Jumping ship. 
No original thinking in these words.  They say the young and old have become disillusioned with politics.  Look at the latest romp in federal politics.  It means interviews, publicity and focus on the group of dual citizens whom the court has invalidated.
We have got it all wrong.
Loss of a seat in parliament is significant but no other specific "sentence" so to speak.  What is the penalty for wasting time and money on elections, for leading supporters up the garden path, for parliamentary salaries and more, for legislating while disqualified or for using resources to determine next in line or by-election. For High court deliberations priced at millions per day.  No penalty. Not even an apology.
There are some extenuating circumstances but that's too bad.

On Safari

 Refugees. Mr Turnbull's plan.  Yes, it is plain to see we are short of space.
 Negotiations are made with the US to take our refugees away. Incredible ins and outs.

  Resettlement in Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Alaska, Uninhabited island territory, Micronesia, the Marshalls -  all likely candidates or far too good? Life wasn't meant to be easy. To a far away struggle street? To Trump towers?
Will there be mercy they never had?

Youthful dance. Creative original work was light on in this school concert despite the relative advantage the school has.
 The new Prime Minister has been indulgent and gathered a youthful group of ministers.  Makes little difference, the young or the old can be very conservative when the mission seems to be one of flexiblity.
Also, age discrimination exists in the workforce and the issue gets oxygen from time to time.
We need good example. What are the ages of the new liberal party cabinet?  Anyone over 40? Maybe.
 Something, nothing - on peeping at the positions vacant in Jakarta Post those for secretary stated the desired age  and, more or less, remarks about needing a pretty face and the salary about $AU1000 a month.

Funeral in Christchurch Cathedral Newcastle.
  Margaret Henry has died. She was a very active worker and advocate for the city and its people.

  What would she have thought about the fact that the new  Minister of Defence is a female?

 Knee deep in clover...good news...there has been a change of prime minister.
 Now we have...thoroughly liberal government committed to freedom, the individual and the market.
 That reality sounds very old hat.
 However ...volatility in change is our friend...if we are agile and smart enough to take advantage of it.
 Sounds much more hopeful.
  You win some you lose some.
 The park had extensive work done on drainage, it is supposed, and perhaps the road will keep dry from now on.

However, part of the park land near the club has gone to a new car park.  Seen watering the turf when the traffic nearby is busiest.

Appearances are deceptive. The city hall clock tower is under repair and is in disguise under this painting of the clock tower painted on the coverings! So postmodern.
  Apart from the respect due to Whitlam whose life I had not closely followed, his memorial ceremony offered a good deal of reassurance about what I hope we value in our community.
  Or was the rhetoric a reminder of strengths past and gone? No, it was positive. Not withstanding it was a Labor fest, the high approval accorded to Whitlam and his work was unexpected in extent.  There is hope yet.
  His political party was dynamic and the place to be and continues to approximate all that.
  The quality of the farewell proceedings was gratifying, much to be proud of, dignified and fitting music appropriate to the generation.
 Fears about our brash and hard edged society were soothed somewhat. 

Vacant.  Waiting for the next decent prime minister to step up.
 Pussy cat Tony will riot at g20 when he could consider what Putin and he have in common in their outlook from last century. And believe old industrial USSR produced enormous pollution. So much in common.
 Apart from that who will fill Obama's shoes?  His public persona is dignified and good to hear. Such a change. He will be missed. (I am uninformed about his political ability)
Photo after Julia Gillard left the stage at city hall yesterday to a standing ovation. Her book sales and signings were huge.

Are they watering the garden?
Lately we hear from the government ''as a tax payer you are paying for a university education for Joe Blogs.... the tax payer does not want their taxes wasted on unemployed youth or whatever.... these are words that breed bad attitudes.
 Revenue is for the common good, it is the common wealth. Not so much about your taxes.
 Unbounded potential to get ahead is possible.  Not good enough to do a simple days work but double that.  Forget about work and life balance. Self first. Out for what you can get. Often a wife accepts any and everything on her own shoulders so that partner wins all.
 No wonder penalty rates have become old fashioned and under threat.  Who needs predictable recreation times and extended family life if it stands in the way of success.
 Total dedication to extended work hours seriously underminds work conditions, raises the bar and increases the cost of living for the entire community - food, housing, education.
 A leading politician said his father, who began with nothing, worked, was it, 24 hours a day.  Not for some adequate comfortable return but for quite considerable wealth for the son.  So that is the template, the outstanding example to cast before the electorate in this sink or swim budget in the lucky country.

Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we.........
Must the Prime Minister and Co be like unthinking bogans?  They typifiy the run of the mill groups - unthinking, money first, pedestrian, exploiters of the free-market, dole bashers, insulated by defence and tight borders, totally immune to environmental, sustainability and climate change sensibilities.
 We need better leadership.
   Rip offs will increase by forcing a rise in Good and Services tax.

Predictable rant. ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS ROADS TOADS.... ROADS TO NOWHERES. Is that all ?
ALIENS did the budget.  UNAUSTRALIAN.... LUDDITES.  Anti-public transport. Anti-global warming. Anti-science.
Education neglected.  Social insecurity cut-backs made saviour of the economy.  Medicare trashed.  Essential health services starved to fund burgeoning medical research, sucked in by worried researchers - that end in itself - as pointed out status is high on the agenda. Aliens just don't get it.

From the road near the nation's capital. A lake bed that is usually waterless! Sucked dry?
We hear, the budget, tomorrow, will mean new taxes.  The old promise of no new taxes has manipulated voters.  A more savvy politician would have avoided making that type of promise.  I assume this politician has a high IQ and would have avoided such a mistake.  Manipulation must be the real reason for the broken promise.
Mr Joseph Hockey, treasurer, and his sidekick, were caught with cigars and smoking like a chimney recently.  One commentator said they can do as they like, this is no nanny state. Another said how it was not a good look and one rarely caught.  Another wondered what the cancer Council would say. Then, that cigars are elitist and what about the level playing field? (All on ABC TV). And, to be sure, they were in a no smoking zone most likely.  To his credit, Hockey has shed a lot of weight.  But are those guys human?

Yeah no. We are supposed to be on the verge of the great leap forward.

Kargaroos hop around and relax on the lawn and under trees near these houses.  Whats the difference between a roo and a wallaby?  Who knows? Wallabies are small....   ;
Crocodile Kangaroo Dundee of Central Australia is popular in the UK.  News of his activities are filtering down on ABC1. 

From kangaroo to kangaroo politics and the leadership spill.  Why ever  would we contemplate a change of leader to a man who has been described as incompetent and, as someones else said, has mocked the party while the all hard yards have been done by other hard working members. The joker is laying or lying low. Was he true to his word or just lacking support?

Compare the speech of the fiesty red head to the trite words from Julie Bishop, charming as she is. Gillard can say it like it is. The leader of the opposition has to be avoided and the mute button comes in very handy.
It is something to have a slightly unconventional, less squeeky clean, slightly boring, effective leader of the government and one who can go for spunky futuristic policies. 

We  must reject sucking up to Israel.  The threat of chemical warfare in Syria, got a mention but how could the big leaders swan about close to the terrible disasters in Syria and Lebanon without offering more to those countries.