HRH Prince Charles' Diary: Now Public

Over the past 72 hours, a real storm has broken over what the heir apparent to the British throne thinks. This is a reassuring, because as an avid republican, I suspected that there wansn't much in the way of grey matter between those big ears of his. The revelations spawn from a seperate suit brought by one of his courtiers.

Charles didn't want the extracts revealed; his barristers argued that he was entitled to his view as a private citizen. He later dropped this, as public opinion showed he had overstepped the mark by actively lobbying ministers and senior public servants on many areas. He overstepped the role of the monarch (or soon to be monarch) inside the British political system. It's what you expect from the son of the Duke of Edinburgh (Phillip). Frank, to the point of rudeness, and the constant use of "one" ,as in one should always put the toilet seat down after use. He didn't say that, I did.

The most potentially damaging entries come from the handover of Hong Kong to China, where he describes Tony Blair as too focused on focus groups to really care about the History of HRY Britannia, or calling the Chinese Politburo old waxworks. In Australia, the role of the Governor General includes being the Chair of the Privy Council, made up of (Her Majesty's) Ministers. When legislation is being discussed, the chair of the privy council can make suggestions to it, and they are incorporated. Former High Court justices who have become Governors General were well known for their contributions to legislation. The Queen goes through her "red boxes" from ministers and No.10.

I think the media, especially the Daily Mail (who have been the circus masters) who have exposed Charles as normal. He has opinions, and this is positive. As much as I regale myself when the Royal Family get themselves into trouble, I haven't had the same satisfaction here. The comments in his diaries are not meant for public consumption, the only things the public should know about is the speeches he made at the time, telling them (truthfully) that Hong Kong was a place where East and West have been able to work together positively. From the ceremony, and the details he describes, many would agree with him.

Some are just arrogant beyond anything I've ever read. He complained of being put upstairs (business class) on a 747 flight to Hong Kong, while the Minsters of the Crown, and other important people were in First. He forgot to mention that he and his entourage were its only occupants, and they had that section of the plane to themselves. Thats where I snigger a little.

Matador

Tonight went to a special preview of Matador, a film starring and produced by ex Bond Pierce Brosnan. There's a film from the last Bond film (Die Another Day) where he escapes from a ship in Hong Kong and walks into a hotel lobby topless and bearded. It's what I thought of as I watched the opening scenes.
It's really playing a role to break the Bond

Julian Noble (Brosnan) is an assasin who slowly loses his touch. He meets Danny Wright (Kinnear) during a job in Mexico City. They strike up an odd friendship. Noble take Wright to his first ever bull-fight, and it's there he reveals himself as a killer for hire. The parralels between the death of a bull and target are evident. The crowd has more respect for a matador that kills with one plunge of the blade, then for one who is imprecise.
Noble asks Danny to assist with with a hit, and they fall out over this. The last we hear is of Noble banging on the door of a hotel room, apologising. The gap of time between this and the Budapest breakdown is the most intriguing. We don't find the result out until the very end. I think thats where I'll leave it without plot/spoiler wrecking too much.

Odds for TAS and SA Elections

Centrebet has framed odds for the upcoming, and hasn't provided an option for backing the Liberals in either case. The margin of victory by Labour is the only event available. For posterity, here they are:

TAS
Labour wins 12 or less seats: $1.14
Labour wina 13 or more seats: $5.00
(There are 25 seats, 13 needed for majority government)
It would really be bad news for the state if The Greens held the balance of power.

SA
Labour wins 24 or more seats: $1.03
Labour wins 23 or less seats: $10.00
(There are 47 seats, 24 needed for majority government)

General Motors dissected by Rees-Mogg

I look forward to articles by (Lord) William Rees-Mogg, a former editor of The Times and now a regular contributor to the opinion pags of the same paper.

Today featured an article on the rise and demise of General Motors, a giant of American industry who has really struggled to come to terms with global competition, especially from the Asian sector. I'm familliar with most of the history of GM, and how it established itself post WWII to give America its industrial edge. I can even remember the quote of: “what’s good for General Motors is good for America”. I haven't had the interest to actually find out what's wrong with GM, and Rees-Mogg has elightened me.

“In character, today’s GM is a weird and painfully scarred combination of businesses. It is a car company doing poorly, and it is an insurance company engulfed by obligations way beyond its ability to pay."
As much as people don't wish to admit it, GM is heading towards Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As a loss of face, and a kick in the guts of American industry it stems from mistakes not easily rectifiable. The GM bonds are trading at $19, a low not seen circa 1982.
The main cause is the generous compensation given during the boom times, that have now cornered the company in leaner times. Fire the employees and its costly, keep them and you're stuck. It's a lesson to negotiate with unions at the bottom end of the business cycle. Like a Californian earthquake, it's not a question of if, but when the filing will happen. Being still such a huge conglomerate (to the tune of US$13bil) it can still sell off bits and pieces as time goes on. It doesn't change the core of the business which is slowly rotting away.

The bureaucratic management is wrong, the businesses owned are wrong, the liabilities are almost unlimited, the trade unions have already bled the company dry. Worst of all, the company is not competitive in markets or in costs. Even if the private markets were to give cash, or a government bail-out was given (President Bush has already ruled this out) it would not fix the problems described above. GM is a collosus poorly managed and it going to make quite a thud when it falls over.

Rees-Mogg speculates as to the make-up of the global industry in the future. Four or five including Toyota (Japan), possibly Ford (US), DaimlerChrysler (Diversified between Europe and Asia) and another Japanese/South Korean perhaps Renault/Nissan is an option. Why? The differential in manufacturing between Detroit and Beijing/Tokyo.

Simon Crean: Game Over

Simon Crean has been doorknocking ALP residents in the seat of Hotham, asking for their support in fighting off Martin Pakula, a union official who wants to challenge for preselection. I called the results about a year ago, when speculation of a deal between the factions on these preselections was being negotiated. It's easy to say it when there's no proof on this blog. I told people what I thought, and they said I was crazy. Well look at it now. My own sources inside Labor Unity tell me that Crean's goose is cooked, and all this doorknocking and canvassing is just a struggle on the inevitable march to the gallows.

I haven't had a chance to seize up Pakula, and what he'd like to do if preselected. (He might increase the vote in Hotham!). I've heard he's a quiet but hard working official, who's well respected within the union movement.That leads me away from the point I'm about to make. Labor is doing away with one it has been known for.

Burying their leaders. All past leaders have had the chance to see out their time on the green leather, without being forced out. The deal negotiated on preselection put an end to that. Hawke resigned after he was rolled by Keating, Keating left of his own accord after the 1996 defeat, Kim Beazley has been allowed to hang around despite his two election losses and Latham certainly left of his own accord. No loss of face brought on by the party, or its state branches.
No movement to kick sitting leaders out of parliament. Crean is the first former leader to be embarassed. This also flows down into state preselections, where Bracks has wanted automatic protection for his ministers at the next state election. The same deal, and a modification of the Legislative Council, means that the minister responsible for the Commonwealth Games (Justin Madden) may lose his seat just months after the Games.

To become a party that appeals to more people, it must jettison a second, significant tradition. The minimisation of trade union involvement in the party. Mark Latham put it as eloquently as he could when he wrote:

I'm not opposed to unionism per se, just the idea of six union secretaries
sitting around a Chinese restaurant table planning the future for everyone
else. (December 2003)

Tony Blair took Labor away from the power of the Trade Unions by reforming the party. It is now branded as New Labor, and it has been three terms of rule for them. New Labor have captured the middle ground, and it is only now that the Conservatives under David Cameron have been able to start chipping away at the lead in the polls.

Simon Crean has tried to reform the party, and is perhaps paying the price for trying to pry the hands of unions off the party. His advocacy of 60/40 (60% Branch members, 40% Unions) at National Conferences was groundbreaking. Latham was also trailblazer on reforming not just party politics, but Australian decision making structures, and advocates devolution of power to individual communities, killing the main parties hold on it. I wouldn't listen extensively to the rantings of a bitter man, who is facing charges of assault, theft and malicious damage to a photographer's camera. I just say there needs to be union blood shed before Labor can really compete in a political arena.

UPDATE: LLM was wrong, Creano managed to survive.The local Cambodian vote looks like it changed sides. I guess that when you've put up with the terrors of Pol Pot, and the belief that older people do a better job, it's easier to see why you're not going to be pushed around by a young upstart. LLM did believe that Simon's time was over, but stands corrected.

Ode To The Celebrity Politician

Celebrity politicians have always been a strange breed. The fact that their eccentric (or otherwise) behavior may reflect poorly on perception by the electorate, is the matter of most c concern.Arnie "I'll be back" Schwarzenegger is a case in point.His campaign minders spent most of the time managing the barrage of damaging accusations of anti-feminism, part-taking in orgies and various other causes that Arnie had offended during his past life.

The problem with bringing in an outsider with politics is that they have not been proven in the political sphere which is ruthless. Coming up with their own ideas is sometimes difficult, but Arnie has surrounded himself with smart people in his cabinet.Standard politicians have been tested and vetted in various ways throughout their tenure, in a process similar to natural selection. You stuff up, and you don't progress as quickly as you might of. Stuff up several times, and the tap on the shoulder will come. Same thing with most things in life, but politics means that all this occurs in a very public way.The tried and tested process normally throws up few surprises. No one is elected on Sunday, and becomes PM on the Monday. Except of course in the case of the celebrity politician

This brings me to the case of Peter Garrett, the former front man of Midnight Oil. He was elected to the safe Labor seat (9ish% lead at the last election) seat of Kingsford Smith that takes in Sydney Airport and other eastern suburbs such as Maroubra, Randwick and Coogee. His pre-selection was not a result of local branch decision, he was parachuted into the role by Mark Latham. He had been approached by some politicos since he left the band to "immerse myself in those things which are of deep concern which I have been unable to fully apply myself to up now".

He once ran for the Senate for the NDP (Nuclear disarmament Party), but fell short, as he was one name too low on the party list. The party imploded not long after. He has also been the president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, which in my opinion would have made him more of a Green Senator than Labor MP. Apparently disagreements between Garrett and Green honcho Bob Brown about the very subject of celebrity politicians put off that union.

The other big issue for the celebrity is media relations. You can't deal with them like you used to, as political editors, sketch writers, and lobby reporters will be far more cutting than the gossip columnist peddling rumours. As a small time hack myself, I can imagine the headlines:"Short Memory", "The Power and the Passion", "Somebody's Trying to Tell me Something" (All songs the band performed). He also had a unique stage and dance act. Strange would be a far better. Cartoonists can be so harsh, but I can only suspect they will be especially so with a bald and daggy ageing rocker.I found a couple of streaming clips from an 80s performance here. Many celebrities try to bridge the gap, but they sometimes ignore the warnings. The Liberal Party was embarrased when Russell Mark, a gold medal shooter at the Sydney Olympics, retired from his campaign for the seat of Ballarat, for no apparent reason.

Flag Burning Kits

Via Tim Blair and Week by Week


Two days, two stories of the nutty left in Australia. Resistance propose to aspiring socialist the emergency flag burning kit. Comprised of an Australian Flag, lighter, fire lighting Cube and the kind of pamphlets you see clogging campus bins in the lead up to any National Day of Action. In case of emergency, or a spontaneous protest against anything, crack out the FBKs.

Resistance, the youth wing of the Democratic Socialist Party (UPDATE: my mistake, they have renamed to the Democratic Socialist Perspective, still DSP though) was the domain of Kylie Moon, a young woman who has written for the Green-Left Weekly (that should be enough, but I'll continue), and involved with the Books Not Bombs (BNB) movement. Anyone remember chair-throwing at the (so called) peaceful protest around the Sydney Town Hall?

Resistance was also thought to be involved with the flag burning of Australian and US flags outside Union House in 2002. The headlines were grabbed by Lizzie O'Shea's, whose sister Louise, was involved with the disturbance at Kerry Packer's funeral (see previous post). These two incidents are more related than at first glance, as the plot thinkens ever so slightly. To the question of burning the flag itself, I think it's an affront to the country. Laws to jail people who burn it is a little too strong, but it should be strongly condemned publicly as unacceptable. It's also unacceptable to encourage people to burn the flag by selling these kits. I won't be purchasing a kit, but I liked Tim Blair's advice to "hang the flag, torch the crap". At $5 it will rank along the more premium items on the Resistance table, amongst the badges, flyers and books. Will they have a half price sale during the year? I might pick one up for the sake of it. Just to show my grandkids how zany the left were in my time.

KP's Funeral, and the arrests outside

Why take a cheap shot at a man who's already been dead and buried. To make a point no doubt, and the rabid left have a nasty habit of these stunts. Members of the Kerry Packer Dis-Memorial Collective, interfered with the arrival of guests. The usual bunch of suspects including the Socialist Alternative (SA) and The Refugee Action Collective made up the numbers.
The NSW convenor of SA told smh.com.au:

"The complaint was from security that the protesters were yelling at the guests
coming in, where in fact it was them yelling at us, telling us to fuck off."

Update from the comments section:
"Pity you can neither read nor think, mate. Fertl is the NSW convenor of the Socialist Alliance." Point made, see comments for further debate.

Thats the unwashed left's modus operandi. Never admit to anything and blame everybody else. Duroyan Fertl: you're missing the point. You should never have been there in the first place, and that's why people were yelling abuse at you. That's if I take you at your word. Knowing how these guys operate you probably:

• accused Kerry of being a bourgeois pig
• told guests they were supporting an evil capitalist empire
• pranced around like hippies

The mourners were there to pay their respects to someone. They didn't come to discuss the world as you see it. Do you seriously expect them to waltz past without a word. Even the harder SL types inside would have been embarassed. I'm just glad you didn't get inside the Concert Hall, to disrupt the service itself.

When given an ultimatum by police, the group chose the hard way and were promptly arrested.

As it turns out, this strikes a little closer to home. Andrew Landeryou has a photo of what appears to be NUS Education Officer Louise O'Shea (yes, sister of Lizzie "Flag Burner" O'Shea) at the protests. The OC claims she was arrested. I guess that would make her the 25 year old Enmore woman charged with hindering police, resisting arrest and ignoring police requests.
To think my compulsory fees are paying her salary. I'll be watching to make sure the NUS does not underwrite her defence along the old "I'm allowed to do whatever the hell I please to get media attention" argument. You were being a general nuisance and, depending on past offences, I'd expect you to cop between a fine and community service.

Four Pillars

From the Smage:

HAS the "four pillars" policy outlived its usefulness?
According to a former Australian bank executive now working overseas, the bank protection policy is no longer appropriate and has resulted in shoddy customer service and high fees and charges.

I did some research on the four pillars in Finance: I reproduce my work here for your enjoyment.

Abstract
The policy disallowing mergers between the largest national banks is in place to protect consumers against the possible increases in fees and charges, as well as the lack of competition that could occur should any of the four pair up. Potential job and branch losses from synergies and economies of scale are arguments against lifting the blanket ban. However, changing the roles and responsibilities of the group of four is the best solution to ensure that competition remains.Question:Australia has a `four pillars’ policy in relation to domestic retail banks. Why was this policy introduced? Should it continue?

History
Since World War Two, few new banking licences were issued by the government to foreign banks. This shielded local banks from the competition. The environment changed when the Campbell Committee’s inquiry into the financial system (1979-81) was initiated, and many banks foresaw (accurately) that policy on international banks would be reversed, and higher levels of competition would exist (Wright, 1999). To battle these invaders, they began to group themselves in larger sizes so as to better compete.

• Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) merged with the English, Scottish and Australian Bank in 1980 (ANZ, 2005).
  
• The National Australia Bank Group (NAB) took over the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney in 1981. (NAB, 2005)
  
• The Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC) brand was born from the merger of the Bank of NSW and the Commercial Bank of Australia in 1982.
  Acquisitions of Challenge Bank (1995) and Bank of Melbourne (1997) followed. (Westpac, 2005)
  
• The Commonwealth Banking Group (CBA) is the exception to the above rule. As an established Federal Government bank previous to the creation of the Reserve Bank in 1959 (CBA, 2005), its size allowed it to compete without mergers or takeovers. It did acquire Colonial State Bank in 2000.
  

Amid this pattern of rapid consolidation and fearful of having gone too far, the then Labor government introduced the Six Pillars.

The Six Pillar House
Paul Keating announced the six pillars in 1990 (FSU 2005) to prevent mergers amongst the four banks (ANZ, CBA, NAB and WBC) and Australia’s largest insurance companies in Australian Mutual Provident (AMP) and National Mutual (now AXA Asia Pacific). The imagery of the pillars is poetic and simple, if one or more is removed (by merger) then the financial system will come under threat and may collapse. However, the Six Pillars policy “was never law…merely a warning to the banks not to get together” (Westfield, 1998).
The inclusion of insurance companies is strange, as banking and insurance are separate market segments that offer different services. Certainly, they are both financially related, but insurance companies do not offer bank branches, and banks do not have life insurance as their main line of business. The government of the time has claimed it would have incurred a “substantial lessening of competition” (S.50 Trade Practices Act 1974). Foreign competition was encouraged:

“In February 1992, the Government opened the door to additional foreign banks
[…] and branch banking status was made available.”
Reserve Bank of
Australia Bulletin September 1994, cited in Wright 1999.

The bank branches and the resulting services of rural and regional Australia were a particular focus of governments in introducing the four pillars. (Buckley, 2004)

Renovation: Then there were four
Under a government of a different persuasion, the Wallis Inquiry was established to review competition under the Six Pillar system, and any legislative changes that might need to be made. The inquiry recommended several changes including, allowing the ACCC to decide if mergers between banks and insurance companies were uncompetitive. The goal of protecting consumers remains the same, except that the insurance companies are excluded from the deal (Wright, 1999).
Peter Costello compromised, and removed only the insurance companies from the blanket ban to bring us to the policy that exists today. This did not change the core of the policy, which were the banks. Even though the ‘lifers’ have been available, no one has decided to move on them. AMP has not been an attractive due to corporate troubles (Nick Whitlam and Board) and the spectacular failure of its UK arm (Henderson), and AXA has always been a member of a worldwide group, that would probably only sell at an elevated premium.

However, between them, the four banks hold just under a quarter of shares in AMP (AMP, 2005 and Note), which shows the interest of banks in insurance, but also leaves the door open for an acquisition. ‘Raids’ sometimes occur for banks to build up a shareholding (ABC, 2003). Whether the financial ‘house’ threatens to fall if one of the banks successfully takes over a lifer is yet to be seen. ANZ has diversified into a life insurance partnership with ING.

The Codified Four Pillars
Peter Costello also ensured that the four pillars would be enforced by law, and as Treasurer he has significant powers to ensure the four banks do not merge.
Section 63 of the Banking Act, Section 11 of the Financial Services (Transfer of Business) Act and Sections 18-19 of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act each have a section giving authority to the government of the day, through the Treasurer. The treasurer can delegate his responsibilities to, and take advice from the prudential regulator (APRA) with regards to all merger activity in the banking sector.
The ACCC is now purely responsible for the enforcement of the Trade Practices Act to prevent a lessening of competition.

Size Matters
The inability of banks to generate growth for shareholders domestically has forced them to go overseas in search on new opportunities. (Buckley, 2004) NAB holds interests in the UK (Clysdale and Yorkshire banks) and until recently in Ireland. Westpac has branches in the Pacific Islands. Acquisitions by Australian banks in overseas operations are often put down to the critical mass argument, advocated by Harper (1999) and dismissed by Fels (1998). To compete with banks like the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBOS), on a worldwide basis, banks need to be larger. This is especially so when dealing with corporate finance, when only very large institutions are designated as lead manager or underwriter. “Deep balance sheets support the investment banking activities of modern international banks” (Buckley, 2004)
Size also matters when dealing with losses. A larger bank can suffer bigger losses without folding, and hence the ‘risk of ruin’ is reduced, although exceptions such as Nick Leeson’s involvement in the collapse of Barings exist. (Harper 1999).

The House without Pillars
Australia falls behind many in the world, where ‘champions’ or large banks such as the Royal Bank of Scotland, Citigroup or JPMorgan Chase are formed,
A merger between members of the four pillars would allow such a bank to be created. At what cost? Closure of branches on main streets due to the duplication of branches, and job losses are obvious concerns, with estimates ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 jobs lost if the banks paired off. There is also substantial body of evidence suggesting that large scale mergers do not produce the efficiencies of scale that are usually touted as justifying them. (FSU, 2004 and Committee evidence). Introducing competitors to this market is difficult, as the barriers to entry are enormous. Local branches of overseas banks, such as HSBC operate, but in no way near the number a combined entity of the Four Pillars would form.

I agree with Buckley (2004), that the four pillars should be lifted, and support his solution for allowing mergers, whilst retaining service levels. The Big Four should be allowed to concentrate on their full range of corporate and financial services domestically and worldwide, but smaller regional banks would be allowed to take deposits and make loans through the branch network. They could feel free to merge as they wish, because competition would exist as each of the smaller banks grasps for new customers. Appropriate undertakings pursuant to the Trades Practices Act would need to be given by all of the participants to manage their behaviour, and the roles of the competition (ACCC) and prudential (APRA) regulators become increasingly important. How to manage the Big Four’s exit or retreat from everyday banking services would be the ultimate challenge. However, all of this is mere speculation until the remaining four pillars are broken down.

Conclusion
The Australian Government has always operated a protectionist banking system, ostensibly to ensure the safety of depositor’s money. When further competition was introduced, banks merged to compete better with foreign banks and this has continued in some way to the present. The combined Four/Six Pillars policy has been in operation for over a decade, preventing Australian Banks from becoming ‘superbanks’ in their own right. Job and branch losses from mergers are a rightful fear. Lifting the blanket ban on mergers between the big four, and splitting banking into two sectors; regional banks providing everyday transaction accounts, and leave the Big Four to become dedicated investment banks, mergers or otherwise.

Note: Extract from 2004 Full Year Report P.100 (Twenty Largest Shareholders)

2) Westpac Custodian Nominees Ltd: 11.71% (217,887,654 Shares)
3) National Nominees Ltd: 8.71% (162,038,928 Shares)
5) ANZ Nominees Ltd: 3.27% ( 60,752,129 Shares)
9) Westpac Financial Services Ltd: 0.86% ( 15,955,986 Shares)
Total 24.55% (456 634 697 Shares)

P.S Have not included references, they clog the page. They are available on the comments page

XX Winter Olympic Games-Torino

Of late I've been accumulating a fair bit of couch time and enjoying some of what I've seen when it comes to the Olympics in Turin. As an Australian, the greatest highlight was Steven Bradbury's gold medal at Salt Lake City in 2002. It embodied the qualities of the underdog.Against Apolo "Oh No!" was involved in a fall, and took the rest of the pack with him. I didn't rate Alisa Camplin's Gold in arial skiing; it didn't move me in the same way. A gold medal is still a gold medal.
But being from a country where snowsports don't feature large in the national psyche, the winter olympics is not where our "sporting heroes" come from. Gregorieva, Freeman, De Castella, Gaze, Thorpe, Perkins, Hackett, O'Neill...I could really go on. The hype surrounding these games just isn't the same, and I feel it's the same in the UK.

I actually went to see a bobsleigh event in Albertville, France when younger. As a young kid, seeing these men climb into a missile a launch themselves down a curving river of ice was impressive. The rattle from the distance quickly became a roar, and then this blur of polished colour sped past and around the corner. Gone again.

I'm just a little sad I didn't have the chance to see some really historic (winter) Olympic moments. The first would be the USSR and USA hockey matches during the Cold War. In particular, the Miracle on Ice in 1980 (Lake Placid). When the Cold War became Ice Cool. Since that particular rivalry has ended, (and I'm not a big fan of Figure Skating) there is little else to barrack for.I will give credit to Torville and Dean's outstanding "Bolero" performance that won them the Gold in 1980. Try and find yourself a clip, it's poetry in motion.
So I've decided to try to get into a sport, that will last the rest of the competition.

Curling. A Scottish sport (the governing body is based in Perth, Kinross) where the aim is to stop
a 20 kg rock in the middle of a target, by directing it with brooms. Strategy and physics rolled into one. Watch it at first, and you'll think it's boring. I'm at that stage now and hoping it will change.

P.S. The women's slalom is interesting, as the slightly icy conditions combined with the skiers ranked 20+ pushing the limits means a couple of nasty falls. Damn I'm taking pleasure in the pain of others.

Springtime for Hitler, and Tel Aviv

Great article in the Times today, explaining that the Mel Brooks movie/play/movie is playing to packed houses in Tel-Aviv. For those not familiar, the title should assist, but it involves two men who try to make money from a flop theatre production. They being both Jewish, what better way of driving the punters away then putting an over the top production with Adolph as protagonist.
Lines such as: "Don't be a stupid be a smarty: Come and Join the Nazi party."
"The Fuhrer is making a furore"
I think you get the picture.

When in New York early 2005, I went and saw it from the nosebleed seats on Broadway. Although the original cast had long left, it was the kind the play to have you giggling in your seats like kids.

Now that it's in Tel-Aviv, and a Hebrew version no less, I'm reminded of my recent post on free speech. The residents of Tel-Aviv, or those who have seen the show and disliked it (few to none) are not going to take to the streets and burn down...the offices of Warner Brothers, or find the relatives of Mel Brooks to make a point. They enjoyed being the objects of satire, as well as the satire of one man responsible for a tragedy of unbelievable death and misery. Their own religion is also poked fun at.
The Iranians should follow suit and relax.

Leunig and Bali Nine

So, The Age’s resident cartoonist, one Michael Leunig, has been framed. He never submitted the cartoons to the competition. For once, I totally agree with what he is saying. He never did personally, but the cartoons were of such a scandalous nature the Iranians took it on board. The first entrant in an international competition to compete with the publication of the Danish Cartoons. Unfortunately, Leunig was ashamed of having his work published for a much wider audience than the Melbourne Latte Left, which must be saying something. He pulled them. If he stood behind his work, he should have welcomed their entry.

I don’t find one of the cartoon set (there are apparently two) very amusing. It compared (all I seem to do is analyse cartoon, feels like I was back at school doing media analysis. Maybe it’s finally paying off) a sign above a Holocaust camp that read “Work Brings Freedom” (Auschwitz 1942) with “War Brings Peace” above a barb wired war area (Israel 2002). Why? It ridicules the struggle of the Jewish people to survive an event as horrific as the Holocaust. It portrays them to be warmongers out of a twisted sense of revenge. It isn’t revenge. It’s their right, and it’s an issue (much like abortion) where both sides can never be reconciled.
Any leader that attempts to compromise, as Ariel Sharon did with the Gaza Withdrawal, is labeled as soft by his own country’s left-wing. A clever politician, currently confined to a bed, he knew he could do it and it would be reasonable. Why? Israel still controls the borders, coastline and air around the Strip. Giving up that portion is leverage for the future, when Hamas (The new Palestinian Government) decides to become a sanctioned player in Pal-Israeli politics. I can see both players respecting each other for a change, but that’s yet to be seen.

Some of the Bali Nine had their sentences made yesterday. So far, we have two death sentences for the ringleaders and four life sentences for the drug mules. The remainder are sentenced today. It’s really very simple. Don’t do it. There are copious amounts of warnings displayed around the airports of Bali and Singapore (when I’ve been) as well as a Schapelle Corby’s education campaign. In hindsight, she’s lucky she only got 20 years. I remember seeing the footage of their arrest at the airport, as the drugs were untapped from their bodies and the powder weighed. The look on their faces was stony, and in the background, one of them (Renae Lawrence I think) was overheard to say that they were dead anyway. That is: confess, get off, and have your family knocked off or stay mum and be executed.
UPDATE: The Age repeated what was said on the film:
"What's the point anyway. Because . . . if we dob them in they kill our family and we're dead anyway . . . don't tell them and they'll just kill us instead and they'll leave our families alone."

Bali is not a paradise where foreigners can do as they please. Does anyone still remember Michelle Leslie? She was a model who was picked up for possession. Got a rap over the knuckles when she admitted being addicted.
When I was there last shopping just off Kuta Square (where one of the bombs was detonated in Oct 02) I was offered to buy Ganja (I think that’s what he called weed). I automatically thought this could be entrapment, and suddenly 5 cops pounce and you end up the next Australian on drug charges.
I agree with John Howard

“Can I just say to every young Australian, please take notice of this […] The warnings have been there for decades and how on
earth any young Australian can be so stupid as to take the risk is completely beyond me."

and for a change, Bomber Beazley
“"I think you've got to say people have been warned. We've just got to send a message clearly to young Australians -- this is what's
going to happen to you. Don't do it."

The Federal Government now faces a Van Nguyen situation. So many opponents of capital punishment will hog the airwaves, and the column inches to remind us we are a barbaric nation for allowing these two (so far) to be executed. The Federal Government does not dictate the policy of the Indonesian legal system, nor the laws established by the People’s Consultative Assembly. That’s the realist in me speaking. I have a friend who spends a lot of time in Singapore, and he has told me that the anti-Australian feeling was out of control during Van Nguyen’s last weeks. Rob Hulls flying out was a waste of time.
The approach to be made should be through diplomatic channels, so that those with life sentences can serve some of the time in Australian prisons. A prisoner exchange cannot be brokered by media. It would also get Schapelle home, for her fans. I’m not one of them.
As for those who face the death penalty, I hold little hope as Indonesia has (of late certainly) been tough on drugs. Unless there is more evidence to be introduced, the sentences will not be commuted. The Indonesian president SBY (Susilo Bambang Yudhono) had made it clear his clemency discretion will not be extended to those convicted of drug crimes. This issue unquestionably has legs. The post-trial process, the subsequent delays and appeals and further court time could see these people caught in legal limbo for years. I don’t want to be them.

Dunfermline & West Fife By-election

A by-election to return a member to serve for the electorate of Dunfermline & West Fife was held last Thursday, in order to fill a vacancy brought about by the death of the sitting member Rachel Squire (Lab). She held the seat safely gaining a 11,500 vote majority. A week is a long time in politics, and each of the major parties primarily had their own issues of leadership to deal with.

For the incumbent Labor government, the long standing rivalry between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown had not cooled. The situation resembles that of Prime Minister Howard and Treasurer Costello. Except that in this case, Blair does not have the same ascendance. Blair looks less and less in control as his historic third term draws to a close. Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer and a Scot who represents the neighbouring electorate of Kircaldy (that’s Kirkaudy phonetically), had been campaigning personally in the area. Indeed he should: Brown resides in the Dunfermline & West Fife constituency. A huge loss for Labour on the eve of its annual conference would not boost the morale of delegates. Not only are relations difficult between neighbours in Downing Street, but also between Westminster and Holyrood.

Scotland was granted limited self government in 1999 and holds much the same residual powers as an Australian state (Education, Police, Local Councils etc…). Jack McConnell (Lab), the First Minister of Scotland still consults regularly with British ministers on the state of roads, as they can assist with funding. The Forth Road Bridge, which links the north of Edinburgh to Fife suddenly became an issue. Users pay £1 to cross the bridge. Confusion reigned as to whether the charge would be upped to £4 at peak times, with free use otherwise or whether a second bridge was to be built. This is a big issue, because many Fife residents travel on the Forth Road Bridge to work in Edinburgh. The other candidates and their parties (particularly the Scottish National Party) rightfully asked who was making the decisions. Was McConnell under the influence of Brown? Well, it was an unwelcome distraction. An Abolish Forth Bridge Tolls candidate stood in an ever increasing melee of candidates, backers, and helpers.

 

The Liberal Democrats have had their share of problems since Charles Kennedy resigned when his problems with alcohol surfaced. The acting leader Sir Menzies “Ming” Campbell, gave the impression of being an outsider; experienced by too old. Mark Oaten, Chris Huhne and Simon Hughes stood out. Unfortunately, scandals gripped two of the contenders. Simon Hughes was rumored to be gay, but denied it several times in different publications. With pressure building, he finally admitted that he was bisexual. One bites the dust. More revelations of the kind were to follow however. Mark Oaten was sensationally exposed by The News of The World as having used male prostitutes whilst married. Chris Huhne and Ming Campbell. I predict Ming to win. With the crises that have enveloped the party, grass roots members will look for the old guard.

 

As for the Tories, they’ve had a makeover down south. Instead of the vampiresque Michael Howard leading the charge, David Cameron, a man who has described his life as terribly privileged, was making all the right noises. That was until he was caught out and labeled a Flip-Flop. As he had written the (doomed) 2005 election manifesto, he cannot change the policies contained in it without attracting the scorn of Labor frontbenchers, who seemed ready to pounce. Cameron’s PMQ performances seem to rally the backbench, more so than his successor. But can this momentum be converted into a win for the Scottish Tories, who could almost be considered a political sect on the fringes. Unfortunately not.

 

The SNP have no problems apart from sounding like that brat of a tennis player John McEnroe. The SNP ask the question about total devolution over and over, getting a sharp shake of the head for their worries. “You cannot be serious” could well be their motto, as the SNP refuses to acknowledge the answer given by a Scottish public. NO

 

All the above events occurred during the campaign week, or were engrained into the public psyche come time to vote. All this turmoil has meant that an 11,000 margin is not as safe as it sounds. And sure enough it wasn’t, the Liberal Democrats candidate William Rennie, defeated the Labor candidate by just over 1,500 votes. It has been measured as 16.8% swing against Labor in Scotland, and it is the first time Scottish Labor have lost a by-election since 1980. Although finishing fourth, the Conservatives can take heart of the electorate’s dislike of Tony Blair, and the many protest votes that have flowed to the Liberal Democrats. Perhaps that south of the Border, Labor will lose seats to both major parties and the protests get louder. A hell of a lot to write for something apparently insignificant, but well worth the practice. I really should have written it before the event.

 

Freedom of Speech?

I read this morning that an Iranian newspaper is organising a competition for controversial cartoons. I was thinking that they’re undoubtedly going to be anti-Danish. I was wrong; the Hamshahri is looking for the best dozen pictures depicting the Holocaust, no doubt in retaliation for the Danish 12.
This eye for an eye business really worries me. I don’t think that anyone will even consider strolling down to their local Iranian Consulate/Embassy to set the place alight.

The very art of cartooning is to emphasise a particular issue while tying it to another, much like writing headlines for newspapers. A headline that sticks from George Galloway’s time on Celebrity Big brother was Give Puss The Boot from The Sun or The Record. It linked Boy George’s silly cat behaviour with a feline character from a movie (Puss in Boots).
Cartooning has the same idea. In yesterday’s Australian, Bill Leak had a cartoon of Tony Abbott looking very distressed as a hand (female obviously) tore away a sheet of paper which had “RU 486 Total Birth Control” written. Abbott is crying, and says “My Baby! They’re Killing My Baby”. The caption underneath read “Tony Abbott shows his feminine side.” This has managed to combine the Health Minister’s staunch pro-life views on abortion, the stripping of his ministerial power and I feel a slight suggestion to his admission he played Vatican Roulette. You can google the Vatican Roulette yourself if you’re that interested.

But back to Iran. Their President (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) has previously suggested that the Holocaust was a “myth” and that Israel needed to be wiped off the map. This goes to the heart of some who originally published the offending cartoons. French secondary school education places the Holocaust at the very center of their history. The big delineations rightly occur during WWI and II, but the Holocaust is seen as an integral part of WW2. I don’t think a subject like the Holocaust would be given such prominence within schools in Iran. The editors published the cartoons without fully foreseeing the backlash that might occur, as in most cases, these are treated as fair comment. It didn’t end up that way, and so we can see the cultural divide enlarging (as many left leaning media have been pushing). I do note that they originally appeared in the Danish papers, but they seemed to have picked up when they were published in France.

 

In my opinion, anyone should be able to publish the dozen without fear of being marauded by their local vigilantes. Right blogger par excellence Tim Blair had no qualms in publishing them all. It all comes down to reasonable behaviour. I don’t get offended when Jesus, or my religion is satirized. Does anyone remember Piss Christ, the photograph where a plastic crucifix could be seen bathing in (was it the author’s?) urine? Sure, it was a little distasteful, but it didn’t ignite a hate so deep as to entail torching an embassy. In fact, it would take a lot for me to be offended. If others had been able to laugh off the jokes made at their expense, we wouldn’t need the diatribe spurting from everyone with an opinion (including myself!)

Begin 06

It's now very late at night, early in the morning in Edinburgh.
I'm sitting in the front room, and I've had a chance to mull over exactly what has happened to me since the last time I was a fully fledged blogger. Exactly isn't an accurate way of describing it.
A lot has happened, and the latter months of 2003 and the early months of 2004 were hell. I found the true nature of people, including yours truly, and I scared myself. I was a totally different person. I won't go into details. It's also the main reason previous posts have been taken down. I want to make a clean break.

Suffice to say that I'm really looking forward to returning to Australia in the next few weeks. I've got a number of things to keep me occupied this year, and supportive people around me.
Politics will feature large this year, as it usually does. And any other rants I may wish to engage in.

I have switched on the commens moderation, because as my fellow blogger Andrew Landeryou
has found with his consistent deletion of Banyule council comments, it can get rather annoying. Unless it's particularly offensive, I won't have a problem publishing it. Just play nice.

Retest