Kim Wingerei blog posts
“Without idealists, the pragmatists would have nothing to do…”
Why are we so afraid?
The debate about My Health Records is reminiscent of every such debate since the failed Australia Card scheme back in the eighties. Australians have a privacy obsession. What are we so afraid of?
The ABC needs relevance, not lifestyle!
The ABC Lifestyle initiative is an own goal. Instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator of content, it should focus on quality content and continue to excel its online delivery.
You cannot kill what’s already dead!
Apparently, the sale of Fairfax to Nine is the end of journalism in Australia, the triumph of the cheque book as the only arbiter of a good story and the death knell of democracy. Paul Keating – that most eloquent and cerebral of political alley cats – was particularly scathing in his assessment, but he isn’t alone.
The stakes are too high – the party is over!
Party politics has been allowed to take control over the political discourse at all levels. The voters are disillusioned and disengaged. How do we break the Gordian Knot of partisan control over democracy?
The Naked President
The problem with Trump is not Donald Trump. The really scary part is that nobody is standing up to him.
The Three Pillars of Democracy are Shaking!
Democracy is a system of government designed to protect and uphold the rights of the people. And to protect the people from government. In that sense, the case of the ‘Canberra Two’ is both scary and illuminating.
We need to talk (about) Turkey
Democracy is under threat. From Vienna to Washington, Caracas to Istanbul, men with scant regard for the institutions that uphold democracy have been elected, threatening civic freedoms not just in their own countries, but setting dangerous precedents for others to follow. Could it happen here?
Why Democracy is Broken – A Blueprint for Change
The first book in The Why Series is out now! A democracy upgrade is long overdue. My book outlines a clear and concise plan for how to modernise our democracy, and restore our collective faith in those chosen to govern our future.
Political Donations is a Scourge on our Democracy
Despite the many rules in place to regulate it, political donations remain a scourge on our democracy. The ill conceived ‘Funding and Disclosure’ bill is stalled in the Senate. What we need are simple regulations or maybe even banning political donations altogether.
The Longevity Vacuum
Short term thinking has taken hold of our society at all levels – our political leaders rarely see beyond the next poll or the next election, and in many ways they are responding to a populace that is equally sucked into the demands of the moment – resulting in ‘the longevity vacuum’ – putting us all at the mercy of an unplanned future.
It’s not that hard!
Whether we like it or not, we are all highly dependent on technology. As a self-confessed technology nerd, I regularly get asked by friends to help with the little challenges that the use of technology in our daily lives throw at us. And I generally don’t mind, although a recent gentle admonition by my girlfriend – “do you think everyone should know as much about technology as you do?” – reminded me that I may not always be the most patient “support person” around.
It’s all about respect!
The debate on Cultural Appropriation needs to be put into perspective, and the hoary old chestnut of Political Correctness derails proper debate – it is all about respect!