The NZ fern emblem displayed on the Sydney Opera House as tribute to victims of Christchurch terror attack
Addendum 20180318: The political responses to the Christchurch terror attack are instructive, and are the reason why I’ve changed the thumbnail for this post. While Jacinda Ardern shows respect, empathy and resolve to the grieving NZ Muslim community, our government tries to deny they’ve ever use Islamophobia as a political wedge tactic. It’s going to make me look even more closely at preference distributions from the independents in upcoming elections.
You can donate to Christchurch victims fund via GiveALittle
Hello, it’s been a while! I expect many may need to vent, although more substantive contributions are always welcome! As a starting point, here’s the results of GetUp’s survey for the Federal election coming up in May.
NSW also has an election coming up in just over a week, and GetUp is hosting several call parties near me on Saturday, but I’m working so can’t get to any of them!
We will be making calls to unseat the worst hard right blockers of progressive politics and elect champions of progressive issues. At a local calling party you will get trained on how to have effective voter persuasion conversations and start Please bring your phone with you! Headphones are helpful to have, but not required. RSVP to join the largest grassroots effort in Australia! drinks afterwards
I may however be able to make this Gladys Removal Day party on March 23, somewhere around Hyde Park.
For our foreign readers: if you are reading us from Over There and want to vent re Brexit, let’s just say that reactionary right wingers being intransigent is something we have in common, so go for it. Sammy J has a smooth flow to get you started:
We’ll even cope with Trump venting, if you must.
Categories: culture wars, parties and factions, Politics
Media Circus: Parliament Resumes Edition 
96th Down Under Feminists Carnival 
Media Circus: ASIO chief slammed for expert advice edition 
Hoyden About Town 
p.s. it is of course also #schoolstrike4climate Day of Action today.
The Guardian has a liveblog covering the international #ClimateStrike action
I was so happy to see a new post here, like an old friend unexpectedly dropping by, and I was thinking of all sorts of things to talk about. And then Christchurch happened and now everything else seem frivolous.
I’m alarmed by our politicians’ responses generally. Conservatives doing opportunistic perfomative “statesmanship” or else doubling down on past dogwhistle racism.