In case any of us have missed the media in the past three weeks the news of the month is that there’s an election in the wind with the big day 21 May, less than a month of the days ahead.
The result is that Australia’s Electoral Commission has burst into action preparing, planning, perfecting and producing all that’s needed for 17 million Australians to roll up to a voting venue have their political say.
According to the Commission, the last day to join a spot on the election enroll to vote attracted 214,000 applications, “the biggest single day of enrolment in Australian history”.
“The majority of people who have enrolled to vote since the election was announced are young Australians aged 18 to 24,” the Commissioner said.
“This was an unmitigated success.”
Ever a pain of the poll, the Commission’s ‘unmitigated success’ sent PS-sssst! diving to the nearest dictionary to find out what a ‘mitigated’ success would look like.
According to Mr Oxford, to mitigate is to ‘render, (anger etc) less violent, to appease’ and unmitigated is to “Not soften in respect of severity or intensity’.
We think all that means we can expect another excellent election with the winners winning and the Election Commission living to mitigate many more elections in the years ahead.
Old dogs and new tricks
To NSW now where dozens of Labrador dogs are being re-allowed into the State’s courthouses after serving time away from the courts, found to be sufferers of COVID.
Welcomed back by the State’s Attorney General, the dogs are members of the Canine Court Companion Program and comfort court users often experiencing some of the worst days of their lives.
“These friendly Labradors have been hounding their volunteer handlers to get back to work,” the A-G explained, saying their duties had been ‘lab tested’,
“Their wagging tails, furry faces and wet noses help to ease anxiety and bring smiles to the faces of children, vulnerable witnesses and victims of crime,” he said.
The Attorney General said that having a beautiful dog around for a pat and a chat could help people feeling nervous, or anyone having a ‘ruff’ time’.
It almost makes PS-sssst! feel like doing something bad, just to meet the dogs.
Pressure’s on!
To Rama Gaind’s weekly giveaway now in which three lucky winners have the chance to win a copy of the sporting drama DVD Pressure Point starring Alexander Ludwig and Charles Melton, directed by Michael Mailer.
To be a sporty winner all we needed do was answer Rama’s quiz question to tell her who plays the tough rowing coach Jack Murphy in the film, the answer to which was Michael Shannon, who is also a co-producer of the film.
The first three entrants whose correct entries escaped from the PS News Barrel of Booty to greet the judges were received from Jan B from South Australia’s RevenueSA, Yusuf K from the national Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources and Carol C from the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone taking part. The prize DVDs will be on their way to their new owners very soon.
In the meantime, let’s put our good luck to work and play Rama’s giveaway game, either by visiting her review of the Book Lonely Planet’s Experience Guides: Japan at this PS News link and/or her also-running review the Book Meanjin Quarterly, Autumn 2022 Edition at this link.
Good luck to one and all who take the chance!
Rama gains!
And while we have the redoubtable Rama Gaind in our rapport, she comes with some exciting new news for PS News readers, adding excitement to her already ever-excitable following.
“I’m excited about some giveaway news for our readers,” the usually unexcitable Rama reported.
“Lonely Planet has launched a totally new range of guidebooks in its Experience series – designed to help us find new ways to get away from the everyday.
“The first collection focuses on six major and popular destinations: Japan, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland and Iceland and PS News has been given two copies of each of these titles to give away!
“At $34.99 each – that’s great value!”
And true to her word, Rama has put her promise to perspicacity with the first giveaway this week and the rest to follow in the months ahead.
Keen book competitors can put Rama to the test at this PS News link.
Ear there?
And finally, another walk on the weird and wild side with Philomena S of the Victorian Department of Health whose comically comedy has been credited with placing the ‘bomb’ in discombobulation.
This week Philomena poses the perfectly prospective prattle:
“If a deaf person is ordered to go to court, is the interrogation still called a ‘hearing’.”
Great question Philomena!
Hear hear!
Till next week…….
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