For my practicum I am reading the book “My Place” with the students. While it is a children’s book it raises some ver interesting topics such as the wars, the depression, women working, aboriginal issues etc. This week the topic of politics came up and I wanted to give the students some information on the two major parties. I did not want to be bias so I went to the official websites of each of the parties and each had a heading that said what we stand for. This is what I found:

What Labor Stands For

Labor’s Values
Labor believes the truest measure of a good society is the care it provides for those most in need and the opportunity it provides for every person to realise his or her full potential. Labor’s commitment to a strong economy is therefore matched by its commitment to justice, fairness and equity for all.

Fairness
Labor believes that all people are created equal in their entitlement to dignity and respect, and should have an equal chance to achieve their potential. For Labor, government has a critical role in ensuring fairness by:
ensuring equal opportunity;
removing unjustifiable discrimination; and
achieving a more equitable distribution of wealth, income and status.

Compassion
Labor is committed to protecting and supporting those who are disadvantaged, oppressed or simply struggling to cope. The Labor tradition has always been to reach out, embrace, protect and support those in need. The consequences of a society characterised by high levels of inequality include poverty, crime, drug abuse, greed, envy and insecurity. Accordingly, Labor believes that all Australians have an interest in the creation of a more compassionate and egalitarian nation.

Human Rights
Labor is committed to a just and tolerant society which fully protects the rights and freedoms of all Australians. Labor supports the rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international treaties to which Australia is a party. This includes:
the fundamental political and civil rights of everyone to freedom of conscience, expression and association, and to due process of law.
‘economic rights’ such as, for example, access to tertiary education on the basis of merit, access to adequate health care and the right to rest and leisure including reasonable limitations on working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Labor supports the introduction into Australian domestic law of the rights recognised and protected in the international treaties, conventions and protocols to which Australia is a party. In introducing these rights, Labor will ensure that existing rights are also protected.

Labour Rights
Labor is committed to protecting and advancing the fundamental rights of working people to join trade unions, and to organise, collectively bargain and strike.

What does the Liberal Party stand for?

We are the party of initiative and enterprise.

We believe in the inalienable rights and freedoms of all peoples; and we work towards a lean government that minimises interference in our daily lives; and maximises individual and private sector initiative.

We believe in government that nurtures and encourages its citizens through incentive, rather than putting limits on people through the punishing disincentives of burdensome taxes and the stifling structures of Labor’s corporate state and bureaucratic red tape.

We believe in those most basic freedoms of parliamentary democracy – the freedom of thought, worship, speech and association.

We believe in a just and humane society in which the importance of the family and the role of law and justice is maintained.

We believe in equal opportunity for all Australians; and the encouragement and facilitation of wealth so that all may enjoy the highest possible standards of living, health, education and social justice.

We believe that, wherever possible, government should not compete with an efficient private sector; and that businesses and individuals – not government – are the true creators of wealth and employment.

We believe in preserving Australia’s natural beauty and the environment for future generations.

We believe that our nation has a constructive role to play in maintaining world peace and democracy through alliance with other free nations.

In short, we simply believe in individual freedom and free enterprise; and if you share this belief, then ours is the Party for you.

I imagine that a lot of this rhetoric and it doesn’t always get lived out that way but I thought it was rather interesting

Apart from a lunch break in the middle and a few minor distractions (phone calls, tea, emails) I have been doing uni work for about eight hours now and I tell you what my brain is sizzled. I have got to get away from the computer now.

I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by all that is happening in the next two months. Four uni assessments, a practicum, two parties to host and a few more to go to, organise a trip to Peru, GAPP volunteer training, Compeer volunteer training, not to mention the normal four days a week at work, rough edges volunteeering and trying to be a good wife and comminuty member.

I guess I will just keep focused on the trip.

I quite enjoyed this movie, maybe there is something in me that likes that very stoic, posh Britain. I needed to see some good after the crap I have seen lately. I thought it was a bit strange though the obsession people had with Diana. You know grown men crying in the street, people saying it was like a bad dream that they wanted to wake up from. I can’t quite work it out.

The Queen reminded me a lot of my grandmother and her husband of my grandfather. In fact so much so it is quite scary.

I have got some really lovely, long emails from some friends overseas in the last week. One from Jem and one from Emily. It is so nice to get emails from those far away and hear about their adventures.

Anyway it made me realise (and I told them this) that this year is probably my year of not much change. For the first time since I left school I have remained in the same job and the same house in the same country with the same partner (and the status of the realtionship hasn’t changed) doing the same degree from one year to another. I still have the same friends too, although I am pleased to say I have made some new ones this year too. I have to say I am very happy this. I think I needed a year where nothing changed much. A year to just be settled. A year where I am actually able to walk with and support those around me who are going through big change rather than going through my own.

Six years of change then one off. It is like my Sabbath year, Praise God for times of rest.

I wouldn’t normally put Monday down as day I like a lot but this week I like it very much.  I have had a very productive day and now I am about have two days off so Monday feels like Friday.  How wonderful. 

 I am enjoying the rain too.  I hope it rains like this tommorrow so I can stay home and snuggle up and watch a video or somthing.  I am very much due for that. 

A rather up and down one really. 

Saturday was lovely.  Started the day with coffee and croissants on the balcony and then went for a run and swim with Gemma and Jo at Coogee.  This has become one of my favourite things to do.  It is so very beautiful there and really energises me.  After some silliness over lunch with the house I did some studies and then went and had a drink with David at the Blue Gum.  It was a relatively intense conversation but I enjoyed it.  Then I spent the night at mums.  She cooked my favourite Laksa and then we played Scrabble and I actually beat her.  I don’t like to consider myself a seriously competitive person but there is something very satsfying about beating one’s incredibly intelligent mother. 

 Sunday however was less pleasant.  On the way to church we were pulled over by the police for having an unregistered car.  I know I have no excuse but it was less than a week and I did have my green and pink slips I just hadn’t had the time to get to the RTA.  Anyway it turned out to be very expensive mistake and we were left feeling a little stressed for the rest of the day.  We also missed church and I was on prayers and my plans to get the beach again did not eventuate so my annoyed mood  was not all that conducive to effective study as you can imagine.

Thankfully however we had one of the best nights at Rough Edges we had, had for a long time.  It was the night of giving and it was what I needed.  We started out by giving out free coffee for the first half hour which turned out to be fun.  Believe it or not doing this can often casue more problems than benefits but it seemed last night it was all good.  No one tried to take advantage of it by ordering 20 coffees they just graciuosly accepted the gift.  Martin ended up making a donation to ensure Rough Edges still got some money.  I think it was important to him to still be generous depsite the morning’s serious money stress.  He is very inspiring.  Then later that night I was invited to play chess with someone I had not met before.  He was a very gentle spirit and really genuine guy.  I am not a very good chess player so while we were playing he kept giving me tips or allowing me to rethink a move.  When I did do something good he always said, “that’s a good move.” This can often be patronising but it was done so gracefully it wasn’t.  He honestly just wanted to see me improve.  It was a very generous act.  Finally as we were closing a guy came in and bought a cordial.  There was another guy seemingly a bit lost hanging around the counter. Neither of us knew him but the guy turns to him and asks if he wants a cordial.  Obviously he did so the guy bought him one.  It only cost 20c but it again it was done so gracefully, it seemed so generous. 

All this had me thinking that we really never are too poor that we can’t give something and I think that we need to be able to give things.  I hear people say and the natural human drive is selfish and I guess there is a lot around to back that up but maybe deep down humans need to be able to serve each other.

I am on to do prayers tommorrow.  I haven’t got much written but I found this while looking for inspiration and I liked it.  It is by Noel Davis whose book is of great inspiration and comfort to me. 

 Dear Job

I look beyond the confines of my knowing
Of blame and punishment and the advice of friends
To your lived story of hope.
What does it take to become fully intimate with the Divine
Rather than knowing by hearsay?
I look at you stripped to your spirit
and I shudder.

Listen to your own story with compassion
And risk becoming intimate with its truth unfolding
All its beauty and its shame exposed
As you are awakened to yourself
For the heart of aloneness
There is the adventure and terror of your life transforming.

Yes love’s hand of freedom is fierce
Beyond our most entrenched resistance.
Love brings us to our knees
Broken and spent
Defenceless before God of Love
Who never gives up on us.

Yay footboot is working again.  It only went down for like two days but I felt so lost without it.  Who would have thought that no blogs or email could have such a profound effect.  It is pretty sad really.