The Guardian 20 April, 2005
Dingo bytes
Insult and arrogance dept #1: In a television interview before his visit to Australia this month, the
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi remarked quite rightly that Australia talks about
wanting to be part of the Asia-Pacific region but has not shown it in practice. During the visit, in
a speech at a dinner for the Malaysian PM, John Howard kept calling him Dr Badawi. But he
should be referred to as Dr Abdullah, as for example his predecessor, Mahathir Mohamad, was
referred to as Dr Mahathir. Such is the Malay convention. Howard is known in the region for his
mixture of arrogance toward Australia's neighbours and obsequiousness before the US. That he
can't even get the name of a visiting Prime Minister right is a reflection of a much larger
issue.
Insult and arrogance dept #2: Papua New Guinea is still demanding an apology from Australia
for a violation of its Prime Minister's person. Sir Michael Somare was partially strip searched
during a security check at Brisbane Airport last month. This humiliation saw protests outside
Australia's high commission in Port Moresby and has led to the PNG government cancelling an
aid program from Australia. Human Services Minister Joe Hockey heaped insult and
paternalism on the humiliation, saying it is "the people of Papua New Guinea who need the aid".
The Howard government, in fact, is using the program to interfere in the internal affairs of PNG,
not to help its people. The arrogance of the Howard government in this case is that of the
bullying colonial master.
Insult and arrogance dept #3: Following on the heels of the Somare incident, the speaker of the
Indian parliament, Somnath Chaterjee, has called off a planned visit to Australia after he was
told that he and his wife, Renu, would be subject to metal detector tests and searches of their
persons. Mr Chaterjee, a member of the Communist Party of India, was coming to Australia for
a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in the
lead up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. "What is the good of Governments if we do
not respect each other?", asked Mr Chaterjee.
CAPITALIST HOG OF THE WEEK: is John Tingle, gun advocate and member of the
NSW Legislative Council. Tingle, the parliamentary representative for the firearm manufacturers
and retailers, has introduced a Private Member's Bill that would stop the automatic suspension
or revocation of firearms when an Apprehended Violence Order is served. The Bill would force
the court to make a separate order to revoke the possession and ownership of a firearm from
the person being served the AVO, rather than the current automatic suspension system. "This
bill is an example of Mr Tingle putting his own selfish desires above the safety of women and
children", says a statement by the National Coalition for Gun Control. "Firearms and domestic
violence are a deadly mix."