Name: Addy Manley
Age: 22
Occupation/title: Teacher
Climate change. Waleed Ali claimed not many people care about it in Australia and that it is a concern – do you agree?
I absolutely agree that not enough Australians care about climate change as much as they should – and hey, I’ll be the first to admit I’m part of that category, too. I think Waleed really hit the nail on the head when he spoke about future generations seeing current Australian politics for what it is – ‘wilful disregard for the future of this nation’ – but I also think that, unfortunately, it comes from a majority of Australians (and perhaps the media, for that matter) focusing on what’s happening in their back pocket right now, rather than what we need to build for the future. I have faith that we will get there.
Females in sport. Was Lewis Hamilton’s champagne celebration at the Formula 1 taken too far?
I think this particular incident is all about perspective. I can understand why people think it’s sexist, but, without knowing the man personally, I don’t think it came from a sexist place. Man or woman, it’s a bit rude to spray someone in the face, but I think it was celebratory rather than oppressive. That said, women are definitely in need of a stronger, more equal voice in sport.
Japan reality TV. After the release of another controversial karaoke show, do they take it too far?
There’s a delicate balance between the reasonable pursuit of money or glory and outright madness, and Japanese TV seems to flirt with that balance frequently! I say if you’re willing to be broadcasted receiving – ahem – non-monetary glory while singing karaoke, good luck to you.
Star Wars. Do you think the new instalment will be as good as the previous set of films?
I think there will be plenty of people who will, regardless of the quality of the film, say it’s nowhere near the originals, and plenty who will sing its praises even if it’s a flop. As someone who isn’t much of a Star Wars fan, I think it might reinvigorate some healthy nerdiness in fans new and old, which can only be a good thing.
Splendour in the Grass. The lineup was released this week, but people have questioned that it lacks a world class headliner – worth the investment?
If I wasn’t constricted by work schedules, I would be there, no questions asked. Every year Splendour delivers a diverse line-up of massive headliners and little local guys, and I think this year is no different. I read in an interview that Florence Welsh said that she and the guys from Blur have collaborated before, so I think it’s worth the investment and the trek just for the potential of that!
Pirating. Have you or do you know anyone who has been contacted about pirating since the Dallas Buyers Club announcement?
I personally haven’t heard of anyone being approached, and I heard that people will only be approached if they’ve seeded the film rather than just downloaded it, but it certainly made me question my downloading habits. Not that I’ve ever been a big downloader… #heyASIO!
Salary caps. They apparently keep sporting competitions even in Australia, but after the Perth Glory scandal, should they be removed?
I think salary caps have a place in sport, because they keep each team honest, even and competitive. No one, not even the most die-hard fans of one particular team, wants to see one or two teams dominate a competition on the basis that they have more wealthy backers. What kind of ‘competition’ is that? I say keep them, but continuously review them to make sure they reflect the particular competition needs.
Hillary Clinton. Do you think she can become the first female President of the USA?
As someone who doesn’t know a great deal about American politics, even I can tell that Hillary Clinton is a powerhouse. Unfortunately, she is starting on the back foot on account of being a woman (which sounds ridiculous when you put it that way), but she has faced a tonne of criticism in her public life and continues to go from strength to strength. I think she and Barack Obama have seemed to work well together to create some reform, and I think that if anyone can be the first female President of the USA, she has a damn good chance.
Streaming. Are services like Spotify, Tidal, Netflix, etc. the future of entertainment?
I definitely think that providing punters with alternate avenues to get their entertainment when and how they want it is the future of this kind of industry. Gen Y and the generations following are, rightly or wrongly, inclined to go for the instant gratification (just look at how many people smashed the four leaked Game of Thrones episodes last week).
Posing with dead animals in photos. Is it ever acceptable?
Each to their own – but I think it’s awful. I’m not someone who generally agrees with animal hunting for sport or otherwise, but I can understand that if that is something that you’re into, you’ll want to share your successes (if I can use that word inside this context) with others who are into it, too. Just perhaps share it inside those channels, and don’t expect the vast majority of people who don’t like seeing animals killed to want to see it too. Without putting too fine a point on it, I’m agreeing with Ricky Gervais here – ‘What must’ve happened to you in your life to make you want to kill a beautiful animal & then lie next to it smiling?’
