Anyway, first you have to sell your soul to http://en.gravatar.com/
It’s all a bit odd, upload an image, select what part you want.
Through in a few bat wings and newts and there you have it!

Goodluck!

This Labor inspired stimulus, rightly or wrongly, is about putting cash into the system, and Rudd’s $900 cheques have put out $20billion, most of which in fact has finished up anywhere but at home in Australia. So as for the “Fixing up schools” bit, which Julia inspired, it hasn’t been spent yet, and when it is, it will at least finish up in the hands of our tradies right here in Australia.

As opposed to the rest of Rudd’s stimulus stuff, where much will go overseas, at least this lot will stay right here in Oz. So some will help a few elite schools - so what! It is being spent, and it is going on to our National credit card to be paid back God knows when, how and by whom!!!

The garbage about who are the winners is just that, and you BK should be reporting the issue, not the nonsense of which media is saying something you don’t like.

On topic, I thought it was a good article, and, not for the first time, thoroughly disagree with Mr Sanderson. Just because The Oz shows editorial bias all the time, doesn’t mean anyone should stop tkaing notice. It’s still an abuse of power.

A great big anti-social problem… That will bite Hobart badly in just a few years time…

Bridgewater High School in Southern Tasmania burnt down back in October 2007. By
the way, when we say “burnt” here in Tassie we mean “someone burnt it
down”. Across the state one public housing dwelling is “burnt” every
two weeks.

Bridgewater for those not familiar with it is one of the
poorest places in Tasmania.
According to the 2006 Census:
40% of families are single-parent families (13% nationally)
54% of dwellings are rented (27% nationally)
The median weekly family income is $579 ($1027 nationally)

Bridgewater High School absentee rates have always been high and are running at 30% as of May 2009 and the school had the states worst literacy and
numeracy outcomes
(http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/05/06/71251_tasmania-news.html).

Obviously the Labor Government set up a committee to deal with this loss. Community discussions etc etc. Their latest report is here http://www.education.tas.gov.au/dept/infrastructureprojects/basmert/BASMERTReportApril2008.

Premier Bartlett got right behind the report and said on 29 August 2008:
“This project is a high priority for the Government and will ensure the
Bridgewater/Brighton area receives best practice education.”
(http://www.education.tas.gov.au/dept/infrastructureprojects/basmert/mediareleases/new-direction)

Sounds great. But that’s it. Bridgewater High School last heard of Aug 08. In
the meantime all the students squeeze into the Primary School, which
might account for the 30% absentee rate.

Things are different in the more affluent areas of Hobart though. Duncan Kerr just announced $20million for primary schools. Funny names though, Saint this, Saint
that, Holy Rosary… Most of them (80%-ish) are wealthy private schools.
Of the nine (9) schools getting $20million just two (2) are state run
schools.

I know, my kids go to one of those state schools. The school has so much money coming in they literally don’t know what to do with it. They installed a underground pop-up water system for the oval (bit of a joke in Tassie). Two new classrooms, new library, performing arts centre. Remembering this is for a Primary School… My kids will play happily and learn if you give them a lump of driftwood and a bit
of charcoal… Now the Teachers have decided to get “smart whiteboards”!
Another school nearby put in $43,000 path to the oval (how did the kids manage before that ?)

Yet the poor sods at Bridgewater get nothing… Not even a High School.

That’s what I don’t like about Labor. The “workers party” my lilly-ass.

Please visit the Bridgewater High School website http://www.bhs.tased.edu.au/ .

You can almost see the bitterly held-in tears and feel the sense of betrayal behind the happy facade.

Thanks all the same for sharing with this smaller group of readers. Perhaps you should offer a guest post to the Oz?

I completely agree that much of the political reporting (except for Megalogenis and a few others) in the Australian is thinly disguised Liberal propaganda - but that is hardly news is it? Yes, there is value in pointing out the latest examples of Newspeak but alleging that the Australian’s editorial line is dishonest, pathetic and dishonest is like hearing a NSW Labor minister re-announcing an announcement he made a year ago.

We’ve heard it all before.