As everyone is busy celebrating Queen Victoria’s birthday today, today’s Message Board will probably be a bit quiet, but that gives anyone who’s been waiting to post their first comment an ideal time to do so.
My attempted discussion-starter is a request for suggestions for more and better public holidays. For example, if we can have a holiday on a fictitious date the Queen’s Birthday who not the Horses’ birthday?
As always, please keep the discussion civilised and avoid coarse language.
John Quiggin 
Ironic to read on the front page of today’s The Oz that Hawke is expected to back Beazley. The Silver Bodgie smoothing the way for Ol’ Rollback. If the Left stalwarts swing to Beazley, in recognition of their rights to pensions etc, what will Rollback Mark 2 be about? I tip WMDs (not yet) found in Iraq – another total loser of a “cause”.
The first point of irony is that letter in today’s The Oz by Fiona Stanley, backing a Summit on abuse of children. Of the causes of abuse of children, the Big 3 are alcohol, tobacco and gambling – none of which the likes of Stanley will speak out on because governments of all flavours suck on those titties, and seekers of public kudos dare not offend the major benefactors.
Back to Hawke. How can he be trusted to frame a decision that conflicts with his business interests? I held an ALP card for a few months – sent it back to David Feeney the day I read about Wran’s appointment to the board of a gambling business. There were the two “mentors” for the ALP review – both with ties to institutionalised gambling! If Crean is in strife, the origins of his undoing are back in that Review.
Hawke’s decision to grant TPVs to Chinese students after the Tienanmen massacres probably has major effects on our current relationships with China, and hence our nearer neighbours. Must read this paper at Australian Institute of International Affairs.
Beazley may be working from the observation that Oz politics will keep moving to the right. Greg Barns Fairfax article on Abbott is spot on. Abbott is a more engaging, courageous, even charismatic, person than Costello will ever be. Costello’s recent pronouncements about ‘tolerance’ etc are pathetic attempts to take on some of his brother’s shine on social issues. Peter Costello had his chance(s) to make his opinions heard, on important issues like the Iraq war. Either he didn’t have any, or he was too gutless to say so. When did Australians trade in their personal courage for Loyalty? If Costello can’t forget about his indebtedness to the Big End and put together a surprise for Howard’s 64th, he should back out of politics and bury hinself under the epitaph “Tax Cut”. PC may be the golden boy of the gallery, but Howard was right – if the Libs were foolish enough to let a gelding take over (again), they would sink.
So, what does Beazley have in mind? Does he think Oz politics will come to more and more resemble the US, with 2 parties straddling the middle ground, and sliding further to the right? If that’s the case, what will he offer up as the main “differentials” between the hardening Tories and New Labor? It doesn’t matter, because it won’t work. Not until we have fixed terms. Until then, it is far better for Labor to stick to the Left, and ensure the bulk of the Greens vote flows in. Without strong, reliable and persistent sponsorship of the key Left policies, Labor will sink to less than 45% of TPP.
Finally, the Howard balloon on liberalisation of school hours – a great idea, it will strike at the heart of key unions, it is a gift to Abbott and Nelson. Beazley should be tested on it before the ballott – he will not have a clue, but have plenty of nothing to say. Labor can bargain with an issue like that from a strong Left position, only. It’s an issue that could use the skills of a Hawke, and it is far enough away from his personal interests to give him credible voice.
Thanks for the use of your space to scribble in.
Halloween should definitely be a public holiday. And the winter solstice.
I am firmly in favour of Anton LaVey’s suggestion that one’s own birthday should be one’s own public holiday.
IN the Oz today Robert Murray said this was George V’s birthday. Does anybody know for sure?
why do we celebrate the birthdays of blueblooded parasites? why not celebrate the birthdays of actual benefactors to humankind – why not a Charles Darwin day? William Shakespeare day?
Queen Elizabeth II is a benefactor of mankind. She has ruled wisely over her subjects these past 50 years. We should take some time out to pause and reflect on the blessings of her reign. And perhaps consider how we may extend it over time and accross space. I suggest reforming the British Empire, with EIIR as head of state. Romana/Brittania/Americana Rex per Lex per Pax!
CIA world fact book is really an interesting site, it has all kinds of info about various countries. So I was comparing Oz with some other countries I think we should be comparing ourselves with. I was really surprised at the amount of foreign debt we have $177 US billion, wow!!!! Other countries like Canada $ 2 billion, Holand none, Sweden $ 66 billion etc. Second fact that surprises me is other countries are much bigger economic aid donors, when you take into account their population and GDP. Are with stingy or what.?
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/as.html
Jack
I admire the blessings of the Anglosphere too but that ain’t the work of QE2
I always take a sickie on my birthday, although I won’t be this year, for the simple reason that it’s on a Sunday.
I work with a lot of immigrants and they can never get over the fact that we have public holidays for a foreign queen, but the thing that really blows them away is our national propensity to have public holidays for horse races.
I always thought the QB holiday was the first Monday after the anniversary of Betty Windsor’s coronation.
God, I’m probably going dotty, but what ‘national propensity’ for holidaying for horses races? Unless this was just a rude reference to our foreign head of state?
Tim, Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday in Victoria, and the same is true in several other states.
Let’s face it, the Queens Birthday hasn’t been special since they banned fireworks.
I knew about Victoria (remind me to tell about working Melb Cup day in a 7-Eleven in Prahran) but other states get it off too?
Spot on graham. When I was young I thought cracker night was better than christmas.
No Tim- Adelaide gets a public holiday for ‘Adelaide Cup Day in May.
Well, you live and learn!
speaking of horses and public holidays, funnily enough i had rather a long face on monday, or so the bartender told me
Our Anti-Fun police in WA make us have the Perth Cup on New Year’s day, so we only get 1 holiday. It’s like being born on Christmas Day.
Stop me if you’ve already heard this…
The latest News Weekly has digested and reviewed some AFR pieces by John Quiggan [sic] et al.
Here in Canberra there’s no holiday for the Canberra Cup, but of course there is the obligatory bludge on Melbourne cup afternoon, which in many ways is better than a holiday because you’re still getting paid.
We’re also ahead of the game in still having fireworks here. Where do you get them? Fyshwick of course!