Thoughts from a Bulldozer Driver

I really don't know what to make of  "The Voice".  I wanted to know more about what the actual proposal is, but factual information is distinctly lacking. "The Voice" is a measure proposed by the "Uluru Statement from the Heart", but an investigation of the statement  web page reveals nothing in the way of mechanicals, schematics, or indeed any any information on what The Voice might look like or how it will work. Some vague information has been offered by Prime Minister Albanese, but again, this information has been unclear on concept, yet alone details.  I have no doubt that Mr Albanese and his Government are well-intentioned, and I truly believe that all Australians despair at the plight of our remote Aboriginal Communities in particular. Mr Albanese and a plethora of talking heads have indicated that The Voice is a step towards true reconciliation, justice, and improved life outcomes for those in the communities. So, naturally, the old heartstrings...

In the 1930’s the genius ideology that is Stalinism embarked upon the collectivisation of farms in the Soviet Union. What this meant was that the Government took control of the farms by seizing the land, equipment, livestock and dwellings. Farmers were given the opportunity to stay as an employee, and those that that resisted the seizure of their farms, by physical defiance, or even by simply writing a letter of protest to the Government, were murdered, or bundled up and sent to Serbia where death was a welcome reprieve from their suffering. Of course, no Government can farm as well as a farmer can. The collectivisation program led to several famines and the death of something like ten million (10,000,000) people within just a couple of decades. Even as late as the 1980’s Soviet farmers struggled to achieve the production levels of competing neighbouring countries. In fact, a March 1975 report found that 27% of Soviet agricultural produce was produced by private farms, despite the fact...

  On New Year's Eve 2019, My wife and I were getting ready to attend a party at a nearby town. Just as we were packing the esky, my phone rang. It was my employer who I was expecting to catch up with that night and find out what he and his family have been up to over the last couple of weeks since we commenced Christmas holidays. He told me that our presence was requested to assist with what would become the infamous 2020 Bushfires. My Boss, Duncan, operates a family-owned earthmoving business. I had worked for him for something like nine years operating scrapers, skid steers, wheel loaders, truck & dog tippers and crushing plants. But most of my time was operating bull dozers.  The Dunn's Road fire was out of control, and the RFS and State Forests wanted our dozer to make and clear roads, build fire breaks, clear tree-lines , remove obstacles, etc. So, I packed a bag with a few day's change of clothes, a lunch box, and set off to Rosewood in the foothills of the Sno...