I reckon we’re one of the most over-regulated countries in the world, even though we think of ourselves as laid back and easy going. Time to push-back and reject a social contract that says that you’ll stop living, as long as the government keeps you safe.
Man I love Australia. Her golden beaches. Her rugged outback. Her anxious people with a massive bug up their arse.
Hey?
Forgive me for not participating in the national narrative about how laid back and easy going we are.
It’s garbage. And a regulation-crazy government is doing everything it can to keep it that way.
I remember a few years ago I was travelling in Europe, and I caught up with a friend in Barcelona. We were sitting in a café, ordered a couple of coffees, and then I saw that across the street, there was a bench soaked in the early spring sun.
I said to my friend, it’s a shame we can’t go sit over there on the bench in the sun. She said, ‘why not?’ and when our coffees came, she told the waiter that’s what we were doing, he said the Spanish equivalent of ‘whatever’ or ‘I couldn’t care less’ and off we went.
Of course you would go sit in the sun. But for me it was a smack in the face – I had automatically presumed that there would be some sort of problem with it. I had just assumed that there’d be some sort of council regulation that said the café could only serve mugs within a certain area, or that the café itself would be worried we might do a runner with the mugs or something.
My friend looked at me as if I was crazy.
After dinner we went out to a vodka bar. They had the full array of specialist vodka flavours, many of them mixed in house. The most common way to buy them was in a dozen rack – a little wooden rack with 12 shotglasses of vodka, each with a different flavour. You bought a rack from the bar and took it back to your table.
I asked my friend what was to stop just one person ordering a whole rack for themselves?
She looked at me blankly. “Why’s that a problem?”
“Well, they’d get drunk…”
I didn’t know how to finish the sentence.
“Of course they would Jon. It’s vodka.”
She couldn’t even understand the concept of Responsible Service of Alcohol provisions, or any of the rules and regulations that govern public (and private!) life here.
“I thought you guys were easy-going!” she laughed. So did I, until I sobered up in a Spanish vodka bar.
From a stool in that bar in Barcelona, Australia suddenly looked over-regulated to the point of farce. The latest I hear is that they’re cutting down trees in schools, because one kid, in all the schools in all of Australia, died when a branch fell on them. And monkey bars? Forget it. They’re already a thing of the past.
How did we get like this?
You can kind of see how our litigious society (2nd only to the US apparently) has driven it here. Schools have to chop down trees not because they care about the kids, but because they’re afraid of being sued. Councils have closed down play parks, fenced off swimming holes, erected warning BILLBOARDS at beaches because they’re worried they’ll be held responsible if someone gets hurt in the act of life.
And at the heart of that is a legal system and a culture that refuses to take responsibility for anything. “I got hurt using my hair dryer in the shower. Someone must be to blame!”
But dig a little deeper and you can see that this culture itself comes from a particularly western approach to government. Back in the days the contract between kings and queens and their subjects was straight forward. “Do what we say, or we’ll kill you.”
But then their subjects got all uppity, and started demanding democratic rights, and the elites had to give ground (a little!).
And so the contract became, “do what we say, give up some of your freedoms, and we’ll keep you safe.”
But this meant we became trapped under mummy’s skirt, and we never grew up. And if we got hurt, then the government had broken its promise, and someone had to pay.
And once the contract was set up, the government pushed further and further into public and private life, to do what it could to make us safe, no matter what the cost – because that’s what gave it its legitimacy.
And so there’s regulations on food, milk, water, transport, healthcare, you name it. Is there any aspect of modern life that isn’t burdened with regulation in some way? I can’t think of any.
Social control was built on the promise to keep you safe. And so it became the government’s responsibility, not yours, to stop you from getting hurt.
And each year it gets further and further out of whack. Why? Because the government doesn’t care about providing you with joy or personal growth. Only safety.
If you never know the joy of climbing trees in the school ground, so what? If you never know the thrill of jumping off a cliff into the water, if you never get to taste milk before it goes to the refining factory, if you never get to buy cookies of girl-scouts… the government doesn’t care.
It doesn’t care if there are huge reductions in the quality and adventure of life. Just as long as you’re safe (and not questioning things too much.)
Here’s a life tip: RUN FROM SAFE!
Safe is boring. Safe is dead. No growth ever happens inside the comfort zone.
Take responsibility for your own life, even if that means the chance of getting hurt.
And reject this crazy social contract before the government has us all tied up in cotton-ball cocoons.
Enough’s enough.
If you’ve got your own crazy story of a rule that pisses you off, that suddenly appeared from nowhere, make a comment here.
Mike says
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” – a concept raised by a man more than 250 years dead – freedom of speech, association and religion are dying more and more everyday under the guise of safety, the end being that society will neuter itself back to the dark ages and we will all be serfs once more.
Tim H says
Ah nothing like a good rant on a Friday to make you laugh out loud which brings me to my “Rule that pisses me off”.
Each year a bunch of mates and I go north to play Golden Oldies rugby and stay at a camping ground near Forster, NSW. As blokes do we sit up late, drink beer tell stories and laugh a lot. That is until we were told to stop laughing so loud by others staying at the caravan park as we were keeping them awake. It was only 10.30pm on a Saturday night for crying out loud. Apparently you are not allowed to make too much noise that disturbs other campers, even laughing !!!!
Tom says
Tim, Laugh to your heart’s content. If anybody complains, tell them that if they’re genuine Aussies, to bring out a beer and join you!!!
Aaron says
Amen.
I would like someone to help me understand how being over-protected and over-regulated will make us stronger as individuals and as a nation.
Lisa says
So true and so sad that this is the reality of modern day society
Hein Prinsloo says
Brilliant one Jon, cannot agree more!
Steve Hambly says
The way things are going, everyone will just be plugged into an IPhone equivalent device and stay at home. Nice and safe and warm and really bored.
Ajesh Abraham says
Hi,
Thought provoking and witty post Jon.
There is a government initiative though called cutting the red tape.
http://www.cuttingredtape.gov.au/
The Australian Government has a plan to cut $1 billion in red and green tape every year. As part of that plan, there will be two parliamentary repeal days every year to cut unnecessary and costly legislation and regulation. The first repeal day was in the House of Representatives on Wednesday 26 March
On Wednesday 19 March, following a statement by the Prime Minister, the Government introduced legislation and table documents to repeal over 10,000 pieces of legislation and regulations and cut over $700 million of red tape from across the economy.
Any public can leave a comment, make a submission or contact the department.
Ken. says
Sounds like BULLSHIT. Government cutting red tape.
Sow says
Thanks for letting us know about this Ajesh. Interesting.
Paul says
This has been a growing problem for more than twenty years now, yes we have regulated ourselves into a mindless stupid existence.
My question is how do we push back against this ridiculous nanny state?
Sonex386 says
We live in a Nanny society. There is a conga line of rule makers that all need to justify their existence by making more rules and telling us what is socially acceptable. Have a look next time you drive down the road at the number of signs giving us some form of instruction. You don’t have time to read them all. Bring on the Darwin Awards too.
Phil says
I love the Canberra mentality – here they wanted to reduce the speed limits to 30 km/hr because kids nowadays don’t look when crossing the street and cyclists are too stupid to use the bike paths and get hit when ignoring the road rules to cut across traffic at pedestrian crossings. The only problem here is that car speedometers aren’t accurate at such low speeds – but that wasn’t going to stop the Government, they were going to book you for speeding anyway, even if there was no way for you to know your actual speed. Maybe they should just ban cars and mandate the use of horses and carriages.
Claudine says
I totally agree with what has been said ! in the 80’s I remember Sydney, Melbourne were easy going places to be not so much QLD. Bondi Beach, Surry Hills etc … house warming parties were open to anybody, you could drink your beer on the footpath and even smoke your pot with no much trouble. People were very friendly and open from all origin. Yes the government is over protecting his citizens from household accident etc ..and make them paranoid, suspicious, unconfident, freak control and boring. I miss the time of Australia being the friendly and lucky country.
But what do they do about the chemicals they still use in the food industry, what do they do about the water from the tap that is not regulated, only a guide line is available. What do they do about pollution and protecting the Reef for example ?
Jasmine says
A Queensland primary school at Peregian Springs has just banned cartwheels and Red Rover can no longer be played-it’s just too dangerous….
CaptJack says
Was going to mention that. My uncle who lives up that way told me yesterday!
WTF!?!??!
john walton . says
How about the stupid regulations that require Self Managed Superannuation Funds that buy art to store it somewhere other than one’s home or office , ,to pay storage fees , to insure the work , and to force the sale of any art that is currently owned by the self managed funds by 2016 ! These ludicrous requirements have had a serious detrimental impact on the art market , the galleries , and especially on the livelihood of the artists themselves . Why would anyone buy art that they could not enjoy exhibiting and viewing ?
Carl says
What about the lawyers ?? At the heart of this is the fear of being sued !! No one takes responsibility for their own actions anymore.
Kiwicaz says
Why would you take responsibility for anything when lawyers can sue anyone who has anything, even if you have done nothing wrong.
Ryan Clough says
We have been tricked into maritime admiralty law and are being treated as fictitious persons. It’s basically the law af commerce and it’s how corporations deal with each other. From the day we are born we get a birth certificate that is the creation of the fictitious person or paper person. Every government document you get like passport drivers license ect is in capital letters and represents the paper person. This extends to bank accounts and all dealings with corporations. This paper person is a corporate entity and comes under maritime admiralty law. This is how you can be found guilty of a speeding offence with out going to court. If you go to court you must prove your innocence. What happened to innocent till proven guilty. Until we work out a way to seperate ourselves from this paper person the government will continue to make hundreds of laws a year without our consent and common law will be a distant memory and frivolous litigation will be the norm.
How 'bout some Justice eh! says
Yes absolutely indeed 100% true. Furthermore, a dollar value is added to each subject upon birth. We are entitled to this amount from the state too. I dunno yet how exactly to get to it. We’ll get there.
The fines do not have to be paid. Strictly under ‘Maritime Law’ when in court once your name is called out and you acknowledge, you physically enter the realm of the fictitious character and are now one and the same, sub-serving yourself to the judge and the state. Any reply or response to a judge in any way also binds you to the fictitious character. This includes rising when the judge/magistrate enters the court room. Remain silent!
The way around it is to reply to the judge “I only recognize God as being able to judge me on this Earth”. The judge DOES NOT represent God. This prohibits a physical being from being ‘one’ with the fictitious entity and therefore having ANY judgement passed upon them within the realm of ‘Maritime/Commercial’ law. Should the judge persist and threaten, which naturally they will, simply insist they admit they are unable to judge you (answer with a question). When they persist again, advise them that you will immediately lodge for compensation with Lloyds of London (the legal systems underwriter within the Commonwealth) and ask for their title/right as a judge to be revoked.
Of course this is an over-simplified and brief synopsis however the gist of how to handle the situation of a ‘maritime law courtroom’ via the fictitious entity version of ones’ self is there. We need clever people and become somewhat of a collective to ensure not that we can ‘shaft’ anybody or the system but to ENSURE WE DON’T GET SHAFTED!
Keith MewesKeith says
My God Jon, that could have been me talking!
I am very vocal about this Nanny State that we live in where we have given up all responsibility for ourselves and our actions! I call it “abrogation” of responsibility (mainly because I love that word), where there is always someone else to blame for our actions and their consequences.
It all comes down to litigation, blame someone else and then sue them.
I always use an example from a local playground. The enclosed children’s slippery dip (pipe style) had a sign on top saying “Do not climb here” and of course my boy did. My attitude was that when he did climb there and fell that is his & my responsibility, not councils. However, if he was on a swing and it broke due to lack of maintenance then the council would be at fault (it is their job to maintain the facilities they provide) but I still wouldn’t immediately be on the phone to my lawyer!
What a refreshing change it was earlier this year to travel around New Zealand and see signs that basically warned you that something was dangerous. And that was all, a warning! Not dire warnings about the death and destruction doing it would bring about, just “this is dangerous, think carefully before doing it”! I was told when I got back that is because their litigation laws are different to ours and the onus is on you to look after ourself, not the state or someone else!
Is it too late to reverse the trend here is Aus?
OK rant over!
Tom says
Good one word lover, Kieth. Let’s abrogate abrogation and find some Minister to make it part of his/her portfolio – just to prove to the rest of us that he is able to justify all the perks he is getting. After all, in Latin, “ab-rogatum” probably had its origin in ‘Out of’ or ‘from’ ‘asking’ or ‘beseeching’. So his/her creation of red tape is there for the asking!!! At least there is a semantic connection, even if no relevance. That makes political sense – which is more than can be said for most of the BS coming out of Canberra these days.
Ken says
Keith, this is not the fault of our citizens. The first thing the real culprits do is check out if you have anything they can get off you. You can’t blame human nature for being conned. I believe that you and everyone else know who I am talking about. You guessed it, say anything and the next thing you know, you are being sued.
Phil says
There is another point that needs to be mentioned here – the sheer gullibility of the masses.
Pilots must carry an Australian Security Identification Card (ASIC) to prove that they’re not terrorists. This requires a police check every two years and statutory declarations to prove identification. But the statutory declarations are witnessed by who ? Doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, optometrists, vets, post office managers, public servants, bank officers, accountants, engineers and teachers. Now tell me, why does someone who has a police check every two years need to be verified by someone who may never have been cleared by the police ? And how does this police check verify that a pilot is not a terrorist ?
Interestingly, anyone can obtain a truck license or van license, anyone can easily steel a van or truck, yet the Government does nothing to prevent these. There are thousands more car bomb attacks throughout the world than there are aircraft hijacks, yet we, the masses, feel safe because the Government is targeting the “real” threats – our pilots.
Our airports have high security – at least where there are regular public transport flights – such as fences, and patrols every hour or so. Obviously bolt cutters can’t get through these high tensile safeguards and obviously terrorists would only try to attack as the patrols go by. But again, the Government is doing the right thing to make us safe. Oh, except for the fact that at smaller airports there is no security – but of course, aircraft can’t travel between airports so this can’t be a risk – right ?
What intrigues me is that Australia has become far more of a “nanny nation” than the US, which does not instigate any such security measures, even though they were the targets of the 9/11 attacks which sparked our Government to act in the best interests of our poor vulnerable citizens.
ron goddard says
yes jon..good one..it even stretches into the afl….players suspended for giving a bump in the act of getting the ball….these young men are being told to be nice out there. lol…it seems our politicians and civil servants, ( i like that..servants) are getting the upper hand again…anyone for anarchy? its a good idea really…it sounds bad cos the gentry, royalty and nobility etc. gave it a bad name 100 years ago ..its sort of like you gotta have government and royalty or we will all perish ha ha income tax? introduced in 1914 to help in the war effort..a ‘one off’ you know..yeah…that 2% i.t. has grown to 30-50% and will not go away. i think pauline had the right idea…a consumption tax..but that would have upset the big spenders like royalty and nobility etc. omg! i am glad i am alive here in oz.
P T M says
The true heart of the matter is as always the desire for easy money. We are the 2nd most litigious society because it is easier to try and sue someone for negligence and make a windfall than it is to take responsibility for ourselves both in terms of safety, health, finance and personal development. Just look at how much Australians gamble on pokies, lotto and sports betting to see this desire for easy money. We only have ourselves as a collective to blame….the betting and legal industries arise from our demand.
Adrian de Wit says
A friend of mine drives her children to school every morning, about an 4.5 km trip, and has to deal with 17 speed changes, Different routes increase this number. She claims the ratio of people in cars to pedestrians is about 99 to 1. Safety ? Vicroads get your act together !
Gerald says
Hear, hear. I agree with you whole heartily as it’s bean my bitch for awhile now however that’s the issues what’s the solution? What can we or should we be doing to get our “normal” life back besides leaving this great country?
TT says
Loved the rant, Jon.
Have to keep some perspective though. There’s only a matter of degree between the axe-wielding murder that (hopefully) our government’s police forces keep us safe from (I don’t think anyone would argue that they shouldn’t do that) and the crooked shop-keeper I caught out one day. I’d returned some food that’d been sold past the use by date but on my next visit found same items back in the fridge with use by dates scratched off (which really riled me, I must say). Was he “rebelling against regulation” (I think not) or just trying to make a dirty buck selling dodgy food, not worrying about people’s bellies (if not their lives, in the cases of bad contamination). Without some regulatory intervention, dodgy deals are just too easy to pull off. So I think there’s a balance to be found here. But I do agree, there are so many instances when the regulations just go from sublime to ridiculous.
I noted the comments on lawyers and NZ with interest as the laws there prohibit suing for personal injuries (or at least they did when I lived there). The issues around compensation are paradoxically handled in a regulatory framework, which seems to stop the safety at all costs to avoid being sued out of existence behaviour, so again, balance is the key.
But, hey, it’s not just the government. Just today, before school, there were quite a few disapproving parent mutterings when I encouraged my 5 year old son to gallop around again with his little sister on his back, just after he’d face planted into the concrete doing the same thing. He had a little damage but he knows we have a “stack rule” that means when we stack we get right back on, and he happily did it again (after the initial tears had dried a bit), this time successfully, with an accompanying boost to his confidence and an understanding that there are knocks in the world and we get over them and we grow. Kids are molly-coddled almost to the point of being completely useless at coping in the real world. It’s not just about cramping a bit of fun but this lunacy is also crippling our kids’ development. So I agree, buck this madness, or the future ain’t going to be pretty or ironically, even safe.
Renee says
IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN AN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT, NOT A PATHWAY TO A GOLD PLATED PENSION PLAN.
It has to stop somewhere.
1. For Politicians, Tenure by election & No Pension.
A Politician collects a substantial salary while in office and so should receive no pay when they’re out of office.
2. Politicians (past, present & future) participate in their own Superannuation scheme as do all other Australians – theSuperannuation Guarantee Administration Act 1992 (SGAA).
All funds in the Politician’s retirement fund move to the Centrelink system immediately. Politicians contribute to their superannuation the same way as ‘ordinary’ Australian people. Contributions may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Politicians can purchase their own retirement plan, just as most other working Australians are expected to do.
4. Politicians will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Politicians lose their current health care system and participate in the same health care system as the Australian people. ie either pay for private cover or Medicare.
6. Politicians must equally abide by all laws they impose on the Australian people.
7. All contracts with past and present Politicians are void, effective 31/12/14. The Australian people did not agree to the perks with Politicians.
Politicians made all these contracts for themselves. No entity holds them accountable.
Don’t you think it’s time?
There.. I’ve had my rant…
steve says
Exactly Renee. I would like to see a class action to test if these “laws” are even proper.
One step further I would destroy hansard and every regulation enacted after 1970!
Tom says
Renee,
As I read your wonderful treatise, I thought to myself, “Without Senators Harradine and Browne in office, who is going to propose such logical, egalitarian legislation?
Steve’s proposed ‘Class Action’ just might be the way to get round the self-interest of those untouchable politicians.
Ian Boggs says
As much as I agree with every point that Renee makes, I can not agree that it would actually solve the problems of corruption, deception and theft which are by now endemic in our so called system.
Here is why. While it is possible that there may be one or two back benchers or independents who have consciences, are above being corrupted and are not greedy, it seems obvious that in order for any man or woman to rise anywhere near the top of any political party, they must be capable of succeeding amongst liars and thieves. They must be able to out deceive champion deceivers. In order to be motivated enough to go that hard, they must love wealth, the power that wealth can buy, the wealth that power can accumulate, the power wealth can buy,……. etc, They need an endless greed. If they don’t have it, they won’t make it. Equally, they must be utterly without conscience. They must be able to lie like a cheap watch without batting an eyelid or looking away from the camera. They must be able to do it as often as necessary for as long as it takes to get to the top and keep going in order to stay there.
So, given the the top brass of this or any other country is populated by these sub humans, it stands to reason that none of them will be in any way keen to make the changes Renee proposes. Even if by some miracle we are able to force these changes upon the system and all who profit by it, it stands to reason that the greedy and without conscience at the top will simply find other corrupt and deceitful ways to fatten their wallets AND to stay in power.
Oliver Cromwell’s fine efforts gave us Magna carta-ie things and things did get better for a while. The sub humans got around the changes and now the shackles are as tight as ever.
Things improved in North America after the Boston Tea Party too and sure enough, things did improve for a while. But again, the sub humans found ways around the changes and the shackles are as tight as ever there as well.
Federation here made Australia the lucky country. Again, the improvement was not complete and has been only temporary. The shackles are as tight as ever and getting tighter.
History shows very clearly that changing the law of the land is neither a proper nor a permanent fix. If we want peace, harmony and a fair dinkum fair go for all, we need to have peaceful, co-operative, compassionate fair minded people running the show. In order for that to happen, we need a society which simply lives that way and does not tolerate sub human behaviour. War will not get us to that place. Voting neither. Nor even evolution (the sub humans are pretty good at breeding too……)
It seems a spot of divine intervention might be in order.
Will the hand of God be big enough to clean up this mess?
I wonder how big his boots are???????
I reckon we’ll find out soon enough.
wondering says
why are all these over the top perks not removed, why do politicians become a class unto themselves with no basis in the reality of life the rest of us have to live in. How do the populace reclaim equality?
Simon says
totally disagree, when Winston Churchill started in politics, it was unpaid,
pollies can get a part time job instead of blowing on like 3 year olds in parliament pretending to ‘discuss’ issues, when they just spout their company line, if they weren’t being paid, they might take their time there more seriously
michael says
there is currently a TV ad on in Queensland with a couple asking a small business owner about the risk of running a business.
the business owner says a ship is safe in the harbor but that is not what ships are built for.
same with people.
Ian says
Good article Jon. The majority of the population do not want to take or accept responsibility for themselves, their lives or their actions. They find it easier to allow someone else to take responsibility for them. They don’t seem to realise, or perhaps even care, that by giving up their responsibility, they also give up their control. Most must like it that way, but then again look at the lives that “most” endure. Not for me.
Timothy Hill says
Jon, have you heard of Fabian Socialism?
This has been coming since 1884…successive socialist policies since Federation have moulded the Australian population towards giving up their freedoms to the current state of affairs…it is not a question of left or right politics…they are all at it. Mostly because we have agreed through electioneering that we want greater government involvement, we want the government to give us money…we have been sold into progressive taxes, public education, public health, fractional reserve banking, public welfare, party politics conventions…none of which are Constitutional but for a loophole in our legal base. The resultant tax burden on the entire population has ballooned since the 1930’s and further inhibits freedom.
Just because time has passed does not mean that society has progressed.
I am not saying I would like to go back to before Constitutional Govt. I think it would be much better if we were able to go back to the original intent of our Constitution. Taxes would be lower, Govt would be smaller and facilitate freedoms rather than over-regulate…the other side of this would be more responsibility for individuals, families and more benevolence.
Unfortunately the bleeding hearts and artists make it on the media while the rest of us are too busy working to have time to effect change. If only there were enough of us with sufficient passive income to have the time to make a real difference.
How 'bout some Justice eh! says
Yes Fabianism. All pollies are Fabian Society inductees. You don’t get to plum ranking govt jobs without being in the circle. The erosion of sovereignty and our rights has always been the plan in motion. ‘Progressive’ actually means ‘progressing’ toward this outcome. It is a work of ages!
Steve says
Hi Jon,
I am currently visiting my family in NZ and agree with everything you have said. I am taking affirmative action to push back on this and big business with my proper website going live soon.
There is a better way, we all just have to band together to have a strong enough voice to be heard!
Nab says
A few weeks back we had a snap freeze and some snow started falling on Mount Macedon, I was with my wife having a nice evening meal at the local, and afterwards we decided to have a drive to the top on the snow covered roads.
We noticed that the road leading to the top of the mount was blocked with those plastic barricades, which someone had moved out of the way (wasn’t me, promise). We were not on only ones with the idea as a whole bunch of people had come out to see the spectical, take photos and even make snow angels. It was awesome to behold.
Yesterday I took a look at our local newspaper and to my dismay, the authorities would like to put lockable gates on that road now so they can close off access so that they can control when people can go up. As 9 cars were stuck on that fateful night, and some had even driven on the grass and churned up some dirt.
Wow how awful. I mean someone could have gotten cold. I mean practically a blood bath and cars getting stuck with nobody around for miles around to help. Just think of it. Better close off those roads then.
-N.
John says
Excellent article Jon; and don’t get me started with saying Merry Christmas is now considered offensive and the correct saying is now Happy Christmas!!!
Jon Giaan says
‘merry christmas’ is out now too? cripes, why’s that? I got pinged last year for saying, ‘have a gay old christmas.’ don’t know why. i think it might have been offensive to old people.
michael says
It would be offensive to have nots, gays, old people and non inclusive of other holidays. Shame,
Ken. says
Hi Jon, It may have been the word before (old) that offended. There are a lot of weird people around, eh?
Wade says
When I was younger – before I left Australia and realised for myself that we can’t do anything in Australia – we don’t have freedom here (I’m comparing the Western World) and anyone who thinks we have (freedom) hasn’t travelled enough or assumed the same rules apply in other countries as they do here in Australia.
One point is the parts in movies where parts are blurred out because it is dirty to see. In Europe it is there to see, the first time I saw it I thought they made an error and forgot to blurr it out. I was waiting to hear and see people ranting and raving on the Six O’clock news about how dare they allow such filth to be viewed on T.V. by our children, boyfriends, husbands, etc.
A short while later there was no outrage, no one cared, who cares, they are just … and …. Everyone has them, it’s natural. I thought, of course they are, but, I’m made to think differently in Australia.
I loved it how everyday gorgeous young women would pose topless on page 3, not just a small picture but the whole page 3 (I’d have a look almost every morning on the way to work – like all girls, boys, men and women did to see how good she looked- then dream, compare and bitch) and then they brag when they’re 40 how they were once a page 3 Girl. They are proud of who they are and how they looked.
I sometimes hear in Australia women saying to girls to flaunt it while you’ve got it. Anyone watching the news in Australia would think it against the law.
I now know you see a blurr in Australia when the good bits come on cos in most other places there is only natural viewing.
I agree we are becoming a safe country, look at all the high rises in Melbourne CBD, these children can’t fall out of a tree, there are none to climb, – they can’t even fall off a tram now – they have no steps – platforms for crying out loud. Anyway, that’s another story.
Take a risk and try not to worry about everyone else thinks – cos everyone else is worrying about what everyone else thinks.
Are these rules in place cos they need to be or because we’re afraid to stand up for everyone else MIGHT be thinking.
BJR says
You lot sound a lot like me having a rant. I remember when you would go into a mechanics office and the pin up girl calendar was there for all to see…no complaints…when I was kid in NZ I could walk down the street with a slug gun or 22 under my arm and no one would blink… I remember when if you fell over, people would say watch where you walk…not say, sue them, the path isn’t perfectly level…I remember when people wouldn’t call for an ambulance unless they really did one because today anyone can have one turn up just because they want one…if you own a gun in Australia now….you are considered weird….I remember as a young bloke doing donuts in a carpark where no one but me would get hurt if things went wrong but today you are a criminal…I remember riding my bike doubling a mate with no helmets or shoes…I am still here. don’t die wondering if you have had an adventure called living as opposed to existing…I salute you all.
Alex Cook says
hahahahahah. All too true! I think we need to start with some of the rules at school and to make parents do their job. Be a parent and stop blaming the school for everything. I can’t send my child to school with nuts, or plastic bags, or birthday cake. We must have glass viewing panels in all doors and all doors must have lever handles on the inside so they can’t be locked in! Like really? Shootings in USA caused a massive change of locks on doors here in Australia – now they have to have a lock down nib on the inside so you can lock the door if a nut job is running around outside. Great for locksmiths! We create laws without any concept of their cost. All development in public spaces must have disabled toilets, parking and access. A disabled toilet costs about $40,000.00. Every school has at least one, even if they don’t have people in wheel chairs. I have even built fire stations with wheel chair access and toilets! I have never seen a fire man in a wheel chair. You can pass any law in this country if you use the word “Safety” in a sentence with it. We have 40 km/ hour school speed zones on 3 lane major roads in Sydney, even though the road is fenced both sides and it is impossible to cross the road. Stupid, and it costs everyone time and money.
Kids can’t run at school, they can’t climb trees, can’t can’t can’t. Take the cotton wool off! Let them live a little!
A few people have had a shot at our illustrious leaders. What about trying to blame Kevin Rudd for the deaths of people installing insulation? That is just dumb. Are we going to blame the minister for transport for all motor vehicle accidents?
Cheryl says
If we were to apply this to our very young they would never learn to feed themselves, walk …..to think.
We are creating a world of intelligent yet stupid, anxious, dependent people. We fight ideals which restrict the rights of women, children etc. in other countries while giving up our rights to grow and learn. We need to teach the difference between responsibility and negligence and each of us step up. That is the only way to become a whole person.
Academy of EnhancedPerformance says
Graham says,
5th Sept 2014
We have well past ‘the dawning of the Age of Aquarius’. G
Danielle says
Makes you proud to be Australian doesn’t it? We really are such a generous and caring country. Not only do we try to regulate everything to protect those unfortunate stupid and lazy people from themselves – we even offer them the chance to waste the time of our courts using free legal aid to obtain ridiculous sums of money when they fail to pay attention to these laws and make dumb personal decisions. Feels so good knowing that our taxes and the profits of some businesses/individuals are being invested in such a worthy cause. Yep, excessive regulation is working just great …
ian says
Unfortunately the article is so true. Nobody is responsible for themselves anymore – it is all someone else’s fault – and we are all victims – which is just loser mentality. Take responsibility for yourself, be accountable, move forward and have a go. I love Kennedy’s saying – ask what you can do for your country – not what your country can do for you. We have a lot of low lifes who think they are entitled to handouts and “something for nothing”. They think the country (which is the rest of us) should look after them. Unfortunately we are governed by parties pandering to minorities as only a few % of votes can kick you out. As always it gets worse before it gets better. The wheel will turn.
In the meantime maintain a positive mental attitude, accept that you are responsible for all that happens in your life and have a red hot go………
John Richard says
My ‘PO’ is so called racist names. Call a man who is black ‘a blackman,’??
What ever happened to
“Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never hurt me’.
Ken says
Hi John, That was a saying to try to sound smarter than the other bloke. In my time at school, you kept your mouth shut or punched on. You learned real fast to fight or shut up.
Roy Carter says
I moved here to Queensland after living ten years in Cyprus (from the UK originally). Moved here because I bloody love the place. Have to say though that the red tape has surprised me a bit.
In Cyprus we had some high cliffs near where I lived and when I first arrived in the country, I asked a local how come there were no warning signs or rails near the cliff edge. He replied that people were expected to use their common sense. Who would walk too close to the edge of a high cliff? ‘Well children might,’ I said.
‘Well then, that is the fault of the parents for not teaching them not to be so stupid’, he said.
Adrian says
I just love reading these comments, I wonder what percentage of Australians have the same views and are totally sick of Canberra, State Dictators and local gov leaches. We are being sucked in and nearly nobody seems to care. Agree with Renee to make gov officials normal employees. Study Timothy Hill remarks, as they are frightening but true !
Mooshie says
I could sit here in read these comments for hours! And i’ve noticed it more (nanny country aus n all their fookin rules) since i’ve come to the EU. Most places are so relaxed, drinkin on the streets and on public transport, smoking inside bars, only taxing 50% less in november so parents can buy gifts for their children, take drinks out of bars n go for a walk with ur glass, allowing street art to be errected, red light districts in their masses, 16 y/o can drink beer but not spirits until their 18, 24hr trams 365 days so u help ur citisens save money on cabs ..and the list is growing. Seriously Australians need to wake up n smell the coffee… we going backwards n Europe is yet again pathing the way forward.
Ian Boggs says
Long ago, I held a day old baby girl in my arms. Not my baby girl. Soon after, she along with her mum and dad moved interstate. It seemed we had last contact. When the girl was eleven, She and her mum moved back to the area minus father. I shared house with them for six months.
At first.our heroine was a bit of a sook; bursting into tears for just about any reason. Then she was enrolled in Scouts.
She came home from her first camp covered in bruises and with a heap of stories to tell. One was of how all those bruises came to be.
Back in the good old days, if you or I went to a school or scout camp with an obstacle course we would have had to have had a go. No choice. If we had trouble with an obstacle, we might have received some help and/or encouragement but if we couldn’t do it, we would have stayed there until nightfall or until the next meal was served. Eventually, most of us would have overcome every obstacle (even if it were the next day) and have had good reason to feel pleased with ourselves.
Our heroine’s camp indeed did have an obstacle course but this being the age of safetocracy, no-one was forced to have a go. If you were scared by an obstacle or were too fat or offended by dirt, you could bypass that obstacle, and the next one and the one after and thereby successfully get to the finish. Life is NOT like this!
That day, only two kids overcame every obstacle. One was our heroine and the other was a boy! The boy was faster. Our heroine was not happy about that!
The day after returning home, our heroine was ooohhhhhing and aaaaahhhhhing over her injuries. I told her, “it’s okay my dear; it’s just your body telling you what a good time you had”. She laughed and went off to ponder this new knowledge.
Some minutes later, she cam back and said, “Mum; I’ve realised that if I am going to cry every time I get hurt, I can’t have any fun”.
Isn’t this the old fashioned way? Her mum and I were both moved to tears with joy and pride.
If an eleven year old girl can figure this out all by herself, what is wrong with the other twenty plus million who call themselves Australian?
Is Canberra an obstacle to personal, public, political; and fiscal progress? ( The current status quo is fiscally great for lawyers but not so great for the rest of us)
If Canberra could get us into this joyless and lifeless mess, is Canberra going to get us out of it?
If so, how?
If not, who should and how?
Ian Boggs
Ken. says
Hi Ian, A good post. Slim Dusty sings a song that goes something like, “this whole world would be a better place if only we’d give it a go.” I think it was about mostly not chucking shit at other’s comments. We all react the same way, but there are a few idiots that will always stir others and then blame them for getting upset. In the old days if you couldn’t back up what you said, you’d learn to keep your mouth shut real quick. Thanks for that, and cheers.
m says
i like traffic lights
Harry says
I like natural selection,
and I hate pants.
Somebody stop the planet, I’m getting off.
Dazza says
I think we should remove all signs, including safety ones, and let natural attrition sort out the whole common sense thing.
Jason says
another beautifully written piece.I believe it is the fault of greedy u.s. lawyers,with the no win no pay policy.it takes away the need for common sense and self preservation,Australia Is well on the way.a short trip to Europe is indeed an eye opener for the loss of freedom this lucky country started to lose 20 years ago.let the smokers kill themselves,without cancer the pharmaceutical companies would have to push more ridalin onto our kids for their profits.Americans don’t have to think for themselves they just sue someone for their stupidity.”super size me so I can sue maccas for my heart attack”sure sir,would you like a side of world domination with that?I’m waiting for the day a short Australian sues their local council for making the footpath too close to their arse.what have they got to lose?
Glen says
The Matrix
Harry Grime says
When the population find themselves starving to death they may realise to their dismay that they have been living under the thumb of the politicians and public servants who choose to live in a protective state of anarchy. Yes, they may find comfort in the specially coined phrase used by politicians and accepted by morons, ” With the benefit of hindsight”. When the death penalty was abolishised amid loud trumpeting, the simultanious repeal of the relevent Crimes Act dealing with the crime of treason and sedition was carried out in the secrecy and silence of the dead of night by the politicians who gave a grateful sigh of relief as they carried on plundering and embezzling the assets of this country. The Australian Crime Commision in spite of exposing the other criminal acts not only is powerless to prosocute but is prevented, “Courtesy of the politicians” from using the evidence adduced or gathered in a criminal trial. If only the politicians used their undeniable strategic planning ability that enables them to commit their chosen crimes with impunity for the benefit of the country, life could be a dream for many people instead of a nightmare.
to be continued.
lilmis says
You are all part of the problem. Why dont you all sell everything you own and trade it in for your own piece of land in the country where you can grow your own food and actually do a hard days work building your home and trying to feed yourself and your family. Give up your jobs, your entertaining, your fashions, your cinemas and yearly holidays and actually get your hands dirty and experience how hard you are to actually maintain in the real world. Then you will appreciate the value of simplicity.
I live in the country where people still use cash and the speed limit is 100 on a crap road. You watch out for the over loaded logging trucks, water tanker and school bus, the old lady who walks for an hour each way to get her groceries (in a 100 km zone with no footpath) and dodge the local farmers tractor and the odd stray cow. You city folk come out and crash your cars on a straight road, cant cross a road unless the traffic is going 50 and need to be protected from yourselves. My chickens know to stay away from the road, yet 50 cyclists and oxfamers need a road crew and safety signs and to disrupt the locals trying to make a go of it for themselves and leave your stupid power bar wrappers behind.
You all say it but at the end of the day none of you will rebel. You all love the safety of your new cars, knowing your lights and air con will go on when you want it to. Your house will be safe in a bushfire, yet you over insure it anyway, Your pay will be in on Thursday and you can buy your groceries reliably from the supermarket and pay your mortgage, you can go to the gym at 3 am to exercise because the crazy people wont be doing burnouts in the carpark!!
The best investment I have is myself, my knowledge, my skills and my common sense and I teach my children the same. We protect ourselves from stupidity and dont become the victim of it or another statistic. We rely on ourselves.
You all love safety so much you panic for your financial future and are being completely distracted away from the things that will really make a difference to your future like land rights, water rights, housing permits and restrictions and most importantly the loss of life skills. For any preparations you make now wont protect you in the future as regulations can be changed at any time. Documents like the UN agenda 21 are about total control of the population by the year 2050. When you read it you will look at your life differently and realise why you will never get anywhere. Why the government is trying to protect us from ourselves, teach us not to think and become modern slaves voluntarily.
And who ever that prick was that told me to sit down because I was dancing at a concert… UP YOURS.
Ian Boggs says
Dear Lilmis,
While I agree with you about agenda 21 and the wisdom of self sufficiency (or community sufficiency) I fear you may have jumped to one or two to many conclusions.
I also live in the bush. I have off grid solar/wind power, tank water, a small garden and plenty of room in which to expand it. I did not take any rebates or other so called assistance for any of this as I know only too well that anyone foolish enough to do so will find very quickly that they have placed themselves at the mercy or lack of it of officials who can dictate how much they will pay for what they thought was theirs. My gear, my expense, my maintenance and my responsibility. I also negotiate a roo and fallen tree infested road that is sometimes maintained and sometimes not. While I am working I drive. When not, I use a pushbike. If all else fails, I am well capable of walking. The way to walk is steeper and rougher but much shorter.
Unlike yourself, I do not have a family to help in any of this. A wife with green thumbs to do it with would be nice. Some kids to do it for would be even better.
I may or may not be part of the solution but I do not think I am part of the problem.
There may be other posters here who could say the same or similar. If so, you would be doing them an injustice also.
If you could redirect your anger, hostility and insults, that would be great. More useful for all of us; yourself included.
Ian Boggs
Sow says
Interesting point. I would say you have some good arguments there.
P T M says
“……and pray that there’s intelligence life somewhere up in space, cause there’s bugger all down here on Earth.”
Samuraidave says
Hi peoples
i just like to say that the financial tsunami is very close and i hope you have all thought about its consiquences ,
unfortunatly the mainstream media will not give the people a hint and will slowly lower australia into a deppression with america and the rest of the world.
in saying that a war will break out that pulls inn the masses from the west.
the ponzie scheme is comming to an end.
the new BRICS bank is now in the way of the old currupt world bank and imf,
brazil russia india china and south africa have joined support for countys that need help to support truely failing economies with less damaging stipulations on those country than the old institutions .
these escallations in battles are just an excuse to invade and or stop the american dollars demise.
as countrys are now slowly leaving the reserve currency the war cannot be stopped as it would shurly mean the garrenteed dollar death thats happening allready .
please research brics and understand desperate countrys do desperate things and the reserve currency is absolutly desperate with nowhere to run or hide.
the brics nations are 50% of the worlds population .
gold and silver is being manipulated down as to show all is fine and for the masses to stay inn shares
so that when the music stops most will be caught out.
then a new systen can come into play and people will be desperate for work, join the army will be available as other work will be scarce and impossible.
this is a globle chess game and it was set up on 9-11 , weopons of mass destruction and all becuase those country tried to sell oil for gold or another currency other than us dollars.
i will post some links if your interested inn the red pill other wise do nothing and except automatically the blue pill.
give yourselves 1or 2 hours of total veiwing before you make judgment.
we must break the Cognitive Disonance at least for an hour.
these i hope will get you researching and awake for you people who might not know.
but these are major historical times and the time is soon.
The systems coming down and they will blame it elswhere as to protect themselves from there own populations for such a devistating financial reset .
i have researched since 2000 and its all true we are at the final stages as the worlds bankrupt .
4 quadrillion dollars in derivitives can pop any day month but unlikly years yes 4000 trillion dollars in bad global debts that most super is invested inn banks and institutions .
this has never inn the history of finacial system been so bad and is unrecoverable from this point as war will excellerate fast and if not provoking will and is being used today.
a false flag will start but bigger than mh-17 as this has lost legs.
the next false flag attack will draw the world inn as the beheadings has not yet and are not hitting home.
unfortunatly the us is desperate too start and will create yet another globle disgusting disaster that will shock the west into believing its true and just for war.
samuraidave says
Is the world’s third richest man betting
$55 billion on an imminent market collapse?
What I’m about to show you is frightening.
Below is a short video that was given to me by the CIA’s Financial Threat and Asymmetric Warfare Advisor.
What it reveals is evidence that our stock market has hit a dangerous
stress point that is over 2X more unstable than it was just prior to
the Great Depression.
This top U.S. Intelligence Community economist fears a sudden, 70% stock market crash is imminent.
And two of the world’s richest investors seem to have already begun to prepare.
Warren Buffett is now keeping $55 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway’s
capital out of the markets. This is costing him an estimated $29
million a day.
But Buffett isn’t the only one.
Fellow billionaire George Soros has recently shifted 16% of his entire
net worth into a short position on the S&P 500. This is a direct
bet on a market collapse.
And even Jim Rogers is now going public with his warnings that folks should “stay far away from U.S. stocks.”
Because of how dangerous this situation has become, we had this CIA
economist conduct an emergency interview where he shared all of his
evidence.
Once you see it, I believe you will come to the same conclusion many of
the top leaders across the entire U.S. Intelligence Community have –
that time is running out to prepare.
samuraidave says
http://pro.moneymappress.com/MMRBSLG39/EMMRQ950/?email=amigatek%40gmail.com&wemail=mm&a=8&o=71664&s=75563&u=1431650&l=402357&r=MC&g=0&h=true
Lucia says
My international friends & I, call it
” AUSSIE RULES.”
We have joked about it so much, so many rules and regulations.
People have asked me
“who gave you permission?”
to
-Leave college twice , broke the rules by not finishing.
– 3 babies born at home.
Without permission from anyone.
-The 3 children ( now age 26, 23 & 21 ) didn’t go to school.
Without permission from anyone.
My answer ,
” I choose what I want to do with my time ”
Simon C says
Couldn’t agree more. Our over regulation is embarrassing on an international level.
Julie Boyer says
I agree wholeheartedly. And what’s more, it is making us stupid as a nation. Taking away our decision making process stunts our development. We are no longer the “clever country “
ron says
dear jon, it seems that we have become ‘legends in our own lunchbox’. the whole world knows next to nothing about us..really! we suck up to the americans and to the brits(to a lesser extent)…when are we gonna grow up..as a nation and defend ourselves.?..we run around the planet fighting everybody and anybody to please the americans and the brits. we in the west had to endure the ‘brisbane line’ in 1942 when the japs were approaching from the north. the p.m. of the day said bugger you people in the north and west of oz..we’re gonna defend canberra, sydney and melbourne..so good luck. our mum took us 3 kids, brother 6, me 4 and sis 2 years to a country town called narrogin to escape the oncoming japs. dad stayed on the wharf at freo to unload much needed supplies. where was our army, navy and airforce? tobruck, germany, france etc. oh great..thanks bob(p.m.) its no different now..our ‘defence forces’ ..a joke surely:-) are fighting in afghanistan…why???? george washington had it right..our army is here to defend our country not fight other peoples wars. i fully agree with him. i did my nashos when i was 19 years….1957 and c.m.f. for 2 years after……all obligatory of course so i know about army life. and i am not an old man…i just been here a long time you know. and i can still fish, fight and frig with the best of them:-) if it wasn’t for our very great sportsmen and women (role models you know..wow) oz would be a lot worse off. can you imagine any politition being a role model. they make up new rules and regulations in a whizz. and by golly you better abide by them or else…free country…bananas! anyway i can still find time to laugh about things..i travel to nice places like thailand and china and see first hand how they live. i am still in my own business and thriving..retire? never!!! i am a gulper lol..i gulp on life. all 86,400 seconds a day. try it . cheers, ron.
Ken. says
Spot on mate. We were lucky that the Governors General dissolved parliament and asked a Labor Government to form a Government and fight the Japs in New Guinea, instead of Queensland, eh?