Some of these 30 Day Challenge topic I feel that someone else should be writing about me. What the hell is a weird trait anyway? I’m just going to read this as four things I do or believe which are mildly unusual.
Tag: Politics
Finding the power of theatre in politics
The thing I like most about being involved in politics is working together with people towards a common goal. For me it’s a throwback to my student theatre days: from 1995-2000 I was involved in over 20 student-theatre productions, as an actor, writer, director, publicist, lighting designer, stage manager and producer.
Working collaboratively can be fabulous. Everyone experiences this in some way, whether it’s through competitive things like sports, debates, or board games. You can find it in book clubs and families and weekends away with friends. Doing things with other like-minded people is simply the best. Continue reading Finding the power of theatre in politics
Two songs and two books with Gough Whitlam
Like a lot of things with politics, I came to know about Gough late. I was of a generation who inherited his government’s landmark reforms – reforms I’ll forever be thankful for and hold as a model of progressive government – get in there and move things forward, don’t just tinker with the engine to make it run more efficient. Continue reading Two songs and two books with Gough Whitlam
Chasing Rabbits – Help! [September 2014]
One of the many things I learned about while working in politics is chasing rabbits. It’s a pretty simple game – every time you see a rabbit you must chase it. It’s a bit like those ‘whack-a-mole’ games they used to have at amusement parlours, or the talking dogs in the Pixar movie Up, who get distracted by squirrels mid-sentence. Continue reading Chasing Rabbits – Help! [September 2014]
Wiping out ISIL impossible? I despair.
We wake up this morning to ‘breaking news’ in a Sydney Morning Herald ‘exclusive’ (cue #sarcasmfont) that Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, believes that wiping out Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, etc.) is impossible.
I despair, for two reasons. Neither of which has anything to do with the inherent truth in what Bishop is almost saying – that you can’t destroy an ideology with force: military, police or otherwise.
On my way to the Middle East
Yesterday I found out i’ve been accepted to go on a study tour of the Middle East in January and February next year.
I’m pretty excited. The study tour is run by APHEDA – Union Aid Abroad. From talking to a few people who have been previously it’s going to be a real positive experience.
Should I feel something?
I really should start off by saying that I’m an educated and employed white male from a developed economy.
Career U-turn
This week I started a new job which sees me working full-time for the first time in a few years. Not working a fulltime job, instead two part-time ones. The first is two days a week working as an adviser to NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, which I started doing about three months ago after having volunteered one day a week in her office in NSW Parliament House. The second is working with the NSW Greens on communications for the upcoming federal election.
The longer you leave something…
Just this morning I saw the under-siege Peter Garrett on the front pages of the abc and smh websites, and had mixed feelings I thought would be worth exploring. The nutshell version is that at first I felt sorry for him, but after thinking about it I don’t.