My mistake. I believed that because Oz is a Commonwealth nation their system of gov't would be the same as Canada's. But Australia has a mix of UK Westminster style and US Congress style. They do still have a Governor General who represents the monarchy tho.
Australia is a Commonwealth nation so they follow the Westminster style ... the same as Britain, Canada, etc. Senators would not be elected, they are appointed, and act as a check on Parliament.
The Australian Labor party has strict penalties for those who undermine its collective positions, and acts of defiance can lead to expulsion - a precedent with a 130-year history.
This is not unique to Auzzie politics. AFAIK every Westernized nation's parties follow the same rule.
My question is if your nation touts its democracy as the best thing since sliced bread, how do you mesh that with dictatorial leadership forcing politicians to vote along party lines, especially on something like this?
Enforced conformity is about as undemocratic as it gets, yet I don't see any big names standing up against it.
I think you forget that women and children still don't have enough power, at any age, to deny any man what he wants. They still die doing that, or are beaten within an inch of their lives, or are fired/written up for refusing sexual advances, or are put in situations where they've received no training but have to run a dangerous machine anyway.
That is not something any child should 'have' to learn.
How about instead we crack down on the businesses that do shit like that ... maybe 1st offense they lose their business ... 2nd offense they lose their life.
50+ years ago when I was 12, I got my first job at an ice cream/burger stand making 0.75 cents per hour. The only downside was my creepy old boss who took great joy in pinching my non-existent breasts and child-sized ass.
2 yrs later I started working at the local pizza joint (legal age to work was 14 back then).
The real problem these days is owners who would abuse the privilege of having kids work for them. I mean you just know that's gonna happen, esp under Shmoe's 'leadership'.
Which is kind of surprising because 25 years ago it was the opposite, based on Revelation 13:16 -- "Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead" ...
which many took to indicate the use of mobile phones as the only way to purchase anything.
I know lots of kids were/are playing those without parental supervision. Those same parents had/have existential fits if their child sees a penis or breasts in a movie.
Someone needs to explain to me why nudity is considered not 'family-friendly' but watching movies/playing video games with massive amounts of bloodshed and death is considered fine and dandy for kids.
I used to carry cash all the time, mostly to have some to give away to those in need. But COVID pretty much shut that down ... and now I'm barely making ends meet so don't have the spare money to give anymore.
(Lytton First Nation spiritual leader Nkixwstn James) was told millions were spent removing debris and sifting soil for archaeological artifacts. She says she refused to let them sift her lot, and refused a government offer of $80,000 to buy her land.
"They wanted the artifacts. I told them, that is my ancestors'," she said. "You cannot take it."
Tommy Douglas is rolling in his grave at what BC's NDP party has morphed into.
