Vision(s) for Australia..

Here's an interesting and encouraging article mentioning what many people have been up to over the last few months.

One host told me her meeting in Balmain - of people ranging from a full-time mum to teachers and a banker, none of whom was a member of a political party - expressed relief that there was a means of talking to government. "There was a general feeling of not wanting the Labor Government to go the same way as the Howard government and stop listening to people," said this host.

That a bunch of "basket-weavers" thinks this way might be scoffed at in Canberra, but the same views came from groups in Rooty Hill and Thirroul, Dubbo and Woy Woy, in Tenant Creek and Alice Springs, Kalamunda and Kununurra, Caboolture and Nambour. Some people drove for an hour to participate, which suggests a level of engagement significantly beyond what is required to simply "click" an online petition.If you want to have your say, GetUp! are running a campaign about "the people's agenda" where you have a chance to rate the issues which are important to you. [Priorities for the new Government]. Interestingly GetUp have alsobeen running a campaign for people to have a say in the 2008 Budget (NB: this closes tomorrow). It will be interesting to read the speeches when Parliament resumes on February 12th this year.