City clergy will protest bogus APEC, Civil Society leaders convene rival People's APPEC conference Sept 1
Mood:  special
Topic: human rights

Picture above: South Sydney Herald, no relation to Fairfax publications, circulation 21,000 home delivered, August 2007 cover with Reverends Graham Long, Dorothy McRae McMahon (a writer for SSH) and Andrew Collis all of the South Sydney Uniting Church.

 

Pictures above: flyer for People's APPEC, supporting groups obscured by photo flash include Aid Watch, Australian Catholic Social Justice Council .....Jubilee Australia ......The Commons Institute....Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA ....etc

 

 

New Wentworth candidate, Alex Tees local solicitor
Mood:  chatty
Topic: election Oz 2007

www.wentworthcommunityindependents.org.au/

Declaration: Tees is legal sponsor of this writer as a solicitor for our NSW practicising certificate, otherwise no other political affiliation.

 

Burmese dictatorship attacks political protesters: Greens
Mood:  sad
Topic: human rights
Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma Inc
Media Release
28 August 2007
 
Howard must condemn Burma regime repression of peaceful protestors
 
The President of the Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma
(ACDB), John Kaye, today called on the Prime Minister John Howard to
condemn the Burmese military regime for brutally repressing peaceful
protest in Rangoon and arresting over a hundred protestors.
 
Dr Kaye said *Last week, thousands of demonstrators took to the street
to protest hikes of  petrol and basic commodities prices and to demand a
return to democracy.
 
*The Burmese military regime responded with a brutal crackdown and
arrested over a hundred peaceful demonstrators.
 
*So far the Australian government has remained silent. Neither the
Prime Minister nor Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer have taken
a stand.
 
*Other democracies have voiced their concern.
 
*It is time Australia joined them and made it clear to the Burma regime
that this behaviour is unacceptable. We are calling on the Australian
government to halt all cooperation with the Burmese regime.
 
*Australia can play a useful role in pressuring the regime into freeing
all political prisoners, including Nobel Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,*
Dr Kaye said.
 
The ACDB will join with Burmese community in Australia to protest
outside Burmese embassy in Canberra.
 
Place: Burmese Embassy, Canberra
 
Time: Friday 31 August 12:30 pm.
 

Media Contacts:  John Kaye 0407 195 455;     Maung Maung Than: 0411 337
816
 

The ACDB is a cross party coalition of Federal and State
Parliamentarians committed to the restoration of democracy in Burma.

Sydney University attack on community media free press referred to NSW Ombudsman
Mood:  energetic
Topic: independent media

US video blog logger Josh Wolf jailed for a year for refusing to release protester footage
Mood:  down
Topic: human rights

 

Sydney Indymedia news website is down for maintenance.

This seems quite incredible given APEC is only a week away. Perth is effectively the primary IMC for APEC news now apart from my own humble news website here

www.sydneyalternativemedia.com

SIM was also down for nearly 2 months prior to the controversial state govt election.    We have no idea why SIM is down but it does disempower the civil society sector to not have such a long standing indymedia website down. I have no idea if its been sabotaged, compromised or lacking staff. Maybe someone else knows. 

This writer was talking to a Chilean democracy activist at Addison Rd Community Centre on Sunday and he immediately assumed it was ASIO. Who would know.

Good to see posts at Perth IMC by long time effective organisers like Graeme Dunstan and his street theatre characters. Ghosts indeed.

Also there is the Canadian story of police infiltrators at Quebec which is a ripper, well sourced and very revealing - note they were masked and one was carrying a rock. APEC is definitely not a place "to rock". Anyone with such attitudes, not least the police, is not welcome here in Sydney.

In Feb 2003 250-500,000 peace protesters marched entirely peacefully. That's the democratic action we want. Others intent on public vandalism or mindless damage are NOT WELCOME. Like George Bush and Rice actually with their organised military industrial terrorism.

This writer was intent on not attending APEC wankery but on reflection think we should support the anti war march like in Feb 2003, this time in lawyer's suit and legal observer signage, and solicitor's card. At least to do a decent report for community media and gather evidence of any police misbehaviour - which does seem possible to justify their huge budget but should be avoided at all costs.

It would be a severely ethical dilemma if SAM's editor saw evidence of protester violence. SBS Dateline reported a blogger who went to jail rather than give up footage of protesters to the FBI - the longest imprisonment of any media practitioner in the USA apparently - the story is curiously absent from their archive here http://news.sbs.com.au/dateline/index.php?page=archive

Here are google results for the jailed 'blotter' Josh Wolf here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Wolf

The Blotter: Jailed Blogger Could Spend a Year in Detention
at
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/11/jailed_blogger_.html

(US ABC network)

Personally this news website editor would find it pretty hard to go to jail for an idiot breaking a police van window, damaging the cause of the protest movement and our reputations, but you never know, depending on the journalism principle of protecting sources.

The time is approaching where reputable blogs, blots or whatever will need our our media union coverage which may or may not mean the official MEAA, which is might be noted shows no interest in helping over a fascist blacklisting of SAM's editor  from Sydney University campus for simply reporting a student education protest.

MEAA on the evidence to date are not at all interested in the community media right to know, only the Big Media with their big dollars.

3 masked, rock carrying Canadian police at anti Bush protest in Quebec exposed on CBC news 22nd Aug 07
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: peace

(via Crikey.com.au 27/8/07 sourced via Wonkette blog to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the text below is Wonkette blog)

Cops Admit Cops Caught Being Fake Protesters Are Cops

Better late than never for Get Up on the pulp mill atrocity?
Mood:  lazy
Topic: ecology

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 8:50 AM

Subject: FW: Stop Gunns' pulp mill madness

---

From: info@getup.org.au
To: echidna27@hotmail.com
Subject: Stop Gunns' pulp mill madness
Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:21:38 +1000

Dear friends,
 
While the rest of the world focuses on solving the climate crisis and protecting what is left of our precious natural resources, Australian politicians are hell-bent on approving an environmentally disastrous industrial development in Tasmania - the Gunns pulp mill.

Right now we have the power to stop the development before it's too late. Nationwide opposition has forced the Federal Environment Minister to allow ten days of public comment before making his final decision. You can help stop the pulp mill by voicing your opposition today:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/NoPulpMill

Gunns Ltd's proposed pulp mill will pour tonnes of dangerous greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and poisonous effluent into Bass Strait. The expected environmental damage will wreak havoc on the tourism, fishing, agriculture and wine industries in the area, and mean the further clear-felling of Tassie forests.
 
Tasmania's economic future depends on its clean, green image, not on pulp mills. Independent economic analysis released this week shows the mill will actually destroy more jobs and wealth than it creates. Tell Minister Turnbull there's no good reason to approve the pulp mill in its current form:

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/NoPulpMill

The inquiry process into the mill's impact has been fraught with political and corporate interference. Let's put the people back into the process, and remind our decision-makers who they really answer to.

Thanks for being a part of this,

The GetUp team

---------------

GetUp is an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group. We use new technology to empower Australians to have their say on important national issues. We receive no political party or government funding, and every campaign we run is entirely supported by voluntary donations. If you'd like to chip in to support GetUp's work, please click here. If you have trouble with any links in this email, please go directly to http://www.getup.org.au. To unsubscribe from GetUp, please click here.
 

Public Alliance to Avert Desalinastion
Mood:  special
Topic: ecology

 

APEC in Sydney: US President Bush not welcome, wife Laura takes the hint, GW & Rice cancel 2nd day, Keating rubbishes the junket
Mood:  d'oh
Topic: peace

In the city that hosted an anti Iraq war, pro peace rally of 250-500,000 in February 2003 it is increasingly clear George W Bush is only welcome by the News Ltd Sydney Daily Telegraph owned by a US citizen Rupert Murdoch, and precious few others: Greens keen to cage Bush, not Sydney

In the last few days God's judgement seems to have come down on the gambling industry horse racers with equine flu but also the police horses traditionally used to bully protesters from on high: Flu threat to APEC security

Now we hear via ABC wife of GW Bush, Laura Bush has cancelled her attendance in Sydney altogether.

Greg Sheridan also writes today that GW Bush was not even very keen to attend Sydney's APEC at all, having already cancelled attendance at ASEAN representing only 600M people and 'huge' US commercial investments, and expecting a critical report to Congress about the Iraq war at the same time.

Similarly Secretary of State Rice prefers to ride 15 hours on Air Force One back with GW than stay a second day. Sheridan states p2 of The Australian today

"This is a sorry reflection on the priorities of the second Bush administration as compared with the first. [Colin] Powell would never have done this."

Paul Keating who we might have watched at the Seymour Centre last Thursday in Sydney but preferred to hear him on PM and 7.30 Report instead (and understand via a roadie backstage Keating similarly left the stage to immediately watch the tv as well) is in The Australian today saying effectively the whole APEC agenda is off the rails after the Cold War ended.

No doubt PK is running interference for ALP leader Rudd to spoil PM Howard's APEC stage but he does it with cred as architect with the first Bush Presidency and Clinton of the forum in the first place. Especially references to China and Japan deep animosity, but great mutualistic opportunities not least on China's troubled environment.

We notice the ambiguous heavy irony in the headline in the Oz:

"Auspicious beginning THE founder of the APEC leaders' meeting believes the forum has the political grunt to deal with regional security."

That is political grunt wasted, and squandered, such as "Paul Keating is frustrated by the failures  of the organisation [APEC] ...."

Sunday political talkies: Govt suffers equine flu in the polls, Rudd doing God's work on hospital reform?
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: election Oz 2007

Picture: Busy trade amongst lefties and greenies (not to be confused with aggressive 'Fishes' in great dystopian movie Children of Men) King St Newtown 25th August 2007 as APEC 'world leaders' conference approaches early Sept 07 in Sydney CBD, with ex PM Keating saying its got the wrong agenda anyway, everyone else knowing it's a party to honour vain old man Howard, and Police Chief Scipione (Italian Irish extraction like this writer) ej*culating prematurely saying (Haneef style?) 'intelligence' shows the need for 500 cells for 'violent protesters'. Never mind the entirely peaceful huge anti war protest in 2003 in Sydney by much the same groups (?). But will police present this 'intelligence' to the Supreme Court over protest permits? More like posturing by the $6 Billion a year security industry to justify a $170M/$24M a day security/APEC junket (that ex Premier Carr baulked at in 2005) and waste of money that should have been in Canberra?

 

Author’s general introductory note (skip this if you know this regular weekly column):

 

 

 

 

This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies  in Big Politics and Big Media.

 

 

Indeed it’s the tv version monitoring task similar to what Nelson Mandela refers to here in his book Long Walk to Freedom (1994, Abacus) written in Robben Island prison (where he was meant to die like other African resister chiefs of history in the 19C), at page 208

 

“..newspapers are only a shadow of reality; their information is important to a freedom fighter not because it reveals the truth, but because it discloses the biases and perceptions of both those who produce the paper and those who read it.”

 

 

Just substitute ‘Sunday tv political talkie shows’ for "newspapers" in the quote above.

 

 

For actual transcripts go to web sites quoted below except with Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.

 

Media backgrounder:

 

- Beazley tugs his forelock for the ALP to the US empire p9 24/8/07 SMH  “Beazley joins US think tank”, only to be outdone in forelock tugging by real ALP leader Rudd “US is an overwhelming force for good in the world” p16 24/8/07 – yeah yeah tell it to millions of ghosts across the world.

 

- Feared truck blast toll of 400 sets grim Iraq record 17/8/07 p9 The Australian.

 

 

- We saw on tv then read only on Friday in The Oz at page 8 24/8/07 “Trainers want Pope’s people off their turf”, and same paper way back something about equine flu scare. Now the surly, pompous racing industry figures at Randwick complaining long and loud about disruption to their gambling business to the NSW Govt - with no plan B for the Popes youth Festival venue – are virtually shut down. Is it God’s judgement? Which reminds us of seeing a stern Joe Tripodi type figure in the blazing sun in full grey suit, on the steps of St Peters (and this is for real lobbying (?) for same youth gig way back in July 2002, or ) maybe just getting confession. It was our fascinating, inspiring world trip Chile to Ireland and back via Germany, departing Rome.

 

- Pulp mill stories everywhere – including colour pic of Greens candidate Susan Jarnson (above) top p5 24/8/07 in The Oz expected to poll around 11% in marginal Wentworth, a quality left wing candidate, nurse, mother etc. But for our money the real fracture in conservative votes will be local solicitor Alex Tees with a reasonable small business following, saying this far out he won’t direct preferences. Still to find a decent picture of the guy. The Sept 07 (!) issue of monthly Sydney City News page 4 by trooper Pam Walker quotes John Kaye MLC Greens "We're not enthusiastic about George Newhouse ...[ALP candidate in Wentworth]" and the text states it's more about " getting John Howard out". Sure, sure, preferences to ALP announced 3 months out, actions speaks louder than words. In the Eastern Suburbs the Greens are effectively captured by the ALP (and have been since at least 2000 says this ex Green Party councillor 95-99).

 

Picture 'Live Green' festival Victoria Park Saturday 25th Aug 07 more party then green perhaps with empty bicycle parking rack, but plentiful good quality stalls, great live music, and very busy beer garden. A Clover Moore inspired bread and circuses to outflank the rival Deputy Mayor Chris Harris (Greens)

 

 

 

- Meanwhile the massive issue of pollution stacks in the seat of Grayndler (Truck tunnel to port is back p1 The Glebe 23 Aug 07, spill to page 3) via the Iemma Govt's commitment to a truck tunnel shepherded through by their bureaucratic thug Prof David Richmond, a long time ALP stooge is ignored by Anthony Albanese. The Opposition Shadow on Infrastructure and Water prefers to not talk about this guarranteed cancer source with a picture story p9 of same paper about smelly Ibis breeding in Marrickville and attacking the local council. Albo with grand hypocrisy asks where are the reactors going? We say where are the truck tunnel smog stacks going? (we live in the suburb). And the local councils know its stuffed - adverts for both Leichhardt and Marrickville Council calling for public feedback on the environment p16 The Glebe 23/8/07 and p11 respectively. 

Picture: Howards doing their Family of Blood act at the Living Green festival in Sydney, as per Dr Who later that night? More sinister Dr Who type figures here ('Can I have a cutting?') too

And serious talks on sustainability with Peter Thompson ... err sorry drinks actually ....

- Geothermal use makes more cents to Lihir, p10 Resources section 25 Aug 2007

- Upstart pollster draws fire from the old brigade SMH Aug 23 2007 re YouGov firm from UK.

- Dad's the word as former contender becomes adviser 15/8/07 The Australian p23, re George Williams the legal whiz now stay at home Dad not ALP candidate.

- Wicked pedia: business, CIA edit online entries 16/8/07 SMH p13

- Garrett reinforces his office to repel government attack 9/8/07 The Australian p2, Ryan Heath, Martin Callinan re two snot noses into the ALP camp.

- Iemma Govt failure on open government #1 While we wait, Premier, the gap is getting wider smh p28 16/8/08, and Lesson for Canberra in neighbours attitude p30 23/8/07, both stay in touch section.

 - The shallow world of big media "How the ABC's science guru finally found an audience" 17/8/07 The Australian p13

Meeting the Press 10

 

Deborah Rice compere. Julia Gillard is the talent, effective makeup job on tired eyes, as articulate as ever. Bats off union hack sledge by Hockey.

 

ALP wins economic management poll by Ipsos 20-22 Aug 07 39% to 36%.

 

Interest rate rise in favour to ALP for 24%, most unaffected voter intentions 55%. 4% more likely to vote for Coalition.

 

Iemma bats off strip club question, turns it on Hill (?),  Clennel (Herald), Spicer (ABC) lots of laughs all round.

Gillard stays away from Grandfather Howard age as an issue.

Overall looking centred, competent, relaxed, balanced, underlying confidence and strong. Good interview even with the hard edged voice.

 2nd half

- David Salter on his book, deserve the media we get?  Bris should have published next day (true), should have been on Media Watch he says, Rudd story not big really.

Reminds of Fairfax protest rally as here some months back

Transcript in due course www.ten.com.au/meetthepress

 

7 Weekend Sunrise, 8.35-40 am Riley Diary  -

Satire about Kevin Rudd more like Ned Flanders than sleazy Homer Simpson. Excuse for showing girlie dancers and Sefton strip club in Sydney which looks like a Liberal Party set up to string the smear along courtesy dickhead Colin Allan.

 

 

 

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend

 

 

 

Insiders 2

 

Swan as Opposition Treasurer – tax cuts question dodged, pushes responsible investment in infrastructure for next 10 years.

 

Paul Kelly agrees Rudd health policy is a big play. Howard needs climate change outcome from APEC.

 

Panel of Bolt (News), Toohey (AFR?) , Taylor (AFR)

 

All tend to agree polls have stabilised, Bolt 'over for Howard'.

 

Home page is http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

 

 

Sunday 9

 

 

News refers to more APEC disruption.

 

Laurie Oakes with Abbott batting off Rudd health reform plan for hospitals. Sledges Rudd but Oakes counters re Mersey little in one marginal. Abbott boosts as great trial. [Scepticism high and Abbott playing with a pair of twos.] Then the interaction goes into a political abyss for Abbott:

Picture: Laurie Oakes in hushed grave tones at the reaction of Tony Abbott to serious credibility challenge, this image shows his cornered slugger punchy embattled mode, as if with equine flu (?), over Rudd health reform package, which Abbott had proposed himself but was rejected by his Cabinet and PM.

 

Shades of punching into left winger Peter Woof as a student in the 1970ies over the student association lock out.

 

 

Feature story about circle of abuse in one Aboriginal community in the NT. 

 

http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/default.asp