Cairns Post 'Busted'

In a new regular column, I'll be focusing on our local daily, the Cairns Post, and watching when they stray from the line of proper journalism. I

While there's some great exposes made on Not the Cairns Post, and I've held to account a number of stories and depictions of photographs under the leadership of former editor, Mark Alexander, it's time to make this a regular feature.

On Thursday (March 5th), the Post carried an article on about an increase in international student enrolments at James Cook University.

A picture of two African students was used to personalise the story. They only problem is the two men pictured were not international students.

Although both attend JCU, they are not in Cairns as international students. They came as refugees through the United Nations Humanitarian Program. One is now an Australian citizen and the other is well on the way to achieving citizenship.

The two men were approached by the Cairns Post for the story and both told the reporter in question that they were not international students. However this was completely ignored along with the students’ comments, thereby taking advantage of the good nature of the two young men.

Of course, this is not the first time the Cairns Post has invented stories, falsified details, been guilty of sensationalism, or got its facts wrong or deliberately distorted them, or misused its power and influence. Take for example the story about the so-called 'makeshift' morgue in Karumba at the time of the large scale Cape York flooding that isolated the town back in late February.

The follow-up story the next day, another story was published, showing what utter nonsense the original article was. It was an idiotic, sensationalist and untrue piece of work. How any responsible newspaper could publish it is beyond belief, but then again this is the newspaper that had as its page one story some time ago, an article and photograph about an eye-sucking leech.

These stories raise some questions about the Cairns Post. Specifically, to whom is The Post accountable? Is it accountable at all? Is its power and influence used in a way to benefit the community and individual Cairns residents?

Do its journalists have any enforceable ethical guidelines, and if so what are they? How are they enforced, who enforces them, and what are the penalties for any breaches?

Does the Cairns Post reflect the community of which it is supposed to be a part? For example, is the relentless diet of crime and mayhem that it serves up harmful to the community? Does it deter tourists? Is our city the extremely violent place that the Cairns Post makes it out to be?

Cairns is a remarkably diverse city. It is the home of several thousand Aboriginal people whose country it is, and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders live here.

There is a substantial grouping of migrants and descendants of migrants, and it is the home of a large gay community and is a well-known gay holiday resort destination.

We have protestants and catholics, Buddhists and Muslims, animists and followers of Confucius and presumably members of every other religion and belief under the sun. Why are these never represented by the major daily?

We have the aged and the frail, the homeless the destitute, people with a disability, and they are all as entitled to be respected and to have their voices heard.

Are all these beliefs and customs and practices and ways of life, are they understood and respected by the Cairns Post? Is this typically Australian diversity reflected in the Cairns Post?

If a person is wronged by the Cairns Post, how do they seek redress? Does the Cairns Post admit its mistakes and correct them as a matter of course, rather than as a result of legal pressure? Is redress confined to the rich and powerful who have ready access to lawyers, or who can apply pressure through threats to withdraw their advertising?

CairnsBlog plans to irregularly present this column, focusing on our local daily. I'd love to hear your views about "our" newspaper. In particular, CairnsBlog would like to hear local experiences of the Cairns Post, in particular whether they had a complaint and how it was dealt with.

Goes to show, not everything that is black and white, is read all over.

Cairns Day and Nite

Barry Neall from the Residents Against Crime community lobby group, has set up a new website, Cairns Day and Nite.

It includes a 'shame' page, testimonials, and election promises on law and order issues.

Do you know him?

A couple of weeks ago, on Wednesday February 18, this freeloader got out of his taxi and ran away without paying.

He got his cab in the city and travelled to Kamerunga.

There's bound to be someone who recognises this guy. Is he a member of the ALP or LNP?

Contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Around the Blogs

I know I can't take all the credit for the plethora of Blogs in and around Cairns these days, but when I kicked off this baby nearly a couple of years ago, we had only The Cairns Post and John McKenzie for opinion and news!

Before that, long before that, we had the infamous Barfly. How I miss the weekly Barfly.

So maybe I started a bug, that has spread faster than a good dose of Dengue.

• KitchenSlut reports that CEC been suspended has this morning from quotation on the ASX, after failing to lodge it's half yearly result by last Friday's deadline. Naughty boys!
  CEC has released an explanation for this failure and expects to lodge the results by tomorrow. KitchenSlut says the accounts should make interesting reading, "Well for some of us anyway:)."
  He's also picked up on the Labor Government's hypocrisy following a Courier-Mail report of a big spend up of public funds on a shrine to its own party heritage!
  
  
• Northern Truth doesn't like using the LNP name, and prefers the ALP slant of calling the opposition the National Party. Lance says that leader "Smorgasbord aka Gomer Pyle was her [sic] last week and caused a big stir with the local Cairns media! Now in the second week interest and momentum have slowed to a snails pace. He notes that "the National Party has decided on a presidential style campaign." Truth is that they both have, but I agree that the local campaign on both sides is rather lack-lusture. "I guess we wait for the leader to return to inject interest back into the campaign," Royce says. "At this point it's just wait and see if any of the candidates can attract any media attention on there own."
  
  
• Henry's Fosnez Blog is on my fav list too. For an IT pro, he's not a bad observer of issues. He's picked up on the debate about the Stoney Creek youth 'Northen Outlook' centre, with some sound rationale why the propaganda and media coverage has hardly told the full story. I have to agree.
  
  
• I'm enjoying a regular serving of the The Cairns Roast. The Roast tells us that, for us "Kiwis out there, LNP is not a soft drink, well, it is, but not in this context. Nope, LNP is the bastard child of the liberals and the national party. Formed way back in 2008 under the direction of Lawrence Springborg....
  
  
• Mark Alexander has finished up as editor of the Cairns Post, as Not The Cairns Post notes. "How should we, the Cairns community, regard his mercifully short tenure? Pretty poor"
  There's also an exclusive interview with Matthew Fenn, one of the naked bike riders, that caught national attention on a slow news day. The put the Cairns Post in context and tell the real story.
  
  
• Dennis Quick's CairnsWatch blog, is still offline, while he drives the LNP campaign for the region.
  
  
• Syd Walker talks about the filtering, or censorship. "In recent debate over the Australian Government’s schemes to censor the Internet," Walker says, "‘censor’ is increasingly the word of choice for those – such as myself – who oppose these plans."
  
  
• Former Council candidate and JCU President Janine Aitken, who's been spotted leafleting for Wettenhall, talks Pauline Hanson and The Borg.
  
  
• Barry Neall on his Residents Against Crime blog, keeps us up to date with our big nasty world - and that's just down Mulgrave Road!

NIMBY's of Stoney Creek - part 2

Barron River MP Steve Wettenhall didn't like the Stoney Creek NIMBY's when I spoke to him about the proposed Youth Centre last year. Nor did I.

I wrote about this clash of cultures last June.

The State Government were going to build the facility, a badly needed Youth Intervention centre in Cairns, for up to 50 teenagers, in the idyllic community of Stoney Creek, across the Karumunga Bridge.

Wettenhall held two public meetings to tell the locals about the Youth centre, although it is disputed about the type of community consultation that took place. The MP was determined to deliver the facility, however the second meeting, forced by the local close-knit community, only allowed people to attend if they had written a submission.

Some never heard about the consultation process, even though leaflets were distributed around the community. Wettenhall later admitted there was an "error in some of the delivery".

However, as soon as the election was called this week, in one of his 22 press releases, Wettenhall says he will now 'represent' the locals of Stoney Creek and recommend to not go ahead with the project, even though he still believe it should be built.

The Minister of Corrections has jumped in as well, and announced that the facility will not go ahead at that site. Amazing the things this Labor Government seems to be able to do in 'caretaker' mode.

The study I did at the time of the debate last year, led me to believe that there would have been little disturbance to the community. There was concerns about 'hundreds of extra vehicles' and 'offenders running through the neighbourhood', all spread to put fear around. I chatted with Steve Wettenhall and the Government agencies involved, about various objections at the time. Having worked in youth education before, I agreed with him that there would have been minimal to nil disruption to the surrounding residential community.

The youth that were to be placed there were going to be of a very low risk, and the outdoor setting, once transformed, would have been magnificent environment for education and training. You only have to hear of the huge crime rate in our city that we need a facility like this urgently.

So this afternoon I wandered around the posh streets of Stoney Creek Estate, where there is wide skepticism in the community of the flip flop. Jackie, who didn't want her last name printed, said that although she and her neighbours were pleased with the latest decision, they see it as an election stunt.

"Yes, we saw it for what it is, when all along our MP has ignored us and not even allowed us to speak at the meetings," she said. "Now as soon as an election is coming along, they change their mind. He won't get my support for not advocating and listening to us in the first place."

Another resident of Stoney Creek, who lives 500 meters from the old Scout Camp, where the youth facility was to be built, is cynical about the political announcement.

"It's clearly time for a MP to go when he only reacts to the will of the community when he knows his job is on the line," he told CairnsBlog.

However, LNP's candidate for Baron River, Wendy Richardson says that the proposal was never properly discussed with the community. "Here we are, three weeks before an election, and the MP says he still believes it should go ahead, and at the same time, changes his mind."

At last June's community meeting, the residents voted to have no confidence in their MP. I wonder if they would now, after this election turn-around.

You're Fired!

Brisbane's St Marys Father Peter Kennedy was sacked this afternoon.

"I hereby remove you from the office of administrator of St Mary's Parish, South Brisbane, effective immediately," said the decree from Archbishop Bathersby.

According to the Archbishop, Kennedy has "caused harm to ecclesiastical communion in spite of frequent requests from me to do otherwise".

I wrote about Father Kennedy's unique charismatic style a couple of days ago.

The out of touch Catholic Church said he must leave his position as priest at St Mary's immediately. And what wre his crimes? He allowed women to preach and blessed same-sex couples, among others.

He's no longer the Priest of St Marys, he's just a naughty boy.

He vows to still celebrate mass this Sunday at 9am at St Marys. Sounds like a cat fight, just this time, it's with men in dresses.

Crime sentencing meeting on Tuesday

The community group Residents Against Crime are holding a meeting this Tuesday.

This will be at the De Jarlais Pavilions, Cairns Showgrounds, on the corner Mulgrave and Severin Streets, starting at 7:15pm

The Group's founder, Barry Neall, who met with Police Minister Judy Spence last year, says the theme of this weeks meeting is about the lack of appropriate sentencing.

"The judicial system is providing inadequate for the crimes that are committed," says Barry. "There is no satisfaction for the victims of these horrendous crimes."

"We see in this weekend's Cairns Post yet another example why our community needs to speak out so the State Government are not listening. We need to tell them that we are not going to tolerate this type of behaviour."

On Friday, 20-year-old Justin Heal of Mt Sheridan, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, possession and supply, yet the judge allowed this scum to walk out of the courthouse free.

"I get to walk away from here free," Heal said as he marched out from the court house.

"This is yet another example of the soft approach of the court system, where offenders know that when they front court, they will probably walk away with nothing more than a bond or probation period," Barry Neall says.

The Residents Against Crime group has already held two large public meetings in Cairns, one of which the Police Minister attended.

"From these meetings we have gained additional Police - up to 16 recruits - in Cairns," says Barry Neall. "There is also 12 experienced officers coming to Cairns, seven of which will work in community patrols, involving cycling around the city."

The group Residents Against Crime website receives around 20,000 hits a month, which shows the interest in this subject for our community. He also runs a RAC Blog to post updates of local crimes committed.

Barry Neall has set up another website called Cairns Day & Nite to make visitors aware of the crime in our city.

"Cairns is normally a very friendly city however like most other cities we do have crime where some visitors have been attacked and handbags, mobile and money have been stolen."

He lists the following to make tourists aware:

• Rules to remember:
  (1). Don't walk in poorly lit streets.
  (2). Beware of groups of young people as they may cause problems.
  (3). Don't walk alone, if there are people walking ahead of you and going in your direction stay close or better still walk home with someone you know.
  (4). In night clubs do not accept drinks from someone you don't know.
  (5). If you become suspicious or concerned call the police on 000 and they will assist you in any way thats required.
  (6). Always have the strap of your handbag over your shoulder and make sure that you have a good grip on it.

Everyone is encouraged to attend this Tuesday's meeting, commencing at 7:15pm. You can email Residents Against Crime or contact Barry on 0438 111 722.

Barry will be on John MacKenzie's 846AM radio show on Monday morning.

Happy 2009

Just weeks after open heart surgery, veteran community campaigner and activist Bryan Law, is ready to continue to battle and raise issues for our community.

Here, he looks back at the tumultuous year that was 2008.

2008 was pretty trippy for me.

It started real well with a legal victory in the Court of Criminal Appeal at Darwin. A nice and very capable lawyer, retired Federal Court Judge the Hon Ron Merkel QC, made some compelling arguments for us in relation to the Defence (Special undertakings) Act 1952 – and the miscarriages of justice that had occurred during our trial of June 2007. You can read one lawyer’s account here.

Before the legal argument in Court, the four of us served out some time in Darwin’s Berrimah prison, a barbarous and decrepit hole some 15 kilometres north of the city. 83% indigenous. I spent 10 days on a package stay. It’s been ten years or more since I was last in prison, but like riding a bike, it doesn’t take long to get used to it again. Anyone who thinks prison is a doddle has never been there.

So on Wednesday 20 Feb I’m being escorted to cells under the court-house and guarded by three or four security officers all day. On Thursday 21 I’m in the court-house coffee shop getting a toasted sandwich and cappuccino. On Friday 22 I’m acquitted, the Act has been interpreted to our satisfaction, the government is unable to use its heavy legislation against us, and we are free to enjoy a few days rest and recreation in Darwin - which can be a fairly pleasant spot, even in February.

The legal victory, and the jail time, came out of nonviolent direct action I’d taken at the Pine Gap spy base with Christians Against ALL Terrorism (CAAT) in December 2005. It was a citizens inspection, based on work I’ve done around US warships in Cairns with Margaret Pestorius and Peace by Peace. It was a terrific action, and CAAT made some real achievements for peace and nonviolence. It’s a good group. Here’s a photo of us all together in Brisbane in November 2008 where we had a yarn about the Talisman Sabre war-games in Shoalwater Bay, Queensland in July 2009. Left to right: Adele Goldie (Mt Nebo), Sean O’Reilly (Brisbane), Jim Dowling (Mt Mee), Jessica Morrison (Melbourne), Donna Mulhearn (Sydney), Bryan Law (Cairns)

By February 2008 I was on a promise from Australian Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, to meet and discuss Pine Gap. (“I respect your position and I will be happy to discuss with you after the Federal election” Joel had written to me in October 2007, when the ALP wanted support from the peace movement). In January 2008 the newly elected Labor member for Leichhardt, Jim Turnour (for whom I’d campaigned) promised me he’d follow up my letter to Minister Fitzgibbon, and ensure we got a meeting.

Being a political realist, I maintain pretty low expectations of the Labor Party. But I started 2008 fairly optimistic, firstly that nonviolent activism is enjoying something of a resurgence in Australia, and secondly that we might get some useful discussion with government around defence and security policy. The resurgence is real. The ALP is not.

In April I experienced some difficulty breathing, and went to Cairns Base Hospital for a couple of weeks with a condition called heart failure - which put a temporary hold on my activist agenda for Pine Gap. Apparently I’d had a heart attack without noticing. I spent a quiet winter coming to terms with life’s little changes, and preparing for surgery through Queensland Health.

While I was waiting for surgery I got involved with PADYC (People Against Demolishing the Yacht Club) when Wendy Richardson from the Liberal National Party declared she would chain herself to a bulldozer with union organiser Stuart Trail if she needed to, to save the Cairns Yacht Club building. CairnsBlog's Michael Moore, facilitated the introductions, and my old china plate Warren Entsch attended the first meeting. In the event, Wendy chickened out of NVDA (non-violent direct action), but Labor Councillor Di Forsyth climbed up on the roof in a safety harness.

In September 2008 half a dozen citizens stepped forward to have a go at civil disobedience. Terry Spackman had a good go at staying on the roof for days, but was foxed by Police. Sharon, Wendy and John all pushed it past the point of arrest as well as Di. I spent six or seven hours in the Cairns watch-house. Around the campaign were maybe 50 real nice folks who wanted to preserve a little bit of their heritage and values in modern Cairns. Bloody Cairns Ports. Bloody Labor Party. Good on ya Di Forsyth. Good on ya Wendy.

For me it’s always a privilege to know people who are willing to act on their beliefs. The bunch around PADYC came mostly from circles I don’t usually move in. Older, whiter, and more conservative (and of course a scattering of crazies). It was good to show them how a direct action campaign works. We’ll complete the program when Anna Bligh calls the election in 2009. That will be the time to target Desley Boyle and Steve 'Wet ‘n No Balls' for their seats in Parliament. Bloody Labor Party.

In February 2009 Di Forsyth will need a display of support as she confronts the real Court, as well as the kangaroo Court of her fellow Councillors. More about that later.

In November 2008 I did the surgery thing, with a triple coronary by-pass which is a traumatic thing to do to the body but generally provides an extension of life. They cut the chest open, stop the heart, deflate the lungs and keep you alive on the heart lung machine while they graft leg veins to augment the coronary arteries. If you’re at all lucky you survive the operation. Sort of ouch but good on ‘em. I’ve spent the past seven weeks basically hanging at home and healing the wounds of surgery. It’s a trip.

So my time and attention for politics was limited in 2008, but not entirely absent. I now have little projects around local, state, and commonwealth issues. All the actions are planned out of my experience and vision of strategic Nonviolence - latterly Christian Nonviolence. (I’m busy joining the biggest Christian church on planet earth) Here’s my little plan for local, state, and federal NVDA.

LOCAL

I’ve enjoyed nine months of Val Schier as Mayor. My experience has been limited, but I have my concerns, and I’m aware of a general feeling that folks would like a stronger performance from Val and her administration. She’ll be Mayor for around another four years.

My plan on a local level is twofold. First and most important is to organise and show support for Councillor Di Forsyth’s act of civil disobedience re the Yacht Club. Di showed personal courage and political commitment to get up on that roof and represent the thousands of her constituents, and the thousands of other Cairns and Queensland signatures collected on the PADYC petition.

I think Di deserves support for her actions. The best way we can show support is by creating substantial public rallies whenever Di fronts Court or the Regional Council as they consider her civil disobedience action.

But it’s not just a matter of support for Di Forsyth. It’s also about preserving civil disobedience as a vital ingredient of our Parliamentary democracy. The Suffragettes, the Civil Rights movement, the ATSI movement, the trade union movement and all the social movements have relied on civil disobedience to achieve their democratic aims. In Cairns the Police and the Courts have recognised the Yacht Club actions as nonviolent civil disobedience.

Within the Cairns Regional Council there are moves afoot to conduct star chamber hearings against Councillor Forsyth, and equate nonviolent civil disobedience with terrorism. CEO Noel Briggs is one player threatening our democracy. Councillors Cochrane, Gregory and Blake share his desire. In defending and supporting Councillor Di Forsyth we proclaim a standard of democratic representation that we wish to see in our Cairns Regional Council.

My second action will be to try and facilitate a small process of community engagement through which those passionate about Cairns development/environment can play a significant role in improving it. We’d be looking for ways to communicate with, and coordinate with, Mayor Val Schier and key Councillors about significant environmental and development projects over the next few years.

I believe that community input and support can be orchestrated in such a way that Council policies and operations work to provide a much better and more cost-effective amenity for all city residents. I see the invitation being open to all Councillors – at the same time recognising that some Councillors are hostile to community participation in Council business. I’m hoping that CAFNEC will play a sponsoring role.

I haven’t given up on Val Schier yet, and I don’t plan to anytime in the next three years. Anyone who’d like to propose electoral action against Val, if they want to convince me, will have to come out and say who their alternative mayor is, and demonstrate the reality and value of that alternative. I’m happy to listen.

STATE

Unless something truly remarkable happens I’ll be using the Queensland election to hammer ALL the local ALP MLAs because they’ve been so pathetic. I don’t want a “better class of manager” as my political representative – a spin doctor, or a representative of Cabinet.

Call me bitter, call me twisted, but the yacht Club issue convinced me that the ALP has once again forgotten that its job is to represent the community and engage with its values and desires. Imposing “solutions” on an unwilling population just doesn’t do it for me – especially when the “solutions” involve such an incompetent, unimaginative and expensive failure such Cairns Ports Inc.

COMMONWEALTH

Minister Joel Fitzgibbon went from a position of “respect” to one of simply not acknowledging or answering my correspondence. MP for Leichhardt Jim Turnour turned out to be no use whatsoever. Instead of a dialogue about Pine Gap and Security, the Rudd government introduced into Parliament amendments to the Defence (Special Undertakings) Act which plugged the holes we went to so much trouble to disclose. Pine Gap noe receives more support and protection from the Rudd government than it did from John Howard and Philip Ruddock.

According to Minister Fitzgibbon’s first reading speech I and my friends are either “mischief makers” or someone altogether “more sinister”. This according to a government that effectively supports the commission of war crimes by Israel in the Middle East and USA around the world.

In July 2009 the Rudd government is conducting exercise Talisman sabre ’09. Some 8,000 Australian troops, and 15,000 US troops will practice the sea-borne invasion of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton – where they will conduct urban warfare against a city built around a walled market square. There’ll be a nuclear Aircraft Carrier Battle Group, plus Marines and amphibious Landing Craft, Live Firing, and all the fun of modern warfare.

As a humble citizen I’m compelled to accept that my betters (Jim Turnour, Joel Fitzgibbon and Jan McLucas) have better things to do than talk with rabble like me.

However as a proud member of the rabble element I see no reason to stand idly by and let these fuckers practice mass murder and invasion unchallenged. With my family, and with Christian nonviolence activists from around Australia, I’ll be going to Shoalwater Bay in July and trying my level best to interfere with the war-games. At this point I’m planning to enter the live-firing zone of the exercise area and compel the defence forces to search me out before they can proceed with their stupid and barbarous wankery.

I’m planning on a happy 2009 because I’ve learned through practical experience that life is sweet, and government/policy merely transitory. If any one of us truly stands for what we believe, we make a difference. If enough of us stand for what we believe, we change the world. To echo a black man from the other side of the world who takes office next week as president of the USA “Yes, we can”.

I hope you all have a happy 2009 as well.

Building the Great Australian FireWall, brick by brick

Syd Walker strikes a blow for freedom and queries the real agenda behind Steven Conroy's plan to censor the Internet for Australians.


Like Tony Blair a decade earlier in Britain, it’s reasonable to infer that Kevin Rudd cut deals with powerful lobbies before he came to power in 2007.

These presumably helped him – and the ALP - to get elected. They may have helped secure fair treatment from powerful elements within the mainstream media in the run-up to the election. Of course, that such deals took place is speculation. If they were done, they were done behind the scenes. But perhaps on occasion they may be inferred?

A probable example of such a deal, in this author’s opinion, was the bizarre announcement made by Kevin Rudd, pre-election, that in office an ALP Government would seek to prosecute the Iranian President in the International Court of Justice.

At the time, Rudd explained the ‘crimes’ of President Ahmadinejad as he saw them. These included the Iranian President’s alleged statement that Israel should be “wiped off the map“.

This claim was based on a blatant mistranslation of the Ahmadinejad’s words. In fairness to Rudd, the same error is obediently repeated on an almost daily basis by ‘Your’ ABC and the SBS (not to mention the commercial mass media), so in Australia only independently spirited internet users were likely to know that. Such is the bias and conformism of our ‘mainstream media’ - and such is the potentially liberating force of the Internet.

Ahmadinejad’s other major alleged ‘offence’, according to Mr Rudd, was that he has queried aspects of Second World War history. Rudd did not explain why he saw this as an Australian foreign policy priority.

I wrote to Kevin Rudd before the election, seeking clarification and setting out my concerns on this matter in rather more detail. In reply, I received a re-iteration of his previous statements. It was like communicating with an answering machine. Rationality, it seems, did not underpin the policy. It left me to surmise that the policy was a done deal, probably with representatives of Australia’s Zionist Lobby. The last thing his office wanted was to provide a rational justification. There was none. The policy was a politically convenient expression of sectarian bias. Rudd and his advisers knew none of the mass media would ask hard questions about it.

Quite recently, the Rudd Government quietly dropped its bid to prosecute Iran’s President. Presumably wiser heads in the Department of Foreign Affairs prevailed, saving Australia from ridicule in the international arena. Perhaps the wheat export lobby weighed in?

Which brings me, in a round-about way, to the main topic of the day – Internet censorship.

Another quite bizarre policy that Rudd took to the electorate was a promise to restrict Internet access so only ‘safe’ websites are available in Australia (via a compulsory 'Clean Feed').

It has been put about that this remarkable censorship project is (a) largely at the behest of the Christian lobby and (b) targeted at pornography, especially child pornography.

I may be wrong, but I suspect both these claims are deceptions.

Undoubtedly there is anti-pornography sentiment within Australia’s Christian community. But is Christianity really so resurgent in modern Australia that unprecedented restrictions on Internet access – restrictions that go beyond what other western jurisdictions have contemplated – will be a popular measure here? Do prominent Church leaders really see this as a crucial issue? Anyhow, since when did Christian leaders set the moral rules and legal rubric for all Australians?

Where, one may ask, is the evidence that Internet pornography is a damaging phenomenon that does real harm to Australian society – harm that merits significant pubic expenditure (well over $100 million) and potential disruption to the free flow of ideas and communications? Where is the evidence that unprecedented censorship is merited to curb the threat of ‘child pornography’ when there are already strict laws prohibiting the abuse of children and international co-operation to enforce that?

In an attempt to find out, I first scanned relevant Government websites, then called the Office of the Federal Communications Minister Steven Conroy, as well as his Department. It took me a long time to get hold of anyone who could give me any answers at all. I finally struck gold – but as don’t want to embarrass the person in question, I won’t name her/him.

One of my questions concerned the Government’s evidentiary basis. In plain English, what research and/or other written material has the government drawn on to formulate its policy? I thought by studying that, I might glean insights into the Government’s thinking.

The answer was surprising (or perhaps not, depending on one’s level of cynicism). The Government is about to tender for consultants to do a literature review of the literature on that subject. Expect an ad any day soon on the relevant government websites…

Commissioning a literature review, in order to formulate policy, is often a good idea. But surely it should precede the formulation of policy? Apparently that’s not Senator Conroy’s style. He prefers to set policy, then spend pubic money finding good reasons to support it.

This strengthened my view that the Government’s scheme to censor the Internet was decided in advance of a serious, rational and inclusive policy discussion. That’s not Rudd’s normal style, methinks. Now Conroy is scrambling not only to find practical ways to put the policy into operation – he even has the audacity to spend our cash to dig up supporting arguments.

I was informed that pilot projects of the Government’s proposed mandatory ‘filter’ will get underway by the end of the year - through just a few ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to start.
Which ISPs? Apparently the Government is looking for willing participants at the moment. As one of the side effects of participation is likely to be significant drop in connection speed, I’m surprised any ISPs are willing to stick their hands up. Maybe they won’t?

In fact, a trial was undertaken in Tasmania some time ago, with results that have caused internet buffs a lot of concern, despite attempts to gild the lily in the official report. So why are more trials needed?

It seems that Senator Conroy is trying to get the scheme in operation, however vague, however many loose ends remain to be tidied, however technologically hair-brained. He wants to start with a few ISPs, then expand the scheme.

Is the Rudd Government about to build the Great Australian Firewall, brick by brick, right or wrong?

I remarked that many (not all) of my concerns would be allayed if the government gave a cast iron, plain English guarantee that NO sites will be blacklisted and banned on the basis of the political views and intellectual content therein. Genuine independent oversight would also be needed. In effect, it should be illegal to ban a site on spurious grounds combined with considerable transparency in implementation.

No such guarantees exist. I was told that under the government’s proposal, the list of banned sites will be maintained by the Australia Communications and Media Authority. A range of criteria will be used to prepare the list. It will not be publicly accessible.

Rudd needs to pull the government’s horns in on this – and fast.

It’s political disaster in the making.

Here's EFA Chair Dale Clapperton discussing the net filter on TV this week.




We’ve just seen in Australia how a hyped-up moral panic over sex and child safety was used to justify obnoxious, irrational, inappropriate policies in the Northern Territory intervention. That was the Howard Government’s grubby mess, which the new Government inherited. Rudd doesn’t need to taint himself in similar fashion. Does he?

While making calls about this today, I rang local MP Jim Turnour’s office. I thought I might ask him about the policy and voice my concerns directly to my ALP Federal representative.

I’ll have to wait. Jim is in China for a fortnight, checking out their Great (Fire)Wall, perhaps.

Seen, but not heard

They came in their bus loads.

Few pollys came down from their big fat buffet luncheon to see or talk with those protesting.

Police barred anyone protesting or holding placards from up on the Convention Centre sidewalks. They were railroaded across the road, alongside a carpark.

Springborg finally swanned down looking like he'd just been allowed out to play, but failed to address the gathering. He was as silent as he was on the Yacht Club demolition, and appeared to be disinterested and disconnected. Hardly the opposition we are all crying out for right now.

Wendy Richardson and her Cairns LNP counterpart, Joel Harrop, who has pushed ABC's Liam Fox off the Metrosexual Thermometer, both addressed the crowd to say that they are the alternative voice for our region.

Various groups from Barry Neal of Residents Against Crime, Fiona Tulip of the Combined Beaches Residents Association; 20 of our city Ambos; the former City Councillor Annette Shephard of the Anti-Fluoride lobby, and a bunch of non-rate paying residents from the old Douglas Shire all preached to the converted.

And if one more Cairns Post report refers to this as an "historic" Parliamentary sitting, I'll throw up. The only 'historic thing is the way so many disparate and diverse groups are feeling so aggrieved and disenchanted with almost every political party right now.

More photos later today.

Bligh in Mossman

From the fire to the frying pan, Premier Bligh will attend a public meeting at Mossman while the State Parliament sits in Cairns this Sunday.

Anna Bligh will be convening the meeting on Sunday 26th October at the Mossman Shire Hall, in Mill Street at 1pm. A full notice will appear in this week's Gazette.

The State government will get the weight of public anger when they hold their Parliamentary sitting in Cairns.

In what many will call another crazy idea, Bligh will bring her full government team to Cairns, just days after they've cleared the last remaining historic building from the waterfront against huge public opposition, on top of the anger from Douglas Shire residents and the large lobby group Residents Against Crime. That's a lot of messages for these blind and deaf politicians to digest.

A large protest is planned for next Tuesday 28th October, at the Cairns Convention Centre. 12:45 – assembling on Grafton Street side of the Convention Centre.

Richardson for Barron River

As the newly merged Liberal National Party (LNP) line up their players for the 2009 State election, I can confirm who's who.

Yacht Club PADYC campaigner, and former Tablelands Council candidate, Wendy Richardson has been endorsed for the seat of Barron River.

"I'm a person of and for the people," Richardson told me this evening. "I'll be out within the next few days listening and meeting people in the electorate."

The Barron River catchment includes Aeroglen, Redlynch Valley, Whitfield, Kuranda, to Wangetti Beach.

What many commentators will probably analyse as an odd choice, Richardson has landed the seat most winnable in the upcoming State election. Currently held by Steve Wettenhall witha small margin, Richardson will present a stark alternative choice for voters.

She will ride on the back of a strong and determined community engagement campaign she has lead over the last six months, however proof of this will be in maintaining an effective post-mortem, when the remnants of the old Yacht Club are moved in large rubbish bags to within her new Barron River seat.

I thought Blind Freddy would have directed the LNP to put Richardson into the Cairns seat, against Demolition Desley. Sure this famous safe Labor seat needs a much bigger swing as it's been held continuously for over 100 years by Labor. However this election isn't normal, and the issues are obvious for Cairns voters as this town has had development, equating to open heart surgery, to much disgust. Many traditional Labor folk will betray their party of choice, as they see a State leader that has ignored them on local environmental management and heritage protection, in favour of commercial big end of town business.

It's also pretty obvious that the Member for Cairns is getting tired. Very tired. The Yacht Club saga has worn Desley out. Even on TV, championing a community crime programme, she looked tired and stilted. The once gracious character, is replaced with forced smiles and an all to common forced delivery. I'm no longer convinced she has her heart in the job, and I bet she will drop her interest in re-standing for the Cairns seat.

His Loser the Former Mayor Kevin Byrne will not be running for the LNP, to the delight of many insiders who spoke to me today. "Yeah, we're quietly glad that he won't be running anywhere. He's not even on the radar."

A former Australian Army officer and banker, Joel Harrop, will be the Cairns candidate for the LNP. In his early 30's, he will appeal to a new demographic, that feel betrayed by the current regime.

The Mulgrave candidate is Vic Black, a former British police officer, now involved in tourism and hospitality.

LNP have not yet selected a candidate for Cook.

Next year's State election will upset a great majority of what have been solid Labor seats. Get your tickets early I say.

Sharon and Terry: Community heroes

This will be the week.

In the next few days, the Port Authority, with the complicit endorsement of the Queensland State Government, will break the most fundamental crime of democracy. They will remove demolish the remaining structure and remove the 100 year old building from where it's rested for over a century. They will have totally disregarded the public and the community of cairns for the sake of one more highrise.

The campaign has been long and arduous. There have been hundreds involved in various ways over the last 5 years. Many were members of the 110 year old Cairns Yacht Club. Some were Commodores. Some were not members, just concerned citizens, angry and ashamed that their Council and State Government would not stand up for them, and commit the ultimate act of betrayal.

Over the last few weeks, a series on citizens have engaged in acts of defiance to demonstrate their disgust at elected officials in allowing this heritage destruction to occur.

And it goes right to the top. Federal Environment and Heritage Minister Peter Garret also did nothing but comply with the Queensland Premier. What the Labor Party has become is something truly shocking. No one would have believed that they would disengage from the people like the way they have in destroying and removing the historic Cairns Yacht Club building from the Cairns waterfront.

However, they told the truth at least once. It was and is all about money. In a letter on Friday, State Minister Mickel, who is a director of the Cairns Port Authority, said they've lost around a $1M in rent fr4om that site, because the old club house was there.

So to 71-year-old Terry Spackman, who scaled the roof and keep the demolition team off the site for over 6 hours, we bow to you. You are what politicians should be doing. Standing up and putting your principals on the line. When was the last time you heard a politician do this?


Then there was Sharon Powell, of the "Anyone but Kevin Bryne for Mayor" T-shirt fame. Sharon also defied authorities and was arrested attempting to scale the boundary fence two weeks ago, while 35 police were guarding the property.

People who wear their convictions on their sleeve, deserve the admiration from us all, no matter where you stand on this issue. They are prepared to stand up, and be counted and tell their story.

Desley Boyle, the State Member for Cairns, will be hiding away in Brisbane this week. She should be ashamed to return to our city later in the week, after this building is removed.

Terry and Sharon, Cairns needs a lot more people like you folk to expose and hold public officials to account.

When Criminals Rule: The missing opium mountain

CairnsBlog columnist Syd Walker wonders who is trying to drug who over the missing Afghani opium.


Remember the saga about Iraq's missing WMDs?

They were ‘weapons of mass destruction’ that the American, British, Australian Governments and others, told us were in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. They presented ‘an immediate threat’. Fear of WMDs was the key rationale for attacking and invading Iraq in 2003.

But when we got there…ooops, they didn't exist! A mystery!

Now the same nutters want to attack Iran, again because of the threat of WMDs. That is even though, last year, an irate US ‘intelligence community’, in an unprecedented act of independence from the American Administration, went public stating that Iran has no current nuclear weapons program – whatever Bush, Cheney, the Israelis (and Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers and TV channels) may say.

Further East is Afghanistan. It has many mysteries too. For instance, just where is Ossama Bin Laden? Where is his video production department located?

Australians, along with our ‘allies’, invaded this mountainous nation back in late 2001. Our Governments explained that we were out to get Bin Laden and his evil gang. But seven years on, Ossama is supposedly still at large. Despite numerous reports of his demise, he still releases occasional videos, often nicely in sync with US/Israeli war plans. Perhaps he’ll show up just before the forthcoming US election, just like he did in 2004?

Innocents in Australia - which if one is to take their words at face value, means almost everyone in both major political parties, the mainstream media and the pundits they regularly employ - imagine that in some way our troops’ ‘involvement’ in Afghanistan is not only about Bin Laden.

It is also, they believe, partly about reducing opium production in the country. If so, the policy hasn’t worked out. Had that been our real goal, we should have left well alone.

Here’s a reality check. By 2001, after a sticks and carrots approach by the UN (and the US State Department), the Taliban Government had really got a grip on Afghanistan’s opium production. Doubtless the methods they used were sometimes brutal. But the Taliban had general support from the world's governments to get rid of the poppy fields. They were proving highly effective in cracking down on local drug lords.

Here’s a graph that shows what happened.

By 2000, opium production in Afghanistan began to drop. In 2001 it plummeted. At that rate, the Taliban might have wiped it out entirely the following year. But they never got the chance...

Afghanistan's Government was toppled in late 2001 – by Australian troops, among others. Within 12 months, the country's opium production was nearly ‘back to normal’. In recent years it has grown to unprecedented heights.

Which brings me to the latest mystery about Afghanistan and the west’s remarkable policies in the post 9-11 Terror Wars. Apparently, there’s a missing mountain of Afghani opium.

The BBC explains...

• "For the past three years [Afghanistan’s opium] production has been running at almost twice the level of global demand. The numbers just don't add up.”

Even more puzzling, the same article explains that the street price of heroin in the west remains high. The Beeb’s article then considers a couple of what it calls ‘credible theories’ about this mystery. If the BBC itself had any credibility left, these theories might be persuasive. As it is, we should probably keep an open mind…

The BBC article now includes an update. The British Serious Organised Crime Agency got in touch. They are busy at work in Afghanistan. SOCA said “Whilst the cultivation and production of opium in Afghanistan is in decline, intelligence suggests there is considerable stockpiling of narcotics by Afghan criminal networks in order to control prices in the growing markets in Russia, China and within the local region.”

In decline? Really? Does SOCA bother to talk to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime? Does it know about the graph that you just saw?

The Beeb further reports:

“Nato's top operations commander is calling for more aggressive tactics against the opium trade in Afghanistan…troops should focus on "high-end" targets like drug dealers and laboratories. Some Nato ministers, however, are concerned that any crackdown would prompt a violent backlash against allied troops.”

The Ministers may well be right. Indeed, “our man in Kabul” President Hamid Karzai could have serious concerns about such a policy

Who wants to risk their own brother being banged up?

Meanwhile, what is the Australian Government doing about controlling the world’s illicit heroin supply?

When we supported UN negotiations with the Taliban Government, up to 2001, our official policy was faring quite well. Now, thanks to willfully-ignorant support for the polices of the USA and its controllers, it’s a shambles.

Australia could well be in for a flood of cheap heroin sometime soon. Does Kevin Rudd care?
Or would he prefer to blame Iran, Putin, Hezbollah, Syria, Hamas, the Taliban – anyone as long as they’re not the real culprits?

I guess so. When it comes to support for crazy neocon polices, it’s much easier for an Australian Prime Minister to be a conformist.


Critics aren't welcome.

Mr Murdoch makes sure of that.

Kiwis vote: 2008

Kiwis go to the polls in a month's time to boot out Helen Clark.

Google have put this handy tool together, for Kiwis wanting to follow 2008 election news.

My former Parliamentary mate, and partner in crime (it was a minor one) David Farrar of KiwiBlog, has launched his Blogmobile, to travel the country and provide national independent news for the next four weeks, in what will be a gripping election race.

May the best man, or woman, win.

Cattalini just thunk

As much as I applaud what Yorkeys grandfather Barry Neall of his Residents Against Crime and the Post's Just Think campaigns are all about, you really need to wonder how effective they are.

When none other than Taipans captain Martin Cattalini gets nabbed in the wee hours of last Saturday morning, blowing more than twice the legal alcohol limit, you gotta wonder why he put his hand up for such a campaign in the first place.

The 'he's only human' line doesn't cut it this time. You see, Cattalini was caught in the back streets of Portsmith, which means he was sneaking home the back way. Therefore, he knew what he was doing.

34-year-old Catalini was kicked from the team for one game. That's right, one game! He will also see a judge next week.

“I wish to make a public apology to the community, our sponsors, members, my club and fellow players for my behaviour at the weekend,” he told the Cairns Post.

Ironically, Captian Cattalini is part of Cairns Post’s Just Think campaign, that promotes, among other things, watching your drinking and it's consequences.

“I in no way condone drink- driving and fully accept my punishment,” Cattalini said. He says he is grateful police nabbed him drink-driving when they did. Well, this is a bit rich, as he grabbed for some tiny bit of credibility.

Tiapans manager Dennis Keeffe needs to fire this guy and cost him his cushy job that pays extremely well. This is a clear breach of his code of conduct. Rashad Tucker was booted last year for what many believed was a sexual mis-conducted complaint.

I reckon the only guy with any class about him, is Nathan Jarwai, however he's gone to the US to play in the NBA.

The ghost of Tom

Chief word nana at the Cairns Post, Gavin King is holier than thou when it comes to telling us what is right and what is wrong.

The Chief of Misogynist Attitudes, and all round woman-power hater, Gavin King was a bit perturbed when he got a joke email doing the rounds, from Councillor Robert Pyne.

King poses an ethical question if it's right for a Councillor to send around, or forward dodgy [joke] emails.

He cites the Councillor's Code of Conduct where it states, that they must "conduct themselves in a way that promotes and maintains the public's trust and confidence."

Now remember that this reminder is coming from someone who likes a great titty laugh like the next un-pc guy in the street. It's a bit rich days after King found it rather amusing having a good perv at the revealing photos on the Dick Smith mobile phone that ended up on the editorial desk. "Yeah, most of us were rather amused by the photos. We showed it all around the office," King said.

Now everyone who knows Robert Pyne, knows he's probably the last man standing, I mean sitting, in Council to have a healthy sense of humour. To me, it shows us he's human.

This all hit home for me this week as I was one of guests at a luncheon to launch Disability Awareness Week celebrations. Robert, despite his physical obstacles, is a lively, passionate, funny, educated and opinionated contributor to his community. He's action orientated and outcome focused. Gosh, I'm sounding like a doctor of spin already.

However, I listened to Robert's address on Wednesday, and I've also heard him address numerous political and community meetings over the last year. There's always something missing. Not once does he talk about his physical disability. He's a quadriplegic and has been confined to a wheelchair for a number of years following a tragic boating accident, yet he rarely ever tells his story. This is a testament to a truly remarkable individual. I look up to and applaud individuals in society that stand up and advocate for the greater community. In Robert's case it's even more amazing that he simply wants to get on and effect positive change for his community in the face of such adversity that us 'normal' folk would find confronting and monumental. He doesn't seek sympathy.

I've only known Robert for a couple of years, but you quickly form opinions about people that engage, impress, invigorate and are genuine about working with their local community. Sure I'd easily win Pyne's chief of publicity role hands down, but I know he's a true blue. His spirit is infectious, and he's fiercely independent.

Now I guess I should declare up front that that the email at the centre of this drama was sent by me. That's right. I often include Robert in some lighter emails. Anyone who spends too much time online, instead of out committing street crime, you tend to get a lot of trashy emails. Some amusing. Some for another penis enlargement, I send those ones onto KB.

My office email in town also gets it's fair amount too. One of our managers in South East Queensland sends around some rather risque stuff, but I just delete it if it's not that funny. Like the junk I get in my street letterbox, if I don't want it, I throw it in the bin. I mean, the marketing manager at Woolworths doesn't know want I want, so they send it to everyone in my neighbourhood. No harm done really, besides that waste of paper. Anyway, I'd rather get my veges from Rusty's, with respects to Robert.

In another double booby today, the Cairns Post fails to realise that Tom Pyne, Robert's father and former Mayor of Mulgrave from 1979 to 1995, and Mayor of Cairns until 2000, is no longer around the Council table.

King prints Tom's name below the photo of Robert.

Post writer Roger Dickson, along with myself, was a guest of Robert's at the disability lunch this week. Like Gavin, who Pyne often treats like a minor King, probably naively treats these guys at the Post as his friends. "I thought they were both becoming mates at a social level," Robert told me. Oh, rule number one, never trust the media to be balanced and fair Robert!

Now we all err past the boundary at times. Pub jokes should stay in the pub, however some spill out, and with the ease and immediacy of email communication, we forward on all raft of things, usually not our original material, but simply to spread the love and happiness. It makes the world go round.

However, was this behaviour fit for a Regional Councillor to be party too? That is the question my fellow comrades. And Gavin King is right to question this. It is one of the more pressing issues facing our city in this time of record local crime; poorly conceived development; sediment runs off at False Cape and Foley Road; a Council that is not communicating much better than the last one; poor tourism products; service around town questionable, the list goes on and on, worst than having diarrhea in the middle of your favourite footy game.

Roger Dickson, who is slightly taller than your average Hobbit, posed a number of questions after receiving the risque email from Robert Pyne, I mean Councillor Robert Pyne. At first his blood pressure rose quicker than you could say Cairns Post Online Bikini Gallery, and he confronted Robert at a function, plunged a recorder in his face and demanded the down-sitting Councillor explain his walk on the booby side.

"Why did you do it? What were you thinking?" Dickson exclaimed demanding answers. "Roger, send me an email with your questions, OK?"

Here's Robert's reply unedited, unlike the King's spin in today's Post...

• Is the address you sent it from paid for by council or any other organsiation [sic]?
  No, it is paid for by me.
  
  Do you regret using an address that gave the appearance of it coming from council? Why?
  Not really, I pay for the connection and the email only went to a quite small group of adults who I knew would not be offended. I did send it from home and it didn’t go to Germain Greer or the clergy.
  
  Are you in the habit of sending risqué emails to friends?
  Only if the material is genuinely amusing. Most material of this nature that I receive I delete, as it fails to be funny enough to forward.
  
  What do you think your constituents would think of the content and that is linked to Division3 address?
  I don’t really know, perhaps the Cairns Post should run a poll? Personally I think my constituents are well and truly sick of self appointed judges of what is and what is not politically correct. In any event, I did say that I did not necessary approve of the content, but I did think the ones I opened were funny.
  
  How many people did you send it to?
  I think it went to 7 people.
  
  Do you think sending these emails on is demeaning to women?
  Not really, but I am all for equality when it comes to demeaning people, whether on the basis of sex, race or physical impairment. Heard any good Irish jokes lately?
  
  Do you regret sending the email and if you had time over would you not do it?
  I would still do it, but I would leave Roger Dickson and Gavin King off the list. I thought they were both becoming mates at a social level.
  
  Do you apologise?
  Only to any unintended recipient, but I do exercise a fair degree of care in vetting who I send these funny emails to. I don’t think there is anyone for me to apologise to. I did say that I did not necessary approve of the content, but I did think the ones I opened were funny.

They say to keep your friends close to you and your enemies even closer. In the case of the Cairns Post, maybe Robert should reverse this theory. I think that King's column today makes him look lit a right tit.

So what happened to the rest of those titty photos? Well, in a breach of my own code of conduct, and this grates against my questionable journalist ethics, I bring you the 'offending' photos. Now before you jump up on you high moral horse and remind me the numerous times I've lambasted the Cairns Post for printing scantily-clad bikini bimbos and presenting it as 'news'... let me remind you, oh what the hell, I have no argument for this.

Here's some gratuitous titties, for those of my readers that are into titties. For those who are not, have a great laugh anyway, and while you're at it, how about sending Councillor Robert an email telling him what you think. Personally I like the Michael Jackson t-shirt the best. You're welcome to rate yours here.

Our chums, the Cluster Bombers

Syd Walker drops a few bombs on the attitude towards the indiscriminate cluster bomb, and Australia's complicit involvement in this vile tool of war.


Cluster Bombs are a particularly vile weapon. Murderous on impact, they remain lethal long after fighting ends.

In recent years, there have been moves to ban the use of cluster bombs. Successive Australian Governments have played some role in this. The Peace Organization of Australia explains...

• "In May 2008 the text for a treaty banning cluster munitions was concluded in Dublin, Ireland, at a meeting of 111 states. The treaty bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions and places obligations on countries to clear affected areas, assist victims and destroy stockpiles. It is the most significant treaty of its kind since the ban on anti-personnel landmines in 1997.
  
  Like the Mine Ban Treaty, this new treaty is likely to have a powerful effect in stigmatising cluster bombs, so that even those countries that do not sign the treaty will not be able to use them without being subject to international condemnation.
  
  The Peace Organisation of Australia urges the Australian Government to sign and ratify the Cluster Munitions Convention when it opens for signature in December."

Developing international momentum for an effective ban on cluster bombs has been like a twin-track obstacle race for (genuine) proponents.

The most obvious problem were States that simply didn’t show up at Dublin. These include Russia and China, India and Pakistan. But the USA and Israel are also on this list. They are nations that currently refuse to sign any kind of ban.

The governments in question are presumably motivated by malice, paranoia or both – take your pick. They are either so wicked that they actually want to use cluster bombs aggressively from time to time - or they’re so terrified of others using cluster bombs against them that they insist on retaining cluster bombs too, as a deterrent or for retaliatory use.

But treaty proponents also had to deal with a second tier of recalcitrance.

Other States that did turn up at Dublin, some posing as key advocates of a new agreement, in reality helped to undermine a broad-ranging ban on cluster bombs. They achieved this in various ways. One way was to insist on less (rather than more) inclusive definitions of the term ‘cluster bomb’. Another was arguing that it should be permissible for a contracting party to allow another nation’s cluster bombs to be stored on, or transported through, its territory. A third issue was whether fighting alongside allies that use cluster bombs in a conflict would be permitted under a new agreement.

A few nations played this devious, white-anting role – including Britain and Australia. Australia didn’t oppose a new treaty outright and has postured, from time to time, as a leading advocate. But according to Tim Wright of the POA: “There is no doubt that the cluster bomb treaty will save countless lives, but it could have saved many more. And Australia is partly to blame for this”.

Australia’s sneaky game, incidentally, began in the Howard era but continued after Kevin Rudd came to power. Another bi-partisan consensus, apparently, without effective mass media scrutiny. Sounds familiar?

Australia’s ‘problem’ with a really comprehensive global ban, it seems, is the company we keep. To be blunt, our chums use cluster bombs. Indeed, our chums are by far the worst offenders.

The overall record is clear. Check the timeline by the Cluster Munitions Coalition. The US Council on Foreign Relations gives essentially the same account.

The first culprit was the Soviet Union in 1943. The Germans responded in kind. Apparently, in World War Two, the two most prolific bombing nations (Britain and America) preferred to use big bombs and plenty of them, rather than cluster bombs. Both used very big bombs, in fact – firebombing entire cities and dropping the most notorious bombs in history - atomic weapons - over Japanese cities.

It was Australia’s ally, the USA, that also revived use of cluster bombs two decades later in South East Asia, leaving ten of millions of unexploded bomblets behind. Perhaps the great ‘war hero’, bomber McCain, used them successfully to kill and maim - before his murderous activities were temporarily curtailed?

After that, cluster bomb use spread to many new wars, from Afghanistan to the Falklands, the Lebanon to Chad. Russia used them against Chechnya in the early 1990s. Nigerian ‘peacekeepers’ dropped them in Sierra Leone in 1997. Proliferation is one major reason why calls for a global ban have intensified in recent years.

Yet a fair-minded observer who reviews the history of cluster bomb use worldwide must conclude that the very worst repeat offenders are the USA and Israel.

The Red Cross estimates that in Laos alone (in the 1970s), nine to 27 million unexploded submunitions remain, and some 11,000 people have been killed or injured, more than 30 percent of them children. An estimate based on US military databases states that 9,500 sorties in Cambodia delivered up to 87,000 air-dropped cluster munitions.

In Iraq, at the time of the 2003 US/UK invasion, some two million bomblets were dropped. In southern Lebanon, just two years ago, four million submunitions were dropped by Israel, leaving an estimated million unexploded bomblets. Adding insult to injury, Israel subsequently refused to supply maps showing where Israel had dropped ordinance to UN teams sent in afterwards to clear unexploded munitions.

This led to even more unnecessary casualties, including the tragic death of Craig Appelby, a REAL war hero - a brave man killed while clearing unexploded cluster bombs on behalf of the United Nations (as opposed to of spraying more explosive poison around the planet).

Do you recall that story of heroism and tragedy splattered on the front page of Murdoch’s London Times - or the Australian - of featured prominently on British or Australian TV news? Nor do I.

Australian Governments, addicted to offering our troops as human sacrifice in successive Anglo-American wars, want the ‘freedom’ to fight alongside chums who regularly drop cluster bombs. Australian Governments, determined to support the apartheid State of Israel without regard to its ever-growing criminality, want to be ‘free’ to have friends who routinely use cluster bombs.

But hypocrites also know when to express shock, horror and outrage.

For instance, should a resurgent Russia ever, ever use cluster bombs in a conflict, expect howls of outrage in Canberra. Perhaps CIA-sponsored NGOs will help out, by making a huge fuss about Russian war crimes enthusiastically reported by CNN, Fox News, the BBC, Australia’s ABC and SBS and all the rest of the spook-infested mass media?

Come to think of it, that just happened…

An innocent might imagine that Human Rights Watch – a valiant US-based NGO committed to the defense of ‘human rights’ worldwide – has its hands full at home right now. But no, it recently found the time to lambaste Russia over allegations that it used cluster bombs in South Ossetia and Georgia. HRW did so on several occasions. The western media loved the story. I’m sure the Australian Foreign Office was shocked too. Shocked, shocked we were! How dreadful! Cluster bomb droppings, once again!

Very true. Yet as of today, doubts persist as to whether Russia actually used cluster bombs in the conflict. After all, the Russian Government has repeatedly denied it.

Meanwhile, observant readers of the western media may have noticed that, with a minimum of fanfare, the Georgian Government finally admitted – in a letter to Human Rights Watch, no less – that Georgia DID use cluster bombs during the conflict.

The response of Human Rights Watch was to welcome “Georgia’s willingness to acknowledge its use of cluster munitions” - and express hope that this was a first step toward adopting the treaty. How decent of the Georgian Government! Chums again! HRW’s latest ‘Clarification Regarding Use of Cluster Munitions in Georgia’ backtracks somewhat on its initial, heavily-reported claims of Russian atrocities. It’ll be interesting to see how widely the new news will be reported in the western mass media.

The admission has occasioned not a murmur of protest to Georgia from the Australian Government, of course, which presumably continues to support a self-confessed aggressor Government, now known to have used cluster bombs as well, while Canberra bleats on about ‘Russian aggression’. Small wonder Australia isn't taken seriously in many international forums. How much weight should the global community attach to the opinions of one-eyed sheep?

I notice also that as of today, a search of the ABC website returns only stories about Russia’s alleged use of cluster bombs in Georgia – not the latter’s admitted usage. Oh well, that's normal.

Why let facts obscure a good myth - or spoil a cozy bipartisan consensus? How pleasant life must be for Australian 'foreign policy experts’ – in or out of government.

In Canberra, it’s always clear who are chums - and who are not. Our chums drop cluster-bombs.