Tag: Julia Gillard

Merry Christmas Malaysia from Australia


Malaysia has been in Australian news recently. Australia under the Labor Government has been clutching at straws to formulate a credible policy in addressing asylum seekers who arrive on boats operated by people smugglers.

 Under the previous Liberal Government, John Howard’s Pacific Solution entailed escorting boats to Nauru, where they are processed for refugee status. This was a very clear signal to people smugglers that they could never deliver effective services to their clients as they would not land in Australia. The result was that the number of boats arriving plunged. When Labor abolished this and allowed illegal arrivals to land and be processed on shore, where different rules prevail, the number of boats shot up.

 For reasons which can only be political, Nauru and the Pacific Solution ala John Howard was cut adrift and Labor has been bobbing around for a safe harbour to berth a policy. Thanks to about $300million (1 billion Malaysian Ringgit) Malaysia has agreed to be Julia Gillard’s Nauru.

 The problem of course, was that not only would Australia fork out a lot of moolah (not that Malaysia is an un-greedy refugee processing centre of sorts who would be willing to accept less) but Australia also needed, under the deal with Malaysia, to take 5 refugees currently housed in Malaysia for every one asylum seeker Malaysia agrees to accept to be process for refugee status.

 We have agreed to take in 4,000 refugees for the 800 asylum seekers Malaysia agrees to process, and which we may take back anyway. This works out to be about $54,000 per person – Malaysia gets $165,00 (RM) for every refugee it has probably abused for years. What a deal huh? For Malaysia I mean.

 Congratulations Najib – you have struck yourself a winner, and all because (1) Australia is a generous benefactor with loads of compassion and (2) it is governed by a egotistical idiotic and profligate Labor Government. You are a very lucky beneficiary of this stupidity.  For Malaysia, Najib teruk but nasib baik.

 So it is really a win-win scenario for Malaysia. Malaysia has well over 90,000 refugees, who are subject to constant extortion and abuse by immigration and custom officers. After exacting callous release of their gratification from these victims, Malaysians stand to benefit by appearing to do Australia a favour, at a cool pay day worth RM1billion.

 So as Muslim countries beat each other up and cause their people to flee, yet more Muslim countries abuse them en route to some ex-Christian countries with lingering Christian values who for one reason or another, agree to provide salvation for these souls. If and when some of them eventually settle down they might then gripe about Christian values and say they should be given the freedom to rile and rant against western Christian civilisation.

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Poll re Carbon Tax


I was having a breather from some work and saw a news article saying most Aussies dont like the carbon tax. Ho hum? Maybe, but the latest Newspoll survey on whether Australians are in favour of the carbon tax conducted by The Australian has this result:

Against: 60%

In favour: 30%

Uncommitted: 10%

Of those who were against the tax, 39% were strongly against.

Of those who were in favour, 12% were strongly so.

Maybe another poll or two should make us all demand another trip to the polling booth?

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Killing Us All Tweetly


Jim Wallace‘s tweet on Anzac Day is the latest proof that this tool can be wielded most unwisely. It is probably best not to use it for any purpose other than daily mundane stuff like letting your mates know where you are so they can join you if they wish. Try using it for any other purpose (such as social commentary) and you really are asking for it.

I am sure many Christians frown deeply at gay marriage and Islamic extremists and they are perfectly legitimate areas of interests for the Australian Christian Lobby. Use that silly limited tool that is Tweeter and mix that with Anzac Day and the place it holds for many Australians and you’re on really thin ice. From hereon in, who’d listen to Jim Wallace the next time he has anything to say about gay marriage or Islamic extremism? People are more likely to remember his folly of tweeting on these issues on Anzac Day 2011, than anything else he may have to say on them, no matter how valid and true that may turn out to be.

He has damaged the role of the Australian Christian Lobby in 22 words in a silly tweet and it’d take so much rebuilding to restore things. This silly tool is killing us all tweetly. 😦

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Rosemary Sprig for Anzac Day


Tress and I caught a little bit of the Anzac Day march footage a short while ago. We were wondering what was the significance of the rosemary sprig most of the presenters were wearing on their left lapels.

Apparentlty in ancient Greek times, the rosemary was thought to strengthen memory. Wearing the rosemary is probably a reminder that we are not to forget what these veterans have done for the nation. “Lest We Forget” is a phrase often used on this day – it’s roots were in relation to a poem to remember World War I veterans of the Brittish.

So I guess if you’re looking for something to boost your memory – rosemary it is!

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War again


Julia Gillard must be looking over her shoulders now. Kevin Rudd is looking strong, in command and every bit like the leader Julia isn’t appearing to be. He advocated the no-fly zone for Libya early on, when she was pontificating and taking the safe route of saying it was only one of many options. No the UN has approved it, Kevin looks good and perhaps on course for his personal ambitions for a UN role after leaving government.

I was watching the news on the little TV screen on the cross trainer this morning and the Arab League chief Amr Moussa looked a bit upset at what appears to be an unanticipated level of destruction the no fly zone enforcement has wrought so far.

It is also a bit worrying that what is coming across is the typical image of the west attacking an Arab nation. One minute images of fighter jets taking off are anchored by big bold words to the effect that US, UK and French air forces have launched attacks against Libya and in the next minute we have footage of Moussa saying they did not authorise this action.

No doubt anyone thinking about this would ask what exactly did the Arab League think a no-fly zone entailed, if it did not involve application of firepower of some sort? How do you create and enforce a no-fly zone in the midst of armed aggression between two internal rival groups? But that appears to be beside the point for now – there must be serious and concerted efforts to expunge images of west versus Islamic Arab nations. This is a UN thing, supported by Arab and other Islamic nations, to avert further loss and destruction in Libya.

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Ziggy Switkowski on the Carbon Tax


Ziggy Switkowski was once the head honcho of Telstra. It was before the days of the Sol Trojullio – the “Mexican” who came to reign Telstra in a tumultuous period and carted away a tidy pot of gold for himself.

Ziggy has just written a piece in the Business Spectator about how futile the Australia’s attempt to reduce emission can be, when our contribution to the problem is miniscule. He has of course written in a much more convincing manner, setting out the economic and technological aspects of the issue and how green house gas emissions is really an economic and technological problem for now, not quite yet an environmental one. So for the Bob Brown and Christine Milne and the Greens to push this agenda and for Julia Gillard to be capitulating to their interest so easily appears a bit out of whack.

That was the approach taken by the Howard Government – the economic angle – and it is now the defence piece of useless rhetoric for people like Wayne Swan in attempting to defend the carbon tax. What a shameless manipulation of facts. But then again these – other than Ziggy – are all politicians, they do that for a living.

Ziggy’e piece is hot fresh off the oven – google it.

Regards,Ian

Sent from my iPigeon

Will 23 March Speak?


How many votes and how many seats do you think Labor would have lost or not received in the last elections, had voters knew Gillard was going to go with the Greens and introduce the carbon tax?

How many voters who voted for Labor would have voted someone else – either the Coalition or an independent – had Gillard campaigned saying, at least in so far as the carbon tax is concerned and leaving aside other issues like giving Territories outright law passing rights, that she would team up with Bob Brown and his Greens? That would have set off a whole chain of activities which would likely shift the mood and results in a different direction, or not?

Will we have a whiff of the hypothetical outcome on 23 March, when the conservatives plan to hold rallies against the carbon tax?

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