The Guardian 26 January, 2005
Dingo bytes
As Australia Day approached and the various celebrities appointed as Australia Day ambassadors were at a backslapping session at Government House, a delegation from the US Defense Department was holding secret talks with the Howard Government on Australia's involvement in the US missile defence program. More commonly known as Star Wars, missile defence is intended to give the US pre-emptive capacity against any country by setting up a protective shield around America to stop missile attacks in response to a first strike. That's the theory, anyway. Note that it's meant to protect the USA. Australia's involvement via the US spy bases here means we will become a target. Happy Australia Day to all.
While on Australia Day, it is appropriate that under the current anti-worker federal government the individual who will deliver the Australia Day Address is none other than union-bashing cardboard king, Richard "the Rat" Pratt, Australia's second richest man. Pratt will benefit big time, too, from the US-Australia Free Trade Agreement which officially came into effect this month. So long independence, goodbye sovereignty.
One angle on the tsunami disaster has been taken up by Melbourne lawyer Waleed Ali. In an opinion piece in The Age newspaper Waleed asked: "So what do we do as a society if survivors of the tsunami made for our shores in any way they could in search of a better life? What if they did so without papers and without having stood in a queue? How far would our compassion go?" His answer — "I have little doubt we would embrace them, understanding what they have suffered and what they now need. We would not tolerate our Government turning them away or detaining them indefinitely. That they did not meet an archaic legal definition of 'refugee' would count for naught. We would think such legalism distasteful and puerile."
CAPITALIST HOG OF THE WEEK: is the billionaire head of retail giant Harvey Norman, Gerry Harvey. In the picturesque town of Byron Bay, on the NSW north coast, a classic struggle is taking place between the environmentally conscious local council and Harvey, who has built a resort there. Harvey opened his Byron Resort and Spa before Christmas without council approval. Leading the fight against the resort is Greens councillor John Lazarus. Harvey, with all the arrogance of a leading light in the ruling class has stooped to personal insults to try and denigrate his opponents. He described John Lazarus thus: "How much respect can he get running around in dreadlocks and no shoes and clothes that look like they cost him $2? These sort of people shouldn't be on councils." No, Gerry. They need lots more people like you. Environmentalist and local community members have waged a long battle against the 92-room resort. The council refused to approve it but was overruled by the NSW Land and Environment Court.