an absurd place to be living in.

The front page story of the Saturday paper is about Camden, and some stupid woman claiming to be the new Pauline Hanson. My reaction is to cough my tea all over her picture, staining her skin. Now she looks like one of those she's trying to get rid of. It's a school. A religious school. As an atheist, I'm opposed to religion in any form, especially when its forced down your throat. But I think I'd rather have an Islamic school where kids are being taught the good points of Islam, where they're learning and not hating, as opposed to festering a culture of hate and suspicion.

And our shiny new prime minister isn't all he's cracked up to be. At least with John Howard we knew to expect bigotry and fear. With Rudd, we were promised innovation, excitement and change. Instead we've gotten someone who kowtows to the majority. Being let down by Kevin Rudd is like being bitten by the big dumb family Labrador. You can't jump to conclusions, Mr Rudd. You just can't. When I read your reaction to the Bill Henson "scandal" I wanted to slap you. Jump the way of the religious, jump the way of the housewives. Don't bother doing any research, Mr Rudd. Enjoy tea with Cate Blanchett instead. Let the country slip into some sort of police state where free expression is suppressed and we're all too scared to be independent individuals.

Living in Australia is like living inside an Arrowroot Biscuit. Boring, beige and frustrating - but with a hint of sugar to remind you of just how lucky you are not to be living anywhere else.