Ashamed to be an Aussie

I am embarrassed to be Australian.

Politically it is an absolute shambles!

I went home in 2010 after a 5 year period. I was shocked.We only stayed 6 months.

I grew up on the mid north coast where every hill was covered in banana plantations and the pub was filled with banana growers still in their sap stained stubbies after 4pm.
Now, there are no more bananas to see and everyone is complaining about the cost of food! When we left after a 6 month stay, bananas were being sold at 10 dollars a kilo.

Does OZ need saving?
Does OZ need saving?

Fortunately, I come from a lovely pocket of oz, where community still portrays it’s true essence and the people take care of each other.
Some organic farmers were popping up here and there and some freelancing city folk had moved in to create a cultural diversity. It is calming to know that this community and these people still exist. It provides me with hope and happiness just knowing that I can call them my friends. You know who you are and you know I love you.

However the bigger picture does not appear hopeful. With an increase in natural disasters of late, one would think that the Australian government may have had a change of heart with regards to our Earth, but they just seem to have a huge fascination with digging holes. Like a small 4 year old boy obsessed with bulldozers and trucks.

That is one of the reasons why we didn’t stay with our loved ones in Australia. And the prices our family couldn’t afford.
So we moved to Thailand. It is beautiful here. The people smile.
The food is amazing and the politics volatile.
Some might think that a coup would be un-nerving, but I have to say that I am OK with it and, that I do prefer volatile to stagnant politics, any day of the week.
It shows movement and development. It shows that people care. People know which side they are on and why. They make a stand and the government has not been in full term for two decades. With no conflict we can achieve no resolution, no improvement no change.

I have lived in a few different countries in my short 40 years of life.

I somehow have that innate ability to call any place home.
The more one travels and lives as an expatriate, the more insight you have into your own roots.

I have reflected over Australia and it’s politics, culture and lifestyle for more than 15 years from afar and I think at this current moment I have to say the situation in OZ is shameful.

It’s almost like you do live in a fantasy world down there, like there is some kind of magical wizard that makes you all exempt from the world’s problems. But guess what Australia? There is no wizard and the world’s problems are real.
It isn’t OK to send a message to the world, that sending away starving dying people in boats that desperately need help, is acceptable.

Those boat people got on a boat, some with their children, knowing that the chance of death was high. Not because they wanted to scab off of the Australian government.

They did it because they were so desperate, more desperate than most Australians will ever know of and they did it with hope in their hearts that humanity still existed in it’s true essence. That someone would reach out their hand of human kindness and provide them with food, shelter and freedom.

Australia is one of the least generous countries. Least caring about their natural habitat and it’s beings, on a national and international scale. Oz doesn’t like to share and it doesn’t like to care. The wizard will take care of all of that stuff.

Throw another shrimp on the barbie and she’ll be right mate!!

We are even on the bottom end of the environmentally friendly list of nations.
I am embarrassed that a cold grey place like Germany is leading the world in solar power and with all of our sunshine we choose to dig another coal mine in 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF

I can’t possibly fathom why Australia seems to have mining at the top of their priority list.

Follow ,follow, follow. Follow the yellow brick road...
Follow ,follow, follow. Follow the yellow brick road…

I guess it must all come down to money. I remember when true Aussies couldn’t stand the American capitalist system. Three words: Pot. Kettle. Black.

Let me just digress back to my topic of immigration so I can emphasise the over importance of money within the Australian government and it’s ethos. We are not only repelling boat people.

Did you know that the Australian government is charging my friends $7000 to apply for a visa so that they can live together in Australia.
A normal spouse visa, they are genuinely in love. How many of you have a spare 7000 bucks lying around?

An Aussie, German couple who just want to be able to BE together.

Australia oozes a lack of generosity and care for other human beings.

Only ye with loads of cash, jump aboard. The rest of you go fuck yourself or we will throw you in a detention centre and treat you like shit.

If you are Australian, this is also what your reputation looks like abroad. Racist Rich Assholes.

Unfortunately there are no excuses for any of you, Australia.

OZ is one of very few countries that make voting mandatory.

I know, I paid a fine last year and I don’t even live there!

Everyone is voting and anyone with a political mind can join a party, start a party and make a difference.

Other nations in this world are literally dying for this right, please don’t take it for granted.

I am not saying that any particular politician or party, is good or bad. I just think that the wrong people have the power.

They may be intelligent but they lack wisdom.

I remember when Prime Ministers and Presidents were old and I felt respect for them. That has been lost. Maybe because I found myself older and wiser than before. Or maybe life is just way too complicated?

Stop following the yellow brick road Australia!

Extremely poor quality pic of my sister and myself (left) proudly displaying our handmade scarecrows. If only they had a brain!
Extremely poor quality pic of my sister and myself (left) proudly displaying our handmade scarecrows. If only they had a brain!