I am Suki Lombard.
My first glimpse of life was in Ferntree Gully, Victoria.
I am bi-cultural, bi-lingual and always colour co-ordinated.
I live in Sydney, Australia.
I am very opinionated.
I fund my life by working for the Australian Public Service in an allied health role.
I knit strange, utilitarian things and grow cacti and succulents.
I mother the girlchild (when she needs/wants it) and I do not own one pair of sensible shoes.

You can contact me on: suki dot lombard at gmail dot com

As the stories gush out of Latham’s gaping mouth, I am thinking that the question I should have asked was “how do we manage people suffering with Narcissistic personality disorders and persecutory paranoia in bureaucratic structures?”

The lack of empathy for everyone exposed by his need for a “notice me” behaviour is profound, and only superseded by his belief that almost everyone is involved in a systematic “bury Latham” plot.

As Latham’s rant becomes spew, any hope of insight gained by the ALP into distructive, unhelpful or flawed structures, policies, and cultures becomes more and more remote.
…Long,
longtime waiting.

Section of Echo and Narcissus painting by John William Waterhouse 1903

I believe the ALP will be waiting a long time before they become something remotely close to electable. 
Clearly they were in trouble before this latest round of Latham-inspired damage.  

The furore created by the information contained in the Latham diaries has had me wondering how bureaucratic structures manage dissent, diversity and different opinions.
How do they create mechanisms that allow for new players with different ideas, however improbable and whacky, to be heard, let alone debated and *gasp* implemented?

Generally, people who speak out against the structures, policies, and cultures in their workplaces do so at the expense of their long-term careers.
A person who does not speak out manages whatever emotional investment they have (if they have any) and resigns. Potentially taking all their fabulous, innovative and fresh ideas with them.

Julia Gillard seems to be getting a whiff of an answer…

As much as Latham’s venting is irritating; the alternative is silence-as-you-go which reveals nothing, exposes nothing and has the potential to change nothing.

Image from here

Why would the Health Minister oppose a health response that reduced the need for surgery?
Because he operates on, and is informed by belief.
When Tony with his belief-based views comes in contact with evidence which does not feed into his belief, that evidence is dismissed, diminished or ignored.
Evidence becomes the enemy and so do those that bring it or advocate for it.

Tony Abbott should be removed as Health Minister for allowing his beliefs to override evidence. And in so doing, he rejects outright one of the least invasive health choices available to Australia’s women (and the men who support them) who have experienced contraceptive failure.

Image from here

Pathologising a woman’s hollow muscular organ in the pelvic cavity is nothing new. But now it seems the Nationals in the Senate see the womb as being completely outside the body of a woman. As such, she has no rights to its use, let alone an expectation of access to abortion-on-demand.

“It’s about seeing everything in the prism of women’s rights – particularly women’s reproductive rights – and it’s the first king hit, it’s the first test for those of us who believe men and women are equal. This motion is inoffensive, progressive, constructive and supported by government – if you’re going to vote that down, then bring on the fight guys.”- Senator Stott Despoja.

A woman’s right to control her reproduction is within the gamut of her human rights.

Right now, in Australia, across all states and territories, an abortion is lawful if performed to prevent serious danger to the woman’?s physical or mental health. The mental health clause can be satisfied by a woman stating that she is not able or willing to continue with the pregnancy.
Australian women expect this option be available to them as part of their reproductive rights.
Ron and Barnaby, do not mess with me, Natasha or Lyn.
We will not be silenced on our reproductive rights as women or grrrls!