This year April started with Easter. That meant for me, the National folk Festival as usual in Canberra. Five days of very nice weather (unusual) and music and catching up with old (and making new) friends. It really was a very good Festival. The five days went far too quickly for me. I, Master of Ceremonied, many good concerts, worked in the wine bar-which also featured most of the Festival artists, I also managed to do nine interviews. A highlight of which was Scotlands, Eddie Reader. She was so good (it was terrific comparing one of higher sets!) Unfortunately, or should that be fortunately, it all of course had to come to an end and home I went. Tired but very happy as they say. While I was in Canberra, Kim and Lauren had been quite busy with a very full engagement calender so hardly time to miss me. We did, it must be said, however, run up fairly large mobile bills! On being picked up from the airport Kim and I went out to dinner then picked Lauren up from her friend's birthday party. It was after all school holidays. Very nice getting back into your own bed after a trip away!

We have been reasonably active socially since then. Lauren and Kim have both been riding. Lauren more than Kim it must be said, they now ride at Kim's brothers property. It means alonger but very nice drive for us. Sometimes early on a Saturday or Sunday morning, it is of course not really best appreciated, the drive that is! I did manage to get Kim to a folk concert here. James Keelaghan a wonderful Canadian singer (who had been at the National). Lauren suggested that she would prefer poking pins in her eyes to going with us!! Not an appreciator of my music. Kim thoroughly enjoyed the evening though. As in the United Kingdom it has been a very interesting month politically here in Australia. No, not a General Election, that comes in November here, but interesting none the less.

The West Australian Treasurer has just resigned (before he was pushed it must be said). Apparently he has had a short affair with a recently elected Greens Member of Parliament. Both are married. It was not the alleged affair that caused his resignation, apparently he used his Ministerial car for assignations and there are claims his Ministerial expenses paid for hotel rooms! It is not the first time the Treasurer has been embroiled in "scandal". Previously he had snapped a female staffer's bra, grabbed the crotch of another MP (male), whilst allegedly intoxicated and on the floor of Parliament house. Most infamously he had sniffed the chair after female staffer rose then writhed in psuedo sexual exstasy! He was apparently a very intelligent and gifted politician!!!

Here in South Australia it has been quite tame since our election. The only thing of note was the Opposition changing its Deputy Leader twice in about 36 hours. Factions you see play an important part here. It is maybe just as well that they didn't win Government! Nationally the Government stumbles from one "disaster' to another. The latest was the alleged rorting of the "Building the Education Revolution" This was a multi billion dollar plan to, help us out of the recession by spending on school buildings and infrastructure. It has been renamed by many as the Builder's Early Retirement scheme. If you remember another scheme to stave off recession was the home insulation idea. That was scrapped after at least four deaths and over a hundred house fires attributed to it. The 'Builder's Early Retirement' was almost as bad, with thankfully, no deaths. Schools were promised new classrooms, libraries, canteens etc, all from the injection of Billions of Government money. Trouble seems to have been that much of what was "given" was neither wanted nor needed or was not suitable. The cost of almost everything provided for State schools, sky rocketed and principals and parent teacher committees were told 'take it or leave it'. One school in New South Wales, three years ago, had built a COLA (Covered Outdoor Learning Area), basically a roof on four legs. It had cost approximately $120.000. They were told they were getting a new one (not what they wanted!). Cost $950,000. Many similar tales have come out. A portable classroom (which entailed knocking down a perfectly servicable brick air-conditioned room) was replaced with no air-conditioning!! A canteen with no cooking facility! The scheme was supposed to give local builders work, create jobs etc. Surprisingly (or not you might say), a few major companies seemed to get all the work. All with very similar costs and "add ons". You know, management fees, site supervision fees and the like. The Government sternly defended the scheme and decried all those who complained. Eventually of course, they had to concede and they announced an enquiry that will cost something like $14.5 Billion!!!! Kevin Rudd not doing so well. The Government has now announced they are dumping their Climate Change Policy (that was a cornerstone of their Election policy). There was also the plan to build 260 childcare centres next door to schools, 38 have been built. That too was scrapped. It may not surprise you that Kevin was in a different State when the announcements were made. Not by himself either! What will be scrapped next I wonder.

Sporting wise we have not faired much better here in South Australia. There is a glimmer though, The Crows stood at 0 and 5 as we canme to the end of the month. The Power 3 and 2. Adelaide United progress in the Champions league. They have reached, with a home tie the knockout quarter finals after topping their group. This despite finishing bottom of our ALeague. Melbourne failed to get past the group stage. That despite contesting our Grand final and finishing second overall.

I think that, that is that, for this month'.

Until next time Eric

(Article by Eric Ford, Australia)