[Beth Curran]

Oh no, don't tell me Australian politicians are trying to pass those bigoted 
so-called "defense of marriage" laws too!

Marty brings up a good point:  if you want to work for change, and you have 
fundamental objections to standards set by a powerful organization with 
which you have disagreements, do you try and effect change from within that 
organization or from a point external to it?  Is the outcome what really 
matters, or does having joined the group imply a reduction in adherence to 
your principles?  I don't know what I would have done given the situation, 
but it'll be interesting to follow PG's platform as it evolves.    So Marty, 
I guess I'll adopt a "wait and see" attitude.  thanks for the 
thought-provoking post. - Beth
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nathan Arrowsmith" <nathan at nathanarrowsmith.com>
To: "Powderworks" <powderworks at cs-lists.cs.colorado.edu>
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2004 8:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Powderworks] ALP


>I have seriously considered voting Labor this election but a couple of
> things got me, and they were both Liberal policies passed by Labor. One
> was banning same sex marriage and the other was passing the US 'free
> trade' agreement. Latham certainly is a breath of fresh air but still
> too far to the right for my liking.
>
> I'll be voting Green again with Labor getting 2nd preference. I'd like
> to see Bob Brown as PM as much as I'd like to see PG in the seat.
> Whichever way the election goes, it's going to be a cliffhanger.
>
> Nathan
>
> [name removed] wrote:
>
>>
>> Well mate I strongly disagree,
>>
>> I applied for my membership to the ALP in about march this year.
>> There is good reason I did it too, I was really turned on by what
>> Mark Latham has been doing and saying even before he became leader, and 
>> the day he got the numbers I was pumped
>> because I could feel that the ALP was back on track to becoming
>> our alternative government again.
>> I caught up with Pete the other week at the pub, before a more
>> formal ALP function in Melbourne later that night. The first thing
>> I said was "congratulations mate! I always thought you would make this 
>> move" and he said he was pleased because he has
>> coped a lot of flak about his choice, though those that have known him 
>> well are very supportive and thought it was the obvious choice too.
>> I explained that it was Mark's move to the front line that really
>> got my juices flowing (politically!) and that there was a great
>> spirit and vibe in the grass roots areas of the party that I have
>> been working and that you could feel that the reformist and
>> progressive heart was back in the party and that it's the right
>> time to get involved and make a difference. Had a good chat
>> about the old oils days and other things too (as Pete was more than happy 
>> to take off the political hat for a while and catch up).
>> Though the thing that got me was that it was the most gentle
>> and grounded I have ever seen Pete and it surely is not about
>> a Peter Garrett power trip, though a "I hope I can do whatever I
>> can to give Aussies a better go trip". Now that's pretty refreshing
>> in politics and I wish Mark Latham and his crew the best of luck
>> in making Aus a place to be proud of again.
>>
>> As far as ALP policy goes too... I was doing some work at train
>> stations yesterday and handing out cards for Lindsay Tanner
>> (Federal Labor Member for Melbourne) and I have one here
>> now and I thought I might quote some of the Labor policy on the back of 
>> these cards on a few issues...
>>
>> HEALTH
>> * invest $1.9 billion to revive Medicare and restore bulk billing.
>> * provide free dental care for pensioners and concession card
>>  holders.
>> * fund pneumococcal, chicken pox and polio vaccinations for all
>>   children.
>> * tackle childhood obesity and ban junk food ads on children's
>>  TV.
>>
>> ASYLUM
>> * remove all children from detention.
>> * restrict mandatory detention to 90 days for health, security and
>>  identity checks.
>> * end the Pacific Solution incarceration of asylum seekers in
>>  other countries.
>> * restrict Temporary Protection Visas to a one-off two year period
>>  followed by permanent refugee status.
>>
>> EDUCATION
>> * create 20,000 new university places and 20,000 new TAFE
>>  places.
>> * abolish full fees at universities and reverse John Howard's 25
>>  per cent HECS increase.
>> * scrap John Howard's bonanza for wealthy private schools and
>>  all schools on a needs basis.
>> * establish a Youth Guarantee so all school leavers move on to
>>  training or work.
>>
>> ENVIRONMENT
>> * save the Murray-Darling river system through increased
>>  environment flows.
>> * ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and develop a
>>  national emissions trading system.
>> * raise the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target to 5% by 2010.
>> * protect our fragile beaches by stopping inappropriate coastal
>>  development.
>> * ban free plastic bags in supermarkets.
>>
>> Now that's some good policy to my ears, who will I be voting
>> for to make the most out of my efforts to get rid of the forth reich
>> I wonder.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Damien.
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Find love today with ninemsn personals. Click here: 
>> http://ninemsn.match.com?referrer=hotmailtagline
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
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>
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