One comment really struck home with me and I quote -
"Most people think there are only two political parties in the United States but, in reality, there are three; the Republicans, the Democrats and Business."
In Australia, exactly the same situation exists and, once we understand this, it is much easier to appreciate why certain decisions are made by governments.
The power of the lobby is alive and well and it seems that it is business as usual for the Rudd government. Like many other people, I was excited to think we could see a vastly different political landscape with the new government and, that the exhortations Rudd had made to be accessible to all, to show no favours, and that egalitarianism would prevail were just hollow claims.
I've been around the political scene for a few years now and know how the system to meet politicians works. However, I am deeply disappointed that two of the new Ministers are being kept in the dark by their staff - the traditional gatekeepers.
In February and March this year, I called the offices of Tony Burke (Agriculture) and Peter Garrett eleven times over three weeks and spoke with the patient receptionists who, by the end of this were becoming quite short-tempered with me. I had been seeking to meet the respective Chiefs of Staff but not one 'phone-call was returned (and still haven't been).
I was calling as a private citizen, representing only myself and it seems that if one isn't attached to a major organisation or corporation, the doors are firmly shut. In contrast, Tony Burke seems to have had a never-ending trail of genetic engineering
proponents who have persuaded him to adopt genetic engineering of foods as the only viable option to climate change, food security and increasing the amount of food on the planet.
This is not only disappointing but downright limiting. If this is the policy being implemented, it is seriously limiting on many fronts - biodiversity of all species is compromised as monocultures continue to proliferate; human health is compromised as fewer foods are grown; agri-businesses grow even bigger as they control more chunks of the food-chain; the commons are bought up by corporations and sold-off for profit; seed stocks are controlled by fewer and the planet loses vitality.
It is sad that mere individuals do not have access to these decision-makers but indicates only too well that information flows into these essential authorities is filtered.
I shall persist as that is my middle name....
The power of the lobby is alive and well and it seems that it is business as usual for the Rudd government. Like many other people, I was excited to think we could see a vastly different political landscape with the new government and, that the exhortations Rudd had made to be accessible to all, to show no favours, and that egalitarianism would prevail were just hollow claims.
I've been around the political scene for a few years now and know how the system to meet politicians works. However, I am deeply disappointed that two of the new Ministers are being kept in the dark by their staff - the traditional gatekeepers.
In February and March this year, I called the offices of Tony Burke (Agriculture) and Peter Garrett eleven times over three weeks and spoke with the patient receptionists who, by the end of this were becoming quite short-tempered with me. I had been seeking to meet the respective Chiefs of Staff but not one 'phone-call was returned (and still haven't been).
I was calling as a private citizen, representing only myself and it seems that if one isn't attached to a major organisation or corporation, the doors are firmly shut. In contrast, Tony Burke seems to have had a never-ending trail of genetic engineering
proponents who have persuaded him to adopt genetic engineering of foods as the only viable option to climate change, food security and increasing the amount of food on the planet.
This is not only disappointing but downright limiting. If this is the policy being implemented, it is seriously limiting on many fronts - biodiversity of all species is compromised as monocultures continue to proliferate; human health is compromised as fewer foods are grown; agri-businesses grow even bigger as they control more chunks of the food-chain; the commons are bought up by corporations and sold-off for profit; seed stocks are controlled by fewer and the planet loses vitality.
It is sad that mere individuals do not have access to these decision-makers but indicates only too well that information flows into these essential authorities is filtered.
I shall persist as that is my middle name....
2 comments:
Lecture yesterday was fantastic. I was telling mum that she should stop pulling weeds out of the garden!
I just read your blog post. Persist! I'm sure if you piss the receptionist off you'll get a response soon enough!
Andrew
Why Australia is not learning lesson from those countries where GE has threatened the livelihood of people. Is there any example if any country has become self-reliant in food or secured sufficient food by promoting GE in it's agriculture.In my knowledge there is no even a single country which is succesful in doing this.Then why we should not learn lessons from others.
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