I note that the Australian Labor Party's Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is "fully behind the Prime Minister" in supporting the deal with Trump. There is something very spooky about having Bill Shorten fully behind you as the previous two Labor Prime Ministers, Rudd & Gillard, found out. No one wants Bill on their '6'. I guess you could say that "I'm fully behind Bill Shorten" and I'm excited about that.

It would be a bit tricky for many Australians to decry Trump's decisions regarding refugees etc in that Australia also is happy to keep breaking the International Convention on Refugees, and it is just that in this case we are begging America to help us to be irresponsible, illegal and unethical, for bizarre political reasons.

Coming from a family of proud military folk, the closest time I ever got to anything Military was when I was asked if I wanted to do officer training in the Australian Airforce. My response...NO. You'd have to be fucking joking. Take orders? Oh, I don't think so. Why the fuck would anyone want to do that? I mean, anyone in their right mind? I am a Fitzpatrick man, and we don't take orders, nor need to ever give them. We are somewhat more evolved than all that. The picture here is that of me wearing an aluminium bowl that was, at the time, the family vomit bowl, as there were many, many kids under parental management etc thus many vomits. My daughter, the remarkable artist, Siobhan Bernadette Fitzpatrick, noted that, when vomiting into the bowl, it had an amazing and dulcet musical echo. There was a whole batch of lovely years lived at and around that time. I loved being a pretty good Dad in the time available. Fly, my minions, fly...

OFFICIAL Somewhere over the Rainbow - Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole

Living in Melbourne After One Month: Overview Melbourne is in Australia, at the South Eastern end of the mainland. It is a city of 4 million people. The climate is temperate and noted as having very changeable weather. Summer days are usually hot, but can be cold. Nights can be warm in the summer months, but also sometimes coolish down to about 12 degreesC...so it has great weather 'flexibility'. Ethnicity The main/obvious ethnic groups seem to be white Anglo-Saxons, Celts, Greeks, Chinese, and some Arabs. Religions are the usual conservative matrix of Anglican/Catholic/Islam and Chinese Christian, which is a bit different. Housing Housing is expensive whether renting or buying. Food Is relatively cheap and fresh and plentiful. Transport Public Transport is very good based upon frequent trains, trams and buses. Where we live We live in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne and are renting. The rent is basically double the rent of anything similar in Cairns, where we come from. In terms of buying a house, well, here, where we are, a simple house of brick, 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, will cost about a million Australian dollars. it will have either a big front or backyard...or at least a goodly amount of out side space. Parks: Big, well looked after parks. Hospitals There is a shit load of hospitals, both public and private Work There is work here in quite a number of industries, and especially in health and service industries Infrastructure In summary: It is a modern medium sized international city with a temperate climate and with all the necessary gear. Access to services is very good. As noted it is the World's Most Liveable City for many good reasons. I am happy we came here.

The Australian Government has painted itself into a corner regarding refugees. They want to send 2500 Iraqi/Syrian and Iranian men women and children to the USA rather than have them settle in Australia. These poor bastards have been on lonely prison islands in New Guinea for years now, and at massive, massive expense to Australia. we can't actually afford to keep them there. As part of the deal with Obama's administration, Australia vetted and made sure and absolutely guaranteed that these folk were really genuine refugees, seeking refuge, and there is no doubt about that at all. that is not in question at all. The question arises: well, as they are real and genuine proven refugees, under international law, then you must accept them. But rather than doing so, Australian Govt wants the USA to take them, fearing a backlash from the Australian electorate...and fearing a hike in new arrival refugees should the present ones get to Australia. The problem with this Fear is that it can't be made into actual Policy or Law...because it is just a Fear, and not based upon any other concern except fear of voter response. The job of governance involves both making clear laws and decisions, and also, very importantly, persuading people. Australia doesn't have anyone in political office with these skills. If the government of Australia has made an absolute failure of persuading Australians as to what is a good thing for all....I don't think they will have much success with persuading Mr Trump. Not fucking likely I would expect.

Noting the expected response from Trump regarding the smart Australian deal to send up to 2500 refugees from prison-islands here to the USA...good folk from Iraq, Iran and Syria... The response was, after meeting with the Australian PM, Malcolm Turnbull, Trump noted 'what a dumb deal! No no no, we're going to take a good look at that.' Thus this is actually the only time in 50-60 years Australia has had a disagreement with the USA as we always do exactly what they want. Even now, we won't say anything negative about Mr Trump...because we are not in any way shape or form an independent nation capable of making independent policy or decisions, or even statements. We are an American Dependency and all of Asia knows this, absolutely and intimately, as does the USA, and the world in general knows this. It is only Australians who don't actually know this. The USA will not solve Australia's refugee dilemma because it is not the USA's dilemma. As Mr Trump noted, the USA has a lot of problems in itself, but it doesn't have other people's problems to solve. We have to solve our own issues properly, ethically and permanently. This is why we employ governments...this is their job. Neither the Government or the Opposition has a clue about how to actually solve this issue that both have blown out of proportion for many years for their own political advantages against each other. Mr Trump was correct: "What a dumb deal!" Click.