Mood:
quizzicalTopic: aust govt
We like and respect Bret Solomon of self described "independent" Get Up not least for his career history with fiesty charity Oxfam, but we also well understand he cannot escape the covert ALP provenance and seed funding of Get UP not least via Evan Thorley MP in the machine Vic Upper House perch and IT entrepeneur rich man former CEO of Looksmart.
Picture: Owner of Sydney City Hub Lawrence Gibbons once told this writer the reason disgraced share trader Rene Rivkin was being picked on in the Big Media was because 'he is Jewish'. We scoffed at this. Sometimes we get the impression Gibbons has an affirmative action agenda given his cultural background as here too with Bret Solomon? Just asking. And no criticism either, Solomon also appeared on the back page of a Australian Financial Review Boss colour mag because he is indeed influential.
Here is Thorley explaining his business pedigree out of the USA back on 26/7/2003 to the ABC business show:
Business Breakfast - 27/06/2003: LookSmart chair discusses plans ...
Internet entrepreneur Evan Thornley is pursuing less technological pursuits, having just returned to Australia after nearly seven years in the US.
The founder of the Internet search company, LookSmart, Mr Thornley is one of the few survivors of the tech crash that claimed so many of his dot-com peers.
He remains chairman of LookSmart and is taking a particular interest in ways of improving Australia's export strategies.
Evan Thornley spoke to Michael Rowland about his plans for the future, now that he's settled back in his home town of Melbourne.
Solomon himself admitted in a talk we attended at the Sydney Mechanics in Pitt St on 4 April 2007 that Thorley was his source of income: Here is our report at the time:
Wednesday, 4 April 2007Online activist media: decentralising or co opting political power, or both?
Mood:not sure
Topic: independent media
And to show we are not trying to pick on Get Up out of jealously for their huge reach and effort online (as we try and wannabe), here was our balancer a few days later:
Thursday, 5 April 2007Get Up! Kick Ass ...for civil rights in Murdoch's The Australian today
Mood:special
Topic: human rights
Thorley presumably has fanchised here the US Democrat cyber model of political outreach of 2003-2005, and such as MoveOn.org financed by such as billionaire George Soros long time advocate for "open societies".
Here is Get Up's full on engagement with the 2020 Summit in 5 days indicating both genuine enthusiasm and endorsement of the narrow scope of the event - because they are inside the tent.
Maaate. It would be naive to expect very much cutting critique from Get Up about the 2020 summit?:
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2008 8:31 PMSubject: What's your 2020 vision?Dear Tom,
Only 1000 people will be deliberating Australia's future at next week's 2020 Summit - but that's not to say your voice won't be heard. Incredibly, 118 of the chosen delegates are GetUp members, including our Executive Director Brett Solomon, so we're starting a conversation to make sure that your voice is added to theirs before they begin their dialogue about Australia's future.
Have your say on what you want our country's future to look like on our 2020 forums - and we will deliver your ideas direct to the decision makers heading to Canberra:
The forums have been started by GetUp members attending the Summit, and they're keen to make sure your ideas are heard. Add your comments and your new big ideas to our online forums - to make sure the Summit recommendations reflect the issues that are important to you.
The Summit is a golden opportunity to let the Australian Government - and a whole range of people representing the Australian community - know where we'd like our country to go. We'll deliver the top ideas from each forum to the Summit delegates, so add your idea now and vote for the ones you care most about:
It's rare to have such a concrete opportunity to look beyond the immediate political term in Australia - but it's forums like these where nation-building ideas are born. This is your chance to let those on the inside of 2020 know what you think.
Thanks for making it happen,
The GetUp teamPS - If you're a GetUp member going to the Summit and we haven't been in touch yet, please let us know by emailing Sally@getup.org.au.
PPS - It's National Youth Week - an important time to remember the thousands of homeless young people living on our streets. Click here to hear Tegan talk about her experiences. Tegan is a homeless young person involved with the Oasis youth centre, which was featured in a documentary, 'The Oasis', screened on the ABC last night.
.............................
Postscript #1 15 April 2008
Brett Solomon makes a call in to discuss the above post: As I get what he says - '
pre and post Rudd election Get Up is all about building "a progressive society", that GU is not a front for the ALP, the Democrats, or the Greens.'
It was a rattling good discussion and there is no doubting Brett's communication skills. But we did more talking than he did about the lessons of co-option in real politik, and that maybe the ALP have more reason to maintain a covert role of influence in the past of Get Up than to exploit their idealism than Get Up will ever have for covering up their past. Noted New Matilda restructing by way of comparison.
We added that issues of independence in the lead up to the 2020 Summit this week are an even greater reason for consideration of issues of independence even accepting that its' a grey, grey world with an amalgam of admirable and less motives in every time and space/event. He had to bail out of the vibrant discussion after about 10 minutes in his busy life, with good grace too.
We do agree Get Up have some proud and worthy initiatives post Rudd election, on Sorry, Tibet, Pay Equality, Pulp Mill, Climate Change. This is all to the good in terms of individual identity of Get Up non aligned.
We noted the highly strategic timing of the appointment of the new GG to sanitise brand ALP especially in NSW and post conversation we note that Get Up on such a large stage and influence is only as good as it's last tennis match. We urged Brett to stay on that "highway of diamonds". It wasn't exactly advice he asked for but he listened a bit I would say.
