At Home with Trio Lucano

This Evening I had a unique experience enclosed in cocoon of music and song. Angelo, Dora and son Rino Marchese entertained me in a way that reminded me of being in the Court of Louis XIV of France. Their captivating music coming from the repertoire of Naples, Carosone, Elvis Presley, was a feast of sound, rhythm and vocal. Reno has incredible tempo along his father's mastery of the accordion. I visualized the approval of the autocratic ruler demanding entertainment of the highest quality. I didn't have to ask... The songs just kept on coming as if coming out of deep musical veins. 

An experience, this one, that I want to replicate for audiences in my Teatro Padula. I want to create an atmosphere that is quintessential for an appreciation of Italian music that spans a variety of genres: from classical Neapolitan to the unique genius of Renato Carosone. The Original Trio Lucano, consisting of these three family members, spanning two generations, is an example of the wonderful musical heritage coming out of the Region of Basilicata, Italy. The people from this Region are known as Lucani: from the other ancient name of Lucania to describe the people who lived here originally from Pre-Roman times. These people were never fully conquered by the Romans, although there are ancient Roman Citadels in Basilicata that tourists can still visit today.

The musical tradition of the Lucani developed over time within many well-known Paesi. These provided migration fodder after the Unification of Italy and the failure of the new National Government to create an economy that could sustain its people in Sud Italia. Viggiano, the town of Angelo and Dora, provided thousands of migrants to the Americas, other parts of the world and to Australia. The first Street musicians from Viggiano have been playing in Melbourne from after the Victorian Gold Rushes, but especially more prominently since the 1880's. This legacy of street music performers has continued over the last four decades in Melbourne. I Posteggiatori, a type of Wandering Minstrels, headed by Angelo Marchese over the years have seen a few faithful musicians and singers play their brand of entertaining Italian music. They have been seen at outdoor and indoor events in the Italian and in the general Australian Community’s events. 

No wonder then that I feel so elated to be working in these very confined quarters for the filming and recording of the wonderful sounds of the Trio Lucano. I encouraged them all to also sing... Even though tonight it is the turn of Rino Marchese to showcase his talents for the cameras. I am hoping that this Series of Programs will be one of my highlights of this year's productions of TomPadulaTV. So let me now concentrate on directing the programme that has music, song and presentations with reflections on the working relationship of this group of ItaloAustralian artists from Basilicata and Melbourne! Divertitevi...just a reminder that this is Community Television.  Productions of this type could reach higher levels of technical standards with greater resources and more help. We do what we can with what we have... But we do this with heart whilst enjoying this evening at the home of Angelo, Dora and Reno. In the middle of this cold Melbourne winter evening, inside there is a warm feeling of achievement and enjoyment. Can't ask for more!!

Enjoy this Series by clicking here or on either of the photos!

Poetry In Translation Vol.2: Pollution / L'inquinamento

Poetry In Translation Vol.2: Pollution / L'inquinamento

Poetry My Friend: When a Government should go on holidays / Quando u...

Poetry My Friend: When a Government should go on holidays / Quando u...: NOTE: The original poem was first written in Italian and can be found below English translation by Tom Padula. When a Government should go...

Confidence in our Institutions and the Economy

When a system breaks down and is replaced by another untried one, the consequences reverberate through an Economy like a grass fire. Confidence in the market performing steadily has been eroded since the onslaught of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). This lack of confidence is a major catalyst for a wealthy Australia having it tough in some quarters of its economy. Strangely, but not surprising, the section of the population that is having it tough these days are the very people whom we consider wealthy!!! The ones who don't derive a personal benefit from Government and are being done no favours by our Financial Institutions!!!

This is the class of people that once upon a time used to believe in free enterprise, initiative and working over the period of a lifetime to achieve, maintain and then protect their accumulated wealth in order to outlast it through their retirement years. These days they are meeting a wall of opposition if they don't take up the created wealth plan of a self managed superannuation fund. This generally provides for its owner and the vultures that regulate the protected fund. Did I say protected? Sorry, only in the short term I suspect... Time will tell when these funds will be found vanished in thin air! Then it'll be too late to complain about an inability to live off a no longer existing super fund facility!

One good result has been the ability of Government to determine that a tax on the super that you hold will be withdrawn each year. When there is nothing else to feed off, then any Government will have no choice but to impose an impost on these savings!!! After all the Government enticed you to enter into its wealth net in the first place... and when the savings mature... then it's time to pay back! The friends of Governments are the very efficient Institutions that control much of our modern lifestyle in our super controlled society. These are large Corporations that employ a small army of people. However these Institutions are generally a law unto themselves once they are set up. In the past Institutions were driven by a love for the people that they served.

Today's Institutions no longer have their customers' needs as a priority. Yes, each Institution looks after itself. It determines how much needs to be drawn from its pool of customers to maintain the executive arm of its body, from the General Manager to the last foot soldier, and then keeps on charging accordingly. If the customer fails to maintain its contract, then more money is made from late fees, more fines if the late fee is not paid and so on. A customer is not even considered if the latter complains or wants some form of satisfaction. The Institution has the full force of the law on its side. You, the customer, can of course, occasionally, take the Institution on and win... But this is generally a Phyrric victory... a victory that is more of a loss than a real win. It is unlikely that a compensation or fine will be imposed on the Institution... unless you succeed in that unlikely win against the institution's wrong doing.

Institutions are neutral in themselves... It is their officers who become arrogant and dictatorial as they acquire more power within the Institution that they serve. Don't get me wrong: you will occasionally meet a'softie' occasionally and, usually, when the Institution realizes that it got some policy wrong and they allocate a time frame for making amends. However in the majority, these Institutions are not that friendly and nice... on the surface...usually... but not when you want them to do something for you in a time of need. Let's face it, the Institution or Big Business organisation or even a Government Department often behaves in order to further its own interests... like a small business or even like you and me. Can we blame them if they succeed in keeping their power and influence through a particular service to the public? After all each Big Institution needs smart and competent managers to protect its organisation.

So where is my complaint? This complaint is directed at the lack of empathy towards customers who are genuinely wrong or have made a human error... Why is so much institutional angst directed at the very people that these institutions are supposed to serve? Why the build up of unreasonable rules and regulations in order to punish ordinary customers who have their own life to manage? I'll give you some examples... Bank fees, inflexible serviceability factors in lending circles, an electricity company that will give you a discount of $100 if you pay on time, a policeman who is on a power trip fining you for a number plate that's a little faded and apart from the fine you also lose 3 demerit points, a parking fine if you are a few minutes out, a telephone company that sneakily charges huge fees for data that is spammed to your phone. You can add your own personal examples to show the continual hassle with everyday life challenges in a modern city that's becoming increasingly difficult to live in.

Unfortunately, Institutions, Big Business, Public Organizations in all areas of human activity are necessary for the good running of our modern life. Whether these entities are good or bad depends on the managerial class and all those involved in making these work. Rules ad regulations need to be put in place... but we must ask our governments to be vigilant about the abuses of power, the exercise of incompetence, the real possibility of corruption along the very real need for renewal and change as needed. 

It's not easy being a law abiding citizen when those who exercises authority are not the role models for our own individual ethics and behaviour. We must not forget that confidence in our Economy depends on people being encouraged to manage their affairs with a feeling of consistency and trust in their Institutions.

Refugees: Boats or Ships?

After WW2 migrants used to come to Australia on a big ship or by plane. Some were also helped by having their passage to this country subsidised. Many of these migrants went to work on the Snowy Mountain Scheme... creating for Australia one of its major water networks. Others remained on farms to help with agricultural needs and then becoming owners of farm lands themselves. My father worked building railway tracks in Northern and Central Victoria for the first few years. These migrants left a legacy of achievements for Australia. Benefits that still continue to contribute to our way of life. It is a little perplexing that we have not developed a more favourable policy for the resettlement of refugees who come across the dangerous seas on flimsy boats! They are paying top dollar for a dangerous journey to our land of opportunity!

Some people will claim that this illegal act must be stopped. Stop the Boats, protect our Borders and similar type slogans seem a shallow answer to what is a humanitarian reality on a global level. The United Nations should establish ports of call for refugees in countries of origin where people want to escape or in neighbouring countries that attract the 50 million refugees to be served with a first class opportunity to settle in more isolated areas within any particular country of resettlement. We in Australia need to develop the North of this vast continent. We need more people to go into regional Australia and into mining areas.

Our Government should welcome refugees but make it clear that whoever arrives will be resettled for a number of years in newer areas of settlement. This gives our Government the opportunity to monitor progress of resettlement with a view of ensuring that the refugees are actually genuine. After a few years, these refugee migrants will be given the opportunity to become Australian Citizens or Citizens of any Country of their choice where they have resettled. It would be only right that when this happens, the refugee migrant will move around their new country wherever they wish. Mobility with residency and citizenship are rights within a Nation.

I am surprised that a welcome mat has not been laid in front of desperate people who are escaping real or perceived personal dangers. People who are willing to risk it all for a better life. So identify the areas of Australia where people are needed and build these places with the necessary infrastructure that allows people to live with dignity. Coming to live in a large metropolitan area on arrival seems to be the least preferred option. In smaller communities or regional centres it is much more easy to provide all necessary assistance and maintain security within Australia. We have experience in the migrant and multicultural areas that are advanced by the standards of most nations of our Planet Earth. A planet that is a unified geographical reality seen from outer space. So we should develop and use the philosophies of our Indigenous people who believed that the Earth owned us rather than the other way round!

It's soon election time, refugees who are not able to access first class means of transport and the legal welcome that a United Nations led Refugee Program could provide, will keep on catching the only boats available to them to enter illegally the new country of their choice. This is a great compliment to Australia since we obviously have a good reputation around the world for our standard of living, education and health provisions, humanitarian record and many other positive attributes that others perceive in their judgement of this great modern Nation. Let's lead in this area of human suffering by providing assistance according to a formula worked out by the United Nations for our quota of refugees from around the world. Anyone who wants to arrive here illegally should be processed by a United Nations Refugee Organization and be allowed immediate entry ... with the proviso that they sign up to what their host country wants from them.

I am making these suggestions in the hope that people could back up these ideas and provide those in the seat of power alternatives to what has up to now been a very frustrating modus operandi! Give all Boat people a passage on World Class Liners, let the United Nations process these Refugees, put some order to this tragic reality of displaced people. Those people who are not genuine recipient of National generosity must be given a less favourable alternative! But if they are refugees... they are still human and they too need our help. Let fraternity be the answer!

Un giorno a Settembre dall’Australia Voglia di Primavera

Un giorno a Settembre  dall’Australia

Voglia di Primavera

Quest’anno 2011 e’ arrivata un’altra volta la Primavera portando con se’ un venticello mite, i fiori colorati e le piante decidue che cominciano a dare segni di nuova vitalita’. 

E’ un risveglio che viene in mezzo a tanta negativita’ presente negli articoli importanti dei giornali, nelle presentazioni televisive e dell’attualita’ su Internet: con l’economia globale che impaurisce, la primavera araba in piena voglia di piu’ democrazia e partecipazione popolare, i subbugli causati da terremoti, alluvioni, uragani, esplosioni vulcaniche, effetti di radiazione dalle centrali atomiche in pericolo, fame causata da malamministrazione, siccita’, guerre fratricide ed ideologiche, religioni in piena voglia di credenze fondamentali senza flessibilita’ per le nuove condizioni umane dei tempi moderni.

Insomma c’e’ una vera voglia di rinnovamento e di cambiamenti a tutti i livelli: si’, anche climatici. E c’e’ anche voglia di piu’ fratellanza, meno predisposizione ai sistemi usati da Governi e Big Business per controllare e sfruttare le persone, la popolazione in tutti i livelli della vita moderna… dall’uso dei telefonini, dell’energia elettrica e di tanti altri tipi, all’uso di strade con pagamenti diretti, alle tante tasse che si sovrappongono ed ingrandiscono i ‘budgets’ per spendere quello che si guadagna e ritornare agli ‘shareholders’ il meno possible!

C’e’ tanto di piu’ di cui ci si puo’ lamentare; ed e’ proprio questo tipo di informazione che attrae ed allo stesso tempo rende la gente piu’ negativa e con meno voglia di fratellanza! Quando si capisce che si e’ sfruttati, senza essere apprezzati, allora l’individuo comincia ad essere meno propenso a fare del bene… la voglia di fare per se stesso diventa sempre piu’ radicata nell’egoismo e nell’interesse personale. L’altruismo diventa anche fonte di espressione e di condizione sociale per sfruttare ancora di piu’ la popolazione.

I Governi e le Istituzioni si allontanano sempre di piu’ dall’individuo. Gli interessi di quest’ultimo vengono spazzati via ed indirizzati solo al servizio d’occasione di questo o quel dipartimento burocratico o istituzione. Il servizio deve essere pagato da tutti gli utenti, indiscriminatamente, senza eccezioni. Altrimenti ogni individuo deve pagare anche gli interessi e le multe, senza poi parlare di altre punizioni sempre maggiori per imporre il controllo e la disciplina per il pagamento dovuto. Non ci sono spiegazioni ma solo retribuzioni! Anche se si cerca di ricevere giustizia se l’Istituzione sbaglia tramite l’uso del suo sistema o l’impiego di lavoratori incompetenti o istruiti ad agire con indifferenza verso i clienti.

Queste riflessioni mi portano ad essere meno negativo nei confronti dei Governi, delle Istituzioni e dei Big Business perche’ oggi e’ arrivata di nuovo la Primavera. E’ questa ricorrenza annuale che fa fiorire nei nostri animi quella voglia di fratellanza a cui alludevo al principio di quest’articolo. Percio’ anche nei sistemi piu’ svariati della nostra societa’, ci vuole regolarmente un periodo di Primavera. 

Abbiamo bisogno di stagioni dei nostri Governi e di quelli che gestiscono la cosa pubblica e le grandi aree commerciali, industriali e dei servizi.

E’ una necessita’ fare arrivare nella nostra vita, anno dopo anno, l’opportunita’ del rinnovo, la rinascita dei sistemi usati, ripulendo e riadattando i nostri metodi e comunicando con gli utenti a riguardo le ragioni per il rincaro della vita, per i cambiamenti del servizio, ed anche dando a quelli che si lamentano la possibilita’ di vera partecipazione per migliorare i servizi gestiti in loro uso e favore.

Tom Padula 

September 2011

Ottica sul Sud Italia

Ottica sul Sud Italia

Tom Padula – December 2011

Da un po’ di anni visito il Sud Italia e mi sono innamorato del suo magico paesaggio. Io non vedo altro che grande ricchezza di un territorio che attrae per il suo fascino, bellezze naturali e da spiagge attraenti sia dell’Adriatico che del Tirreno. Le Regioni sono Molise, Puglia, Calabria, Basilicata, Campania. Mi chiedo come mai queste zone vengono spesso viste come le povere cugine delle altre regioni d’Italia. Come mai il Governo Italiano o dovrei dire i Governi italiani non riescono a normalizzare e cambiare vecchie pratiche burocratiche che affogano il progresso e le opportunita’ che queste regioni potrebbero offrire ai propri cittadini?

Se consideriamo il territorio del Sud Italia e guardiamo alla sua geografia, si capisce subito che ci sono delle limitazioni e delle grandi opportunita’. Il Sud ha poche citta’ oltre il milione di abitanti. Pero’ ha moltissimi paesi sparsi su tutto il suo magnifico assetto naturale. Circondato dal mare, con pianure e colline, fiumi, laghi, ruscelli, campagne ed aree montuose, si puo’, con i mezzi moderni, visitare comodamente anche tre regioni in un giorno! In questo contesto, il folklore, le tradizioni, il saper vivere ed associarsi con gli altri sono stati sviluppati e sono fioriti generi musicali, letterari e dialetti ricchi di proverbi e vedute sul saper vivere in ambienti non industriali. Qui quello che vale sono le relazioni umane, l’orgoglio civico e l’esser rispettato. La fede in Dio a volte e’ tutto quello che rimane in tempi difficili e precari. La vita e’ qui meno complessa che in citta’, pero’ anche meno soggetta alla paga settimanale o mensile.

L’economia locale e’ limitata dalla visione storica di rendere il territorio produttivo ed apprezzato. Per costruire l’economia al Sud Italia ci vuole la volonta’ politica di scegliere le attivita’ adatte al territorio fisico, ambientale e sociale. La produzione in generale deve essere aiutata da sistemi che allegano le attivita’ industriali, commerciali, agricole, energeniche, mediatiche ed altro, adatte alle esportazioni, al turismo, alla creazione di lavori che utilizzano le abilita’, la preparazione tecnica e le esperienze lavorative dei suoi cittadini. Oggi si puo’ creare lavoro ed attivita’ nei luoghi piu’ isolati del mondo.

Il Sud Italia e’ al centro del Mare Nostrum dell’Antica Roma. Oggi ci dovrebbe essere una piu’ intensa presenza di attivita’ marittime che possano dare al turista mondiale un periodo di vacanze ideali nei Paesi che circondano il Mediterraneo. Percio’ la conoscenza delle maggiori lingue mondiali aiutera’ la popolazione locale a prepararsi per ricevere ed assistere i visitatori. Le amministrazioni municipali, regionali e centrali non devono soltanto occuparsi di facilitare le informazioni, ma essere attenti a completare e mantenere i servizi locali, il trasporto, le infrastrutture fisiche e sociali. In questo modo si potra’ diversificare ed arricchire le esperienze culturali, artistiche, musicali e gastronomiche su questo territorio. Gli Italiani hanno una grande esperienza secolare per essere fra i migliori nel governare il turismo ed il contatto con i Paesi del Mediterraneo e del Mondo.

Scrivo quest’articolo perche’ ho notato che il vivere paesano non puo’ offrire alla popolazione del Sud Italia una visione mondiale. Molti degli operatori provano grandi difficolta’ nell’attuare le proprie mansioni ai livelli burocratici e dei servizi essenziali. La popolazione in generale non si sente partecipe attivamente alla politica per migliorare le strutture del territorio, i sistemi per eseguire pratiche necessarie ed imposte dalle istituzioni pubbliche… dal servizio postale, alle telefonate, all’uso generale dei servizi bancari e tanto di piu’.

Chi fa un lavoro per il turista non sembra essere confidente del suo buon operato. C’e’ sempre l’esperienza di situazioni dove qualche individuo fa il furbo e cerca di sfruttare al massimo il turista. Ma c’e’ anche chi aiuta e cerca di fare il proprio meglio per rendere il soggiorno del turista positivo. Sembra che si vive alla meglio a secondo di quel che si puo’ fare… quindi le mancanze strutturali, dei servizi e di tant’altro vengono accettate filosoficamente. Ed e’ qui che la vita di paese fa diventare pessimisti chi di fatto ha il compito di creare e mantenere le attivita’ che servono. Chi comanda ha l’obbligo di creare programmi di lavoro ed aiutare i cittadini che rappresentano.

Ci vuole piu’ azione politica per comunicare le possibilita’ quotidiane che esistono per migliorare l’immagine del territorio nel resto del mondo. Ci vuole piu’ cura nel promuovere e realizzare un’immagine coerente delle Regioni del Sud Italia. La popolazione locale dei Paesi deve essere piu’ informata delle opportunita’ che il turista puo’ offrire all’economia regionale. I piccoli paesi sono troppo piccoli per creare da soli le grandi opportunita’ che possono venire da una vera comunicazione con i paesi vicini nel Mediterraneo, al Nord Italia, in Europa e nel resto del mondo.

Si dovrebbe invitare politici come Umberto Bossi per fargli apprezzare le possibilita’ che il Sud Italia ha per gli investimenti dal Nord e per i partnership che gli operatori al Nord Italia possono offrire a possibili dipendenti provenienti o lavorando dal Sud. Ci vogliono piu’ movimento, piu’ idée chiare a riguardo la ricchezza di queste Regioni del Sud che sono state e rimangono tuttora il tallone d’Achille per lo Stato Italiano. Parlare continuamente del divario fra Nord e Sud, pregiando sempre il Nord a discapito del Sud e’ contro producente. Sarebbe meglio parlare di diversita’, di opportunita’, di varieta’ di uso del territorio italiano che e’ fonte di grande attrazione per chi lo visita da altri paesi.

La ricchezza culturale, linguistica, artigianale, musicale, industriale e tanto tanto di piu’ esiste nei paesi piu’ isolati della nostra Terra. E’ soltanto quando lasciamo la nostra parrocchia, il nostro sobborgo, il nostro piccolo paese che cominciamo a poterli apprezzare e definire il carattere e le possibilita’ economiche che esistono o che potrebbero esistere a secondo i programmi politici della cosa pubblica e privata. Oggi e’ possible visualizzare la ricchezza naturale di un territorio attraverso il continuo uso dell’informazione virtuale e del social networking tramite siti come Facebook. Si sa che sull’internet, si puo’ riformare una visione storica piena di negativita’, grazie anche a libri che hanno avuto un enorme successo letterario. Parlo di “Cristo si e’ fermato ad Eboli”. Un libro che e’ una perla letteraria, ma che  ha dato alla Basilicata decenni di promozione negativa a riguardo la ricchezza di un territorio che e’ stato povero per ragioni politiche, per la mancanza di quella cura nazionale che i Governi del passato hanno gestito a favore di interessi industriali e commerciali al Nord del Paese.

L’industria del turismo potrebbe sollevare le difficolta’ di lavoro che i cittadini del Sud Italia hanno sofferto da sempre. Ci sono anche altre industrie che potrebbero essere utili per creare lavoro e coinvolgere piu’ attivamente i giovani. Ci sono il cinema e le produzioni mediatiche, i centri di ricerche e studi per tante attivita’ commerciali e per la preparazione di personale per le industrie del Nord, potrebbero fiorire centri di informazioni tecnologiche, mediche, legali ed internazionali. Il Sud dovrebbe essere il centro per le universita’ e per gli studi classici e scientifici.  Il terrritorio offre opportunita’ per studi sulla biologia marittima, la vulcanologia e la protezione degli ambienti forestali e fluviali. Non c’e’ ragione perche’ le strutture di trasporto dovrebbero essere di meno al Sud Italia. Il ponte di Messina dovrebbe essere costruito al piu’ presto; lo Stato Italiano dovrebbe intervenire per farlo realizzare. Le grandi regioni isole del Sud… ma smetto qui perche’ sto guardando alle mie foto e video dei bei luoghi che ho visitato ed alle mie note ottimistiche per chi vive nel Sud Italia.

      

 Tom Padula – December 2011

The Italian Community of Melbourne

The Italian Community of Melbourne

Tom Padula – November 2011

When we speak of multicultural Australia, we often refer to the numerous groups of people from all over the world who now call Australia home. In the case of the Italian Community, several questions come to mind: what does it really mean when we say the Italian Community of Melbourne. Do we mean that this community is located in one place? That it speaks its own language, that it follows its own cultural and religious traditions, that it is a closed shop so that no outsider can penetrate its cultural walls and political make up? That it educates its young to follow strictly to a code of behaviour and lifestyle? That it is a patriarchal or matriarchal family unit and continues to exist and live in the same manner as in previous decades and generations?

A reflection of what is really meant by Italian Community in our Australian context is worthy of some reflection: for no other reason perhaps than to understand clearly where our reality lies at this time in our social development. Let’s look at the questions and try to find whether perception and reality match.

The Italian Community is located throughout the City of Melbourne. You will find Italian background Australian Citizens in most suburbs. Little Italy or the suburb of Carlton represents the symbolic home of the early Italian settlers, together with other suburbs such as Brunswick, Coburg, Reservoir, Carlton and also Kew, Elsternwick and Toorak! I should also mention the great number of other Italian immigrant groups in most regional centres of Victoria: places such as Mildura, Swan Hill, Shepparton, Morwell and others. The Italians have built in many new suburbs as Melbourne has continued to grow and expand. The presence of Italians in many aspects of Melbourne life cannot be ignored. Its presence in small, medium and large enterprises and community life is a fact that continues to play its part to the present days.

Wherever Italians have moved they have also established Associations and clubs, reception centres and halls. The social and religious needs of our Italian Community were met immediately on arrival in the many Churches and schools established by the Irish Catholics from the very first colonial beats of the early years of settlement. We owe the Irish a debt of gratitude… however there were also some prominent early Italian immigrants who contributed to the early development of Melbourne… I want to mention the plans of the laying of St. Kilda Road, the Exibition Building and many of the Italianate buildings of the 19^th century! Thanks to Italian born architect Carlo Catani….

The great plethora of Italian Clubs and Associations, including sporting, cultural, religious and pensioner groups, is the real glue that keeps our Italian Community together. But without the ability to communicate and inform in the Italian Language, our rich bilingual and cultural heritage would quickly be lost to Australia. We would stop digging for our cultural gold!

Australians of Italian heritage need to continue to access educational, cultural and social opportunities. These are of paramount importance for their ability to retain membership of the very real Italian Community that is so easily identifiable today, even after many generations who have been buried in the cemeteries of Australia.

Our Italian Media networks play a significant role in the daily needs of people who want to retain a connection with Italian and Italy.  We are proud also of the fact that politicians of all political persuasions recognize, encourge and support the retention of all Community Languages, the support of school programs and Community television along with the very real local intellectual contributions by our Libraries.  The public in general lives daily the rich fibre of diversity that exists in its midst. English plays a major role in the lives of newcomers who have to learn and use it daily. Therefore support for English learning to adults and children in schools are essential. I would also support that our print media in other languages expressed their editorial leanings in English, so that their reach of political wisdom can play an even greater role than it does now.

History and an appreciation of the contribution of each group of people who have settled in this Country can be acknowledged and recognized. In this way we can truly be proud of all citizens and people who have lived the Australian experience. The Italian Australian historical connection goes back to the early years of pre settlement with the significant contribution of James Mario Matra and his three submissions to the colonial office in the ten years before the voyages of Captain Arthur Phillips and the first European settlers in New South Wales. 

It is the passage through time and the respect of people for their forebears that holds the key to a future in peace with our neighbours and makes us aware of the rights of all people to respect and hold dear their own identities. However only looking back produces a very sad and impoverished community. So it’s important to identify the gains made in the new homeland. Australia has been extremely generous to people who have embraced its opportunities. Being part of the general Community is even more important for the well being of individuals, families and neighbours.

The Italians have shared their knowledge  and skills with others. The Italian Community of Melbourne has an everyday presence within the general fabric of Australian society. This is perhaps its greatest achievement and place of pride in the passage of time. The retention of a very unique contribution has promoted peace and harmony at all stages of its migrant experience, from generation to generation.   

Tom Padula - November 2011

National Boundaries in One World

Tom Padula – 2 October 2011

Given that there are over 200 Countries in the World and close to 50 million people looking for a “new country”, it’s time to think big regarding the realities of the refugees. We also have numerous wars, battles and natural disasters amidst a generally fairly peaceful global asset of our ever-increasing populated humanity. We share this world as best as we can by dividing up our global property and providing laws that govern each nation, its communities and environments. We created a United Nations Assembly to face up to the challenges of this great diversity. Therefore the more diverse the communities of representation of these nations, the more compromises are needed.

So what do we do with our local problems that are imported from our artificially created boundaries in our One World Community?

John Howard and Julia Gillard have obviously come to the same conclusion. They want to resolve the out of boundaries problems with out of boundaries solutions. A perfectly logical political strategy which did stop the boats under Howard’s National stewardship, but is failing to do so a few years later when our new Prime Minister is trying to do the same. In politics the same solution does not necessarily work at different times.


The processing of refugees and illegal immigrants should occur in the country chosen by the refugees and for which they payed good money and at a great cost to themselves.  I suspect that sometimes these are the people who may have failed to enter the country of their choice through legal means! Sometimes these refugees pay with their own lives because they want to escape wars, civil unrest, persecution, economic hardship and lack of freedom. The attempt is worth the risk in their evaluation of their situation. Some of the refugees are sometimes the victims of circumstances and decisions made on their behalf by others. Nothing can stop people who are desperate and looking for opportunities and a better future for themselves!

 

It’s time that our Prime Ministers were given some credit for their attempts to find solutions to a problem of human suffering grown outside of legal boundaries and national laws. Here is where the United Nation comes in. This is the governing place where global infrastructure of human suffering needs to be built and regulated. All countries are respomsible for the ills of the world. Solving a problem in one place often creates one in another place. Countries need to understand this and try to solve politically such human inedequacies. The refugee problem in Australia, in Italy, in the USA, in Pakistan and many other Countries need to be approached at the Regional, Continental and World levels.

This is the work for diplomats and law-makers. It’s also where our wars should be fought: not with bombs, guns, military solutions, but with the human arms of compassion, helpfulness, appropriate aid, education, skills and the application of sanctions to regulate resourcing areas where natural and human disasters occur. To be fair, this is being done already in many areas of the world: this is also the area where extra governments budgetary provisions ought to go.

The achievement of Peace is the greatest war that humanity and all countries of the world, and indeed small and big communities, face on a daily basis. Let’s not despair since we are seeing these messages reach the ears of Parliaments and Governing Bodies worldwide. The Internet is the window from which we can observe the world. We are witnessing how this communication tool is beginning to manage the massive detailed knowledge of everyday life worldwide. It is therefore easier today to call on the goodwill of governments of all nations to establish clear mandated solutions to problems that occur in particular regional areas of the world. Australia’s refugee and illegal immigration problem is also the problem of other Nations in this part of the world. Ensuring that desperate people do not risk their lives in their pursuit of new opportunities and a brighter future is the moral obligation of all countries in the area, but especially of those countries in which the initial problem of displacement occurred.

 

Wars are cancers of our humanity. Places in which wars develop are areas of special need and understanding. Often wars could be avoided by ensuring that the hawks of self-interest of the military or the ideologues or dictators are guaranteed their place in the sun at the United Nations Assembly. Here is the place where intervention for the solution of problems should occur. The movement of people from one country to another is an on-going reality that needs to be faced. This should not be regarded as a political football within the national boundaries of a nation. The real politics should be played with our regional political colleagues in all of our neighbouring nation states.

Tom Padula – October 2011

The pain of the Mineral Boom

The pain of the Mineral Boom

Tom Padula – 16 September 2011

   The more money comes into Australia from sales of minerals to hungry Asian Countries for our unlimited sub ground resources, the more this profit is used to capitalize this ultra profitable industry. Profits are spent and utilized to acquire more mines and provide infrastructure in other countries with similar resource opportunities or in more remote areas of Australia. The latter scenario is to ensure that more resources are found for the next generation minerals boom. It’s like well-fed cattle preoccupied for the next patch of green grass.

 Our overall economy has been invaded by one very successful sector. The mistake is made when we count this success alongside our everyday economy made up of various strands of production, manufacturing and services that impact on our everyday life and commercial relationships. We harbour the mistaken notion that the success in the export of minerals will reassure us that we are directly benefiting from this success. Reality is far from the truth. The retail sector depends on people having enough disposable income to be able to maintain the current availability of products and services in our shopping centres, malls and street fronted shops.

 The general feeling of unease is spreading amongst the general population and there doesn’t seem to be a fair appropriation of velocity in our two-speed economy. It’s as if the more successful the minerals based sector, the slower and more demanding the rest of the economy becomes. It’s the difference between the very rich and our proverbial battlers. It’s as if they live on two different planets. Only people in our nation involved in the faster lane of mineral exploration, production and exportation have that buoyant feeling of success. The others who don’t do ‘minerals’ can expect to be told that we are successful, that our interest rates need to go higher and higher, or remain at its current high levels. Great thinking! The less inflation there is… since noone can afford to spend… the more stable will our two-speed economy remain! 

   Ex Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had good intentions on two fronts. The first one was to take out some of the profits from the mineral boom and then ensure that every family, including all single people and all sectors of the Australian community, could only borrow no more than they could afford. So, in the second instance, new rules regulating banking and loans came in. The new rules of serviceability were brought in at the expense of equity holdings and more generous equity to borrowing ratios.

 A few years later we have very little income from the minerals boom that go towards financing our social obligations projects and maintenance:  pensions, schools, hospitals, transport routes that don’t go to the mines and so much more. These projects and maintenance have all been carried forward thanks to the years of saving under the traditionally financially tight belt attitudes of conservative governments. The income needed for all the new plethora of social obligations and high maintenance institutional organizations are extracted from ordinary Australians in the form of old and new taxes, higher interest rates, a raft of new charges from energy suppliers, the use of roads and services tolls, parking spaces (even in hospitals and airports!). Not one day goes by without someone in Government or in our Institutions thinking up some other scheme to extract more disposable income from the general Australian public!

   Well, at least we are not alone in doing this to our country. It’s not much better in similar developed countries. That’s why our politicians need to visit the rest of the world! New ideas are always needed to keep abreast of how to keep on taxing our very accommodating citizens! We understand that this is the price to pay for a better world! So the well-travelled good intentions of our ex Prime Minister have given over time the exact opposite of the original well thought out sentiments. All that generosity of spirit, good feelings of a government that came to power on such high hopes for social betterment and infrastructure improvements have been realized… but not thanks to the money generated from the mineral boom. The ordinary people of Australia in the last few years have been asked to finance these extraordinary projects: from the savings of the previous belt tightening years and the current raft of ever increasing tax and charges burden. We have had a brief period of fast food type financial feed bonanza of a very short duration, but we have now been left with a "malaise" that will need extraordinary will power to overcome and to eventually eradicate these new set of economic circumstances and global condition effects.

   Will we be so lucky to have the vision to realize that ‘progress for all’ is a dream that can only come true and be maintained if everyone involved realizes that in our economy as in Life, one must give to Caesar and to God what is duly, rightfully theirs! Can our Politicians in Parliament, our Big Business Brothers, our Not For Profit and Charitable Organization realize that we are all in this together.  So, Be fair. Act not in your own self-interest and preservation, but behave as if you really care! Listen to the needy, don’t be fooled by the greedy! Proceed with caution… our true Capital lies within our best interest as a humanitarian community under our Brilliant Sun and Southern Cross!

Tom Padula – September 2011

In search of Multiculturalism

In search of Multiculturalism

What is ‘Multiculturalism’: the way in which we practise it here in Melbourne? As against the term ‘Cosmopolitan’… meaning that nations allow people to come into their country, but who can remain on the edge of that society because not a part of the original inhabitants…  snobbery born out of the right side of the bed, so to speak. In both cases there is a mix of people who live together, but whose behaviour will calm the waters or incense them when conflict arises. In peaceful times there is no problem which model is adopted… tourists come and go in short to medium blocks of time. As long as they enjoy themselves, the definition of this mix of people is not that important. However the way in which a particular society approaches its governance is very important indeed!

Multiculturalism is not always practised in modern society… where there is non-acceptance, intolerance, inverse snobbery by groups that want to impose their particular views at all cost or by rejecting general cultural ideas of inclusion … so I can wear what I want as long as you don’t think that what I wear is wrong, I can eat what I want provided that you don’t say that eating particular foods is wrong, or is eaten at the wrong time! Multiculturalism ought to be part of all Governments regardless of their particular leaning: it has to be accepted by Labour, Liberal, Green, Democrat and also by marginal Parties.

Multiculturalism is when Governments of all persuasions are able to implement policies that allow all groups to participate in the day-to-day politics of the Municipality, the State and the Nation. The Multicultural dollar goes a long way when it is spent in such inclusive policies as the availability of translators and interpreters, the well stocked libraries with books and materials that inform and enlighten the individual, the presence of the right carers who understand all backgrounds. If these carers don’t, they ought to be able to call on the right professionals who can then administer caring policies for particular individuals or small groups from the same background i.e. whether it’s food, faith, language, fashion and cultural make-up.

European societies are cosmopolitan, they are not multicultural societies… there people are well defined in their categories for generations… a Turk in Germany remains a Turk, he cannot and does not become German, an Italian or Pakistani or Indian in England is still Italian, Pakistani or Indian even after many generations. A Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek remains identified with that identity over many generations. Here in Australia as in Europe we are all proud of our family’s ethnic identity and our backgrounds. So when does a Nation become multicultural? A nation becomes multicultural when all its governments and institutions make real provision to include everyone in its policies and laws… within the national geographic boundaries, in the wider community, in schools, churches, hospitals and everywhere else, even prisons.

The main aim of multiculturalism is the ability of people of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, different faiths, mode of processing life, respect for equality of both sexes coming together and accepting their differences, to then work with each other to make their community or society work in harmony by remaining ‘open’ and welcoming to others within their own communities… ie there cannot be a suburb or special place where people are excluded because they are different …

The test of a multicultural nation is when members of each group with different or very different cultural practices protect others and themselves by denouncing ‘extreme behaviour’ within their own group. In such cases members of this particular group want to exclude or endanger others because they think of them as inferior.  These people can sometimes be treated as lesser beings because they are different. Preachers, teachers, politicians, and whoever is involved in the projection of ideas, like poets, songwriters, writers, journalists have a responsibility to develop as mediums of peace, harmony and tolerance, with touches of healthy philosophies and appreciation of diversities. Members of faiths that preach exclusion or have special laws by which they would rather be judged have real problems… they need to tone down their own belief systems to embrace a more open and democratic system in which the ideals of egalite’, liberte’, fraternite’ are embraced and practised.

Therefore if you feel special and believe that you are better than others, if you want to be treated better than your neighbour, if you have innate arrogance, or are on the right of might, if you believe that you deserve special advantages and privileges, if you want to deal only with your own kind, then multiculturalism for you is only an ideal that yet remains to be embraced or from which you want to be excluded. On the other hand, if you happen to live, work, entertain yourself and socialize with all types in peace and harmony, then you have embraced multiculturalism and all that it offers… you can still remain a part of your group of friends of the same culture, language and identity… but you must also defend your right to feel equal, free and fraternal towards all others who belong to different groups or ethnic background in your wider community or society! Let’s have a Multicultural Day of National Celebration, maybe combining it with the Australia Day Celebration Week, each year! 

Tom Padula - 1st September 2011

Till Debt Do Us Part

Till Debt Do Us Part 

by Tom Padula – 28 August 2011

The current problems with western world countries and their economic policies have existed for a very long time. In fact since Debt was invented. You can do more with less if you have debt. Debt, you see, enables you to get today what you should have tomorrow, if you only will have had the capital to realize what you want. Without debt, there is progress only when you are actually able to build or make or agree to work together with others… to then split the profits in appropriate parts. A little capital in the hands of the right people can go a long way.

We have the story of the three brothers (and/or sisters in today’s world), who were given an equal number of gold coins. The first one went out to spend them without a return and he quickly became poor again; the second one kept his coins under the bed and used what he had very sparingly, but could not change his life around; the third one used what he had and borrowed some more in order to do things with what he had and what he had borrowed. In this latter case, both capital and initiative enabled this brother to become wealthy.

If you borrow for the purpose of building your wealth or provide services for the benefit of everyone or make products that will give you a profit, then the Debt is a good debt. But if you borrow in order to give yourself advantages that you cannot afford, and from which there is no profit, then debt becomes a burden because you live life with resources that don’t belong to you and which has to be payed back eventually (and with interest!). Managing what you have and what you borrow as an individual, as a company, as a club or association, as a municipality, as a State or as a Nation is directly related to income and expenditure. There is no escaping the debt!

We know about people who steal out of necessity, or cheat to gain and advantage or do all sort of bad things in order to enable themselves to do what they cannot afford to do! Gamblers, punters, risk capital investors and also people who lend money to these types of people usually get into a lot of trouble. This happens when the borrower runs out of the money resource that did not belong to them and that they cannot pay back! To avoid personalized conflict, the institution of Bank was created. A Bank holds capital that belongs to investors who want a particular return for their investment, and traditionally without necessarily wanting to know how their capital was spent!

Those people who are confident that if they borrow what they need for a particular project and can actually repay their debt are the winners, the wealth builders. They enjoy in time the fruits of their labour, so to speak! Those people who do not rely on borrowings but are able to live well and do with their own capital will enjoy peace of mind and lack of pressure, because they don’t owe anyone anything. In the majority, these latter people don’t also have the hunger to achieve or produce since they are under no pressure… they can enjoy their ‘caffellatte’ without worries!

Governments or Institutions that don’t have debt don’t generally have the capacity to build infrastructures that propel their society into a vibrant, hardworking and modern communities.  When there is acceptable debt ambition is fuelled because people have to work a little harder to achieve individual or common goals. They also need to work together in order to meet all their funded commitments, with loans attached to their tails! Unfortunately, sometimes these loans go towards maintaining the lifestyle of people who want to be on a permanent holiday, and have expectations and needs based on what the Government can do for them. If Governments cannot raise enough taxes to meet these costs, then the economy suffers… unless they have revenue coming from what is extracted from their territories. In other words the management of a national economy has to be based on the country’s ability to make more than it spends! Or to borrow in the short term but then have the ability to repay back debt!

In order for things to happen or be possible, the availability of Capital, the use of management of this resource and, in the medium to long term, the possibility of meeting all debt obligations have to be present. In the short term or for as long as is required, interest on borrowed capital has to be paid. There has to be a timeline, and there usually is, when all lenders and borrowers are able to say safely to each other ‘until debt do us part’. In economic terms, this is the best marriage!

P.S.  A divorce occurs when one of the partners or both believe that there is an ‘irrevocable reason to split’, but that’s another article!!!