| Author | Message | ||
     Georgina Sheils Member Username: Georgina Post Number: 11 Registered: 10-2007 |
I AMMM SOOOO HAPPY...KEVIN HAS MADE IT...WE HAVE FINALLY WON BACK OUR COUNTRY!!! GOOOD ON YOU PEOPLE | ||
| Stuart Wilson Member Username: Stuart Post Number: 119 Registered: 10-2006 |
A lot of people felt like that in Britain when Blair won...let's hope it's not just a matter of "enjoy it while it lasts"... | ||
| Elizabeth Robinson Member Username: Liz_the_new_listener Post Number: 123 Registered: 10-2006 |
Methinks if Australia pulls its troops out of Iraq and signs the Kyoto treaty that's a good start, anyhow. Too bad we have to wait a while before someone here could follow suit. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 927 Registered: 01-2005 |
Elizabeth, less than 420 days now until Bush is a year round Crawford, TX resident, joing fellow Crawford resident Ted Nugent. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1856 Registered: 05-2005 |
For anyone in Ireland, I have a 900+ word piece in today's Irish Times on the Australian election and how it was won and lost. It's my seventh piece on this election... one of the reasons I've not been posting here lately. Anyone not in Ireland who wants to read it, just email me and I will send it to you. | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 120 Registered: 02-2007 |
Padraig, you'll be pleased to know I shaved my head and beard etc, no more pony tail to honour the bet I made 2 years ago to never cut my hair while fascist Johnnie was our despised Prime Minister. (I know a very lame revolutionary I'd make!) Lets hope Kevin is not Howard-lite but I am not that optimistic. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1857 Registered: 05-2005 |
Good news David. Be optimistic. Kevin 07 will be a great PM. | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 204 Registered: 01-2007 |
Just like Blair and Brown ??? Just feeling cynical, with us it is the same old S"*T just more expensive.But for the UK hat is the alternative.Good Luck Australia | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1451 Registered: 03-2005 |
It will be interesting to see. Joe's mention of Whitlam's brief tenure reminded me: my impression is that Oz--like the U.S.--is a naturally conservative country. My theory is that the conservatism comes with the space. That certainly explains the mentality of Texans here and it used to explain Californians too until we became 35 million strong. Until you start to run out of space to avoid your problems, you just sweep them under the rug instead of doing something about them. You ruin one spot and flee to new virgin territory. I'm not only talking about physical environment; I'm also talking about social and economic environment. This non-solution is more typical of the type of conservatives that the U.S. and Oz get. And, sadly, it seems to fit in with the mentality of a lot of the citizens. Hopefully I'm wrong about that. The big thing Padraig told me that impressed me deeply is that Oz has a form of National Health. I don't think it is possible to overstate how damaging the lack of that has been to the psyche of U.S. citizens and to its economy. People are literally trapped by their medical issues or by the potential for future medical issues. So--hopefully--I'm totally wrong about calling Oz an inherently conservative country since it does have this one fundamental building block of a civilized country that the Yanks haven't been able to accomplish. Sorry about the ramble. | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 206 Registered: 01-2007 |
You are right Randy in the UK the NHS is so politicised, and it is always in the news and I'm proud to work in it, people whatever their wealth can access it, health is a great leveller.Things have improved alot in recent times but to the detriment of goodwill that use to exist: the staff in the hospitals Drs Porters nurses everyone, people you to go the extra mile but now due to targets micromanagement this has gone. From the outside Oz systems seems pretty good but I guess I only see the ones who travel to the UK so are pretty much a self selected bunch. | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 207 Registered: 01-2007 |
Randy started the ramble I made it a whole lot worse-sorry | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 351 Registered: 07-2006 |
the nhs is much much much better than the australian public health care system. anyone fancy a three year wait to see a dentist? | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1860 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yes, the UK's NHS is far better than what we have in Australia - Medicare. But Medicare is infinitely better than what exists in the US, or Ireland for that matter. | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 36 Registered: 10-2006 |
..Padraiq..I still have some concerns with the funding for all the issues Kev 07 wants to deliver, the Greens control of the senate and preferences will perhaps contribute much to the design of the policy reforms tabled and bought by the Australian public...would love to read your piece in the Irish Times... | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 371 Registered: 05-2005 |
Ah yes, the wonderful Irish healthchare system! My friend Susie died on 12th November. She'd been left to wait seven months for a colonoscopy, and by that time her cancer was terminal. Almost ANYWHERE is better than Ireland, health-care wise!!! | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 210 Registered: 01-2007 |
For emergencies like that Catherine the NHS is great, the wait for tests like that are not long at all and normally i.e routinely done in about 3-4 weeks, I know this is not quick by US private standards but it does mean everyone can get the treatment they deserve. My wife had her hair done in Dublin a few years ago and the hairdresser couldn't believe you didn't have to pay up front to see the GP, even for simple things like the pill. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 383 Registered: 01-2006 |
Padraig I've read the one you refer to and another previous article, I commend you on both. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1866 Registered: 05-2005 |
I've posted my analysis piece on the election at www.myspace.com/padraigcollins |