This week, I dragged me, my beanie and pom poms out to forget that if the Broncos had not played like sheilas this season they would have made the finals.
Unknown to me, Souths Leagues Club was taken over the night I planned to get pissed by ladies who might be full-forwards, but who were more interested in discussing the federal election than King Wally.
Given my interest in politics is located somewhere between could not give a rats and bollocks, I thought enduring the Women’s Electoral Lobby election forum would confirm my decision not to vote on October 9.
Unaccustomed to these events, it was surprising that when a question is put it will not necessarily be about someone’s groin, will always be prefaced by a statement and is likely to be so long you could bleach your hair, watch a Vin Diesel movie and have sex with a fellow who cares about your pleasure and it would still be being asked when you got back.
Fortunately, most questions were answered as if they were about someone’s groin.
The speakers, including charismatic Hetty Johnson, dead dull Senator Joe Ludwig and a goofball from the Nationals called Barnaby Joyce, used their limited time to raise a number of interesting issues such as the casualisation of the labour market, drugs, the disempowering of the Office of the Status of Women and child abuse.
For a bloke from the bush, Joyce seemed nervous and kicked off his contribution by wondering whether he was going to get out alive.
Given he, if not his party, appeared to be breathing last I looked I assume he did, but his opinions about small business and maternity leave suggest he should not have.
In Joyce’s defence he was the only conservative besides Ludwig who showed (Dr Tall may have been on a house call) and his experience working with St Vincent de Paul in outback Queensland has given him knowledge of violence in non-indigenous and indigenous communities.
Except for different emphases, the Greens, Australian Democrats and ALP generally agreed we need the strengthening of anti-discrimination laws, education about domestic violence and the provision of child care.
Besides semi-Liberal Joyce, the participants displayed a definite faith in the state’s ability to make a positive impact on women’s lives.
Unfortunately, catty asides about the Democrats’ preference deal with the Family First Party and the Greens voting record in relation to same-sex marriage failed to result in the biff many of us were eagerly awaiting.
Frederika Steen, soon to poll next to nothing for the Democrats in Moreton, did come up with an almost violent metaphor when she claimed that for 27 years the Democrats have been a burr in the saddle of anyone running the country.
Alas for Ms Steen, the Democrats are a pain in the arse, but more to each other than anyone else.
According to Socialist Alliance, men are not the problem, capitalism is.
All I can say is they obviously do not hang out with the ones I do, and I bet you would be hard pressed to purchase a Broncos stubby holder under any other economic system.
An interesting night, but when I go to bingo I better be crossing off legs eleven and not listening to some political aspirant postulating about what a terrific influence they and possibly their party will have once they get elected.
Note – the WEL election Forum took place on Monday 20 at Souths Leagues Club, West End in Brisbane