Despite the many rules in place to regulate it, donations remain a scourge on our democracy. The ill conceived ‘Funding and Disclosure’ bill is stalled in the Senate. What we need are simple regulations or maybe even banning political donations altogether. (more…)
Kim Wingerei
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KIM WINGEREI. The longevity vacuum.
Short term thinking has taken hold of our society at all levels – our political leaders rarely see beyond the next poll or the next election, and in many ways they are responding to a populace that is equally sucked into the demands of the moment – resulting in ‘the longevity vacuum’ – putting us all at the mercy of an unplanned future. (more…)
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KIM WINGEREI. Cultural Appropriation: Political Correctness gone bad – it is all about respect!
The debate on Cultural Appropriation needs to be put into perspective, and the hoary old chestnut of Political Correctness derails proper debate – it is all about respect! (more…)
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KIM WINGEREI. Book review of “Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom” by Thomas E. Hicks, Pulitzer Prize winner.
At first glance they may seem like an odd couple, but their influence on the seminal events and the thinking of the 20th century is equally profound. Winston Churchill defined and led the resistance against the tyranny of Adolf Hitler; George Orwell understood and explained the nature of totalitarian regimes. They were both men who were prepared to change themselves in order to change the world.
Pulitzer Prize winner Thomas E. Ricks has written an insightful account of these two men whose paths never crossed and came from opposite ends of society and ideology. The book focuses on their life and deeds from the late thirties until after the Second World War. Ricks does not eulogise either man, he recognises their flaws and earlier failures, yet puts them both in the historic perspective that they deserve. (more…)
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KIM WINGEREI. Political Donations Must End!
Political donations are a scourge on democracy. No business, corporation, organisation or individual gives without the expectation or hope of an outcome, and it fundamentally undermines the democratic decision making process. Banning all donations to political candidates, representatives and political parties is the simple solution. (more…)
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KIM WINGEREI. Book Review of “Reboot – A Democracy Makeover to Empower Australia’s Voters” – by Richard Walsh
The respect for our politicians is at an all-time low. Voters of all ages, but especially the young, are turning away from the political discourse in disgust; The recent citizenship debacle and the same sex marriage plebiscite that wasn’t, have been new low points in a decade high on political drama, low on any kind of meaningful reform. In his book – Reboot – A Democracy Makeover to Empower Australia’s Voters (Melbourne University Press – 2017), Richard Walsh is tackling the core issues head on with some novel ideas on how we, the voters, may get the elected representatives that we deserve, rather than the party delegates who serve us so poorly today. (more…)