And another thing ...
Subsidised power bills, no casino, death of a changemaker, and festival thoughts.
It’s been my recent habit to devote this newsletter to just one topic, but today I want to cover off on a few things that have grabbed my attention in the past week.
Power play
I wrote the following, hopefully self-explanatory email to my electricity provider:
I’ve just paid my power bill because you sent me a reminder saying I’d be charged extra if I didn’t pay by today. With my low power consumption and the federal and Queensland rebates, I shouldn’t have to pay at all. (My annual bill will be far lower than the combined worth of the rebates). I understand you may not have seen the rebate money yet, but will I get my money back when you do? Or is this a ploy to claw in a little more from customers?
Has anybody else found themselves in this position? Are the two governments really dragging the chain on sending the money through to the suppliers? Will I ever see my money again?
Casino loss
Shock, horror. The headline screams: Brisbane to go more than three days without a casino as Treasury closes. How will we cope?
Well, in a total non-coincidence, after I read that story, I got served an advertisement in my social-media feed for the Treasury Casino’s app.
Whew!
The story is, of course, that the glitzy gambling den is moving to the new riverside casino, The Star.
This comes at a time when Federal Government is being urged to put television network profits ahead of concerns about problem gambling by not banning commercials for sports betting.
But on the bright side, as I write this, somebody on Brisbane’s northside is blissfully unaware they they’ve just won $100 million on Gold Lotto’s Powerball game.
Check your tickets…
4pm update: Put them away, the prize has been claimed by a woman who had a feeling she might have a big win (as have I, on many occasions, to no avail).
Farewell, Merle Thornton
The death of Merle Thornton has reminded us of an important moment in Brisbane’s history. In 1965, she and Rosalie Bogner chained themselves to the public bar at the Regatta Hotel in protest of the law that banished women to the “ladies’ lounge”.
The act, eventually, led to the repeal of section 59A of the Queensland Liquor Act and an end to discrimination against women drinkers in pubs.
Thornton was also an academic who helped pioneer the discipline of women’s studies and a feminist activist who fought for equal pay for women and, successfully, against the law that forced women to resign from the public service after marriage.
We’ve come a long way, and while there is more to achieve, we should raise a glass to Merle Thornton for being at the forefront of change for the better.
One last thing…
The Brisbane Festival is about to begin. I’m sure much of it will be excellent, but I can’t help wondering: Are Brisbane people genuinely excited about the festival (apart from the fireworks)? I’d like to see some research into the effectiveness of this expensive venture, and genuine discussion about how it should look in the future. And not just because, as I’ve mentioned on many occasions, I want to bring back a Warana-style public parade that truly engages Brisbane folk of all ages and from all walks of life.