Fed Frauds

The Teachers Federation say in their advertising that your children will be worse off under a potential Abbott government

Even though Tony Abbott stated in his budget reply speech,

“the key to better schools, at least as much as money, is better teachers, better teaching, higher academic standards, more community engagement and more principal autonomy”

The Teachers Federation isn’t for improved education.  They are for having as many teachers in jobs as possible regardless of quality as long as they are paying their union dues.

The Gonski review delivers on more paid teachers therefore any variation is bad for students according to the Teachers Federation.

Unfortunately for the Teachers Federation, what they want increasingly seems to contradict what the students need.

The coalition is offering a holistic approach and the Teachers Federation wants more money.

It’s little wonder that unions are in decline.

Giant Targets

I am excited about the future of the GWS Giants.  Although I am concerned that recurring heavy losses on the field will have a negative impact on the mindset of the young team.  We all like to win but persevering through the hard times will make success sweeter.

The Giants tried to woo some experienced players through their trade concessions.  The mini draft was designed to entice clubs to trade players for the best 17 year olds in the country.  Instead they enticed clubs with high draft picks to trade.  Thus the Giants have a raft of talented young players but little experience.

This will be addressed come the end of the season through trade and free agency.  They have some money to throw around now that Israel Folau has gone back to his native habitat.

No doubt a big play will be made for Hawthorn’s Lance Franklin.  The biggest free agency target this season.  Though, I’m not sold that he will leave Hawthorn.

Trade period will be interesting as it’s doubtful there will be the same focus on maintaining draft picks.  The number 1 pick could be on the table.  But it will have a bee a fantastic deal to part with it.  It will be a bold club that attempts to make this trade work.

Most of the young Giants have been exposed to the AFL.  This gives them some currency on the trade market.  Certainly other clubs have taken notice.  Richmond allegedly made a play for Dom Tyson last year without success.

It’s a necessity that the Giants list shrinks gradually in the coming years.  The Giants can’t keep all their talented youngsters.  Who they decide to keep and whom they get will be very interesting.

What Makes It Great

My church is in partnership with a charity in Uganda.  Through this partnership some great outcomes have been achieved through multiple projects.

I believe these outcomes are so great because the government was not involved.  No push for increased foreign aid would have achieved what my church achieved.

Churches are perfectly placed to take on charities like this.  We can be more direct in our aims, see a specific need and meet that need.  The affect is immediate and heart felt.   Its amazing to here stories of the difference that our relatively small contribution had made.

We are called to love people so it’s a given that all churches should be doing similar projects whether locally or internationally.

Having It All

A big thankyou to Julie Bishop this week.  She is the first high profile female politician I've heard point out the fallacy that women are able to ‘have it all’.

‘It all’ usually means having a happy family and a burgeoning corporate career.  Women have been lied to by the feminism movement.  Sacrifices have to be made.  It’s a fact of life.  We need to put our selfish goals aside if we plan to have children. This belief that they can ‘have it all’ must have hurt so many families over the past few decades.

The same applies to men.  Only difference is that we never had a movement telling us we could have it all.  We had the feminism movement telling us we weren’t any good at anything so women had to do it all.

There ought to be no pressure to ‘have it all’.  It all won’t last.

Mere Formality

Now women can ‘formally’ request part time work from their employer under an addition to law by the Gillard govt.  Not sure what was holding women back from doing this prior to the amendment.  The employer can still say no, which is their prerogative.

The Greens want “more teeth” to such a proposal.  “More teeth” would mean forcing employers to allow part time employment upon application.  Even though this may not suit their business and may increase operating cost.  This would result in less people employed, part time and full time.

Forcing businesses to do anything they don’t wish to do is very risky.  The Greens need to back off for their desire for more teeth and think through the ramifications for their emotion driven actions.

Businesses left to make their own decisions will best able to make arrangement for women trying to juggle family with work.  Businesses want to hold on to good staff, so they don’t need to be told by government how best to handle them.