Australia: News and Views

I am starting to feel sorry for Nicole Kidman - now she is in trouble with the Aboriginal elders for touching  the traditional Aboriginal musical instrument - the didgeridoo.

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Traditionally the didgeridoo is a man’s instrument. Aboriginal society has  strictly segregated sex roles so a woman touching, or attempting to play the didgeridoo, as Nicole Kidman did, is about as insulting as a throwing shoes at a Muslim, or bringing bacon sandwiches into a synagogue.

Unfortunately Nicole Kidman is a typical white Australian and has no idea about Aborginal culture - though to be fair most people in the cities would have no idea  that this was such a big no-no, and  I am sure that I have seen women playing - in fact when looking for an image for this post I found pictures of women playing.

What really annoys me is that all about Nicole Kidman stuffs up again and comments from elders that Nicole will now be barren. But hang on Hugh Jackman was on the same interview on German TV, while Nicole Kdiman was trying to play the didgeridoo Hugh Jackman was trying, unsuccsessfully, to stand on one leg - the “classic” “black-fella” poise - now he wasn’t asked to do that - and that I think is even more insulting.

So people: black and white get off Nicole Kidman’s back - and Hugh - stop being a racist!

Well not actually Nicole and Huge but I had to look twice when  I saw an add for expensive classic style clothing to make sure it wasn’t the famous Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. Instead the promoters of the clothing range had a couple of look-alikes dressed in the moleskin trousers and pretty dresses featured in the film.

The classic Aussie Akrubra hat is looking like it might make it more upmarket too. The hat is the Australia version of the cowboy hat and is in fact comfortable and works well for both keeping the sun off and, with the addition of a veil, keeping the flies out of your mouth - a point somewhat glossed over in the movie.  The hats are traditionally made of suede but can be bought in anything from snakeskin to leather these days  I’ve even seen straw versions - strickly light weight.

The knee high boots that look so good on both of the stars are in fact very pracitcal. Australian snakes are highly venemous but they dont have a a strong bite and a decent knee length leather boot will protect you in the snake prone northern country where the Australia film was set.

Nicole’s pretty dresses aren’t really suitable for the bush but her tight riding trousers are commonly used by jackaroos and jillaroos to this day -though personally I prefer something a bit looser fitting.

The long sleeves shirts featured in the movie are really practical too - the reality is that the lady Nicole Kidman plays, living on a cattle station before the invention of suntan lotion would have burnt to a crisp and have acquired at the very least red, wrinkled skin before she was 40, or at worst skin cancer, long sleeves are much more practical than wearing suntan lotion the entire time.

Rolf Harris is an Australian institution - the man who invented the wobble board, who has painted the Queen and is famous for singing “Jake the Peg” is now in trouble for telling some Aboriginals to “get off their arses” - something he probably doesn’t realise is unacceptable in PC Australia - given that he has spent the last 40 odd years living in the UK.

Rolf Harris is in Australia to star in the 25th Schools Spectacular in Sydney which is the biggest ever variety show with around 3000 kids on stage. Rolf will also be performng at the Sydney Opera house, lecturing on art in Melbourne and doing various book signings - I guess the guy isn’t ready to slow down yet!

Two Little Boys is one of the most moving anti-war songs I know. Originally written in 1902 Rolf Harris released it in 1969 when it became an immediate hit and has stayed that way ever since

You probably know that China and Saudi Arabia, neither known for the democratic governments, censor the Internet. Did you know that Australia’s Senator Stephen Conroy wants to do the same?

The Telecommunications Minister in the Federal Rudd government wants to install mandatory filtering for all Australian ISP’s. Reports are that:

“mandatory internet filtering will have two tiers – one level of mandatory filtering for all Australians blocking “illegal content” such as child pornography, and an optional level that will provide a “clean feed”, censoring adult material.”

Well there is just one or two fairly large problems with this:

• there isn’t any technology that will actually do this at the moment - China employs thousands of humans to censor their “Great Wall”
• tests to so far suggest that a high percentage of legitimate sites will be banned
• it will slow down Australia’s already medicore broadband speeds
• and most importantly free bloody speach

I suspect this is a bright idea of some who has no idea what the Internet actually is! I don’t care how obscene a site is - I defend Australian’s rights to see it. If parents cant be bloody bothered supervising their kids online - or at least installing a net nanny - I really don’t see how it should interfere with my broadband experience!

If you think the same please sign this on-line petition - Disclaimer I am in no way invovled with this site but I think this is an issue which needs a wider audience!

From Monday the cash starts being depositied in Australian beneficiary and low-income earners bank accounts. The Federal government’s stimulus package sees carers, pensioners and veterans get $1400 single or $2000 per couple. For families on the means-tested family tax benefit they will receive $1000 per a child. For large Aboriginal families in communities this could see families receiving $10,000 to $20,000 per an extended family.

Its a lot of money: a single parent with 3 children will get $3000.  The interesting question is will people do what the government wants them to do - or what is right for their families?

The Australian government want benefiicaries to spend: on consumer goods, clothing, food, presents whatever but spend it!

What should the typically sturggling low-income family actually do with the windfall. Well first off they should pay off consumer debt, credit card debt and other bad debts.

Then they should be spending it on absolute essentials -on upgrading the car which is essential to get to work. on the air-conditioning which isn’t a luxury in most of Australia.  On replacing the whiteware which is beyond its natural life.

Then, and this is not what the government wants, they should save the money. The problem with living on the edge that you don’t have a safety net - and this money is a safety net - save it if you can afford it!

Danish architect Joern Utzon died this week at age 90 - without ever having seen his completed masterpiece. The controversial architect was fired, or was in dispute over unpaid bills,  from the job in 1966 7 years into a project which was supposed to take three and ten times over the already outrageous budget of £7 million.

Although the famous sillouette of the sails on Sydney Harbour are his design the interior were completed by NSW architects.

I guess neither side knew what they were getting into - Utzon was  a dreamer who struggled with the mathematics to make the sails of the Sydney Opera House a reality which wouldn’t collapse under their own weight.  He was never a great project manager. The government had no experience of dealing with a visionary and a genius.

The Opera House is surely one of the most photographed buildings in the world, not just  Australia - in fact there are no less than 4,2777 photos on flickr - here are some of the more interesting.

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Rumours are that troubled national carrier Qantas is looking at a merger with British Airways -that used to be a significant shareholder. Qantas and BA already code-share and route share on the long-haul routes between Europe and Australia. A merger of the two national carriers would create a $8 billion monster. Though to get around issues such as landing slots  each carrier take a 50% interest of a separate holding company. The airlines would continue to fly under their own flags and names.  How this would save money -which is the whole point of the proposed merger - is unclear. The Australian government insists that Qantas must be Australain based and majority Australian owned.

The unions are nervous that Qantas proposed - 1500 job cuts may be just the beginning if such a merger went ahead - particularly if the argument about off-shoring maintenance jobs  finally gets lost.

The sharemarket likes it so far: Qantas  closed up 4%

The smallest star of Baz Luhrmann’s movie Australia is being talked about as the next big child star of Australia. Thirteen-year-old Brandon Walters was spotted at a local swimming pool in Broome, Western Australia, and is now being talked about as even an Oscar contender.

Nicole Kidman and Brandon Walters formed a strong bond on set which has carried over into the publicity road train with Nicole chaperoning Brandon through his first few meetings with the press. In the movie Brandon plays Nullah a 10-year-old “half caste” child who awakens Sarah’s maternal feelings. Nullah also delivers a running-voice over commentary.

Today is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day first declared by WHO in 1988. Organisations across Australia use the day to raise awareness of AIDS and other gay issues. Its sad to say though that over here in Western Australia, Perth’s local paper doesn’t even have a mention of it! In contrast NSW, home of Austalia’s gayest city, Sydney has a whole list of events for World AIDS Day in NSW

In terms of gay friendliness or even tolerance  I would probably rank Perth lowest in Australia except for Darwin - home of the rugged baramundi fisherman and not exactly a gay pride hot spot. Queensland used to be the byword for intolerance, racism, sexism and ever othe “ism”. Its  changed I think, and  I have the feeling that its because the Sunshine State has had so many people move north from the traditionally more tolerant states of NSW and Victoria. Noosa on the Sunshine Coast appeared to be very gay and out the last time I visited.

Perth and Darwin and are all about mining and related heavy industry - sure they have tourism too but its a side-line.Well it was until now: with the collapse of metal prices maybe thats all about to change? Could the economic crises improve the community attitude to gays in the west: that would be an interesting development!