Happy New Year!

Well, its been pretty quiet around the place lately, with no posts for a week or two - but its Christmas and to be expected. I had wanted to draft a Christmas message to the people, but time got away, and after hearing John Howard's - thought that it's almost impossible not to come off sounding corny and pathetic. Plus, we're new to this job of running a parallel government and not quite ready for a year in review.


Still, we're very much looking forward to our first full year 'in office'; 2007. If the last act of 2006 - the hanging of Saddam (For the record, I can see both points of view on executing Saddam; the Iraqi's have the right to deliever justice as they see fit, yet its plain to see that his death will not bring closure but only greater bloodshed) - is any indication, there will be plenty to discuss and a raft of issues that will continue to plague us. David hicks is still imprisoned, the Earth gets warmer (and drier), Genocide continues in Darfur (make no mistake about that), worldwide war on religious lines beckons, the UN issue letters and does little else, and George Bush continues to steer the US into the ground. The great thing about New Years is that it offers hope of a fresh start, and the promise that things will get better (even if sometimes it feels that they can't get worse).

My ministers and I will officially be back at the coal face next week, and we look forward to seeing our small band of readers then. In the meantime, Happy New Year!

Organ Donation

In a classic episode of the Simpson’s, Grandpas kidneys explode and Homer reluctantly donates one of his. This prompts Lisa to congratulate her dad: “I know you're a little peeved at Grandpa, dad, but you've done a wonderful thing!” and Marge to note: “Yes! You've shortened your life significantly so someone else can have a slight extension of theirs!

While this episode is undoubtedly hilarious, it also prompted me to think about the rather pathetic organ donation rates around the world and the reasons why that is the case. Marge’s astute observation about live organ donation is one thing, but what about the huge lists of people awaiting an organ, such as a heart from a deceased donor? In 2005, there were only 7,593 deceased organ donors in the entire United States (recently 300 million people); while in Australia there were only 204. Considering the large number of patients dying on organ waiting lists worldwide, it seems criminal that such a low number of people are consenting to help.

If you’re wealthy and desperate enough (or perhaps arrogant is more accurate in some cases) rumor has it that a flight to China and a tour of the local prison will solve your personal organ shortage. After picking out a suitable match, the execution of the prisoner is expedited and voila – prison revenue is up, and you got yourself a new heart/liver/kidney etc. It is also said that members of Falun Gong (a persecuted religious group in china) have the most valuable organs, due to their healthy lifestyles – and these are harvested for a premium from concentration camps where they are held.

Now, this may or may not be true – but in any case, the fact is that few Australians can afford this radical solution (financially, or ethically). As far as setting policy goes then, the solution lies (as is usually the case) in looking to the world leader in this area. As it happens, Spain has the greatest number of donors per million of population (35), while Australia is a poor 16th (10). Disappointingly, even Spain falls well short of keeping up with demand.


Legislatively, the difference between the two systems hardly seems significant: the Spanish system requires donors to actively refuse the use of their organs (when no preference is indicated, organs are used), while here in Australia donors have to actively opt-in. There is also the complication of asking grieving loved ones to adjudicate on the decision of whether or not to donate as well as myths surrounding the procedure, such as ““If I'm in an accident and the hospital knows I want to be a donor, the doctors won't try to save my life!” and “Rich and famous people get moved to the top of the waiting list, while ‘regular' people have to wait a long time for a transplant.”

Slight improvements have been made here in Australia, following the formation of the Australian Organ Donor Register (over 800,000 have registered) and the inception of the David Hookes foundation (and the participation of Cricket Australia). However, the waiting list for a transplant regularly remains over 2,000. This Administration proposes the changing of organ donation legislation (in-line with the Spanish), to require donors to explicitly dissent to a donation during their lifetime – as well as an increased effort by the government to dispel the myths that prevent people from participating. Organ donation is one of those issues that few people think or care deeply about; that is until you need it.

Euthanasia

Overnight, former pathologist Jack Kevorkian was granted parole from his Michigan prison after serving 8 years for second degree murder. Kevorkian is colloquially known as Dr. Death for his history of advocating voluntary euthanasia, (also known as assisted suicide or sometimes mercy killing). Between 1990 and 1998, Kevorkian allegedly assisted in the suicide of nearly one hundred terminally ill people who themselves took the final action which resulted in own deaths. Despite a decade of controversy where he widely promoted his views on assisting the terminally ill or intolerably in pain, he crossed the legal line in 1998 by personally administering lethal injections to a man with Lou Gehrig's disease and sent the tape to 60 minutes. His impending release re-opens the emotional debate surrounding euthanasia; a debate this Administration believes should re-explored here in Australia. Settle in, this could be a long post.

For context, Australia has its own pro-euthanasia campaign, begun by our own Kevorkian, Dr. Phillip Nitschke. Nitschke successfully campaigned to legailise euthanasia in the Northern Territory in 1995 (subsequently overturned federally) and founded the group Exit to disseminate his views. The group remains active today, despite federal legislation passed in June 2005 that forbids the viewing or possession of 'suicide promotion material' – which sought, it seems, to end the euthanasia debate in this country. For me, part of the problem during the first round of discussion on this issue was the messenger - as both Kevorkian and Nitschke were viewed as weird (and creepy) angels of death, with media focus very much on their ‘death machines’ and clinical (read heartless) view of the issue. Nitschke’s promotion of plastic bags with elastic bottoms, designed for suffocation (called Exit Bags) is a clear example of this lack of tact.

Other nations have managed to rise above the hysteria, have a discussion of the issues and pass legislation supporting euthanasia. Belgium, Switzerland, and the US state of Oregon all have approved bills while the Netherlands is perhaps the most famous proponent of these laws. The Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide Act took effect in 2002 and 1629 cases were reported the next year. The key to the workability of the Dutch law is the strict guidelines in place for its use. These include: Unbearable suffering, with no prospects of improvement, voluntary (and repeated) request by the patient, full patient awareness of their prospects and verification of the condition by more than one doctor, to name a few.

Now with all that in mind, I think it’s an issue well worth revisiting here in Australia. You only need to meet a single person suffering from a terminal illness, or in unbearable and incurable pain, (or to conceive of yourself in such a position) to believe that these people at the least deserve the option of euthanasia. It is indeed one of the (morally) slippriest slopes in medicine and admittedly, has the potential to be misused. However, following the Dutch model, and this Administration’s own policies on stem cell use – the correct guidelines and oversight would ensure that it was used only for good. Interestingly, the Swiss law guards against misuse of euthanasia by specifically requiring that the motive for death to be ‘unselfish’.

Unfortunately this is yet another issue where the Liberal’s have stifled public debate of a vital issue, and allowed the religious right within their midst’s to have the last say. This Administration is committed to re-engaging the people about euthanasia and working towards a time where it can be legally practiced in this country.

More Than a New Look

This Administration has not sought to comment on the new Labor leadership pairing of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard – frankly because it doesn’t mean much in itself. Labor have had four leaders in the past 3 years, and changing the salesman has failed where changing the product might have succeeded. So far Rudd has spouted the usual rhetoric, but faces his first real chance today to do something different when he names his new front bench. While the media focus on the power of factional forces in allocating portfolios, and speculate on which one Julia will choose for herself – my hope is that he would shake things up entirely by creating some new ministries:

1) Minister for David Hicks and Other Foreign Combatants

Even the most hardened proponents on the War on Terror have trouble explaining why Australian David Hicks has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2002, without charge. Now while I think he’s probably guilty of something having been captured guarding a Taliban tank (and photographed with that famous rocket launcher), and with a history of fighting in the Kosovo Liberation Army – it would be nice for someone who knew the facts to decide that. American officials have described him as the “worst of the worst”, while his father (and lawyer) insist that not only has he not been formally charged, but wonder what crime deserves being held in solitary confinement for much of his imprisonment. Being an Australian citizen should afford you justice, anywhere in the world, and Labor would be well served exposing the Government’s lack of involvement on this issue, with a dedicated minister.

2) Minister for Water and Drought

I know we have a Shadow Water Ministry, its currently held by Anthony Albanese along with the Shadow Environment portfolio – until this afternoon anyway when he makes way for Peter Garrett. What I’m talking about though is a designated Minister whose sole purpose will be to seek out and co-ordinate solutions for our continuing water shortages – beyond the Government’s current subsidy ‘solution’ (subsidies invariably lead to inefficiency and are generally a bad idea). Kevin Rudd is already under scrutiny for a dam he didn’t get built in Queensland over a decade ago, and what better way to answer this criticism than with a concerted effort at finding current solutions.

3) Minister for Religious Harmony

A quick response to Pauline Hanson’s crap is always necessary, but offering some solutions to public concern instead of just calling her a nutbag would help make her pipe down. Now we have a Ministry for Immigration and Multicultural affairs (Annette Hurley and Tony Burke oppose Government Minister Amanda Vanstone), but it has done little to quell growing tensions between ethnic and religious groups in Australia. Approaching the anniversary of the Cronulla Riots, a new minister dedicated to finding common ground between Australian Christians and Muslims (and those not religious at all) would be a positive step. Ongoing harmony between these increasingly large and diverse groups should be a full time endeavor, separate from the issue of immigration and the outdated concept of multiculturalism.

Hopefully, while Mr. Rudd is browsing this Administrations policy positions he agrees that his Shadow Ministry not only needs fresh faces but new directions.

The Bitter Taste of Hypocrisy

Dick Cheney, the Vice-President of the USA, is about as conservative as they come. Representative of many of the right wing ideologies of the Republican Party, he is a controversial figure, to say the least. He oversaw the first Gulf War, while Secretary of Defense for Bush I, and served as CEO for energy giant Halliburton before becoming VP for Bush II. He has attracted media attention over his long political career, most notably for: ‘dodging’ the draft for the Vietnam War, shady financial dealings with former employer Halliburton, his hawkish staging of the current war in Iraq and accidentally shooting lawyer Harry Whittington while hunting. However, it is his implicit support of conservative gay marriage bans that has courted the greatest controversy – considering that his second daughter Mary is gay.

During the 2000 election campaign, Mary worked for the Republicans, who went out of their way to avoid media scrutiny of the clash between her sexuality and the Party’s policies. In fact, she was used to help soften the Party’s hard line image. Rival politicians, particularly John Kerry were admonished when they tried to bring this issue out into the public forum. The issue came to a head in 2004 when the Bush administration supported a constitutional amendment restricting marriage to heterosexual couples, while banning civil unions and other legal rights for gays. Though the amendment failed to pass, divisions within the Party and in Cheney’s personal and public life were demonstrated.

This week Mary Cheney is in the news again after announcing that she and long time partner Heather Poe are expecting a child. The announcement has already prompted a range of denouncements for conservatives across the country, but is a huge positive for gay couples the world over. Again the issue of gay rights is thrust back into the spot light, and it will be difficult to say the least for Mr. Cheney to stake out a position that perpetuates Republican oppression of gays, while anticipating the arrival of a new grandchild. Family Pride executive director Jennifer Chrisler summed it up best when she said: "Grandfather Cheney will no doubt face a lifetime of sleepless nights as he reflects on the irreparable harm he and his administration have done to the millions of American gay and lesbian parents and their children." It’s hard perpetuating discrimination when your own daughter is the recipient.

Trust me, Johnny - Update

It’s been a slow old news cycle lately, with little to get excited about. Today though, the media seems to be overflowing with comment worthy articles, and it’s a welcome change. Overnight, Kay Patterson's private member's bill to allow 'therapeutic cloning' finally reached the floor of the House of Representatives (about a month later than I originally indicated) - and lo and behold, it passed.

Despite the objections of a string of prominent House members, including the PM, newly elected opposition leader Kevin Rudd, old mate Tony Abbott and even champion of the left Peter Garrett – the bill sailed through by 20 votes. For the record, new deputy opposition leader Julia Gillard supported the bill, along with (surprisingly) renowned oppressors Brendan Nelson and Phillip Ruddock. Scientists will now be free to create embryos from donor eggs and use them to extract stem cells for research into a range of debilitating diseases. Finally, they will be free to explore the full range of possibilities that stem cell research offers.

All I can say is: Justice. This Administration was a strong supporter of this bill and has faith in the scientific community to ethically use these tools to advance the treatment of some of societies worst ailments. A conscience vote was the correct way to decide this issue and credit to Howard for allowing it (if nothing else) – and the result brings with it hope to millions of Australians.