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sydney alternative media - non-profit community independent trustworthy
Friday, 18 April 2008
China Inc weaves it's political web with Visa Inc to sanitise Olympic Inc
Mood:  blue
Topic: corporates

Received in the snail mail 17th April 2008 below. How many other financial institutions are doing China/AOC/IOC Inc's propaganda work for them sanitising the systemic abuse of human rights in China? Any bank with Visa credit/bank card one presumes which we suspect is literally every financial institutin in the world.

One thing that you won't see pictured in these sanitised brochures from the multinational big business of sport are such as these from murdered democracy activists in Tibet in the last few weeks. Their lives are nothing apparently:

Evidence of dead bodies from Kirti Monastery


Press Release - 18th March 2008

The attached photos of dead Tibetans provide the most damning evidence seen so far that lethal force was used by Chinese security forces at protests staged by Tibetans in Aba town (Ngawa) in Sichuan province.

The photos, which clearly show gunshot wounds, were taken on Sunday night and Monday morning at Kirtii monastery. As Free Tibet Campaign reported on 16 March 2008 (release below) an eyewitness told Free Tibet Campaign's contact in Dharamsala that he had seen Chinese security forces fire into the crowd of Tibetan protesters and that he had seen 13 Tibetans killed as a result of the firing. Other eyewitnesses reported seeing 30 Tibetans shot dead.

These photos, together with the eyewitness statement, provide conclusive force that lethal force was used at Aba town by the Chinese security forces on 16 March 2008. The photos directly contradict recent denials to the press by Jampa Phuntsog (Chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region Govt) and China Premier Wen Jia Bao that Chinese security forces had not used lethal force.

The photos were taken long before the Chinese government's deadline of midnight Monday and prove that the use of lethal force has been in force long before the Chinese government's supposed deadline for protesters to turn themselves in before the use of force would be used.

Matt Whitticase of Free Tibet Campaign said: "These photos provide shocking proof of the brutality being exercised by Chinese forces in forcefully putting down Tibetan protests. It is not acceptable for national governments to call merely for restraint from the Chinese government. Government leaders must immediately condemn China's clear use of lethal force and demand that China's leaders stop their brutal crackdown on Tibetan protesters."

Release sent on 16 March:

3. Kirti Monastery, *Ngaba* County (Ch: Aba) Sichuan Province

Free Tibet Campaign's contact in Dharamsala has received by phone several eyewitness accounts to events in Ngaba County today.(Ch: Aba)

One eyewitness reported seeing Chinese security forces shooting dead thirteen Tibetans. One of the Tibetans was named as Lobsang Tashi. The eyewitness reported that the protest was started by three monks from Kirti monastery and was joined by hundreds of monks and lay people. The protest took place 2km from Kirti monastery in Ngawa County. The protestors called for the release of the Panchen Lama. Protestors demanded the release of two monks from Kirti monastery who got arrested yesterday. According to the eyewitness police shot tear gas into the crowd and beat many of the protestors. The police then shot live round of ammunition into the crowd. According to the eyewitness this led to the confirmed deaths of thirteen Tibetans. Many more Tibetans were injured. The eyewitness then reported that the protestors reacted angrily to the use of firearms and the deaths. The protestors burned down several police vehicles and the Public Security Bureau HQ.

Other eyewitnesses to the protest that have spoken by phone to our contact in Dharamsala are reporting that up to 30 Tibetans were killed when the armed police shot into the crowd.

Our contact in Dharamsala spoke to a monk who had returned to Kirti monastery after the protests to which he had been an eyewitness. In a telephone conversation at 3pm Beijing time the monk told our contact that he had seen 8 Tibetan bodies arrive at the monastery. Two were monks, one a lay female and five were lay people. The eyewitness told our contact that a further 2 bodies arrived at the monastery half an hour later. The bodies were thought to be those of students involved in the protest.

Click on the link below for pictures

Please note that these photographs are of a very graphic nature. Discretion is required.



Click for photos of the dead in Kirti (graphic)

Notes:

For background, please read our
earlier press releases.

For further information please contact Matt Whitticase at matt@freetibet.org
Or call on +44 (0) 207 324 4605/+44 (0)7515 788456

 


Posted by editor at 10:31 AM NZT
Updated: Friday, 18 April 2008 12:08 PM NZT
Friday, 11 April 2008
China/IOC Inc play their 'Muslim terror' bogey man trump card today
Mood:  not sure
Topic: corporates

The biggest global corporate circus every 4 years known as the Olympics has been getting the open society treatment as it did in Sydney 8 years ago.   

We have 15 cm pile of clippings in two ring binders from back then including this choice reference to the racketeers in the IOC:

 A bit strong? We think it's the reality. Only this time the Big Media willingness is amplified by the fact the venue is a notorious closed society in Beijing also known as China Inc.

Crikey.com.au ran this profound image Thursday 10 April 08 too:

 

Hence the saturation coverage of the International Olympic Committee brand getting badly damaged yesterday as per the front pager above (top left), which has been succeeded by the 'popular authoritarianism' of an alleged terror threat to the 'global games' (at top right).

But the consensus in the open society west still looks to be pretty much in favour of a massive dose of Big Media salts through the terrifyingly manipulative central Beijing Govt.

One fear and loathing spin story about security threat does not a summer make especially by contrast with this report on SBS Dateline regarding the long time oppressed minority labelled as sinister evil doers:

  • Wednesday, 5th March,2008
  • INTERVIEW WITH REBIYA KADEER

    With the Olympics fast approaching, China's human rights record is, more than ever, in the spotlight.

    Read more...
  • Rebiya Kadeer

    Posted by editor at 3:37 PM NZT
    Updated: Sunday, 13 April 2008 11:01 AM NZT
    Sunday, 30 March 2008
    Sunday political talkies: W Bush pragmatic embrace of Rudd subdues conservative punditariat
    Mood:  caffeinated
    Topic: corporates

     Picture: Images from the 2002 movie The Quiet American directed by Australian Phillip Noyce where US colonial meddling also comes a cropper in a very very big way with mayhem and misery served up to an enormous degree for most everyone else, and at enormous cost in terms of finances and lives.

     

    Author’s general introductory note (skip this bit 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 – this section under construction till later Sunday/Monday

     

     

    - pile of clips overwhelming the desk, table, floor - have to process sooner or later, not least News Ltd sledge of Fairfax re finding of Sydney navy ship, when in fact they have the record for “worst headline ever” stay tuned, hint January 2005, 2nd hint, another deadly watery topic. Oh allright here is the expose by moi at the time:

     

    'Dead in the water': Worst headline in the Australian media history 17 January 2005

     

    - climate change file grown like topsy, may swallow me like DeNiro in Brazil before get a chance to sort into sub categories, grain from chaff

     

    - Beijing Olympics: A Quiet American starring Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Tzi Ma of 2002 was ambushed by Sept 11 2001 given it’s grim theme of US meddling and killing of a OSS/CIA operative (Fraser) based on Graeme Greene novel. Well worth a watch because it underscores the Chinese CP backing of the North Vietnamese who did over the Colonial French regime, then survived the US airforce and millions dead to annexe the whole country. But France has never forgotten – hence “Don’t go to Olympic shames” by Bernard-Henry Levy “acclaimed French philosopher and journalist. In other words French cultural warrior echoing his conservative president’s tough talk about boycotting same opening ceremony. This is standard hard reportage now for every Big Olympics – certainly in Sydney, not just China this time. This is the democratic dose of salts as price for getting the gig, understand?

     

     

    - lots of footage of Rudd with W Bush, who incredibly faces up to former’s election victory, as if its democratic excuse for himself to get out too. Rudd’s sociopathic ambition revealed on the stage with W Bush, asserting an equal status in the banter. $165M offer of assistance to Iraq on agriculture (half the $300M bribe by AWB? as penance?) helped smooth the way. Shows how serious is the challenge of managing the relationship with China that Bush needs his Mandarin etc. It really is a hint of greatness ahead for Rudd in mediating that global  challenge.

     

    - funny to see Tim Blair column with green typeface “Tim”, sledging earth hour, but you sense the fight or malice has gone out of him some. Memo Tim, G W didn’t mention anything about wax.

     

    - lots of Easter Show fluff – with one sharp story about consumer ‘always been a rip off’. Funny Joe Dirt movie last night redneck working class theme during Earth Hour.

     

    - Daily Telegraph runs balancer appeasement to grog advertisers attacking “wowsers” against binge drinking. It’s all about the money as per SAM image last week. Full page adverts for grog in most papers as usual.

     

     

    - lots of coverage of Zimbabwe election not least Doogue pre 8 am, abc tv shows freedom fighter Mugabe gone very very bad.

     

    -         moral panic over laser pointers is next ‘cause celeb’ long running nuisance.

     

    Swannie pressure as Treasurer eases with friendly headlines tax cut for lower socio economic sectors including abc tv prime news.

     

    Earth hour goes off fine, spreading a message with depth (that cutting energy means cutting costs and helping reduce greenhouse gases.) Mostly symbolic but it’s also a very visible vote of concern.

     

    Laurie Oakes column Telegraph worthy but a little dry, needs a better graphic perhaps. Doesn’t quite fit the cartoon book milieu of SDT.

     

    Tuned out a bit on economics imperative. LO raises Japan missed. Got to be as tough on human rights in Tibet as he is on whale rights in Japan. Should pick up a phone to Prime Minister Fukuda.

     

    [Get the feeling that Rudd has the power to deliver a big balancer here with a specific trip to Japan, tell them that to wrong foot Opposition.]

     

    Sundy Telegaph colour mag is getting more content substance amongst the fluff? Cancel that, its back to fluff.

     

    Interesing read about Justin Hemmes ‘the playboy entrepeneur’ only when you look at ‘The Family’ portrait you get the spooky feeling of cut throat money assasins, endlessly charming and essentially ruthless and unreliable. We had a friend like that who ended up working for Macquarie Bank.

     

    We wrote about the NSW power wrestle between DPP and Iemma Govt. We guessed Hugh Macken as boss of (my) lawyer's union Law Society and from a big family was from an ALP family tradition. Sure enough turns out his old man is a 50 year veteran of the party. Hence NSW ALP AG Hatsistergos on the front cover of the Law Society journal? Hard to say as might have been fore Hugh Macken got the gig.

     

     

     

    Sunday 9, 7.30am- 9.30am

     

    Features cottonwool kids (most rebellious ever blow back? Per Hugh Mckay), India miner bird pest, Shadow Foreign minister

     

    Kick off story about ethical source of stem cell therapy example via pet pooch. Happy story.

     

    -         Martu mob photographic exhibition, as per mainstream press. Looks very good, expanding perceptions of the humanity of these folks

     

    Ross Greenwood strong story on super changes with Rudd Nov 07 “absolutely not” change. Shadow Minister on super, Keenan.  Nick Sherry in the story. Have to leave for Riley diary.

     

    ……………………………….

     

    Laurie Oakes – with Shadow Robb  Man of Steel sledge on Coalition handed on to Rudd from Howard? All about the strong alliance.  True enough.

     

    Robb looking a bit subdued, not quite crestfallen but like a beaten dog.  Ausmin references as per usual.. Robb makes it clear about “conservative packing their bags”. Robb takes some points about smokes and mirrors about many staying in support roles.

     

    LO presses re ALP keeping the alliance fine despite pre election attacks by coalition. LO presses hard re “whole a lot of alarmist nonsense” fair point.

     

    17 days is an indulgence says Robb – but comes across a bit lame this early on. Maybe in a week?

     

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

     

     

     

     

     

    10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am

     

    Top coverage of W Bush/Rudd joint presser packed out with capital meeja, including Oz sector like Paul Bongiorno. Dennis Richardson, wife Therese there like berry red battleship (time to hit the early morning walkies Therese. W Bush reference to ‘fine lad’ and ‘heck yeah, Man of Steel’ to Rudd, as PB says “patronizing”. At risk of being Bush’s poodle, or maybe of biting the hand that feeds.

     

    Rudd buckles under with President on warnings to China about democracy for Tibet.

     

    Significant references to UN meeting with Rudd post Bali – get a move on.

     

    Panel is Steve Lewis, serious tabloids journo. Jennifer Hewitt

     

    - Jenny Macklin after visit to Aurukun [big bauxite mining town from memory, in fact stolen from the original indigenous, now melting pot of diverse groups from wide geographical area (?)The 'Wik' Peoples of Western Cape York - [1997] ILB 12; (1997) 4(1 ... ]. JM looking quite good with constructive agendas in a sea of misery. Must keep going, must ….

     

    Out take is very funny Keating on W Bush fuck up of US economy [with 3 trillion Iraq war]

     

    2nd ad break, nsw teachers advert attack on Iemma Govt re staffing system, very funny Rove – can you do that in green?

     

     

    Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

     

     

     

     

    Riley Diary 7

     

    Salute, missed. Funny track ‘on and on’ -  when it comes to, challenges to the future, working families, core business, better zip. Cliché machine.

     

    Q&A Riley notes Latham policy 3 years too early.  Notes Japan tactical error.

     

     

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

     

     

     

     

    Insiders 2: 9- 10am

     

    Leader of Opposition  Brendan Nelson, tedious.

     

    Parceur sports not quite everyperson segment, great images, great

     

    Panel (the superb) Fran Kelly (getting a bit chubby there) (abc RN), Misha Schubert (Age?), Piers Akerman (SDT).

     

    Big Piers subdued too.

     

    Took a comfort break – good discussion on 2020 summit and hilarious coverage of John Singleton and Gerry Harvey – “it’s good bullshit” earthy reaction.

     

     

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


    Posted by editor at 11:54 AM NZT
    Updated: Sunday, 30 March 2008 12:12 PM NZT
    Saturday, 22 March 2008
    Mystery of the missing greens in the Aldi frozen mixed veg
    Mood:  quizzical
    Topic: corporates

     

    Mmm. A consumer puzzle.

    Easter is a good time to cook. So we took the ColesWorth's special on Vietnamese sourced basa fish. Add soy, sweet chili sauce, can of chopped tomato and frozen mixed veg in the fast cooking electric pan with heavy glass lid.

    Should be good. But what happend to the green veg, absent in both bags of mixed veg? Plenty of corn, carrot, cauliflower. Actually we had a third bag from Aldi the other day which was abundant with beans and brocoli so we think they are trying. We can honestly say we have never before seen a bag of mixed veg with absolutely no greens at all. Did NZ run out of them?

    It's a mystery.


    Posted by editor at 2:37 PM NZT
    Updated: Saturday, 22 March 2008 4:06 PM NZT
    ANZ financing for Gunns Ltd pulp mill exploited by financial rivals?
    Mood:  bright
    Topic: corporates


    We are detecting a concerted attempt by big financial organisations Westpac, HESTA industry super fund, and even Colonial First State Bank to promote their environmental responsibility in contrast to their competitors. We hope and trust it works too.

     

    HESTA for instance in their latest brochure in our mail have signed up to the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Investing (PRI), and something called the Investor Group for Climate Change (IGCC) and Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP 5).


    Westpac have a suggestive picture of upstanding Old Growth native forest as part of their full page advert recently 19 March 08 and a reference to www.westpac.com.au/corporateresponsibility


    Colonial First State Bank similarly are moving on the Herald sponsored Earth Hour energy reduction exercise to train up business and society generally on “turning off” where possible. As a global education strategy it’s got resonance, and the statistics on reduced energy use seem to bear out the activity despite the initial scepticism.


    It’s all good “natural capitalism” financial housekeeping against waste including energy waste, a concept pioneered by secular saint and renewable energy guru Amory Lovins who founded the Rocky Mountains Institute in the USA: There is no waste in nature.


    Meanwhile ANZ are being asked to finance the dinosaur environmental vandalism of Gunns Ltd pulp mill to destroy natural forests, with a deal of pollution involved, not least CO2 equivalence from land use change.

     [PDF] ANZ and Gunns

    The Wilderness Society - Make the Banks Accountable

    It’s a bad look Mr ANZ, very bad, and morally wrong according to recent advice of the Pope on the modern mortal sins.

    List of mortal sins gets longer under Vatican overhaul - World ...


    Posted by editor at 11:33 AM NZT
    Updated: Saturday, 22 March 2008 2:20 PM NZT
    Thursday, 28 February 2008
    'Insider trading is part of the system': Market participants
    Mood:  d'oh
    Topic: corporates

     

      Eddy Groves

    With the ABC Learning (no relation to ABC public broadcaster) share trading intrigue breaking in the news this timely backgrounder only last week, with selected choice quotes:

    Insider trading rife in Australia | NEWS.com.au 23 Feb 2008

    INSIDER trading is so rife in the Australian stock market it may be weakening the reputation of the local bourse, forcing the companies' watchdog to bulk up its resources in the wake of a poor track record in cracking down on the practice. ....

    "It is frustrating and commonplace to see informed price movement happen before announcements,'' Peter Hunt, principal at boutique investment bank Caliburn Partnership, told the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Summer School yesterday.

    "There is greed and short-termism that is pervasive, and getting worse.'' ....

    "We are concerned that insider trading is at a level that is a major issue for the market,'' Balanced Equity Management managing director Andrew Sisson said.

    ....He said in the 40 days before an announcement, a target's share price would rise on average 10 per cent.

    "In the very last day there is a spike of about 3 per cent typically,'' Mr Sisson said.

    "This is partly rumours, partly straight insider trading. It's fair to say that a significant level of insider trading is detrimental to our market.''

    .... Gresham executive director Jenny Seagate said 2007 was "a year when insider trading was on the rise''.

    ..... "For many market practitioners six-figure fines are relatively small, although it is a lot of money to most people.

    "Let's seriously think about decent seven-figure sums.'' ....

    Peter Hunt's ways to cut insider trading
    * The secondment of staff between ASIC and the private sector
    * Better data about insider trading
    * Measuring the performance of the regulator against the data
    * Handing ASX's supervisory powers to ASIC to create a centre of excellence
    * Improving and speeding up the litigation process
    * A specialist markets tribunal made up of market participants of "good standing"
    * Financial rewards and immunity from prosecution for whistle blowers
    * Plea bargaining and civil penalties with $1 million plus fines
    * Give compliance officers a statutory duty to report directly to ASIC if they see or suspect suspicious behaviour


    Posted by editor at 10:05 AM EADT
    Updated: Thursday, 28 February 2008 4:42 PM EADT
    Monday, 5 November 2007
    www.maynereport.com dishes the dirt on Perpetual major shareholding in Gunns Ltd
    Mood:  energetic
    Topic: corporates


     


    Posted by editor at 5:39 PM EADT
    Monday, 3 September 2007
    Where's George Bush? Has anyone seen George?
    Mood:  quizzical
    Topic: corporates

    Is he here at Sydney Town Hall ticking off Deputy Lord Mayor Cr Chris Harris who wants to 'cage him' according to a certain banner proposal?

    Is he in the office of his US Citizen 'Kane' Murdoch checking the latest attack front pager about a group smaller than a football team that no one has ever heard of, which apparently costs $300M to deal with?

    Maybe he's over at Rupert's rival Fairfax trying to shake their tree a bit after that nasty Alan Ramsey column on Saturday? I mean what a curmudgeon....

    Maybe he went in to tell those disgruntled  Greenpeace, Caritas and other civil society groups [pdf link] they can stick their NGO media room on the ground floor of the Labor Council building in Sussex St?

    Doggone it, where is the varmint? Centrepoint Tower or World Tower? Or maybe he's pondering community and sustainability somewhere with Microsoft, and Thales defence industry corporation named on the APEC flags down at Darling Harbour tourist precinct?


    Is he taking a tour in a cheuffer driven Mercedes here, contemplating why we don't have the death penalty like Texas?

    Quack quack, where is George the lame duck President? Everyone is waiting, some will offer bouquets some the unvarnished truth.

    NSW Treasurer Michael Costa said on ABC radio this afternoon 'we are not about stopping peaceful protests'. Amen to that. There's plenty to worry about in this world.

     

     

     

     


    Posted by editor at 8:31 PM NZT
    Updated: Thursday, 6 September 2007 12:23 PM NZT
    US President expected in Sydney soon ... quack, quack
    Mood:  spacey
    Topic: corporates

    We notice

    - only 4,000 out of an expected 7,000 APEC visitors are to attend Sydney CBD this week putting a red splash through elite hotel profits.

    - Greenpeace activists have been charged with 'malicious damage' (like this writer back in 1999 for red paint on the woodchip pile, no conviction recorded) namely a paint slogan on a coal ship,

    - lawyer Cameron Murphy in the Weekend Australian notes police are on a collision course with otherwise peaceful protesters,

    - Kerry Chikarovski former Liberal Party leader in NSW says the security is very annoying and "over the top" on ABC radio this morning,

    - PM Howard is sledging what he calls 'the mob' on YouTube of whom 250-500,000 protested against his Iraq war in Feb 2003,

    - most others lament a wasted $300M on security for a vain ageing prime ministerial junket,

    - NGOs have set up an alternative media room representing 20M supporters in APEC countries, and

    - legal academic Dale Mills of Human Rights Monitors has 40 legal observers to help keep NSW police honest and non violent.

    Meanwhile a 24 hour city watering hole coincidentally not far from APEC flunkies meeting at the Darling Harbour convention centre yesterday Sunday 2nd Sept, is making a strike against dangerous climate change

    But drinking was the last thing on the mind of these Asian Australian people in George street in front of Sydney Town Hall

     

     

     


    Posted by editor at 2:10 PM NZT
    Updated: Tuesday, 4 September 2007 1:42 PM NZT
    Thursday, 23 August 2007
    BHP-Billiton on corporate welfare in South Australia: Greens
    Mood:  irritated
    Topic: corporates


    Media Release
    23rd August 2007


    16.7 Billion reasons to scrap BHP Billiton special deal

    Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called once again for BHP Billiton to give
    up its special exemptions from state law on the back of yesterday's
    extraordinary record profit announcement of $16.7 Billion.

    "Why should a company that earns a staggering $16.7 Billion a year get
    special deals from the people of South Australia that mean they save
    money by avoiding state laws?            

    "The time for special exemptions for BHP Billiton is well and truly
    over.  They clearly can afford to pay their own way," he said.

    Mark Parnell has a Bill before State Parliament, the Roxby Downs
    (Indenture Ratification) (Application of Acts) Amendment Bill 2007 that
    will remove special exemptions from the Aboriginal Heritage Act, the
    Environmental Protection Act, the Freedom of Information Act and the
    Natural Resources Management Act. 

    "Every other developer needs to follow these laws - why does BHP
    Billiton continue to get a free ride?  It's bizarre that one of the
    richest companies in the world gets an easier ride when it comes to
    complying with state laws than other miners and developers.

    "I urge BHP Billiton to voluntarily give up these special exemptions,
    and if they don't, I expect the Parliament to support my Bill to take
    them away," Mr Parnell said.


    For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

    ...........

    Greenpeace in Crikey.com.au today write

    7. Nice profit BHP, shame about the environment

    Greenpeace energy campaigner Ben Pearson writes:

    So BHP has made another bumper profit. Just released figures report a record earnings result of $US13.4 billion, $16.7 million, driven by strong sales of commodities including petroluem products and coal. The press coverage of this has largely been uncritical; a doff of the hat to Chip Goodyear, and a general feeling of contentment that BHP, and Australia, can continue to ride the unprecedented commodities boom.

     

    What is missing is an analysis of what BHP’s profits mean from a climate perspective.

    BHP makes money by digging up and exporting commodities like coal. Its 23 coal mines worldwide produce nearly 150 million tonnes of coal a year, and it has major expansion plans in Australia. When that coal is burnt it creates greenhouse gases that fuel climate change, the costs of which will be huge if left unchecked. Australia, in particular, will be vulnerable as a hot, dry continent, and key industries like agriculture and tourism will be devastated.

    In essence, therefore, BHP’s record profits now are being made by producing and exporting products which will threaten our economic wellbeing in the future. Yet the coverage of BHP’s profits fails to make this connection and fails to ask a very basic question: if climate change is such a threat, then why is it good that BHP continues to mine and export even more coal and other climate-changing products?

     

    The answer from BHP would inevitably be "we’re investing in clean coal". Rubbish. BHP is spending about $360 million on clean coal over five years, a miserly amount compared to their profits. The expenditure is designed to create the appearance of caring about climate change so it can continue to profit from fuelling it.

     

    Ultimately, reportage of BHP’s profits is just another manifestation of Australia’s current holiday from history. We happily ride the commodities boom while ignoring the inevitable, and severe, consequences of our quarry mentality, and economy. Future generations will look back at us in the same way we look back at Easter Island communities and ask "what were they thinking when they chopped down the last tree?"

    Send your tips to boss@crikey.com.au or submit them anonymously here.


    Posted by editor at 3:49 PM NZT
    Updated: Thursday, 23 August 2007 3:53 PM NZT

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