It is an interesting time to be in Australia.  Being a political junkie as I am (still watching Rachael Maddow on my Ipad) I was quite interested to watch the goings on with a parlimentary form of government.  Of course I think they are just trying to entertain me since I've been here. Shortly after our arrival the Prime Minister called for an election which will take place in September.  And if that wasn't enough to keep me entertained the Premier of Victoria (where we are living) resigned under a cloud of scandal that caught up with him.  The main political parties in Australia (Labor & Liberal) are at eachother's throats and neither seems capable of holding the public's support.  One big difference from the US however is that you don't see the money being spent.  None of the adds on TV that we get so tired of at home.

In such a male dominated society it is amazing that the leader of the Labor party (and thus Prime Minister) is a woman. How did they do that when the US can't?  This is a country and society that has more than a few problems with diversity and lives a paradox in this.  The history of the country is littered with things they would like to forget - the treatment of the native peoples (particularly what is known as "the lost generation") and banning imigration from various parts of the world.  They now make such a concerted effort to demonstrate their contrition over their history.  Statements to that effect appear in most publications and communications.  While at the same time the government is taking great heat over their current mis-treatment of refugees who are housed on Christmas Island in detention centers.

In the midst of all this we continue to explore the country around Melbourne.  We recently took a trip to Heathcote - an area about 100K north of Melbourne which is an up and coming wine region particularly known for shiraz because of the type of soil there.  It was a lovely area with some outstanding wines.  We managed to catch part of a local footie match as well as have lunch at the Tooborac Hotel.