Date: 14 October 2007 09:41:23
The Federal Election has finally been announced: and, oh joy, we get six weeks of mindless prattling on until then. I am hoping, praying, for a change; I have no idea if the Labor [why it's spelt the American way I have no idea] Party will be any good to be honest, but, in my not so humble opinion, we need to get rid of the current Liberal/National [and the Liberals are conservative, by the way] Government as I find their attitude towards Aboriginals and migrants in particular terribly offensive and inhumane; and they know there is enough of a racist undercurrent here that they can get some votes. The constant bleating about economic stability, while ignoring essential services, is rather tiresome. Yes, if we were in a depression I suppose I'd complain and good economic management has given us good times and helped us to weather many storms around us, but it is not, to me, the be-all and end-all. And this Government's attitude to those in need disgusts me and makes me ashamed to be Australian.
Bring it on: I'll have to do an early postal vote as I'll be having fun in Wales on November 24. Voting is compulsory here, and while I would no doubt have an excuse [being overseas], I do like to vote and participate in our democratic system.
Anyway, on to better things: the Italian Film Festival -- I saw the last two films I am seeing today after church: The Get-Together Dinner (La Cena per Farli Conoscere) and Saturn in Opposition (Saturno Contro). The Get-Together Dinner was a very enjoyable comedy where a dad is set up, after a suicide attempt, by his three estranged daughters over a dinner. It was, excluding the suicide attempt obviously!, a very enjoyable romp and a very entertaining movie. Saturn in Opposition was, while having some humorous parts, a very different movie: it explored the relationships between a group of friends. Tragedy strikes at the heart of these relationships, and through this tragedy we see the friends, often at each others' throats and biting towards each other, re-discover themselves and each other, and hence their relationships. A very moving film.