I didn't actually vote for the Greenies, but almost every young person I come across is definitely FOR them. They see us, the older generation (you seem to be in your forties/fifties) as having left them at the very least a difficult world, full of corruption, and climatic problems. No easy way to get a house in Australia nowadays (wasn't easy for me and my hubby either). Problems with our medical/hospital system, pensions don't interest them; work to a degree. If they're not interested in work, you can safely blame a slack upbringing, disinterested parents; lack of education, lack of opportunities. Generally a laid-back lifestyle with not much emphasis on things intellectual here in Australia does not make for a work ethic. (Our country people and some hard-working tradies I've come across will immediately put the lie to this argument - apologies!!) But essentially we indulge our young to have a childhood/youth prolonged into what should be important formative years in the work force.
I'm rambling - but I have held all sorts of divergent political and religious views in my lifetime. It doesn't make me a person without principles, rather I'd like to think a person with an open mind, open to experience and changing situations, and I understand where the sentiment supporting the Greenies is coming from, I have been there myself.
Before slamming all 'pinkoes', please stop and think for one moment what rampant capitalism has done to the world globally - and no, I won't even mention war (that seems to be the lot of mankind); at the moment we are in a global fix which only some form of socialist measure (i.e. taking away the power from most central (private) banks to create money, and making it the government's job, can repair. You just wait and hear the screams, when someone resolute and brave tackles those problems. But that's for another thread.
When I listen to Ms Wong, I am impressed, when I hear and see (what a hairstyle!) Garrett (I know they're both Labor, but 'green' in their outlook) I have - to put it politely - greatly mixed feelings. Bob Brown makes a lot of sense (as yet he hasn't been in a position to actually put his ideas into action); his followers are riding on his coattails and most likely opportunists.
Uranium: here I diverge from the Greenies - it will be the single most powerful force to keep us all in a good lifestyle except those who make money from oil and it will do something for the environment. Australia could look towards a very secure future with the amount of uranium we have.
Gays, Lesbians: as every heterosexual I was/am a little amused, intrigued, concerned, but essentially accepting at how different humans are. If you do just a little research into your extended family you will be surprised that every family has a cousin, uncle, maiden-aunt, niece who didn't marry, or has show signs of not exactly the standard sexuality - they are still loved and accepted, if you have a functioning family unit. I don't think 'marriage' should be available to same-sex couples, but some form of legal recognition for the sake of inheritance, support etc. is acceptable to me (and is in place).
I don't like politicians all that much, but our system is the best we can come up with and I do not know at this stage who is going to get the mantle of 'Prime Minister' but I suspect we are going to get timid and weak leadership from either of them. Again with the balance of power held by third parties, we might get good government; I'll allow myself a surprise.
