Regarding the 'Gen Why' post on 3 January at the deep blog.

Hmmm ... everyone paying the price to have an ALP government elected and in the same sentence a resonance of sympathy for the 'Gen Y folks' who it is anticipated will be hit hardest?  Give me a break - feel sorry for Gen Y?  Are you kidding?

Whilst I somewhat enviously look back to the time of the 60s and 70s and a generation that enjoyed a time of 'free love', it is with some regret that those same people have now created a new generation who feel entitled to a 'free ride'.

Don't get me wrong (I can hear the frantic flutter of keys being typed in response as I 'speak'), I am fully aware that there are many responsible, sensible & sensitive parents out there (and not all necessarily part of the 'free love' realm).

Equally, the same can be said for some Gen Ys.  Believe it or not, I actually have a few friends that fall into this category.  Thankfully (though I believe them to be a minority for this group) they are, amongst other things - considerate, thoughtful and often put others before themselves.

Why then my animosity towards Gen Y?

Because, in my experience, I believe them to be a generation who do not care too much about anything or anyone other than themselves.  Least of all the subject of politics which the post suggests.  And to be fair, not a lot of us 'older, wiser' ones did in our youth either.  It was only when the reality of things like the economy, interest rates, job cuts etc really touched us personally (at whatever age that might have been) that we started paying attention or forming any strong opinions.  And furthermore, when we might have even started taking our voting rights more seriously - realising they actually do make a difference.

Let's face it, if any Gen Ys did vote for Rudd - and I suspect there were many - I think there are a couple of key reasons why:

• Firstly, because they saw Howard as the old guy and it was a popular thing at the time to hate Johnny.
• Secondly, because Rudd represented himself as someone who was like a little green warrior - interested in signing the Kyoto agreement (something Howard would never do and for good reason) and basically saving the planet.  He was going to be something of a 'revolution' - or at least that's how he marketed himself (and everything else since).
• And sadly, the other reason why so many Gen Ys probably voted for Rudd was because they were so hung-over from the party the night before that their poor little damaged brain cells were so badly affected that their judgement was impacted and they ticked the wrong box!

To many he was going to be the 'breath of fresh air' that Australia needed and understand that Gen Y, up until that point, had no prior experience of an ALP government - their experience of whether or not things had ever been good or bad had been based on a positive experience built by the Howard era.  Gen Y (like many others who should have known better) took the Rudd sales pitch hook, line and sinker.

But do I feel sorry for Gen Y and the impact that Rudd's government will have on them - no.  Because most of them will, as you so rightly say, will take advantage of staying at home for as long as possible whilst contributing as little as possible.  But do I feel sorry for their parents?  Only partly.

If I am sounding slightly resentful forgive me but I am.  I am in my late 30s but grew up at a time when I was working at 16 and expected to pay 'board' from my first pay packet.  When it was time for me to learn to drive I had to pay for my lessons.  When it was time for me to buy a car I had to finance it myself.  And when it was time for me to be independent, I needed to finance that myself also.  Yes I had the love and support of my family throughout this time but it was important to them to instil good values and a good work ethic.  Importantly, to understand and value the dollar and to learn how to be responsible.  I didn't appreciate it at the time but I certainly did as I got older and really understood what it meant.

I don't think these values are achieved if parents (and others) are handing everything on a silver platter to Gen Y.  What are they learning?  Heaven forbid how they manage when they have a situation where they don’t get their own way or when a real crisis falls upon them (financial or otherwise).

One thing you can be certain of, if it all does come crashing in around them, is that they will want to blame someone for their situation.  Just who that might be we can’t be certain.  One thing I do know is that they won’t be wasting time thinking about how they voted and certainly the last person they will blame is Rudd.

Tammy Marika