Category: Australia

  • An Amazing Story About Stuttering

    An Amazing Story About Stuttering

    Did you know that Australia is a world leader in Stuttering research and treatments? See: The Australian Stuttering Research Centre. But first, let me tell you a story. Many years ago, when I was little, there were always one or two children in school who couldn’t get their words out. They sounded ‘bumpy’ when they…

  • From the Archives: Australian Story

    From the Archives: Australian Story

    I first saw the following video on a Facebook group that I belong to: Armidale Teachers College: The Class of 1961-1962 This was the year, 1963, that I started teaching primary school children in Granville, Western Sydney. The girls I taught were aged 8 and 9 and in 3rd and 4th classes. Some of my…

  • The Republican Movement is Back

    The Republican Movement is Back

    I’m reposting this Conversation article by Denis Altman, to mark my backing of the new model being set up by the ARM. The republic debate is back (again) but we need more than a model to capture Australians’ imagination Dennis Altman, La Trobe University The Australian Republic Movement has just released their preferred model for…

  • Climate Change: Things Australians Are Doing About It

    Climate Change: Things Australians Are Doing About It

    Reference: ABC Online: Future Australia While the Federal government has come to the party at the COP 26 (Glasgow) on net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, our 2030 targets still fall far below what’s needed to keep temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius. But Australian states and some powerful—as well as many ordinary—individuals are doing a…

  • Pandemic States of Australia:

    Pandemic States of Australia:

    A Hermit State Forever More? The normally united states of Australia, have entered a chequered phase of mistrust and anger. Victoria hates New South Wales for not locking down sooner and more severely. (Tongue in cheek!) We here in New South Wales sometimes envy Victorians with their sensible leader/s, while our Gladys has had to…

  • What we’re reading Down Under:

    What we’re reading Down Under:

    On the beach… I live at Coogee, close to the beach in a unit with my husband of 45 years. Coogee Beach is located on Sydney’s famous Coastal Walkway, which stretches from Bondi Beach to Maroubra Beach. The name Coogee is taken from a local Aboriginal word “koojah” which means “smelly place”. Mountains of seaweed…

  • The Pandemic Down Under

    The Pandemic Down Under

    Coronavirus (COVID-19) SARS-CoV-2, The Australian Government is managing the COVID–19 outbreak in Australia as a health emergency. A glossary of terms in daily use in the media in Australia in response to this virus tells the story of how it is managed here. The Main Goal: To keep the numbers of infections and deaths as…

  • Swimming Pools and Happenings in Coogee

    Swimming Pools and Happenings in Coogee

    The Mardi Gras festival for the Gay and Lesbian community (LGBTQ) occurred as usual in March, within stricter guidelines than in the past, because of Covid. Randwick Council showed great initiative in promoting a rainbow coloured walkway on the steps at Coogee Beach. It brightens up the area and makes a statement about supporting stigmatised…

  • Boat People to Australia: a revisit

    Boat People to Australia: a revisit

    In 2015, I titled this post “A Crafty, Callous and Curmudgeonly Crew”, which was a boating metaphor for the members of cabinet at the time. I found their lack of compassion towards refugees and their use of extremist language, quite shocking and depressing. I have decided to republish the post with some amendments, including the…

  • Spring Happenings in Sydney

    Spring Happenings in Sydney

    Whenever I walk through Sydney Hyde Park, past the Archibald Fountain,  along Art Gallery Road, and up to the steps of the Art Gallery of NSW, I remember our six-year-old son, Joel, asking why the names of the Ninja Turtles were displayed at the top of the facade.  He’d just had a six-year-old Teenage Mutant…