To a common sense thinker like myself, this lack of interest might suggest that, broadly speaking, people were/are pretty much content with what we have and therefore it would stand to reason that, even if just slightly different in colour and composition, a few redesigns of the current flag might be worth some consideration ... apparently not.
Maybe more consideration should have gone into the process as a whole. I'm quite sure all and any information gleaned from the tour could have just as easily been amassed online and quite probably would have led to a far greater amount of feedback from many more people.
I'd be interested to know how much the tour cost the taxpayer. Luxury travel, accommodation, meals and alcohol. Added to an undoubtedly super-healthy remuneration, it must have cost a pretty penny, that was nowhere near paid back by pretty poor attendance.
It's like the Pluto pics all over again ... massive amounts of cash spent on things that will do very little to enhance my life or quality of living.
This money could be so much better spent and, again, I feel as if my intelligence is being insulted when I'm told how lucky I am to have such a plethora of choices, none of which are of my choosing.
Even worse is the way the highly flawed voting system is being touted as democratic.
"Here's 40 very similar flag designs that we have chosen for you, pick your favourite, tough tit if none appeal, then, because we're so generous, you'll get to vote again from those designs that received the most popular vote, even if you didn't vote for any of them, and then the one that scores highest, even though it could be as little as 26 per cent of the vote, wins."
Yep, that's really democratic. Don't you just feel empowered and truly listened to?
After some careful consideration of my own, my interest in the flag debate is flagging. Not spoilt but rather spoiled by the choices given to me by a chosen few.
Now, as they say, for something completely different. I am so happy that we are finally about to get a Child Sex Offender Register. About bloody time.
The proposed format, however, does not go far enough. It should be public record. No doubt all the do-gooders and human rights activists will be up in arms but let's be honest, the scum that commit these types of offences don't even qualify as human in my book, so don't even try to make them out as the persecuted ones in this case.
That would be the ultimate insult to the real victims of this heinous crime. How can the rights of such perverted individuals be deemed more important than the freedom of an innocent child to walk safely in their own neighbourhood?
We simply must protect our most vulnerable. How can we do that when we are too busy protecting the identity of those that pose the greatest risk to them? Our kids have rights too. The scales of justice must tip in favour of the real victims, the children. No ifs, buts or maybes.
-Kate Stewart is a politically incorrect columnist of no repute. She does welcome your feedback - investik8@gmail.com
