Alex

@[email protected]
61 Followers
49 Following
211 Posts
Strategy, Public Policy, Advocacy, Marketer, Lecturer.
A mix of banter, dog pictures and current thoughts, covering the arts, open source, public transport, urban planning, Doctor Who.
AlexAug 17, 2023
When every member of Parliament (except Government MPs) look beyond political leanings & focus on a goal of increasing transparency - you would think #springst would take notice
IBAC lacks the scope of ICAC which limits its ability to do its job
#auspol
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/historic-day-as-opposition-parties-pile-on-labor-over-integrity-reform-20230816-p5dx07.html
‘Historic day’ as opposition parties pile on Labor over integrity reform

The Coalition and the Victorian Greens passed legislation through the state upper house that would have given greater powers to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.

The Age
Show threadAlexAug 14, 2023
@gfjacobs @amca01 Australia as effectively a large island has 'othering' down to an artform even with States pitted against each other during COVID. I've often thought that compulsory voting has at least moderated Australia's political direction to an extent.
AlexJul 22, 2023
Curiouser and Curiouser: even if you have no interest in the Commonwealth Games you should expect Spring St to enter contracts with sound decision making.
Decisions like Armstrong Creek make no sense no matter what the spin.
#auspol #springst #DanAndrews
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/how-victoria-s-commonwealth-games-ended-up-the-creek-20230721-p5dq4h.html
How Victoria’s Commonwealth Games ended up the creek

Why did Daniel Andrews want to stage an international swimming event in Armstrong Creek? A clue may lie in last year’s state election result.

The Age
Show threadAlexMay 15, 2023

@Peteatkorogoro State Governments (including the Victorian State Government) are major clients of PwC and the other consulting firms as well.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/revolving-door-between-public-service-and-consultancies-20211203-p59ejf.html

‘Revolving door’ between public service and consultancies

Liberals pursue government in state Parliament after public service spending on consultants grew by 300 per cent.

The Age
AlexMay 15, 2023
Lady and Duchess enjoying the sunshine with a big play at Port Melbourne Beach also featuring Ninja.
#dogsofmastodon #dogslife #DogsOnmastadon #melbourne #beach
AlexApr 28, 2023
@Tooden any profession likes to create 'barriers of entry' to reduce competition and elevate their own importance.
The government to be fair does seem to be tackling this and quite a number of other issues in health.
AlexApr 28, 2023
@Tooden I completely agree, but traditionally the AMA & RACGP has been very loathe to allow nurses and pharmacists to undertake what they saw as the role of GPs.
You may recall the video of the Pharmacy Guild President shedding a tear over longer prescriptions a few days ago - it was a reform bitterly opposed by the Pharmacy Guild.
The only way we will achieve meaningful reform of health is if all the self-interested industry groups are shedding tears at the end of it.
AlexApr 28, 2023
Strengthening role pharmacists & nurses in primary care is a very significant health reform.
Well done Albanese, Mark Butler, Ged Kearney & others in making this happen.
Now it's AMAs & RACGPs turn to shed a tear in interviews.
#auspol #Health #Medicare
https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/albanese-pledges-2-2-billion-for-medicare-overhaul-20230428-p5d40w.html
Albanese pledges $2.2 billion for Medicare overhaul

The PM also pledged to clamp down on ballooning costs in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is now the government’s second-fastest-growing budget pressure.

The Age
AlexApr 28, 2023
Reducing accessibility of government diminishes engagement and participation.
We shouldn't let destructive agitators hamper access to local government, but nor should Councillors and Council staff be placed into unsafe situations.
#auspol #springst
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/grossly-unprepared-councils-urged-to-make-meetings-online-as-abuse-protests-grow-20230427-p5d3sz.html
‘Grossly unprepared’: Councils urged to make meetings online as abuse, protests grow

Victoria’s peak body for local government is recommending closing public galleries to prevent abusive protests, while a councillor who was among those wrongly labelled a paedophile at a raucous meeting this week wants the state government to step in.

The Age
AlexApr 26, 2023
As an AI language model I am unable to provide an opinion on the failure of humanity to clear any evidence that they used AI to generate content as evidenced by their failure to remove the line 'As an AI language model'
#ai #chatgpt
https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/25/23697218/ai-generated-spam-fake-user-reviews-as-an-ai-language-model
‘As an AI language model’: the phrase that shows how AI is polluting the web

Will AI language models like ChatGPT create a tsunami of online spam? It’s still not clear, but searching for the phrase “as an AI language model” shows how these systems are already being used to fake reviews, tweets, and more.

The Verge