A pathologist from the Department of Primary Industries will visit a fish hatchery on Queensland's Sunshine Coast today to investigate new claims of fish abnormalities.

"He spends his life searching for the wildest waves on the planet but yesterday Gold Coast big-wave hunter Ryan Hipwood did not have to venture far because the waves were breaking in his back yard.

For the second day in a row, a handful of surfers have enjoyed 3m-plus waves at a'secret spot' on the northern end of the Gold Coast as Huey the surf god whipped up an unexpected winter swell."

Don't The Police Already Keep Records Of Individuals Who Commit Offences?

"The RSPCA's Queensland branch wants the State Government to establish a database of animal cruelty offenders to help police identify potential violent criminals.

The Western Australian Government is considering the move, with research suggesting some people who abuse animals go on to commit violent crimes against humans."

"Melbourne Baptist minister Simon Moyle and friends have come to Queensland to play hide and seek. It is a long way to go for a simple game, but this one is serious, and almost certain to end with Mr Moyle in court - again.

The quartet of Christians plan to hide in the 30,000 square kilometres of the Shoalwater Bay military training area near Rockhamtpon to disrupt joint exercises by the Australian and US armies, navies and air forces, involving about 24,000 troops."

Captain Brian Lewis from the United States Airforce says any unauthorised people in the training area will be handed over to local police.

"We're going to make sure that the area's safe and clear and if there is anyone in the area that's unauthorised, we'll escort them out and turn them over to the civilian police," he said.

A humpback whale has died after becoming stranded off Western Australia's south coast near Albany.

The seven-metre whale died on Cable Beach, near The Gap, before rescuers could reach it.

"Two men have been arrested for blockading a joint Australian-US military exercise in central Queensland.

Jim Dowling, 53, and Ciaron O'Reilly, 49, who describe themselves as veteran members of the pacifist Catholic Worker movement, were arrested about 7.10am yesterday after blocking the access route to the Talisman Sabre military exercise at Shoalwater, near Rockhampton.

The pair say they knelt on the road with signs saying, "War is Terror is War" and "Resist the War on Afghanistan", stopping US Marine troop carriers entering the area. The men were charged with contravening a move-on direction."

"The Triple Zed newsroom has a strong history of providing a quality independent news service for the Brisbane community. We provide a forum for many important local and international issues which are ignored or distorted by the mainstream media."

"A three-headed fish embryo has been reported on the Sunshine Coast, where experts have been studying abnormalities.

An interim report on the Noosa hatchery last month could not find a definitive cause but said it was plausible that chemicals were involved.

The first incident involved two-headed bass embryos - this week the hatchery has reported a three-headed mullet embryo, and several with twin heads.

Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin says half the embryos also had abnormal cell changes.

"Some of the eggs and embryos were retained and placed in formalin, while the seven mullet and other eggs and embryos were thrown out," he said.

"Efforts will now be made to retrieve them, but they may be too degraded for meaningful analysis.

"The analysis of the retained sampled will be limited because only formalin fixed samples are available."

"Staff Sergeant Keith Algeo said he was enjoying the female attention, though he would not be on the Coast long enough to experience its nightlife.

"All the women have been treating us well," he said with a smile.

"I've spoken to a few while we've been touring ... I haven't gotten any phone numbers, I wouldn't be able to call them.

"I might try to get an international phone."

Staff Sgt Algeo said spending only a few hours on the Coast did not give him much time to socialise.

When asked by The Bulletin if he was looking at meeting some sexy Gold Coast women, he replied by saying it was his ultimate goal."

Indonesian police say they have found 15 of 74 Afghan migrants who went missing at sea en route to Australia.

A police spokesman says the asylum seekers are being held by police on Sumbawa island.

He says they were found yesterday afternoon and that the search for the others is continuing on land and at sea. The migrants' boat had been damaged and they reached the coast with the help of local fishermen.

The Indonesian navy had been searching for the boat after being told it had gone missing by Australian police.

An investigation by Australia's main crime-fighting agency has found no evidence of organised pedophilia in Northern Territory indigenous communities.

The finding by the Australian Crime Commission demolishes one of the central claims used by the Howard government to support its controversial NT intervention.

In the now-discredited claims that underlined his push for the 2007 intervention, then-indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough, along with some commentators, claimed there were "pedophile rings" in the Northern Territory.

The Australian Crime Commission has won access to the medical records of eight Indigenous female patients under the age of 16 despite concerns by a health service that it breaches confidentiality.

As part of the federal intervention in the Northern Territory, the Crime Commission was seeking access to the detailed health records of eight underage girls, including their sexual health history, as part of investigations relating to child sex abuse.

But last year the remote Aboriginal health service holding the records successfully argued that providing that information would breach patient confidentiality.

Yesterday, the Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Churches of the Darling Downs region of Queensland issued a joint statement regarding mining and agriculture on the Darling Downs. The statement recognises the irreversible damage that coal mines will have on the people and landscapes of the region, and calls for a respectful and genuine dialogue about the future of the agriculture and the environment of the region. It also affirms that the churches of the region stand in solidarity with the farmers affected by coal expansion...

Me On 3

Two veteran members of the pacifist Catholic Worker movement, Jim Dowling and Ciaron O'Reilly, were arrested this morning after blockading the main access road for the U.S. and Australian military to the Shoalwater Talisman Sabre exercise area for one hour and a half. More than a dozen US Marine Troop carriers were prevented from entering the area.

Magistrate Annette Hennessey granted bail, but she rejected a police request to ban them from going near military facilities or buildings.

Supporter Sean O'Reilly agrees they were unreasonable conditions.

"They've made no threat against any person or vehicle and not attempted to damage any property, so it was quite right that these restrictions not be placed upon them," he said.

Mr O'Reilly says the pair refused to sign their bail papers so they can stay in custody.

"They want to continue the resistance into the prison system," he said.

"They feel that it's a further statement as to their commitment."

Magistrate Hennessey adjourned the matter until next month.

"Queensland police can start applying for phone tapping warrants from Thursday, after a long campaign for the investigation technique.

Police Minister Neil Roberts welcomed Wednesday's decision by federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland to name the Queensland Police and the state's Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) as "interception agencies".

Mr Roberts said phone tapping was an effective means of fighting organised crime."

A British study says genetically modified crops have added over US$40 billion to global farm income over the past decade.

The study, by UK agricultural economics firm PG Economics was commissioned by the biotech industry but peer reviewed by independent experts.

Shut up Goldman Sachs (GS)! You're playing right into the hands of all your enemies and everyone who believes you know how to manipulate the stock market:

Bloomberg: At a court appearance July 4 in Manhattan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Facciponti told a federal judge that Aleynikov’s alleged theft poses a risk to U.S. markets. Aleynikov transferred the code, which is worth millions of dollars, to a computer server in Germany, and others may have had access to it, Facciponti said, adding that New York-based Goldman Sachs may be harmed if the software is disseminated.

“The bank has raised the possibility that there is a danger that somebody who knew how to use this program could use it to manipulate markets in unfair ways,” Facciponti said, according to a recording of the hearing made public yesterday. “The copy in Germany is still out there, and we at this time do not know who else has access to it.”

And by "somebody who knew how to use this program" do they mean themselves?

The manager of a not-for-profit retirement village at Hervey Bay, in south-east Queensland, says there will be a serious shortage in residential aged care if the Government does not change the funding system...

Torbay CEO Philip Parry says he would like to know whether the Government received enough applications from companies to build the new beds.

"On the Government's figures, 70 per cent of aged care facilities across Australia are in fact running at a loss, so there's really no incentive whatsoever for people to build aged care facilities," he said.

"Opposition anger at Rudd's saintly advocacy

Tim Fischer, Australia's ambassador to the Holy See and former Coalition deputy prime minister, has defended Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's right to make representations for Mary MacKillop to be made a saint."

The number of Australian families sleeping in cars, on couches or in motels jumped significantly in the latest Census data, but homelessness charities have warned that the figures are already out of date.

"Senator Brown said Mr Rudd's 5-25 % emissions reduction targets contradict the global 2 degree celcius goal and undermine the chances of achieving a global agreement to meet that goal, let alone a more ambitious one...

"The targets the G8 countries are talking about still give us a great chance of breaching 2 degrees celcius warming, and Mr Rudd's targets are even further behind."

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd reinforced the argument that awarding the 2018 World Cup to Australia would help open up the game to a new frontier when he spent an hour with the FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Zurich on Wednesday...

Billionaire Westfield boss Frank Lowy threw his support behind the visit, arriving in Berlin on Tuesday night then accompanying Rudd on his mission on behalf of Australian football fans..."

"As a matter of general principle my view has always been that people should be able to have appropriate access to Uluru," he said.

"It's a bit like managing the Great Barrier Reef in some respects, and there have to be appropriate management plans.

"I think it would be very sad if we got to the stage where Australians, and, frankly, our guests from abroad weren't able to enjoy that experience."

Asked specifically if he meant climbing Uluru, Mr Rudd responded: "Yeah, to climb it."

But he says a management plan is necessary in order to preserve the site.

"The Queensland premier's department has revealed it owns 38 web domain names, including www.queensland-the-dumb-state.com.

Most of the websites relate to government initiatives, such as the Q150 celebrations for the state's 150th anniversary but others safeguard domain names from "cybersquatters", a parliamentary question on notice to Premier Anna Bligh reveals.

A cybersquatter is a person who sets up fake websites, with the main purpose to cause a nuisance, or keeps them for a time without making use of them to improve their value."

"Parents say they are devastated Queensland's only hospice for terminally ill children, Zoe's Place, is likely to close.

Zoe's Place opened a decade ago and is one very few such specialised facilities in the country dedicated solely to caring for children.

But in recent weeks, the hospice has been at the centre of allegations of concern about the standard of care it provides."

An advanced form of radiation therapy is now available through the public health system in Queensland.

Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) eliminates many of the side effects associated with traditional radiation treatment and is improving the quality of life of many cancer patients.

"Queensland’s four hospitals that provide radiation therapy treatment—Mater, Townsville, Princess Alexandra and Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital—still had significant waiting times with little or no improvement between July 2007 and March 2009, placing cancer sufferers at risk."

"The first thing you need to know about Goldman Sachs is that it's everywhere. The world's most powerful investment bank is a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money."

"Three times in the past two months the media has been left red faced after taking the testimony [Eh? testimony? Where were they testifying? Ed.] of members of the public at face value."

"Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says the $949 million light-rail project will become the engine room of the Gold Coast economy during its construction.

A joint funding agreement for the city's rapid transit project has been signed by Ms Bligh, the federal Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliott and Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke.

Ms Bligh says government will fund the infrastructure while a private sector partner will provide the carriages and depots and run the service."

Four years ago Australian Story featured a farmer and horse breeder called Peter Andrews who seemed to have a rare ability to transform degraded Australian landscapes into thriving oases...

The Australian Story episodes on Peter Andrews, generated unprecedented viewer response.

Now some very influential and highly placed Australians have rallied to his cause and the scientific evidence and international interest are building as well...

"Dawn" -- - ...Today, words like ‘Progress’ and ‘Development’ have become interchangeable with economic ‘Reforms’, Deregulation and Privatisation. ‘Freedom’ has come to mean ‘choice’. It has less to do with the human spirit than with different brands of deodorant. ‘Market’ no longer means a place where you go to buy provisions. The ‘Market’ is a de-territorialised space where faceless corporations do business, including buying and selling ‘futures’. ‘Justice’ has come to mean ‘human rights’ (and of those, as they say, ‘a few will do’). This theft of language, this technique of usurping words and deploying them like weapons, of using them to mask intent and to mean exactly the opposite of what they have traditionally meant, has been one of the most brilliant strategic victories of the Tsars of the new dispensation. It has allowed them to marginalise their detractors, deprive them of a language in which to voice their critique and dismiss them as being ‘anti-progress’, ‘anti-development’, ‘anti-reform’ and of course ‘anti-national’—negativists of the worst sort. Talk about saving a river or protecting a forest and they say, ‘Don’t you believe in Progress?’ To people whose land is being submerged by dam reservoirs and whose homes are being bulldozed they say, ‘Do you have an alternative development model?’ To those who believe that a government is duty bound to provide people with basic education, healthcare and social security, they say, ‘You’re against the Market.’ And who except a cretin could be against the Market?...

Why Is The Government Expanding The Tugun Desal Plant When It Doesn't Bloody Work?

"A violent protest in western China's Xinjiang Province has left 140 dead and more than 800 injured, according to police there.

Over 1,000 ethnic Uighur demonstrators marched through the regional capital Urumqi, clashing with police and Han Chinese pedestrians."

"The United States government has held twenty-two Uyghurs in Guantanamo Bay detainment camp. Eighteen of the detainees were present at Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRTs) conducted by the U.S. military to review their cases."

"A man has denied stealing pumpkins and other produce from the scene of a fatal semi-trailer accident in Brisbane's east at the weekend.

The driver of the semi-trailer died after the vehicle rolled on the Gateway Motorway at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Eyewitnesses told the media a man driving a utility helped himself to fruit and vegetables that were strewn across the road while its driver lay dying nearby.

But Police say there is no evidence the man stole the produce after the fatal crash.

The driver of the utility contacted police and investigators to say he did not steal the produce.

Police say the man stopped to help the driver until emergency services arrived."

"Scientist have discovered two new genes that together double a person's risk of developing melanoma.

As part of an international research project, a team of scientists from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research studied the genes of almost 6,000 people together with their mole count."

"A Sunshine Coast council may consider a Big Brother-style monitoring system for internet users at public libraries after an elderly man was spotted watching hardcore pornography on a library computer."

"July 03 2009 -- July 01 2009 - (CNSNews.com) - Following a testy exchange during Wednesday’s briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control the press."

Don't Let The Government Take Us Backward

No professional, however well-meaning, will have to live with the consequence of the outcome of labour and birth as long or as intimately as the consumers to whom they offer their services. The choice of birth professional is possibly the most important choice a woman will make during her pregnancy. There is no place for paternalism in the practice of obstetrics although at some stage of labour the decision may be made to place the management in the hands of the professional. However, domiciliary obstetrics is the 'art of invisibility' and without complications a woman gives birth herself, supported and aided by her midwife.

"But the ramifications of News Ltd's role in the OzCar affair are probably broader than may be immediately apparent.

On Tuesday, Madonna King, on ABC Radio in Brisbane, told Kevin Rudd her listeners just wanted to know why Rudd would expose himself in the first place by accepting the now infamous ute from John Grant, whether he would give it back, and whether he was sorry he ever borrowed it.

Reasonable questions.

The Prime Minister launched into a rambling answer about fake emails and suggestions of corruption that had been "reflected in the content and tone of reporting by various newspapers around the country including in Brisbane".

King persisted but was told people were entitled "to scratch their heads and ask, 'how can newspapers...run stories based on forged emails and assume that they are simply accurate as [News Ltd's] The Courier-Mail has done in Brisbane?'

And on it went.

From Rudd's perspective, he had both a legitimate gripe and a political opportunity to attack Malcolm Turnbull as a result of the fake email affair.

But he also had an opportunity to dodge a question. And an opportunity to have a go at News Ltd."

"We have a lot of work to do. We need to continue to deliver for Australians everywhere through broadcast and digital services as well as make the changes necessary to ensure the future of the ABC. In that light, the Board last week made some important decisions: moving ahead quickly on our new Brisbane headquarters and approving funding for the planning work on a new building adjoining our current premises at Southbank to allow all Melbourne activity to be consolidated on one site. The Board also approved a major new investment in a Web Content Management System - a decision that will be welcomed by staff labouring with the antiquated Wallace system as they expand our online services."

"Civil liberties and the right to privacy have become big issues in Britain. We live in a time of unprecedented surveillance by state powers, and of particular interest to them are those who challenge the status quo. Although gathering data on dissent is nothing new, today's technological advances and sheer audacity have moved evidence-gathering techniques up a notch.

In 2005 the Financial Times reported that mobile phones could be used as roving bugs, with software remotely activating microphones and transmitting data. Since then, removing batteries and SIM cards from phones before sensitive meetings has become standard practice among activists. And, if recent experience from New Zealand/Aotearoa is anything to go by, even those you hold closest might not be trustworthy. Helping her boyfriend Rob Gilchrist fix his computer, Rochelle Rees, an animal rights campaigner from Christchurch, discovered emails which showed he was a police informant - part of a 10-year surveillance operation which went as high as the Government's Special Investigations Unit."

"Were Anna Bligh's public comments on an abortion case in Queensland deliberately misleading, or just an honest mistake?

At the Queensland ALP State Conference in early June, the party's long-held policy on abortion was reaffirmed. Labor's policy platform calls for "all legal distinctions between termination of pregnancy and other medical procedures [to] be abolished by repealing sections 224, 225 and 226 of the Criminal Code". Thus far, the Queensland ALP has failed to legislate this plank of the policy platform."

"On June 30, the government of Israel committed an act of piracy when the Israeli Navy in international waters illegally boarded the “Spirit of Humanity,” kidnapped its 21-person crew from 11 countries, including former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Laureate Mairead MaGuire, and confiscated the cargo of medical supplies, olive trees, reconstruction materials, and children’s toys that were on the way to the Mediterranean coast of Gaza. The “Spirit of Humanity,” along with the kidnapped 21 persons, is being towed to Israel as I write."

"My name is Timothy James Burrowes. Occupation: journalist.

I am, I must admit, in equal parts surprised and flattered that earlier today, the boss of News Ltd selected Mumbrella as one of two examples of Australian websites that are leeching off journalism in Australia (I paraphrase only slightly). Along with Crikey, his contention was that only about 10% of our content was original reporting, the rest consists of links to newswires and mastheads. Funnily enough, it took me a while to get round to reading his comments. At the time he was making them, I was out of the office, covering another media event - there was supposed to be a journalist from his paper the Daily Telegraph there too, but they didn’t show up."

"But what is this quality content? While some of it was news and current affairs, much of Mr Hartigan's speech focused around improvements in travel coverage, and recipes in the food section of the paper and website."

"It was beginner's luck for the Gold Coast couple who had never bought an Oz Lotto ticket before and went to work today despite their new-found wealth."

Why Are We Talking About War All The Time?

"The Defence Minister, Senator John Faulkner, indicated his entire department was under review as he launched Australia's $60 billion Defence Capability Plan today. "

"Controversial"? Why Would It Be "Controversial"?

"The group behind Carrara's controversial Islamic school expects the Gold Coast City Council to scrap the facility's final hurdle next week."

"There has been a big jump in breaches of standards at the nation's nursing homes. One-hundred and forty-eight of them have been given notices by the Federal Government and sanctions have been imposed on 29, following a rise in spot checks. The largest number of breaches occurred in Victoria. One of the worst involves a home sanctioned for serious concerns about wound management, infection control and staff training. The Federal Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliott, says the rise in breaches follows an increase in spot checks...

The industry says the rise in breaches is because of too many regulations. Rod Young is the head of the Aged Care Association, which represents nursing homes. "Unfortunately we're not really comparing apples with apples - some of the compliances are quite minor in nature where the industry's failed to report something to the department on time," Mr Young said."

"Leading scientist Professor Ian Frazer is helping high school students get an early start to their biomedical careers.

The 2006 Australian of the Year is spearheading a program in league with the University of Queensland giving students and teachers the chance to work with some of the country's best biomedical researchers."

"I haven’t the words. What an affront to justice and common sense. $1.92 million for 24 songs? What was that based on – the amount the RIAA executives rip-off from artists and consumers each day? I haven’t the words. What an affront to justice and common sense. $1.92 million for 24 songs? What was that based on – the amount the RIAA executives rip-off from artists and consumers each day?"

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was handed a hero's welcome last night in safe Labor country as he took his controversial $11.6 million travelling roadshow to Beenleigh.

The highlight of an otherwise dour federal community Cabinet meeting at Beenleigh State High School was a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday for Treasurer Wayne Swan, who turned 55.

Led by Mr Rudd, the 400-strong crowd roared 'Happy birthday, dear Swanny'.

"Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has launched an attack on some sections of the media for their reporting of the OzCar affair.

Ms Gillard, who was overseas as the scandal unfolded in recent weeks, says there needs to be a debate about journalistic ethics."

"Early works on the $1.67 billion Gold Coast Rapid Transit system will deliver up to 1500 jobs, with local companies expected to win contracts to work on the 13 km light rail link.

As reported by The Bulletin, Premier Anna Bligh will announce the long-awaited business case next Monday.

Ms Bligh is expected to showcase a scaled-down Private Public Partnership, commonly known as an 'operator franchise'."

"Calls to extend the light rail track from Parkwood to Helensvale are unlikely to win support from Ms Bligh.

Sources say the 10 km stretch would require significant extra funding."

"A Granite Belt woman will be the first in Queensland to trial a new procedure that could lessen the side effects of radiotherapy.

Darling Downs researchers say they may have found a simple solution to preventing mouth and throat ulcers in cancer patients who undergo radiotherapy.

Oncologists at the Toowoomba Cancer Research Centre will today pump warm, moist air into a woman who is about to start a course of radiotherapy.

Dr Jarad Martin says it is part of an 18-month long international clinical trial."

"Children are naïve about advertising and can easily be manipulated and exploited by marketers to want and demand their products. Corporate marketers believe that over time they can be shaped into lifelong consumers with brand loyalties and that can be profitable for decades to come. What is more, children influence family spending decisions worth hundreds of billions of dollars on household items like furniture, electrical appliances and computers, vacations, and even the family car.

Corporations began targeting their marketing messages directly to children during the 1980s, as affluent adult markets became saturated with consumer goods. Large firms established 'kids' departments and smaller firms specialised in marketing to children. A number of advertising industry publications were created such as Selling to Kids and Marketing to Kids Report. The academic literature began to feature studies of children as consumers."

"Wimbledon organisers have admitted that looks play a key part when it comes to deciding which female players will draw the centre court.

"Good looks are a factor...it's no coincidence," said All England Club spokesman Johnny Perkins.

While Roger Federer [what!!! are you saying Roger Federer is not easy on the eye? What about Lleyton? Doesn't that backward cap do it for you? Ed] is assured a centre court berth, the same cannot be said for many of the top female players who have been forced to battle it out on the smaller courts.

Television rights holder the BBC said it approved of the policy."Obviously it's advantageous to us if there are good-looking women players on centre court," a spokesman said.

"A police dog called Taser shocked an alleged drink driver who rammed a police car and broke his handler's thumb, by arresting him in Mount Isa.

The hero hound pounced after a car chase on the Barkly Highway [oh ha ha ha, stop it, your humour is killing me in a man bites dog way- Ed.] early on Sunday morning."

When Half The Country Cannot Access Basic Health Care And Carcinogens Continue To Be Tipped Into The Environment - What's the Point?

"For most cancer patients, treatments are exhausting, time-consuming and nauseating, but new research may change all that.

Doctors have long puzzled over what to do when the tumours they are treating develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs...

Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt is the joint managing director of the Sydney-based biotechnology company EnGenelC.

His team has discovered that they can use tiny nano-cells to deliver drug treatments straight into cancer cells...

It is likely to be a cheaper treatment as well."

"The group editorial director of News Ltd., Australia's biggest publisher, says that the company is "very uncomfortable" with its journalists using Twitter to tell followers news.

In an interview with today's Media section of The Australian, Campbell Reid says:

"It's our belief that journalists who work for us who have news to tell should do so through the vehicles they are employed to supply material for. We're very uncomfortable with staff tweeting in a professional sense under their own names, for a whole bunch of reasons, not the least of which is legal protection and concern about what is published.

"Like so many things that burn so brightly on the internet, we're watching to see how it goes. We don't want to spend a lot of time developing policies...and in three month's time everyone's realised it's another way of having fairly boring conversations."

"The ratepayer-funded Council of Mayors was set up in 2005 to lobby state and federal governments for infrastructure funding.

The majority of councils pay between $400,000 and $500,000 to belong to the group."

"Founded in 1993, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), based in Madison, Wisc., is a public interest, nonprofit organization designed to advocate for transparency and battle corporate and government spin. The group is consistently studying how the media cover issues ranging from climate change to foreign military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and how interested parties are trying to shape that coverage.

“Our focus is always how is the media covering this, and how are vested interests trying to shape the media coverage,” Diane Farsetta, a senior researcher at the Center, told me in a telephone interview.

“Our mission is really to help people understand.”

The Center often points to gross flackery, helping readers sift between vetted news and corporate propaganda. In addition, the Center is a resource for reporters and editors, working directly with them on request to look into specific spin tactics from particular companies or on certain issues."

"Saving the planet never looked so stylish. New figures show that dusting off the old polyester, taffeta and crinoline frocks can save almost 10 per cent on your carbon and water footprint."

"I'm the former insurance industry insider now speaking out about how big for-profit insurers have hijacked our health care system and turned it into a giant ATM for Wall Street investors, and how the industry is using its massive wealth and influence to determine what is (and is not) included in the health care reform legislation members of Congress are now writing."

"On July 4, declare independence from corporate rule.

A corporation is not a person. It's an organizational structure that has no morality and feels no remorse. Yet the modern corporation enjoys the same rights as you or I: free speech, the ability to own property, the right to lobby government officials and protection against self-incrimination. Decades of deregulation and laissez-faire capitalist ideology have allowed corporations to steer the world's political, economic, environmental and cultural agendas.

We need a contemporary insurrection to reclaim our democracy, our freedom and our country. We must challenge corporations and take back what is rightfully ours. Flying the Corporate America Flag as a symbol of our rebellion, let's make this July 4 the beginning of the second American Revolution. Let's declare our independence from corporate rule!

HELP US!

We're thrilled about our recent victory in the BC Court of Appeal, but the battle is far from over. Leonard Asper and his CanWest cronies have appealed our victory to the Supreme Court of Canada. Our lawyers tell us they don't stand a chance … they're just trying to deplete our coffers.

This fight is about media democracy, the voice of civil society and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which gives every human being on the planet the right to seek, receive and impart information without hindrance.

Don't let Leonard get away with his blatant censorship of the public airwaves. To continue this fight, we must raise $50,000 to cover legal costs - we've already raised $12,000. Please go to www.adbusters.org/donate and put something into our coffers.

SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS ...

Adbusters #85, Thought Control in Economics, is only a few days away from deadline. We've got maverick economists like Herman Daly and Lourdes Beneria offering their views about the current crisis and interviews with Nobel Prize winners George Akerlof, Paul Samuelson and Joseph Stiglitz. But we need your intimate epiphanies peppered throughout … send something juicy to editor@adbusters.org.

If you're an economics student anywhere in the world craving a different point of view, get in touch with us and we'll send you a complimentary copy of the issue."

Lament for Froomkin

Back in the days of Bradley and Bernstein
The Washington Post had the readers' esteem.
Now featuring Krauthhammer and Will
There's little to read but drivel and swill.

Acres of newsprint for dunces and bumpkins
And no more room for worthy Froomkins?
The Post used to adorn the room you dine in;
The new edition's more suitable for birdcage lining.

Are The AFP Meeting With Steve Lewis? And Will Our Press Report It?

"Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has met with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and made a statement about the fake email at the centre of the OzCar affair."

"In a desperate effort to undermine Wilkie, a classified ONA intelligence report by him was leaked to Herald Sun Journalist and loyal Howard government supporter, Andrew Bolt. Bolt used the material to try and discredit Wilkie.

In contrast to the government's immediate attack on the National Indigenous Times, no action has ever been mounted, by Shergold or any other government department, against Bolt or the state officials who leaked the highly secret material."

"The UK Internet Industry Awards sponsored by ISPA will be announced at a gala black-tie event on 9 July 2009 in London. The Australian Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy has been nominated, but not for an Internet Hero award. The award category he is included in is Internet Villain.

The Internet Villain category recognises individuals or organisations that have upset the Internet industry and hampered its development - those who the industry loves to hate."

Mixed Messages From Radio Rupert And The Gold Coast Monomedia

In his biography Keith Murdoch, Founder of a Media Empire, Ronald Younger reveals that Sir Keith Murdoch contemplated a plan to merge The Argus with his newspaper interests in Brisbane and Adelaide. This is an extract from Youngers' book, which was published by Harper Collins in 2003 [and you know who owns that - so, you know, just bear that in mind! - Ed.]...

'As the third-floor (executive suite of HWT at Flinders St) impasse continued, Williams had given some thought to the possibility of moving over to The Argus; in such an eventuality, Jack Waters (editor of The Sun) would have gone with him. The paper's losses were continuing, and its London owners would have welcomed a plan to make it a dynamic enterprise. A possible originator of such a scenario, Arthur Calwell (then leader of Federal Labor), would have had ample opportunity to put this idea before Sydney Elliott, the chief executive of The Argus, with whom he had been in close touch from 1949 when Elliott arrived from London to begin the process of steering The Argus away form its former conservative orientation and to pro-Labor stance. Calwell no doubt would have hoped that eventually the Labor Party could become the owner of the paper under Williams - an outcome which would have given great satisfaction to Calwell, who would have seen it as a masterstroke in his relentless personal attrition against Murdoch - and to Chifley, who had been showing some interest in the paper's editorial direction.'...

Ronald Younger relates the tensions in the HWT board-room between Sir Keith Murdoch and John Williams...

then writes about the continuing clash of wills between Sir Keith Murdoch and John Williams, one being the manoeuvreings over The Argus. On Friday 3 October 1952, Sir Keith called a meeting of the HWT board and sacked Williams, who on being informed said, 'all right I'll go, but it's going to cost you plenty'.

Sir Keith then spent the weekend at the family's Cruden Farm and discussed with his wife plans to retire within a year. They also talked about their children Helen, Anne, Janet and Rupert, who was expected home from Oxford within a few months. A letter received from Rupert led Sir Keith to exclaim: "I think the boy's got it". The letter was confirmation for Sir Keith that Rupert 'had not only a good mind but was showing a very good attitude and could be settled into an appropriate position in the newspaper world with surety that this was the sphere in which his talents lay'.

The day had passed in happy conversation and contentment and the couple went to bed early. Sir Keith placed his wristwatch on the bedside table, as was his habit, and lay back on the pillows. Within minutes a slight tremor shook his body and he died without pain or forewarning.

Following the death of Sir Keith, the HWT board reinstated John Williams who was to run the organisation successfully for another 20 years and who always held Sir Keith in the highest respect, almost reverently referring to him as "The Boss".

"The Deedar tribesman, custodian of the sea country north of Cooktown, is among a growing band of indigenous leaders who believe traditional hunting is excessive and unsustainable."

"Most of the activities will be at Shoalwater Bay in central Queensland, but there will also be training in Townsville and the Northern Territory.

Brigadier Bob Brown says government and other agencies will be involved.

"So a lot of the scenarios will involve use of NGOs, use of the media, and particularly given that it is a UN-type scenario," he said.

"Where it's a UN mandate to go in and do certain actions, that actually enables us to practice the whole range from the top end war fighting, all the way through to humanitarian, peace keeping.""

"The mystery of crop circles which have appeared from time to time in and around Tasmania's legal opium poppy fields may have been solved.

It seems it is not aliens, but junkie wallabies hopping around in dazed circles - perhaps."

"Shocking figures have revealed that the number of women who have been charged with domestic violence-related assault has soared by 159 per cent over the past eight years."

"One in four prisoners in Australia is Indigenous and their over-representation in the jail system is only getting worse, a new report states.

Aboriginal people are 13 times more likely to be locked up than other Australians, while the proportion of Indigenous women being incarcerated has tripled in the past 20-odd years.

Half of the 10- to 17-year-olds in corrective institutions are Indigenous."

Defamation case backfires

Judges and journalists rarely take advantage of defamation laws to try to vindicate their reputations. They are more conscious than most other professionals of the hideous uncertainty of resorting to the courts.

But there are also professional reasons for this abstemious behaviour. Journalists are normally on the receiving end of defamation writs. To become a plaintiff against another journalist seems almost unethical. Journalists are concerned to widen freedom of speech and expression. Only in the most extreme case would a journalist resort to the law.

Judges are in a different position. They administer the law. Everything they say in court is protected by privilege. And what people say about the way they conduct their courts must be muted because the judges are protected by the laws of contempt of court. There are other reasons they don't descend from the bench. Once they do so they become ordinary litigants. Their reputations can be attacked and they can be ridiculed.

District Court Judge Robert David Hall, who is stationed at Southport, faced a more significant problem when he decided to sue The Courier-Mail for defamation. He would only be able to win his case if he succeeded in attacking the reputation of a fellow District Court judge, Clive Wall, QC, who is based at Townsville.

Judge Hall claimed he had been defamed by an article in The Courier-Mail which reported the remarks of ``Judge Clive Hall QC'' in the Townsville Court. Judge Hall claimed the person referred to was himself, though a jury yesterday said that what was in the article was not published ``of and concerning him''.

The article reported remarks actually made by Judge Wall about the way in which child witnesses were able to give video evidence. It included criticism by Human Rights Commissioner Chris Sidoti and then Children's Commissioner Norm Alford of the attitude of the judge. Judge Hall told the jury the comments attributed to him made him look like an idiot and silly. He said he was hurt, embarrassed and angry that such remarks had been attributed to him.

The inference would appear to be that he regarded the judge who made them in just that same light. Though indirect, this reflection on a fellow judge is hardly in keeping with the way judges normally behave. Justice James Thomas's book, Judicial Ethics makes the point:

``It is improper for any member of the judiciary to engage in a public attack on a fellow member of the judiciary or upon the judiciary itself.''

The potential embarrassment of the case no doubt helped persuade Chief Justice Paul de Jersey to preside over this week's re-run of the defamation action.

Earlier this year, the case was handled by Justice Richard Chesterman, but a jury of four was unable to reach a verdict.

The Chief Justice is very conscious of the need to protect the reputation of the judiciary, as he indicated several months ago when he elected to sit in judgment over the dispute between the then chief magistrate, Stan Deer, and newly appointed magistrate Jacqueline Payne.

On this occasion he took a strict line on the admissibility of evidence and was critical of counsel who were not able to push the matter through to a conclusion as quickly as he wished.One of the curious aspects of evidence brought by the judge was that most of the lawyers on his side did not finally support the proposition that the article was about him.

A District Court judge, a QC and a solicitor all saw the article in a different light. The District Court judge concluded for various reasons, such as the reference to the location of the court in Townsville, to the Christian name Clive, and to the QC, that it referred to Judge Clive Wall.

The QC thought at first the article's reference to Judge Hall was to Judge Robert Hall but after further consideration and discussion with another barrister was left in doubt.

The solicitor thought the article's reference to Judge Hall was to Judge Robert Hall until later speaking to the judge's son.Judge Hall in his evidence said none of his personal acquaintances had personally challenged him about the report.

Another piece of evidence was that the week in which The Courier-Mail article appeared was a very controversial one for the judge, as several of his decisions were headline news in the Gold Coast Bulletin, and the subject of considerable criticism, so much so that he made comments out of court in response to them.

But the judge said he decided to sue on The Courier-Mail article because the other reports did not hurt.The jury's decision will no doubt help convince other judges that they, like journalists, cannot afford to be too thin-skinned about criticism, misreporting or misrepresentation.

Be Very Afraid

"The kitchen tap is dirtier and carries more harmful bugs than the toilet button in millions of homes, new research which did swab tests on homes has found."

"Stun guns are now being used overseas to quell angry hospital patients, including those who threaten suicide...

However, Australian emergency departments are unlikely to follow the US's lead on stun guns.

More than 2000 reports of physical assault and 800 reports of offesnive behaviour are made to NSW Health each year, many involving drug-affected or intoxicated patietns.

"Obviously, it is better than using a bullet, and I'd be foolish to say there were not times when it would be appropriate but I'd have serious concerns about how people were trained to use them," the federal president of the Australian Medical Association, Andrew Pesce, said yesterday."

"Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said the state's 10,000 officers had today been notified by email of the new policy guidelines developed under advice from Crime and Misconduct Commission chairman Robert Needham.

He admitted police had always had the power to sack drink driving officers but insisted the new guidelines would give the public confidence the force was taking the issue seriously."

Keep Feeling The Fear

"A study by American and Icelandic researchers has found that migraine headaches may cause long-term damage to women's brains. One in 10 women suffer from migraines.

The study has found that a quarter of older women with migraines accompanied by visual disturbances, have lesions in the part of the brain that controls coordination and the senses.

Three times as many women as men suffer from migraines, and the study has found no increase in the number of lesions in men get the headaches."

"The burqa is not a sign of religion. It is a sign of enslavement. It is a sign of subservience," he said.

"Mr Sarkozy made the comments during a historic address in a special sitting of both houses of the French Parliament at the Palace of Versailles.

For more than a century, French presidents have been banned from speaking directly to Senators and MPs.

The argument has always been that parliament should preserve its independence from the president but Mr Sarkozy changed the rules."

"I'm honestly convinced that the time for argument about the need, safety and benefits of GM crops, which encompass benefits for the environment, benefits to the farmers and benefits to the consumer, that time is gone," he said.

"It's just not an argument any more."

"There is certainly a need to revisit the balance in transport expenditure between roads and public transport," Dr Dodson said.

"You can continue to expand road capacity and make it easy to drive around by private motor car, but that will just encourage people to switch back away from public transport back to their cars.

"And because of this fact it turns out that the best way to improve the speed of travel through your city is actually to put all your effort into increasing the speed of your public transport system.

"Because every person who looks over and sees the buses travelling faster than the cars on the freeway will start to think about switching to the buses.

"And that frees up space on the freeway."

"A second Ipswich doctor has spoken out against the Ipswich Hospital referral system with claims some cancer patients victims are waiting up to 18 months to be diagnosed.

East Clinic GP Dr Peter Nelson said he had been sending potential bowel cancer patients to pay for tests at expensive private hospitals because others had waited up to 18 months to receive assessment at Ipswich Hospital.

"That means people have to pay $1,000 out of their own pocket but at least they get diagnosed quickly," Dr Nelson said.

"I am sad to say the differential between private and public health is no longer a debate, it is the difference between life and death."

He said often GPs would not be aware of these lengthy delays in diagnosis until the patient represented in a much worse condition."

"MySpace has announced a major shake-up of its operations which will see it axe two thirds of its non-US staff and close at least four international offices, but leave Sydney as one of three regional hubs."

"What vaccine?

I'd like to comment on Anna Bligh's last column (bmag, 9 June).Toward the end of her column she strongly recommends that all parents have their children immunised against whooping cough. I don't know if children get special treatment when it comes to immunisations or not, but I can tell you that my mother and I have been on a waiting list for the whooping cough vaccine for several weeks now as there are no supplies of it in Brisbane. With my sister having given birth late last week, I wanted to be sure I didn't pass anything along to the baby. There's not much point encouraging people to do something if the resources are not available Anna - you should check these things out before you preach!

Julie Lowe, Tingalpa

This Is News Because?

"Powderfinger have headed into the studio to record their seventh album.

The Brisbane rock band started work on the follow up to Dream Days At The Hotel Existence on Monday, and hope to release a new album by the end of the year."

Now THIS Is News!

"Daryl Hannah has been arrested. Again.

The actress was charged this afternoon with about 30 other people — including were NASA scientist James Hansen and former Rep. Ken Hechler — for blocking State Route 3 near a Massey Energy subsidiary’s coal processing plant in Raleigh County.

The peaceful protest on mountaintop removal coal mining, organized by local residents and the Rainforest Action Network, was met with strong opposition by a surprising crowd of Massey Energy workers and coal supporters. According to police, tensions ran high and one Massey supporter was arrested and charged with battery during a brief confrontation with protesters."

Liar Liar Pants On Fire?

"Premier Anna Bligh has insisted she was honest with Queenslanders before the state election, despite a poll finding that voters feel misled...

The Premier insisted she had told voters she would make tough decisions and voters were simply angry at having to pay more for petrol.

"When I went to the election, I was very honest with Queenslanders," she said. "I told Queenslanders our Budget was going to include tough decisions."

"Two former QUT academics are being sued for $250,000 by a student, court documents show.

Michael Noonan produced a film entitled Laughing at the Disabled: Creating Comedy that confronts, Offends and Entertains as part of his PhD studies at the University in 2007.

Gary McLennan and John Hookham, who lectured at QUT at the time, wrote a newspaper article criticising the film.

In the writ filed in the Supreme Court In Brisbane last week, Mr Noonan claims to have been defamed in that article."

"The Federal Government has ended a renewable energy rebate two years early, in all states except Western Australia.

The rebate let people in regional communities claim up to $200,000 for stand-alone power supplies.

An Environment Department official says high demand means money budgeted for the rebate has already been spent.

A solar energy businessman, Adrian Ferraretto, says it is disappointing."

"A Brisbane army recruit filmed himself raping a 16-year-old girl and later spat on her while she lay unconscious on a bathroom floor, a court has heard."

"Queensland Health has rejected claims incompetent junior doctors at the Ipswich Hospital Emergency Department are endangering the lives of patients by turning them away.

A storm erupted yesterday after Ipswich Medical Centre GP Dr Paul Curson told The Queensland Times junior doctors had been stripped of their right to refer some patients for further care because they had been deemed incompetent at the task.

Dr Curson claimed one of his patients went to the ED with chest complaints but was referred back to him instead of being admitted to cardiology, endangering her life in the process." [ABC Online 20/6/09]

"The stakes are high, and fights nasty, when the world's wealthiest battle each other.

Earlier this month, billionaire Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi went on Italian TV accusing media titan Rupert Murdoch of making a business matter personal.

Berlusconi, who is under scrutiny because of an allegedly inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old woman ("Billionaire Breakups"), said Murdoch launched a newspaper attack against him after Italy doubled the taxes on his Sky Italia TV service in December.

Murdoch's Times of London has in recent months called the prime minister "a chauvinist buffoon," compared him to a debauched Roman Emperor and accused him of treating the Italian people with "utter contempt."

Meanwhile, his Sky Italia has aired commercials vilifying Berlusconi's government. Sky also showed Shooting Silvo, a film about a man trying to assassinate Berlusconi. Spokesmen from both sides declined comment."

"Association of Independent Retirees

We have all heard and seen the "Claytons" Budget as given by the Federal Government, now hear it from the opposition's point of view. All retirees are welcome to attend and listen to Stuart Robert MP for Fadden give his version of the Budget at the Life Education Centre at Broadbeach on Friday the 12 June at 9.30am. Stuart is regularly seen on TV at the front of Parliament House giving his views.

The share market has already been discussed by our Branch, now the Budget with Stuart, and then the following months we will be having a speaker on wealth management to round off the recent financial problem. Anita Backers is a Private Wealth Manager for Macquarie Private Wealth and she will give us the planning to arrange our finances in this new financial environment..."

How safe is our food?
Jun 18, 2009

How concerned are you about the safety and quality of the food that you eat?

Just recently we heard of abnormalities in fish embryos at a Noosa hatchery. A pesticide used on nearby macadamia plantations was blamed, and even though that link through water testing has proved to be inconclusive, it's still cause for concern. A visiting food safety expert shares these concerns about our food, and he's speaking at a number of public events and meeting with key policy makers.

Dr Shiv Chropra is a Canadian microbiologist and he's in Australia to launch his new book titled "Corrupt to the Core". Dr Shivra spoke to Annie Gaffney about why five key items must be removed from our food supply to ensure its safety and our health into the future.

This raises the question: Why do some people blow whistles? Why do those few write books and columns that challenge the lies and deceptions? There is probably more than one answer. For some, hope springs eternal. Others naively destroy their careers thinking that truth will be honored. Still others speak from a sense of responsibility to truth and not from a hope that anything will actually change.

In October 1987 John Stockwell, a former CIA covet operative who ran the CIA’s covert war in Angola, gave a lecture [ http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4068.htm ] in which he said he abandoned his career when he realized that CIA covert operations resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people and were totally unconnected to any US national security interests. “I concluded that I just couldn’t see the point.”

Nothing has changed. What was the point of the US invasion of Iraq? Even President Bush eventually conceded that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

What was the point of the US invasion of Afghanistan and what is the point of Obama’s escalation of the war there? The Taliban is not al Qaeda and was totally focused on unifying Afghanistan under an Islamic government. The US was not on the Taliban’s radar screen.

What is the point of the war that the US has started in Pakistan?

What is the point of the destabilization of the Iranian government? After the stolen elections of the Karl Rove/Bush era, why does the US think it must overthrow the Iranian government because of allegations that Ahmadinejad stole an election?

If the answer is that these wars and interventions serve the interest of US hegemony, the obvious reply is that US hegemony is more likely to be lost from the massive red ink in the government’s budget that is likely to be monetized, thus destroying the dollar as reserve currency, the main source of US hegemony.

If the US wants to have an empire in the Middle East or elsewhere, the government should come out and say so. At least then Americans could revel in the glories of empire. As it is, the pleasure must be gained surreptitiously under the table, pretending that we are protecting the world from evil-doers while we do evil ourselves.

"Charity itself is complicated when one hates to admit that one rules. Although old-school Wasps might tinkle their G-and-Ts while hosting an annual spring benefit for The Poor, the creative class will throw a star-studded fete to combat a politically fashionable disease, with celebs relaying anecdotes about personal frailty (as detailed in their candid new addiction memoirs). They can be rich and feel vaguely anti-estabishment at the same time. The new world is all Richard Branson interviewed by Charlie Rose onstage at the Clinton Conference on Global Whatever - with a faint chunky mix-in of Third World Poverty. (The creative class usually prefers faraway poor people to the local variety, and always prefers the ethnic poor to the white kind.)

At network-TV meetings, millionaire 20-something comedy writers see how low they can go with torn jeans, T-shirts and grimy Red Sox caps, while the only guys in coat and tie on the lot are the Honduran valet parkers. That grimy baseball cap signifies Harvard Lampoon alum, which opens the door to Hollywood comedy riches, in a process that can seem, to the uninitiated, truly bewildering and mysterious. X people offer jobs to those they recognise, by certain nuanced clues, as members of their creative tribe, which makes people fear that they might mistransmit a code - bringing us back to Fussell's rubric of class being announced in clothing, lifestyle and speech. What will best fire the small talk, and the resulting intimate connection, that invigorates the start of a pitch meeting? Met's cap? Cub's cap/ Yankee's cap? What if you went to University of California, Davis instead of Harvard - are you not as funny? What is the right note of irony to apply to your hip-hop speech, given that you are, in actuality, suburban, 33 and white? Oh, yes, the newfangled Xs now have not only the money, but also the anxiety. It's easy to be banished from the land of affluent hipdom - especially now that the scratch that pays for all that hipness has been depleted. When I see those TV commercials of silverback Baby Boomers sprinting with vintage surfboards toward ever-higher-yielding money-market funds, I feel both Boomer derision and a gnawing dread that my own funds are not similarly accruing. Although in Fussell's day, the denizens of the middle class were the more piquant sufferers of staus panic, today the most metaphysically fearful group is, in fact, the Xs."

"Music Fans Embrace Corporate Branding

A UQ researcher has gone backstage to some of Australia's biggest music festivals to discover what make them tick.

And the answer is the corporate dollar but, unlike days gone by, today's music fans are comfortable with that situation.

Dr Nic Carah, a lecturer within UQ's School of Journalism and Communication, studied the way corporations use music festivals to help build their brands, finding that, rather than alienating young people, these branding practices ere embraced.

"Instead of being seen as an outsider of youth culture, they gain authenticity by being part of these events," Dr Carah said.

He said while some of these strategies may have been looked on as suspicious in the past, young people today accepted marketing practices as part of festival culture.

"Young people aren't fooled by these tactics, they don't get sucked in by them," he said.

He said events such as the V Festival - a very overt branding exercies - were acceptable as long there was value in it for the concert goer.

"If Virgin brings popular bands to a festival, then the audience is comfortable to use their phones and cameras to send texts and pictures to giant branded screens," he said.

"The audience perceive they get something and the company develops brand value by associating itself with such an event."

Dr Carah is working on a book about his research to be titled Pop Brands: branding, popular music and young people, which is expected to be publishd next year.

[the article is accompanied by an image of Tim Steward]

"He used his pre-recorded acceptance speech to attack the Productivity Commission's proposal to cut territorial copyright after 12 months and allow cheaper books to be imported into Australia.

Winton says if the proposal is adopted, Australian writers' livelihoods would be ruined.

"Aussie rights are the bedrock of fair play. They're the only hope we have of making a living here in our own country. But thanks to an agency of our own government, Aussie rights are now in grave jeopardy," he said.

"For writers, this is the cornerstone of our fair go and the policy confronting us has become our equivalent of WorkChoices.

"Australians have outgrown colonialism, but the loss of territorial copyright will return us to a colonial relationship - in literary terms - to London and New York. What a squalid surrender. What a waste of cultural capital that would be."

You Pay Tax So Murdoch Can Tell You How It Is In Iran

"An anti-nuclear art installation on the Annie Meyer Hill in Alice Springs has upset Aboriginal traditional owners.

The art features an anti-nuclear poem, which says:

"Solar city, getting hippy; nuclear city, what a pity. Solar city sitting pretty, nuclear city makes me shitty."

The hill is part of the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens and a registered sacred site.

A custodian for the site, Doris Stuart, says the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority has told her it had no knowledge of the sign.

"I'm in mourning at the moment because we had my brother's funeral there at Annie Meyer Hill.

"That's how much we hold, you know, so I'm upset to think that one of our sites can be used as how people perceive them to be used as."

The protest poem was removed this morning but it is not clear who removed it."

Hopewell Hospice is the Gold Coast’s only hospice which opened in 1994 at Hope Island. Hopewell Hospice is a charitable, non-denominational, palliative care facility servicing the Gold Coast and surrounding regions. With the word ‘hospice’ linked in meaning to ‘hospitality’, Hopewell Hospice is for people with life-limiting illnesses who require permanent accommodation at the end stage of life or shorter-term respite care.

"A chief of staff in the Queensland Treasurer's office in the early 1990s, Mr Roche [Queensland Resources Council chief executive) said in the government's defence, the drought and the public's "unending appetite" for services such as health and education had eaten up a lot of the windfall." (From one of Fairfax's reports on the Queensland Budget - 18/6/09]

"With respect to your concerns about the ABC's coverage of independent candidates, including yourself, during the 2009 Queensland State election, we note you raise a number of matters in your blog post of 30 April on the website http://candobetter.org, and have responded to your substantive concerns in turn below. However, by way of context, please note that the editorial principles fundamental to the ABC are articulated in the ABC's Code of Practice and Editorial Policies. Complaints made in respect to ABC content are assessed against these editorial principles. The ABC's provisions in respect to political and election broadcasts are outlined in section 12 of the Editorial Policies. Copies of both the Code and the Policies are available at: http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/charter.htm."

"A new study will seek to determine whether Queensland doctors are ending patients' lives illegally by witholding life-sustaining treatment.

The three year study will examine the laws surrounding end of life decisions and whether doctors are ocmplying with them."

(Swans - June 15, 2009 ) While democracy does not necessarily need an ever increasing number of mines to fuel its growth, capitalism does. Thus Rio Tinto fulfills a critical role for successful capitalist elites working to mine the heart of popular democracy, by providing them with easy access to the resources that are needed to ensure the continuity of their global empire. Maintaining such rapacious imperialist ventures requires a large degree of exploitation (of both humans and the environment), and Rio Tinto, like many other powerful transnational corporations, has no problem reaping financial rewards that arise out of this type of oppression.

How much attention do elections in Japan, India, Argentina, or any other country, get from the US media? How many Americans and American journalists even know who is in political office in other countries besides England, France, and Germany? Who can name the political leaders of Switzerland, Holland, Brazil, Japan, or even China?

Yet, many know of Iran’s President Ahmadinejad. The reason is obvious. He is daily demonized in the US media.

June 16, 2009 "Salon.com" -- I'm going to leave the debate about whether Iran's election was "stolen" and the domestic implications within Iran to people who actually know what they're talking about (which is a very small subset of the class purporting to possess such knowledge). But there is one point I want to make about the vocal and dramatic expressions of solidarity with Iranians issuing from some quarters in the U.S.
Much of the same faction now claiming such concern for the welfare of The Iranian People are the same people who have long been advocating a military attack on Iran and the dropping of large numbers of bombs on their country -- actions which would result in the slaughter of many of those very same Iranian People.

June 16, 2009 "Politico" -- -Without any evidence, many U.S. politicians and “Iran experts” have dismissed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s reelection Friday, with 62.6 percent of the vote, as fraud.

They ignore the fact that Ahmadinejad’s 62.6 percent of the vote in this year’s election is essentially the same as the 61.69 percent he received in the final count of the 2005 presidential election, when he trounced former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The shock of the “Iran experts” over Friday’s results is entirely self-generated, based on their preferred assumptions and wishful thinking.

"A $4.5 million mass transit bus service will run through Brisbane's city heart every 10 minutes from next year, linking the cultural Centre, with South Brisbane, the CBD, Fortitude Valley and Newstead.

This is a key feature of Brisbane City Council's $3.45 billion 2009-10 Budget, which includes $1.53 billion roads, transport and other capital works projects...

Other highlights from this morning's budget include:* 125 new buses: $125 million;* CBD bike hire scheme: $33 million."

"Politicians on Queensland's Sunshine Coast are angry the State Government has allocated more money to projects related to the Traveston Crossing dam in yesterday's Budget."

Won't Really Matter When The Oil Runs Out!

"A report has questioned the safety of the soon-to-be-opened Kurilpa Bridge near North Quay and called for major city traffic ramp to be closed.

The government-commissioned report recommended the North Quay on-ramp to the Riverside Expressway be permanently closed because of the danger of accidents.

It's understood it also warned that the Kurilpa bridge's 'sculptural' design of steel masts was not as strong as concrete."

"A convicted pedophile says a proposed "two strikes and you're out" system for child sex offenders will not work because offenders would receive less jail time if they killed their victims.

Child protection group Bravehearts' founder Hetty Johnston has proposed the two strikes penalty system, which could put mulitple sex offenders behind bars indefinitely.

However, a convicted multiple child sex offender, known only as Bob, told ABC Radio on Wednesday such a system would not work because the offender would get less jail time if the victim was murdered, than the sexual assault...

Bob, who has to wear a monitoring bracelet on his leg and lives in a halfway house with other sex offenders, sees a psychiatrist and vows he will never reoffend.

However he, and other sex offenders, still needed more support from the government, Bob says.

He said the risk of reoffending is at its highest when sex offenders are depressed."

"Channel Nine's longstanding Brisbane-based lifestyle show Extra has been given the axe amid a network push to nationalise content leading in to its struggling news bulletins."

"A British study suggests men are far more likely than women to develop cancer, and 40 per cent more likely to die from the disease.

Researchers were also surprised to discover that men are 60 per cent more likely to die from cancers that affect both men and women."

"More than 1900 Brisbane buses were too full to pick up passengers last month and in nearly a quarter of cases, commuters were forced to wait more than 20 minutes for another service...

The number of overcrowded buses fell from April this year, when 2057 buses reached capacity. Most overcrowding occurred between 7am and 10am."

"Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts says the State Government has not ruled out using GPS-based supervision systems for sex offenders...

Child protection campaigner Hetty Johnston says it is not about the equipment being used as much as enforcing the law.

"All of these arguments about whether we should have GPS tracking or whether we should have the satellite system or how much monitoring goes on and how safe they are, is shutting the gate after the horse has bolted," she said.

"The real question is if a person is assessed as posing an ongoing risk to the community, they shouldn't be released because our children is what is at stake here."

"The coronial inquest into the death in police custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee on Palm Island, off Townsville in north Queensland, will be reopened.

In 2006, Acting state coroner Christine Clements found Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley was responsible for Mr Doomadgree's death in 2004.

The police officer won an appeal against Ms Clements the Townsville District Court late last year.

Today, the Court of Appeal set aside Ms Clements findings."

"The Queensland Police Union, which lobbied hard in support of the introduction of Tasers, insists the electric shock devices are safe, despite concerns by civil libertarians that they can kill.

"Since the Taser roll out began in Queensland on 1 January, no officer has had to shoot an offender with his service pistol. This is the upside of Tasers that the civil liberties groups choose to ignore," Queensland Police Union acting general president Ian Leavers said this morning.

"Naturally, the tragic death of the man in north Queensland will be fully examined, but I believe that if police didn't have Tasers in that situation it is highly likely that firearms would have been drawn and possibly used.

"A knee-jerk withdrawal of Tasers will only see a marked increase in use of police firearms and I don't believe the public will support that."

"A man has been shot by police in Rockhampton, in central Queensland, after 24-hour stand -off.

Police were called to a domestic dispute after a utility was driven through the front fence of a house in Stickley Street yesterday morning...

The man has been taken to Rockhampton hospital in a stable condition."

"The story you are enquiring about will still be aired. At the moment, it is scheduled to air later in the week but unfortunately I cannot confirm this for you at this stage.

Kind regards,"

When Is Someone Going To Do Something About The Fat Arsed Western Neocons Who Fuck Children?

"The State Government will not pay a cent towards renovating Brisbane City Hall despite it being included as a Queensland icon during the state's 150th birthday celebrations last week.

The heritage-listed building was fourth in a list of 15 structures and engineering feats of the Q150 Icons list released with much fanfare by Premier Anna Bligh last Wednesday.

City Hall needs around $215 million for renovations because it is suffering advanced concrete cancer, which is badly damaging its foundations."

"On Tuesday June 30, 612 ABC Brisbane's Madonna King will be hosting her own Community Cabinet at Beenleigh - a forum of issues and ideas for the people of Brisbane.

Staged on the same day 20 federal Cabinet ministers will fly into town for Kevin Rudd's Cabinet meeting, Madonna's giving 612 ABC Brisbane listeners the chance to have a voice at the table by recruiting her very own Community Cabinet.

You can come along and offer up your ideas, or come along and listen to a range of community leaders - from police and health chiefs to business leaders - address your concerns. You'll also have the chance to ask questions to a panel of federal Cabinet ministers.

"The idea is to raise those issues that we in Brisbane are worried about - and to make sure they are on the agenda for discussion by the politicians,'' Madonna said.

"And I've been assured the person with the best idea will be able to present it personally to either the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd or the relevant Cabinet minister that night.''

If you want to join Madonna King at this special broadcast, simply send us an email explaining what issues or ideas you have that you think our federal politicians should take on board? Community leaders - police, medicos and business chiefs - will also join us, and you'll have a chance to ask your questions to a panel of Cabinet ministers.

So get thinking, get writing and get sending for you chance to take part in Madonna King's Community Cabinet."

Media
All members of the media attending the next Community Cabinet meeting are requested to note the following logistical arrangements:

Arrival and registration
Parking is available onsite and on the streets surrounding the school,
Use the main entry gate and proceed directly to the media desk at the registration area,
Your media identification card (national ID card or company photo ID) must be available upon request. You will be required to wear a Community Cabinet meeting media lanyard within the venue at all times.
Media room
The media room will be available from 4.30pm to 8:00pm on the day.
After registration you will be directed to the media room, which will be set up with desks and chairs.
Power outlets will be available.
Internet facilities will not be available.
Public forum

Media will have access to the public forum; a separate riser and splitter will be available on a first come first serve basis.
Media will not have access to the one-on-one meetings.
All media enquiries for Community Cabinet meetings should be directed to the Prime Minister’s Media Office on 02 6277 7744.
Last Updated: 15 June 2009

Don't The Molendiner Clowns Know Who Owns MySpace?

"A teenager who filmed the brutal assault of an Elanora High School girl has bragged about escaping a jail sentence on the same social networking site the footage was published on.

Joel Trevor Smith, 17, pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday to assault causing bodily harm while in company for filming the attack on his mobile phone.

The footage, obtained and published by 'The Bulletin' in May, sparked a police investigation which resulted in Smith and a 16-year-old girl being charged.

On Friday, Smith was sentenced to two months in jail, wholly suspended for two years.

The sentence obviously pleased the teenager, who wrote on his MySpace page yesterday 'I'm a free man, yewww!!!'.

Smith has also posted images of himself running from the media which were taken outside Southport Court House and published by 'The Bulletin'...

Smith explains to his friends the photos are of him 'runnin from the dog camera people' and he asks 'If neone knows the link to see me runnin' from them (as in the video) can you comment this with it in their'.

The Bulletin attempted to contact Smith via MySpace yesterday, but soon after he modified his public profile, deleting comments about being free and others exclaiming '(expletive) the news (expletive)'.

He also blocked any further attempts to make contact.

Acting Chief Superintendent Jim Keogh said it was inappropriate for Smith to write such comment on MySpace, when the same social networking site was used to distribute the footage of the fight.

"What we are seeing online is they are tending to brag about whatever they're doing that's not always legal," said Chief Supt Keogh."

"'Show Us Ya Tits' is a documentary photographic series that closely examines the role and political position of breasts in the lives of women and compares their experiences with the role and political position of breasts in society. Central themes of the series are the sexualisation of anatomy, gender and the representation of the female body in media, and the use of humour in documentary photography."

"I survived the era of AIDS and oppression and I confess the experience has left me with a residue of bitterness at my core.

I am distrustful of the new visibility gays currently seem to enjoy. To me it seems altogether disingenuous and commercially motivated. In darker moments I think we've been enlisted us as unwitting whores - minstrels in a sideshow to the mainstage of heterosexual life. Mainstream legitimacy and broad visibility has shaved of the sharp edges of our rich, distinctive culture, smothering its subversive voice, confiscating the strategies we once used to negotiate hostile social terrain. In our eagerness to be accepted we've divulged the secrets to our codes, alibis and decoys, we've been disarmed."

"This morning Health Minister Paul Lucas announced plans for a new private hospital in the Sunshine Coast University grounds at Kawana, but pushed back plans for a new public hospital also at Kawana.

The private hospital will be built by 2013, while the new public hospital will not be finished until 2016.

The government will "buy" 70 of the private hospital beds as "public" beds in 2013 and increase that to 110 in 2014.

Health Minister Paul Lucas defended the decision to ask the private sector to build a new Sunshine Coast hospital first.

"The global financial crisis means we need to think outside the square to get private investment moving on these projects," Mr Lucas said."

When are our taxes going to be spent on public services?

Fuckwits.

Best George From Seinfeld Lookalike Interviewee Of The Week

Professor Ali Ansari from St Andrews University in Scotland being interviewed by Leigh Sales on the ABC's Lateline [11/6/09] about the Iranian elections.

R.O.T.F.L.M.A.O.

"Dear Monica

In light of your evident diplomatic skills we would like to interview you regarding a posting in an Australian representation abroad*. Please contact us at jobs@dfat.gov.au with your resume attached.

Best regards
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

* We were thinking Mars. Or Alpha Centauri."

Stiffed!

"The Sydney Morning Herald has been prevented by a judge from reporting a story about the controversial sexual dysfunction firm the Advanced Medical Institute."

Lucky Our Politicians Have Always Made Sure Rupert Can Get Around Those Pesky Media Cross Ownership Laws!

"Talks have taken place for Sky News to be given a Freeview slot, it has been reported.

The pay TV news service - Australia’s only 24 hour news channel - is jointly owned by Nine owner PBL, Seven Media and BSkyB.

If a deal is done, then it would be a major selling point for the Freeview platform, which is the digital offering of Australia’s free to air channels. So far there is little content on the platform to drive subscribers, with Ten’s Sports channel One, ABC2 and SBS 2 the only content that analogue free to air households cannot receive.

It would also give Rupert Murdoch - whose News Corp controls BSkyB - his first foothold in Australia’s free TV market. But it would come as a blow to the ABC, which has its own ambitions for a 24 hour news channel."

'Stop Wasting Time And Save The Planet, Mr Rudd'

"In the Arctic, 3 million square kilometres of sea ice, which helps keep the planet cool, is disappearing in summer 80 years earlier than projected. The head of the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre says Arctic ice is in a "death spiral".

Its demise will unlock a greenhouse time bomb of billions of tonnes of carbon from the frozen permafrost.

Faced with such an emergency, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme constitutes a failure by the Rudd Government to protect Australia and its people. It is also a failure to match the community expectation for action that helped Labor to office.

The legislation deserves to die in the Senate. From the beginning, the Government played politics with the scheme instead of making the need for urgent action drive the policy. Petrol was exempted, big polluters were given billions of dollars in free permits and the scheme was delayed in an attempt to wedge the Coalition.

Low targets will lock in a high-pollution economy and don't come close to what is necessary. Polluters will be able to buy carbon credits overseas, effectively outsourcing pollution cuts to developing countries. Treasury says this means there will be no pollution cuts in Australia until 2030. Offsets are flawed because they promote the notion that the cuts can be made in either rich or poor countries. Action is needed in both. Just creating a carbon market was never going to create the transformation required."

"And, when it comes to the retail sector, 25 cents out of every dollar spent will fall into the pocket of just two retailing behemoths.

Whether we like it or not, consumer advcocy group Choice says, the chances are that this weekend's shopping - be it groceries, alcohol, petrol, hardware, electronics or underwear - has been done in a store owned by Woolworths or Wesfarmers, the parent company of Coles."

"For the first time in human history, there is a concerted strategy to manipulate global perception. And the mass media are operating as its compliant assistants, failing both to resist it and to expose it."

ABC Brisbane. What's Going On?

"This bloke wanted to die," a police source told brisbanetimes.com.au, saying he thought the man was deliberately trying to get shot.

"It was a failed suicide-by-police and, unfortunately, it is not uncommon. People try it all the time."

"The Queensland Government is being urged to immediately restrict the use of Tasers after the death of man in the state's north yesterday.

The Police Ethical Standards Command is investigating how a 39-year-old man died at Brandon, south of Townsville, early on Friday morning.

The man was Tasered up to three times during the arrest.

He was allegedly armed with an iron bar.

Terry O'Gorman from the Australian Council for Civl Liberties says it is more evidence the device is too powerful and should only be used in life or death situations.

"It explodes the myth that the Queensland Police Service has put out there for the last couple of years that Tasers are harmless," he said.

"Here we have a man dead after a Taser was used."

A post mortem examination will be carried out in Townsville today.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Police Union says officers are receiving counseling over the death.

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson has defended their use of Tasers.

Ian Leavers from the Police Union says the arresting officers are distressed.

"They are doing it tough, they are doing it very tough," he said.

"There is a lot on their minds. They are receiving the support of their colleagues and professionals from within the service.""

Education institutions have been warned not to treat international students as cash cows without providing them with an appropriate level of service.

The federal education department wrote to providers on Friday, reminding them of their obligations under legislation covering courses for overseas students.

The federal government will also fast-track a review of the same legislation, starting with an audit of the laws next financial year.

Facebook has done away with a Muslim-bashing group that had been set up on the popular social networking service.

"We disabled the 'I Hate Muslims in Oz' group because it contained an explicit statement of hate," a spokesperon from the California-based website said.

"Troubled children's hospice Zoe's Place has fallen into voluntary administration while under investigation over serious allegations."

"I think it's very important that we don't jump to conclusions in this matter."

Runnerup Stupidest Quote Of The Week So Far

"This pig does children's parties with screaming toddlers running around. It does the circuit."

Researchers with James Cook University (JCU) soon hope to be able to breed barramundi that have good genetics for rapid growth.

The Heart Foundation is holding a pole dancing display in Darwin today to raise awareness about heart disease in women.

"On May 26 the Review-Journal published an article about an ongoing federal tax evasion trial. The primary defendant, Las Vegan Robert Kahre, stands accused of tax fraud for using the rather inventive argument that he could pay people in U.S. minted gold and silver coins based on their precious metal value but for tax purposes use their face value, which is many times less.

The story was posted on our Web site. When last I checked nearly 100 comments were appended to it, running the gamut from the lucid to the ludicrous. This past week the newspaper was served with a grand jury subpoena from the U.S. attorney's office demanding that we turn over all records pertaining to those postings, including "full name, date of birth, physical address, gender, ZIP code, password prompts, security questions, telephone numbers and other identifiers ... the IP address," et (kitchen sink) cetera."

"Fear of serious injury cannot alone justify suppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears. To justify suppression of free speech, there must be reasonable ground to fear that serious evil will result if free speech is practiced."

-- Justice Louis Brandeis

"No-one said the quest for eternal youth was going to be easy but, really, does it have to be quite so off-putting? The latest bizarre beauty treatment to hit the United States is the "sperm" facial.

A Norwegian company, aptly named Bioforskning, has synthesised a compound found in the little swimmers and claims the resulting concoction is the ultimate new wrinkle-busting antioxidant. The formula is the foundation for the latest "in" treatment, stateside."

"The Board considered that the depiction of the woman licking the plate was a quirky way of demonstrating her enjoyment of the product and was not overly sexualised. The Board considered the depiction was appropriate to the depiction of a person finishing a meal, was not inappropriate for the relevant audience and found no breach of Section 2.3 of the Code."

"Facial cumshots are regularly portrayed in pornographic films, videos, magazines and internet web sites. In addition to mainstream pornography, the popularity of facials has led to creation of its own niche market. Hugo Ohira, director of marketing for Silvercash, rhetorically asks 'Who doesn't like spewing their load on a pretty young face?'"

"Thank you for contacting The 7.30 Report. Unfortunately, the nature of broadcast television sometimes means that content cannot always be featured on a program at a time it has been scheduled to. The best way around this is to call the program in the afternoon, as by this time we have a clearer indication as to what stories will go to air that night. You can reach the program by calling (02) 8333 4808 between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Thank you for your interest in the program.

Kind regards,

P/A Anchor Assistant

The 7.30 Report"

"Thanks for that.

We understand that these things sometimes happen, especially when important interviews run overtime etc. Can you please advise what specifically happened with the story I asked about (lady who was misdiagnosed and incorrectly received chemotherapy) and whether/when it will be rescheduled?

Regards,"

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith has also urged restraint, saying state and federal authorities are doing all they can to make sure foreign students are safe.

"I simply echo the comments of my Indian counterpart. The time has now come for restraint. The time has come for calm," Mr Smith said."

People should simply let the police authorities get on with their jobs. We know that both in Victoria and New South Wales those relevant authorities are working very hard on this."

"The recent collapse of Australia’s two largest managed investment schemes, Great Southern and Timbercorp, has not only cast a gloom over investment of some $3 billion by 61,000 grower investors, it also overshadows the future of this entire sector in Australia. Dozens of such schemes have already gone to the wall and industry analysts predict other major players will follow."

Remember This Guy Was Charged With Fraud!

"A Gold Coast courtroom was evacuated this morning after a defendant told the court he had a suspected case of swine flu.

Denis Bentick, 47, from Surfers Paradise, faced Court 10 at the Southport Magistrates Court at 10am on minor fraud charges.

He asked magistrate Terry Duroux for an adjournment due to his illness.

Mr Duroux ordered Mr Bentick, who was not wearing a mask, to immediately leave the courtroom and the building.

Mr Bentick was ordered to wait in a private place away from the public to be contacted by the court.

The courtroom was closed and disinfected as well as the public lift..."

"Wildlife group the RSPCA has expressed horror at a spate of recent attacks on native animals on the Gold Coast Hinterland, including the decapitation of a kangaroo and a baby wallaby shot with pellets.

Inspectors have appealed for witnesses to find the attackers, who are believed to have used a sling shot to fatally injure a baby wallaby at the Coombabah Lakelands conservation park.

The joey had to be euthanased.

RSPCA's Gold Coast inspector Sommer Heath-Crilley said a large number of what appeared to be sling shot pellets had been found nearby.

She said the RSPCA had been told that local council worker had also recently discovered the body of a kangaroo, which had its head and tail hacked off.

"This is very disturbing," Ms Heath-Crilley said.

"Why would anyone deliberately try to maim any creature, let along a baby wallaby?"

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RSPCA cruelty complaints line on 1300 852 188 or email cruelty_complaints@rspcaqld.org.au

"A youth community radio station in Coffs Harbour NSW has been found guilty of breaching its licence conditions - because it wouldn’t let youths from the community have a say in its running. The finding from the Australian Communications and Media Authority said that 2CHY “breached a condition of its licence by failing to encourage community participation”.

According to ACMA:

“The investigation found that 2CHY did not offer opportunities for members of the youth community to participate in the selection of programs and decision-making forums, including annual general meetings and subcommittees. In addition, aspects of 2CHY’s constitution and confusion over membership types and fees discouraged community participation in the station.”

ACMA stepped in after a complaint about the licence owner Community Media CHY Ltd. The owner has now agreeed to have a committee with representatives from the youth community and to encourage greater particpation."

"In 2004 Maleny locals made headlines from trying to stop the construction of a Woolworths on the banks of the town's Obi Obi Creek, which was a platypus habitat.

After long stand-offs, they lost that battle and the supermarket was built.

But this time they have taken on a bigger opponent and have decided to hit back at the global financial crisis.

They are going to print their own money.

The Baroon Dollar - named after Lake Baroon near Maleny - will be printed and sold at local, independent businesses to encourage locals and visitors to keep buying up locally."

"If you are a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to new technology and have not got around to checking out the Twitter craze, maybe you shouldn't bother.

A study by the Harvard Business School has found most people who sign up to Twitter rarely use it and the average user only ever tweets once."

"An anti-nuclear art installation on the Annie Meyer Hill in Alice Springs has upset Aboriginal traditional owners.

The art features an anti-nuclear poem, which says:

"Solar city, getting hippy; nuclear city, what a pity. Solar city sitting pretty, nuclear city makes me shitty."

The hill is part of the Olive Pink Botanic Gardens and a registered sacred site.

A custodian for the site, Doris Stuart, says the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority has told her it had no knowledge of the sign.

"I'm in mourning at the moment because we had my brother's funeral there at Annie Meyer Hill.

"That's how much we hold, you know, so I'm upset to think that one of our sites can be used as how people perceive them to be used as."

The protest poem was removed this morning but it is not clear who removed it."

This World Environment Day, Friday 5 June, concerned citizens from across Brisbane joined with Six Degrees to declare Government Ministers' Offices "Global Warming Crime-scenes" to deliver a clear message that their inaction on phasing out coal in the face of climate change makes them utterly negligent.

Six Degrees spokesperson Bradley Smith said:

"With the government about to release its new revision of the so called "Climate Smart Strategy", we are here to give a clear message that Queenslanders expect a responsible approach to climate change.

Unless this strategy begins to reduce Queensland’s dependence on coal it will be both irresponsible and ineffective, and there is nothing smart about that.

Without dealing with the coal issue, there will be nothing 'smart' about it.

We will remind the ministers that coal is by far Queensland’s biggest contributor to climate change and the safest and most responsible place for coal is in the ground."

This message was delivered in a colourful display between from 7:30 to 9:00am this morning to the electoral offices of Stephen Robertson - Minister for Natural Resources Mines and Energy, Kate Jones - Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability and Premier Anna Bligh.

Citizens at Robertson’s office confronted the Minister who refused to be engaged on the question of coal exports. When questioned about the “Climate Smart” strategy he repeated the government’s commitment to the coal industry, despite its obvious climate change impacts.

Briefing papers on the need to address coal in the Climate Smart strategy were distributed to staff in the offices, and also circulated to the media (download the World Environment Day Briefing). According to Mr Smith: Our message is clear:

"If Queensland is to have an effective and realistic response to climate change – action on coal is absolutely required.The Queensland government has been shamefully irresponsible on climate change and has failed the Queensland people by allowing the state to become the world's largest coal exporter, rather than a leader in building a sustainable economy."

MARK ARBIB: Well, most of my job is related to the stimulus package. That's the frontline of what the Government is doing in terms of supporting jobs during the global recession. And we've talked time and time again about the 35,000 projects around the country, the infrastructure projects that are getting underway right now, and my job has been, as parliamentary secretary, to coordinate the construction, to work with the State Governments, work with the local councils, work with trade unions, and work with the corporate sector, to get, put those projects out.

So I'm going to continue that work, but also focusing on the jobs element and also I'm going to be working with obviously the job placement agencies in terms of, to ensure that people aren't left behind. So, I mean we really have a - there's a dual plan going on here. We're attempting to stimulate the economy, to support jobs during these times, but at the same time we're not going to leave people behind. So if people do lose their jobs, we're going to give them the support they need to get through these rough times. Because losing your job is not just a loss of income. It's also great stress on your family, a loss of self esteem, and that's where the Government has to step in, step in right away, to ensure that you have the support you need.

"From today the Federal Government is no longer accepting applications for its $8,000 solar panel rebate, instead starting its replacement scheme of solar credits.

Under the new system, suppliers can offer discounts to people or businesses installing renewable energy systems depending on the market price of a solar credit, instead of offering households a flat rebate.

The Government hopes the legislation backing the new system and its expanded renewable energy target will be passed by Parliament next week.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett says the changes are vital for ensuring the long-term sustainability of the solar industry."

"An Independent MP says thosands of grass trees will be bulldozed in the South Burnett to make way for a wind farm, unless the Queensland Government relaxes vegetation laws.

AGL plans to clear the trees and construct a $1 billion wind farm at Coopers Gap near Kingaroy, supplying power to 320,000 homes each year.

Member for Nanango, Dorothy Pratt, says the current law does not allow enough time for the trees to be removed."

"10:50 - At least one error found in the majority of prescriptions issued as people enter or leave hospital ... (audio)"

"Geoffrey Rush has won a Tony Award - Broadway's most coveted prize -for his heralded performance as King Berenger in 'Exit The King'.

Rush won in the best performance by a leading actor in a play category.

The award is the latest honor for the 57-year-old Australian, who has won an Oscar, two Golden Globes and three Screen Actors Guild awards for his film work."

Peace And Democracy Have No Place In Australia

Campaining for peace is very very naughty, and we all know that Universities are not the place to question, or indeed come up with new ways of seeing the world:

"The Director of Sydney University's Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies has refused to comment on reports students are being trained for illegal protests against military exercises in Queensland.

Operation Talisman Sabre is a joint venture between the Australian and United States defence forces, which sees biennial war games take place in Shoalwater Bay on Queensland's central coast.

Centre director Associate Professor Jake Lynch has refused to confirm or deny plans to blockade Rockhamtpon airport or other illegal action."

Love the tone ABC. Could you get any more accusatory?

Here's Hoping He Will Be Able To Build On Australia's Currently Excellent Relationship With India

"The head of the Office of National Assessments (ONA) will be Australia's next High Commissioner to India.

Peter Varghese has also been an adviser to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and served as Australia's High Commissioner to Malaysia.

He replaces John McCarthy, and will begin his new appointment in August."

All Of These Courses At The State Library Of Queensland Should Be Free

"Expand your mind and broaden your horizons with the State Library of Queensland’s comprehensive learning program. Discover more about computers, internet and technology; learn how to access the collection; dig into your past with family history information sessions; or get advice on conservation and preservation."

A Brisbane priest says he will not be "bullied" by the Catholic Church and has vowed to hold services this weekend in defiance of an edict banning him from performing church duties anywhere in the world.

"Sir Mark Oliphant was one of Australia's most brilliant scientists - he was part of the team that split the atom in 1932 - and a former governor of South Australia. He spoke with The Science Show's Robyn Williams in 1985.

Robyn Williams: What do you think of the scale of things now, where we're talking about over two or three years or more, 23 billion American dollars to be spent on Star Wars and the most colossal investment in nuclear weapons systems?

Mark Oliphant: I think it's utter balderdash. For one thing, as has been pointed out so many times by you and by other people, there are enough bombs in this world now to smash everything up many times over. So why make more bombs? There's no reason whatever, or better bombs. Those that we've got are perfectly alright to do this horrible job if one wants to.

But the real trouble about Star Wars is that this is an attempt to make nuclear weapons respectable. Let the other chap have nuclear weapons if he wants to, or for you yourself to possess them, but they're not going to be effective weapons because there is a defence against them.

Now this is pie in the sky. There is no known way in which one can do this. And everybody who has thought about the problem agrees with this. They talk about using lasers for instance to knock the weapons out. Well now a laser beam has got to be pointed so accurately in order to have a concentrated enough beam of energy that it just becomes impossible moving at an enormous speed.

And the same with very fast particles that will travel for long distances through the upper atmosphere in order to intercept. They've got to be directed with such accuracy that it becomes a practically impossible task. Apart from that, the new generation of the laser beam, say an X-ray laser beam or a beam of particles, involves carrying up into space a whole enormous laboratory of stuff which weighs so much that to have many of these centres up there would not only cost the earth, but it becomes just ridiculous.

Robyn Williams: There's a great worry of course that for instance British science is being crippled by this kind of investment, for over 50 per cent of the research investment in Britain is now for the first time towards military research. And of course it's well over that in the United States. One worries about the future of science, even though various people might say, look we're just doing metals work and we're just doing fuel research. We're not really doing military work. The current juggernaut effect is somewhat awesome isn't it?

Mark Oliphant: I agree with you entirely. I can't understand the mentality that uses knowledge in general in this way deliberately. Prostituting it for this purpose of killing people. After all it's a killing business, and life is a precious commodity.

I feel very moved always when I read again the Russell-Einstein manifesto which ends up with the words, 'remember your humanity and forget the rest', because they were saying that it's human beings to human beings, and I believe that to use knowledge of any kind, whether it's physical or any other sort of knowledge in order to kill people, is a horrible thing to do. And I don't want to have any part in it. Nor do I want other people to have any part in it.

Not that I want to compel people to do anything. But I can't understand people to be going in and giving themselves over to this work. But they do you see. Doctors are quite willing to work on biological weapons, although their Hippocratic oath makes them administer the healing art, not the killing art."

"A talking doll of retired cricketer David Boon has become the unlikely hero of Foster's grand plan to reposition the VB beer brand, writes Malcolm Maiden.

There's almost a quarter of a million of them out there, in our living rooms, sentinels that cycle through periods of dumb silence and deadpan comic commentary, depending on whether Australia's cricket team and its two one-day opponents are on the field. They're powered by the American inventor of Voltron, Defender of the Universe, but they are defending something much more prosaic - the 25 per cent share of Australia's beer market held down by the Foster's Group's most important beer brand, Victoria Bitter.

They are the Booney dolls, pint-sized plastic replicas of Australian batting (and drinking) legend David Boon and, while their final impact on VB and the cricket will not be determined until the one-day season is concluded, it's safe to say they are this summer's cross-marketing sensation.

The figurines, offered by CUB free at liquor outlets around Australia to those buying slab of VB as part of its sponsorship of the one-day cricket series between Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa, have virtually sold out, and are already collectible. Internet blogs are debating how the Booney dolls interact with the TV before and during cricket matches, and George Patterson Y & R, the advertising agency that created it, is in contact with comapnies keen to use the technology."

A group of doctors, academics and politicians will march through Perth today calling on the Federal Government to extend its bowel cancer screening program.

The program is currently open to people aged 50, 55 and 65, but there are calls to make it available to everyone over 50.

The WA Cancer Council's Terry Slevin says the lives of 30 Australians could be saved each week by extending the program.

"The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, accused Rupert Murdoch's media of orchestrating an attack against him, as the two tycoons compete in the country's television business.

Mediaset SpA, Mr Berlusconi's broadcaster and Italy's largest private TV network, competes against Mr Murdoch's satellite company Sky Italia SpA, a unit of News Corporation. In December Berlusconi's government doubled the sales tax on pay subscriptions to 20 per cent. Sky Italia then ran ads asking subscribers to complain."

"Rangers and staff from Moreton Bay Council in Queensland's south-east have removed a dead whale that washed ashore on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane.

The juvenile humpback whale measuring nine metres was found on Woorim Beach near the Surf Club yesterday afternoon.

The whale was towed back out to sea this afternoon.

The cause of the mammal's death is unknown and rangers have taken samples.

It is the third whale death in as many weeks in south-east Queensland, but a spokeswoman for Environment and Resource Management says it is not believed the deaths are connected."

"A Queensland Government ban on clearing endangered regrowth has been extended by another three months.

The Government imposed the tree-clearing moratorium to give authorities time to work out a long-term approach to the issue.

The Natural Resources Minister has announced the moratorium will be prolonged until October, to allow for more discussions."

"The Rural Doctors Association (RDA) says the global economic downturn is threatening the future of Queensland's small rural hospitals.

About 270 doctors from rural Queensland are attending the association's annual conference on the Gold Coast.

The RDA's president and Dirranbandi GP, Jim Finn, says the state has 55 one or two doctor hospitals and it is essential that they continue."

We know in these tight economic times, rural hospitals are expensive to run because of the shifts of nursing sisters we have to have and the temptation could always be to downgrade those hospitals into remote rural nursing clinics where they are only open during daylight hours," he said."

"Sea World's ski team has been sacked and its famous ski show axed to make way for a new stunt show designed by a North American company.

Some have blamed the move on the influence of new Village Roadshow CEO Tim Fisher, who was formerly the CEO of the company's North America operations.

The 38-year-old ski show - which Sea World brags is the longest-running live attraction in Australia - will be replaced by a new show called Pirates!, which is due to begin in September.

It is understood the show will be contracted to a Canadian company which will design the show and move away from the traditional ski attraction on which the company prides itself.

The current show, Waterski WipeOut, will finish on July 20. A former ski show director said more than 20 people were given redundancy notices on Thursday."

"Mr Springborg also took the opportunity to try to stir up feelings in the run-up to the state Labor Party conference this weekend, challenging the union movement to stand up for its members and oppose the Government privatisation plans.

"Now is not the time for the union movement to go weak at the knees, this is not a time for the union leadership to let down its members," said Mr Springborg.

He said the weekend conference was a test of whether the unions had their members' interests at heart or whether they were more interested in keeping their 'shiny union-funded cars and taxpayer-funded board jobs' courtesy of the Labor Party."

Savage School Attack Indeed - Love Your Work!

Fairfax and APN hop on the Murdoch public school bashing bandwagon [6/6/09]:

"A vicious fight between a group of Ipswich State High School schoolgirls was cheered on by more than 50 students and then uploaded to YouTube in the latest example of school violence in the South-East Queensland city.

The video, which was uploaded to the internet on Monday, shows a gang of young girls punching, scratching and kicking their blonde victim.

At several points during the fight three of the attackers repeatedly punch the student at the same time.

The footage shows teachers attempting to break up the fight and in turn being attacked by a girl not wearing a school unifrom.

For the full story see 'The Queensland Times'."

Why Does The Only Paper In Town Give A Toss About 4ZzZ's Programming Committee?

They usually studiously ignore 4ZzZ (unless there's a juicy drama underway), but it is curious that we haven't heard any the 4ZzZ announcers mention this opportunity on air - especially during the community notices. Perhaps they think 4ZzZ has quite enough chiefs already!:

"Station seeks chiefsCommunity radio station 4ZzZ has begun accepting applications for its 2009 Programming Committee. The volunteer committee makes all programming decisions for the station, including deciding the show roster, and will accept applications from any subscribers. Go to www.4zzzfm.org.au if you're interested." [17-18/1/2009]

"Lawyers in a Melbourne court have failed to have the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard investigated for contempt of court.

During an ACTU congress earlier this week, Ms Gillard made comments about threats and property damage during a union dispute.

The court heard Ms Gillard said violent threats had been used and cars and houses had been damaged. In the Melbourne Magistrates court today defence lawyer, Rob Stary said the comments related to 12 men charged over an industrial dispute at Melbourne's Westgate Bridge construction project.

He told the court the comments were ill-advised, inflammatory and calculated and said the matter should be investigated for contempt of court proceedings. But magistrate Dan Muling ruled the comments did not constitute contempt of court.

The 12 accused men are facing various offences and will appear in court in July."

"He said he liked a challenge, but it was the disease that he had fought so hard against for others that finally claimed Professor Chris O'Brien's life...

Now his legacy, Lifehouse, at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, has been described as a revolutionary facility.

It is a not-for-profit cancer research and treatment facility, integrating clinical care, research and education and holistic care for cancer patients.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd opened the facility in April and struggled for composure as he spoke about his friendship with Professor O'Brien."

When a politician quotes a Murdoch newspaper or Murdoch himself, they lose the argument - especially in relation to climate change and/or the economy

"Near the end of 2008, I read a column in the Sydney Morning Herald in which Michael Duffy accused Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, of presenting a ‘completely wrong’ picture of global temperature trends at a talk he gave at the University of New South Wales. Pachauri said that warming has accelerated; Duffy claimed it had stopped. To explain why he was right about climate science and why the climate scientists were wrong, Duffy cited research by John Ioannidis about how most published research ends up being disproved.

I’d been at Pachauri’s talk and I knew that Duffy was confusing weather - the variation of temperature, rainfall and so on over days, months and years - with climate, the average weather over decades. A relatively cold month, or a relatively cold year, does not mean that global warming has stopped. In fact, the long-term warming trend has accelerated, just as Pachauri argued..."

"Mayor John Molony of Mount Isa agrees, pointing to the government's bid for control of the 'wild rivers' in Cape York as evidence of people in the state's regions being ignored.

'That whole situation eloquently sums up the divide that exists," Cr Molony says.

"You've got a government that is supposed to be representing the interests of the entire state ruling against regional communities in favour of keeping the green voters in Brisbane happy."

"Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman may not have been game but his counterparts at Ipswich are poised to pounce on circuses that use exotic animals for entertainment.

The council's Policy and Administration Board has recommended councillors vote to ban circuses that use trained animals from being allowed to pitch their tents on council land from July 1."

"Brisbane and Melbourne share more cultural parallels than Brisbane and Townsville."

"Ricky Ponting says Andrew Symonds has "let himself down, let all his team-mates down and Cricket Australia down" after he was sent home from the World Twenty20 in England.

All-rounder Symonds's exit, which Australia captain Ponting confirmed was for an "alcohol-related incident', came just 48 hours before the team's opening Group C match against the West Indies at the Oval."

"Should parents be allowed to raise children on blocks of land with no power, water or sewage?

That's the question being asked by one regional Queensland mayor who is receiving short shrift in the local community.

Dalby Regional Council Mayor Ray Brown this week expressed concern that children were living in 'Third World' conditions on so-called "lifestyle blocks" near the town of Tara, four hours west of Brisbane."

There is a small minority group there who have socially chosen to live a certain way and it concerns me greatly when children are involved," Cr Brown said."

"Community angry

Grassroots community groups need to unite to force the government to act on aged care.

Elder Care Watch's Carol Williams said aged care was becoming "a saga of reviews which yield no significant policy change".

"The unproductive reviews continue because there is no pressure on governments to take aged care reform seriously," she said.

"The committee recommends the department conduct the review in cooperation with a taskforce of stakeholders in aged care.

"You would need to be a supreme optimist or politically naive to believe much useful in the way of practical reforms would emerge quickly from a cumbersome decision-making body weighed down by the need for consensus among diverse and often conflicting interests."

She said the comparatively recent 2005 Senate report into Quality and Equity in Aged Care had produced 50 recommendations but little action.

"We get this surfeit of reviews ad little substantial police change," she said.

"The community is angry and ready to be radicalised; all that is needed is leadership."

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has blasted the Chaser over a sketch in which they mocked dying children.

Mr Rudd said that while he is happy to be fair game for parody, the skit that aired last night was "way beyond the pale".

"The guys, collectively, should get up and hang their heads in shame," Mr Rudd said this afternoon.

Earlier, the ABC moved to censor the controversial episode following public outrage over The Chaser's War On Eveyrthing segment...

"The Chaser boys have gone over the mark," federal Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne told TODAY.

"If I had a child with cancer or leukaemia or a life-threatening disease it would be the most devastating thing that could ever happen."

"SOPHIE SCOTT, REPORTER: Buried deep inside cancer tumours are a number of genetic mistakes or flaws.

LEIF ELLISEN, CANCER SPECIALIST: If we can figure out for each individual tumour what that flaw is, that will allow us to match the tumour to effective drugs.

SOPHIE SCOTT: Making the treatment fit the patient is the goal of personalised medicine, and looking for genes in cancer plays an important role. Sometimes it can turn up unexpected findings.

A test on this patient with bowel cancer found the genetic markings for skin cancer, giving doctors an alternative treatment to try."

"Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Ron Monaghan said yesterday he expected vigorous debate this weekend...

"There wasn't a debate and a discussion to agree on a position. They are saying 'We must do this.'

"But there is a policy in the ALP and it says we in the Labor Party don't do these things.

"That resolution was debated on the floor of the conference. Why has it not been adhered to?"...

Premier Bligh said while she would work hard to convince fellow ASP members of the merits of the plan, the decision had already been made."

"The Queensland Opposition says aspects of the state's new Right to Information laws will discourage journalists from making applications.

Laws replacing the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) were passed last night.

Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek unsuccessfully tried to amend a clause that allows documents to be published online within 24 hours of their release.

Mr Langbroek told Parliament that media organisations will be reluctant to make applications if they do not have exclusive access to the results."

"Free public healthcare n Australia may disappear in the next five years and be replaced by a US-style system, NSW Health director-general Debora Picone says.

"We are really on the edge of losing the universal healthcare system that his country has," Professor Picone told News Ltd.

"I would have (previously) said we'd had 10 years to run.

"It's now looking like we've got five years to run because the coast escalations are so significant and we haven't prepared ourselves.

"Prof Picone and NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca are working on a plan to pool all state and federal funding n a move to slash red tape and eliminate overlap, News Ltd says."

And yet, the Government has a $500m coal compo reserve?:

"In an effort to apply maximum pressure on the Coalition over emissions trading, the Government has warned industry the compensation package on the table is as good as it gets.

But AM has been told the Government has a reserve pool of funds - at least another $500 million - available to entice some of the scheme's staunchest critics, coal exporters, to get on side."

Exactly whose interests is our Government representing? Oh yeah, and how many tax dollars does our Government hand out to the private health industry?

"Protesters in India have burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, following a string of attacks on Indian students in Australia."

"The New South Wales Land and Environment Court knocked back the Quranic Society's application to build the $19-million school at Camden. The Court found that the proposal was not suitable for the rural zoning of the land.

Camden Council says it's a vindication of its decision to reject the school on planning grounds. The Quranic Society says it's wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars in application costs, but it won't appeal against the decision."

"People from overseas are driving taxis in Queensland without any proof they ever held a licence as authorities fail to check driving histories.

The revelation comes amid growing complaints about the standards of new taxi drivers.

Many are overseas students who have gained an open Queensland licence and a taxi permit without any evidence of their driving experience."

"This evening Mr Fitzgibbon has told parliament his staff have discovered that he had not declared a night's accommodation that was paid for by the NIB Health fund.The chief executive of NIB is Mr Fitzgibbon's brother."

"Burger King was doing some kind of promotion in its Watertown huts and the marquee in their several parking lots proclaimed -- I swear to God -- "Ask us about our Angry Burger." WTF? Is the rage of lumpen America so repressed now that it can only be expressed in menu items that turn people into hulking four-hundred-pound monsters?"

Did You Watch Last Night's 'Four Corners'?

"The Queensland Government says public hospital emergency department performance has improved, but waiting times in some patient categories remain below the national benchmarks."

"In an opinion piece for ABC news Online, Scarlet Alliance president Elena Jeffreys says discrimination is still a part of life for sex workers, even when it comes to the mundane - like getting insurance or home loans.

This week sex workers will be attending events around the country as part of International Whores Day, which aims to raise awareness of discrimination against prostitutes...

She says sex workers are often charged up to 10 times more than other businesses to place advertisements in newspapers in some states and territories in Australia."

"It was started in 2002 at the Lion Arts Centre. [In] 2003 [we had] Norrie mAy-welby, [in] 2004 [we had The] Debbys. 2005 was different, a bit low key. A bar in the city was booked out and we had a party. It was well attended. Now bi-annually we will probably do a bigger show, and put in a bit more energy. The IWD hasn't got a long history but we do have our own history of cultural organising. We've had it open to other people in the sector, friends, family and supporters. However it is not advertised publicly it is not completely closed either. By trying to limit who knows about it we get mostly supporters. Sometimes some wanker types might show up but we haven't been gate crashed in a major way yet. It has kept it intimate and that way it has protected sex workers who want to come along. We don't want to invite the rest of the world, it's our own kind of cultural event. I don't know if the rest of the world really gets it to any degree. (30)"

Human Rights at the Crossroads
1 June 2009

A Fair Go for Australians - A Fair Go for Queenslanders

PUBLIC FORUM: BRISBANE CITY HALL

6.30 for 7.00 pm, Monday 1 June

SPEAKERS
Prof Spencer Zifcak (Australian Human Rights Group)
Karyn Walsh (President, QCOSS)
Kevin Cocks (Director, Queensland Advocacy Inc.)
Dr Linda Selvey (Queensland Conservation Council)
Dave Noonan (National Secretary, CFMEU Construction Division)
Vickie Roach (Indigenous Rights activist)
Brisbane Lesbian and Gay Pride Choir
MC Andrew Bartlett (Ethnic Communities Council, Qld)

All Australians deserve protection of their human rights- Rights to health care, education, fair working conditions, a healthy environment, housing, freedom of belief and the protection of law- Rights for Indigenous people, children, refugees, women and the disabled.

Come along and make your voice heard or make a submission in support of a Human Rights Act. To make a submission, phone 1800 086 134 or visit www.humanrightsconsultation.gov.au.

A FAIR GO is supported by Just Rights Queensland, Just Peace, Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Queensland Council of Social Services, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Amnesty International and many other groups.For more information, phone 3324 8459 or visit www.justrightsqld.org/Fairgo.

"Fifteen Australian men have been arrested in connection to an internet video showing the rape of an eight-year-old girl.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) says the video, linked to a global pornography network, contains some of the most serious images of sexual abuse, and more Australians are expected to be charged.

AFP child protection operations teams carried out 27 search warrants with one man arrested in NSW, two in Victoria, seven in Queensland, three in south Australia and two in Western Australia.

The operation began with a tip-off from the Baden-Wuerttemberg State Criminal Police (BKA) in Germany in December last year.

The BKA have identified more then 9,000 potential offenders in 92 countries across the globe.

The AFP's national manager of high tech crime operations, Neil Gaughan, says the video is very disturbing.

"It's a peer-to-peer file sharing situation whereby every person that has actually got that video has purposely actually sought it out," he said."

"One evening in 1996, we were sitting next to Paul and Annita at a fundraising dinner when Paul told David that he'd just done something 'big' that would swing the election in his favour. A week later it was announced that his government had signed an agreement on maintaining security between Indonesia and Australia. On hearing this, I remember David exclaiming, 'Oh fuck!' It seemed to us that a huge number of people would resent this cosy collaboration with the regime that was so oppressive and violent in East Timor. It was a massive misunderstanding of public sentiment on Keating's part.

He was also the person, a treasurer in the Hawke Government, who ignored his own Foreign Investment Review Board and allowed Rupert Murdoch, now an American citizen, to take over the Herald and Weekly Times group, thus reducing the number of media barons from four to three (Murdoch, Packer and Fairfax). As a journalist, I was particularly incensed, as David recalls:

"we were at a dinner party at Donald and Myfanwy Horne's place and everyone else was in awe of Keating. Suddenly you asked him, 'Why did you let Murdoch take over the Herald and Weekly Times Group? Now he owns seventy per cent of Australian newspapers he can dominate the press to an unprecedented degree.' He was silent. The whole room was silent. Keating knew it was true. You said, 'Murdoch now holds so much power he can affect the outcome of elections.' Another silence. It was obvious Keating needed Murdoch's political backing. It was good you confronted him. He respected you in an odd sort of way. You were the voice of honesty."

If I hadn't liked and admired Keating I wouldn't have been able to say what I did, but I felt he needed to hear it.

I also liked Annita very much. She once invited me, Kathy Lette and another friend to lunch. We thought we should dress formally to dine at the PM's house, so we wore suits and high heels, but Annita greeted us in trousers and an open-necked shirt. She served a wonderful alfresco meal and then I mentioned that, whenever I'd passed by the gracious Kirribilly House on the ferry, I'd looked up and wondered what it would be like to roll right down that steep grassy bank in front of the PM's house. 'Let's do it! said Annita. So we all took off our shoes and rolled."

"The city could miss out on 177 new buses after the Gold Coast City Council was forced to block a new Surfside Buslines depot because of the 'nightmare on Days Road' at Coomera...

Local councillor Donna Gates said the five schools - Coomera Anglican College, Assisi Catholic College, Saint Stephen's College, Coomera Springs State School and Upper Coomera State School - had been forced to stagger their start and finish times to alleviate the stress on local roads...

"I'm really worried about the traffic jams. During every election, politicians and candidates stand in the middle of the roundabout saying that they will fix it and nothing has every been done.

"There is severe localised congestion in the streets around the 2.5km precinct."

The future of the depot, which would complement the main Surfside Buslines depot at Molendinar, is now up in the air...

"On any given weekend the peace and tranquillity of the picturesque northern NSW hinterland is shattered by the repetitive blasts of doof music emanating from parties of the same name.

An inquest into the death of 25-year-old Burleigh Heads woman Deneeka Nixon heard this week these outdoor dance parties, where her body was found, can last for days and easily attract more than 1000 doofers - mostly middle-aged extreme greenies, mixed with a young crowd just looking for a good time."

"Drugs, alcohol and peer pressure are behind a rise in the number of "thugettes" on our streets as women become more violent, a leading criminologist says...

Queensland University of Technology criminologist Tricia Fox said the changing role of women in society and a departure from traditional values were partly to blame...

Prof Mazerolle said the rise in women being charged with violent crimes could be due to society - and police - becoming more intolerant.

"Societal responses are changing. Historically, because of chivalry in the system, female offenders were treated differently," he said."

"Crown is countersuing Mr Kakavas for $1million it says he owes from the same period.

Sydney barrister and columnist with The Sun-Herald, Charles Waterstreet, said "the stakes had been raised considerably" simply because the case had gone to court.

"Whether Kakavas wins or loses, gambling outlets will have to be much more more vigilant about keeping compulsive gamblers out of their establishments," he said.

"They will have to be much more mindful of their duty of care or they'll find themselves back in court."

Mr Waterstreet cited the case of chronic gambler Christopher Fitzsimons, who failed last year in his attempt to sue the NSW Government and the TAB after he lost almost $5million in a credit betting scheme. Even though Mr Fitzsimons lost the case, the industry was forced to tighten up its operations, Mr Waterstreet said."

"Houses were affordable, rents within a student's reach, university courses abundantly available day and night. Wages were stable, and kept a family. Workplaces were safe, and work-hours reasonable. There was a government-subsidised theatre scene that did original Australian work, a tax-break-funded cinema that was prospering, clothes were still manufactured in country towns, jam factories still making jam, biscuit factories still making biscuits.

The foreign-owned car industry was still employing tens of thousands of Australians. Wine was grown and was selling here and overseas. Parking stations did not charge the annual wage of a Nicaraguan for a day's parking. There were foreign banks, but a counter-balancing Commonwealth Bank too. There was a countercultural press, a National Times, a Sydney Morning Herald, an Age with a variety of opinion in it, not just Neocon Lite..."

"William Weiss, who supported the system enthusiastically during the early years of the regime, was completely disillusioned.

He had headed the Reich Press Association, Journalists and editors became increasingly dissatisfied and resentful of the government’s policy towards the press, he said.

Likewise the monopoly gained by the party through Amann’s operations undermined the confidence of the public, although the full extent of his operation was not appreciated.

Under the strict controls established by the Reich press chief and the propaganda ministry, editors and writers were deprived of all independence and initiative, and the newspaper became simply a megaphone.

The public became uncertain and mistrustful of the press.

Moreover, Weiss pointed out, a uniform press did not serve equally well all levels of education, interest, and attainment represented in the German population.

One paper was just the same as another and all were directed at a mass segment of the public.People became bored and suspicious and the press as a source of information and opinion lost its standing and influence.

And even Amann, when asked if he thought the party’s monopoly of newspaper published produced a good daily press, admitted that although he had given it a good economic foundation, “it was impossible to edit and publish good newspapers”..."

"The idyllic contemplations of domestic life are optimistic, but the manner in which they are mounted cannot help but convey the exhibition's magnitude. These works are of serious importance, and that they are hanging in Brisbane is a major achievement you can't help but be impressed about."

"Virtually all of today’s democrats do not deserve to be associated with the ideology of progressivism. Barely a handful of them are worthy of the liberal label. The traditional liberals, personified by the likes of Cynthia McKinney, were forced to leave the party. It is beyond absurd to think of President Obama as anything but a political conservative dressed in the garments of liberalism and masquerading as a man of the people. Obama’s voting record, his political appointments, the money trail, and his policy decisions reveal his true colors. So much for change we can believe in.

As significant as they are, such defining episodes of history are curiously absent from the narrative disseminated in the public education system. For most Americans, these episodes never happened. Indeed, anything that contradicts their obstinate belief in American democracy did not occur. Most Americans cannot wrap their languorous brains around these defining actions, and that is why current events, including 9-11, make so little sense to them: they lack historical context."

Fête de la Musique Brisbane is the largest free international music event celebrated in more than 350 cities around the world. Free for the public to attend, Fête de la Musique Brisbane will see more than 330 solo artists or music groups perform across more than 50 venues around the city. As a not-for-profit event, volunteers are needed for a diverse range of tasks ranging from assisting stage crews to looking after performers, answering questions from the public or moving instruments and gear. Volunteers with specific event management related skills such as sound engineering or production are also being invited to use Fête de la Musique Brisbane as an opportunity to gain practical career experience. All volunteers will be required to attend a training and information session closer to the event. To sign up as a volunteer visit www.fetedelamusiquebrisbane.com.au or telephone Alliance Française on (07) 3221 7957.

"France has long been considered Europe's centre for arts and music and Fête de la Musique has become such a social phenomenon there that it even had a postage stamp devoted to it in 1998.

"Rappeneau is an accomplished musician who is influenced by pop and funk styles and has produced music for several of his famous film-maker father, Jean-Paul Rappeneau's films.

"Council would like to thank event partner, Alliance Française Brisbane for coordinating Rappeneau's appearance at Fête de la Musique."

Given that the ABC deliberately constructs the makeup of the audience on 'Q & A' - as reported in 'The Age' ['ABC steps right to redress political balance' - 26/5/09], and internet versions of participatory democracy have been shown to be hijacked - eg. 'MoveOn' in the U.S., so that the views of their original supporters have been circumvented, is there any future for genuine participatory democracy?

From 'Information Clearing House':

"What was MoveOn's explanation for abandoning the peace movement in a meeting with a president the peace movement was key to electing? According to Ruben and MoveOn, it was the preference of its millions of members, as ascertained by house meetings and polls.

The evidence, however, is otherwise. Last December 17, 48.3 percent of MoveOn members listed "end the war in Iraq" as a 2009 goal, after healthcare (64.9 percent), economic recovery and job creation (62.1 percent) and building a green economy/stopping climate change (49.6 percent--only 1.5 percent above Iraq.) This was at a moment when most Americans believed the Iraq War was ending. Afghanistan and Pakistan were not listed among top goals which members could vote on.

Then on May 22 MoveOn surveyed its members once again, listing ten possible campaigns for the organization. "Keep up the pressure to the end the war in Iraq" was listed ninth among the options.

Again, Afghanistan and Pakistan were not on the MoveOn list of options.

Nor was Guantánamo nor the administration's torture policies. ("Investigate the Bush Administration" was the first option.)

MoveOn is supposed to be an Internet version of participatory democracy, but the organization's decision-making structure apparently assures that the membership is voiceless on the question of these long wars."

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22717.htm

ABC "Audience & Consumer Affairs" Responds To Our Email

Earlier this month put some questions to Radio National's 'Late Night Live' (see 'Benefit Of The Doubt For LNL?' - below). Here's their response:

Thank you for your email of 5 May concerning ABC Radio National's Late Night Live program 'Antisemitism and talking to Iran' of 4 May and, specifically, the website pertaining to that broadcast. In keeping with the ABC's complaints policy, your email has been referred to me for investigation and response. We note the reference to the Iranian President's 'calls for Israel to be wiped off the map' in the website's introduction was attributed to 'many in the Jewish community' who believe such views represent a new Antisemitism. This attribution was based on several sources, including a paper from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs entitled 'What Iranian Leaders Really Say About Doing Away With Israel' (http://www.jcpa.org/text/ahmadinejad2-words.pdf). Accordingly, we believe the attributed reference was accurate in this context. With respect to your broader concern regarding the translation of the President's comments, the ABC believes that, whilst there may be some room for argument about the fine points of translation, the essential meaning of what he said is adequately translated by the phrase 'wiped off the map'. The ABC notes that the BBC and news agencies around the world reported this form of words as the correct translation. A BBC article providing editor comment on the translation that may be of interest is available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2007/03/wiped_off_the_map.html. It should also be noted that one source of the original statement was the President's own web site which posted a translation of the speech which referred to 'wiping Israel away'; however, it has since been removed. Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with us.

Yours sincerely

Audience & Consumer Affairs

Spotted Ten Police Cars Watching Road Works On The M1 Between Logan To Brisbane Around 8 PM Last Night [28/5/09]

Fairfax reports [28/5/09]:

"Police fear they missed the chance to prevent a Nambour man's death when no action was taken in response to two emergency phone calls."

They Have A Point, But ...

They've still missed the point:

"This week, ABC 1's Media Watch dedicated four minutes to the rantings of disgruntled TV journalists over Kevin Rudd's apparent tight leash on the media, and his efforts to block them at every turn of his leadership trail.

But RMIT adjunct professor in communications and former parliamentary press secretary, Noel Turnbull, says journalists have been become too complacent and allowed themselves to be manipulated by the Government...

"They need to actually start thinking about where news is. News isn't a news conference and news isn't getting quotes or leaks. How many times do you see something in the media that hasn't been put there by somebody?...

The program also reported that many journalists feel Mr Rudd's office is "trying to keep journalists out of the picture altogether" by sending media alerts too late or blocking access to the man himself...

Bond University research fellow Dr Richard Phillipps says these are all tactics governments use to keep away the journalists who ask the tough questions. But he warns the Government to proceed with caution when taking this route.

"Sooner or later they'll drive the journalists who do ask the hard questions to sources who'll give them very bad press," he said.

"I don't think it's wise to put the political journalists off side in that way."

Haven't these gentlemen heard what happened to Pamela Bornhorst? Is there some bizarre rule that prevents journalism academics from mentioning the pathetic state of media ownership in this country, how Rupert has politicians by the balls and sets the so-called news agenda, while "journalists" are rewarded for producing non-stories, beat-ups and propaganda?

If You Make It Reliable And Free, People Will Use It

Gold Coast monopoly press [28/5/09] displaying their anti-public transport colours :

"Cr Clark said the Southport master plan would deliver a community where public transport played a key role.

"I have no doubt that there will be future problems with parking and congestion but I think that is why there is a critical need to deliver a community with an integrated public transport system," said Cr Clarke.

"The reality is the only way you get people to travel on buses or the light rail is to force their hand, there is no other way of doing it...

The images show the $1.8 billion rapid transit system ripping through the heart of the Southport CBD.

The Southport Chamber of Commerce has publicly slammed any proposal that would see less parking in the city heart and loss of trading space."

Free and reliable public transport would impress the tourists and congestion would be reduced making it much easier for residents to get around, conduct their business and shop etc.

Only The Mainstream Press Can Provide Genuine Journalism And/Or Reportage (Ho Ho HO Ha De Ha!)

From House of Representatives Hansard [27/5/09]:

Dr Jensen (Tangney) (3.28 pm) - Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

The Speaker - Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Dr Jensen - Absolutely.

The Speaker - Please proceed.

Dr Jensen - On page 15 of the West Australian today, journalist Andrew Probyn, under the headline 'Jensen may sit as independent if dumped by Liberals', reported the following:

"Party strategists believe Federal Liberal MP Dennis Jensen is considering quitting the party and sitting on the cross benches as an independent if he loses endorsement for the blue-ribbon Perth seat of Tangney.

Dr Jensen, the only sitting WA Liberal MP to face a preselection challenge, yesterday refused to comment..."

Mr Speaker, this is clearly not the point. In fact, I did make a comment to Probyn, both on the telephone and by email. Last night at 6.04 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time, I sent the following email to Probyn and to his editor, Brett McCarthy:

Andrew,
Further to our phone conversation today, I would like to restate the following. I am proud to be the Liberal member for Tangney. I look forward to contesting the next federal election as the Liberal candidate for Tangney and I look forward to serving another term as the Liberal member for Tangney after winning that election. Under the Liberal Party rules, I am unable to make any further comment on the pre-selection, as has been explained to you several times, and I will not respond to rumours from anonymous sources who lack the courage to stand by their words. Perhaps they are the same sources cited by your newspaper earlier this year on the preselection issue with information which all turned out to be false. This is not a refusal to comment, as you suggested in your article published in the West last Saturday, and I would strongly dispute any suggestion that I have been in any way evasive on these questions.
Regards,
Dennis Jensen.

If Andrew Probyn wishes to report in future that I have no comment, he will be correct as I have directed my office never to deal with Probyn in future.

I Thought The Government Was Supposed To Be The Model Litigant?

Fairfax reports [27/5/09]:

"Mrs McMahon believes she may have sliced her ankle open on a protruding metal advertising frame on a step but has been blocked by QR in her attempt to discover if her serious cut was a result of negligence.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request allowed her access to QR documents on the accident, including the official incident report, but details of the witness who saw her fall and cared for her afterwards had been blacked out.

QR have claimed commercial-in-confidence in denying access to the witness and the matter is now with the Information Commissioner."

But don't expect accountability to improve if QR is privatised.

Creepy Murdoch Companies Taking Over Intertubes

"But I did learn one thing from the Fin. It profiles investment company Netus, which is 75% owned by News Ltd. Among the companies within the portfolio is 90% of Allure Media, the firm behind local editions of blogs such as Defamer and Gizmodo. I must admit, I had no idea (and I suspect the readers didn't either) that the sites are part of the News Corp family."

http://mumbrella.com.au/paper-review-axe-to-swing-at-group-m-grazia-struggling-abcs-regional-online-plans-fairfax-staff-given-bikes-5820

Best Newsreader Accessories Of The Week Award

Neena Mairata, SBS World News 9.30 Bulletin

If You Get Sick And Die It's Your Fault

State Labor Government demonising workers on a Sunday - nice:

"Premier Anna Bligh has announced a new taskforce will tackle health problems in the construction industry as a shocking report reveals high levels of obesity, smoking and problem drinking amongst our builders...

The Premier said the Construction WorkHealth Initiative Pilot shocking study would be reviewed by cabinet on Monday with plans for a new taskforce consisting of Government, union and employer groups.

“This taskforce will report back to Cabinet by the end of October this year with recommendations for a health promotion blitz among our outdoor workers,” she said.

Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick said the study originated when the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) approached the Building Employees Redundancy Trust and the former Department of Employment and Industrial Relations."

Hey Queensland Government - how about lobbying the Federal Government to abolish the draconian ABCC immediately? Or taking some genuine steps to make work sites safer?

Is There Any "Independent" Media Here?

"The pin-striped men of morning,
Are coming for a dance.
With pure Egyptian Cotton,
The kids don't stand a chance."

'The Kids Don't Stand A Chance', Vampire Weekend [2008]

F*ck national broadband and funding for digital, why not just retain the analogue signal?

Imagine if there was a degree of solidarity between Brisbane's so called independent and community media organisations such as 'The Westender', 'The Independent', Briz 31 (QCTV), high profile blogs such as 'Larvatus Prodeo' or FM radio 4ZzZ - not to mention the numerous small, suburban based, radio stations?

It obviously can't be concrete "solidarity" in the old union sense, it should be more like a finding of commonality between them: "Why are you 'independent'? What are you all independent from? Why can't you all share with each other and why is it impossible to mention each other?"

All of these supposedly fiercely independent media come with their own complex baggage, such as misplaced ALP, Rupert Murdoch or Developer allegiances (yes, we are specifically talking about you QCTV, Don Gordon-Brown, and Kerrod from the 'West-Ender'), which can hobble them from genuine independence. But if you are unwilling to actually be independent you should surely have trouble living with yourself wearing that label.

'So what', if most of them come with some smelly baggage? Well, everyone has baggage, but would it kill any of them to mention that they are not the only "independent" voice out there? Why can't they promote the independent (ie: non-mono-media-State Government-pro-business-crooked-'deal-is-done'-neo-con agenda) aspect of the world? Why?

Strike us pink and buy us a drink if we are the only genuinely "independent" voice in Queensland! And our only funding comes from our published papers emanating from the Pond's Institute (i.e.: fictional institute, fictional income! i.e. $zero).

"But why bother, if you aren't getting paid big bucks?" Well that is a really dumb question and one that could only be asked by a person who has no idea of how democracy and fascism dance a steamy and intimate tango separated at the hip by the slimmest of silky fabric - accountability for actions.

We think media organisations should be established to provide information to the community, not just to have a poke at your mortal enemies in the ALP and at Bowen Hills.

Idealistic? Unrealistic? Look around you. We are worried about the planet, our society and democracy, which are all going down the toilet. Is that perhaps the thread of commonality that "independent" voices share? We believe so.

On 4ZzZ today, Research Fellow from Swinburne University Dr Ellie Rennie said that the only funding the Federal Government allocated to community media in the budget was $2.5 million for a "national training program".

National broadband is not the solution and neither is funding multi platform, digital or online technology, or a national training program.

The airwaves are public, not private, property and access to information is a democratic right.

Perhaps it would be better to request that the government leave the analogue signal, and the community media outlets alone.

What does your "independent" local media say about it? Can you trust them?

Will This Event Be Broadcast on SBS or The ABC?

The ABC's Radio National have broadcast some of the talks at the Sydney Writers' Festival this week, and this one is of great public interest:

Stories from the Climate Change Front: A Forum and Launch of Overland 195
Event 253
David Spratt, co-author of Climate Code Red, Dr Sharon Beder, author of 'Global Spin: The Corporate Assault on Environmentalism', and Deltoid science blogger Tim Lambert discuss the state of the climate change debate today with Overland editor Jeff Sparrow. Are the big polluters changing their ways or simply greening their public image? Who are the main climate denialists? What kind of action do we need, and how close are we to achieving it?

Presented by Overland.

http://www.swf.org.au/component/option,com_events/task,view_detail/agid,253/year,2009/month,05/day,23/Itemid,183/

Back Off, Barnaby. We Do Ludicrous Here At SHV, You Stick To Politics!

"BARNABY JOYCE: This is cloud cuckoo land rubbish. I mean where? So what do we do? Are we gonna have factories making wind-chimes in Nimbin? This sort of garbage that we're going to take out tens of thousands of mining workers and they're all going to jump in their caravans and then like a caravan of love proceed down to some Nirvana-like valley where they'll all be in, like you know, I don't know doing, what, making photovoltaic cells?"

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2578686.htm

Pure Evil

Bear in mind what Murdoch said at Davos earlier this year if you read anything about schools and/or education in any of his papers:

"For the first time in Queensland, parents tomorrow will be able to compare their primary school's academic performance to others in a special liftout.

More than 1300 state, Catholic and independent primary schools will be listed in The Courier-Mail with information based on school annual reports."

News Values?

A dog that can play basketball, as shown on Brisbane ABC's 7.00 pm bulletin [21/5/09]

Publicity for "pet tube"belongs on commercial television, not on the ABC.

Why was this piece of blatant PR given priority over the genuine journalism discussing the rampant child abuse revealed today by the Catholic church in Ireland?:

"The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland says he is profoundly ashamed and sorry about the findings of an extensive investigation into child abuse at Church-run institutions."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/21/2577458.htm?section=australia

Even DRTV Dubai covered the passing of Wayne Allwine.

Even Hypocrisy Has Its Place

'City News' editor gets self righteous on sexual violence [21/5/09]:

"Having grown up in Queensland, rugby league is my code of preference. But it's clear there's a culture of disregard and disrespect for women so endemic in the game that even those players who aren't misbehaving are tainted.

I wouldn't want my five sons playing rugby league, and we won't attend any games this year. It's time the female fans took back their power and voted with their feet."

And yet, on the page following the full page RSPCA advertisement (and right next to a Queensland Government "Children's Hospital - area update advertisement") is this muck:

A Question For Q & A

A question for Sue Cato:

"In a 1990s standup routine, the comedian Bill Hicks said: "By the way, if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself." What do you make of that statement?"

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Most Bizarre Product Of The Week

As advertised during Channel 10's evening news bulletin [20/5/09]:

Perfect for those winter evenings when you want to play Let's Dress Up As Monks!

Personal Responsibility?

"I like the idea of facts..." Russell Howcroft ['Gruen Transfer' 20/5/09]

From Chapter 10: 'Advertisers: Getting Them Young' in 'Global Spin: The Corporate Assault On Environmentalism' by Sharon Beder:

"Whilst each advertisement may be outwardly aimed at selling a particular product, it is also promoting "the interests and ideology of its corporate sponsors". And the persistent avalanche of advertisements that television watchers and others are exposed to sells a consumerist way of life that offers personal fulfilment through the acquisition and accumulation of commodities.

Even if they fail to sell a particular product, they sell consumerism itself by ceaselessly reiterating the idea that there is a product to solve each of life's problems, indeed that existence would be satisfying and complete if only we bought the right things. Advertisers thus cultivate needs by hitching their wares to the infinate existential yearnings of the human soul. [Alan Durning]

Most advertisments tell little about the product they are selling; rather, they seek to create an impression. They attempt to associate their product with the unarticulated desires of their audience. Advertising exploits individual insecurities, creates false needs and offers counterfeit solutions. It fosters dissatisfaction tht leads to consumption: "Consumers are taught personal incompetence and dependence on mass-market producers." They are taught that being a citizen "means no more than being a consumer"."

Where Are The Stories About Royal Mums?

http://www.rbwhfoundation.com.au/?/royal_mums/Latest_Statistics

Mate, Have You Looked Out The Window Today?

Gold Coast monopoly press reports on [20/5/09] Gold Coast City Council and State Government plans for a "super water highway" from Southern Moreton Bay to the Broadwater:

"Surfers Paradise will become a 'floating paradise' similar to Venice under the plan revealed exclusively to The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday, which is aimed at using canals for transport...

Mayor Ron Clarke said the council was planning to run a Solar Cat ferry from Southport and Surfers Paradise to Gold Coast Stadium at Carrara for AFL games...

Gondolas are used across Venice's smaller channels and are a nostalgic link to the past making them a popular transport option.

Cr Clarke said the canals concept was perfectly suited to the Coast."

It's (the waterways) a feature of the Gold Coast which is unique and something we should use to promote lifestyle for our residents and among tourists," he said..."

No mention of climate change in the future vision of course, or the fact that Venice is sinking - and there's that Solar Cat ferry again!

But What Would Bettina Say?

Germaine Greer where are you?

More mixed messages - disappointingly from your ABC (the story initially appeared in the Fairfax press) - who have for the most part tried to advance the debate beyond the commercially sanctioned parameters of apportioning blame to alcohol, drugs or sexual freedom:

"After a week of public outrage over the latest NRL sex scandal, a paediatrician has criticised sex education classes for failing to give teenage girls the skills to say "no"."

Shouldn't teenage boys also be learning that "no" means "no", and that the fantasy scenarios presented in the media and pornography are just that - fantasy - and masturbation material for pathetic wankers? While sex - or dare I say lovemaking (in these postmodern times) - should be about more than individual gratification?

And isn't it a little bit spooky that many of the academics and experts, who have been wheeled out to comment on this issue, are suspiciously wobbly when quizzed how the proliferation of violent pornography and the media's commodification of sexuality fosters violence in our society?

Where is the intellectual honesty?:

(As mentioned previously below) From 'Princesses & Pornstars' by Emily Maguire:

"SHine is one of the few examples of a program designed in reaction to current research and then followed up by more research to prove its efficacy. When I read through its curriculum it was clear that none of it is new or controversial. Why aren't lessons in sexual diversity standard in every high school? Why aren't all teenagers taught about consent and negotiation? Why are we not teaching young people that sex should always, always, always be pleasurable to both parties? When are we going to wake up to the fact that teaching sixteen-year olds how to make a baby is less useful than teaching them how to bring themselves to orgasm?

Our sexualised culture is not going to go away, no matter how many of us wish it would. And the urge for teenagers to have sex is not going to disappear. The best defence against a culture that threatens to corrupt young people is through sex education. The surest way of ensuring teenagers emerge into adulthood relatively unscathed by raunch culture, by the commercialisation of sexuality and by plain old difficult, confusing adolescence, is to teach them that our sexuality is integral to who we are, that it is different for everyone, and that no one has the right to impose their version of it on anyone else."

Isn't It The 19th?

Brisbane's monopoly online outlet (noted for its Orwellian style and butchery of the English language, and owned by an American) laments our diminishing Aussie lingo:

"Last hurrah for Australian lingo from long ago

May 20, 2009 10:40am

SOME are dying, many are dead. They're not cute like bilbies or cuddly like koalas but they're endangered all the same."

This "Freeview" Caper Is Really Starting To Stink

Especially given that community television stations such as Briz 31/QCTV are still appealing for assistance to go digital.

"It appears that Ten has done a deal with Foxtel to put its sport channel One onto the platform. That means the only channel unique to Freeview will no longer be unique to Freeview..."

http://mumbrella.com.au/with-one-on-foxtel-whats-the-point-of-freeview-5622

Battery Chicken Of The Sea

Just whose dinner plates are these poor creatures destined for? You can be sure Narelle won't be serving it up to Dave and the kids!

"Aquaculture giant Clean Seas will today airlift millions of dollars worth of tuna from sea pens to its onshore breeding facility at Arno Bay, on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula."

Ahhh, the miracle of free trade!

Peter Reith To Join ABC Board?

Friends of the ABC (NSW) email list currently discussing the possibility.

"Penny's disclosure that Peter Reith may become part of the ABC Board, is frightening. It is rather like putting someone who makes their living from demolition of old buildings, in charge of deciding which of them should be heritage listed."

http://workers.labor.net.au/163/print_index.html

Best Earrings Of The Week

'At The Movies' with Margaret Pomeranz [13/5/09]

Blighty Finally Delivers Some Good News

"The Queensland Government is considering scrapping its 8 cents per litre fuel subsidy in next month's state budget."

Tell That To Unemployed Basketballers From The Brisbane Bullets, Or Tom Cruise!

Although "Our Nic" didn't do too bad out of the divorce settlement!

"New Australian research has found a person's height can have an impact on the amount of money they earn."

'Toilet Sex Woman Speaks Out'

"The same time every year
you'd see her standing there
Aboard autumn skies winds do fly
But she's not to be seen, no mournful sigh
She found her dream and followed it

You might ask me what was I doing there
You might ask me what do I care
Well I'm looking for that girl
I wanna take her home"

'Purple Flower', Max Sharam [1995]

On a weekend when the patriarchy's PR spivs and traitors to the sisterhood were working overtime to blur the issue of consent and reinforce the "damned whores and god's police" dichotomy, the spin and headlines were as thick and fast as a professional footballer's idea of foreplay:

'Generation sex: Old taboos are the norm for today's teens', ''A few kisses' led to Broncos sex scandal: the woman speaks out', 'Calls for cheerleaders to be banned from NRL and 'Woman bragged next day: co-worker etc etc etc.

Only two female politicians from the major parties - Kate Ellis and Pru Goward - have spoken out, and along with other reasonable and expert opinions, their voices have been smothered by the well-funded Murdoch [News Ltd.; Foxtel; NRL] dominated PR machine.

There is a culture of sexual violence in this country which will continue until we all address it honestly and look at its causes.

*Update* More rubbish courtesy Nine MSN [18/5/09]:

"The NRL needs to set up a brothel liaison office and to conduct brothel information sessions with all players, including those who profess to be religious," party convenor with the Australian Sex Party Fiona Patten said.

There are more than 200 legal brothels and 6,000 sex workers in NSW.

Ms Patten said most teams have a local brothel that could be adopted as their own."(And) If players are away on tour, they could ring another local brothel... and arrange a service with a qualified sex worker for five or six players."

These incidents are not about sex, they are about power, and what Patten is actually saying is that there are certain women that men should feel free to abuse:

From The Coalition Against Trafficking In Women - Australia website:

Q. Without prostitution, won't men just go out and rape?

A. This argument suggests that prostitution is a safety valve for men's sexual urges. In fact the reverse is the case. For example, in cases of gang rape by sportsmen in Australia in 2004, it has become clear that the use of prostituted women and strip clubs is integral to the womanhating and male bonding which led to the sexual violence. The argument also suggests that women who are not prostituted are safer because some other women are set aside to be commercially raped on their behalf. Women's equality requires that all women should be free from sexual exploitation. Prostitution cannot eliminate rape when it is itself bought rape. The connection between rape and prostitution is that women are turned into objects for men's sexual use; they can be either bought or stolen. A culture in which women can be bought for use is one in which rape flourishes

http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/catwaust/web/myfiles/resources.htm

Saving The News

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/05/saving-news.html

Torture Images Emerged From Australia?

"The images emerged from Australia yesterday where they were originally obtained by the channel SBS in 2006 in the wake of the Abu Ghraib scandal. They were not distributed around the world at the time but are now believed to be among those the president is trying to block."

Light Rail At End Of Tunnel Receding

This project has a Snowflake's chance in hell of getting off the ground:

"Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says his Government has played its part in the development of a light rail system for the Gold Coast.

He has announced $365 million in federal funding for the project.The Gold Coast City Council will contribute $150 million towards the project's estimated $894 million cost.

Mr Swan says it is up to the State Government and the private sector to put up the rest.

"If you're trying to say that this project may experience difficulties or whatever, well we're very serious about it," he said."

Hmmm, Don't think Halliburton will be too interested in chipping in to transport international students along the glitter strip. In any case, we already have bus services from Griffith University to Broadbeach. Why can't the Government pull their finger out and construct a connecting trainline from Robina, or Helensvale to Southport?

Who Says Poetry Doesn't Pay?

http://anonymouslefty.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/what-rhymes-with-nice/

Soylent Green for all!

Joanne Denney-Finch has told a retailing conference on the Gold Coast that shopper behaviour is changing.

She says people are cooking at home instead of dining out, food waste is decreasing, and consumers are thinking more about their purchases.

"In about 18 countries over the last year, own-label products in shops have grown considerably and I think a lot of that is about the shoppers really trusting the retailers and their brands," she said.

Is Your Super Safe?

Doesn't really matter if it's true or not, it makes a good story.

News Ltd. trying to tell our Government what to do again:

The Government's advisory group Infrastructure Australia is reportedly going to recommend that investment incentives be offered to super funds, to access the nation's savings for large infrastructure projects announced in the Budget.

The Australian newspaper says the option is being explored because of a shortfall in approved funds and in light of the global economic downturn.

What happens when crooks get hold of your super:

"Globe Pension-Insurer Story Gets Juicy
By Ryan Chittum

Remember that pension insurance fund story I said to watch a couple of months ago—the one broken by The Boston Globe? It just got a whole lot more interesting.

The initial story was that the director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation had switched the fund’s investment strategy from safe bonds into stocks, right in the middle of the worst financial crisis in decades. Why’d he do it? To get more risk in the portfolio to try to make up a shortfall, which as I said at the time is the

equivalent to me saying I almost certainly won’t make rent this month, so I’m going to go to Atlantic City and put half my paycheck on the roulette wheel. Seriously, this is genius-level stuff.

Why would the PBGC head, Charles E.F. Millard, do such a thing? That’s where today’s stories come in, reporting on an inspector general’s report..."

Why Didn't We See These Stories On Brisbane ABC's 7 O'Clock Bulletin?

The 'Sunshine Coast Daily reports [15//509]:

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd hopes a funding commitment of $613 million will be enough to fix a deadly stretch of the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra, labelled the "Valley of Death" by locals. Mr Rudd, Treasurer Wayne Swan, Transport Minister Anthony Albanese were accompanied to the site by Gympie QAS head Wayne Sachs.

It was Mr Sach's self-funded flight to Canberra to implore Mr Albanese to take action, that finally galvanised the Rudd Government into action.

Flanked by a smiling but muted Mr Swan, Mr Albanese and Mr Sachs, Mr Rudd had come to the mountain where a section of the $613 million Sankeys Road to Traveston Road four-lane upgrade will go."

http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/may/15/pm-hopes-death-valley-fix/

No word on the proposed Traveston Dam, or what the Government is going to do about Australia's overworked Ambulance Service of course, but evidently a response to a question about private health insurance was deemed worthy of coverage:

"Mr Turnbull for the first time has said that all Australians should have private health insurance. That means the end of universal public insurance through Medicare," he said.

What on earth is universal public insurance?

And surely seeing off our brave Aussie diggers would have made good television?:

"More than 1,000 Australian soldiers have been farewelled in Townsville in Queensland's north today, bound for East Timor and Afghanistan.

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh attended a ceremony at Townsville's Lavarack Barracks to farewell 600 personnel."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/15/2572091.htm?section=australia

And you gotta love the ABC's Online "News Diary" for Saturday:

"News diary
Saturday
NRL: Panthers v Sharks
NRL: Roosters v Knights
AFL: Lions v Crows
AFL: Swans v Eagles"

4ZzZ Goes Soft

4ZzZ's Radical Radio Collective - incorporating the Anarchy Show, Locked In, Radio Democracy, Eco Radio and Megaherz programs - form the backbone of a radio station that was set up to challenge the establishment and provide a forum for alternative voices.

These shows have always been broadcast at set times on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. They have a strong listener base in the community and are a vital source of independent information and ideas. The presenters always put together a thought provoking array of regular segments, interviews, information sourced from overseas and from the internet.

In the last few weeks, the Anarchy Show and Radio Democracy have disappeared, while the other shows (other than Locked In) have been rescheduled.

Who knows what's going on, but at a time when more than ever the community need access to independent information about the environment, politics and what's going on in the world, I fail to see the logic in what appears to be a ploy to enfeeble these shows.

An ever increasing pragmatism and polite timidity evident in other shows across the board will result in less subscriptions for sure.

List of 140 Afghans Killed In US Attack Includes 93 Children

"KABUL (Reuters) – Ninety-three children and 25 adult women are among a list of 140 names of Afghans who villagers say were killed in a battle and U.S. air strikes last week, causing a crisis between Washington and its Afghan allies.

The list, obtained by Reuters, bears the endorsement of seven senior provincial and central government officials, including an Afghan two-star general who headed a task force dispatched by the government to investigate the incident.

Titled "list of the martyrs of the bombardment of Bala Boluk district of Farah Province", it includes the name, age and father's name of each alleged victim.

The youngest was listed as 8-day-old baby Sayed Musa, son of Sayed Adam. Fifty-three victims were girls under the age of 18, and 40 were boys. Only 22 were men 18 or older."

The Tamils of Sri Lanka: Distant Voices, Desperate Lives

John Pilger May 13, 2009 "Information Clearing House" -- - "In the early 1960s, it was the Irish of Derry who would phone late at night, speaking in a single breath, spilling out stories of discrimination and injustice. Who listened to their truth until the violence began? Bengalis from what was then East Pakistan did much the same. Their urgent whispers described terrible state crimes that the news ignored, and they implored us reporters to “let the world know”. Palestinians speaking above the din of crowded rooms in Bethlehem and Beirut asked no more. For me, the most tenacious distant voices have been the Tamils of Sri Lanka, to whom we ought to have listened a very long time ago."

Dave Goes Down To The Volcano

Regardless of whether or not this situation was contrived or merely a co-incidence, Faulkner makes a good point insofar as journalists ought to be ashamed of themselves.

One does wonder however, if he has considered his former employer's role in creating a class of overpaid thugs and rapists.

"Hoodoo Gurus lead singer Dave Faulkner confronted journalists as under-fire rugby league personality Matthew Johns flew into Sydney airport last night.

The What's My Scene star was one of a group of passengers doing their best to shield Mr Johns - who has been embroiled in a group sex scandal - from the waiting media pack.

Mr Johns was returning from a family holiday in Broome to Sydney, to meet with Channel Nine bosses to discuss his future.

"What a life you have. What a shocking, tragic, tawdry business you're in," Faulkner told journalists as Mr Johns arrived.

"To film people having a family holiday. Aren't you ashamed of yourselves, watching this?"

"I can't stand you people, what are you doing here?"

No life, buddy, no life," Faulkner added.

The Hoodoo Gurus' manager, Michael McMartin, and his wife are also in the group protecting Mr Johns.

Mr McMartin told The World Today that Mr Johns and his family "didn't deserve" the scrum at Sydney airport so they "tried to disrupt it".

"Coming out in Sydney we saw the media scrum and said 'Look if you want to come with us we'd be more than happy to', and he said 'Thanks guys'."

Couldn't Have Put It Better Myself!

For the monopoly Gold Coast press, this week is obviously state school bashing week:

"Another day, another school bashing

A 17-year-old Elanora State High School student was taken to hospital yesterday after being king-hit in the latest in a series of shocking incidents involving pupils from Gold Coast schools...

Friends of the injured year 12 student told The Gold Coast Bulletin he had recently returned to the school after going home after a confrontation with a group of younger students during an earlier break...

The latest incidents come after The Bulletin last week discovered seven separate videos on YouTube, a video sharing website, involving fist fights, fire bombs and damage to school property at Elanora State High School."

This is not useful community journalism, it's irresponsible sensationalism which actually encourages the behaviour of a small minority of students.

And the non news doesn't stop there as they ramp up the intolerance for a non-existant debate, which only ever became a "debate" because the Bulletin made it so:

"The backers of an Islamic school planned for Carrara say 'unfair' council restrictions may derail the project.

The school's fate, already the subject of a religious and cultural uproar, may be decided today.

At the heart of the issue is what some Muslim leaders claim is discrimination and follows lengthy and at times bitter public debate over the planned Islamic school.

The school was the subject of a series of protests after some Carrara residents claimed it would put them at risk of terrorism."

Folks. Don't talk to News Ltd. They don't care about you and they don't care about your issue - whatever it may be, they will spin it to suit their purpose. Their job is to promote fear, foster racial tension (if not hatred), demonise public services and generally ridicule ordinary people.

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/05/why-you-should-never-talk-to-news-ltd.html

Another Queensland Health Outrage

The constant public health bashing makes one wonder how many genuine scandals happen in private hospitals and care facilities.

"Queensland Health has admitted a doctor at Innisfail Hospital in the state's far north declared a patient dead and ordered her body be removed while she was still breathing."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/12/2567589.htm

No disrespect to the family, but this kind of thing is not unique - it happened to my great Aunt many years ago:

'Woman back from the dead' by Danielle Webster, 'Queensland Times'

Police neighbours and relatives had written off 83-year-old Ipswich resident Eunice Hempenstall for dead - that is, until she started moving.

Neighbours discovered Mrs Hempenstall curled up on her bathroom floor about 7.30 am on May 22 where she had laid for two days and nights after a fall.

Mrs Hemptenstall lay still, her body icy cold to touch. Repeated checks by neighbours and police failed to find her pulse.

Her next of kin had been told of her "passing" and had arrived at her home in Waterworks Rd, Coalfalls, waiting with police for the undertaker.

Police then watched as Mrs Hempenstall, covered with a blanket, began to stir to life.

"They even told my loved ones I had gone. There were people looking for my funeral notice in the paper," Mrs Hempenstall said. She thinks her ordeal started the Saturday morning when she fell on the bathroom floor as she bent down to pick up something.

"I couldn't get up because of my arthritis. I don't remember anything much that happened. I was either unconscious or had a very long sleep," she said.

"My time just wasn't up - you can't keep a good woman down. It's just as well they didn't bury me!"

A neighbour raised the alarm about 7.30 am on Monday when she noticed Mrs Hempenstall's Saturday newspaper still on the porch. Another neighbour, police senior constable Dan Linde, arrived and used a step-ladder to climb in her bedroom window.

"She was cold. There was no pulse that we could detect," Snr Const Linde said.

Other Ipswich police who arrived were also unable to find a pulse. A second police crew from Karana Downs arrived about 8.15 am and covered her with a blanket. Acting Sergeant Ray O'Sullivan said he and partner Const Glen Lamont arrived and soon saw her move. Sgt O'Sullivan said Mrs Hempenstall was shaking, but as she started to warm up she became more lucid.

Mrs Hempenstall yesterday thanked her neighbours for keeping an eye on her.

"It's just as well they noticed. I was sorry I caused so much trouble."

Round Twosies: Do Another Poo In A Tube, Please

"The Department of Health and Ageing will start contacting participants in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program from this week to invite people to re-take the test, after quality issues were identified during an investigation of the test kits...

People who have used the screening kit and have received a positive result are not affected. Anyone with a positive result should, if they have not already done so, see their doctor to arrange further investigation."

Just to be clear: if you have a "positive" result from your chocky ice-cream fruit-loop shit-in-the-fridge test - everything is working just fine and you should urgently go and panic. On the other hand, if your test gave you the "all clear" it is probably wrong! Next they will be testing for 'cerebellum matter faecal replacement' syndrome.

Only joking! Of course, if you buy this rubbish you already have that syndrome.

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/selftest-bowel-cancer-kits-retest/1509900.aspx

Who Cares About A Sad Old Orangutan When You Have A Couple of Cute Pandas On The Way?

A quick google search reveals there's more to the escaping orangutan story than meets the eye:

"Adelaide Zoo will hold a tribute day on Wednesday for the much-loved Pusung, the popular Sumatran orang-utan who died last Tuesday night.

Members of the public are invited to attend a special day at the zoo, where regular screenings of the powerful documentary Green will be run. This a short film highlights the plight of orang-utans in the wild and the devastating impact the palm oil trade is having on the species."

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/tribute-day-for-adelaide-zoo-orangutan/1490816.aspx

Speaking of extinct species...

Daniel Clarke, of Terrey Hills in Sydney, has vowed to keep fighting for the orangutans despite missing out on a $200,000 pledge from former Prime Minister John Howard.

In South East Queensland, EVERY Intersection Is Dangerous For Pedestrians

Brisbane's monopoly press reports [11/5/09]:

"A man is fighting for his life in hospital after he was crushed under a BCC bus at one of Brisbane's most dangerous intersections for pedestrians."

Condescending And Lame (PS: Forget ABC's 4 Corners Show About NRL Rapists!)

What About The Trainline?

Spring Bluff Station, Toowoomba Line

The ABC's 'Stateline' program [8/5/09] reported on the proposed Toowoomba Bypass:

There are hopes that next week's Federal Budget will bring good news for Toowoomba and for truck drivers who battle the range crossing every day. Plans for a bypass, through the Great Dividing Range, have been on the drawing board for 15 years. The consensus is that the road is needed, but getting the money isn't going to be easy.

Curiously, the report didn't mention the Southern and Western Railway from Ipswich to Toowoomba, which opened in May 1867. If road freight is really an issue, why not use the train line we already have?

And why didn't Saturday's [9/5/09] 7.00 pm bulletin report on the exploding fuel tank at Brisbane airport, the final Green Flea Market at West End, the pro choice rally at Parliament House or the nailbiter AFL match between the Labrador Tigers and the Northern Territory?

Who cares about the bloody Wattle Painting?

Most Prolonged Celebrity Visit To Australia

We know it's Mother's Day tomorrow, but you can go home now. (Mr Australia Post's Westfield Shoppingtown visit covered by Channel Nine [8/5/09].)

End Of Empire

"President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai is demanding an end to all US and NATO air strikes in his country.

Mr Karzai says more than 100 civilians were killed this week and that their deaths were "definitely" the result of US airstrikes and not Taliban insurgents."

"The Oprah Winfrey-fuelled free chicken giveaway that caused pandemonium this week at US Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants has been cancelled due to what the fast-food chain called an "overwhelming response."

Roger Eaton, president of KFC in the United States said restaurants would no longer accept the free coupons for its new grilled chicken meal after Oprah's chat show promotion caused long lines around the nation."

And forget reproductive rights, paid parental leave, decent and affordable child care, or an end to sexual violence or addressing sexism in the workplace, the monopoly media on the Gold Coast know what women want:

"From finding love to dealing with your world falling apart, the 'Gold Coast Bulletin's' What Women Want Expo will draw you closer to your sweetheart or help mend a broken heart...

I even learned to spice things up a little, or for hours of giggles and fun, you can even try something a little out of left field.

Pole dancing is taking the world by storm, something many men believe they knew already, but rather than in a seductive way it was providing an enjoyable alternative to fitness or functions...

But when they say 'what women want', they are actually referring to everything.

I even learned that if things in your marriage turn sour, the expo has the right people you can turn to, including a divorce lawyer."

Wow! Fantastic! What I want is to learn how to pole dance for Mr Darcy, then I want to learn how to get his f*cking house!

Where Is The News Value And Where Is The Proof?

Politicians should be slamming this stuff down rather than playing along with it:

"Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has denied claims that he "chucked a wobbly" during a trip to Afghanistan last year because he could not blow dry his hair.

Reports today say Coalition frontbencher John Cobb claims Mr Rudd lost his temper because he could not find a hairdryer during a visit to Australian troops in Afghanistan just before Christmas...

Mr Cobb, however, has told the Herald Sun he stands by his story.

"He chucked a wobbly. I heard from a few people in the Defence forces - they were going on and on about it," the Herald Sun reports Mr Cobb as saying."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/08/2564266.htm

Only Paper In Town Helping Government Sell You Recycled Sewage

What a waste of money. Why should the power stations have it all? Tip that poo and hospital waste in my drinking water NOW!

"A 16 pipeline of recycled water is ready to pump the liquid the final 100m into southeast Queensland's drinking supply but that may never happen.

The pipeline leading to Wivenhoe Dam, the main source of the region's drinking water, has been built, tested and commissioned as part of the Bligh Government's $2.4 billion Western Corridor recycled water project.

But the pipeline, meant to carry purified recycled water from Lowood to the dam, was effectively mothballed as soon as it was built due to the Government's decision to put recycled water into the drinking supply only as a last resort."

*UPDATE* Interestingly, Friday's [8/5/09] 'Australian Financial Review' reports:

"The NSW government has granted approval to Veolia Water for a new plant in Fairfield, western Sydney, to draw waste water from a nearby sewerage treatment plant. The plant will treat the water before recycling and selling it to industry."

Corporatised Sport Trumps Health

Obscene:

The Rudd Government has announced it will contribute $36 million to revamp Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast, boosting the region's chances of hosting the AFL's 17th club.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says the Gold Coast's public health system will be under pressure until the new University Hospital opens at Parklands.

Governing With Spin

From 'Inside Spin: the dark underbelly of the PR industry' by Bob Burton [2007]:

"In his 1989 report into corruption in Queensland, Tony Fitzgerald QC noted that a government media unit could be used:

to control and manipulate the information obtained by the media. Although most Government-generated publicity will unavoidably and necessarily be politically advantageous, there is no legitimate justification for taxpayers' money to be spent on politically motivated propaganda.

If media units didn't result in citizens being better informed about government and departmental activities, Fitzgerald argued that 'their existence is a misuse of public funds, and likely to help misconduct to flourish'. to prevent their misuse, Fitzgerald flagged the possibility of introducing guidelines to govern their activities and the establishment of an all-party parliamentary committee to scrutinise the cost and operation of ministerial media staff and units. Such a committee, he suggested, could 'bring to the attention of Parliament any misrepresentation or misinformation emanating from the administration'.

Traditionally, media discussion of government spin has focused on the tactical games played by ministers and their advisers to gain an upper hand in shaping media coverage. One of the progeny of the Fitzgerald Royal Commission into Corruption in Queensland was the Parliamentary Committee for Electoral and Administrative Review, which, in an April 1994 report, canvassed many of the common strategies used by the Bjelke-Peterson and Goss governments to tame the media. EARC listed common tactics as secrecy, the selective distribution of media relases, denying 'troublesome' journalists access to politicians or government agencies, selective 'leaks' and 'exclusives' to favoured journalists or media outlets. The same tactics prevail today, and have been supplemented with a tight adherence to the centralised handling of media requests, a development that has been facilitated by the use of intranets to establish detailed tracking of media inquiries. The technology of media monitoring has also grown more powerful since Fitzgerald's days, and the media is more concentrated, leading to greater syndication of news stories. Not only are federal and state governments increasingly running big-spending, high-profile advertising campaigns, they are also running invisible PR campaigns that are more akin to propaganda designed to insulate government from political controversy and control public debate. When the PR industry was just getting going in Australia after the Second World War, the challenge for PR consultants was in persuading ministers to turn government information campaigns over to private consultants, which is not a problem today."

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." Mahatma Gandhi

Australia. Major advanced economy. Country where the elderly get their ears chewed by mice in aged care homes.

Some snippets from the May edition of 'The Senior':

"Tax review chief Dr Ken Henry has hinted at a toughening of the government's approach to social welfare to reduce disincentives to study or work."

"22,000 may lose health care card."

"An International Monetary Fund report, which suggests measures including increasing the retirement age, has attracted criticism from Australian pensioner groups."

"The case of a NSW family who fought for the past 12 months and paid $17,000 over departmental confusion about the significance of the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment process illustrates the inconsistencies within the current system."

"Seniors are calling on the State Government to make public transport free for seniors in off-peak periods.

The Australian Pensioners and Superannuants League Queensland said the government should match simliar moves already under way in Western Australia and South Australia."

"Mr Hall said there was a need for a station that covered news, but also read books, on-air serials and plays, on a nationwide basis.

"RPH does not broadcast widely enough and I want to know why," he said.

"There are radio stations that have programs for people who can't read, but they are only set up in the main capital cities and do not cover regional areas."

...Human Rights and Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said people with print handicaps do not want the service Mr Hall is looking for.

...."they want local programs and that is what we have now. The Human Rights Commission supports that sort of local service and has done for many years."

Mr Innes said Mr Hall would like the Human Rights Commission to start the service, but that was not its role."

Most Humorous Junk Mail Of The Week

The 'Health Pride' catalogue, which sells all manner of things - including magnetic bird barrier, a mat which inhibits frost buildup in your freezer, glow in the dark fairy lawn stakes, a toe straightener, a $39 hearing aid (the "whisper"), a device to help you fasten your bracelet or watch, and a Garden Scare Cat:

"This life-like cat's realistic shape and reflective glass "eyes" scare away small animals such as birds and even the neighbour's pesky cat. Mount with a nail or screw (not included) or push into the ground. Made from metal. Measures 37 cm L x 18 cm H. $11.90"

The Torturer's Apprentice

From 'Australia’s role in the American Inquisition' by Richard Neville ['Information Clearing House' - 5/5/09]:

"On his return to Australia, Habib was placed under surveillance and his passport confiscated. Article 14 of CAT commits Australia to ensure the victim of an act of torture obtains redress and has an enforceable right to fair and adequate compensation. This Article was flouted, compensation was rejected. Habib has been pursuing the matter since 2005, with the case continually obstructed by the Howard government and its successor, the Rudd government. A flicker of progress was achieved a few weeks ago, according to a single report in a socialist blog, though I cannot find a mention elsewhere. The slumbering proceedings evoke the aura of a secret trial."

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22552.htm

http://www.homepagedaily.com/Pages/article7178-the-torturers-apprentice.aspx

Benefit of The Doubt For LNL?

Dear Late Night Live,

We refer to Monday night's [4/5/09] show and the introduction to the abovementioned segment, appearing on the website as:

"When President Barack Obama said he was looking for 'openings that can be created where we can start sitting across the table face-to-face' with Iran, he outraged a lot of people, not only Republicans in the United States but many in the Jewish community who cite the current Iranian president's denial of the Holocaust and his calls for Israel to be wiped off the map as representing a new Antisemitism."

It is well established that it is incorrect to say that he "calls for Israel to be wiped off the map".

See:http://antiwar.com/orig/norouzi.php?articleid=11025

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mScWWtRfGQ

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1024097.html

Could you please clarify for us why that phrase ("calls for Israel to be wiped off the face of the map") was repeated without qualification?[e.g.: "...but many in the Jewish community who claim, incorrectly, that the current Iranian..."]

If you argue that he did, in fact, "call for Israel to be wiped off the face of the map" can you please provide your reasoning or sources supporting that position?

We are doing a post about this and eagerly anticipate your response.

Thanks,

Why Does The ABC Always Starve Independent And Minor Party Candidates Of Airtime? (Part 2)

"It was incumbent on the taxpayer-funded ABC to encourage any independent candidate who overcame Anna Bligh's engineered time constraints and had information ready for the voting public despite often limited campaign budgets. Instead, one ABC presenter effectively ridiculed an independent candidate before her audiences on one occasion, when, on Friday 20 March, the day before the elections, a morning presenter told listeners of an independent candidate who had only managed to release his policy statement the previous day. Then she remarked: "They're leaving their pitch until a little late aren't they?" No useful information was given to the audience about that candidate. "

http://candobetter.org/node/1159

Why Can't The Lycra-Clad Steroid Taking Speed Freaks Go To A Velodrome?

I'm sure Merlo would set up a coffee shop for them!

Clown media obfuscates the real story again [4/5/09]:

"A series of brushes between cyclists and pedestrians has forced a stop-go rule on the Bicentennial Bikeway upgrade alongside the Brisbane River.

Brisbane City Council has suspended pedestrian access on 400m section at Milton, in the city's inner-west, sending pedestrians on to a narrow footpath along Coronation Drive.

Down below, cyclists - managed by traffic controllers from 5 am to 8 pm - travel on a temporary construction boardwalk, one direction at a time."

What kind of gumby builds a temporary walkway that's too narrow? And why didn't you ask Councillor Prentice why the cyclists can't dismount through the construction zone, rather than suspending pedestrian access?

Hey Kids, Don't Let Them White Feather You

Watch this movie before you pay any attention to the Murdoch corporation and its puppets in Parliament House - - especially the bit about the poverty draft in Flint Michigan:

http://www.fahrenheit911.com/

"Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has refused to confirm reports the federal government is considering introducing army-style training for the young and unemployed.

Under the proposal, News Limited reports jobless youth would be offered training positions with Department of Defence for a minimum of one month and a maximum of three months in return for additional welfare benefits.

The scheme would also help contain rising unemployment figures and could increase full-time military recruitment."

http://www.livenews.com.au/news/army-tactics-could-be-used-on-unemployed/2009/5/3/205016

Just remember that 'News Limited' is a warmongering outfit. 'News Limited' is Rupert Murdoch. 'News Limited' is also 'Fox' "news", it is also 'Sky', it is also the 'Courier-Mail', the 'Herald-Sun', the 'Adelaide Advertiser', the 'Wall Street Journal', 'The Times' and any number of other crap purveyors of lies and rubbish. Rupert Murdoch is a war criminal - if you accept the conventional definition of that term. But if you are happy to go and kill for his idiotic goals - all we can say is: "Oi! Oi! Oi!", and don't expect us to send socks when you are 'over there' killing in the name of corporate-fascism.

If you still decide to join the Neo-Fascists, then you are 100% on your own, you do not deserve any support from 'home'.

But please don't let us put you off joining up to the army of oil industry protection, perhaps you think that they will look after you and your family. Who knows? Maybe they will change their record over the last few hundred years and will look after you after you have fought and died for their corporate interests. Just pop in to a "Legacy" office before you sign up and ask them how they have been looked after. You may not get a pleasant surprise.

"But it will be different this time." Do we laugh or cry? What if we peace loving idiots are not there to pick up your broken pieces? Why are we so hard-hearted? It really is a matter for you, but you may well find that when you come back all broken and busted nobody gives a shyte about you anymore because you went and did what you did while spitting on the people who begged you not to do it. Think! Are you going to kill people because they are really a threat to you and your country, or is it because they are a danger to your corporations? Ask yourself, "Why didn't I earn 20 million dollars last year?"

Who Cares What Laurie Thinks?

"Veteran journalist Laurie Oakes has attacked the Federal Government's legislation to protect journalists who refuse to disclose their sources...

Mr Oakes says the proposed shield laws will not be effective because the disclosure of Government information is still considered an offence.

Speaking at the Press Freedom Dinner last night in Sydney, Laurie Oakes said the legislation needed to start with the presumption that journalists do not have to disclose sources.

"I would add that when politicians and senior bureaucrats know that there's a chance information will get to journalists via a trusted source, it does what the [Australian] Democrats used to claim to do - it keeps the bastards honest," he said.

"Most scandals, most Government and bureaucratic acts of impropriety, mal-administration, wastage of public funds, nepotism, corruption, breaches of public trust would not qualify - Watergate wouldn't qualify, Deep Throat would end up in the clink."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/02/2558908.htm?section=australia

In the forward of his book 'Power Plays: The real stories of Australian politics', Oakes, who now does most of his paid writing for News Limited titles, tries to argue the generic line that journalists are the natural enemy of politicians because of their fearless search for the truth. He writes:

"We have conflicting interests. Politicians want to control information and the way it is presented to the public. The journalist's job is to dig out information the pollies want to keep buried, and to try to see past the spin to get at the truth."

Of course that is how we all pretend things are, but the reality is that all journalists are fatally compromised from the start, when there is no genuinely independent media and while ever they are invited into secrecy. In one column on the twentieth anniversary of the sacking of the Whitlam government, Oakes describes having dinner at the home of a US diplomat in October 1975:

"The other guests were the US labour attaché, who was a senior CIA operative, and a British MI5 agent working in Canberra under diplomatic cover."

According to the column, they wanted to know what would happen if the coalition used its Senate numbers to block supply. Oakes reports that he told them that Sir John Kerr would dismiss the Labor government.

That probably would have been an interesting story if he had reported it in October 1975, but of course it wouldn't have been published and if Oakes was that way inclined he would have never attained his current position. This idea of "insiders" who are also supposed to be the public guardians of truth may make Oakes sound important, but in reality diminishes the role of journalist to smug protector and confidant of power.

Attention All Brisbane Women: Boycott The Broncos

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/04/boycott-corporate-football.html

A Welcome Disclosure

On last night's [27/4/09] 'Bookshow' on the ABC's Radio National, host Ramona Koval clearly pointed out that the book 'Who Is Mark Twain?' (a collection of 24 of the author's previously unpublished fiction and non-fiction) is published by Harper Studio which is owned by News Corp, and that Jeffrey Trachenberg (guest) from the 'Wall Street Journal' is owned by News Corp, but that the 'Bookshow': "isn't owned by News Corp."

Isn't This What The 'Gruen Transfer' Is Supposed To Do?

Communications Consultant Tony Biancotti and Advertising Executive Rebecca Carrasco appeared on 'Lateline' last night [24/4/09]

Hello? Hellloooo? In case you didn't know, Timbercorp (a Managed Investment Scheme) went broke today.

Can we please have some discussion on how our politicians are really performing, rather than how shadow stage managers think they are being presented by the media and perceived by the public.

Leigh Sales, and 'Lateline', definitely jumped the shark pool with this one! Shame!

A Question For The Republican Party Reptile

P.J. O'Rourke:

Do you think Australia is a Murdochcracy?

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Standout Letter To The Editor

From the 'Sydney Morning Herald' [21/4/09]:

"Public already along for ride:

I heard the Transport Minister, David Campbell, huffing on about the fact that no Government would ever be able to introduce free public transport. On my evidence, Mr Campbell, it's already in. Or, judging by the hoards in the early evening streaming out to Homebush for the Royal Easter Show and football, with nary a single ticket barrier to halt their progress either way, it's as good as.

Rosemary O'Brien"

Future 'Most Wanted' Courtesy 'Q & A', 'Lateline' and 'Lateline Business'!

Best Red Braces

Best Hairy Chested Neocon Rhetoric Dressed up As Touchy Feely "The World Needs To Change"

Best Unfathomable comeback

Best Marcus Padley

These Are Just Some Of The People Responsible For Your Plight!

Image More Important Than Issues

Logan Mayor Cr Pam Parker emailed at 5.59am, after hearing "Voulez Vous":
Good morning Spencer, I have being plugging away with emails since 5am whilst listening to you via the computer, so thank you for that tip.
I just noticed I was typing to the tune of Abba and tapping the toes at same time, so it is great to be able to work and receive positive endorphins via music at the same time. Yes I am an Abba fan.
Have a great day and keep up the entertaining and informative breakfast show.
Kind regards - Cr Pam Parker Mayor of our Great City - Logan.

http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2009/04/look-whos-been.html?program=612_breakfast

IT savvy politicians know which emails to ignore! 'Spring Hill Voice' is still waiting for a response to an email we sent the Mayor in December last year (see below: 'Why Is News Ltd. after Pam?'):

"Given the power and influence of the Murdoch media and its virtual monopoly in Queensland, we take a particular interest in their methods and motivations. Our website is mostly satirical, but we do a serious "media page" as a type of media-watch.
We see that they have done two stories about you recently (the 'bimbo makeover' and 'she told me to shave my beard' stories). The first story seemed to be a baseless beat-up. The second story also seemed to have little substance and even less news value.
Do you have any general comment about these stories? Do you have any specific comment about the allegation about the shaving off of the councillor's beard?"

No More Advertisements On SBS

http://saveoursbs.org/

"Save Our SBS has launched a campaign to see SBS better funded in the 2009 triennial federal Budget and as part of an ongoing objective that would enable SBS to be the public, non-commercial, multicultural ’special’ broadcaster it once was. The Budget is the time to right recent past policies and prohibit the interruption of programs for advertisements. Save Our SBS has been lobbying for sometime with the support of thousands of concerned persons for this change followed by an eventual phasing out of all commercials on the SBS."

What's Happening In Somalia?

From 'You Are Being Lied to About Pirates' by Johann Hari 'Information Clearing House' [12/4/09]:

"In 1991, the government of Somalia - in the Horn of Africa - collapsed. Its nine million people have been teetering on starvation ever since - and many of the ugliest forces in the Western world have seen this as a great opportunity to steal the country's food supply and dump our nuclear waste in their seas.

Yes: nuclear waste. As soon as the government was gone, mysterious European ships started appearing off the coast of Somalia, dumping vast barrels into the ocean. The coastal population began to sicken. At first they suffered strange rashes, nausea and malformed babies. Then, after the 2005 tsunami, hundreds of the dumped and leaking barrels washed up on shore. People began to suffer from radiation sickness, and more than 300 died. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy to Somalia, tells me: "Somebody is dumping nuclear material here. There is also lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury - you name it." Much of it can be traced back to European hospitals and factories, who seem to be passing it on to the Italian mafia to "dispose" of cheaply. When I asked Ould-Abdallah what European governments were doing about it, he said with a sigh: "Nothing. There has been no clean-up, no compensation, and no prevention."At the same time, other European ships have been looting Somalia's seas of their greatest resource: seafood. We have destroyed our own fish-stocks by over-exploitation - and now we have moved on to theirs. More than $300m worth of tuna, shrimp, lobster and other sea-life is being stolen every year by vast trawlers illegally sailing into Somalia's unprotected seas. The local fishermen have suddenly lost their livelihoods, and they are starving. Mohammed Hussein, a fisherman in the town of Marka 100km south of Mogadishu, told Reuters: "If nothing is done, there soon won't be much fish left in our coastal waters.""

It's Baaaaaack!

News Ltd. revive their '1 Degree' (as in "one degree") campaign

Well last year, this classic example of greenwashing (News Ltd. set out to be carbon neutral by 2010) won an EPA award for environmental leadership [www.1degree.com.au/node/875].

Then Rupert presented the first of his ABC Boyer lectures [2/11/08 - see 'Rupert's solution To Global Warming? "I Degree"!' below] and dropped an absolute clanger, earnestly describing his commitment to the issue of climate change by citing his corporation's "I Degree" initiative. Shortly thereafter, all "1 Degree" publicity vanished from the on-line and paper pages of his publications.

Now "1 Degree" is back! But it's been repackaged with a not so subtle change. Rather than the corporation aiming to be carbon neutral by 2010, the message is now:

"Numbers add up when it comes to global warming. Visit 1degree.com.au to calculate your carbon footprint and discover how you can make a differnce by changing what you do by One Degree."

Obviously setting out to be carbon neutral by 2010 proved to be a bit ambitious!

At Least Bainimarama Tells It like It Is

"Fiji's interim prime minister Frank Bainimarama says freedom of speech causes trouble and is to blame for the country's political turmoil."

Australia's media commentators always seem to miss the point, which is that politicians and powerful people around the world all despise free speech. Essentially, the people who want accountability never do anything wrong, and the people who don't want accountability are the ones who do wrong things.:

"Without the existence of well-resourced 'public trust' journalism - the arm of democracy that attempts to keep the other arms open, honest and accountable - it is far more likely that custodians of democracy will be dishonest, deceptive or will abuse the positions of trust.

'Public trust' journalism is very costly to produce. In a country like Australia, it requires hundreds of reporters, editors and commentators, supported by costly infrastructure, to do time-consuming, research-heavy, often painstaking work...

Some people believe a new online commercial business model for quality journalism will emerge. That is already happening on a small scale (such as at Business Spectator, Crikey, Smart Company and Eureka Report, in which I am involved), but there is no hint anywhere of an emerging commercial model for the large-scale 'public trust' journalism I have described. Not a hint."

In fact, Australia does have something along the lines of "Public Trust" journalism. It's called the ABC - which has been so politicised and infiltrated - it's practically a commercial arm of News Ltd.

F*ck "emerging commercial models", if 'Information Clearing House' had the resources to produce a weekly newspaper, it'd put the current swathe of self interested so called "independent" newsletters to shame.

Donations Are Down More Than 90%
Of the more than 66 ,000 people who receive our newsletter each day and over one million people who visit our website each month, 33 people have responded to our appeal for financial support.
Unfortunately THAT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO MEET OUR EXPENSES and I need to post this notice again in the hope that others may respond.

Not Likely

"Technology that uses flourescence to pick up trace sewage contamination may help increase public confidence in recycled water, say researchers."

Especially given that:

"Some microbiologists are concerned about the safety of processes designed to screen out harmful micro-organisms.

For example, University of Sydney infectious diseases expert Professor Ray Kearney recently said it would be difficult to stop hospital waste being recycled in drinking water.

Dr Henderson dismisses these concerns, saying the quality of properly treated recycled water is much better than current drinking water.

"We can see from the research we've done that there is almost nothing that can get through [the screening processes used]," she says.

"Almost nothing"? Great! Bring on the sh*t water! We Queenslanders love being experimented upon!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/15/2543038.htm

Choose What You Read

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/04/choose-what-you-read.html

Interesting Juxtaposition

News Ltd report [14/4/09] that there's blood on the streets, but hey, what a ripper place to invest!

Phew! No need to worry

Did you hear the news today?
We are off the hook
So drive your car and burn your coal
And stop being such a sook

A press release from the AEF
And Jennifer Marohasy
Unquestioningly reported
In the news on triple zee???!!!@@@????

Elevated levels of CO2
In the atmosphere
Is caused by more than fossil fuels
So there's no need to fear

The ETS is premature
The government should not hurry
Carbon is a natural thing
Phew! No need to worry

Best Newsreader Avant Garde Outfit Of The Week

Lee Lin Chin's outfit on Sunday night's [12/4/09] 'World News'.

Runner up for best interviewee eyesocket scratch and nose rub goes to the dude from Barclays Capital who appeared on Friday night's [10/4/09] 'Lateline Business'.

WILL We Ever Have Any Real Journalism On The Gold Coast?

The Gold's Coast's News Ltd. [12/4/09] outlet pronouncing what WILL happen:

"The Federal Government will scrub the Gold Coast's $1.67 billion rapid transit system from the final Intrastructure Australia list next week.

Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese will make the announcement at the Carrara AFL stadium site within a week.

Sources have told The Bulletin Mr Albanese will confirm the delivery of $40 million for the $130 million stadium but will offer only token support for the rapid transit system...

Premier Anna Bligh and new Transport Minister Rachel Nolan will sit down with Mayor Ron Clarke and councillors on Wednesday to outline the State Government's long-term commitment to the rapid transit project."

WILL they just?

WILL they also tell us next week's lotto numbers?

Fiji: The Way The World Should Be

Where dissenting blogs and websites are blocked, and Murdoch's 'Fiji Times' rules.

From the Fiji Labour Party Activities Report [2008]:

"In the past 19 months or so, The Fiji Times, and to some extend the Fiji Sun and Fiji TV have shown blatant political bias against the government and the Fiji labour Party - manipulating and distorting news, giving full reign to critics of the government while censoring responses from government or those supporting.

Negative reports and anti government statements and opinions are given undue prominence while government news and views are reported selectively. Statements, replies and corrections are twisted and distorted to suit certain agenda or not allowed proper coverage, or are published weeks later.

The end result is that government's side of the story, or good developmental news are effectively withheld from the people. In doing so, not only do these organisations breach the Media Code of Ethics, they also show marked political bias. They cannot therefore be deemed to be neutral or impartial in their dissemination of news.

Complaints lodged with the Media Council take months to be addressed by which time they have effectively lost any relevance.

Indeed, the situation go so serious that government was forced to deport the expatriate publishers of The Fiji Times and Fiji sun - Evan Hannah and Russell Hunter, respectively - on the grounds that they were a treat to national security.

Since the, there has been a slight improvement or wariness but the bias, the distortions and the lack of balance continue. The Fiji Labour Party continues to be victimised by these same media organisations - our responses to issues are ausually not run, and not sought. When we write letters they are either not published or given a run in the inside pages three weeks later.

The Fiji Times even stoops to dishonesty in tempering with letters that expose its own stupid mistakes. Is this not abuse of media powers? Why is The Fiji times afraid to admit to its own mistakes?"

There is some very interesting stuff going down in Fiji right now [April 2009]!

Much more to follow. But for starters, did you know that one of Murdoch's key operatives there (Margaret Wise) was sacked from the 'Fiji Times' for rebelling against the then Australian editor in 1999, that she has a child with former coup-man Rambucca, and that she is now back with the paper? Did you know that Richard Naidu, the Fiji Times' Lawyer, was with one of the two big Suva law firms 'blacklisted' by the latest regime? Maybe you don't even know about all the bashings and alleged torture of dissidents that is going on over there. Maybe you don't even know that there have been blockings of blogs? Fiji has only one ISP and it isn't exactly independent.

Do you know that Fiji has huge military expenditure and that there are many Fijians working as mercenaries in Iraq?

One of the most interesting aspects of the whole story is that the Chief of Police, Teleni, seems to be a fascist evangelical God-botherer. He sounds very much like a product of 'The Fellowship' (see Jeff Sharlett's book: 'The Family') and is quoted as abusing his officers and saying something along the lines of: "nothing will stand in the way of me and my jesus."

More on these nutters shortly, but it does look like there is a CIA/neo-con/evangelical angle here.

Quote of The Week

On Thursday night's [9/4/09] 'Q & A' , when asked by a student with an interest in social justice what he could do for the world, author and social commentator Jane Caro said: "Teach in a public school."

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

It Has Nothing To Do With "Respect"

News Ltd. presents another reason why you should use your creative flair to culture jam as many copies of 'mX' that you can:

"Read Karmichael Hunt's column 'In the Hunt' in your copy of 'mX', available free in the central business district this afternoon. His column appears normally every Friday in 'mX'."

To give him a column is a deliberate and calculated mind f*ck.

Boys Will Be Boys

Australia be proud, this is you:

Two senior North Melbourne AFL players have admitted to being part of a group of eight players who made an offensive video that was uploaded onto the internet.

Midfielder Adam Simpson and ruckman Daniel Pratt appeared on The Footy Show on Channel Nine last night to confess to being part of the group that made the video, which has been described as tasteless and offensive to women. It shows a rubber chicken with a condom over its head simulating sex with a chicken carcass.

The dead chicken is later hurled against a wall and run over by a club vehicle. A sponsor's logo is visible at one stage of the video, which has a rap song called 'Move, Bitch' as its soundtrack...

North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley has admitted he watched a controversial video made by some of his players before it became public this week.

Speaking at a press conference, a frustrated Laidley was eager to move on from the issue ahead of this weekend's match against last year's premier Hawthorn.

"Look I think I've answered enough questions, if we're here now to talk about the game, I'm happy to stand here and talk about it all day," he said.

"I think the media have had a fantastic run. The club's been open and transparent. The boys have copped their medicine."

Kangaroos players have donated $10,000 to a domestic violence charity.

Do they get what they've done wrong? I don't think so. The sin was getting caught.

In fact, in a backhanded kind of way the media seem to be promoting this kind of activity. (This particular story includes a link to "you tube".)

Interesting that as the world goes to hell in a handbasket, the misogynistic attacks on women have intensified.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/09/2538999.htm

Ask Brisbane Square Library To Screen SBS World News In The Newspaper Room

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/04/as-brisbane-square-library-for-sbs-to.html

Welcome To Queensland

This week's [8/4/09] 'Gold Coast Sun' welcomes visitors to the glitter strip over the easter holidays.

Fat-Arsed Revenue Raisers dressed as 'Village People' will be out in force over easter to protect you from 'Hoons'! And because you are stupid, you will support and agree with this! As Jesus would say: 'Me, you people are stupid'!

Want To Know The Real Story Behind The 'GFC'?

A "must read" from 'Bush Out':

http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom?page=4#page=4

Why Should Webcke Apologise For Doing The Right Thing?

"Webcke further apologised to fans, coaches and players for "dredging up events that should be consigned to history"."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/06/2535905.htm

Why Didn't The ABC Ask Anyone At Casey Station About The Ice Shelf?

"Crude oil is much too valuable to be burned as a fuel." Kenneth S. Deffeyes

Doesn't Australia have a "significant presence" in Antartica?

"One Antarctic ice shelf has quickly vanished, another is disappearing and glaciers are melting faster than anyone thought due to climate change, US and British government researchers have reported.

They said the Wordie Ice Shelf, which had been disintegrating since the 1960s, is gone and the northern part of the Larsen Ice Shelf no longer exists. More than 8,300 square kilometres have broken off from the Larsen shelf since 1986.

Climate change is to blame, according to the report from the US Geological Survey and the British Antarctic Survey."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/05/2535191.htm?section=world

So 'Your ABC' haplessly quotes the BBC for this story without any local input? Totally pissweak ABC! Where were YOUR journalists on this? Where are your environmental reporters? What's that? "Locked down and unable to get a report filed?" perhaps! Again: Pissweak!

According to someone called 'Bergin' from an institute of some sort, Australia spends about $100,000,000 every year on your Antarctic facilities. It seems that instead of looking at the destruction of our planet, they have spent most of this on a state-of-the-art ice runway for big jets. Wow! Maybe it was a PPP with Macquarie Bank and Goldman Sachs?

Apparently there is the possibility of huge oil deposits down that way... . Mining moratorium anyone? Nah, impossible with Peter Garrett in the Cabinet. The ALP would never even think of such a thing.

The Valley Is F^cked, So Why Bother?

Fairfax's Brisbane outlet [4/4/09] tries to get all nostalgic in a hollow, typo-ridden ramble through Fortitude Valley:

"Keep walking down Wickham Street.

Here you see what the planner say will the Valle's [sic] "heart", with its iconic McWhirter Centre sign, the night clubs, the Valley train station, seedy sex clubs and strip joints that echo back to the pre-Fitzgerald Inquiry days.

Live music, clubs like the new Cloudland and re-dressed Rockafellas, bounce off the old clubs like the Beat and the Zoo, but they frame the popular identity of the Valley.

However the welfare groups remain. They have to remain."

Was Tony pissed when he filed this? Any Brisbane local could tell you that the Valley was a great suburb until about 2002 - before the lockout, the non-smoking laws and the "Valley Entertainment Precinct" ruined it for everyone.

And this is a strange inclusion:

"Earlier this week Cr Victoria Newton - speaking largely for Valley councillor David Hinchcliffe who had excused himself from the debate because he still owns a house in the area - said the charater of the Valley needed to be protected."

Is there something wrong with living (or owning property) in a suburb that you represent politically?

Best Newsreader Necklace Of The Week (Pens and Laptops are boring)

Jennie Brockie's necklace on the SBS's 'Insight' show [31/3/09] about internet censorship wins outright!

Next week we'll be focussing on the dodgiest interviewee with the shiftiest eyes on 'Lateline' or 'Lateline Business'.

Ask 'GetUp!' To Stop Advertising With News Ltd.

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/03/ask-getup-to-stop-advertising-with-news.html

Best Newsreader Necklace Of The Week

Next week's focus will be interaction with laptop technique and pen holding technique.

Janice Peterson takes out this week's award for her Monday [23/3/09] night adornment

We Are Not All In This Together

From Cindy Sheehan's recent [25/3/09] article on 'Information Clearing House':

President Obama basically said that we can't demonize every investor who earns a profit, because "we are all in this together." Sorry, but I am going to have to call a big fat "bull-shit" on this one.

When Obama said "we" did he have a mouse in his pocket? Obama, and his family have a very opulent, slave-built roof over their heads. He travels on the public nickel, his children attend an exclusive Washington, DC private school that has organic food on its menu, and has health care that covers everyone in his family from head to toe and side to side and inside out.

Even though he and every member of the administration, Congress and the Supreme Court are not hurting for anything, the bastard (sorry if your parents weren't married when you were conceived) Wall Street banksters are receiving billions of dollars of government welfare and are not so good about being in "this together" with us.

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article22296.htm

Bronco Bucks Up

THAT chapter from THAT book, gets a run in the Sunday Murdoch [29/3/09]. If this is the spoiler, one wonders how it will effect sales of his book?

In any case, these parts were particularly interesting:

"Yes, the players had been given the green light to go out drinking that day - but as far as I'm concerned, their behaviour went far beyond the boundaries of what is acceptable.

At the time, I discussed the issue at length with (Broncos chief executive) Bruno Cullen and left him in no doubtabout my views.

He said the police had asked the club not to do anything until they had completed their investigation...

The board made their decision in line with advice given by the police - and Thaiday, Hunt and Boyd played.

No doubt the unusual, and unexpected, incursion of Queensland Police Minister Judy Spence into the fray encouraged the club's decision too. "I would encourage people not to pre-judge these players or the events surrounding this incident on the weekend," she said. "Come along to the match this weekend."

Whether Webcke and his co-author Ian Heads (see 'More To The Webcke Story Than The Corporate Media Can And Won't Reveal?' below) intended to or not, this chapter reveals much more than his frustration with the club and/or the behaviour of some of the players.

Although what he's saying about the police involvement sounds odd, there can be no doubt that it's a strange twisted state of affairs that all points back to who owns the team, who owns the politicans, and who owns Queensland.

He may not realise it, but this Bronco is actually bucking against this toxic influence.

More On The Bogusness That Is "Mirth Hour"

Today's [28/3/09] Fairfax disseminates some WWF spin:

"The lights at the Gabba and Suncorp Stadium might be blazing during Earth Hour tonight, but those stadiums, hospitals and other public utilities that won't be switching off are contributing to Earth Hour in their own way: carbon offsets.

As the Fourex man, the Story Bridge and City Hall plunge into darkness tonight from 8.30, the Tugun Desalination Plant, the Royal Brisbane Children's Hospital and Brisbane's stadiums willl instead by offsetting the carbon emissions."

I thought the Tugun Desalination Plant was going to be powered by renewable energy?

That's the real story.

Q & A - Pull The Plug - Democracy In Danger?

An email to the Friends of the ABC email list [27/3/09]:

A few weeks ago I expressed on this line a degree of concern about the format of Q & A. Tonight - one of the matters being aired being of particular interest - I watched very closely. The use of the "Frost method" was so blatant that I feel the programme breaches broadcasting standards and should be pulled forthwith and a public apology made by the ABC for allowing this to happen. It was flagrantly obvious that a pre-prepared script existed and that, as such this was neither a genuine Q & A discussion nor a genuine "live" programme. The audience questions that were allowed to be put and the video questions were all pre-arranged and on at least one occasion the questioner was seen clearly referring to notes or to a script - either serving the same purpose of being part of the overall on-line controlled script for the programme. All spontaneity was stamped on by the highly respected journalist (of whom I might add I remain a fan). The programme was patently operated in accordance with either a pre-existing and/or on line script. In a genuine democracy this is simply not on. I append a re-post of my earlier post concerning this method of controlling the expression of supposedly public opinion as it first surfaced some thirty five years or more ago. Either the format of the programme has to be totally revised and monitored or the plug should be pulled. I'd pull the plug. That is what they did with Frost when he was caught out. Phil Sutherland

www.fabcnsw.org.au

Is The Political Angle Irrelevent One Week After The Election?

Fairfax reports [27/3/09]:

"A Sunshine Coast landowner has accused oil-spill clean-up workers of dumping toxic waste on his vacant property.

Andrew Jeremijenko called police to his property at Wurtulla after discovering contractors had allegedly trespassed on his land and dumped contaminated sand from the nearby Currimundi Beach.

Dr Jeremijenko, an occupational and environmental medical specialist, yesterday discovered two large skips on the block of land where he plans to build a holiday house for his family.

In a bizarre twist, Dr Jeremijenko had led an independent assessment team to Moreton Island in the aftermath of the Pacific Adventurer leaking oil and dumping 31 containers of ammonium nitrate into the bay."

Couldn't have included one par to say that Dr Jeremijenko ran as a Greens candidate for Clayfield in the state election?

A Question For Q & A

A question for Senator Conroy:

"If the government is so concerned about child pornography, why did it put a stop to the "Net Alert" family filter, and why did it cut $2.8 million from the AFP's "Online Child Exploitation Taskforce", when it's spending so much on censoring the internet?"

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

"Social Media" Advertises Earth Hour

Earth Hour is all about making sure you continue not to give a f*ck about climate change. Like buying a green bag, it's cynical greenwashing that makes participants feel like they are doing something, then the next day it's back to business as usual - which is just what the government, car, fossil fuel and road building industries (and their handmaidens in the corporate media and ABC) want.

We are all aware of climate change - the problem is that most people feel powerless to do anything about it - and Earth Hour reinforces this malaise.

Leo Burnett's (who along with the WWF created theEarth Hour campaign in 2007) Todd Sampson in his "Vote Earth" t-shirt on this week's [25/3/09] 'Gruen Tansfer', and the cover of the March edition of 'Map' magazine

Earlier this year, the World Wild Life Fund (WWF) put out a media release calling for "Social Media" to spread the word about Earth Hour:

"Earth Hour is urging bloggers, podcasters, online video makers, mobile users and online social networkers to spread the word about the imprtance of turning your lights out for one hour at 8.30pm on March 28...

In December 2009 world leaders meet in Copenhagen to agree on a post-Kyoto policy for tackling climate change. One billion people voting with their light switch during Earth Hour will create a powerful mandate for our leaders to take strong and decisive action on climate change in Copenhagen."

Interesting, given that Fairfax promoted Earth Hour so "successfully" last year (see 'Strange Times' below), this year the WWF is relying on "Social Media" to spread the word. The Earth Hour advertisements have been aired on SBS, the ABC is pushing it, as is the Brisbane City Council.

Here's a little bit of history about the WWF from a chapter on Non-government organisations in their book 'Silencing Dissent', Sarah Maddison and Clive Hamilton write:

"While the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia (WWF Australia) appears to have had a close relationship with the Howard Government since the 1996 election, the events surrounding the enactment of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) were a turning point in this relationship. This Act brought wide-ranging and controversial changes to Commonwealth environmental laws. There was a sharp disagreement among the larger environment groups about the merits of these legislative changes and debate about whether they should publicly support the Bill. The endorsements of the Act provided by WWF Australia - joined by three other smaller groups - contrasted with the often scathing criticsims made by opponents of the legislation, including the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), The Wilderness Society (TWS) and Greenpeace.

After the legislation was enacted, people associated with WWF Australia and the other supportive groups were appointed to serve on federal government environmental advisory committees. WWF Australia was also awarded a contract to disseminate information about the Act among environment NGOS. A report in 2004 concluded that WWF has enjoyed extensive financial support from the Howard Government, with a five-fold funding boost since 1996."

Queensland Was So Backward When Joh Was In Charge

4ZzZ's 'Radio Democracy' show today [25/3/09] reported on what went down at an Aboriginal Rights Coalition fundraiser for Lex Wotton at West End on election night.

The reported police action was chilling.

At least someone's doing some real journalism in Brisbane!

*UPDATE* This video has appeared on Google video:

21/03/09 - Police Target Lex Wotton Benefit - West End, Brisbane Qld Australia - 11:28 - Mar 22, 2009 2 arrests were made following police harassment of a Palm Island Indigenous man leaving a benefit gig held to support Lex Wotton’s family....all » 2 arrests were made following police harassment of a Palm Island Indigenous man leaving a benefit gig held to support Lex Wotton’s family. Lex Wotton is currently serving a 6 year jail sentence for his part in a community protest in response to the cover-up of the death in custody of fellow Palm Island resident Mulrunji Doomadgee in November 2004. The gig was an alcohol free all ages live music event held as part of regular Saturday night activities at Blackstar Coffee Roastery in West End, none of which previously had attracted any police interest. “From the start of the benefit gig, which included performances about black deaths in custody, uniformed police in unmarked cars patrolled the street, driving past at least five times before stationing two police cars and a police wagon at the end of the street. Despite no incidents at the event the police clearly expected to make arrests” said Robert Nicholas, one of the organisers from the Aboriginal Rights Coalition. An Indigenous man from Palm Island who had attended the event was walking home when he was stopped at the end of the street by ten police officers who questioned why he was at the event. Several concerned people walked up the street and asked police why they were not letting the man go home, to which they replied that he needed an ‘escort’. “We told them that one of us would walk home with him, and that he didn’t require a police escort or presence. At this point they started becoming very agitated and calling us ‘ignorant left-wingers’. For full Media Release please email arcbrisbane@gmail.com pls note - female voice at end saying "They're grown adults" is a police officer (referring to police & why they could walk away without answering where they were taking these 2 gentlemen)«

http://www.freelexwotton.blogspot.com/

Last Week It Was "Employment Statistics"

Today's [25/3/09] ABC "News Diary" says:

"ABS releases social trends figures"

More To The Webcke Story Than The Corporate Media Can And Won't Reveal?

Fairfax reports [25/3/09]:

"Ian Heads, the author of Shane Webcke's scrapped book, says the champion Brisbane prop has made one of the most difficult decisions of his career to pulp thousands of copies just a week from its release.

Webcke has made a stunning 11th hour decision to scrap his latest book Hard Road - Tough thoughts on a tough game, a revealing and honest account of life after football and the off-field scandals surrounding the game.

Pan MacMillan Australia has confirmed the book, due to be released on March 31, has been pulled on the request of the author.

Chapter 16 of Hard Road, entitled Broncos Behaving Badly, includes his forthright thoughts on the Alhambra Lounge sex scandal that engulfed Brisbane last season and how it was managed by the Bronco administration."

So who is Ian Heads?

He's a Rugby League expert and writer. ('A centenary of Rugby League 1908-2008: the definitive story of the game in Australia' and with Shane Webcke - 'Warhorse: life, football and other battles')

According to the ABC's 'Media Watch' [18/10/1999], he "resigned in protest" from the News Ltd. publication 'The Telegraph' after a story he wrote about the Rabbitohs protest rally was canned:

Richard Ackland: The editor tossed Ian Heads' story in the bin, and as no story featured on the rally at all in the paper, Heads resigned in protest. He told Media Watch it was because of:

"My deep professional disappointment as a journalist."

Ackland continues:

"When the right to know rubs up against the commercial stakes of a mogul, you know which cause will win the day.

Don't expect more protest from Mr Packer - he is now part of league's wondrous Pay TV future, having bought half of Fox Sports.

But none of us should feel left out.

The full Murdoch vision for the future is something we can all share."

And he goes on to refer to an article from the 'Sydney Morning Herald' - 'Every step you take, Rupert will be there.' [9/10/1999].

It makes interesting reading.

Full Spectrum Dominance

Last night [24/3/09] there was a very interesting event at QUT hosted by 'New Matilda', about the ALP's internet censorship plans.

If you are not aware of what Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, is up to then you really need to do a little research. ABC's 'Background Briefing' had an excellent radio show about it last week. 'Electronic Frontiers Australia' is a good place to start. You should also look at 'Libertus.net' and find out for yourself how undemocratic your ALP government's actions are. Remember, this is the same ALP that advocated the use of torture as a way of protecting 'us'.

If you are feeling really adventurous, you may also ponder why it is that so many people are so dim in your local area. You may notice that there is a direct correlation between the degree of Murdoch control of their News with their degree of ignorance. This phenomenon is called "News Limited" and it is a curse particularly concentrated in Australia, mostly Queensland and South Australia. However, it is spreading alarmingly in Victoria and New South Wales, assisted by the use of the internet by overpaid Murdoch operatives.

Now, why would the Government want to control the internet? Why does Rupert own 'MySpace' and as much of the press and popular internet sites as he can get his overstretched finances on? Who really knows, but you can bet your na na's it isn't because he feels you should have more 'Freedom and Democracy' or unbiased journalism.

For the scoffers in the audience, we suggest you look on the internet for 'nude pictures of Pauline Hanson', and see what that story tells you about Murdoch's ethics, methods, scruples(!), employees and the concept of shame. You may need to put in the words "shock" "outrage" "fury", in various combinations to understand how bad this situation really is. He only gets away with this because he has all of your elected representatives by the balls, and they are incapable of getting their balls back. You can't blame Murdoch without blaming every single one of your elected representatives who have let him get this level of power over your democracy.

To think his scribes could be the main participants at yesterday's "Australia's Right To Know" (Freedom of Speech) conference. What a joke.

News Ltd chief says sorry to Hanson

The head of News Limited has admitted its papers made a mistake by publishing nude photos that wrongly claimed to be of Pauline Hanson.

The Sunday Telegraph was forced to publicly apologise to Ms Hanson when it emerged the picture were fakes.

Today News Ltd chief John Hartigan told a conference on free speech that publishing the photos was an error of judgment.

"The media does make mistakes as some of our newspapers did last week. There will be more mistakes in the future too, I regret," he said.

"But in my 40-odd years in journalism I can say with some conviction that most mistakes happen because journalists are fallible like everyone else."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/24/2524967.htm?section=australia

Eugenics Will Get You Off Your Land

Remember 'Eugenics'? Tonight's [24/3/09] 'Lateline' seems to steer scarily close to a modern version of it.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/

Cost Cutting On Cancer?

Another half-arsed, fear mongering story about cancer treatment courtesy News Ltd. [24/3/09] :

Cancer patients will be given "left-over" chemotherapy drugs under a controversial budget-saving measure by the Rudd Government to be introduced in July.

Australia will become the first country in the world to "reuse" opened cancer drug vials, sparking criticism from Queensland doctors and patient groups.

The Intravenous Chemotherapy Supply Program plan will start from July and will save the Government $105 milllion over four years.

The real story about cancer treatment in Australia can be found in Cancer Voices Australia's submission to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission [30/5/08]:

[Queensland is one of the states that] are in the process of or have developed cancer plans but are facing problems relating to lack of skilled personnel and appropriate funding. Collaboration between the States and Territories is recommended to help alleviate these problems...

In Australia there is a great disparity of Cancer services, not only in the capital cities but especially in relation to patents in rural and remote areas.

Furthermore, properly funded, well organised Multi-Disciplnary Care is not available in most parts of the country - and this is despite the meaningful work over the years of consumer groups and dedicated clinicians.

The role then of governments and non-government providers alike is to provide the appropriate funding and means to ensure that cancer services are vastly improved for all Australians.

This is the major concern for cancer patients, their family and carers. Surveys taken amongst state advocacy and support groups and other cancer charities, foundations and support organisations confirm this.

Pushing people into private health is not going to solve these problems. Cancer treatment is big business for the private health providers and insurance companies, when health care should be a universal right.

See Michael Moore's documentary 'Sicko'.

Make It Free

Monopoly press vilifying public transport yet again [Courier-Mail 24/3/09]:

Fare evaders cost Translink about $16 million a year

More than 14,000 fare evaders are taking a free ride on trains, buses and ferries each day in southeast Queensland, costing taxpayers millions.

On some train lines, such as Beenleigh, one in every 10 commuters is travelling without paying...

Fare revenue covers less than a third of the $960 million annual cost of running SEQ's public transport network.

Anti public transport lies put together by neoconservative consultants.

Puritanical F*ckers

What is this trash doing on the ABC's 'News Radio' and the 7 o'clock bulletin?

Watch yourself! In Brisbane, dumpy little do-gooder News Ltd. dobbers are everywhere, so whatever you do - don't be "boisterous" - that would never do - especially on a night out with friends.

This witch-hunting of Andrew Symonds must have an interesting subtext. What is it? Is it because he supposedly skipped out on a bogus corporate event of some sort up in the NT to just be himself? Could these shills be that petty? Nah, impossible!

The Intervention Must Be Extended, There Are Too Many Resources At Stake

You can have apartheid or apartheid, or you can get off the land. It's up to you. But all your land are belong to us (and the vast mineral and newcular resources beneath it).

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/

Why Does The ABC Always Starve Independent And Minor Party Candidates Of Airtime?

We expect this from the corporate media but not the national broadcaster.

The independent candidate for Mt Coot-tha - James Sinnamon - reflects upon the ABC's media coverage during the state election campaign:

...My only substantial media coverage, was one interview lasting five minutes on 4ZZZ.

The ABC's Brisbane local radio station ignored my requests to be interviews or to use any of my media releases.On one occasion, I was allowed to tell ABC listeners that there was a 'meet the candidate' night in the Mount Coot-tha electorate, but was cut off before being given the opportunity to say anything substantial about myself. That was evidently deemed by the managers to be my full quota of exposure on the ABC.

My only other exposure was on Friday 13 March when, after my sending a number of e-mails and having made several more phone calls, ABC presenter Madonna King put to state Treasurer Andrew Fraser, against whom I was standing in Mount Coot-tha, a question from me: would he commit himself to not privatising further Government owned assets?

Mr Fraser effortlessly brushed it off with a predictably ambiguous response. He claimed that the Government had no plans to privatise any more assets and that he was ideologically opposed to privatisation. In spite of having a considerable amount of material from me, that she could have used to follow up that question, Madonna King failed to use it.

Andrew Fraser had also told listeners that he had written what he told them to me in a letter.

However, when I received that letter later the same day electronically, I found what it said to be substantially different to what Mr Fraser had told listeners. However, my requests to have air time to point that out and to properly follow up on his inadequate answers to my questions were ignored.

The ABC's treatment of myself, other independent candidates and the Greens will be more fully explored in another article.

I managed to distribute about roughly 1,400 brochures (I never accurately counted them), with, perhaps 600 being handed out in person and the rest put, mostly on the Friday night just before the elections, in letterboxes.

I also created a survey which I sent to all candidates. I published all responses and comments on this web site, but failed to get even one Labor or LNP candidate to respond. A number of Greens and independents did respond.

The ABC ignored my requests to publicise that survey...

http://candobetter.org/node/1158

The Emporer Has No Clothes

Everyone thinks that they know the fable of the 'Emperor's New Clothes'. But, when you think about it, the point was not that the Emperor had no clothes (because he had been swindled into thinking that he had paid good gold for an outfit of no substance), rather that the people also fell for the swindle despite the horribly obvious evidence before their own eyes.

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/03/emporer-has-no-clothes.html

Isn't Nouri al-Maliki Fluent In English?

George tries his hardest ['Dateline' - 22/3/09], but his interview with Iraq's Prime Minister is still propaganda.

Just look at the accompanying advertisements: IBM, the biggest greenwashing con of all - Earth Hour, and a hand-held i-pod something or other.

Why No Apology In News Ltd.'s Queensland Outlets?

Worried that you might lose some of your southern readers to the competition? Or do you only tell the truth if there's some commercial imperative to do it?

Sydney's Sunday Telegraph newspaper has admitted that revealing photographs it originally reported were of Pauline Hanson, were in fact of someone else.

The paper published the photos last weekend and now claims it was duped by the man who supplied them, Jack Johnson.The Telegraph's editor has publicly apologised to Pauline Hanson this morning...

Ms Hanson has already indicated she will launch a defamation action against the newspaper.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/22/2522749.htm

Queensland's News Ltd. readers get no apology, just a bizarre story about testing the authenticity of the photos:

The experts have spoken and, in a majority rule, the controversial pictures published in The Sunday Mail last week are, in all likelihood, not Pauline Hanson.

The Sunday Mail commissioned its own analysis of the photographs by two independent and internationally recognised facial recognition authorities.

Wow! A real newspaper would have done that BEFORE running the defamatory crap last weekend. And if you can publish photos claiming to be of Pauline in the nude, why can't we know the name of the Brisbane business that the '53 year old credit manager' who allegedly shot Hui Yang before shooting himself in December last year worked for? Too Big?

Queensland Is NOT Leading The Way For Women

Only the most devoted sockpuppets of the patriarchy would dare to say it - and oh Peter Beattie, what an ego!:

Mr Beattie told ABC Radio's AM program it is a great win for Labor, for women and Ms Bligh.

"I at least had a view that Queensland could have been the leader, which is why I put in place a transition strategy that enabled that to be put to the people of Queensland yesterday," he said.

"Queensland now I think is the Australian leading state in the advancement of women."...

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd echoed Mr Beattie's comments saying it was a great day for Australian women.

What is Premier Bligh going to do for Queensland women that is so great? Haven't heard any progressive ideas on equity or women's rights in her rhetoric. If anything, she appears to have renounced her feminist principles in order to further her ambition.

Queensland may be leading the way - but only as an experimental outpost for mono-media, which is only rivalled by China (although, at least in China they have a robust State Media to keep Murdoch honest!). But all is not lost. As Senator Bob Brown said today [Greens Media Release - 22/3/09] :

"He [Ronan Lee] is ahead of his times in Queensland politics. In an age of climate change, most voters have backed burning more coal. That's democracy.

"State-wide, this is hugely encouraging vote. It bodes well for the Greens winning a first Senate seat next year in the Federal election," Senator Brown said.

And Fairfax reports [22/3/09] on a "female first":

"I grew up in a time when people regarded us as the backward state of Australia.

"Nobody would have thought we would have been the first state in Australia to elect a woman as our Premier.

"And you have proved every one of them wrong and I thank you for that."

Sorry to burst your bubble Premier, but your election proves no such thing.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Has ABC News Radio's Kel Richard been reading the 'Spring Hill Voice'?

Bit of a Sunday morning slip on the story about the E.T.S.!

Spoken Like A True Believer

Cr Paul Tully quoted in today's [20/3/09] Fairfax:

"This may account for a small but statistically-significant late swing back to Anna Bligh and the ALP which I have detected in the past 36 hours - with voters not prepared to have Queensland governed by a hotch-potch of Independents pushing their own agendas, as we have seen in the Australian Senate, where Independent Senators lack a proper perspective as to what is right and appropriate for their constituents."

Only the cloistered corporate media and out of touch politicians from the two major political parties are pushing this line - the rest of us would actually like some representation for a change.

Why Shouldn't The Details Be Disclosed?

Central Queensland prison officers will meet this morning to consider returning to work after walking off the job yesterday.

Police conducted patrols of the perimeter of the Capricornia Correctional Centre in Rockhampton last night.

There were talks in the Industrial Relations Commission late yesterday aimed at settling the dispute.

The commission has ordered that details about the nature of the dispute not be disclosed.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/20/2521438.htm

What Made Him Start Bleeding?

A 28-year-old man is due to face a Gladstone court today in central Queensland after he allegedly spat blood in the face of a police officer.

Police say it happened when officers were called to a bottle shop car park after reports a man was caught stealing.

A scuffle broke out and one officer was spat on.

The man has been charged with one count of stealing, obstructing police and assaulting police

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/20/2521388.htm

On The Couch

On last night Briz 31's (QCTV) '360' show, host Liam Renton chaired a panel including Greens candidate for Central, Anne Boccabella, QUT Academic, Professor Clive Bean, Jason Furze - DS4SEQ candidate, Independent Candidate for Bundamba Patricia Petersen and Shaun Bindley from 98.9 fm.

It was really great to hear what minor party candidates had to say, rather than rehearsed talking points from the daggy candidates in the mainstream parties. It was also interesting to hear how the mainstream media have spread untrue rumours that Patricia Peterson didn't grow up in Bundamba and that she was a former porn star. For clarification: she did grow up in the area; she has never been photographed naked; and, she seems to be a nicer person than any overpaid shill from Murdoch's ABC.

Speaking of which, it was fascinating to hear that ABC Local Radio in Brisbane deliberately excluded Anne Boccabella by hanging up on her when they recognised her phone number, but that she got through to the Kelly Higgins-Devine show the next day when she called from her mobile and didn't announce herself.

Perhaps you think this is OK and fine. If so, you are in for a very nasty surprise when they take away the remnants of democracy and you are left sitting in its ruins asking what went wrong!

Aren't Malcopops A Great Distraction To Parliamentary Debate On Work Choices And Internet Censorship?

I can't believe no-one in media land has asked this question:

Doesn't the ALP have a mandate to completely obliterate Work Choices, and to go back to the system that existed before?

The message: Rich people can still get smashed on Dom Perignon, but poor people have to be productive, god fearing and sober.

Not Exactly What They Said

The Queensland Council Of Social Service put out a media release today [19/3/09]:

Juvenile justice polices that potentially contravene the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and a proposed efficiency dividend top the list of concerns from the Queensland Council of Social service ahead of Saturday's state election.

“Both ALP & LNP have knee jerk reactions on juvenile justice,” says QCOSS Director Jill Lang.

“The ALP is proposing curfews on juvenile offenders as well as introducing naming and shaming practices. LNP juvenile justice announcements and boot camps are also worrying. It is extremely concerning that the LNP will remove the concept of jail as a last resort meaning young offenders will be jailed more often and for lesser crimes.

“Another LNP weakness is the 3% efficiency and productivity dividend. Despite assurances we think this cut will have an impact on services to disadvantaged Queenslanders and on the community services sector. At the very least it will delay or weaken existing and future programs that work well to reduce disadvantage and poverty,” says Jill.

http://www.qcoss.org.au/Article.aspx?type=mediareleases&id=5710

This is what Fairfax reported:

While the Greens had the strongest policies to help disadvantaged Queenslanders deal with the impacts of energy and climate change, the party lacked policies to support unemployed people, QCOSS said.

This is what the media release actually said:

The Greens are strongest in helping disadvantaged Queenslanders deal with the impacts of energy and climate change. They provide variable electricity pricing, new energy performance standards and full rebates for retrofitting houses with energy saving devices. They are also the only party to support a bill or charter of rights for Queensland.

As with other parties a key weakness for The Greens is a lack of policies to support unemployed people. In particular there is no support for long term unemployed, young people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

A Question For Q & A

A question for the panel:

"Do you agree with Daniel Meers' claim in this week's 'Gold Coast Bulletin' [17/3/09] that:

"Put simply, good-looking women succeed at politics and the ugly ones, despite having the odd shot at fame, end up in the scrap heap."?

Navigational Study No Secret

Part of a news bulletin from Steve Gration, President of the Save Our Spit Association (SOSA):

Gold Coast Bulletin reporter, Peter Cameron, claims in his article in the Weekend Bulletin (14-15th March 2009) that he has recently obtained the 'secret' Navigational Study for a Gold Coast ship terminal through the Freedom of Information Act. The study has, in fact, been in the public domain since September 2005. It is a shame Cameron took over three years to find the report but even more of a shame that he is unable to apply any sensible analysis to his reading of it. It appears Cameron doesn't even read the reports of his fellow journalists at the Gold Coast Bulletin. In the same edition that Cameron states, when the cruise ship terminal was 'canned...Gold Coast tourism...was dudded', his colleagues fill the first five pages with the headlines 'Black Death', 'Too Little Too late', '...it's a forbidden island', 'Penalty in millions', 'Tears flow in paradise' and 'Calamity for creatures' in relation to the devastating oil spill from a ship off Moreton Island on the 11th March 2009. Luckily the Gold Coast has been largely spared such a 'calamity' but not without a fight...

http://www.saveourspit.com/No_Terminal/news/NewsArticle.jsp?News_ID=111

Enough Is Enough

These comments are from yesterday's [15/3/09] 'Sunday-Mail' online story about Pauline Hansen:

"This is just crap journalism."

"I think your article on Ms Hansen is disgusting & I hope she sues your paper. I'm not a fan of hers but give her a break. These were personal photos taken in another life-time & have obviously been shown to the public in a pathetic effort to smear her."

"The only one betraying Pauline Hansen is the courier mail, paying and printing this 30 year old story, shame on you...................."

"Come on Courier Mail, let's ask Bligh how she's going to protect jobs when she gives the uniform contract out to China without a tender process and watches a local company go to the wall and jobs go down the shute!"

"Shameful behavior by News Limited."

"Is this news?.. Really? Photo's taken of somebodies past over 20 years ago is somehow newsworthy. I'm sure someone will start to drag out baby photo's of local pollies reclining on blankers or something like that, complete with headlines 'XYZ Exposed by Aging Grannie' Give us a break, if you are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for stories please try not to server up the barrel instead. This is just not newsworthy. "

Almost every comment (of the 230 we saw on News Ltd's website) was along these lines. It's obvious that Murdoch does not care about the reputation of his papers, or more pointedly cares deeply that the reputation of his papers goes straight down the sewer in order to destroy proper journalism. Unfortunately, it seems the readers feel powerless to do anything about it.

It's time for his power to be challenged:

http://stopmurdoch.blogspot.com/2009/03/enough-is-enough.html

What's Stopping Aunty From At Least Podcasting Today's Leader's Debate?

If it's not possible to postpone reruns of 'I Can Jump Puddles' and 'Spicks and Specks' for one week, and you can't broadcast it live on local radio, can't you at least podcast it?

Syd Walker wants the ABC to act like a publically-funded broadcaster.

The election process in this country at State and Federal levels often reminds me of a lift. It's rather small lift, and there's only really room for two. The first candidate out wins.In this coming Queensland election, only two major parties - the ALP and the LNP - are inside the lift. They have the resources, dollars, organization and contacts to ride the escalator to power. Other candidates have a hard job getting any traction. The chance of an upset - in which neither the ALP nor the LNP are elected - is slim.

But what if a candidate from outside the two major parties is a candidate of quality - someone whom many find a more attractive representative than the major party offerings? Surely quality powers through?

In theory, that's true. But most people in the electorate will, in all likelihood, never even hear alternative candidates speak. They get so little media coverage there's a good chance you'll miss them. Occasions when all the candidates debate together - so you can compare and contrast their arguments and policies - are few indeed.

There was one such opportunity this morning on ABC radio, which is running a daily series of interviews with candidates for each of the six FNQ State electorates. Today, Day One, was the turn of Barron River candidates. It was an interesting debate.

Did you hear it? Statistically, that's unlikely. You would have needed to be listening to the ABC between 9.30am and 10am. Most folk in the electorate, I suspect, missed the program - even if they were interested.

Yet in this modern era, it's easy to catch such audio recordings at your leisure: just download them from the ABC website. It's an easy service for the public broadcaster to provide- and in a case like this, ensures that no-one who's interested misses out.

I was keen to obtain a copy of the recording and called the ABC shortly after the interview ended - only to be informed that ABC Far North has no intention of putting the audio files on its website. I was told people should try to listen live. When I made a fuss, I was referred to Media Monitors.

Media Monitors is a private company. I called and asked for an audio file of the interview. I was told that would be fine. The price tag? $200!

I then wrote a letter of complaint to the local Manager of the ABC, pointing out this debate was - to my knowledge - the ONLY time in the election campaign when any of the mass media interview all three Barron River candidates at once. Yet the public, if they missed it, are expected to pay $200. The ABC, I pointed out, is publicly funded. If it won't cover elections adequately it is failing, in a most basic way, to serve as a public broadcaster.

I have yet to hear back from the ABC.

Come on ABC. The citizens are showing you up and beating you at your own game:

http://www.ftw.com.au/News/Latest/All_The_News.html

Why Not Use The Existing Trainline To Beaudesert?

More [13/3/09] from those environmental warriors at Bowen Hills and on George Street:

"The Bligh Government is poised to run a freight rail corridor through three essential koala habitats at the same time it admits the iconic marsupial is fighting for survival.

The Government is finalising the route for the Southern Freight Rail Corridor, which has already been moved away from four state Labor electorates and largely into the LNP seat of Lockyer.

The unfunded freight line - which may not be built for at least another decade - would link Rosewood, near Ipswich, to the interstate standard gauge line at Kagaru, near Beaudesert."

Create The Conflict And Control The Issue

Have you noticed that the only paper in town are very careful not to report [13/3/09] something which is clearly demeaning to women as demeaning?:

"Sexy bikini babes and wet T-shirt competitions have made a comeback in a controversial new Tropical Tourism North Queensland campaign.

Once dumped in favour of politically correct images of the reef and rainforest, tourism leaders are back promoting sex and sun to win back the backpacker market.But the raunchy new image has sparked controversy and divided the community.

Reeling under the worst-ever downturn in tourism figures, Tourism Tropical North Queensland chairman Stephen Olle said it was "crunch time" for the industry.Reeling under the worst-ever downturn in tourism figures, Tourism Tropical North Queensland chairman Stephen Olle said it was "crunch time" for the industry.

Latest figures show Cairns and the tropical north had 80,000 fewer visitors - a record drop of 10 per cent - in 2008 under the impact of the global economic crisis.

Dubbed Gotta Love the Wet Season, the cheeky new website uptopdownunder.com (not accessible as of late yesterday afternoon) highlights the weekly wet T-shirt competitions of the Cairns party scene...

But Family First candidate for Cairns Janice Skipp yesterday slammed the flesh for fantasy approach of the ad campaign."I know sex sells," she said."But to promote sex and wet T-shirts is not a good image."Some would like to see Cairns as party town, but families come here too. I don't think backpackers are the future of Cairns. I think we should aim at the higher end of town."

Notice how the story is framed within the "women's bodies and submissive sexuality entice tourists vs family first fundie prudes" argument, when then real issue relates to the objectification and commodification of women's bodies? Yet we can't progress the discourse into the realm of what's fair and decent when it comes to how we portray women in our (Sorry Rupert's) trashy little rag - we must the continually reinforce the backward, Madonna/whore dichotomy.

Friends Of The ABC Meet With Mark Scott

From the Friends Of The ABC Email List:

"FABC NSW President Mal Hewitt attended an informative meeting with Mark Scott at the ABC Ultimo premises on 18 February 2009, accompanied by our Secretary Treasurer James Buchanan. Mark was helpfully direct and to the point, even where matters of difference continued to exist. See report at www.fabcnsw.org.au "

http://www.fabcnsw.org.au/fabc/pres_monthly.html

You Forgot To Say "Brisbane's Only Daily Newspaper, Which Is Owned By An American"

The '7.30 Report's' Bowen Hills correspondent reports on the Queensland election campaign:

JOHN TAYLOR: Dennis Atkins is the national affairs editor of Queensland's courier mail newspaper, and was a staffer of former Labor Premier Wayne Goss.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s2514782.htm

All Hands On Deck!

An email from the editor:

The Westender, Brisbane's Urban Voice, is leaping back into print for a special, one-off ELECTION ISSUE at the end of next week, just in time for Election Day March 21st, 2009.

We're printing 12,000 copies of a full colour, tabloid newspaper and distributing them to newsagents, cafes, shops, libraries, bus and railway stations and scores of other public places across West End, South Brisbane, Woolloongabba, the CBD, Dutton Park, Fairfield and Yeronga.

This special issue will be distributed on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March, and will feature full details of all the candidates, issues and politics in the State seats of Brisbane Central, South Brisbane and Yeerongpilly.

There'll also be our usual, entertaining mix of local news and gossip.

This special ELECTION ISSUE is sure to attract a great deal of attention from local residents and visitors - and that makes it a great advertising opportunity for your campaign.

A Question For Q & A

Question for Tanveer Ahmed:

The Advertising Standards Bureau recently dismissed a complaint against the Nandos "Peri-Peri chicken platter" advertisement (which has appeared on bus shelters throughout the country).

How is it that the depiction of the woman licking the plate is "appropriate to the depiction of a person finishing a meal"?

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda

Wonder If Letterman Will Mention The Benz Ad?

"A pair of Brisbane indie rockers who met behind the counter at Skinny's record store have scored a coveted slot with TV king David Letterman."

Hooray For Hannah!

"A move to ban the spread of pokies in Logan has collapsed with help from a councillor who owns shares in a poker machine company."

Hold The Chicken

My 65 year old father emailed me today [10/3/09] about the movie 'Five Easy Pieces' which is being screened on ABC2 this Saturday night:

"Jude and I saw it at Indooroopilly in 1968 when we came back after 2 years in the bush.

We found it mind blowing.

Jack Nicholson."

While we were talking last weekend, my father asked me what the difference was between ABC1 and ABC2. He doesn't have a digital television, so I explained to him that he needed a digital set top box or to buy a digital television before he could get ABC2. Since then he has seen an advertisement on ABC1 for a film screening on ABC2 as part of the current Jack Nicholson "festival", but he still doesn't understand that he won't be able to watch 'Five Easy Pieces' on his TV on Saturday night (although I'm going to videotape it for him so he can watch it later on!)

The advertising for the ABC2 channel is deceptive and confusing - especially to the elderly generation - even though many of them have mastered emails and the internet.

What they are trying to do is convince everyone to get onto digital, which is unfair and has never been the subject of any democratic process in this country. It has been foisted upon us by foreign interests.

Going Backwards Fast

Who cares what the world's most backward and discriminatory organisation has to say on international women's day?

From Fairfax (9/3/09):

"The washing machine has had a greater liberating role for women than the pill, the official Vatican daily newspaper said in an International Women's Day commentary.

"The washing machine and the emancipation of women: put in the powder, close the lid and relax," said the headline on the article in Osservatore Romano."

Evidently plenty of media professionals care about the excretions from the Vatican, as this story bounced around the mainstream blogosphere and ionosphere today.

We even heard about it on local ABC radio on the Gold Coast.

Why didn't they check Hugh Hefner's media releases while they were at it?

It's More Than Just Alcohol And You Know It

Fairfax again (9/3/09) on the latest NRL incident:

"The Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) said in a statement the alcohol culture in rugby league was a reflection on society in general.

"Society has a drinking problem, that at times is accentuated through sport," RLPA managing director Matt Rodwell said.

"It is not an isolated NRL player issue."

The entrenched misogyny and violence in corporatised sport is a microcosm of society.

Banning alcohol is not going to stop it.

Sh*t! We're All In This Together

"There's a shit storm a'coming
Somebody's claiming some i.o.u.'s
Because the animal's back
With the man intact
They had a gun at my head
And a knife at my back
Don't wind me up too tight
I've been had by the balls all my life
I'm in no mood now
To stop dead and talk it over"

'Powderworks', Midnight Oil (1978)

Did you catch last night's "Beating the Recession" special on Channel 7's 'Sunday Night' program?

Too busy sticking pins in your eyes or selling your body on the street? Nevermind, here's a rundown.

The PM joined Mike Munro, Chris Bath and a panel of "experts" - Jeff Bresnahan (superannuation), Neil Jenman (Real Estate) and Andrew Banks (employment), and they all looked very uncomfortable sitting on very high, rickety chairs in a very cheap looking set.

The audience comprised a contingent of Pacific Brands employees and folks who'd been dudded by dodgy finance companies. Nobody identified themself as having been dudded by the whole neo-conservative adherance to Friedmanomics, oddly.

The PM refrained from saying the "R" word, but he did indicate that the Newstart Allowance would be $450 per fortnight and the eligibility criteria would be changed slightly. He also said that the Employment Minister would write to each of the Pacific Brands people with regard to their entitlements.

Ross Coulthart presented a vignette on CEO redundancy payouts and some mild fun was poked at overpaid CEOS of companies who have made extraordinary losses. Did you know, for example, that Rupert Murdoch has been hosed out to the tune of about $9,000,000,000.00? (His ex-wife must be surprised to hear that, because when they had their divorce he claimed that he didn't have any money... what a wicked web we weave, Rupert!)

Before each bracket of advertising (preceded by the same music used in Donald Trump's reality shows), David Koch offered some "Survival Tips" such as buy in bulk, chase a better deal on insurance (but definitely don't chuck it in), insulate your home, check your pipes, turn off appliances, take your lunch to work and ditch the bar fridge.

Questions like "is super still worth it?", "how do you avoid cons"[!!!], "when will this crisis end" and "what the f*ck am I supposed to do now I've lost my job?" were raised, but it was hard to take the answers or the show seriously (the experts were very careful not to give any useful advice ) when advertisements for the following products were screened throughout the show:

The National Security Hotline, ING, fibre tablets, Allianz Insurance, the ALP and the LNP, Falcon XR6, Flora, Cottees Cordial, cushiony soft dunny paper, tinea cream, Toyota Kluger, Special K chocolately flakes, Telstra, New Zealand, Chemist Warehouse, Red Mars Bars, Origin Energy, packet cake mix, hair dye, carpet choice Colonial First State and a cheesy jingoistic "we'll get through it" Channel 7 promotion.

Lindsay Fox hada cameo appearance and praised the PM for "having a go" as well as suggesting that something needs to be done to fast track projects that will create jobs (this could involve the federal government "calling in" projects which are taking a long time to get through council/state government approval processes - hey Foxy, how you going with your fight with your local council over breaching all sorts of rules as you fixed up that squillion dollar Sydney harbour mansion of yours? We feel your pain.) and that perhaps workers should be given the opportunity to work a 9 day fortnight, rather than given the *rse.

CNN Business Editor Richard Quest said "This is not good. It's the first time we've had a global recession." And illustrated his concerns with a bizarre cancer surgery metaphorical allegory.

As we noted more than a year ago when they started running these surprise Sunday night freak-shows, "It's Official: Panic!"

Oh yeah, and the PM said "shitstorm".

Australians Need Lessons In Love And Respect

"The Manly Sea Eagles say no decision has been made regarding the future of star full-back Brett Stewart at the club.

The 24-year-old full-back has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl at North Manly on Friday night after Manly's season launch.

Stewart was arrested but declined to be interviewed by police and was released without charge, pending further inquiries."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/08/2510365.htm

From 'Princesses & Pornstars' by Emily Maguire:

"SHine is one of the few examples of a program designed in reaction to current research and then followed up by more research to prove its efficacy. When I read through its curriculum it was clear that none of it is new or controversial. Why aren't lessons in sexual diversity standard in every high school? Why aren't all teenagers taught about consent and negotiation? Why are we not teaching young people that sex should always, always, always be pleasurable to both parties? When are we going to wake up to the fact that teaching sixteen-year olds how to make a baby is less useful than teaching them how to bring themselves to orgasm?

Our sexualised culture is not going to go away, no matter how many of us wish it would. And the urge for teenagers to have sex is not going to disappear. The best defence against a culture that threatens to corrupt young people is through sex education. The surest way of ensuring teenagers emerge into adulthood relatively unscathed by raunch culture, by the commercialisation of sexuality and by plain old difficult, confusing adolescence, is to teach them that our sexuality is integral to who we are, that it is different for everyone, and that no one has the right to impose their version of it on anyone else."

Why Is The Monopoly Press Bothering to Profile This Individual Now?

Why didn't they do it late last year, when the witch hunt at St Marys erupted in the mainstream media?:

"Sipping a mug of coffee in his modest duplex in Morayfield in the sprawling outer suburbs north of Brisbane, Richard Stokes is clearly no James Bond.

A 67-year-old with a round belly, greying sideburns and a bad fringe, he scoffs at those within Catholic circles who label him a "spy".

"I'm 003 - licensed to irritate," he smiles.

Mr Stokes's protests - and the evidence he gathered - about unorthodox practices at St Mary's church in inner-city South Brisbane have led to the sacking of parish priest Peter Kennedy."

No mention of heresies, abominations or 'abuses' of the strict rules of 'mass'. Notwithstanding the factual inconsistencies of this article (a simple internet search reveals he works at Clayfield College, which is not exactly in the West End area) what this saga reveals is the pointlessness of Fairfax setting up a rival media outlet in Brisbane. Like the ABC, for the most part they have followed Bowen Hills' lead.

Gee what a power kick to be able to pick and choose whose identity to protect, flatter or slander according to whose interests you represent.

Who Is Really Public Enemy Number One?

A child safety group wants the Queensland Government to keep known paedophiles away from each other, after today's acquittal of Dennis Ferguson on a child sex charge...

Meanwhile, Queensland police have warned people not to harass Mr Ferguson, who has been run out of three Queensland communities in the past. Deputy police commissioner Kathy Rynders says officers will monitor Mr Ferguson daily but it is unclear how long the surveillance will last. She says Mr Ferguson will have to tell police his address.

His lawyer, Terry Fisher, says Mr Ferguson now wants to be left alone.

"It is my client's hope that the conclusion of this trial will afford him the opportunity to live without constant media harassment and public intrusion," he said.

Police officer Heather Steinberg, who is running as an independent candidate in the Brisbane seat of Redlands, says the public should be concerned about today's acquittal. She says the Police Minister must ensure the community is safe.

"The children out there need to be protected," she said."

[Police Minister] Judy Spence said to us as a community we need to teach our children how to protect themselves from this type of situation.

"What's the Government done about it? Absolutely nothing."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/06/2509851.htm

Where is the media apology for harassing this man to the point his life was (and still is) at risk?

Where is the official Police and Police Minister's announcement requesting that he be left alone?

Why aren't the media investigating the pedophile networks operating throughout Queensland and beyond?

Whatever happened to the legal protection of innocent until proven guilty?

A Question For Q & A

"Why is it that 'News Ltd.' staff are so often (or at all) on the ABC, and what is the justification for giving them an even greater platform for their views and opinions than they already have within their own company's outlets? Doesn't Murdoch own enough of the means of discourse in this world already without getting his properties a run on the only place where we might hear other views?"

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

R.O.T.F.L.M.A.O.

How can anyone living in a one paper town take this event seriously?

UQ School of Journalism and Communication seminar: Twenty Years After Fitzgerald – did they get the joke?

Date: Saturday, 07 March 2009
Time: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Room: Powerhouse Theatre

To mark the 20th anniversary of the submission of the Fitzgerald Report to the State parliament, UQ School of Journalism and Communication is holding a one-day symposium on the role of investigative journalism in the recent past, in the present and into the future.

This is a free event. However, lunch will be available for pre-purchase at approximately $30 per head.
Space is limited. It is necessary to book

Will there be any discussion on how Brisbane became a one paper town, and what's wrong with that?

ABC, SBS & CNN...WTF?

It's bad enough that the SBS 'Market Report' is presented by CNBC.

Stan Grant is now CNN's Asia Correspondent, yet he bobbed up on tonight's 'World News' on SBS and the ABC's '7.30 Report'.

Aren't there any freelance journalists based in Pakistan who could have been contacted?

What Affirmative Action?

From today's [2/3/09] 'Brisbane Times':