New smoking legislation and more whinging

I wish the government would consider spending $100 million dollars on providing more public housing for the nearly two hundred thousand people on the seventeen year waiting list rather than spending it on an unnecessary postal plebisite to guage support for same-sex marriage when they already know there is strong support within the community for the proposal.

On the note of discrimination the new Tobacco law enacted on 2 August has meant that smokers can no longer smoke outside in the air where others are eating even though they were initially relegated to outside tables away from non-smokers eating indoors. Happily some establishments have decided not to discriminate against smokers and have placed signs on tables stating that no food will be served outside, enabling smokers to be able to meet socially with others. One wonders what new human rights will be eroded and where it will all end?

What if I started a campaign against dogs outside coffee shops? Richmond and in particular Bridge Road appears to be the doggie capital of Victoria. It's impossible to walk down the footpath without having to weave around dogs on leashes taking up most of the space and don't start me on the way owners treat their dogs like they are human. They sit on chairs and on owner's laps. Some bark loudly and attempt to fight with others and scratch their hair and dander into the air. I'm rather apprehensive of dogs and so the walk down Bridge Road can, at times feel like walking the gauntlet. It seems to me that it is potentially more dangerous walking past potentially aggressive dogs than to breathe in another's second hand smoke. But that's just one person's opinion.

I've already spoken in the past about having to travel in a crowded tram and tolerate the claustrophic air imbued with a mixture of perfume or the strong smell of after shave. I'm not the only person who finds it difficult to breathe under such circumstances. Should it be against the law to wear these substances in an enclosed space if it provides discomfort to others? I think I've managed to argue that there is always something that we could complain about but the non-smokers are a strong, conservative group that relies on health issues to support their argument and yet they are probably the greatest culprits when it comes to polluting the environment (use of large cars, excessive consumption of air-conditioning, heating and food).

And talking about public transport. It was once a law that no food was to be consumed in public vehicles, but now passengers must endure sitting next to those eating and drinking and the culprits often leave food packaging - paper bags, plastic and drink containers (cans and take away coffee cups) on the seats or floor of the tram when they get off. As a vegetarian I find it particularly offensive having to sit next to someone eating a meat product. And the list goes on. What if we all complained to the government, what if we all - not just smokers, had to curb our passions and human right to choose? The mind boggles.