You will be missed, Julia, by those who really care about Australia!

Yes, the writing was on the wall and the mice came out to eat the crumbs of what is left of the Labor Party. Kevin Rudd has his revenge for Julia’s early knifing of him. The whole scenario reminds me of ancient Rome, when another Julia, one of many such Roman leaders faced similar if not more ‘eventful’ endings. I suppose one could say that yesterday’s political infightings were a perfect example of ‘What goes around comes around.’

Julia is gone and Kevin will once again pick up the reigns, leading a party over the cliff unless the fickle Australian public, who to be fair must be wondering what sort of political landscape they now inhabit, does a U-turn on the predicted results in the upcoming elections. On one side they have a desperate Tony Abbot and his cohort, who are equally capable of playing Labor’s deadly game, and on the other side a party led by a has-been who cannot claim genuine loyalty from those who voted for him yesterday.

Australia is facing a tough time, both politically and economically and in that sense the events of the last year, re the leadership issue, will impact on New Zealand. Despite China overtaking Australia in bilateral trade figures, Australia is still our most important ‘partner’ in world affairs. We need to have a stable and thriving neighbour, across the ‘ditch’ and one whose leaders have the confidence of the Australian people. Can Rudd achieve this, in the short time before he faces the populace? I doubt it. People may have short memories, but instinct tells me that he too will join Julia in the great cloud in the sky that serves as the resting place for ‘dumped politicians.’ There, he can chat to Julia, all day, taking great delight in watching Tony stuffing up the ‘Lucky Country.’ Pity the luck didn’t spread to the politicians. Even they can’t ‘dig up’ a way out of their dilemma.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Auckland's flash new rail loop to go ahead---yeah right!

The PM (John Key) has announced the Government's great 'turn around' and support for Auckland's much needed inner city rail loop. This magnificent plan will cost a mere NZ$2.6 billion and it may be financed partly through sale of 'yours and my' assets. If that isn't bad enough, he says that it can go ahead in 2020.  This simply is not good enough and I would go as far as saying that his 'offer' is a cynical ploy to win the votes of Aucklanders.
This scheme should have gone ahead many years ago. The need for mass transit in Auckland has been apparent for the last half century. Getting Aucklanders out of their cars is going to take action; not in 6 years time, but right now. If the plan to get Auckland to accept new medium and high density housing that has little space for car parking then we are going to need to change the way we see the use of cars in our city. That mind shift can only happen with money invested now so that we can have a city that caters for this new mind-set.
Yes, we will still love our cars, but for the inner city, that concept will not wash. We need this rail loop and more investment in bus lanes (similar to the very successful model on the North Shore) now. Delaying it is like trying to hold back the tide. It will cost vastly more for each year we delay this development. Future generations will not thank us for procrastinating. Furthermore, Mr Key knows that he will not be around in six years, (in politics, I hasten to add) to see the chaos resulting from not making this decision to go ahead now. Leave the assets alone, Mr Key. They are not yours and even you must have noted the huge opposition to selling our precious assets. Your flip-flop in policy is not genuine! The debt we incur now to finance this 'progress' is well worth the results; but one paid for in a more responsible way; designated taxes on gas for example. Let's find the solution now.
www.authorneilcoleman.com

The message from NZ Post is clear and it may not be posted!

NZ Post is trying to keep up with the growing trend for people to use 'othe'r methods to send post. Despite its 'social contract' NZ post is reducing the number of employees by 120, after it closes several mail processing centres. This is an inevitable process as more and more of us use the Nett and other providers to get the services we need. Provision must be made however for those who cannot access the 'modern way.' The corner post office has long gone, but the use of 'self-service' kiosks cannot replace that human touch that the non-computer litterate amongst us still need. As long as this latest exercise is not solely about 'cost saving,' then progress must happen. Once gone, such services are very difficult to bring back. Going ot the post office is clearly a thing of the past---a distant past.
www.authorneilcoleman.com

Julia, oh Julia--- whatever made you do that!

One has to wonder at the reasoning behind Julia Gillard’s latest publicity attempt. Who the hell is advising her? Is she taking the piss out of the Australian electorate in a last ditch ‘up ya bum’ swipe before she is decimated in the upcoming elections. For Labor, even the Lazarus-like Rudd is unlikely to stop the Tsunami!

The very image of Julia knitting is so unlike the image we have come to love/hate. It is so wide of the mark for this remarkable and soon to be sadly missed politician. She is tough and apart from the odd tear or two is most definitely not your run-of-the-mill nanny, settling down with the grandkids. What came over her? She looks terrible uncomfortable. I take it she can knit!

Forgotten will be her real contribution to Australia. Down the tubes will be her changes that were starting to make a real difference. The Australian voter is unforgiving of perceived mistakes and in the cold light of day they will put the ticks for a candidate who will bring nothing but industrial strife and tension, both within Australia and with its near neighbour, Indonesia.

Go well, Julia. Perhaps it is those outside of Australia who see between the barbs and other ‘nasties’ of Australian political life.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Labour stumbling its way towards another defeat. Time for change?

The fact that David Shearer is unable to stop the slip in his approval ratings and that his party seems to be stuck in the low 30’s is surely a message that he is simply not going to make it at next year’s elections. Yes, we all know that Helen Clark didn’t manage to do much better in her ratings before she won, but the Labour Party most definitely polled better. Time is running out and Labour needs to take stock, let the ‘blood flow’ and go with a new leader.

Perhaps the obvious choice is in the deputy leader Grant Robertson. This tough nugget can match John Key any time and his determination is clear when we watch him in parliament. I do not know what sort of numbers he can pull together, but now is the time to find out or Labour will languish even further in the polls and find itself in a position very much like ‘Labor’ is facing in Australia.

New Zealand needs a strong opposition and at the moment that is looking to be coming from the Greens. How many times lastly have we seen Norman making the statements, before there is a short add-on from Shearer? When Shearer does speak he is rarely coming across as ‘strong’ or confident. Some say that ‘this is just the way he is---he takes time to make his point.’ In the craziness of today’s politics, such mannerisms simply don’t cut. It is all about perception and the public have the final say. Their perception of David Shearer and the Labour Party is driven by what they see and it ain’t pretty. It won’t be long before we hear the ‘rugby-like’ clarion call of ‘bring back Phil!’

If the Labour Party can unite, take a good hard (but not too long) look at itself and mange not to fractionate, then maybe we will see a possible credible ‘government in waiting,’ not the stumbling replica we see now.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

I found a book review for Roskill on Goodreads.

Finally and I think that the writer of the review was a little kind, given the mistakes and issues. I am happy to report that these 'issues' will not be presnet in the new format that will appear soon, through Amazon Kindle and hard copy. Thanks for whoever did the review. I need more---of the new product, along with my other books when they are redone.
www.authorneilcoleman.com

Left-over food is good, but----

Yes, with my new 'me' I can't eat much so there is still an issue re the left-overs in my house. It is hard making small meals and even medium-sized ones, often means that I have to either store them or feed them to the dog. Of course there is always the possibility of 'recycling' them. Take yesterday's big breakfast (for me that is).
I cut up roast potatoes, kumara and brussell sprouts and layered them in a dish. On that I threw in a few left-over mushroom and some freshly fried streaky bacon. Then I mixed up some eggs and milk with salt, pepper and stock, poured the mixture over the veggies and put a cut tomato over the top along with a sprinkling of real Parmagano cheese. I baked it for about 20 minutes then had enough to feed about 6 people. You know what I had for lunch but having it again tomorrow is strecthing things a bit too much. Yummy, but enough's eneough.  So---left-overs is well and good, plus it's cheap but when you have a tummy the size of my new post-bariatric one, well, things can get boring. At this rate I will only have to cook about three times a week!