Random scenes from an Australian Trip

*sigh*...



...back to reality I suppose... But first...

Who loves the sun?

It’s very grey in Sydney today. In fact it has been since Monday. The record temperatures of last week that contributed (along with ‘firebugs’) to the multitude of bushfires that raged through Victoria and parts of New South Wales have now abated and it feels very much like last summer in Brighton; sort of warmish, but you may need another layer and ‘Is it about to rain?’.

Almost like Futurama

The reporting of the fires has gone from honest and raw back to the media’s default position of hyperbole and bullshit, which in itself is strangely comforting. I’ve been struck by how different politicians and officials here are to the ones I’m used to seeing at home. Kevin Rudd (Ozzie PM) has been by varying degrees tearful, empathetic, encouraging, genuine and angry.

Makes quite a change from the increasingly distant and disaffected Brown, who seems to feel that going into a Churchillain mode, calm and steady, is the only way to present oneself as leader during the current economic storm. The British perhaps are far too simple for honesty. You never hear how as British people we need to be realistic and prepare for the rocky road ahead, how frankly things are a little bit fucked up at the minute. No, instead we get ‘It’ll be alright, I’m working at getting us through this. Go about your business and don’t worry’ I’ve seen Rudd talking at various times on TV here and when he talks about the economy he is unflinching, basically telling Australia that ‘Things are shit’ and the only way they’re going to get through it is to ‘work together’.

Despite the population here being far more disparate in terms of geography there seems to be a more innate sense of community; a large proportion of the fire services are volunteers; everyone is an Australian and they are proud of it. Australia day which was last month is a big deal, ‘a chance to say thanks for the sun, the beaches and for Kylie’ as the advert said. I’m not naïve enough to think that this is as universal as it would appear; apart from anything else the aboriginal people are still the elephant in the room, a challenge no administration seems to properly be able to tackle. And I’m not surprised; so much damage has been done, from an intention of genocide to the very recent and still very raw disgrace of the stolen generation. How can things be made right? Maybe they can’t now, maybe it’s too late.

I’m hoping it’ll be sunny again soon, I’ve had to start wearing jeans again, and that just won’t do.