Felix Herbener

WINTER Where nothing is true When nothing has substance Across the universe Waiting for the void to come Where there is no reason When nothing can feel Pain is all there is Time counts for nothing A world without love The ocean comes to me In rivers of failure Dreams lost in frigid air

NIMBIN From Byron Bay by magic bus Slow train cars and Susan’s sounds In the showgrounds by the park Friends gathered at night with guitars Because love’s fantasy consumed me Because sweet fate and Gunja used me Then in rolling mist as daylight fades Then in stories told by magic glades Rainbows wrought in fire and fear Two gypsy boys and faeries queer Two Tassie punx met in Nimbin town Over the hills and far far away

MANDATORY DRUG TESTING AND THE CASHLESS DEBIT CARD FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS I have read the report on the trial on which the Government’s planned expansion of the trial is based. You can read it here: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/03_2017/final_cdct_evaluation_-_wave_1_interim_evaluation_report_9_february_2017.pdf . This trial seems to have certain flaws, for example in in some communities as many as 49 percent of people refused to participate in the trial. But broadly I appreciate that given increased rates of alcohol consumption by young people, the Ice/methamphetamine epidemic, and the real threat of terrorism, Government seeks ways to control how welfare payments are spent. Because otherwise policing these social problems will become too expensive and not effective. For this I believe the cashless welfare card will be deemed to be a success, and will be retained under future governments. However, the Government’s cashless welfare trial only solves half of...

QUEER POLITICS- PASSION VS RESPONSIBILITY Recently I lost a friendship because of politics. I sent this new friend an invitation to like the Queensland Rainbow Greens facebook page. I did so because I saw a video of a rally for transgender rights in Brisbane. As my friend is transgender I figured he would surely be interested. But no, I got a message soon after from his partner asking me not to send him any political messages. I replied to the person directly “I am an active supporter of the Australian Greens. I think about politics all the time. If you don’t like that then unfriend me and stay away from me”. It did the trick, he unfriended me. But not before sending me a message complaining that I should not force my passion on others. I think I have a right to reply to this so I want to say a few things without identifying the person. Firstly, Jesus Christ had passion, I have a brain. And I use my brain to think thoughts like these. I understand that some people find politic...