Today we vote!

After the bitter disappointment of inaction on sooooo many issues from the Rudd led government, today is an exciting and scary day for us Australians. I will definitely give credit where it is due and one of the most positive aspects to come out of Rudd's leadership was his apology to the Aborigines on behalf of the national for the horendus treatment of there people in the past and some would even say (as I do) present.

Today we face a scary prospect of the coalition getting into power as well as the slightly less scary prospect of Labour retaining power. Of the two, I hope Labour retains power, but struth it ain't much of a choice. The negative campaigning by both parties should leave them ashamed of themselves. It would be great to see a positive campaigne from the two major parties sometime, where they talk about how to lead the country forward in humanity, environment, local Indigenous issues, education, health and peacekeeping.

I was ashamed and embarrased to call myself an Australian during the Howard years, excited at the prospect of real change and action during Rudd's short term and am now fearful of being ashamed again but excited that the Greens vote has increased and they will now hold the balance of power in the senate. What does this mean? Well if either party gets into power (and I would rather Labour to the coalition) then any bill that makes it's way to the senate will have to have a Green tinge to it. The Greens will never (although I wish they could be a contender) be contenders for running the country, but they can influence policy and direction. Fair enough some of there policies and ideas may seem to be radical and some would even say economically ignorant (and to a small - read very small - degree I agree) but as I said, they will never actually run the country, just have a say on it's direction. I agree on the direction of the Greens on so many levels, particularly humanity for those less advantaged than us, the environment both globally and locally, education and health.

Heaven forbid if the policy of "stopping the boats" was in place in 79' then me, my family and my family friends fleeing persecution, torture and death in Vietnam, would more than likely be dead.

Go Greens, get in there and make a difference!