Random Observations of Life

Where are the REAL Liberals?

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on June 26, 2012 in General

Malcolm Fraser is welcomed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland USA, upon arrival for a visit to the United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I received a phone call the other day from the Liberal Party asking if I was happy with my membership. I haven’t been as active a member as I’d like, or planned to be, but anyone who follows us knows why! There are not enough hours in the day at the moment. That doesn’t mean I don’t keep my eyes on what is happening in my country.

There seems to me to be a code of silence about our leader. For overseas readers, in simple terms the Australian system is such that the elected representatives of the people within each party choose a parliamentary leader from amongst themselves. If the party is in power, that person is Prime Minister – if not, the person is the Leader of the Opposition. Currently we are in opposition.

I have pleaded many times for our politicians on both sides to stop using asylum seekers as a political football. It is inhumane. Today I even found myself agreeing with Chris Bowen, something I have to say I never thought I’d do.

Tags: asylum seeker, Australia, Judi Moylan, Mal Washer, Malcolm Fraser, politics, refugee, Russell Broadbent Permalink

7 Comments

M for Music 2

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on June 18, 2012 in A to Z of Australia

The “M” episode of Our A – Z of Australia had to be split! This is Part II, Part I can be found at M for Music 1.

An Australian artist than just cannot be ignored is John Farnham. In his younger years, he was Johnny Farnham and I still remember a early hit: Sadie, the Cleaning Lady. I was thrilled to locate this old video!

Tags: Australia, John Farnham, Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Midnight Oil, Music of Australia Permalink

24 Comments

Partner (Spouse) Visa Applications and certified copies

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on June 15, 2012 in MRT Appeal, Partner Visa

I have written several articles about Partner (Spouse) Visa applications in the past, yet not once have I explained “certified copies”. In speaking to several people lately who are submitting Partner Visa applications I have realised the concept of certified copies of documents is a mystery to many people.

Just photocopying your birth certificate, marriage certificate and other required documents and sending those copies in with your application is NOT sufficient. Certified copies are required in most cases and it will be specified when required. I have a feeling applicants and sponsors ignore the word “certified” because the term is unfamiliar to them.

A certified copy is a copy (usually these days a photocopy) of an original document, that has on it an endorsement or certification that it is a true copy of the original document of which it is a copy. It does not certify that the original document is genuine, only that the copy is a true copy of the original document.

Wikipedia, that wonderful authority on everything, tells us:

A certified copy is largely a creation of English-speaking common law countries, and was designed for administrative convenience. It is usually inexpensive to obtain. A certified copy may be required for official government or court purposes and for commercial purposes. It avoids the owner of important documents (especially identity documents) giving up possession of those documents which might mean a risk of their loss or damage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certified_copy

Tags: Australia, bureaucracy, certified copies, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, DIAC, immigration, Spouse Visa, visa Permalink

10 Comments

M for Music 1

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on June 8, 2012 in A to Z of Australia

English: Dame Joan Sutherland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The tone around here has been a bit serious lately, so let’s lighten things up with a bit of Australian music. Australia does have a thriving music industry and a rich music industry history: we have even been known to try to steal New Zealand musicians from time to time. My focus is to share the music, not provide a history lesson: links are provided if more detail is desired!

I am reliant on Youtube for this article and I hope all the clips can been viewed overseas. If any overseas viewers cannot view, please let me know! Also, this article covers a range of musical styles, some of which I don’t particularly enjoy my self but hopefully there is something for everyone! 😀

Last year we lost one of our greatest opera singers, Dame Joan Sutherland. Dame Joan was acclaimed globally as a wonderful soprano and passed in Switzerland at the age of 83.

Tags: Australia, Crowded House, INXS, Joan Sutherland, Music of Australia, New Zealand, Seekers, Slim Dusty, Waltzing Matilda Permalink

53 Comments

Independent Women “Syndrome”? Further attacks on women!

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on June 5, 2012 in General

Today I got yet another shock. I have written recently about attacks on women from men who live in a delusional fantasy world about the roles of the sexes in life. Dear Max Tomlinson was written in response to a particularly strange Australian and before that I wrote about the repeal of some legislation in Equal Pay for women at risk?

The shock I received today was the result of clicking on a link to an “article” by Stephan Labossiere, titled Independent Woman Syndrome.

Seriously, once you have a man then it is time to allow him to step up and do his job of properly taking care of you. Unfortunately it does not happen like that for many women. Why? Because they suffer from what I call Independent Woman Syndrome.

That’s right ladies; some of you have a disease and don’t even know it. It is hindering you in relationships and in even trying to find a relationship. So how could something I first praised turn out to be so bad? Well let me give you a couple of symptoms so you can better understand the issue.

That’s just the start!

Tags: Australia, Equal pay for women, equality, Intimate relationship, Relationships, Women Permalink

1 Comment

David Manne brings High Court challenge

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on May 24, 2012 in General

Eight days ago I wrote “Ranjini needs our help to encourage the government to find a better way“. As can be seen from the content and links in the article, I wasn’t the only one very concerned about the situation.

Last night David Manne, Executive Director, Refugee & Immigration Legal Centre, announced on Twitter he had:

Just brought High Ct challenge to indefinite detention of a #refugee assessed as security risk w/o access to reasons or review

David Manne Announcement

Hurray for David! Hurray for all the people who worked so hard to make something happen! Good for the Greens to move a bill in parliament too.

Tags: Australia, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, David Manne, Human Rights, news, Ranjini, refugee, Twitter Permalink

15 Comments

Ranjini needs our help to encourage the government to find a better way

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on May 16, 2012 in General

Ranjini and her boys – photos supplied

There has also been media coverage. Below is a quotation from Ranjini’s husband in an article appearing in The Age.

“We were happy and the kids were even happier … we wanted to start new life with hope. But now we are shocked…We are separated. There has been too much pain before. Are we going to be put through the same pain in Australia as well?”

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/wife-children-detained-as-asio-splits-newlyweds-20120512-1yjdw.html#ixzz1v06OwkwE

For overseas readers, ASIO stands for Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. From the ASIO site:

ASIO’s main role is to gather information and produce intelligence that will enable it to warn the government about activities or situations that might endanger Australia’s national security.

In summary, Ranjini’s history in Australia (supplied to me) is as follows:

Ranjini & her sons arrived at Christmas Island in 2010.
They were sent to Leonora, a detention centre 300 kms north of Kalgoorlie in the deserts of WA.
In Dec 2010 or Jan 2011 they arrived at Inverbrackie Detention Centre (APOD).
In April 2011 they were sent to Brisbane under Community Detention.
In Sept 2011 Ranjini was accepted as a refugee by DIAC staff, pending ASIO’s security assessment.
In April 2012 Rangini & her sons moved to Melbourne where Ranjini married Ganesh on Easter Sunday.
On 10th May 2012 Ranjini & her sons were forced to fly to Sydney & placed in detention at Villawood Detention Centre (residential housing).

This family has experienced 5 types of detention and lived in 4 different detention centres.
In March 2011 at Inverbrackie Detention Centre they were introduced to ‘friendly visitors’ & a number of people supported them. Similarly when they were sent to Brisbane, Ranjini endeared herself to our fellow supporters there.

Tags: ASIO, asylum seeker, Australia, bureaucracy, Civil Rights, Human Rights, Julian Burnside, news, Rangini, refugee Permalink

59 Comments

Australia’s refugee intake – Budget 2012

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on May 8, 2012 in General

Budget Media Release

I’ll admit tonight I am VERY confused. I happened to notice the budget statement in relation to our humanitarian visa program for the 2012 -2013 year.

“‘Australia resettles the third largest number of refugees of any country, and we resettle more refugees, per capita, than any other nation”

http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/media/cb/2012/cb186539.htm

Now this seemed, to me, to contradict a lot of the media releases from refugee advocacy groups about how many refugees we take. I decided to do a little research of my own.

Tags: Australia, Budget, news, refugee, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Permalink

16 Comments

Unbalanced article fuels moral panic

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on May 6, 2012 in General

This morning I glanced at Twitter and noticed @SandiHLogan of DIAC sending messages to @MirandaDevine (Daily Telegraph journalist), criticising her article titled, emotively, “Fooled by a ship of frauds“. Stupidly, I had to stick my nose in, didn’t I? In for a penny, in for a pound, so from Twitter to my own article. Edit: Since I published this article, the headline of the Daily Telegraph article has been changed to “Soft touch threatens border security“. Attempt to be less emotive, perhaps?

In the current political climate in Australia that article is certainly a cheap attempt at attracting readers. There is a worse problem, however. Articles like this feed and nurture the existing moral panic in the community about asylum seekers and refugees. Look at the comments on the article! What is moral panic? There is an excellent article to be found at Law Information, an extract follows:

The Sydney Morning Herald ran the headline:

“Stop boat people getting on boats – Julia Gillard PM”

This simple headline shows the escalation of fear or misunderstanding of illegal immigrants. The word ‘stop’ is a call to action and implies that something needs to be done. ‘Boat people’ is the label which implies the threat of illegal immigration and it ran in a national newspaper, purportedly endorsed by the PM and used to bring to the attention of the voting public an issue which is considered to be of grave concern. In reality, a study conducted by UQ research group says there were only 1033 boat people out of 48,700 illegal immigrants in Australia.

http://legalcatch.wordpress.com/2011/01/05/what-is-moral-panic-and-why-does-it-occur/#comment-5133

Tags: asylum seeker, Australia, Boat people, Human Rights, Miranda Devine, refugee Permalink

27 Comments

L for Laconic Larrikinism

Posted by Robyn Dunphy on April 29, 2012 in A to Z of Australia

Aussies have a rep. A couple of reps, actually. A reputation for being laconic (I’m not, but I can be excused for having been born elsewhere) and a reputation for being larrikins. I might have been one of those in my younger days: I am way, way too old to be one now! 😉

I always think the classic example of the Aussie tendancy towards brevity in comparison to other nations is a simple joke I heard years ago and which exists in many different versions on the web. I even found a version today on a church website, describing Jesus. Strange, but true.

American: “This is a manually-operated horticultural earth-turning implement.”

Aussie: “It’s a bloody spade!”

I am NOT picking on our friends, the Americans! 😆 However, it never ceases to amaze me how two countries from essentially the same origin (England) ended up so culturally and linguistically different. When I wrote D for Deprecation, I made similar comparisons.

Aussies do tend toward being a laconic lot, big on the use of irony. I once read an interview with an American author who had moved here and she said it took her a good two years to get used to Aussie humour. I have frequently been taken seriously over the internet when I have been joking. We are probably lucky we haven’t started a world war by accident.