Friday 17 April 2009

I do not like banks

or the days that I have to go to the bank. I go to the bank once a fortnight - which is too often but cannot be avoided. Going to the bank means a bike ride - 6km there and 6km back. All this is because the bank closed the local branch, even though it had the council's banking and many of the local businesses instead. I do not understand banks.
Anyway I dutifully pedalled off and went via the wool-shop (not for wool). I was endeavouring to make it rain on the way - no wet weather gear and the occasional rain drop. The sun was shining again by the time I reached the bank.
I forgot to go across the road to the Medical Centre and make an appointment to have my 'flu vaccination - Freudian slip? Probably - who likes being injected? I will have to 'phone them instead. Now that should have reminded me but it did not - Dad was supposed to go and see the shoulder surgeon yesterday. We both forgot. He is going to be reminded when he rises this morning and it will worry him even though he can do nothing about it.
As I could not do all the shopping at once I had to go to the supermarket in the afternoon. It reminded me of why I shop early. The place was crowded and, being school holidays, there were the usual children being shepherded around by grandparents who looked as if they wished the little darlings were back at school. I felt tempted to round the children up and dump them at the playground under the eye of an army officer with a loud voice and plenty of disciplinary skills.

We need some discipline in respect of asylum seekers as well. The Indonesian government claims it can do nothing. It could do a great deal more but, naturally, does not want the asylum seekers in Indonesia any longer than it takes them to pass people on to Australia. Australia is a destination of choice. It is not the first destination and it is only possible to acquire refugee status in the first destination.
We should of course take some refugees. It is our responsibility to do so. There are far too many refugees who have languished in refugee camps for years with nowhere to go. Nobody wants them. Australia is no better than anywhere else in this respect. I would be much more sympathetic if those coming on boats had escaped from such places. They have not. The government prefers well educated economic refugees even if their wealth is obtained through criminal enterprise.

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