Politics is a dirty word

America seems to be rushing to generate another world war. Things seem to getting back to the Cold War era when countless billions of dollars were spent maintaining 24/7 aerial protection. In the UK squadrons of V bombers and fighters were always in flight because Britain had just a four minute warning of nuclear attack and planes could not be scrambled in time if they were on the ground. Recently, the US has deployed three of its B52 Stratofortress bombers in the UK, each capable of carrying 20 nuclear Cruise missiles. B52's have also been deployed in the Middle East and discussions have been held with South Korea about maintaining flights there. Nuclear powered and armed submarines are cruising the oceans, waiting for an opportunity to launch their missiles.

The Australian Government deserves to be kicked in the head over its treatment of Timor in the dispute over oil and gas revenues in the Timor Sea. Timor-Leste's case against Australia over a disputed maritime boundary will be heard by the permanent court of arbitration in the Hague after the court rejected Australia’s claim that the court had no jurisdiction. Timor-Leste asked for the process which could decide on the border covering a large oil and gas field (worth over $40 billion) over which the two countries have a revenue-sharing agreement. Australia has resisted negotiating a permanent border until 2056 at the earliest. The conciliation process will now take place behind closed doors over the next year. Timor-Leste argues that treaty should be scrapped because, six years after it was signed, it was revealed Australia had bugged the Timor-Leste government’s cabinet room, with listening devices implanted by Australian Security Intelligence Service agents pretending to be a...

I have no interest in American politics and I find it confusing that Australians seem so fixated with it. Surely we have enough dumb-ass political jokers here without thinking about the US versions? But for all that, Is Donald Trump's idea about building a wall such a bad thing We should encourage him to extend his thinking, build it right around the country so that Americans can't get out – then they will only be able to kill each other rather than tramping around the world sharing their violence. ....Just a thought.

Violence in Australia's legal system has continued unabated despite various enquiries over the years politicians don't take it seriously. An investigation is underway into the death of a prisoner who was injured in a brawl with guards at Adelaide's Yatala Prison. The 29 year old man died in hospital this morning, after being taken there in a critical condition on Friday. The Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement has called for an independent investigation. How much more violence will be tolerated?

Australians have been short-changed for years by Commonwealth Governments, Rather than making prudent decisions with taxation revenue they chose to spend on things which added nothing to the future of this country. For decades, the Governments have been pocketing around $170 billion to $200 billion a year in income taxes levied on individuals – but now politicians say there is no money to pay age pensions to people who have contributed to the system all their working lives.There's also no money for education or hospitals. It's not only income taxes which have been mis-spent. Many billions of dollars were poured into government coffers during the years of of the mining boom (which everyone knew was going to end). So where has all the money gone? The answer in part is it's gone to support the US aircraft and munitions industries.

It's about time politicians gave up on the pathetic idea of putting clocks forward one hour in the mistaken belief in that it somehow benefits us. On Sunday October 2 we are forced to go through this again.The circadian clocks of humans and other animals were not designed for such rapid changes in the normal rhythm of life

The Commonwealth Government is an unnecessary financial burden on the Australian people. The current stoush over education funding demonstrates why our political system needs fundamental change. Why not let the States run things? They do most of the work anyway. It's way past time to reduce costs for the economy. We don't need the current duplication of services in Canberra and the States. About the only function which needs to be administered Federally is defence. State Governments deliver all other services – including health and education so it makes no sense to pay for an army of bureaucrats and Ministers in Canberra who do little but polish chairs with their backsides and hold out their hands to grab our money. The duties of a Federal Government could be adequately performed by the Council of Australian Governments COAG. This would save billions of dollars every year.

Despite all the political bickering in Canberra over emissions trading scheme targets, some small businesses have been playing their part in addressing the problem. Freeranger Eggs in Victoria has been getting on with mitigating the impact of carbon emissions. The farm's carbon footprint is limited by imposing a food miles policy for deliveries, using recycled materials and equipment whenever possible, utilising solar power and mechanical processes and an effective waste reduction programme. As a result, the 1200-chook farm generates only about 60 tonnes of CO2 each year. But it is better than carbon neutral, it is carbon positive. The average organic matter in soil tests was 4.1 per cent in 2004, in 2006 it was 6.0 per cent, and in 2009 it was 7.9 percent. Calculations based on 2-inch deep samples, show that over those five years the farm sequestered about 14 tons of CO2 per acre or four tonnes of carbon per acre on the grasslands. Further testing and calculations have not been...

The use of the word "intelligence' by politicians is usually misplaced. It can be used as an excuse for inexcusable acts - such as bombing civilians or shooting down commercial passenger jets. What it usually signifies is a distinct lack of intelligence. So a proposed review into Australia's intelligence and security agencies is a good idea even though it probably won't make the system any more 'intelligent'.If it results in better anti-terrorism training for our police forces it will help to prevent further atrocities like police shooting a hostage in the Lindt cafe siege.

Sport is big businesses in Australia and politicians are happily throwing hundreds of millions of dollars a year at sporting institutions while limiting spending on health and education. First into the money pot We have the $250 million a year Australian Sports Commission closely followed by the Australian Institute of Sport which offers over 700 scholarships a year for individual training. Then there are various affiliated State Sports institutes or academies, plus the Australian Institute of Winter Sports with an annual budget over $1 million. At the end of all this training, highly paid athletes are produced – some pocketing several million dollars a year without any obligation to repay their training costs.some skip off overseas to live in tax havens like Bermuda. Why are they not treated in the same way as students leaving Universities with huge Hecs debts? If doctors, nurses,lawyers and teachers have to repay the cost of their training why don't athletes? Politicians need to...

It has long been recognised that politicians don't live in the real world. Here, they populate the rarified atmosphere of Canberra and generally ignore the people - until it's election time. Every now and then they can't help but fiddle with things - and superannuation has been the latest target. Superannuation is still a crock - the changes simply help high income earners shuffle more money. People in their late 60’s – early 70’s spent most of their working lives prior to super – and they are now facing retirement with virtually nothing except the assets they managed to acquire, because super fund managers charge fees on the total funds under management instead of charging fees based on the profits they generate each year. Superannuation has been more about building up a huge slush fund to prop up the share market and financial services industry rather than creating a system to provide retirement income for individuals. It has been great for high income earners but has don...

It's hard to keep track of Government spending on warfare (it's not appropriate to call it defence). The official figure is $32 billion for 2016-17 but there was an additional $142 billion over the budget forward estimates which presumably included the $50 billion submarines and maybe the $35 billion future frigates project. Not sure about the 'Virtual' Defence Innovation Hub which has an estimated costing of $640 million or additional operational funding of $690 million. Then there is the 72 F35 joint strike fighters which have been ordered. It's all 'monopoly money' to the politicians.

Most people think of the Woomera Rocket range as a thing of the past, a joint facility between Australia and the UK to test Britain's nuclear capabilities. But the range is still very much in use with the participation of the US. Work on the Patriot long range missile system has been underway there for some years - missiles used extensively in the various Middle East wars. Each individual interceptor rocket costs $20 - 24 million, so they are expensive toys. Woomera also is a space tracking facility and is linked with the Weapons Research Establishment at Salisbury.

Politicians in Australia have perfected the art of spending money - as long as it's not theirs. They are always putting their hands in our pockets to fund whatever takes their fancy - overseas trips or hair-brained schemes which do nothing for the community. Despite an acknowledegment that Governments have been spending too much money, they are now squandering $160 million on a plebiscite over same sex marriage - and handing over another $15 million to fund advertising for the 'Yes' and 'NO' campaigns. They have also awarded a contract for $9 million to have dress uniforms for Australia's soldiers to be manufactured in China There are heaps of problems here which could do with the money which is just running through their hands. It now seems likely that the plebiscite will be blocked in the Senate - but don't expect the $175 million to be used for anything useful.

Political parties are the main reason for the wide distrust of politicians. Our MPs owe more allegience to their parties than to the voters in their electorates. The current furore over political donations is just window dressing - nothing has changed or will change because the politicians have their snouts in the trough and have no intention of limiting their ability to access cash (particularly if it's not out of their pockets).Political donations by businesses and unions have been an active part of politics for years. Developers have always handed over bags of cash to gain favours from those in Government. Slush funds designed to launder contributions have been set up all over the country - just like the Higgins 200 Club which channels money to the Liberal party without disclosing sources.

Australia's Treasurer, Scott Morrison seems determined to ignore economic reality. He spruiks about this country's "25 years of growth" as if he can keep it going for another 25 years. Economic cycles dictate that growth cannot be exponential. Periods of strong growth are inevitably followed by collapse or recession. History demonstrates that. Governments can prop up growth by stamping around the world in an endless cycle of war, providing a short term stimulus by spending on armaments. The Roman empire couldn't keep going, neither will the US or Australia.

Politicians in Victoria should be congratulated for banning fracking in this State. There has been widespread opposition to the practise used to extract gas by using explosives to fracture underground sediments which hold gas - at the risk of contaminating groundwater - and apparently potentially generating earthquake activity. an earthquake in Oklahoma on Saturday resulted in state regulators ordering the closure of 35 disposal wells which are used by frackers, to shut down over 500-square miles. Government scientists warned that oil and natural gas drilling had made a wide swath of the country more susceptible to earthquakes. The U.S. Geological Survey, in a March report on "induced earthquakes," said as many as 7.9 million people in parts of Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas now face the same earthquake risks as those in California. The report found that oil and gas drilling activity, particularly practices like hydraulic fracturing or fracking,...

It's refreshing to find politicians capable of making rational, considered decisions rather than jumping in without much thought. In Australia, even though we are constantly reminded that this country has a "debt and deficit disaster" money is always readily available for our politicians to spend on military escapades overseas and on new hardware to meet some vague 'threat'. In Malaysia, politicians seem to be more careful in the way they handle things. The Royal Malaysian Air Force has a fleet of outdated MIG29 fighter jets but rather than rush in to buy replacement such as the US F18 Super Hornet. They are waiting until they are able to properly find the budget for an acquisdition. The current political climate and government austerity measures in Malaysia mean that a number of programs for the Malaysian armed forces look likely to be postponed until the 11th Malaysia Plan, which covers government spending for 2016-2020. A combination of public dissatisfaction ...

Australian politicians have lost the plot – if they ever knew what was happening around them! Violence in this country is at an all time high, probably because our system has encouraged a lack of respect in the community. People don't respect each other, people don't respect police and this reflects the antics of our politicians. Anyone listening to a broadcast of Parliamentary question time could be forgiven for thinking it was a prize fight in a brothel. The aggression and disrespect which is displayed demonstrates that aggression is applauded by our so-called leaders. No wonder then, that passers-by are assaulted in the street, rape and murder are common and that our courts and prisons are clogged. The only response seen from politicians is to compartmentalise the issue – divide it up into real violence and domestic violence. So the progression is to send the message that domestic (or family) violence is a lesser form of the problem and is therefore seen as more acceptable...

The world should impose sanctions against Australia for its policy of apartheid. The treatment of aboriginal children in the Northern Territory clearly demonstrates that “Separate Development” is operating here. It was Separate Development that was so reviled in South Africa and led to sanctions against that country. Politicians only decided to pretend to take action over the mistreatment of aboriginal children in a Northern Territory detention centre because of adverse publicity on television. The action was simply to call for an expensive Royal Commission - but what will that reveal that we don't already know? The thugs at the Don Vale detention centre, and administrative bureaucrats should be in court facing serious prison time.Theyand their political masters appear to have no idea about ‘right and wrong’ At least voters in the Northern Territory have voted out the Government -but the bureaucrats are still there and the new Minister may be no better than the previous one.

The Labor opposition missed a golden opportunity in Parliament yesterday to pass a vote of No Confidence in the Coalition Government. A number of coalition MPs left Parliament early and Labor won several procedural votes - but failed to bring on a motion of no confidence. They may not get another opportunity.