentary produced by barrister and refugee advocate Jessie Taylor (@taylor_jessie). It looks at some of the circumstances that often lead individuals and families to make the decision to become what we in Australia loosely describe as ‘boat people’. Tucked away in the inner-city surrounds of The Standard in Sydney’s Surry Hills, we watched stories of people thousands of miles away, risking everything they had, in search of a better future for them and their loved ones. A decision that is not taken lightly, it ultimately leads them on a treacherous, dangerous and often fatal voyage, from Indonesia to Australia.

These are people who through no fault of their own, but often because of war, or persecution due to faith and race must flee their homeland. It is a situation that is truly unimaginable to most of us. They flee, looking for safer and more secure surrounds. For many, this sees them turn to Australia, in the hope of brighter days. (Here's the promo: http://vimeo.com/6328019)

My watching of the documentary was timely, coming days after the Shadow Minister for Immigration, Scott Morrison, aired his notion of ‘behavioral values’ for those seeking asylum in Australia and on community release. His comments almost beggar belief. In the dog-whistling world of modern day Australian politics, where xenophobia is not only alive and well, but seemingly actively campaigned on, his comments are hardly surprising. The manner in which the debate on asylum seekers is conducted in many parts of the mainstream media is so misleading and misinformed that it would be funny, were it not so hugely disappointing.

Scott Morrison - and it would seem the Liberal Party, the party that purports to believe in freedom and liberty - think people should know when asylum seekers move into your neighborhood. Why? Morrison feels that as they should be in detention centres, but as a result of increasing numbers, are instead on community release, then we should seemingly have tabs on them. 

But what of the countless people that arrive by plane to Australia, overstay their visas, and slide into Australian life? Why no concern about the backpackers that cram into the  hostel down the road from where I live? Is there no risk to us because they happen to be European? Or is it because they are white? Or is it because they arrived by plane? Or is it all of the above?

Morrison’s position, and that of the Liberal Party, overlooks an inconvenient truth: those seeking asylum in Australia have done nothing wrong. They have committed no crime, and seeking asylum is certainly not illegal, despite what the media might tell you. But on the back of an isolated incident at Sydney's Macquarie University, Morrison talked it up, radio commentators were drawn to it like moths to a flame, and there was outrage everywhere. 

In many respects, the asylum seeker debate has become a race to the bottom. Morrison’s comments do not struggle to find company in a debate laced with loads of hate, fear and falsehoods - and so little in the way of facts, sensitivity and at its most basic, class. In a world where radio shock jocks and tabloid journalists thrive on fear and negativity, his comments are an affront to sound and informed political and social discourse. Deep down, I’ve no doubt there are those in the Liberal Party who know that. But politics has become a win at all costs game. The price paid, including overlooking the truth, seems to matter little anymore.

That said, the government is hardly without fault in this debate. While its members may not stoop to the lows that Morrison regularly does, for a progressive party, it could do better. Much better. It is one of the things I find most disappointing about this, a Labor government. Rather than trying to rise above it though, in many respects, the government follows suit, even if it does trail some distance behind on the sheer outrageousness of its vitriol. 

Its messaging isn’t as offensive as that of Messrs Morrison, Brandis and Bernardi, but it does not do anything to fix this debate; rather, it just feeds into it. The more recent policy announcements by the PM on the clamping down of 457 visa usage, is but one example.

**

From a young age, my parents raised me to not judge people by how they looked, what they believed in, or from where in the world they’d come. While my Dad has always been hugely patriotic of his mother country, his ‘patrida’, always quick to share an anecdote of a Greek-Australian that made it big, it never got in the way of fundamental concepts of  opportunity and fairness for all. Concepts that, we were told, were part of the Australian way of life.

Mum and Dad migrated to Australia in the late 1960’s. My Armenian mum from Cairo, Egypt, my Dad from the island of Kos, Greece. Their parents brought them here so that they, and their children could have the opportunities they never had growing up. My parents met a few years later at work, got married, then built a life that provided my sister Maria and I with the opportunities they and their parents never had. Their sacrifices, their teachings, and their hard work have all contributed greatly and made me into the person that I am today. 

But here’s the rub: my parents today, understand that what these so-called ‘boat people’, these incorrectly and unfairly labelled ‘illegal arrivals’ are doing, is not much different from what they did more than forty years ago. This leads into what is, for me, one of the most disappointing aspects of this debate; namely, the number of immigrant Australians, and their children, that take the very different view, namely that these ‘boat people’ are in fact ‘illegals’ and ‘queue jumpers’. They believe the myths, peddled by a mainstream media that stopped doing its job properly, quite some time ago. Such myths feed into a narrative that makes Australians - including immigrant Australians - feel they’ve been hard done by on asylum seekers, that they are rorting the welfare system, costing millions in taxpayer dollars, while ordinary Australians continue to do it tough. This viewpoint of many immigrant Australians is disappointing, as one can’t help but think they’ve forgotten what it was that brought them, and their parents, to Australia in the first place.

I’ve no doubt that some families are doing it tough across the nation. But the media has managed to pit people against each other with an ‘us versus them’ mentality that is divisive and destructive, posing asylum seekers as some kind of threat to the fabric of Australian society. It’s garbage, especially when one need not look far to see the benefits of a multicultural Australia. 

The failure of so many media outlets and journalists to report the facts in this debate has become a huge blight on our modern day Australian society. It has left a stain - an indelible one, whose roots are xenophobic, if not racist. This is however beyond politics - the stain is far deeper than that - and will outlive not only this election campaign, but the one after that, and the one after that. 

Until those in the public spotlight - journalists, politicians, our so-called leaders, commentators, hell, even celebrities - begin replacing fiction with fact, then the end to this horrid and ill-informed debate, and the awful stench that comes with it, will never be in sight.

Solving the problems associated with people fleeing war torn nations will not be solved overnight. And it is not a problem unique to Australia. (By global comparison, the numbers of asylum seekers arriving in Australia are quite moderate. Pick up a tabloid Australian daily though, and you’d think we were being swamped by an armada, with people ready to steal our jobs and our women.) 

A Sunday afternoon spent listening to a group of politicians speak isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Truth be told, I don’t really drink tea, but as I don’t mind me a bit of politics, I headed out to Parramatta, to hear the Prime Minister speak at the University of Western Sydney.

The speech was to kick off what has become a much talked about week for the PM in western Sydney. The PM will be staying at the Novotel in downtown Rooty Hill. The fact that her choice of accommodation has even been newsworthy says a lot about how poor a service many in the Canberra press gallery are currently providing. One can’t help but think that they may have bigger issues to discuss. Ideas. Policies. Maybe a vision. Certainly not the trivial details of hotel choice? Some ‘commentators’ have poked fun at the PM’s decision to stay at a hotel, rather than staying at her official Sydney residence in Kirribilli. Mind you, if she’d chosen that option, she’d probably be criticised as being out of touch by the very same people.

Choosing to stay in Rooty Hill has also provided fodder to those who claim that the trip deserves to simply be written off as a stunt. Mind you, the Sunday evening news reportedly had footage of Margie Abbott, the Opposition Leader’s wife, riding a bike….but no talk of stunts. Given where current political discourse appears to be however, the PM can’t seem to do much right, and she rarely gets credit for it when she does. As I’ve openly quipped previously, she could cure cancer tomorrow - and she’d be criticised for putting oncologists out of work.

Nevertheless, the Sir Ian Turbott Auditorium was packed; inside, a who’s who of the NSW ALP. From state members, to federal Ministers, and everyone in between - including the much maligned faceless men, this time *with* faces. Acting as a nice foil to these dreadful faceless men however, loads of young women proudly wearing “Women for Julia” t-shirts. Overall, it was a good mix of people, with the 1000 seat venue packed with people across age, race, gender, and dress code.

Members of the press corp were there in force. ABC, Fairfax, and network TV stations. But no-one it would seem from News Limited. Guess those at the Daily Telegraph and The Australian have already made up their minds. Not sure how those outlets filed copy without being there though.

Chatting with a few of the locals before the speeches kicked off, the common theme that kept emerging was what many perceived to be an unfair portrayal of the PM by sections of the media. “She’s done plenty for us, but they [the media] write her off as being all bad. It’s not fair,” one said to me. “They’ve just got it in for her,” another said. Despite suggestions to the contrary, it seemed that here, in western Sydney, the PM would be amongst friends.

NSW ALP President, Michael Lee, took up MCing duties, introducing a local Dhurag elder for an Indigenous welcome to country and song. In a heartfelt and at times stirring performance, “more than 200 years ago, we were the ones to lead you to water”, she praised the importance of strong women in Indigenous culture, and reflected on her own pride in being able to perform before the nation’s first female PM. It was a nice moment. The rendition of the national anthem by a local schoolgirl that followed shortly after, was a belter, delivered with some serious gusto.

General Secretary of the NSW ALP Sam Dastyari was up next, talking of western Sydney being comprised of suburbs that “the ALP will never turn its back on”. Dastyari reminded the crowd of all that the ALP has done for western Sydney, “from sewers of the 1970’s to the broadband cables of 2013”. He reflected on effort and on values, and called for “respect and recognition for those that do the right thing by their community”, and that being from the west should never be considered second rate.

Whether it is treated as second rate is one thing, but the fact is that our media - and our politicians - do seem to treat western Sydney differently. The reaction to the PM’s visit is consistent with that. If she’d visited Darwin for a week, would it have been considered a stunt? If she spent 5 days working up and down far north Queensland, would that be a stunt? Arguably not. Politicians travel, it comes with the territory. But for western Sydney, it was almost like she wasn’t allowed to visit. Sheer nonsense.

Dastyari took aim at sections of the media for writing this week-long visit off before it had even begun. He said the constant negative portrayal of the government should be called for what it is: ‘A crude attempt at regime change’, and then criticized the ‘snobs and elitists of the Liberal Party [that] keep talking western Sydney down’. He urged the crowd to be hopeful: “don’t write us off, listen to your heart, don’t listen to the shock jocks.”

Next up was Jason Clare, the federal member for the western Sydney electorate of Blaxland, Minister for Justice and Home Affairs, and according to some on Twitter, also the Minister for Handsomeness. Listing many of western Sydney’s success stories, from the Waugh brothers to Michael Clarke, Harry Kewell and Betty Cuthbert, and of course, Paul Keating, Clare talked of Prime Minister Gillard being made of the same stuff as those in the west: toughness. Clare warmed the crowd up with absolute aplomb, and the PM in turn received a rockstar welcome. She was amongst friends, and it was obvious. For all the talk of western Sydney opposition towards the PM, at this point, it was nowhere to be seen. People can claim this wasn’t a campaign event all they like, but boy it felt like one.

The PM delivered a strong and passionate speech. She talked up the government’s economic credentials, and told us that ‘modern challenges require modern solutions’, including both pricing carbon and the rollout of the National Broadband Network, the latter being key to the region’s future prosperity, the former to the nation’s competitiveness. (How those on the Right continue to fail to recognise that, is beyond me, even if they are just playing politics.) One of the loudest cheers from the crowd however came when she mentioned that the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) would be kicking off in July. This is a momentous occasion for the history of our nation, and the biggest single social reform since Medicare - it too a Labor construct. Where’s the Liberal plan for NDIS? Is there one? The PM went on to say that western Sydney suburbs “should never be viewed as being second rate” and that, “for far too long the community I made my home, the communities I represent, have been the kind of places people hurried through, not places where you stopped to stay.” It was time, she said, for this to change.

It was a theme that continued through her speech:

We don’t accept that hospitals in other suburbs should be better class than the hospitals here. We don’t accept that you should feel less safe, or have less opportunity, or worse infrastructure than other parts of this city or our nation.”

In some respects, it was a pitch to the blue-collar heartland.

The speech was also heavy on anti-gang rhetoric, with the PM following up a launch earlier in the day of a new national anti-gang taskforce modelled on a similar body set up the US FBI. Misplaced or not, there’s a perception that crime, law and order are important politically out west, so her announcement out here was fitting at best, although arguably feeds into the hysteria that it matters more out here than anywhere else. Surely not. The taskforce will have $64 million in funding and be cross-collaborative between state and federal police forces. (On the other hand, the Liberal Party yesterday simply announced more CCTV.)

Overall, the speech went down a treat - although given it was delivered to Party members and supporters - that’s hardly surprising. The real test for the PM in western Sydney will be over the next five days, although she’s given herself a tremendous start. I have no doubt she’s brought her cheque book, a positive outlook and a steely resolve to interact with the people of western Sydney on as personal a basis as much as possible.

It is often reported on social media that everyone that meets the PM walks away from the experience liking her. As a politician, that’s handy - to say the least. And while I’m reluctant to discuss opinion polls, it would seem that at the very least, the PM has got a few people to win over.

*

(On a completely different topic, and only because you probably wont see it on TV or in the Daily Telegraph, here’s footage of Tony Abbott falling over yesterday. When the PM had a heel mishap while in India some months ago, it was BREAKING NEWS and received a frightening amount of coverage. This on the other hand, barely got a mention yesterday:

Australia’s dance music scene is in mourning, with the tragic death on Thursday of Sydney DJ Adrian Thomas, better known to his many fans, as Ajax. Thomas was hit by a car in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

The outpouring of emotion amongst the electronic dance music community since then has been immense. Ajax was a quality producer, DJ, but most importantly, one of the nicest blokes you’d meet in the scene. His influence on Australian music in the mid ‘noughties’ was overwhelmingly positive, and his passion for it, unwavering.

He will be sorely missed.

Melbourne producer and DJ, Jamie Stevens - also one of the nicest blokes you’d ever meet - was a friend of the late Thomas. In the past twenty four hours, Stevens has produced a piece of musical brilliance.

Stevens has written this on his Soundcloud page:

“When I learned that my friend Adrian Thomas (DJ Ajax) had died yesterday, it hit me very very hard as it did with anyone who knew him. I felt the urge to create some music in his memory so here it is to share. The world has lost a genuine, kind, talented and sincere individual. RIP Adrian x”

This is what he created, a piece of emotive musical brilliance.

https://soundcloud.com/jamiestevens/for-adrian-with-thanks-to-arvo

When it comes to political interviews on Australian television, ultimately we usually know what each talking head is going to tell us. Depending on their political persuasion, it’ll be this party good, that party bad. No huge surprises there. Has it contributed to the overall apathy that people feel towards politics? Undoubtedly. People across social media have been screaming for more policy based discussion, which until now has largely been absent.

Whether there’s one talking head or two, with the help of a moderator, what we end up getting is more about which talking head spins the best, has the best messages, the catchier turn of phrase. The moderator goes along with it, and we’re really none the wiser about much at all.

But where’s the real in-depth analysis of policy itself? Almost non-existent. The ABC's Q and A occasionally sneaks a little in, but when those experts are flanked by politicians, they tend to be shouted out soon enough.

It's time to see, on any of the networks, less politics, and more policy - from experts. Not politicians. Not ex-politicians. Not even people from think tanks, conservative or progressive, for we know what they’re going to say too. A group like the Institute of Public Affair (IPA) is hardly unbiased, given it has clearly vested interests, sponsored by big tobacco and big mining. Let’s move away from raw ‘political’ discussion of he said/she said, and towards a more policy-focused one. Let’s discuss ideas.

Engage some experts, whether they’re from industry or academia. Experts that can provide clear and unbiased analysis; discussing the pros and cons of various policies, why they might be good for Australia, and why they might not be so good.

While it challenges and flies in the face of the continued dumbing own of Australian politics, surely it is worth a try. If this is, as many in the media claim, to be the longest election campaign ever, it seems only sensible to take advantage of that, sit down with some non-partisan experts, and consider some policy properly. While we’re at it, why not also consider any alternative policies offered by other parties? Most Australians would know that the Opposition has promised to repeal the ‘carbon tax’. But do many know what may replace it? Do they know what that might cost?

On the topic of the National Broadband Network, we get soundbites dismissing it as an ‘unnecessary white elephant’ [sic], or watch as a party hack gets lost in the quagmire of discussing how many coffee machines NBN Co may or may not have purchased: do we really care? Surely it is possible to get a couple of experts on a show, somewhere, and for fifteen minutes, discuss what it might do for people around the country. While you’re at it, maybe also consider any alternative policies put forward by other parties. This should be a contest of ideas and policies, not just politics.

Such opinions should be provided by experts. Why ex-Howard government minister Peter Reith is always popping up on my ABC beggars belief. And that is not just because he is a Liberal Party spokesperson. His conduct while a minister of the crown - be it the $50,000 Telecard affair, or ‘children overboard’ raised more than just a few questions. Now ABC invites him on to pass judgement on members of the government? I certainly don’t expect anyone to be inviting the likes of Craig Thomson or Peter Slipper on to political talk shows in the future for expert analysis of what is or is not acceptable behavior. In that context, we don’t really need Peter Reith either.

We need experts. As for journalists, sure a reporter may moderate the discussion, but they should be there to do that and only that. We don't need their opinions, that should come from experts.

Want to discuss the economy? Well instead of just telling us what each of the major parties is saying, how about - let’s throw caution to the wind here - getting some economists in? Want to talk about science and innovation: well, maybe get some scientists in. Controversial it may be, but it’ll be a pleasant change to what our mainstream media currently dish up. Then again, maybe it’s a utopian view we can only dream of. Surely a better informed electorate cannot be a bad thing.

On Monday, the Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek was in western Sydney. She was making a not insignificant announcement relating to medical research at Westmead Millennium Institute. Despite that, the press conference opened with no questions on the research announcement itself. Saving children's lives wasn't deemed important enough, and a journalist at the press conference decided instead that an opinion poll was. Again, politics superseded policy.

What happened next, as this YouTube clip demonstrates, was long overdue.

The much acclaimed three and a half hours of Eelke Kleijn unleashing at Warung Beach from a few years back. One to absolutely savour, and worth sharing far and wide.  I had the pleasure of meeting the Dutchman a few weekends ago, as he made his way to his first Sydney gig. He openly commented that the Warung Beach gig remains one of his absolute favourites.

We then arrived at his Sydney gig - and he blew the place apart with four hours of great progressive and melodic techno. I had a bit to write about that too: