Does Fiji deserve Pacific pariah status?

Fiji Time – that wonderfully elastic concept which makes a mockery of Western schedule fetish – doesn’t apply to the country’s politics. Events there seem to run at warp speed.
On Thursday April 9, the Fiji Court of Appeal ruled that the 2006 coup that installed Commodore Frank Bainimarama as leader was illegal. The next day, [...]

Dismantle the Job Network

In the wake of the Federal Government’s overhaul of the Job Network I bet Job Network staff are crying into their chipped “You don’t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps!” coffee mugs. I usually have sympathy with those in slashed government-funded services, but not this time. In fact, the only argument I [...]

True stories from the Job Network

The following stories were all either experienced or witnessed by me…
True Story 1: Helping women return to the workforce
In a group orientation in a leading Job Network provider, we were told we had to make three cold calls from the Yellow Pages every time we were there or face a breach recommendation. One participant, a [...]

Is Torture Ever Okay?

Torture: Ticking time bombs and slippery slopes
A Talk by Dr John Janzekovic
Embiggen Books, Noosaville, 25 March 2009

We’re not all recession-immune luvvies thinking about nothing more taxing than our next Restylene appointment in Noosa, you know.
Last night, about 30 thoughtful and concerned folk of all ages got together at  Embiggen Books in Noosaville to hear Sunshine Coast [...]

Make Room! Make Room! for the classic novel of dystopian future

What an achievement this novel is! I can really smell and feel the sweat of millions of jostling bodies, the despair at being turned away empty-handed from the communal water tap, and even the triumph of the character who spies a nice, juicy, edible…rat!