Get Up

If a tree falls in a native Australian forest, should anybody care? 

That’s the question effectively being asked by critics of GetUp’s ‘No Harvey No’ campaign. The campaign was launched in partnership with Markets for Change following a year long investigation into the journey of timber sourced from native Australian forests in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

The investigation found Australia native forests were being logged, with the resulting timber being shipped off to China where it was being made into furniture which was then sent back to Australia to be sold in places like Harvey Norman stores.

Continue reading "Harvey’s massive Aussie forest clearance must stop" »

Gerry Harvey spends a whole stack of money on advertising.

I note this as a disclaimer for the article which follows, which is not intended as a sop to a bloke with deep pockets who helps keep our business afloat. Indeed given the serious trouble I have had as an editor over the years with sooky chief executives at our gouging banks cancelling advertising in protest at editorial content, it’s a novel thrill to write something which an advertiser might enjoy.

Gerry Harvey has become something of a hate figure in Australia today. I’m kind of puzzled as to why. He has probably left himself open to attacks because, unlike other chief executives who prefer to fly under the radar, Harvey speaks his mind and is always prepared to front up for a fight. Apart from having committed the apparent sin of working hard and making lots of money, Harvey is disliked for two reasons.

Continue reading "A campaign without a leg to stand on" »

Sue O’Reilly, who has guest written today’s column on The Angry Cripple is a freelance journalist and the mother of a 21-year-old son with cerebral palsy. She co-founded Australians Mad as Hell last year with Fiona Porter to campaign for an NDIS and established a charity called Fighting Chance to help people with disabilities pay for essential therapy services.

Q: What do disability reform campaigners have to do to persuade Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott to spend some time talking to actual people with severe disabilities and family carers, prior to making a landmark decision on disability reform later this year that will directly affect the lives of several million Australians every day for decades to come?

A:  Raise at least $31,200, obtain tickets for the federal parliamentary press gallery’s exclusive annual mid-winter ball, and then bid at an auction for a few hours of our political leaders’ precious time.

Yes indeed. Seems if you’ve got enough money, then getting Julia Gillard’s or Tony Abbott’s attention is not that seemingly impossible a task.

Continue reading "Julia and Tony should spend a few years in a wheelchair" »

Political donations seem to be a hot agenda item.

The besieged NSW Labor machine suddenly comes up with a solution to starve the Coalition of funds for the forthcoming March 2011 election.

NSW Labor, long the recipient of donations for decisions suddenly thinks only 3rd parties should be allowed to spend large amounts of money on election campaigns, but under their scheme unions as well as left wing fellow travellers such as Get Up are deemed to be 3rd parties.

Continue reading "Where does Get Up! get off?" »