Menzies House

When is enough…enough?

Grant Petras writes on the effect of video games on young minds and health care delivery.

In the early days of Menzies House there was a debate/discussion about the effect (if any) of computer/ video games on children’s behaviour.

I am of the belief that if you desensitise any human to any behaviour you can effectively “train” those human beings to do or be anything, good or bad. Computer/video games, I believe are a big part of the desensitisation process , coupled with the Nanny State interference in how we discipline our children (yes, if the little bugger is playing up and one or two verbal warnings haven’t got the message through, then smack the little darling, you will have his/her immediate attention).

The Fall and Fall of the Australian Labor Party

Grant Petras writes on what Australia needs to prosper now and into the future.

Under Kevin Rudd the ALP did not ‘lurch’ one way or the other, instead it started to revolve on its own axis…and spin…and spin…ever faster.

Under Julia Gillard the ALP has tried to ‘lurch’ sharply to the left, to appease her ACTU political masters that put her in the Lodge, however, as the  whole of Australia can now see, trying to ‘lurch’ whilst still spinning is very difficult, generally resulting a rather un-dignifying fall, otherwise known as going A over T.

How Do You Stop A Runaway Train?

We need to put the brakes on the train wreck that will be the national broadband network, writes Grant Petras.

This article by Terry McCrann should make for complusory reading, and if you read it then you should also get a shiver running up your back.

What a pity this sort of commentary wasn't going around before the election...then again it probably was, but not getting a fair hearing.

The analogy with rail is pertinent, as one who can remember the rail lines being pulled up and closed as road transport took over, being a faster, more efficient service to your door.

Can you make a case for re-electing Rudd?

It's hard to see why anyone would vote for Rudd this time around, writes Grant Petras.

I would think Kevin Rudd and his supporters would, so I will try and be as balanced as I can (and yes, that is said with tongue firmly planted in cheek).

Rudd began his tenure as Prime Minister of Australia with much tokenism and fan fare, a lot of people actually had high hopes that things were going to change. We had the apology, and if that was important to you then that was a good thing, we rushed off and signed Kyoto and we had the mandatory National Summit for “good ideas”. It was a heady start breathlessly reported by an adoring media, but I would offer, a start of little substance. All sorts of promises were made, no more blame game, conservative economic management, less Prime Ministerial travel abroad, more Government accountability, higher standards of Ministerial behavior, political advertising to be curtailed and on it went.

The Rudd Government Health Policy…Initiative or more Smoke & Mirrors?

Grant Petras asks where the detail is in Rudd's health policy.

The Rudd Government believes it has achieved a major breakthrough on Australian health policy with its new agreement with almost all of the States. And it may well have. The truth about this is that no-one will truly know for some time to come, given the lead times and implementation necessary to bring any of this to reality.

To criticise or debate Rudd’s health policy is also very difficult as it is so short on public detail and specifics will only be known to select bureaucrats in high places, but I will have a go nonetheless.