I recall the trouble my parents went to when I was a kid to ensure I went on the rides, got some sample bags, saw the ring show, and ate far too many dagwood dogs than good for me.

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Recent attempts by Queensland's Education Department to ban students talking about Jesus with other students are absurd, and frankly disturbing.  However, closer examination of the policy documents used by the Department shows that this is just the tip of the iceberg.   The real problem is that the Education Department is on a dunderheaded crusade that puts it in breach of at least two international human rights treaties.  At the core is the idea the Department will tell pupils what they can and cannot say or think.  This is contrary to every tenet of Australian political freedom. To be sure, there is no such thing as absolute freedom of speech in Australia.  We do have libel laws, and for good reason.  However, restrictions on freedom of speech are generally kept to an absolute minimum. This is in line with the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, Article 18 of which provides: "Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom… to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching." Article 19 goes even further. It states: "Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference." Instead, the Education Department has developed a concept of "inclusive education" which deems a student talking about their religious beliefs as some form "discrimination".   Let's be honest here: this is rubbish. 

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It is clear that train schedules are being dictated by staff availability, instead of the needs of the travelling public.

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In the last two weeks, the Greens have lost both co-deputy leaders in the Senate because they were dual nationals.  Their personal tears would have us believe that Waters and Ludlam have somehow been victims of some sort of injustice, because they didn't know they were still citizens of Canada and New Zealand. 

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Tomic's problem is that he thinks money equals respect.

Do last week's charges against Cardinal Pell over historical sex abuse allegations represent an existential crisis for the Catholic Church and its many millions of members in Australia?:

The events of the past few weeks make me wonder what has gone wrong in our Motherland.

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Six men take their lives each day, so why don't we care?

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On the rich agricultural land of the Darling Downs is the tiny town of Acland. Acland is quite simply the Queensland town that will not die.

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Australians have a history of idolising criminals, but they are people who make a living out of terror and violence.

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As a sports nut, and a one eyed Queenslander at that, I have to say that the State of Origin cult has gone too far.

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While George Street may not realise it, the Labor Party government needs to cull crocodiles before the LNP's crocodile policy culls Labor.

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Ever since Bill Clinton defeated George Bush in 1992, we have been obsessed by the phrase, "It's the economy, stupid".

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There is one thing the National Union of Students can do if it really wants to help struggling students, and railing against governmental reform to have students pay off loans earlier isn't it.

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Australians are generous so why are many charities facing oblivion?

One hundred and two years on from the immortal landing by Australians at Anzac Cove, it is well and truly time that we grew up about Anzac Day.

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The political feeding frenzy on Anzac Day bears little resemblance to the way most politicians actually treat our veterans.

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In all probability, Queensland will ride a flood tide of economic activity over the next 12 months, writes Bill O'Chee.

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The recent furore over the importation of powerful pump action shotguns might have been couched in terms of liberty, but there is a dark side just beneath the surface.

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Sometimes the person who finds a missing wallet takes the money and the cards, and throws the wallet in the river. Not pleasant, but it does happen.

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A University of Queensland proposal to build a bridge to West End instead of making education more affordable says a lot about the pretensions of an institution which has lost its way.  

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Australians, are tired of politicians who pussy foot around.  We want decisiveness.  What we want, we are told, is not just strong leadership, but a leader like Vladimir Putin.

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If we accept a tax on sugar, next it will be a tax on fatty foods, and then a tax on red meat, and so it will go on until we are eating nothing but unsweetened gruel.

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Rob Pyne MP claims his Abortion Bill is all about freedom but for the most vulnerable women in Queensland it will be the exact opposite, writes Bill O'Chee.

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Of all the incompetence and waste unveiled by Phillip Strachan's Inquiry into the Queensland Rail fiasco, the most frightening thing of all is how the Rail, Tram and Bus Union was allowed to run riot in QR.

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Who cares if he wants to build a wall on the Mexico-US border?

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The one thing about which I agree with Senator Hanson is her claim that she is not like all the other politicians. Too true; in fact she is worse.

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More than 533,000 students will commence or resume their schooling at Queensland state schools this month. At the same time, another 116,000 students will walk through the gates of Queensland's independent schools.

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If there is one thing more certain than flies in a Queensland summer, it is highway frustration on the south-east's major roads.