IT WAS sometime late last year. I listened to the summary of that night’s ABC’s 7.30 propaganda, then switched to A Current Affair. Tracy Grimshaw’s show began at 7.35pm, which meant that I saw the last minute or two of whatever the 7pm American sitcom was - Friends, Big Bang, or one of those shows where confused 20-somethings seem to be able to solve every dilemma with sex.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
“Herpes?” one of the characters said as the credits rolled, “Everyone has herpes!” he continued with much canned laughter. This is Hillary Clinton’s America, California and New York, where television shows such as this are produced. Both gave Hillary a majority, but she lost the election to Donald Trump in America’s “Heartland”.
I checked the Sexual Health Australia website and was surprised to find the statement, “It (herpes) is twice as common in adult women as it is in adult men and is most prevalent in women aged 35 to 44 years. Genital herpes is more common among adults living in metropolitan areas than in rural areas ...”
Another statement said, “… 20 per cent carry HSV type 2.”, which is genital herpes. Is our society following America? How much has East and West Coast American social behaviour as portrayed on television influenced our young people?
If Americans in “middle America” voted for Trump because Hillary represented “business as usual” could the same happen in Australia? So we come to the appeal of alternate parties.
Why would you vote for the traditional parties if the leaders and candidates are opportunists and sleazebags? Nick Xenophon in South Australia capitalised on this distrust, but the real powerbrokers at the moment would appear to be One Nation.
One Nation in Queensland is polling over 23 per cent - more than in 1998. Former Premier Campbell Newman estimates nearer to 28 per cent. In WA One Nation is polling so strongly that the Liberals have decided to broker a preference deal.
But what does One Nation stand for? Pauline Hanson’s right hand man is openly gay James Ashby who was implicated in the Peter Slipper scandal. It is worth reading Wikipedia’ s very unflattering description.
I noted that Malcolm Turnbull appears to be saying that he may back down on his promise of a plebiscite on same-sex marriage. A group of slippery Liberal backbenchers including Warren Entsch, and the three gay Liberal MPs, Tim Wilson, Trevor Evans and Trent Zimmerman are intending to take the idea of a “free vote” to the party room. Very many Liberal voters would never vote Liberal again if this were to happen.
Analysts say that outside capital cities voters are much more interested in values, the driving force for Trump in “middle America”. Values extend to parents not wanting their children forced to endure indoctrination programs such as “Safe Schools” promoting sexual diversity. The NSW Liberal government keeps the list of schools teaching this Victorian rubbish secret. In Victoria, “transitioning” has gone from one per year in 2003 to 150 child patients per year now.
We don’t know enough about Cory Bernardi’s policies. Orange showed that the Shooters and Fishers can appeal to “middle Australia”.
In WA it has come down to this. One Nation directing preferences could decide the outcome of the election. The traditional parties need to return to their roots and demonstrate commitment to voters, not activists.
