Tag: Aussie

Rudd and Ponting


K Rudd and R Ponting. They once held the highest and second highest offices of the country respectively. Each of those offices are now held by someone else. In the case of Rudd, it is now held by someone immensely unpopular, disliked and not trusted. Ponting’s successor has now won over the populace. Michael Clarke has through the course of this summer which saw a comprehensive victory over the Indians – an Indian Summer for Aussie cricket indeed – earned the affection of Aussies. Gillard however, remains a turn off for many. Poor judgment and liberty with the truth are a deadly combination as far as public trust and affection is concerned.

Both Rudd and Ponting however, are not happy little vegemites when it comes to exiting the scene graciously.

There comes a time for everyone, when the spotlight is trained on someone else. No matter the level of success, one soon becomes a has been. I bet the late  Whitney Houston will very soon – if not already – disappear from public forum, great singer that she was.  If only Rudd (in particular) learns how to be contented with what he is doing and not look at what lies at the next corner. That can be a really hard thing to do. To win confidence and affection however, that is what one needs to do.

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Four Corners and the very meaty issue


“Trading of AACo shares suspended” – for a moment I wondered if Arthur Anderson was listed in the ASX but remembered AA as in Arthur Anderson is long gone, courtesy of Enron. AACo refers of course to the Australian Agricultural Company who is being slaughtered on account of ABC’s Four Corner’s story of what happened to Aussie cows in Indonesian abattoirs.

The ban on live exports meant AACo, along with thousands of workers and business owners, are all stranded and will have their income suspended along with the export. There will of course be mitigating steps taken to divert the supply locally and that may mean we get cheaper beef but this will likely not make up the loss by very much.

As disturbing as those images on Four Corners were, I am surprised not more people knew this was actually going on. Isn’t it modern day industry best practice to know your customer and their practices? Don’t the Australian regulators know these abattoirs’ working conditions before the airing of the program? If measures have already been taken to implement kinder processes, then really there is no need for a ban.

It will however, make me wince the next time I see a steak. I must admit I didn’t when I watched parts of the Masterchef program last night, when a huge chunk of meat was served up as part of a spread. I’ve not been a huge fan of beef so this hasn’t affected me a lot but I always find it hard to find “X” – the spot where the balance hangs between humane and inhumane slaughtering of animals. It is no doubt an age old issue – one best left alone for now.

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Poll re Carbon Tax


I was having a breather from some work and saw a news article saying most Aussies dont like the carbon tax. Ho hum? Maybe, but the latest Newspoll survey on whether Australians are in favour of the carbon tax conducted by The Australian has this result:

Against: 60%

In favour: 30%

Uncommitted: 10%

Of those who were against the tax, 39% were strongly against.

Of those who were in favour, 12% were strongly so.

Maybe another poll or two should make us all demand another trip to the polling booth?

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