For those that fear coming to Australia!

[Ozexpatriate]

Any country were going the lavvie can be potentially fatal experience is a source of considerable consternation to yours truly...

Which inevitably queues up this old chestnut.

 

Not to mention recent news stories about (multiple) bites to dangly bits in a porta-potty.

[monkeysarefun]

Queensland in the 70's and early 80's........

 

Its easy to trivialize it because 'Its Queensland" but it was basically a fascist state under Sir Joh  Bjelke Petersen.

 

There's too much to write down here, , but its just frankly amazing that what went on there just got ignored by the worlds press. If you were under 70 or something years old then  you couldn't meet 2 of your friends in the street because more than two people in the same place at the same time was an illegal gathering and you would be arrested and bashed. And you would be.

 

.In the mid 80's  The Stranglers toured there They were astounded by the police state and the jerrymander and wrote a song about it - 'Nuclear Device'. They COULD have chosen  tropical fish or the barrier reef or girls all sun tanned and wearing  bikinis to write about, but what struck them most was the fascist mental in charge.  Yet most queenslanders loved him and thought he was doing a great job?

 

So yes, Queenslanders ARE mad people!

 

Living through the Bjelke Petersen rule and now seeing Trump sounding like another JBP but with the nuclear codes is really scary.

[Ozexpatriate]

Queensland in the 70's and early 80's........

 

Its easy to trivialize it because 'Its Queensland" but it was basically a fascist state under Sir Joh  Bjelke Petersen.

... They were astounded by the police state and the jerrymander and wrote a song about it ...  Yet most queenslanders loved him and thought he was doing a great job?

"Most Queenslanders" didn't necessarily love him, but the Gerrymander made sure he was reelected and reelected.

 

Not much different than the recent US Federal election really.

 

Flo Bjelke Petersen's pumpkin scone recipe was popular though.

 

Though to your point, Pauline Hansen is presently an Australian Senator representing Queensland.

[Horsetan]

....Pauline Hansen is presently an Australian Senator representing Queensland.

I'll always remember her as the "Oxley Moron".

[monkeysarefun]

"Most Queenslanders" didn't necessarily love him, but the Gerrymander made sure he was reelected and reelected.

 

Not much different than the recent US Federal election really.

 

Flo Bjelke Petersen's pumpkin scone recipe was popular though.

 

Though to your point, Pauline Hansen is presently an Australian Senator representing Queensland.

0

I guess its all swings and roundabouts, because without Joh  we wouldn't have The Saints or the Go Betweens. or any of those angry mental Queensland  bands that made going out to see a band on  Friday night in 1981-2  so great

 

Is a bit weird how the original post was about blood sucking creatures, and here we are at Pauline Hanson..

Edited August 10, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[Horsetan]

....angry mental Queensland....

Says it all, I suppose....

[EddieB]

Did you know that the Hebrew word for toilet, when written out and read from left to right, looks like "Dunny"?

[hmrspaul]

We were flying out of Adelaide in the evening so popped over to the beautiful Belair National Park where we encountered a brown snake

 

 

Fortunately its mouth was full of frog. Unlike our national parks this had all the facilities of a play park, and the wood is of a broadwalk alongside the cricket ground where lots of kids play!

 

Mind, Oz animals are wonderful, my Bros in Law has Koala in the garden - taken from his balcony

 

 

And on our recent visit she was waiting for us as we drove up - a family of roos had only recently started visiting the garden.

 

 

Paul

Edited August 10, 2017 by hmrspaul

[Horsetan]

Did you know that the Hebrew word for toilet, when written out and read from left to right, looks like "Dunny"?

I know a joke about this.....!

[kevinlms]

Now we're going to have (almost certainlty to challenged in the High Court) a non compulsory, non-binfding postal vote on SSM marriage. Remember this is Australia, usually the land of compulsory voting at polling booths.

Anything the current government can do, to get it to fail.

[manna]

G'day Gents

 

WHAT, is the point of a Non Binding postal vote, it means nothing and is going to cost $20 million, might as well have a referendum, Yes or No.

 

If you are going to get bitten on the dangly bits, tell the Dr, just to give you something for the pain, you don't mind the swelling !!!!!!

 

manna

[kevinlms]

G'day Gents

 

WHAT, is the point of a Non Binding postal vote, it means nothing and is going to cost $20 million, might as well have a referendum, Yes or No.

 

If you are going to get bitten on the dangly bits, tell the Dr, just to give you something for the pain, you don't mind the swelling !!!!!!

 

manna

Well we can't do politics here, so you'll have to do your own research on this topic. But yes a waste of $122 million as the estimated cost. MP's could vote next week for zero cost.

[monkeysarefun]

These two turned up on my back deck on Sunday morning wanting a feed . Theres nothing like the sound of  cockatoos s landing on your plasti-glass sheet roofing to make you jump out of bed.

[kevinlms]

Well we can't do politics here, so you'll have to do your own research on this topic. But yes a waste of $122 million as the estimated cost. MP's could vote next week for zero cost.

OK, here's a version of a famous Aussie song, that sums up things rather well.  WARNING, some might be offended.

 

[DougN]

Kev I can not see how any one with a brain could be offended by Tim Minchin's version. I watched it last night. At least we have TIM who points out the stupidity of the situation.

 

As I have said to people, what people get up too in their bedrooms and with who is up to them. The one point I would like to see brought up is the "reduction" in the government benefits ie married pension is less than 2 single pensions! Etc...any how

 

Getting back to the late 70's and early 80's Sunday night viewing, it was either Wonderful world of Disney or as he was renamed in our house Alby Bingles... other than the dog, bikini clad blonde, and poking dangerous animals with sticks, it was his amazing knack for having life threatening car accidents!

 

Blue ringed octopuses- I can remember being at the back beach with my grandmother down at Blairgowrie VIc in about 1982. We happened to be with some old family friends Cmdr Paul Dixon and his wife ( he was always referred to formally with his RN rank! Why I have no idea) when Paul spotted said octopus scoped it up with my bucket (I was about 6 or 8 at the time) and did it in. He thought it was too dangerous with the small number of people around to allow it to live! So other than always being interested in wildlife and those style of programs I had seen the beasts in the wild!

[kevinlms]

Kev I can not see how any one with a brain could be offended by Tim Minchin's version. I watched it last night. At least we have TIM who points out the stupidity of the situation.

 

 

Hi Doug.

 

I put the warning on because not everyone appreciates the language used. Since its used in context in this instance, it doesn't bother me. But at least those who might be offended, had a choice as to whether to view or not.

 

I agree totally, the whole postal vote thing, is designed to fail by the instigators. I sincerely hope it does get up by a significant majority, so that any MP who votes it down, gets shown to be the hypocrites they are.

[ikks]

Hi Doug.

 

I put the warning on because not everyone appreciates the language used. Since its used in context in this instance, it doesn't bother me. But at least those who might be offended, had a choice as to whether to view or not.

 

I agree totally, the whole postal vote thing, is designed to fail by the instigators. I sincerely hope it does get up by a significant majority, so that any MP who votes it down, gets shown to be the hypocrites they are.

I agree, we elect pollies to do our bidding, they are after all, our employees!!............they should do what we tell them to do, in this instance vote in Parliament, the majority are in favour. C'mon for goodness sake, we have lunatics in North Korea and the U.S threatening our very existence, priorities please............and.perspective please

Sorry Mods , delete if you wish but I do feel strongly that they should not continue to absolve their responsibilities.

 

Rgds......Mike

Edited August 12, 2017 by ikks

[monkeysarefun]

I agree, we elect pollies to do our bidding, they are after all, our employees!!............they should do what we tell them to do, in this instance vote in Parliament, the majority are in favour. C'mon for goodness sake, we have lunatics in North Korea and the U.S threatening our very existence, priorities please............and.perspective please

Sorry Mods , delete if you wish but I do feel strongly that they should not continue to absolve their responsibilities.

 

Rgds......Mike

 

It'll be interesting to see the wording of the question, given the cynical way the Republic referendum question was set up to fail..

 

Ah, politicians.The worse they get, the more they cost us. They are planning a new fence around parliament house -  in case terrorists...

 

I don't know the exact size of the area they are fencing, but lets say 50 acres to be generous. Theres heaps of people in Australia with 50 acre properties, If I had 50 acres I'd  get  a couple of quotes from some blokes who'd turn up in utes with a kelpie in the back  and pick the cheapest, -  probably around $10000 or so for some barbed wire?

 

Thats not how the government does it. Along with some other 'security upgrades' THIS  fence is going to cost......$60 million!

 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/60m-upgrade-cost-of-parliament-house-fence-kept-secret-to-deter-terrorists-20170227-gum2aq.html

 

Thats almost half a pointless phone ballot!

 

Remember the happy times? Even the sacking of the Whitlam government,  probably the biggest most divisive political  event in our history, didn't need fences and hundreds of millions of dollars of security around parliament house to hold back the intimidating  vengeful hordes.. In fact we had Norman Gunston standing there with Gough!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9hZ7kjgFh4

 

What other country would have had a comedian centre stage at such an event? Sadly, we wouldn't be able to have it now, either,  because the current self important bunch would think they were getting secretly mocked or something. Which they would be!

Edited August 12, 2017 by monkeysarefun

[DougN]

Well MrF what about the chaser!

 

Yes the fence... well um... Australia does have a thing called a parliament filled with voted for pollies.... if the fence wasn't there... and some thing did happen... I would say... looks like we are having another election! I say this as the old temporary Parliament House... you know the white one down the hill from the new one... the Priministers office had standard glass all the way through to change over so about 1930 until 1988... no need for a fence or bullet proof glass. I guess it would push the fact that the pollies of either and any variety are our representatives.

 

Then again how much is it to have elections all the time vs 1 fence...

 

Any how I just wish the entire lot of them would all sit in the chamber and go... I have a question... why can't we have the marriage act changed to be between 2 humans in stead of man and woman? Let's put it to a vote... yep the I's have it... and on to the important things... the flavour of the muffins in the cafe?...

[Horsetan]

.....What other country would have had a comedian centre stage at such an event?....

Italy? Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement?

[kevinlms]

Well MrF what about the chaser!

 

Yes the fence... well um... Australia does have a thing called a parliament filled with voted for pollies.... if the fence wasn't there... and some thing did happen... I would say... looks like we are having another election! I say this as the old temporary Parliament House... you know the white one down the hill from the new one... the Priministers office had standard glass all the way through to change over so about 1930 until 1988... no need for a fence or bullet proof glass. I guess it would push the fact that the pollies of either and any variety are our representatives.

 

Then again how much is it to have elections all the time vs 1 fence...

 

Any how I just wish the entire lot of them would all sit in the chamber and go... I have a question... why can't we have the marriage act changed to be between 2 humans in stead of man and woman? Let's put it to a vote... yep the I's have it... and on to the important things... the flavour of the muffins in the cafe?...

No need for 'fake' stuff like that!

 

When you have Kevin Andrews publicly making this sort of thing :-

 

 

"Speaking on Sky News, Liberal MP Kevin Andrews attempted to make a case against same-sex marriage, saying the "affection" between gay couples is akin to the relationship between "cycling mates"."

 

 

He should be the public face of a 'No' campaign, with daily statements like that!

 

 

The Tour de France, will never be viewed the same again!

[faulcon1]

I live in Australia and was born here to British parents so I have dual nationality. I've made two holiday visits to the UK. On my first visit my shoes were ruined walking around in typical British weather so on my next visit I took my waterproof work boots. On returning to Australia customs said I couldn't bring my work boots back into Australia because they had British germs on them. I told the silly cow at customs that I had scrubbed them with bleach on my last night in the UK and that my boots were cleaner than her. I also informed her that why didn't she make all the passengers passing through customs remove their footwear me included and throw it in the bin because that footwear had the germs of foreign countries on the soles and therefore these people could unwittingly be bringing into Australia nasty germs without knowing it. The silly cow had no answer for that one and I was allowed to pass through customs with my work boots which were in my luggage.

 

Australia has unique wildlife and a lot of it is deadly to humans but only if humans go looking for trouble. We aussies don't lie awake at night worried that something may have slithered under the covers to share a warm bed with us. If you go bush walking then wear proper footwear and don't wear thongs/flip flops. Most snakes will try to get out of your way as they can hear you approaching. If you come across a snake warming itself just leave it alone. Don't try to pick it up and don't jab it with a stick. Yes people do try these things and a warmed up snake can strike with lethal speed. Our snakes are all venomous as all snakes are for they have to kill their prey before they can swallow it whole. It's the level of toxicity in their venom as the whether their venom has an effect on you or not. The king brown snake is particularly venomous to humans. That snake has a very short fuse and a huge inferiority complex. Where other snakes prefer to slither away as quickly as possible, the king brown would rather hold it's ground and fight.

Kangaroos may look cute but no we don't keep them as pets. Kangaroos fight each other by holding onto each other with their small forearms and then quickly raising their hind legs off the ground to kick their opponent in the stomach. Their stomachs are built to take this sort of punishment but if a Kangaroo kicks a human in their stomach that one kick can rupture a humans intestines. Also if driving and you hit a Kangaroo at dusk and the roo you hit is an Eastern Grey adult you will probably kill the roo and that roo will make your rental car a write off.

Koalas are lovely but they have very sharp claws and if in a wildlife park and you get to hold one be prepared to be peed on. One fact about koalas that isn't widely known is that the species of eucalyptus that they eat is very poisonous and would easily kill a baby koala. The babies stomach and immune system has to be "beefed" up before the baby can eat the poisonous leaves. The mother has a unique way of doing this which for us is absolutely disgusting. When the mother needs to defecate the baby gets under the mother and eats yes eats the mothers poo. This boosts the baby koalas immune system so that later the eucalyptus leaves will have no effect on the baby. Koalas spend a lot of time just sitting in trees because the leaves that they eat have little to no protein in them and therefore they give the Koala no energy. 

Two spiders to watch out for are the Red Back and the Funnel Web the Red Back can kill a child and the Funnel Web can kill a child and an adult in around forty five minutes, unless you seek hospital help and a shot of anti venom. But more people die in road accidents than get bitten by snakes and spiders by a huge margin.         

Edited August 21, 2017 by faulcon1

[SRman]

All of Australia's venomous snakes are elapids, which means their fangs are at the fronts of their mouths, which allows them to deliver the venom very efficiently when they bite. However, not all Australian snakes are venomous; the pythons are constrictors, and our local versions include (common names) the carpet snake and the diamond python. A bite from a python is not venomous or lethal, but can still make one ill due to the bacteria in their mouths. Likewise the bite from a goanna can make one ill.

For spiders, the white tail spider has also gained a reputation for causing a lot of damage to those who have been bitten.

[Gwiwer]

Despite which after 17 years in Australia which included visiting all states and territories except WA I have only ever seen two snakes (both brown) and have never been bitten by a spider there.  The only spider bite I ever had was in the UK - painful and took days to go away but not harmful in any other way.  

[The Blue Streak]

The thing about a white tail, is that although they don't kill you directly, the wound can turn quite nasty, ulcerate and literally rot the flesh for some distance around the bite area. If not properly treated it can cause severe after effects which can eventually lead to a world of drama.

 

The other thing is, that even after the wound / bite has seemed to have healed. The ulceration and other nasty effects have been known to show up again Months or even Years after the original bite.