Waynie

I have a shopping list for you. It’s pretty small, and pretty simple, but it provides your government some options on where to place your financial resources. You see, I feel you have lost your way financially, as you seem determined to implement an internet filter that will cost millions, slow down the internet, increase the cost to consumers and service providers alike, and could even lead to the loss of jobs. I really don’t think that’s what we need in our current economic climate.

So this simple shopping list might give you a hint at some areas where you might win some votes, rather than lose them, and still provide huge benefits to the future of Australia’s children.

Childcare
Rather than damage the ISP industry, why not throw financial resources into assisting families struggling to find adequate childcare, rather than let a bad situation get worse once ABC Childcare closes its doors? Here is an industry that provides invaluable care to children, which is quite clearly struggling.

Education
It is nice that Mr Rudd has provided a boost to TAFE and Universities recently, but how about greater support for other educational institutions, particularly those that provide the fundamentals? Your government already acknowledges that some schools are ‘doing it tough’, but rather than just rating them or throwing a laptop or two their way, why not invest in a real and meaningful way in the educational future of our children?

Environment
Again, it’s nice that your government ratified the Kyoto Protocol, but to ensure the children of today grow up in an Australia that is not ravaged by global warming, it might be nice if there was some action. For example, you could build a solar plant, or at least support the industry. It was annoying to see on the 7.30 report recently a story about solar generation innovations made in Los Angeles being implemented by a former Australian who couldn’t find a market here. Besides the positive environmental impact, there is also the assistance that would come through boosting a fledgling industry, generating jobs, and indeed helping to build an intelligent industry which will have a flow on effect to our academic institutions through the need for higher learning.

Indigenous Australians
I’m sure that someone sitting in an office in Canberra thought an indigenous intervention would generate great publicity for the government, but what have you really done to ensure that the health, well-being and safety of indigenous children in Australia is no longer at risk? While the media has been silent on the subject for some time, last mention it received was far from positive. I’m sure an internet filter is far more important than that, right?

Health
We keep hearing that childhood obesity is a problem. We keep hearing that younger people are abusing alcohol. We keep hearing about all these issues, and we also hear of proposed solutions, but nothing seems to happen. There’s plenty of opportunity here, Senator Conroy, for your government to take a stand on one (or more) of the many health issues affecting children and teens, and do some good for our children.

I don’t have a problem paying my taxes, but I really would rather you spend them wisely, rather than just throw money away on a system that just won’t work.