The conversation.

Firstly, take a big breath everybody. Every single one of you. Read the review, not just the reaction. It is not a bad article. Yes, it does have a few negative barbs. It's a review. 

We must all realise that we do experience music within a small community. This is a blessing and a curse. I love having a family and a community, the ability to know I can wander into shows and say hello to someone. It is a safe scene, and that is much more than one can say about many that exist. The safety of the scene was never in question.

BUT. We cannot just rest upon this community and think that there is not more we can work towards. This is NOT a comment towards Andy or Poison City, but at our wider music group as a whole (even music full stop! All the bullshit 'top lists' are always male dominated). You would be kidding yourself if you did not realise that it is an extremely male dominated scene. This is NOT a critique of any men, this is a fact. It just is. But it is also a scene that has more potential and more ability to be inclusive than most others I have encountered. This is why I am here. This is why I persevere. That is why it attracts so many strong women.

So what we have is a foundation of number inequality, and a set of ideals that embrace equality. This means, that women and men from all ends of the sexuality spectrum need to continually work towards promoting their idea of the best possible family we can make. No one does this for you. You do it yourself. The more girls that get out there and start a band, or get behind the mixing desk, or design posters, or book shows... the better. Deep heat? They were my favourite band of Friday, because they were badass and inspiring. The more proactive people, of all genders, that promote our ideal community, the better it becomes. That is why it is flourishing, and why I hope it will continue to.

I have spoken to numerous people at one time or another who have become disillusioned with the 'scene'. Haven't we all? Within any group of people there will be politics and flawed human interaction. But if we all remember why we got here, how we got here to begin with, and know that there are multitudes of people out there that love, support and will continue to attend, play, book, create, mix... then we make the community we want. I don't quit just because I see something I don't like. I speak out, I change it, and I create the world I want to live in. I think both the writer and Poison City both do this too. No one can get complacent. It can always be better.

This is why I was saddened to see some of the reaction. Fuck you who have jumped to a personal attack. I saw one tweet that simply said 'Feminist bullshit'. This I will not stand for. The article said some things you didn't like, so respond in a constructive manner. If you get defensive then nothing good comes of it. You stop the conversation, and we can always talk more. We can always be more inclusive. We can always reach out more. It has always been about the music, so dispense with the normies, the kids, the oldies, the bros, the boys and the other devisive labels. 

Everyone should be welcome. We all know that, it's a no brainer. Let's continue to encourage the conversation and create the community, the family, we want. We're in it because we believe in it.

Where will you be?

That cliched question. You know the one, the one you used to try and dodge from ex-boyfriends/girlfriends/employers/parents/weird relatives at Christmas. 

Where do you see yourself in five years? 

I hated it, then. Back when I thought that having a semblance of routine or organisation in my life meant that I was working FOR the man, not against him. I don't know where I'll be in five years! I don't know where I'll be in five minutes! I do what I want! I'm really easy-going and impulsive!

Jump forwards to a time when I actually might have a five year plan. Or, at the least, I have thought about what I want and worked backwards from then until now to figure out how to get it. This doesn't mean that I am a victim of the system, all it means is that I am thinking about something other than the sandwich in front of me and my hangover.

It is here that we find my utter, guttural, tangible rage on the state of political affairs. 

No you dolt, not in the sandwich. In the plan.

We don't have one. If you asked a politician today whether they had a plan for Australia's future, they would most definitely say yes. They would have a little slogan and maybe even a colourful pamphlet. But how can we possibly have a plan if the state of political debate amongst the populous is so incredibly short sighted? We all yell about immigration policy, about refugees, about boats.

THIS ISN'T AN IMMIGRATION POLICY. This is refugee policy at best, and one that is in violation of international law. And while we are distracted by the shiny 'issues' of whether they are going to take our jobs, we are missing the point. The question is where do we see ourselves in fifty years? We have an aging population, which means less people in the work force, less available taxes and therefore a decline in our precious economy. How do we solve this? I don't have the answer, but we start talking now. We start thinking, 'Hey, perhaps we need more people here, and perhaps we need to educate them, give them the opportunities to learn skilled trades'. 

While we yell about whether the carbon tax and whether it is fair on working families and how much compensation we should be given, AGAIN we are missing the point. It has been agreed at the UN that we must limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees in the next century in order to avoid significant consequences. 

"We must limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees. We are far from there, and even that is enough to cause dire consequences. If we continue along the current path, we are close to a 6 degree increase".

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations (February 2013

The original target to turn around emissions in order to keep below 2 degrees? 2015. Well done everybody, we have already cemented our future. Short term policy focus has meant that it is already too late. It is not a debate about the greenies versus business. This is a global issue that is fast slipping out of our grasp. Think we have refugee problems now? Just wait until we have climate change refugees. This is not far off. 

What what about the economy Rachel? We have to manage that. Surplus surplus deficit deficit. Riddle me this then: Where do we want our economy to be in fifty years? Still growing? Think we have enough resources to sell? Perhaps we should stop trying to prop up old industries and start investing in higher education, in innovation, in technology, in infrastructure and support for the new generations. We have the fortunate position of having the resources now, but if we only think about reinvesting in the same, we are putting all our eggs in one basket, and eventually the chicken will stop laying. My rage is inducing bad metaphors, excuse me.

I have voted. I will watch the results trickle in. No matter who gets in, I will not sit back and dust my hands of politics for another three years. It is now that it starts. If those at the top won't change the conversation, I will. You will. We all will. 

Let's start asking the big questions now. 

Where will you be in fifty years?