THOUGHTS ON THURSDAY

Something that has had Phil and me pondering about of late is all this confusion in Federal Parliament about whether members of parliament are dual citizens or not.  It is to do with a section of our Constitution that says member of Federal Parliament must be Australian citizens.

Two members of the Green Party resigned after they realised they had both been born overseas one in New Zealand and the other in Canada.   Fair enough as legally neither were Australian citizens.  This began a landslide of people quickly checking if they were indeed Aussie citizens as many had parents born overseas which automatically makes them citizens of their father's country of birth.

No my birth mother was born in Australia to Australian born parents although my birth father was born in London. My adopted parents (my legal parents) were both born in London so I am a dual citizen both ways.   I would never consider revoking my English citizenship as I was always in my mind, and proud to be, a British citizen until, in the 1970s, the Labor government decided that was no longer the case and we then needed an Australian passport to travel overseas.  I believe I could have acquired a British passport had I desired to do so as could Phil of course as he was born in England athough he became an Australian citizen back in the 1970s.

Today was the deadline when parliamentarians were supposed to supply proof that they were 100% Aussie citizens by, I thought, presenting their birth certificates and those of their parents and grandparents.  It seems some supplied documents showing they had received confirmation of revoking citizenship of other countries but one side of politics had said this was not sufficient evidence when the other side did it but now their members have done just that...it is all right.

Honestly, don't politicians make you laugh?  Talk about confusion.  Actually Phil and I both feel if their dual citizenship is of a Commonwealth nation then what's the problem.   One can perhaps understand it if the other country involved is not a member of the Commonwealth but......not so.

That's enough of that for now.  Hopefully the same-sex marriage bill will be passed before the end of the year and all this business about citizenship will be too.  The former will delight so many people whereas the latter I am certain will concern very few outside parliament.

By the way I think the injection in my finger has worked to a certain degree.  There is still some swelling and I can't bend it completely but it is much less painful (or are my morphine patches beginning to work?)   Speaking of the patches...I think there is some effect but my stupid back seems to be stopping me walking properly.  I am not complaining.....just mentioning it.

My dear old Phil is now 88 (last Saturday).  No big celebration as part of the family was tied up all weekend but Aimee and Caitlyn came to afternoon tea on Saturday and Karen and her hubby on Sunday afternoon.  Also B was kind enough to replace our 2 smoke alarms which Phil had not been able to do and also changed a kitchen curtain that needed doing.  Phil is OK up a ladder to do ordinary things but not having to look up with his arms above his head.  He reckons it's something to do with getting old.  

I found a birthday card that made Phil laugh...it said  AGE is MIND over MATTER and inside it said "If you don't mind then it doesn't matter".  Phil said he is just so thankful that he is still here to enjoy getting older.

This has been a muddled up post but I'm feeling a bit muddled up right now.  Not sure why but this weather is not helping.   We get 3 or 4 days about 30C (86F) and then a couple in the high 20s and so on.   It is warming up as the next seven days are all forecast to be above 30C with warm nights.  I watch how our eastern state cousins are getting more rain than they want in many places and much cooler weather.  Never mind you can be sure some of our heat will make its way across in a week or so, particularly to South Australia if not beyond.