Category: Politics

MARK Latham, who led the ALP to the last federal election, has been charged with assault and stealing after a scuffle with a newspaper photographer. The photographer wasn’t injured but Latham took his camera and dissassembled it under the age old mechanic policy “If it doesn’t work, hit it harder with a hammer” Life would be much sweeter for the ALP if they could just convince Latham and his ‘Dad’ Whitlam to go live elsewhere…anywhere but here. From Tim Blair

A bizarre footnote to the charging of Mr Latham was the appearance in the driveway of his home of a mask of a bearded man atop a white sheet. The apparent effigy was taken down on Monday afternoon.

Oh; the embarrassment of it all.

Because I read a hard copy of the Australian everyday I was beginning to believe the entire news of the world centrered around the AWB Cole enquirey. Under the guise of reporting on the AWB fiasco the Australian neatly encapsulates all the agendas of the main players. The US, for example are busy trying to get rid of the single desk aspect of the AWB because it is simply too efficient. Their agenda is to open up markets for their own wheat growers and they are simply cashing in on the fiasco. They couldn’t give a shit about paying ‘fees’ as they do it all the time; if not with wheat, then with other commodities. Every world trader has to do it if they seek markets in the third world. Read this piece and tell me I’m wrong. The US also have problems with the Canadian Wheat Board and continually (10 times in 14 years) make complaints to the WTO about their sales.

In February 2004, the World Trade Organization cleared the CWB of American accusations of unfair trade practices. The CWB called it a victory for western farmers. The WTO ruling was the 10th time in 14 years that trade rulings have backed the CWB.

From my point of view anything the US raises or, what might be more relevant, any quote the Australian journalists solicit from US players, has some element of self interest involved. The ALP, reported as highly excited at the chance to develop some cracks in the Government’s armour, have developed a sudden interest in what Saddam was doing with his ‘fees’.

As the scandal escalated yesterday ahead of the return of federal parliament this week, Labor foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd questioned whether any of the kickback money was paid to families of suicide bombers, prompting an angry response from Mr Downer.

This from a party who argued against getting rid of Saddam right from day one. The ALP policy was to leave Saddam in place where, presumably, he would’ve continued to pay money to suicide bomber’s familys ad nauseum. The ALP agenda is very clear. Take advantage of the fiasco and do everything within their power to keep the pot boiling. That’s fair enought too as they are the opposition (sometimes) but readers must keep in mind that the whereas the ALP’s agenda is clear and predictable, their policy on Iraq is anything but. Kevin Rudd’s incessant yapping at everything he sees or hears is becoming boring.

I once owned a toy pomeranian I called Tricky after an animal in All Creatures Great and Small, an ABC show about a Vetinarian somewhere in England. Tricky didn’t know enough to shut up and would yap relentlessly at the docile Alsation on the other side of the picket fence; presumably, just because it was there. I would pick up this little yapper that was as big as a shoe box and show her the Alsation over the fence pointing out that the target of her yapping was about ten times as big, wasn’t threatening her territory and she should just shut the hell up. She just went on yapping and the Alsation just sat and stared uncomprehendingly at the noise.

Kevin ‘Tricky’ Rudd to a tee. The wheat growers themselves also have some dissent amongst their members but this is really only based on whether we should have a single desk wheat sale corporation or not. Their agenda is driven by perceived profits under one or the other system. If the grower is in the anti-single desk faction he will complain long and loud about ‘fees’ paid to Saddam. If he is in the other camp he will say it’s a part of doing buisiness in the Middle East and after all the AWB is charged with selling our wheat in a combative market. The agenda of the Australian is less clear. Looking at other newspapers in Australia I find a variation of news items on the front pages. Even the Age, quick as anyone to sink the boot into the Howard government, features an articles on the Muslim reaction to the cartoons, the abortion pill debate, local police commissioner news and doesn’t even rate the AWB fisco in the’Other top stories’ section. The SMH is similar, The Courier Mail mentions the issue but not as a leader. The Australian? Well the leader is ‘New blow to PM’s defence’ followed by the second lead story about the US and their previously mention agenda. The ‘blow’ is anything but and who cares what the US competition thinks? The government have had to be quiet in the public arena to avoid legal issues with the enquiry but no such restraint will be present when parliament resumes. Look for an attack on the ALP’s inconsistency on all aspects of Iraq in the ensuing week.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said the Australian diplomatic service would be “prostituted” if Senator Hill was posted to the UN when he left John Howard’s ministry. Yeah….right. So the ALP never appointed any of their own people to ambassadorial or consulate positions when they were in power? What about the following;

28.6.75 Barnard LH (ALP) Resigned. Appointed Ambassador to Norway, Finland and Sweden 18.2.84 Johnson LR (ALP) Resigned. Appointed High Commissioner to NZ. 8.2.86 Jenkins HA (ALP) Resigned. Appointed Ambassador to Spain. 6.2.88 Hurford CJ (ALP) Resigned. Appointed Consul-General in New York. 9.3.94 Blewett N (ALP) Resigned. Appointed High Commissioner to the UK .

The problem is most people won’t bother to look these facts up and will just accept at face value what Rudd says. I can here the true believers, never ones to check their own history, waffling on now. It’s true. Oh, my God. The Libs are prostituting government! Both parties use this system of political appoinments from time to time so I can’t see what Rudd’s point is, other than trying to score a cheap point. Rudd trying to score a cheap point….never!

The only people who would be surprised by these polls are those who live in hope of Howard’s demise. The rest of the country could clearly see that the ALP/ACTU emotive and misleeding commercials on TV last year would have only a temporary effect on Howard’s popularity.

THE battering the Federal Government received as it pushed through industrial relations changes last year has dissipated, with John Howard experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Labor has lost the gains it made, although Kim Beazley has retained some of the public confidence in his leadership and starts the year in a personally stronger position.

I hope the TV adds cost them buckets

GEOFF Gallop will resign as Western Australia’s premier, and from Parliament, to fight a battle with depression. Dr Gallop, who advised cabinet of his decision after returning from leave today, said his resignation came after he sought advice from doctors about his illness last week.

NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney said he was personally and professionally offended by suggestions made by the Opposition Leader Peter Debman that the Government had directed police not to pursue criminality of a particular ethnicity. (he means Muslim Lebanese) Don’t be personally and professionaly offended, Ken. Be professional and release the stats on arrests and court cases. Tell us how many of the Cronulla rioters have been arrested and tried and how many Muslim Lebanese. Pretty easy really. If you’re right and the stats back you then the personal and professional insults will disappear. I note the flag burner has been jailed for three months and a Mr Dennehy became the 20th person charged by the police strike force set up to respond to the racial violence, after he gave himself up to police yesterday.

Police alleged Mr Dennehy, a former professional surfer, was captured on camera taking part in three violent incidents at Cronulla on December 11 and was involved in inciting further racial violence. He was granted bail on the condition he report three times a week to police.

Maybe it’s just an impression I have. Maybe I’m wrong but for the life of me I cannot recall many reports of men of MEA being arrested, tried and convicted. I would love to be wrong because I believe in the police as an institution and would hate to think the politicians are using them. The SMH has a rerun of the ALP branch stacking epidode that left Premier Dilemna in the situation he faces now. Can’t tackle the Muslim Lebanese problem while there are so many votes in it. This will not go away as Premier Dilemna would hope. He must refute the claims with facts and let the police do what they are charged with – policing the state without fear or favour