Monday 15 March 2010

Tuesday 16th March in the PIS

The Political Interest Society meet this week at 1pm Tuesday in Alice Hoy 102 for our usual biscuits and arguments, then hang out at the Prince Alfred Hotel on Grattan St from 2pm onwards.

On Saturday night we will also be getting together to watch the vote counts for the South Australian and Tasmanian state elections. We’ll have more information for you tomorrow on the time and venue, so keep an eye out!

As always, if there are any topics you particularly want to see on the agenda to be discussed at the official club meeting, email polintsoc@gmail.com or just mention it to me on Tuesday and I’ll try to remember.

This week, the PIS will discuss:

Protest in Thailand

Will the massive anti-government protests in Bangkok this weekend result in any positive change for Thailand?

Paid parental leave

We now have Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott shouting at each other over the issue of parental leave. Do we support parental leave? Does Abbott’s proposed scheme, of paying parents on parental leave at their usual rate of pay, seem fair or equitable?

Anti-whaling activism

It’s hard to find people in Australia who aren’t opposed to Japan’s ‘scientific’ whaling practices – although nothing in this club would surprise me any more – so we’re probably all inclined to support the actions of groups like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, aggressively interfering with whaling boats. But given that they are often quite simply breaking the law, can we justify defending them when they get caught?

Upcoming state elections

The polls are dead close in South Australia and Tasmania could end up with a hung Parliament. This is going to be an interesting Saturday night. Who do we want to win, and who’s going to win?

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