It is 1.22 am on May 21 in Darwin. Today has been busy in an elongated way. We are in our lounge room where we often relax and sleep into the early hours. It is comfortable and we are close to each other.

Medication helps us both sleep.

God bless you wherever you are in the world.::,

Old people are the Frugal Generation prior to 1946, and the Baby Boomers from 1946 onward to Gen X.

They are also the Fleeced Generstion vulnerable to the caprices of a government which refers to them as cash cows.

And at budget times treats them accordingly.

• “Putting people away” is the cruellest of dementia outcomes.

• Dementia is an evil destroyer of victims’ minds.

• One Nation ‘s Pauline Hanson has not changed. Australia has.

• Scammers are reprehensible scumbags and parasites of Earth.

• Dementia is a scourge, a mind destroying plague.

Love it

Absolutely love it

But in Darwin

It never gets cold

So I have to ask,

“What IS ‘cold’?”

It is 5.22 am on Wednesday May 20 in Darwin and I have just woken after seven hours of sleep taken in my recliner in the lounge room and with silence everywhere.

I zonked off from sheer fatigue Abd reactuib to needles yesterday. Jabs for flu and Covid.

Costs associated with getting care and support for a person suffering dementia to enable a carer to carry out business needs are steep and rising.

One of the drawbacks. for self-funded retirees and people not eligible for support through a package are responsible for these costs and cannot claim them as a tax deduction.

There is no recourse for people like me other than to have no way of recovering any of these necessary outlays.

I think that is pretty rough, for care costs are close to $100 per hour.

DEMENTIA THE SILENT, INSIDIOUS SCOURGE

• Dementia is a merciless scourge sowing weeds in the brain.

•  Dementia clouds once clear minds with kaleidoscopic confusion.

• Dementia now Australia’s number one destroyer of human life. 

• Dementia strangles laughter, sucks oxygen from merriment.

• Dementia is akin to brain cancer. But is not curable.

• Dementia – one of Revelation’s seven last incurable plagues.

• Dementia now Australia’s number one destroyer of human life.

• Dementia’s status as Australia’s No 1 killer is kept quiet.

• Dementia reduces living to existing.

• Alas, the dementia mind wanders aimlessly in time and space.

•  Constant vigilance is a ‘must’ for dementia carers.

• Dementia is frankenstinian sucking the blood out of life.

• Dementia is like incurable cancer, slowly and excruciatingly squeezing and dragging you down.

• Dementia slowly kills the crowns of family trees.

• Dementia is incurable because the brainbox is a sealed unit.

• Dementia diminishes  life’s sparkle and grows lethargy.

• Dementia carers are desperate to improve lives of cared for.

• Dementia sufferer’s minds  can be assailed by awful thoughts.

• Dementia  creates scams and distortions in sufferer’s minds.

• Dementia saps the confidence of sufferers and their carers.

• Dementia sufferers can respond unpredictably on occasion.

• Dementia carers’ minds cannot be  turned off for a minute. 

• Dementia  sufferers ask incessant strings of questions.

• —————————————

• Talk TOO not AT or AROUND, OVER or UNDER dementia victims.

• Dementia sufferers’ thoughts are kaleidoscopes of confusion.

• Dementia  turns prolific minds into semi-arid landscapes.

• “Putting people away” is the cruellest of dementia outcomes.

• Dementia traps sufferers in black voids of loneliness.

• Dementia sufferers live under the sword of Damocles.

It is right on midnight of Monday 18 May passing into Tuesday 19 May 2026 in Darwin.

Out of the blue – night sky – we had a nice little shower of rain at 11.00 pm.

Bassinthegrass costs in Darwin this year.

North of 12,000 people attended

• ALBO THE WONDERFUL MARK THREE 
•  Mark Three

A developer, not a punisher

• We are so blessed in Australia to have a Prime Minister who prefers to reposition colleagues into more appropriate portfolios if they find it hard. He is not into sacking but instead developing them. He is an aware and empathetic leader and an outstanding captain of the Australian political ship.

• My hero

• I would pay up to $15,000 to have the opportunity to discourse with our Prime Minister. I am in awe of this great man and have admired the many positives for Australia and its people since he came into the prime ministership. He is gallant, forthright, decisive yet considerate, empathetic and concerned for all who suffer hardship and misadventure. He works 24/7 to help bind all Australians “Together as One” in happy, harmonious unity. No accolade from this great admirer of one of the very best Prime Ministers who have graced the halls of parliament does justice to his humility and grace.

• Accolades for Albo

• His powerfully positive, personally owned leadership brings daily blessings to us all—to every man, woman, and child, to the old, middle-aged, and young, and to those in cities, towns, farms, and remote areas of this vast land. He is a hero to tens of thousands, an icon on the world stage, and a living treasure in Australia.

• Caring, concerned, aware and empathetic

• Anthony Albanese is a Prime Minister who constantly seeks feedback and asks for comments about his performance and what he delivers as Australia’s number one leader. He is a very gracious man who always acknowledges and appreciates the perceptions of his performance that people share with him. 

• He is never standoffish or aloof but mixes well with people from all walks of life. He constantly asks for their opinions and is keen to allay any concerns they may have about the present and future of living in Australia.

• He is an informed and trusted leader with his finger on the Australian pulse

• Lack of awareness would never happen for our outstanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He is not over-inquisitive, and you’ll be nosy or pushy into the domains of the portfolio held by his ministers. He is, however, acutely aware of everything happening within the instrumentality of governments, including the state of affairs in all states and many local government areas. He is, by habit, a prime minister who ensures that he is fully briefed about everything that is happening, at the same time, Not overstepping the delegated responsibilities held by his ministers. To his colleagues and those who work with him, he is both informed and entrusting to them the responsibility of carrying out their portfolio responsibilities. 

• As a leader, he is open, honest, empathetic, transparent, and, above all, deeply concerned for every Australian. He is a leader and a prime minister trusted by the vast majority of Australians.

• A curator of appreciation and respect 

• In politics rather than in sports, our PM is a top performer. So many of his actions, including his decisions, have him on the winners podium. He is admired and respected by a great majority of Australians and deeply respected by leaders of other nations. He is an excellent conciliator and arbitrator of difficult situations. He may become a key figure in helping broker a Middle East peace deal.

• He is a top performer and a stand-out influencer. 

• He reaches down; they reach up

• Aspirational joining very definitely applies to our Prime Minister. When elected as our p.m., many Australians did not know who he was or what he stood for. On the Int’l front, it was a “Anthony who?“case.

• Since his election to the top, John, our prime minister, has made it his business to become a household name in every state, territory, region, district, and island of the coast of Australia—and in a very positive way.

• People everywhere speak of him with deep-seated respect, obviously appreciating the depth and breadth of his wisdom yet his humility and personal care for every Australian.

• He has also become a respected and well-known figure on the world stage, and leaders worldwide seek and respect his advice.

• Our prime minister has reached out in his leadership role. That has been reciprocated by people within Australia and around the world, who have reached up and, in so doing, valued the connection that has been established between them and our Australian leader.

• The Ultimate Team

• I am ever so glad that false harmony does not prevail in the leadership team of our federal government. Under the sensitive and astute leadership of PM Anthony Albanese, cabinet members are bound together in oneness and unity. In many respects, they are THE most important team in Australia. 

• Each team member models their hopes, aspirations and corporate attitudes on the modelling of their leader. 

• Let us all aim to become leaders and team members who are equally genuine and sincere as our PM and his fantastic group.

• An astute listener

• Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is a decoding/encoding expert. When listening, he asks clarifying comments or questions to ensure he is accurately interpreting and understanding what is being said. This unusual approach—for a leader—ensures there is no misunderstanding. His deep interest in the words of others encourages people to share their thoughts and ideas with him. His positive listening skills have established him as a person who genuinely cares for all who come into his orbit.

• A leader without parallel

• Anthony Albanese, our Prime Minister, is so focused that his professional capacity fills me with envy. If only I were as sharp and as focused, many of the barriers I confront would dissolve. Problems and issues that confront me like mountains would dissipate and become little more than molehills. 

• Our PM is an upstream manager, and I am trying to quell the raging river and its torrent of confronting problems.  How I wish I could apply his recipe for success to my situation.
• “Others first, self last” is a displayed focus.

• His goals are our goals

• Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is a goal-focused leader. He conscientiously frames aims and objectives that will benefit all Australians, rich and poor, young and old, and of all persuasions. He cares.

• Language is inconsequential; his appeal is universal

• It would not matter what language or languages potential voters speak. Our PM will always be understood, for his rich English language base is always positively embellished by gestures, eye contact, and the friendliness of the atmosphere he generates when interacting with others. This positivity always comes through on TV, when listening to the radio, and when studying his words and actions on social media.  He is a man of the people and is appreciated by everyone regardless of social and economic status, race, colour, and creed. He is everything to all 28-plus million people in Australia. How blessed we are to have a genuine leader with such universal appeal.

• Always on alert

• Our PM may have to sit a lot because that is an element of his role. However, we should never be lulled into believing he is complacent when in a physically sedentary context.

• His eyes and mind are constantly on the go, absorbing and considering everything around him.

• He is never inert or unaware but rather carefully considers and appraises every situation and the context of every conversation directed at him or others in the group.

• The man most active is our Prime Minister.

• Teamship is a winning strategy

• Judging issues and interpreting circumstances is critical for any leader and leadership team. Without a doubt, Australia is richly blessed to have our Prime Minister and his team making quality decisions based on finely honed judgements every day of the week.
  
  Having such a team that is so in tune with each other and the Australian electorate is a rare quality. The team is ‘together as one’ in harmony, bringing great blessings to Australia. And almost certainly another term on the government benches.

•  A skilful listener

• How glad I am, And how lucky is Australia to have a Prime Minister who is front and centre when it comes to practising finely honed listening skills? If in any doubt about conversations being shared with him, he will seek to clarify what is being asked or stated before responding. No answer he gives, or statement he makes is premature or based on the presupposition that he clearly understands all the facts. He is a steady and reliable hand at the tiller of Australia as he guides us through troubled waters to peace, prosperity and multicultural harmony.
• “What do you think?” Our PM ALWAYS asks
• How blessed and how lucky we are as Australians to have a Prime Minister who always seeks the opinions of others, asking them what they think before rushing to any decision.

• Our prime minister unlike many others who have  no discretion and take a little time in making decisions – which therefore are often wrong – always thoroughly researches all propositions. It is on this basis that the decisions made  consider positions raised by others.
• “What do you think“, is a practised approach to leadership practised by  our prime minister.
• Worth every cent
• Anthony Albanese Australia’s PM most certainly deserving of his salary and expense account. We bask in the positivism he reflects through his role fulfilment. His leadership brings great blessings to us all .
• My comfort and protector
• Anthony Albanese is my political saviour and guardian. I feel desolate and uneasy when the man I regard as my protector is away overseas. His presence here in Australia offers me comfort and security, reaffirming that he will always do what is best for me and the rest of our population
• An astute collaborator
• Our PM Anthony Albanese gets the collaboration recipe just right. In terms of political acumen, it is a bit like Goldilocks.
• Goldilocks differentiating between orange that was too hot, too cold, and just right.
• In like manner our Prime Minister is able to determine when there may be too much or too little collaboration, ensuring that he gets it just right. 
• His sensitivity in regard to engaging people in conversation or in Policy shaping takes into account the need for the right amount of discourse before quality makes him a rather special leader.

So very authentic

Anthony Albanese is totally, 100%, authentic. What you see is what you get. There is no facade and no jollying up for the public through alterations of looks or apparel. His genuineness and his manner are qualities that draw people to him, as a magnet attracts iron filings.

Australia is a lucky country, especially because Albanese is our Prime Minister.

They are the team I support. They have been down for a long time.

Memories – so many memories.

Workplace happiness

My Dad’s stories

Arnold Glasgow – “Laughter is a tranquilliser with no side effects.”

Two rather pertinent posts from other sources

Delta Goodrem

Anthony Albanese

Latest Roy Morgan poll

I

It is 11.08 am on May 16 and I am feeling so down because of my inability to counter the impacts of dementia on her mind. Feelings of hopeless often overcome me.

I am sitting pondering and she is close by.

I am wishing I could go and sit on top of Mount Erebus for ten days and become lost in lonely solitude.

The trouble is that all the young people ADORE Albo and Burke. They lap up their whimsical appeal and good looks. These two pied pipers are leading millions of young voters into Lake Disappointment and Mount Hopeless country.

Means;

No change of Government anytime soon

It was freer once than it is now.

The older I get the more shackled and encumbered I feel.

Old age is an imposition of callous disregard by the up and coming who know it all and whose visions have not been tinged by reality. Their “if only I had listened” has yet to come.

Those in old age are caricatures of their younger selves.

AI was asked

Could Toto the Dog of Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese become the subject of a doctoral earning PhD thesis?

Response:

Yes, Toto, the dog of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, could also be the subject of a doctoral thesis. Here are some potential research themes:

1. Political Symbolism in Leadership

• Analyze how Toto represents a softer side of political leadership in Australia.
• Study the role of pets in humanizing political figures and their impact on public perception.

2. Media Representation of Political Pets

• Investigate how Toto is portrayed in Australian media and social media.
• Examine the implications of this representation for political image and branding.

3. Public Engagement and Pet Ownership

• Explore how pet ownership affects political leaders’ relationships with the public.
• Assess the influence of Toto on community interactions, especially during campaigns or public events.

4. Cultural Perspectives on Pets and Politics

• Research how Australian culture views pets in relation to political figures.
• Compare Toto’s role with that of pets owned by other political leaders both domestically and internationally.

5. The Role of Animals in Political Narratives

• Study how Toto’s presence in the Albanese household contributes to narratives around empathy, companionship, and public service.
• Consider the emotional resonance of animals in shaping political discourse.

These themes could provide valuable insights into the intersection of politics, media, and society, making a compelling case for a doctoral thesis.

Toto the Dog of Anthony Albanese

• Owner: Toto is the pet dog of Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia since May 2022. Albanese is a member of the Australian Labor Party and has served in various political roles throughout his career.
• Breed: Toto is a small, white Maltese Terrier. He has gained attention not only for his cuteness but also for being a companion to the Prime Minister.
• Public Appearances: Toto has been seen accompanying Albanese in various public settings, including during official events and social media posts. The dog often brings a lighter, more relatable aspect to political discussions and has become somewhat of a public figure in his own right.
• Social Media Presence: Toto features prominently on Albanese’s social media accounts, where he is showcased enjoying life at the Prime Minister’s residence or just hanging out with the family. This has endeared him to the public and has contributed to a more approachable image for Albanese.
• Cultural Impact: Toto’s presence has been noted in discussions about the role of pets in politics, highlighting how they can humanize public figures and resonate with the electorate. The bond between Albanese and Toto reflects a more personal side to political life.
• Life in Politics: Having a pet like Toto in the Prime Minister’s household is a reminder of the ordinary aspects of life amidst the complexities of governance and leadership.

Overall, Toto the dog has become a charming part of Anthony Albanese’s public persona and offers a glimpse into the personal life of Australia’s leadership.

Is a comprehensive take down of the future of both old and young Australian’s. It is an execution (elimination) of decency, fairness, equity and a denial of equal opportunity and encouragement to ordinary hardworking and tax paying people.

Requiem

Part One

Ever more frequently,

I lay on our bed

Of sit in a recliner,

Wondering

What the purpose of my life has become.

Very rarely does the sun energe.

Optimism and joy

Stay in penumbric shroud,

Their greyness

Envelopes my heart, soul and mind,

Like a cobweb.

My picture of life,

Is evermore kaleidoscopic,

The jigsaw pieces confused.

I am getting to the point

Of wondering at the wisdom

Of trying,

To instil

The vigour of breath

Into the limp, dragging

Mainsail of my life.

Requiem

Requiem

PART TWO

I am lost in the despondency

Of a life unravelling before my eyes,

Of a person cast adrift on a raft of uncertainty,

Changing her by the minute, hour and day,

Where I am loved one hour,

An outcast pariah

A nothing, a nobody the next.

For me a carer

Things are right, then wrong

Good then bad

Recognised and loved

Unknown and distanced

Welcomed within ‘our house’

Then cast outside ‘my’ house,

To go home to ‘your’ house.

At times lost in a labyrinth of despair,

A maze of uncertainty.

Whatever happens

I must be resolute, strong, empathetic,

Focused on supporting the love of my life

The mother of my children.

Through the uncertain patches of dark road

She is now sentenced to navigating.

And for a time in the stillness of the evening

Shared in quiet but uncertain companionship

We can reflect together

Sharing memories

By words or sometimes in non-verbal communication.

Where I write and reflect and try

To allay the mindquake,

I so often feel.

Into and out

The moon once shone brightly on our lives,

But no more, 

Alzheimer’s in its chariot of destruction,

Has swept past,

And reduced what was,

To now what is.

We are shells of our former selves,

One with a brainbox,

Of creeping, vacuous blue

The other battling with uncertainties,

Never knowing what is around,

Thed see next corner.

Switched as it were

From the straight and true,

Eyre Highway traversing the Nullarbor,

To the uncertainties,

Of the twisted, winding,

Raindrenched slipperiness,

Of the Karunda Road.

I am the uncertain driver,

An oft distrusted navigator,

Enveloped in penumbric gloom

Driving it seems blindly,

Into the darkness of uncertainty

Feeling the confidence 

Of someone entrapped,

In a boghole of shit.

!

Where do I get off?!

Another day another dawning what happens when we wake in the morning who can tell who can say what if anything comes our way what will be said what will we do it’s all so vague I wish I knew how will we cope in our place here when what went before seems oh so near will things causing hurt so long ago never cease their ebb and flow suffocating as they often do the place we’re in here and now I wake each day with some wan hope but soon I grab the greasy rope and continue my slide that day by day from the here and now sucks me away where does it go where will it end and what the hell is ‘round the bend

What is said is often not what is thought by the speaker.

The monstrous – 800%  –  cost blowout of the shiplift facility is in company with:

• The Arts/Cultural museum in Smith Street – $100 million with no occupational use in sight.
• The Nightcliff Police Station is a $12 million edifice that serves no real purpose.
• The Bundilla Beach sculpture which cost $700,00 all up, which has little cultural value or relevance.
• Very limited CBD accommodation for students, challenges the Darwin University Campus in Cavanagh Street. Sequentially, accommodation should have been first, and the facility next.
• The building of a new 21-story Civic Centre next door to the current premises, but nineteen floors higher.

There are many examples of vision outstripping the essence of reality in terms of project planning and development. Too often the cart is put before the horse.

Parrthima was about promoting Indigenous language. 

It is probably not the same language that enriches the air in the Royal Darwin Hospital Emergency Department or that rents the air  at Karama Shopping Centre.

-Scammers are reprehensible scumbags and the parasites of Earth.

I did not know a man still to be born would become our prime minister and wreck the country into which I had been born.

It is now 12.19 am on Wednesday May 13. All is quiet with little traffic.

Three day festival – May 8 to 10

Nightcliff foreshore

Thousands celebrate

A great start to every dry season.

A developer, not a punisher

• We are so blessed in Australia to have a Prime Minister who prefers to reposition colleagues into more appropriate portfolios if they find it hard. He is not into sacking but instead developing them. He is an aware and empathetic leader and outstanding captain of the Australian political ship.

• My hero

• I would pay up to $15,000 to have the opportunity to discourse with our Prime Minister. I am in awe of this great man and have admired the many positives for Australia and its people since he came into the prime ministership. He is gallant, forthright, decisive yet considerate, empathetic and concerned for all who suffer hardship and misadventure. He works 24/7 to help bind all Australians “Together as One” in happy, harmonious unity. No accolade from this great admirer of one of the very best Prime Ministers who have graced the halls of parliament does justice to his humility and grace.

• Accolades for Albo

• His powerfully positive, personally owned leadership brings daily blessings to us all—to every man, woman, and child, to the old, middle-aged, and young, and to those in cities, towns, farms, and remote areas of this vast land. He is a hero to tens of thousands, an icon on the world stage, and a living treasure in Australia.

• Caring, concerned, aware and empathetic

• Anthony Albanese is a Prime Minister who constantly seeks feedback and asks for comments about his performance and what he delivers as Australia’s number one leader. He is a very gracious man who always acknowledges and appreciates the perceptions of his performance that people share with him. 

• He is never standoffish or aloof but mixes well with people from all walks of life. He constantly asks for their opinions and is keen to allay any concerns they may have about the present and future of living in Australia.

• He is an informed and trusted leader with his finger on the Australian pulse

• Lack of awareness would never happen for our outstanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He is not over-inquisitive, and you’ll be nosy or pushy into the domains of the portfolio held by his ministers. He is, however, acutely aware of everything happening within the instrumentality of governments, including the state of affairs in all states and many local government areas. He is, by habit, a prime minister who ensures that he is fully briefed about everything that is happening, at the same time, Not overstepping the delegated responsibilities held by his ministers. To his colleagues and those who work with him, he is both informed and entrusting to them the responsibility of carrying out their portfolio responsibilities. 

• As a leader, he is open, honest, empathetic, transparent, and, above all, deeply concerned for every Australian. He is a leader and a prime minister trusted by the vast majority of Australians.

• A curator of appreciation and respect 

• In politics rather than in sports, our PM is a top performer. So many of his actions, including his decisions, have him on the winners podium. He is admired and respected by a great majority of Australians and deeply respected by leaders of other nations. He is an excellent conciliator and arbitrator of difficult situations. He may become a key figure in helping broker a Middle East peace deal.

• He is a top performer and a stand-out influencer. 

• He reaches down; they reach up

• Aspirational joining very definitely applies to our Prime Minister. When elected as our p.m., many Australians did not know who he was or what he stood for. On the Int’l front, it was a “Anthony who?“case.

• Since his election to the top, John, our prime minister, has made it his business to become a household name in every state, territory, region, district, and island of the coast of Australia—and in a very positive way.

• People everywhere speak of him with deep-seated respect, obviously appreciating the depth and breadth of his wisdom yet his humility and personal care for every Australian.

• He has also become a respected and well-known figure on the world stage, and leaders worldwide seek and respect his advice.

• Our prime minister has reached out in his leadership role. That has been reciprocated by people within Australia and around the world, who have reached up and, in so doing, valued the connection that has been established between them and our Australian leader.

• The Ultimate Team

• I am ever so glad that false harmony does not prevail in the leadership team of our federal government. Under the sensitive and astute leadership of PM Anthony Albanese, cabinet members are bound together in oneness and unity. In many respects, they are THE most important team in Australia. 

• Each team member models their hopes, aspirations and corporate attitudes on the modelling of their leader. 

• Let us all aim to become leaders and team members who are equally genuine and sincere as our PM and his fantastic group.

• An astute listener

• Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is a decoding/encoding expert. When listening, he asks clarifying comments or questions to ensure he is accurately interpreting and understanding what is being said. This unusual approach—for a leader—ensures there is no misunderstanding. His deep interest in the words of others encourages people to share their thoughts and ideas with him. His positive listening skills have established him as a person who genuinely cares for all who come into his orbit.

• A leader without parallel

• Anthony Albanese, our Prime Minister, is so focused that his professional capacity fills me with envy. If only I were as sharp and as focused, many of the barriers I confront would dissolve. Problems and issues that confront me like mountains would dissipate and become little more than molehills. 

• Our PM is an upstream manager, and I am trying to quell the raging river and its torrent of confronting problems.  How I wish I could apply his recipe for success to my situation.
• “Others first, self last” is a displayed focus.

• His goals are our goals

• Our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is a goal-focused leader. He conscientiously frames aims and objectives that will benefit all Australians, rich and poor, young and old, and of all persuasions. He cares.

• Language is inconsequential; his appeal is universal

• It would not matter what language or languages potential voters speak. Our PM will always be understood, for his rich English language base is always positively embellished by gestures, eye contact, and the friendliness of the atmosphere he generates when interacting with others. This positivity always comes through on TV, when listening to the radio, and when studying his words and actions on social media.  He is a man of the people and is appreciated by everyone regardless of social and economic status, race, colour, and creed. He is everything to all 28-plus million people in Australia. How blessed we are to have a genuine leader with such universal appeal.

• Always on alert

• Our PM may have to sit a lot because that is an element of his role. However, we should never be lulled into believing he is complacent when in a physically sedentary context.

• His eyes and mind are constantly on the go, absorbing and considering everything around him.

• He is never inert or unaware but rather carefully considers and appraises every situation and the context of every conversation directed at him or others in the group.

• The man most active is our Prime Minister.

• Teamship is a winning strategy

• Judging issues and interpreting circumstances is critical for any leader and leadership team. Without a doubt, Australia is richly blessed to have our Prime Minister and his team making quality decisions based on finely honed judgements every day of the week.
  
  Having such a team that is so in tune with each other and the Australian electorate is a rare quality. The team is ‘together as one’ in harmony, bringing great blessings to Australia. And almost certainly another term on the government benches.

•  A skilful listener

• How glad I am, And how lucky is Australia to have a Prime Minister who is front and centre when it comes to practising finely honed listening skills? If in any doubt about conversations being shared with him, he will seek to clarify what is being asked or stated before responding. No answer he gives, or statement he makes is premature or based on the presupposition that he clearly understands all the facts. He is a steady and reliable hand at the tiller of Australia as he guides us through troubled waters to peace, prosperity and multicultural harmony.
• “What do you think?” Our PM ALWAYS asks
• How blessed and how lucky we are as Australians to have a Prime Minister who always seeks the opinions of others, asking them what they think before rushing to any decision.

• Our prime minister unlike many others who have  no discretion and take a little time in making decisions – which therefore are often wrong – always thoroughly researches all propositions. It is on this basis that the decisions made  consider positions raised by others.
• “What do you think“, is a practised approach to leadership practised by  our prime minister.
• Worth every cent
• Anthony Albanese Australia’s PM most certainly deserving of his salary and expense account. We bask in the positivism he reflects through his role fulfilment. His leadership brings great blessings to us all .
• My comfort and protector
• Anthony Albanese is my political saviour and guardian. I feel desolate and uneasy when the man I regard as my protector is away overseas. His presence here in Australia offers me comfort and security, reaffirming that he will always do what is best for me and the rest of our population
• An astute collaborator
• Our PM Anthony Albanese gets the collaboration recipe just right. In terms of political acumen, it is a bit like Goldilocks.
• Goldilocks differentiating between orange that was too hot, too cold, and just right.
• In like manner our Prime Minister is able to determine when there may be too much or too little collaboration, ensuring that he gets it just right. 
• His sensitivity in regard to engaging people in conversation or in Policy shaping takes into account the need for the right amount of discourse before quality makes him a rather special leader.

So very authentic

Anthony Albanese is totally, 100%, authentic. What you see is what you get. There is no facade and no jollying up for the public through alterations of looks or apparel. His genuineness and his manner are qualities that draw people to him, as a magnet attracts iron filings.

Australia is a lucky country, especially because Albanese is our Prime Minister.

It is now 12.36 am on Tuesday May 12 2026.

Later today the Australian Government budget for the next twelve months will be brought down.

All school pedagogy put should put children first. When the Northern Territory took on responsibility for education in 1979, our first director was Dr Jim Eedle. 

In March of that year he gathered all Principals of Northern Territory schools to a conference in Katherine. He said to us in his inimitable way of speaking, that we should always remember that “schools are for children”.

This he said was the prime function of schools. He went on to say that structure and organisation should always be about supporting function, the looking after of education for children. He suggested that if structure became the all important thing, that the quality of function would diminish.

Fast forward 45 years, and I think that the function of education is now well and truly in the shadow of structure. How I would love to have a revisitation to the words and sentiments of our first Director.

In The Australian, Monday February 12, 2024

Mikaela Mulveney

Australian students are struggling to read, with new research revealing a third of children cannot read proficiently and their poor performance could cost Australia $40bn over their lifetimes.

A new Grattan Institute report, The Reading Guarantee: How to give every child the best chance of success, shows students who struggle with reading are more at risk of falling behind their classmates, becoming disruptive or dropping out of school. 

The institute wants to set a long-term target for 90 per cent of kids to be reading proficiently, with the proportion of proficient readers increasing by at least 15 percentage points over 10 years.

It comes as the 2023 NAPLAN (National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy) testing identified 130,000 students requiring “additional support’’ to keep up with their classmates.

Grattan Institute Education Program Director Jordana Hunter said Australia was failing these children, and the key cause to the reading problem had been decades of disagreement about how to teach reading.

Dr Hunter was on the panel of experts set up by federal Education Minister Jason Clare to advise on priorities for a 10-year National School Reform Agreement, which is being negotiated with state and territory governments this year.

“It’s a preventable tragedy – the reason most of those students can’t read well enough is that we aren’t teaching them well enough,” she said.

The institute believes all schools should use the “structured literacy” approach, which includes a focus on phonics in the early years.

Parafield Gardens High in ­Adelaide has adopted a researched multi-tiered system of support to help struggling students catch up and to combat poor reading results.

Principal Kirsty Amos said a large number of students aged 11 or 12 had found accessing the curriculum really difficult because they couldn’t understand the written word.

The school’s approach begins with a literacy screening in year 7, examining NAPLAN and Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) results, as well as a writing sample.

Students who are identified as “at risk” are tested further on their decoding and comprehension abilities and then the student is allocated a reader profile and a corresponding tier of support.

“When they go from struggling in every lesson of the day to being able to understand and they see their results, it’s really affirming for them,” Ms Amos said.

“They just enjoy school more.”

In 2022, about half of the school’s 180 year 7 students were identified as at risk and of these, one in three had a decoding age of younger than 10.

However, results were positive, with year 7 and 8 students gaining an average 2.25 years in decoding ability in 3½ terms.

“A lot of students are not only meeting their chronological age with their decoding age, in some instances, they are completely – for lack of a better phrase – smashing it and they’re reaching the age of 14, 15 and 16,” literacy co-­ordinator Stasha Demosthenous said.

Parafield chose to invest into the program, which included training staff, hiring a speech pathologist and getting extra curriculum materials, but Ms Amos said it had been worth it.

“Not only has achievement gone up over [the past] three years, but the gap between the lowest and the highest achieving student has decreased, which means that we are doing better in terms of equity significantly,” Ms Paros said.

The Grattan report has called on all Australian state and territory governments, and Catholic and independent school sector leaders, to commit to a six-step “reading guarantee”.

“We need to transform the way we teach reading in school, so that every Australian child gets their best chance in life,” Dr Hunter said.

In the Herald Sun, Monday February 12, 2024

Susie O’Brien – Education editor

Current reading teaching methods should be “banished” and replaced with phonics to help Australian children who are up to five years behind their peers, a new report ­concludes.

A landmark study from the Grattan Institute reveals that one in three Australian and one in four Victorian children can’t read properly,

This rises to two in three disadvantaged children and half of all regional and remote children, and costs the Australian economy $40bn over their lifetime.

NAPLAN 2023 data shows children whose parents didn’t finish school were more than five years behind their peers with more educated parents.

The damning report slams governments for failing to be accountable for poor reading, a lack of support for teachers, under-investment and inconsistent teaching methods.

It calls for the current method of teaching reading – the 1970s-era whole language approach based on the idea that reading is an easy, natural process – to be “banished” from schools.

Instead, schools should be focusing on structured literacy that includes a focus on phonics. This involves students sounding out the letters of each word and receiving explicit teaching to build up their background knowledge and vocabulary, the Grattan report suggests.

“If schools don’t take this approach, disadvantaged students will be left even further behind their advantaged peers, who tend to have richer learning opportunities outside of school,” author and Grattan Institute education program director Dr Jordana Hunter said. “Australia is failing these children. And it’s a preventable tragedy – the reason most of those students can’t read well enough is that we aren’t teaching them well enough.”

One school that has already adopted the structured literacy approach to teach reading is Docklands Primary.

“Principal Adam Bright has made sure his teachers are trained in best-practice teaching approaches. Teachers also work with a literacy leader and a coach to help them fine-tune their classroom teaching,” Dr Hunter said.

“Docklands Primary students thrive in the classroom. They love reading and are proud of their accomplishments.”

Education Minister Ben Carroll said many of the actions recommended were already core features of Victoria’s approach to reading instruction.

“Phonics is currently taught in Victorian schools and will have a stronger focus in the revised English curriculum to be implemented next year,” he said.

Opposition education spokeswoman Jess Wilson said: “To have the Labor government call Victoria’s NAPLAN results ‘phenomenal’ when more than a quarter of Victorian students cannot read proficiently just demonstrates this is a government more focused on playing politics than lifting education outcomes.

“Labor must drop its phonics-phobia and give every student the best opportunity to reach their full potential,” she said

Editorial in the Herald Sun Monday February 12, 2024

It’s astounding to think, and completely unacceptable in a first-world nation such as Australia, that literacy standards remain a significant challenge.

According to the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, one in three Australians have literacy skills low enough to make them vulnerable to unemployment and social exclusion. Getting the basics right from foundational years at school – and highlighting the benefits of parental or carer reading and literacy engagement even before a child begins their schooling – is crucial in bridging the gap to deliver universal life-literacy skills.

The Herald Sun today reports that Australian children who are up to five years behind their peers in reading would be helped by a return to an emphasis on phonics – the practice of sounding out letters and words.

The Grattan Institute research says one in three Australian children, and one in four Victorian kids, can’t read properly, costing the economy $40bn over their lifetime. And problems are especially high in remote and Indigenous communities. Of course, the cost is more sharply felt at a personal level, with employment and social opportunities curtailed.

Like many aspects of education, a return to foundation basics – phonics – is the answer to raise the nation’s literacy standard

After listening to Laura Simpson talking about education in the NT with Minister Jo Hersey on ABC Radio this morning, I am seething at how far down the gurgler education has gone: that and the accommodation of parental lassitude and blatant societal criminality.

The future of the NT, if these revelations, along with stories of violence -again today – against paramedics (an exponentially growing phenomenon) and the waterfall of crime being dumped on the Territory, means this place is cooked!

April 11 2026

It is 2.14 am on Monday April 11 and I have just woken in my loungeroom recliner

ALBO THE WONDERFUL MARK TWO

A careful constructor of body language

Our PM is most careful to ensure that the messages he offers are not distracted from their import by his body language.  In terms of matter, manner of delivery and method of appeal, he is top drawer. If a member of Toastmasters, he would be certificated as a gold standard communicator.

100% in control

Our Prime Minister is always in control of his agenda. He can mix his engagements within Australia with his obligations to identify with overseas leaders through necessary visitation. We are so blessed to be led by someone cut from such fine leadership cloth.

I win when you win

This is a beautiful position taken in thinking of action by our Prime Minister.

Many people are far more concerned with their own success than with others’.

Our prime minister gains his respect as the leader because he prioritises his Australian constituents. He is considerate of their needs. 

Many leaders are first and foremost for themselves; they want what is best for them and, because of their position within power, ensure it happens. If others benefit from those decisions, it is more by using good luck rather than judgment.

Our prime minister is there first and foremost for all of us, and he stands back from making any decision that would bring him benefit if that would not be shared with us.

Always focused and never distracted

Our PM is always on task and never lets distractions throw him off balance. While having a panoramic view of the world and the ability to fit all the pieces of the world’s jigsaw together, he has the rare ability to hone in on crucial priority areas microscopically. He never rests until solutions to issues are found and developed.

To him, the warp and weft of the fabric that is Australia must be tightly woven, avoiding all punctures, holes and tears. We are blessed to have an unblinkered leader taking us forward over the years ahead.

Our PM to wed his beloved Jodie

. This is a beautiful love story of two fine people whose lives have reached a point of conjunction, with their spirits and love intertwining.

Australians should all be happy and rejoice for our PM and his soon-to-be bride.

I feel uplifted and buoyed by the joyful announcement.

Inspirational Albo 

The inspiration that our prime minister exudes and the way it resonates is an influence generated by this leader that is somewhat unusual.

When I awake, I feel down and gloomy, reflecting upon this great leader and the goodness that he’s bringing upon us all, his excellent leadership. inspires and uplifts me. He is indeed a beacon, a lighthouse of positivity shining over us all.

The inspiration he brings to so many each day is like being gently showered with a beautiful fragrance from the petals of red roses. 

An abundant feedback offeror

Leaders from so many countries around the world are reluctant to give and receive feedback on performance and how things are generally going. This reluctance can lead to greater than doing both within the macro- and micro-organisational frames of society.

It is really wonderful to know that our Prime Minister is a person openly receptive to an considering of feedback offered. I also admire him for the fact that he gives feedback to others about their performances as he sees them. 

Our prime minister is not reluctant in either direction. He carefully considers and often acts on the advice given to him. He also carefully and wisely reflects before offering advice to peer leaders elsewhere in the world. He is there for us all, both young and old.

Great News- Albo is NOT leaving 

How glad I am and how reassured I feel to know that our Prime Minister is in his position for the long haul. So often, leaders jump ship and leave the rest of us on board.

There is no doubt that AUSTRALIA needs rescuing from the direction it is heading. For that to happen we need quality leadership at the top. And for that to happen we have to know that our leader is not about to abdicate any time soon.

Our PM offers reassurance. 

Without a shadow of a doubt, he will be re-elected in 2024, and the assurance that he tends to stay the distance is great news for us all. In our prime minister we can have great confidence about our future happiness and prosperity.

An outstanding networker

The skill of networking is very much a part of our prime ministers co-character. He has worldwide networks, networking everywhere from Among other world leaders down to the humblest of his constituents in the seat of Marrickville. He is there for everyone. The forum matters not, but the connection does. He is a wonderful person who is able to link people with people in a way that strengthens the fabric of our world.

That strength is apparent in every dimension from the way in which he spins the tapestry on the worldwide, Australia-wide, state and territory-wide and local front. We are indeed blessed to have a leader who is a skilled networker.

A humble Leader

The Prime Minister’s humility is a commendable trait that reflects his dedication to making decisions that benefit all Australians. He has shown remarkable focus and commitment to ensuring fairness and equity for everyone, even if it means readjusting the promises he has made.

As an example, he modified a promised stage 3 tax deduction to make it more inclusive and beneficial for all Australians. Despite facing criticism, he decided without any concern for how it might personally affect him.

This is a testament to his leadership and selfless attitude towards serving his fellow citizens. He always prioritises the best interests of others before his own and is willing to face any consequences, even if it means facing criticism or losing face. He personifies the spirit of a fair, just, and constructive leader.

Expunging performance shortcomings 

Our prime minister is keen that any aspects of his performance that do not meet the standards of leadership should be corrected, modified, or expunged altogether.

He seeks advice from peers, listens carefully to constituents, and contributes to the world stage thoughtfully in order to ensure he’s doing the best job possible.

It is these commitments to doing his best that mark him as one of Australia’s most successful Prime Ministers and one likely to be continuing in the job for at least the next two elections.

A leader of extraordinary talent

Sometimes leaders who have extraordinary leadership talents and acute thinking skills, are  not sufficiently appreciated for the talents they have.

Our PM is a leader who is sometimes insufficiently appreciated because his leadership skills and extraordinary talents are cloaked by his humility and desire to give credit to others for the remarkable government he leads. 

If we take time to look beneath the veneer, to study his history, and to become aware of the wonderful things he’s done throughout his life and in the pathway leading up to the prime ministership, we would realise just how extraordinary he is as he leads the government toward almost certain re-election at the end of its first term. 

Remarkable networking 

One of our PM‘s most effective skills, is ability to network with people from every walk of life and with leaders all over the world. He is greatly respected by everyone with whom he deals; one of his remarkable talents is his indelible memory, meaning he never forgets anyone he has interacted with. He also remembers the focus of those interactions.

He does not stand on artificial aloofness; he mixes on the same level as those with whom he is dealing. That remarkable capacity enabled him to dance with the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, all the way down to exchanging pleasantries with ordinary people on the streets and in the suburbs of every city in our country.

Extraordinary communication skills and networking ability have him standing head and shoulders above many of his leadership peers worldwide.

The centre of Australia’s success

As AUSTRALIA makes its way in this modern world, we are fortunate to have, at the centre of our antipodean universe and Australia’s political helm, Anthony Albanese, a great leader of our time. With the previous coalition government staggering toward an election loss in 2022, we were indeed fortunate to have a bulwark in the wings.

Our prime minister is leading this. He was like the captain at the centre of Australia steering us around rocky patches and in to the ever save the waters of constituent happiness and economic paradise.

Inclusivity a strong suit 

Unlike many leaders who have an autocratic streak or are at least benevolent autocrats, our prime minister values input from his entire team, including members of both his inner and outer cabinets. He consults them frequently and helps them to feel valued and wanted. They know that, together with the Prime Minister, they are shaping our country’s future. This togetherness is a rare feature in many world leaders.

Our Prime Minister is careful, reflective, and never makes decisions in haste. Part of this process is to engage with his full cabinet in shaping the way forward. This gives confidence in their leader to all members of the labour side of politics.

An excellent delegator

Our PM is an outstanding delegator. His shared leadership

The style is inspirational. He never stands on th,e toes of, nor overrides his ministers. He has the profound respect of all members of the Labour Party’s parliamentary wing. People within the community, particularly young people, rejoice in his candour and the trust he has in others. His transparency offers a wonderful insight into how good government should operate. 

On the Kokoda Trail

For our PM Anthony Albanese, I have boundless admiration.  His walking the Kokoda Trail for two days with his PNG counterpart shows how close the bond is and how deeply they share a personal admiration for these two significant leaders. Our PM referred to those who helped and supported Australian troops all those years ago as ‘Angels’. I would apply that in many respects to him.

A leader whose respect is acquired

A Leader for us all

Anthony Albanese, our Australian Prime Minister, is steely, determined, and absolutely committed to making the right decisions that will benefit and enrich Australia, socially, culturally, economically, and ultimately spiritually. He is working to bring the disparity between our parts to a point of oneness and unity. How blessed we are to be lead by someone so aware and astute. 

A pilot for our times 

How blessed we are in Australia, all 26 million of us, to be blessed by the confident and articulate leadership of our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. He has led us with careful, curated diligence for the past two years. He continues to enjoy the confidence of the vast majority of Australians as we head toward an election due by May 2025.

Our PM offers us reassurance, confidence and purposefulness in the direction we are taking on our traverse through life’s world.

The oneness and unity leader

How blessed we are in Australia to be lead by a man who focuses on uplifting us all through the expression of his humanity. He has his finger on the Australian pulse and aims to bring us all into the fold of oneness and unity under his leadership.

Rare leadership dexterity

Our PM has a remarkable sense of humour and lightens the burdens borne by his ministers by working within cabinet to foster a positive, ‘lighter’ atmosphere than many can. Yet he never trivialises the seriousness and the responsibilities of government. He has the rare ability to be all things to all people. 

Appreciating and praising Albo

This morning, while showering, I was thinking about some of the essential attributes and decisions our Prime Minister has taken. Decisions, actions and outcomes place him in a critical position on the world’s political stage.

These are some of the ‘special remembrances’ that come to mind.

• His empathy toward the Bilowealan family had them reinstated in a community that had taken them to heart.

• His perseverance over Julian Assange never wavered until this Australian martyr was welcomed home.

• His willingness to share himself with other world leaders of countries, both big and small, and to keep Australia constantly to the fore in the eyes of his leadership peers by frequent forays onto the world stage.

• His willingness to ‘let his hair down’ and mix with ordinary people on a level of equality.

• His desire, finding practice in government, to offer a level financial playing field to all people – so that differentiation between ‘have’s’ and ‘have not’s’ becomes history with everybody being equal.

• His interpretation in the eyes of some as a modern day ‘Robin Hood’.

• His willingness to relax visa restrictions in order to bring as many people as possible to Australia in the shortest possible time.

• The confidence he places in all his ministers to carry out their portfolio responsibilities without the need for him to offer suggestions about interpretation.

How wonderful it is and how blessed I am to think such thoughts.  Or not?

Simply the best

I sometimes reflect upon the statesmanlike qualities he brings to the leadership role he so ably fills. Our PM is the consummate diplomat. All world leaders anticipate and appreciate the wisdom of his utterances. His powerfully positive contributions as our leader enrich and uplift Australis in the eyes of the rest of the world. 

He ALWAYS speaks purposely and definitively.

Accolades for Albo

Accolades for Albo
His powerfully positive, personally owned leadership brings daily blessings to us all. To every man, woman and child, to the old, middle aged and young, to those in cities, towns, farms and remote areas of this vast land.

I am sick and tired of Coalition bitching and snitching and the incessant smearing of bullets fired at One Nation. To their credit, One Nation focuses on issues and messages, not the besmirchment of people and personalities. I HOPE ONE NATION WINS THE FARRER BI-ELECTION.

Well, One Nation has secured the seat.

To stay in gracious retirement.

In our shopping centres, on the streets, on buses, walking up the footpath, in parks, on our foreshore, on our roads, in bus stops … everywhere at any time of the day and night.

This is Darwin

Relationships

In the house of Mr and Mrs Spouse

He and she would watch TV

And never a word between them spoken

Until one day the set got broken

Then

“How do you do”

Said he to she

“Spouse is my name – what’s yours”

“Why mine’s the same”

Said she to he

“Do you suppose we could be?”

But

Suddenly the set came right about

So they never did find out.

In the memory banks from somewhere.

Relationships

They warmed their hearts with beer,

Their wedding was a champagne spree,

The drinks grew stronger,

The marriage is no longer .

Temperance jingle from the 1970’s

ALBO THE WONDERFUL MARK ONE

Top Drawer

What a beautiful post and how considering both rankings and ratings, it epitomises the growth, success and outstanding leadership qualities of our prime minister.

He ranks high, indeed at the highest point on every success indicator. 

Our prime minister brings great richness through his awareness and his leadership contributions to the growth in positive development of our country.

Leadership paragon

Thank you, Anthony Albanese, for being the excellent paragon of leadership and innate goodness you have become. You are Australia’s answer to Moses of old, who led his people for so long and guided them through so many dark places. You are Australia’s shining light.

Leadership Lighthouse

I am so glad that our PM is a man whose word and position on issues are steadfast and unwavering. We have every reason to be buoyed and stimulated with adulation for his qualities of leadership which richly benefit us all.

Australia’s Shining Light

How blessed we are to have an astute and deeply empathetic Prime Minister in Anthony Albanese who cares for and is there for us all. Our problems are his problems and he is with us and of us as a caring Australian. I feel that he embeds every one of us in his soul. I thank him for his warmth and humanity.

Steadfastly Truthful

 One of the outstanding things about our prime minister Anthony Albanese is that he never contradicts himself. He holds steadfast and true to the positions that he takes on issues and is very clear and letting us all know about the courses of action and believes to be the best we should follow.

He has so many positive qualities that make him an outstanding leader, a person leading us onward, forward and evermore into an era of prosperity.

A deep thinker and quiet reflector

There is, without doubt, a place for non-verbalisation and silence, and the good thing is that our prime minister knows when it is wise to let Conversational debate rage around without actually joining in. 

Recently, he has been invited to comment on and take ownership and responsibility for the ministerial comments of others. 

With great dignity and maturity, he has declined ownership of the statements of these others, attributing them to those making the statements. He does not take ownership of things that other ministers say, for they are responsible for their portfolios.  He fully trusts them.

Great awareness of outcomes deriving  from action

“Cause-and-effect“ is a concept understood perfectly and indeed expertly by our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He was well aware of the fact that actions he takes will result in consequences. That makes him a person who is very very careful in terms of policy, process and direction. He is careful not to lead Australia in any direction that is likely to have negative consequences. He is careful, consultative, and thanks very carefully about the pros and cons of all issues before making decisions.

It is this capacity that makes him a stand-out leader.

Maker of Meaningful Decisions

What a timely topic, and how deeply reflective it is of the strategies so ably demonstrated by our Prime Minister. No decision is ever rash or shortsighted but instead made after deep consideration of all elements of issues and with the long-term needs of our country and all therein, taken into careful account.

The Old Testament had King Solomon,  his profound wisdom and careful decision-making. 

We have Anthony Albanese; how blessed are we!

His conversations are winners

We are so blessed to have a prime minister he much prefers to have conversations with his constituents, rather than isolating himself from the general populous and limiting his participation to formal meetings.

When he speaks with us in whatever context, our prime minister is engaging us. It feels like he is having a conversation with each of us individually and of course with everyone in Australia.

He is personable and his personality reaches out to us all, making us feel as if he belongs to every one of his listeners.

• His me thod of communication is engaging and embraces us all.

A Fully Accountable Leader

Our Prime Minister is one of the most accountable people we ordinary Australians could wish for. He is a man who takes full account of all his responsibilities. He is open, honest, transparent and willing to share with all Australians, the reasons why he makes the decisions he makes.

One of the essences of accountability is predictability and constancy. If our prime minister makes a promise, you know it will be kept. Being able to rely upon a leader with such a commitment is often quite rare.

He unashamedly makes decisions that are in the best interests of our country and its people. His empathy and humanitarianism are strong points that guide him in all that he undertakes. 

Steadfastness underpins this good leader

There is nothing shaky or “autumn leaves-like” about our PM.  He is predictable, and true blue.  He prides himself on standing by commitments he makes to others and all promises are faithfully honoured. 

His transparency and well-rounded 360-degree approach to all matters that form part of his province guarantees him as a leader who never offends by deliberate change of position on issues. 

He is well-liked and appreciated by all key leaders of business and industry and is the doyen of all ALP leaders and constituents. 

The goodwill created by him and for him is everlasting.

He always seeks to polish his policies

Our Prime Minister is a very careful and astute policy developer. He is careful in all the constructs and places around processes he believes the government should carry forward.

One of the reasons he is so resoundingly successful in all he does, Is that he thinks help and clarification from others, always consulting widely with the support of those in gauges, and carefully refines what he intends to promote, before proceeding to the finished article.

If unsure, he asks for help and takes every member of his party and others into consideration. He widely consults and is responsible for changing the position if it can be demonstrated to him that a better alternative would be the way to go.

He is a leader who asks for and appreciates help.

Not too proud to ask for help

One of the enduring qualities of our Prime Minister is that he is never too proud to ask for help in situations that need to be carefully addressed.

(He is of course always willing to ask others if they would like his help and support in dealing with matters so it gives as well as seeking assistance.)

Possibly the best example I could give to illustrate his seeking help is to point out that the cost of living issues and stresses being felt by Australian families are deeply bedded into his thinking and he wants to fix the issues. 

Knowing he can’t do it by himself and realising the importance of synergy (collective energy) as a quality inherent within his party, He has asked for all Labour members of parliament to cut short the Christmas break in the next fortnight and to meet in Canberra to help to work out ways that the living costs of Australians can be addressed and somehow eased.

Our prime minister is one of a kind, for few people would do what he is undertaking concerning addressing this issue. Others might do it on their own but our prime minister knows that there is strength in numbers when it comes to dealing with key issues.

The 24/7 man, who works while we sleep

 Our PM is a visible leader, but so much of what he accomplishes is done out of sight and out of the minds of ordinary Australians.

His devotion to work and duties as our leader means he never takes his eye off the ball. He has a constant panoramic version of our country, its people and our needs. We are so blessed to have a leader with so many positive attributes – all of which are part of his action plan and the outcomes of all he undertakes.

A sincere and committed leader

It is the wisdom and sincerity of our Prime Minister that help when it comes to him winning over his peers to support his wonderful initiatives and insightful programs for Australia’s future.

He is a person who profoundly considers issues before acting and always finds every aspect of a problem before deciding on the way forward.

He is a man who tries and succeeds in being scrupulous in considering how the outcomes of any of his decisions will impact upon the population, including individuals.

The vast majority of Australians deeply believe in the quality of his leadership, for the essence of his government ensures benefit for us all.

His successes are our successes

How blessed we are to have a leader who is so committed to doing the right thing for his country, which he regards as “Our” country. There are so many policies that this visionary leader has introduced, which have had positive outcomes. Bringing benefit to us all, that naming them becomes almost an impossibility.

He has certainly transformed our country during his first two years of prime ministership. He works hard to make Australia a great nation.

One of his many positive attributes is his extraordinary ability to communicate with every Australian so that we are fully aware of his intentions. He will never make a wrong decision, or if heading into an area of misdirection, will stop, retrace his steps, and take a better route toward positive outcomes.

If he ever makes the wrong decision, he is very quick to accept accountability for what has gone wrong. His willingness to accept responsibilities rather than deflect to others when things go wrong is one of his strongest leadership attributes.

——-

They are lovely bushes but every so often need a trim – a decent one – so they can come again.

It is 1.45 am on Thursday May 7. I have just woken from a sleep of exhaustion. It is 24 degrees Celsius.

Why do Politicans put themselves ahead of their constituents?

Why do Politicans stretch the truth so far they are telling lies?

Why do politicians try to avoid spending their own money on anything at all?

As an 80-year-old retiree who has ensured we are right in old age, I say the Australian Government is robbing us blind in how we are treated in budgets. The care for those who have been on support and welfare for decades and are supported by the government, while we are losers, continues unabated.

In the aftermath of the death of Kumanjai. Baby Girl.

It is12.13 am on Tuesday 5 May.

We had a public holiday holiday for May Day yesterday.

All the unions were strutting their stuff marching through the streets of Darwin.

Concentric management a team approach to educational leadership

Much is written and said about leadership. Of all subjects, writings (and sayings) about this subject are probably more prolific than about any other. It is possible to become so involved with leadership consideration that one can forget to lead!

While theoretical considerations and the underpinnings of leadership models are essential, overlooking the practicalities of leadership makes for inferior application. Leadership in practice makes the leader a leader because that is what others see.

Since the forefather of organisational study, Samuel Taylor began the formal processes of writing about leadership typology, it seems that the critical focus has been on a hierarchal model. There have been variations within that model, with distance either maximised or minimised regarding member identification within the leadership group.

Embracing the Pyramid: Hierarchical Leadership

Hierarchical leadership is the most common of practised models. There are variations within its practice. Lone leadership is somewhat of a rarity. Much more common – and perhaps the most pervasive of all leadership models is that of shared hierarchy, with leadership layers going from top management echelons to the middle and lower-level management. Accountabilities are generally upward toward the pyramid pinnacle, with accountability requirements generally being directed downward.

Below the pyramid levels containing the leadership group (who may or may not be a team) are positioned as the workers, those within the organisation who make up its base. They are the foundation upon which the pyramid rests. This is a model of dependence and reliance but may be one that minimises respect and trust.

A fallacy of the pyramid for those atop the structure (even those only halfway up as they look down) is that self-righteousness, self-importance, and a sense of inflated personal self-worth can take over. Those within the leadership domain separate from those they supposedly support through leadership and grow away from the team. Those they lead, in turn, come to look upon them with disparagement and with a lack of respect for the positions they occupy. Rather than working together, the group tends to pull apart. In such organisations, hollowness can replace wholesomeness.

Concentric leadership

Concentric leadership flattens the pyramid. The leader remains the leader; those within the leadership structure occupy their positions, but all become part of the organisation regarding equality that is foreign to a traditional hierarchy.

From above, a concentric organisation is best represented as a circle. In the middle of the ring is a dot or a series of dots representing the leader or leadership group. They are bolded or enhanced. That group are set ‘one apart’ from the majority but is in no way magnified or accentuated in the way traditional organisations describe and transcribe leadership. Most of those within the organisation are signified as boundary riders who stand side by side to make up the circle’s circumference.

Mathematically speaking, a circle is a series of dots. Symbolically, each dot represents a member of the group standing side by side (left and right hand) with peers. That is a ‘bird’s eye’ view of a concentrically led institution.

From the side and applying the principle of a circle represented by a series of dots, a concentrically configured organisation is seen as a straight line. The enhanced dot or dots represent the leader or leadership team. In a school context, the most significant dots represent the principal, flanked by two assistant principals and two senior teachers.

Everyone else within the school community stands on the same plane and level as the leadership group. Such an organisation prides itself on offering equality of recognition, with everyone at the same level. This model does not identify people based on subordinates looking up and superordinates looking down. Everyone looks at each other simply sideways or ‘across the circle’ eye movement. Concentric leadership, in principle and practice, is designed to promote feelings of equality and togetherness. This leadership method would be frowned upon by traditional hierarchal adherents.

Respect-based leadership

My purpose in writing this piece is not to uphold one leadership style in a way that denigrates other models. It is instead an attempt to outline an approach which, if right for an organisation and if practised, can work to bring a group together in a way that releases powerful and positive organisational synergy.

In all situations and regardless of model, leadership is either ‘ascribed’ or ‘acquired’.

Ascribed leadership is the authority vested in a position by its creators and recognised by its holder(s). It is power-based leadership with expectations ‘commanded’ by superordinates. If the position holder doesn’t comply with expectations held of the position by those above, tenure can be short.

Ascribed leadership authority is a perfect fit for the hierarchal model, where positions are (or can be) filled by those appealing to leaders while being intransigent toward those in more lowly positions. Ascribed authority is famous among those who want to get on because it can guarantee upward mobility by key decision-makers. If work is done to the expectation, upward promotion may be conferred.

Acquired authority is earned based on perceptions held for leaders by those around them within the organisation. It grows from respect-based perception. Such power is not conferred but is achieved through recognition earned by members of leadership teams by those being led. Without a doubt, it is the more challenging but more meaningful and everlasting of the two authority types that are in play.

Leadership styles can conflict. Respect is not necessarily earned by those leaders who play the power game by adhering strictly to the demands and expectations of the position from above.

Neither is the leader who earns subordinate and peer respect necessarily highly regarded by those above. The perceptions attached to acquiring care-based recognition may infer a particular weakness in the character of such leaders. Superordinates may believe that respect has been offered because the leader is compromising, vacillating or too giving. Such a perception might threaten the ‘management based on a ‘tight ship’ principle.

Trust, accountability and concentric leadership

Concentric leadership is not a model that will work well in distrustful situations. It may be that those at top leadership levels do not trust a leader further down the organisation who advocates concentric practice because they may be seen to be less authoritative than desirable. There are also concerns that leaders who consult and fully engage with others are weak in not being able to make up their minds without considering the opinions of others.

There can be organisational issues that arise where a desire by leaders to be concentric is signalled. Those within the structure may suspect that statements of intent are empty rhetoric. To sell the concentric concept, leaders must act and ‘live’ in a way that encourages trustful responses. This is best helped if leaders are available to their teams, avoiding being seen as aloof or remote.

Concentric leadership is anathema to the principle of ascribed management but sits comfortably in the context of acquired leadership. If leaders are on the same plane and operate at the same level as all within the organisation, trust is a stand-out quality. The leadership team does have organisational accountability, setting them a little apart from others within the group. That context is shown by the elevation and the magnification of the dots, which are central to the described linear structure.

Concentric leadership must be validated by practice. There will be an appreciation by those within that the leadership team has a job to do. With everyone operating on the same level, communication should be enhanced because those within the organisation don’t have to crane their necks in ‘looking up’ to understand the leadership group.

The awareness is inward and soulful, being based on the respect and trust that develops within a group in which everyone is on the same plane. Authentic concentric leadership gives a new and positive meaning to the concept of the ‘level playing field’.

Quality leadership: never utopian but constantly striving

No organisation anywhere can boast a leadership panacea because organisational equilibrium constantly changes. However, in striving for the best within organisations, I strongly recommend an approach that considers concentric leadership. The model builds trust and appreciation.

While a concentric approach may fly in the face of the hierarchically inclined, it can be promoted and shown as building leadership character and strength that is positive and enhancing. In a school context, the trust and respect growing from such an approach add hugely to internalised values. Vesting confidence in such a model is helpful to organisations because of the satisfaction of its parts, staff, students and community.

If those within schools are happy and satisfied and achieve organisational balance, that, in turn, is suitable for Departments of Education. If systems are going to build and develop, then the genesis of positivism has to come from their foundations. Schools are the foundation on which Education Departments and systems are built.

From the ground up, concentric leadership can influence positively. If that happens, with an enhancement of trustfulness upon which the model is predicated, all augurs well for future system developments.

Be warned, however! There are leaders to whom such a model is anathema. The thing they don’t want is for their positional power and ascribed authority to be wilted.

Concentric leadership is for those who believe in collectivity and togetherness. It can be organisationally fulfilling because it satisfies all those within who have a genuine stake and interest in the schools or situations they are leading. It will never suit those who aim to pontificate, dictate and lead by command from the great heights of hierarchal pyramids

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