Hi Miron

Well, I think PGa himself thought he could make more of a difference from inside, and that was after seeing in detail how things worked, since 1984 at least with the NDP. What could he have done from the outside that other greats like Don Henry or Ian Lowe (Oz Conservation Foundation) couldn't have done?

t


--- In powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au, Miron Mizrahi <mironmizrahi@...> wrote:

Hi Tom,

all the cases you state are from the days he was in the env. portfolio. if you re-read what I wrote you will see that we have the same opinions about that. I also agree that I'd rather have him in cabinet than most others. but that is not my point. my point is whether he could have made more of a difference staying outside the system. I don't have an answer for this, but to me we are in the diminishing returns side of the spectrum

 
Miron


How could people get so unkind?

________________________________
From: Tom <tr_espen@...>
To: powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 8:39 PM
Subject: [powderworks] Re: NMOC (well, sort of) + musing on PG's future


  
Hi Miron

Well, you all but convinced me that compulsory voting is wrong, but I gotta' disagree about PGa (as opposed to PGifford).

He stopped the Traveston Dam at Gympie when a less skillful pollie might have done otherwise. He also helped set up a wildlife corridor in Nth Queensland. And his insistence on boring procedures (freakin' lawyers!) helped delay the Tamar Valley Pulp Mill until after he left the job. And this week he's helped protect the separation of church and state while also supporting chaplains in helping school kids, IMHO.

But, for me anyway, the big thing is that he's still in cabinet, exerting whatever a pretty smart political activist can do in that very tricky position. We just don't know what he's done there, but we all know it's a tough gig, and I can't think of anyone else who would be better there ...

Lost in a cold forgotten war
A war for some forgotten cause
Because of some forgotten words
About something I'd never heard ...

[fade as strange drum rhythms of "No Man's Land" march out of computer, split, and goose-step relentlessly into headphones]

--- In powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au, Miron Mizrahi <mironmizrahi@> wrote:

well ... in the meantime the court of appeal in VIC will review people smuggling laws. the argument being that if it is legal for asylum seekers to arrive to Australia and seek asylum then those helping/transporting them are legal too

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-12/court-of-appeal-to-review-people-smuggling-laws/2881648

it would seem to me that while politicians were never 100% "public servants", the current generation is anything but. the greed for power and their desperation to be or remain elected has infected them to a degree that they are now appear oblivious to the fact that the public interest should come first. 


when PG left the Oils and went to politics I was - like many here - sad but also hopeful. hopeful that he can bring his persona and convictions into the world of politics and effect some, if little, change. I am not naive enough to think that he could have done without some stiff compromises, but as long as he remained in a portfolio where his passion lay and about which he was outspoken and active for decades - i thought, "could be worse ". now he is just another run of the mill pollie. the world of music has lost an icon but frankly I am not seeing a gain anywhere else that compensates for it. 

 
Miron


How could people get so unkind?

________________________________
From: Tom <tr_espen@>
To: powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 5:50 PM
Subject: [powderworks] NMOC (well, sort of)


  
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-12/caucus-backs-offshore/2881702

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-12/ten-years-of-anti-terror-laws/2881034

The interesting question is how did the most politically backward country in the western world produce Midnight Oil?