Recent events have opened a division between the NSW state and the Federal government over a propsal to ban a radical Islamist group. Hizb ut-Tahrir recently held a meeting of about five hundred followers at the Lakemba mosque. It is headed by Indonesian firebrand Ismail Yusanto who calls for all Australian Muslims of military age to begin training for jihad. Yusanto calls for the formation of a world wide Islamic superstate ruled over by a Caliphate - and for that state to embrace Sharia law.
This organization is banned in most of Europe and many other countries but the Australian government has resisted implementing a ban because so far it has not broken any Australian law. Premier Morris Iemma sees it as a call to jihad in this country and wants it banned.
The main stumbling block for Hizb ut-Tahrir is it's call for both Sunni and Sh'ite to take part in jihad. Given the secular difference between these branches of Islam in Iraq joint action would be a big ask. He should note the century of violence in Northern Ireland when two branches of Christianity declined to worship a common God.
The sad thing is that the majority of the near half million Muslims in Australia simply want to live their lives free of strife. The lunatic fringe that seeks to hate all others than their particular branch of Islam makes them suspect in the eyes of western Australians. The media gives prominence to the ravings of people like Ismail Yusanto - and this may influence Islamic youth which - like western youth - is in perpetual revolt against authority.
There have been many others with grand designs on world domination like Ismail Yusanto.
Within the memory of many people names like Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin spring to mind. Both failed because their method of achieving domination involved the suppression of individual freedom. When it comes to the crunch, Australian Muslims may value their way of life in Australia more than oppression under a theocracy !
Tuesday 30 January 2007
Monday 29 January 2007
The water option.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie shocked residents of Brisbane and the Gold Coast when he announced that - from next year - the water that will flow from theitr taps will be recycled water.
Beattie had advanced plans to put this issue to a referendum covering the eighteen councils that will be involved - and costing ten million dollars. This is now cancelled because Beattie says that on the subject of using recycled water " there is no choice " !
This is probably a situation that most of Australia will untimately face. When the drought breaks - and untimately it will - we will be faced with the reality that our ever expanding population is relying on a static source of water. The outflow from even full dams with be more than the inflow from rain sources
Rejection of recycled water is mostly mind over matter. The idea of that which we flush down the toilet reappearing from our kitchen tap is repulsive - and yet this same recycled water is in purer form that the existing water coming from our dams.
It is worth remembering the warning issued to those who install their own home rainwater tanks. Use it for gardening, filling the washing machine and washing the car - but don't drink it !
The same pollutants which contaminate falling rain go equally into home rainwater tanks - and our dams. The filtering process that will clean and purify recycled water will ensure a much better produce than we are getting now.
New South Wales faces a dilemma. The government is facing a state election on March 24 and the last thing the Premier would want would be a debate on recycled water at this stage - so all our eggs are in the desalination basket. Once the election is over it will be a whole new ball game. !
Beattie had advanced plans to put this issue to a referendum covering the eighteen councils that will be involved - and costing ten million dollars. This is now cancelled because Beattie says that on the subject of using recycled water " there is no choice " !
This is probably a situation that most of Australia will untimately face. When the drought breaks - and untimately it will - we will be faced with the reality that our ever expanding population is relying on a static source of water. The outflow from even full dams with be more than the inflow from rain sources
Rejection of recycled water is mostly mind over matter. The idea of that which we flush down the toilet reappearing from our kitchen tap is repulsive - and yet this same recycled water is in purer form that the existing water coming from our dams.
It is worth remembering the warning issued to those who install their own home rainwater tanks. Use it for gardening, filling the washing machine and washing the car - but don't drink it !
The same pollutants which contaminate falling rain go equally into home rainwater tanks - and our dams. The filtering process that will clean and purify recycled water will ensure a much better produce than we are getting now.
New South Wales faces a dilemma. The government is facing a state election on March 24 and the last thing the Premier would want would be a debate on recycled water at this stage - so all our eggs are in the desalination basket. Once the election is over it will be a whole new ball game. !
Sunday 28 January 2007
Dental health.
The Australian medical service - Medicaire - is criticised by some but nobody in this country should go without medical treatment. Many doctors bulk bill, hence there is no charge to the patient and all citizens are entitled to free treatment in a public hospital. Those who can't find a bulk billing doctor can obtain care by attending the outpatients department of a hospital.
Unfortunately this does not include dental care. There is a government funded dental health clinic, but the wait for treatment is measured in years - and the rules that apply are draconian. For instance, should a patient with several teeth in need of a filling finally get to the head of the queue - just one tooth will be treated. That patient then goes to the back of the queue and must wait years until his or her turn again arises.
Dental health can impinge on general health , yet a patient with a heart murmur will get immediate treatment - but a patient in pain from toothache and abscesses will be ignored.
Dental health may be a pivot point at the coming Federal election. It has been ignored for too long and both sides of politics are looking over their shoulders - wondering which will be the first to pop the genie out of the bottle.
If either party makes dental health an election issue then both sides will have no option than to move on that subject. Including dental health in Medicaire will cost money - an incredible amount of money - but it could be make or break in winning the election.
It could be that 2008 will be the year than dental health comes under the Medicaire umbrella !
Unfortunately this does not include dental care. There is a government funded dental health clinic, but the wait for treatment is measured in years - and the rules that apply are draconian. For instance, should a patient with several teeth in need of a filling finally get to the head of the queue - just one tooth will be treated. That patient then goes to the back of the queue and must wait years until his or her turn again arises.
Dental health can impinge on general health , yet a patient with a heart murmur will get immediate treatment - but a patient in pain from toothache and abscesses will be ignored.
Dental health may be a pivot point at the coming Federal election. It has been ignored for too long and both sides of politics are looking over their shoulders - wondering which will be the first to pop the genie out of the bottle.
If either party makes dental health an election issue then both sides will have no option than to move on that subject. Including dental health in Medicaire will cost money - an incredible amount of money - but it could be make or break in winning the election.
It could be that 2008 will be the year than dental health comes under the Medicaire umbrella !
Saturday 27 January 2007
Earthquake ?
Many Sydney people are pondering the possibility of an earthquake - following the claim by academics that the quake that devastated Newcastle two decades ago was primarily caused by underground coal mining.
Sydney is removed from " the ring of fire " - seismic activity that runs through New Zealand, across the Pacific and continues through New Guinea and into Asia. We get the odd tremor every few years, but damage causing tremblors are virtually unknown.
It is a reasonable hypothesis. Long wall mining leaves vast caverns and it could well be that subsidence under Newcastle was the trigger for that quake.
What concerns some Sydney people is the plan by the New South Wales government to supplement the Sydney water supply by drawing from the aquifers in the southern highlands.These aquifers hold about three years supply of Sydney's needs - and will take between five and seven years to refill when depleted.
Thats a lot of water - and a lot of air space underground when the water is removed. Water can not be compressed, hence subsidence is impossible when that air space is filled with liquid but it's removal introduces a risk that has not so far been taken into account.
At this stage it is conjecture. There is no proof that tapping the acquifers will introduce risk, and yet there is also no rebuttal to the theory.
Sydney is desperate for water and those acquifers must be tempting to government planners - but if they go ahead with their plan to tap them - and somewhere down the track there is a devastating earthquake the blame will rightly reside on their shoulders.
Tapping acquifers is an unknown science. The government may be wise to avoid that risk - and go ahead with plans for a major desalination plant instead !
Sydney is removed from " the ring of fire " - seismic activity that runs through New Zealand, across the Pacific and continues through New Guinea and into Asia. We get the odd tremor every few years, but damage causing tremblors are virtually unknown.
It is a reasonable hypothesis. Long wall mining leaves vast caverns and it could well be that subsidence under Newcastle was the trigger for that quake.
What concerns some Sydney people is the plan by the New South Wales government to supplement the Sydney water supply by drawing from the aquifers in the southern highlands.These aquifers hold about three years supply of Sydney's needs - and will take between five and seven years to refill when depleted.
Thats a lot of water - and a lot of air space underground when the water is removed. Water can not be compressed, hence subsidence is impossible when that air space is filled with liquid but it's removal introduces a risk that has not so far been taken into account.
At this stage it is conjecture. There is no proof that tapping the acquifers will introduce risk, and yet there is also no rebuttal to the theory.
Sydney is desperate for water and those acquifers must be tempting to government planners - but if they go ahead with their plan to tap them - and somewhere down the track there is a devastating earthquake the blame will rightly reside on their shoulders.
Tapping acquifers is an unknown science. The government may be wise to avoid that risk - and go ahead with plans for a major desalination plant instead !
Friday 26 January 2007
The water crisis.
The Federal government has proposed a plan to drought proof Australia. It has offered to spend ten billion dollars over ten years to save the mighty Murray/Darling river systems which flow through the eastern states.
The plan will require the states to give up their constitutional rights to manage these rivers and the Feds warn that they will need to buy back irrigation allocations from farmers who are trying to farm land that should be returned to pasture.
Many farms will need to be relocated to areas such as northern Queensland and northern Western Australia where there is water in abundance - thanks to the annual monsoon - and thus crop yeilds can be sustained.
The Federal largesse will be shared with country towns which will be required to cover delivery systems to reduce evapouration, build additional storage and implement recycling to save precious drinking water.
So far the states have been making cooperative noises, but such is the power of politics that the Labor dominated states and territories must be pondering the political significance of giving up their water powers to Canberra.
In the past, state governments have acted in their state interests by bestowing irrigation rights to farmers. In many cases this was for irrigation of arid land and resulted in an unsustainable draw on the rivers that are the vascular system of this country.
It is helpful that many farmers are conservative voters and Labor should not pay a price at the polls for cooperation. At the same time, state premiers should be relieved at having shifted the problem of water from their shoulders to that of the Federal government.
In a reverse scenarion, should the states buck this transfer they could well face a serious backlash from city and country voters who are concerned at global warming and know we are facing a critical water situation. Opposition leader Kevin Rudd is backing the Federal proposal and is urging the states to go alongh with it.
From here the wrangling will get under way. The states will no doubt want alterations to the plan and the Feds would be wise to consider such requests - but in the long run a Federal management of this mighty river system - removed from state pork barrelling - is the only way this country will get a sustainable supply of water to cities, towns and farmers !
The plan will require the states to give up their constitutional rights to manage these rivers and the Feds warn that they will need to buy back irrigation allocations from farmers who are trying to farm land that should be returned to pasture.
Many farms will need to be relocated to areas such as northern Queensland and northern Western Australia where there is water in abundance - thanks to the annual monsoon - and thus crop yeilds can be sustained.
The Federal largesse will be shared with country towns which will be required to cover delivery systems to reduce evapouration, build additional storage and implement recycling to save precious drinking water.
So far the states have been making cooperative noises, but such is the power of politics that the Labor dominated states and territories must be pondering the political significance of giving up their water powers to Canberra.
In the past, state governments have acted in their state interests by bestowing irrigation rights to farmers. In many cases this was for irrigation of arid land and resulted in an unsustainable draw on the rivers that are the vascular system of this country.
It is helpful that many farmers are conservative voters and Labor should not pay a price at the polls for cooperation. At the same time, state premiers should be relieved at having shifted the problem of water from their shoulders to that of the Federal government.
In a reverse scenarion, should the states buck this transfer they could well face a serious backlash from city and country voters who are concerned at global warming and know we are facing a critical water situation. Opposition leader Kevin Rudd is backing the Federal proposal and is urging the states to go alongh with it.
From here the wrangling will get under way. The states will no doubt want alterations to the plan and the Feds would be wise to consider such requests - but in the long run a Federal management of this mighty river system - removed from state pork barrelling - is the only way this country will get a sustainable supply of water to cities, towns and farmers !
Thursday 25 January 2007
Shark attack !
Abalone diver Eric Nerhus ( 41 ) had an amazing experience earlier this week when he ran headlong into a great white shark while diving near Eden on the far south coast of New South Wales.
The shark swallowed him - to the extent that his head, shoulders and one arm were within the shark's mouth. The encounter crushed his diving mask, breaking his nose and the shark's teeth ripped into the flesh on his back, chest and across his rib cage.
He reports that he jabbed the shark in the eye - and the shark released him.
Shark experts put a different slant on the story. The area where Nerhus was attacked is near a seal colony - and seals are the preferred meal for sharks. At the time the water was cloudy and it is likely that the shark mistook the diver for a seal.
Sharks are intelligent animals. Nerhus was wearing a leaded vest and the shark would have instantly recognised that what it had in it's mouth was not a seal - and consequently it spat him out.
Nerhus should buy a lottery ticket. It was an amazing escape and for whatever reason the shark released him he should be thankful.
It seems that in recent weeks great white sharks have been more prevalent and have been coming closer to shore. While air temperatures have been at record highs, water temperatures have been at record lows. Wind action has driven colder water closer to shore and beachgoers complain that the water - usually about 21 c at this time of year - has ranged from 14 to 17 c.
In fact, at a recent religious ceremony when a cross was thrown into the water to be retrieved by the faithful swimmers - some of the contestants emerged with mild hypothermia.
It seems that miracles do happen - but some people will insist that this is just another example of climate change !
The shark swallowed him - to the extent that his head, shoulders and one arm were within the shark's mouth. The encounter crushed his diving mask, breaking his nose and the shark's teeth ripped into the flesh on his back, chest and across his rib cage.
He reports that he jabbed the shark in the eye - and the shark released him.
Shark experts put a different slant on the story. The area where Nerhus was attacked is near a seal colony - and seals are the preferred meal for sharks. At the time the water was cloudy and it is likely that the shark mistook the diver for a seal.
Sharks are intelligent animals. Nerhus was wearing a leaded vest and the shark would have instantly recognised that what it had in it's mouth was not a seal - and consequently it spat him out.
Nerhus should buy a lottery ticket. It was an amazing escape and for whatever reason the shark released him he should be thankful.
It seems that in recent weeks great white sharks have been more prevalent and have been coming closer to shore. While air temperatures have been at record highs, water temperatures have been at record lows. Wind action has driven colder water closer to shore and beachgoers complain that the water - usually about 21 c at this time of year - has ranged from 14 to 17 c.
In fact, at a recent religious ceremony when a cross was thrown into the water to be retrieved by the faithful swimmers - some of the contestants emerged with mild hypothermia.
It seems that miracles do happen - but some people will insist that this is just another example of climate change !
Wednesday 24 January 2007
The concept of justice.
More and more Australians are becoming uneasy about the protracted incarceration of terror suspect David Hicks who has spent the past five years at Gitmo without either charges or a trial.
Hicks was an Australian citizen when captured fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He is now a British citizen, although the British government has made no effort to repatriate him to England, as was the fate of other British detainees found fighting with the Taliban.
To many people there is a vagueness about what wrong Hicks committed. At the time, there was no central government in Afghanistan ruling the entire country - and there still isnt ! The Taliban were invaders imposing their strict brand of Islam and Hicks was a convert. It could be construed that the Taliban - odious as was their outlook - were de-facto rulers trying to repel an invasion by forces from other countries opposed to their regime.
The United States charges that Hicks was trying to kill American troops. He didnt succeed. Now it looks like he will face a " Kangaroo court " which would be legally impossible if it tried to impose it's set rules on even the worst mass murderer in mainland USA. It may accept " hearsay " evidence and even evidence collected by " coercion ". What fine line marks the difference between " coercion " and " torture " ?
Obviously the rules of this court are designed to reach a guilty verdict. What then ? Execution has been ruled out, but does that mean that Hicks may spend the rest of his life in Gitmo ? Will he be denied the conditions American " lifers " expect in American prisons ?
This matter has been handled badly. There is little recognition of what should constitute " justice " in the handling of the case - and it looks like getting worse as it goes along.
It is time the US military disengaged from prosecuting Hicks and handed him over to a normal US court, to be tried on whatever charges within the US justice system. Anything less is to embrace the same sort of " justice " dished out by the Taliban when they were in power !
Hicks was an Australian citizen when captured fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan. He is now a British citizen, although the British government has made no effort to repatriate him to England, as was the fate of other British detainees found fighting with the Taliban.
To many people there is a vagueness about what wrong Hicks committed. At the time, there was no central government in Afghanistan ruling the entire country - and there still isnt ! The Taliban were invaders imposing their strict brand of Islam and Hicks was a convert. It could be construed that the Taliban - odious as was their outlook - were de-facto rulers trying to repel an invasion by forces from other countries opposed to their regime.
The United States charges that Hicks was trying to kill American troops. He didnt succeed. Now it looks like he will face a " Kangaroo court " which would be legally impossible if it tried to impose it's set rules on even the worst mass murderer in mainland USA. It may accept " hearsay " evidence and even evidence collected by " coercion ". What fine line marks the difference between " coercion " and " torture " ?
Obviously the rules of this court are designed to reach a guilty verdict. What then ? Execution has been ruled out, but does that mean that Hicks may spend the rest of his life in Gitmo ? Will he be denied the conditions American " lifers " expect in American prisons ?
This matter has been handled badly. There is little recognition of what should constitute " justice " in the handling of the case - and it looks like getting worse as it goes along.
It is time the US military disengaged from prosecuting Hicks and handed him over to a normal US court, to be tried on whatever charges within the US justice system. Anything less is to embrace the same sort of " justice " dished out by the Taliban when they were in power !
Tuesday 23 January 2007
Honour the flag.
The twenty sixth of January is Australia day. To an Australian - that equates to the fourth of July in America. It is a national holiday and Australians celebrate by going to the beach, firing up the BBQ or participating in the numerous sporting or cultural events that honour this nation.
One of those events is " the Big Day out ". This is a musical spectacle held annually on the north coast and in past years attracts a huge crowd.
Australia was stunned yesterday when the organizers announced a ban on displaying the Australian flag at this event.
It seems that those running " the Big Day out " felt that people displaying the national flag could annoy ethnic people - and that this could lead to violence.
The response was massive. Citizens from the Prime Minister down rejected the ban - and within hours the event organizers were in reverse, claiming that there was no outright ban. This was only a suggestion. They would prefer that the Australian flag be left at home in case ethnics saw it as a symbol of affront.
To many this was the last straw. We have been affronted by bans on Christmas and Easter celebrations because the do-gooders feel that religious celebrations might upset those who are not Christians. Now these same people want us to hide the flag of this country in case some ethnics take offense.
Rebellion is in the air and this Australia day a lot of Australians who might not have even thought of taking along an Australian flag to " the Big Day out " are certain to exercise their right as a citizen of this country to take one along and wave it for all to see.
This kow-towing to people from other countries now living here has gone too far. If ethnics come to this country as migrants they are welcome - but they have an obligation to embrace the Australian way of life - and respect this nations flag.
If they refuse to do that they have no right to enjoy the freedom of this country - nor should they be offered citizenship !
One of those events is " the Big Day out ". This is a musical spectacle held annually on the north coast and in past years attracts a huge crowd.
Australia was stunned yesterday when the organizers announced a ban on displaying the Australian flag at this event.
It seems that those running " the Big Day out " felt that people displaying the national flag could annoy ethnic people - and that this could lead to violence.
The response was massive. Citizens from the Prime Minister down rejected the ban - and within hours the event organizers were in reverse, claiming that there was no outright ban. This was only a suggestion. They would prefer that the Australian flag be left at home in case ethnics saw it as a symbol of affront.
To many this was the last straw. We have been affronted by bans on Christmas and Easter celebrations because the do-gooders feel that religious celebrations might upset those who are not Christians. Now these same people want us to hide the flag of this country in case some ethnics take offense.
Rebellion is in the air and this Australia day a lot of Australians who might not have even thought of taking along an Australian flag to " the Big Day out " are certain to exercise their right as a citizen of this country to take one along and wave it for all to see.
This kow-towing to people from other countries now living here has gone too far. If ethnics come to this country as migrants they are welcome - but they have an obligation to embrace the Australian way of life - and respect this nations flag.
If they refuse to do that they have no right to enjoy the freedom of this country - nor should they be offered citizenship !
Monday 22 January 2007
Clash of standards.
The Islamic Mufti of Australia - speaking from Egypt - has suggested that he might contest the seat in parliament presently held by the Premier of New South Wales, Morris Iemma.
The Mufti - who seems to suffer from verbal diarrhora most of the time - may have been surprised when the Premier welcomed the challenge.
The Mufti has since back tracked. He is now saying that a Muslim may be the candidate - not necessarily him.
Iemma has pounced on the offer, suggesting that Al Hilaly has demonstrated by his various utterances that he dislikes Australia and he specially dislikes Australians. It would be an ideal opportunity to test his support if he stands at the March 24 poll.
The Mufti is unlikely to rise to that challenge. The seat of Lakemba is solidly Labor and Iemma has a huge voting margin. The Mufti must be aware that a sizeable portion of the Australian Muslim community considers him an embarrassment and strongly disagrees with his views. If he stands - and if the voting response is a miserable trickle of fundmentalists - then he is finished as a leader in this country.
Even his supporters seem lukewarm. Al Hilaly has done more than any other person to drive a wedge between Islam and mainstream Australia. He has sat astride his high horse and made proclamations that do not necessarily have the support of Muslims generally. Now he has talked himself into a corner and must either lose face - or face the acid test at the ballot box.
The Mufti - who seems to suffer from verbal diarrhora most of the time - may have been surprised when the Premier welcomed the challenge.
The Mufti has since back tracked. He is now saying that a Muslim may be the candidate - not necessarily him.
Iemma has pounced on the offer, suggesting that Al Hilaly has demonstrated by his various utterances that he dislikes Australia and he specially dislikes Australians. It would be an ideal opportunity to test his support if he stands at the March 24 poll.
The Mufti is unlikely to rise to that challenge. The seat of Lakemba is solidly Labor and Iemma has a huge voting margin. The Mufti must be aware that a sizeable portion of the Australian Muslim community considers him an embarrassment and strongly disagrees with his views. If he stands - and if the voting response is a miserable trickle of fundmentalists - then he is finished as a leader in this country.
Even his supporters seem lukewarm. Al Hilaly has done more than any other person to drive a wedge between Islam and mainstream Australia. He has sat astride his high horse and made proclamations that do not necessarily have the support of Muslims generally. Now he has talked himself into a corner and must either lose face - or face the acid test at the ballot box.
Sunday 21 January 2007
The space war.
Recent events in China have cast a chill on the protocol isolating space from military operations. China fired a missile at an ageing and disused space weather satellite, destroying it and creating thousands of tiny particles that will remain in orbit for decades before burning up in the earth's atmosphere. This space debris has the capacity to harm and disable satellites serving the world's communications and economics.
The major players - the US, Britain, France and Russia all have the capacity to destroy satellites but by common agreement they do not test that capacity and have sworn to keep space safe from military operations.
It is hard to determine why China took that step. Perhaps it is bravado to tell the world that Chinese rockets have developed to the stage that satellite destruction is within their reach. Whatever the reason, it will cause suspicion of Chinese military motives - and it might even trigger a military space race.
Japan in particular eyes China's military buildup with suspicion. Japan has lived with a pacifist constitution even since it's defeat in World War 11, but new generations of Japanese are chafing at the restrictions and are eager to see Japan take it's place in the world as a leading player - and that will not happen without Japan emerging as a credible military power. This Chinese incident will assist that line of thinking in Japan.
Every nation must now be thinking of the danger of a military space race. The world has moved a long way since communications between countries relied on undersea cables to handle telephone traffic. Today satellites distribute everything from news to commerce - and also play a huge part in military communications - including in-air targetting of ICBM's.
The world's eyes must be on rogue states such as North Korea and Iran. Both are fast developing missile technology - and both may face sanctions from the rest of the world if they proceed with their nuclear ambitions. If a rogue country retaliated against sanctions by releasing missiles to destroy communication satellites in orbit the result would be catastrophic. Commerce would take a hit - ATM's would cease to work - military circuits would be disrupted and there would probably be a world recession as a result.
Fortunately it would be impossible to secretly launch a satellite killer missile. The world would know by the signature " hot spot " of launch and that country would be clearly identified. It would not be unreasonable for the world body to make it clear that any country interfering with international satellites would be instantly rewarded with nuclear annihilation. Such should be the price for trying to wreck the world's economy !
The major players - the US, Britain, France and Russia all have the capacity to destroy satellites but by common agreement they do not test that capacity and have sworn to keep space safe from military operations.
It is hard to determine why China took that step. Perhaps it is bravado to tell the world that Chinese rockets have developed to the stage that satellite destruction is within their reach. Whatever the reason, it will cause suspicion of Chinese military motives - and it might even trigger a military space race.
Japan in particular eyes China's military buildup with suspicion. Japan has lived with a pacifist constitution even since it's defeat in World War 11, but new generations of Japanese are chafing at the restrictions and are eager to see Japan take it's place in the world as a leading player - and that will not happen without Japan emerging as a credible military power. This Chinese incident will assist that line of thinking in Japan.
Every nation must now be thinking of the danger of a military space race. The world has moved a long way since communications between countries relied on undersea cables to handle telephone traffic. Today satellites distribute everything from news to commerce - and also play a huge part in military communications - including in-air targetting of ICBM's.
The world's eyes must be on rogue states such as North Korea and Iran. Both are fast developing missile technology - and both may face sanctions from the rest of the world if they proceed with their nuclear ambitions. If a rogue country retaliated against sanctions by releasing missiles to destroy communication satellites in orbit the result would be catastrophic. Commerce would take a hit - ATM's would cease to work - military circuits would be disrupted and there would probably be a world recession as a result.
Fortunately it would be impossible to secretly launch a satellite killer missile. The world would know by the signature " hot spot " of launch and that country would be clearly identified. It would not be unreasonable for the world body to make it clear that any country interfering with international satellites would be instantly rewarded with nuclear annihilation. Such should be the price for trying to wreck the world's economy !
Saturday 20 January 2007
Unemployment woes.
Recently released state unemployment figures do little to inspire confidence for Wollongong and the Illawarra area. Wollongong has an unemployment level of 10% and the figure for the Illawarra is 9.1% - compared to Sydney with a figure of 4.4% and the state at 4.9%.
It is not hard to determine why this is so. Wollongong is a union town - and it is not a place where any sane and sensible new employer would choose to start a business. To do so would expose that business to myopic union leaders wearing rose tinted socialist glasses who would impose draconian demands.
No help is available to such an employer. The city has a Labor dominated council and the state Labor government is not in the business of opposing the same unions that fund it's election campaigns. It is a case of a safe Labor area being out of sight and out of mind.
The tragedy is that this situation is even worse when it comes to youth unemployment. In September the youth unemployment ( 15 - 19 year olds ) reached an eleven year high of 41.2%. It has since " improved " to 39.2%.
Not only are jobs scarce in this region but a stigma is attached to young people applying for jobs in the vast Sydney market. Employers routinely discard applications with an Illawarra address because they know that past history makes such people unreliable.
The problem is the antiquated transport system. Rail is a joke when it comes to arriving on time - and when trains fail to arrive on time people are late for work.
The government crows that it has fixed this problem. All it did was revery to a steam age timetable with trains running slower - and thus arriving more consistently at the new arrival time. The only problem was that this new timetable failed to connect with other services and achieved little for those trying to arrive at work on time.
Then there is the state of the rail line between the Illawarra and Sydney. Even moderate rain causes landslides and as a precaution trains run even slower or are cancelled. No wonder Sydney employers avoid employees from the south coast.
In the past we have had glowious promises of a better rail service. There was great talk of a " very fast train " with a twenty minute service as against the present ninety minute commute - and there was talk of a tunnel from Thirroul to near Engadine - but all those suggestions happened just prior to elections - and dissolved like mirages immediately after.
We are facing a state election on March 24. There is still time for an improved rail service promise to be trotted out - but cynicism suggests that if this happens again it will be a last, desperate throw of the dice if the opinion polls turn sour!
It is not hard to determine why this is so. Wollongong is a union town - and it is not a place where any sane and sensible new employer would choose to start a business. To do so would expose that business to myopic union leaders wearing rose tinted socialist glasses who would impose draconian demands.
No help is available to such an employer. The city has a Labor dominated council and the state Labor government is not in the business of opposing the same unions that fund it's election campaigns. It is a case of a safe Labor area being out of sight and out of mind.
The tragedy is that this situation is even worse when it comes to youth unemployment. In September the youth unemployment ( 15 - 19 year olds ) reached an eleven year high of 41.2%. It has since " improved " to 39.2%.
Not only are jobs scarce in this region but a stigma is attached to young people applying for jobs in the vast Sydney market. Employers routinely discard applications with an Illawarra address because they know that past history makes such people unreliable.
The problem is the antiquated transport system. Rail is a joke when it comes to arriving on time - and when trains fail to arrive on time people are late for work.
The government crows that it has fixed this problem. All it did was revery to a steam age timetable with trains running slower - and thus arriving more consistently at the new arrival time. The only problem was that this new timetable failed to connect with other services and achieved little for those trying to arrive at work on time.
Then there is the state of the rail line between the Illawarra and Sydney. Even moderate rain causes landslides and as a precaution trains run even slower or are cancelled. No wonder Sydney employers avoid employees from the south coast.
In the past we have had glowious promises of a better rail service. There was great talk of a " very fast train " with a twenty minute service as against the present ninety minute commute - and there was talk of a tunnel from Thirroul to near Engadine - but all those suggestions happened just prior to elections - and dissolved like mirages immediately after.
We are facing a state election on March 24. There is still time for an improved rail service promise to be trotted out - but cynicism suggests that if this happens again it will be a last, desperate throw of the dice if the opinion polls turn sour!
Friday 19 January 2007
Double dipping.
Plans have been announced for a new estate of nineteen thousand homes at West Dapto, a suburb of Wollongong. There is an urgent need for low cost land sites in this region, but on present indications this estate will not meet that need.
West Dapto is flat, arid grazing land. It has no views of the sea or magnificent Lake Illawarra and it's only pretence to an oulook is the background of the escarpment. It is hot in summer and cold in winter, but at least it is flat and offers level building sites.
The problem is that these building sites will not be cheap. Both the state government and the council have stars in their eyes and a predatory outlook towards costs.
The Council is intending to invoke the Section 94 levy to provide money for infrastructure at the rate of between $ 40,000 and $ 50,000 per block. The state government is proposing an additional levy of between $ 10,000 and $ 15,000 per block. Together, this looks like a $ 60,000 levy per block before land costs, development costs and developer's profits are added to the mix. The end result will be blocks of land costing about the same as those elsewhere in Wollongong and Shellharbour.
This is sheer greed. The state government will reap a bonanza from stamp duty when these blocks are sold - and again when homes are built and sold to owners. They will also gain from stamp duty and registration costs on the cars new owners will need - because unlike Sydney - there will be no government bus services provided.
The council will gain a motza from sky high rates - which are an impost on home owners to provide the very same services that the council will have been paid to provide from the section 94 levy.
The sad thing is that with both entities double dipping, the battlers who will provide the majority of the residents of West Dapto will be mired in deep debt for the majority of their working lives. For many, the option of owning their own home will remain a dream. No doubt developers will get the blame for the huge cost of this new land release - but the thinking public will know that the co-bandits are the state government and the local council !
West Dapto is flat, arid grazing land. It has no views of the sea or magnificent Lake Illawarra and it's only pretence to an oulook is the background of the escarpment. It is hot in summer and cold in winter, but at least it is flat and offers level building sites.
The problem is that these building sites will not be cheap. Both the state government and the council have stars in their eyes and a predatory outlook towards costs.
The Council is intending to invoke the Section 94 levy to provide money for infrastructure at the rate of between $ 40,000 and $ 50,000 per block. The state government is proposing an additional levy of between $ 10,000 and $ 15,000 per block. Together, this looks like a $ 60,000 levy per block before land costs, development costs and developer's profits are added to the mix. The end result will be blocks of land costing about the same as those elsewhere in Wollongong and Shellharbour.
This is sheer greed. The state government will reap a bonanza from stamp duty when these blocks are sold - and again when homes are built and sold to owners. They will also gain from stamp duty and registration costs on the cars new owners will need - because unlike Sydney - there will be no government bus services provided.
The council will gain a motza from sky high rates - which are an impost on home owners to provide the very same services that the council will have been paid to provide from the section 94 levy.
The sad thing is that with both entities double dipping, the battlers who will provide the majority of the residents of West Dapto will be mired in deep debt for the majority of their working lives. For many, the option of owning their own home will remain a dream. No doubt developers will get the blame for the huge cost of this new land release - but the thinking public will know that the co-bandits are the state government and the local council !
Thursday 18 January 2007
Maternity leave fiasco.
The Australian Labor Party ( ALP ) is seriously considering extending maternity leave beyond the existing schemes of paid and unpaid leave. What is being considered is allowing either or both parents to opt for two years unpaid leave of absence from their jobs to bond and care for the new born.
The business community recoils in horror. This is a sure and certain way to wreck the Australian economy. Maternity leave comes with all sorts of obligations that are anathema for business. The person on leave is guaranteed the right to return to the job they held before going on leave - and they also have the right to demand easing back into paid employment by way of part time work.
This proposal ignores reality. In the area of communications progress is so rapid that two years absence from the workforce leaves the employee in the Jurassic age. Both jargon and electronics have moved on and the returning person would need vigorous retraining to be able to contribute useful work skills.
It ignores the needs of small business who would have to hire a replacement for the person on maternity leave. In the present skills shortage few would be interested in a job which they know will end when a person of leave returns - and what happens when the replacement demonstrates a superiority of skill and knowledge over the former employee ? In some cases, the employer would have to sack a desireable employee to make way for the return of a drone !
The ALP is a socialist party and this seems a shiboleth of socialist desire. Unfortunately it has no place in a capitalist world. If it becomes ALP policy prior to this years Federal election it will be a handicap that may well see Kevin Rudd retain his position as opposition leader !
The business community recoils in horror. This is a sure and certain way to wreck the Australian economy. Maternity leave comes with all sorts of obligations that are anathema for business. The person on leave is guaranteed the right to return to the job they held before going on leave - and they also have the right to demand easing back into paid employment by way of part time work.
This proposal ignores reality. In the area of communications progress is so rapid that two years absence from the workforce leaves the employee in the Jurassic age. Both jargon and electronics have moved on and the returning person would need vigorous retraining to be able to contribute useful work skills.
It ignores the needs of small business who would have to hire a replacement for the person on maternity leave. In the present skills shortage few would be interested in a job which they know will end when a person of leave returns - and what happens when the replacement demonstrates a superiority of skill and knowledge over the former employee ? In some cases, the employer would have to sack a desireable employee to make way for the return of a drone !
The ALP is a socialist party and this seems a shiboleth of socialist desire. Unfortunately it has no place in a capitalist world. If it becomes ALP policy prior to this years Federal election it will be a handicap that may well see Kevin Rudd retain his position as opposition leader !
Wednesday 17 January 2007
Petrol price rip off.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Association ( ACCA ) and the National Roads and Motorists Association ( NRMA ) have accused the oil companies of ripping off motorists at the petrol bowser. Both complain that while crude oil prices have fallen twenty-five percent since August, this has not resulted in a coresponding decrease in petrol offered to motorists.
It is suggested that the public is being ripped off to the tune of ten cents a litre.
Howls of protest from the oil majors who put the blame squarely on the petrol outlets. They point out that sixty percent of petrol sales in this country are controlled by the two groceery giants - Coles and Woolworths - who offer a four cent discount to shoppers in their stores who buy thirty dollars worth of goods - and present a sales docket at their service stations when filling their tank.
It is hard to sheet home the blame for high prices because there is a tangled mix of the price of crude, the cost of transport, the cost of refining and then the discounting cycle employed by the oil majors to even out supply and distribution problems.
One thing is certain. The two major oil companies operating in Australia - Shell and Caltex - have enjoying a profit bonanza - and the price of petrol at the bowser has not kept pace with the decrease in crude.
The ACCA does not have teeth to drag the offenders to court, but it does have the power to publish figures and shame them - and that is what it proposes to do. If the oil companies respond with a one finger salute then ACCA will petition the government to change the law and give it the teeth to force the oil majors to bring prices into line. This would be a dangerous ploy because of the power these two giants. They control the refineries and transport and they can easily generate shortages to punish the nation for crippling their profits.
In the end, this matter of petrol price will be a matter of politics. In an election year the last thing the Federal government would want would be a war with the oil majors and petrol shortages. On the other hand, a drop in petrol prices would be seen as a win all around. The probable outcome will be an easing of prices accompanies by a retreat by the ACCA. In that manner, both sides can claim victory !
It is suggested that the public is being ripped off to the tune of ten cents a litre.
Howls of protest from the oil majors who put the blame squarely on the petrol outlets. They point out that sixty percent of petrol sales in this country are controlled by the two groceery giants - Coles and Woolworths - who offer a four cent discount to shoppers in their stores who buy thirty dollars worth of goods - and present a sales docket at their service stations when filling their tank.
It is hard to sheet home the blame for high prices because there is a tangled mix of the price of crude, the cost of transport, the cost of refining and then the discounting cycle employed by the oil majors to even out supply and distribution problems.
One thing is certain. The two major oil companies operating in Australia - Shell and Caltex - have enjoying a profit bonanza - and the price of petrol at the bowser has not kept pace with the decrease in crude.
The ACCA does not have teeth to drag the offenders to court, but it does have the power to publish figures and shame them - and that is what it proposes to do. If the oil companies respond with a one finger salute then ACCA will petition the government to change the law and give it the teeth to force the oil majors to bring prices into line. This would be a dangerous ploy because of the power these two giants. They control the refineries and transport and they can easily generate shortages to punish the nation for crippling their profits.
In the end, this matter of petrol price will be a matter of politics. In an election year the last thing the Federal government would want would be a war with the oil majors and petrol shortages. On the other hand, a drop in petrol prices would be seen as a win all around. The probable outcome will be an easing of prices accompanies by a retreat by the ACCA. In that manner, both sides can claim victory !
Tuesday 16 January 2007
Racial tension.
We often criticise Muslims for failing to integrate and adopt the Australian way of life, but it seems that our European brethren are no better.
Yesterday there were disgraceful scenes at the Australian Open tennis at the Rod Laver Tennis Centre in Melbourne. Players were competing from all over the world - and that included players from Croatia and Serbia, republics from the former Yugoslavia who fought a bitter and vicious war a little over a decade ago.
Supporters of both republics turned up wearing their national colours and it quickly became obvious that they had no interest in the tennis. They taunted each other and inevitably this turned into warfare with bottles and other objects thrown, flag poles uprooted and used as weapons until the police forced them apart - and evicted over a hundred and fifty from the centre.
Where do we go from there? Probably into more trouble as a match between a top Croation player and a top Serb seems inevitable. There will be a massive police presence so a brawl is unlikely, but it is likely that rival supporters in the stands will heckle and call insults - in which case they will be ejected.
It is a cause to wonder why - if they love their former republics so much - they are here in Australia. Surely their families left their old country because of hatreds that went back centuries and were incapable of being resolved. If so - why resume the fighting in a new country where the slate should have been wiped clean on arrival ?
Yesterday there were disgraceful scenes at the Australian Open tennis at the Rod Laver Tennis Centre in Melbourne. Players were competing from all over the world - and that included players from Croatia and Serbia, republics from the former Yugoslavia who fought a bitter and vicious war a little over a decade ago.
Supporters of both republics turned up wearing their national colours and it quickly became obvious that they had no interest in the tennis. They taunted each other and inevitably this turned into warfare with bottles and other objects thrown, flag poles uprooted and used as weapons until the police forced them apart - and evicted over a hundred and fifty from the centre.
Where do we go from there? Probably into more trouble as a match between a top Croation player and a top Serb seems inevitable. There will be a massive police presence so a brawl is unlikely, but it is likely that rival supporters in the stands will heckle and call insults - in which case they will be ejected.
It is a cause to wonder why - if they love their former republics so much - they are here in Australia. Surely their families left their old country because of hatreds that went back centuries and were incapable of being resolved. If so - why resume the fighting in a new country where the slate should have been wiped clean on arrival ?
Monday 15 January 2007
A more violent society.
There is no doubt that Australia has become a more violent society in recent times. Decades ago the proverbial pub punch-up resulted in grazes and split knuckles - and occasionally a trip to casualty for a broken cheek bone or eye socket. Today that altercation is more likely to result in a trip in an ambulance to have a stab wound treated,
The police express concern at the weapons they encounter - and confiscate. Everything from kitchen knives to machetes and all number of exotic weapons from flick knives to swords. There are laws against carrying such weapons, but this is an age when obeying the law seems a remote and amusing challenge to most youth.
Now there is a new challenge. Replica firearms are a banned import in New South Wales, but that ban is not country wide. In particular, Western Australia has no such laws and replicas are flooding into that state - and being dispersed to the other states.
Not only are replicas amazingly perfect in detail but their use in holdups is beyond detection even by trained officers. Now there is a new menace. Criminal mechanics have devised ways to turn them from a replica to the genuine article, capable of firing live ammunition.
NSW authorities have appealed to Western Australia and the other states to implement a nation wide ban on replicas but so far no agreements have been reached. It may be necessary for the Commonwealth government to move on this issue and implement a national customs ban. Otherwise, sometime in the near future we may see hand guns replacing cutting instruments as the main weapon being used in the mayhem on our streets !
The police express concern at the weapons they encounter - and confiscate. Everything from kitchen knives to machetes and all number of exotic weapons from flick knives to swords. There are laws against carrying such weapons, but this is an age when obeying the law seems a remote and amusing challenge to most youth.
Now there is a new challenge. Replica firearms are a banned import in New South Wales, but that ban is not country wide. In particular, Western Australia has no such laws and replicas are flooding into that state - and being dispersed to the other states.
Not only are replicas amazingly perfect in detail but their use in holdups is beyond detection even by trained officers. Now there is a new menace. Criminal mechanics have devised ways to turn them from a replica to the genuine article, capable of firing live ammunition.
NSW authorities have appealed to Western Australia and the other states to implement a nation wide ban on replicas but so far no agreements have been reached. It may be necessary for the Commonwealth government to move on this issue and implement a national customs ban. Otherwise, sometime in the near future we may see hand guns replacing cutting instruments as the main weapon being used in the mayhem on our streets !
Sunday 14 January 2007
Demise of the Australian car industry.
The traditional Australian car manufacturing industry is in trouble. Public taste has swung away from the Holden and Ford family cars because of rising petrol prices, smaller families - and in some cases concern for the planet that dictates " smaller is better ".
In past decades car manufacturing in Australia involved a range of models - from the big sixes and V-eights to smaller four cyclinder cars. This was just too many for the limited Australian market and at one stage government diktat forced a sharing of models. We had the strange arrangement when a model was rebadged and sole as an opposition product. That was short lived, but it's end saw manufacturing contract until GM-Holden only produced the Kingswood in Australia - later this became the Commodore - and Ford restricted production to the Falcon.
The range of four cyclinder cars initially came as imports from GM and Ford plants overseas, but as Asia developed car manufacturing capacity both of the majors sourced their cheaper imports from Korea and watched as they gained a major market share.
Now the sales volume of Commodores and Falcons is dropping and both manufacturers are signalling a loss of jobs and reduced production. Petrol prices are dropping in recent weeks, but this may not bring back buyers for the big family models. The range of four cyclinder cars available is exotic and they are no longer the under powered " buzz boxes " of former years.
The automobile industry is innovative and in next year or so we will see great change. The hybrid petrol/electricity car is now a reality, diesel engines are taking over from petrol in Europe - and the hydrogen fuel cell is rapidly becoming reality.
It must be a worrying time for the management of GM and Ford. Dropping the family car to concentrate of a smaller version would not seem a viable option - and maybe the only answer is a very aggressive export campaign to enhance already established markets in places like the middle east.
The only thing that is certain is that we are going through a period of change. What sort of car emerges is anyone's guess - but the car we drive five years from now will certainly be very different from the car we are driving today !
In past decades car manufacturing in Australia involved a range of models - from the big sixes and V-eights to smaller four cyclinder cars. This was just too many for the limited Australian market and at one stage government diktat forced a sharing of models. We had the strange arrangement when a model was rebadged and sole as an opposition product. That was short lived, but it's end saw manufacturing contract until GM-Holden only produced the Kingswood in Australia - later this became the Commodore - and Ford restricted production to the Falcon.
The range of four cyclinder cars initially came as imports from GM and Ford plants overseas, but as Asia developed car manufacturing capacity both of the majors sourced their cheaper imports from Korea and watched as they gained a major market share.
Now the sales volume of Commodores and Falcons is dropping and both manufacturers are signalling a loss of jobs and reduced production. Petrol prices are dropping in recent weeks, but this may not bring back buyers for the big family models. The range of four cyclinder cars available is exotic and they are no longer the under powered " buzz boxes " of former years.
The automobile industry is innovative and in next year or so we will see great change. The hybrid petrol/electricity car is now a reality, diesel engines are taking over from petrol in Europe - and the hydrogen fuel cell is rapidly becoming reality.
It must be a worrying time for the management of GM and Ford. Dropping the family car to concentrate of a smaller version would not seem a viable option - and maybe the only answer is a very aggressive export campaign to enhance already established markets in places like the middle east.
The only thing that is certain is that we are going through a period of change. What sort of car emerges is anyone's guess - but the car we drive five years from now will certainly be very different from the car we are driving today !
Saturday 13 January 2007
The " Medicaire " trap.
The Federal government provides a safety net to reimburse people whose out of pocket medical expenses exceed a certain limit. For pensioners that limit is $ 500 per year.
The system works well - provided you pay the doctor in full at the time of visit and reclaim from Medicaire. In such cases, Medicaire takes note of your contribution.
Unfortunately doctors have adopted a new way of billing - and this completely destroys the " safety net " provisions. Both specialists and GP's demand that the patient pays the " gap " between what the doctor charges and what Medicaire pays for the service at the time of the visit. The doctor then bills Medicaire for the balance.
The problem is that the doctor's paperwork makes no mention of the fee paid by the patient. As a result, the Medicaire cheque goes to the patient with the request that the patient pay this balance when forwarding the cheque to the doctor.
Thousands of patients must be missing out on qualification for the safety net because Medicaire has no knowledge of their out of pocket expenses.
The situation could easily be remedied. All that is required is for doctors to change their method of billing Medicaire. If they clearly show the patient contribution as paid then the Medicaire cheque will go directly to the doctor, not to the patient - and Medicaire will have a correct evaluation of the patient's progress towards meeting the safety net criteria.
It will take government direction to ensure that this happens, but maybe the government is less than interested because if patients miss out on the safety net this saves the government money !
The system works well - provided you pay the doctor in full at the time of visit and reclaim from Medicaire. In such cases, Medicaire takes note of your contribution.
Unfortunately doctors have adopted a new way of billing - and this completely destroys the " safety net " provisions. Both specialists and GP's demand that the patient pays the " gap " between what the doctor charges and what Medicaire pays for the service at the time of the visit. The doctor then bills Medicaire for the balance.
The problem is that the doctor's paperwork makes no mention of the fee paid by the patient. As a result, the Medicaire cheque goes to the patient with the request that the patient pay this balance when forwarding the cheque to the doctor.
Thousands of patients must be missing out on qualification for the safety net because Medicaire has no knowledge of their out of pocket expenses.
The situation could easily be remedied. All that is required is for doctors to change their method of billing Medicaire. If they clearly show the patient contribution as paid then the Medicaire cheque will go directly to the doctor, not to the patient - and Medicaire will have a correct evaluation of the patient's progress towards meeting the safety net criteria.
It will take government direction to ensure that this happens, but maybe the government is less than interested because if patients miss out on the safety net this saves the government money !
Friday 12 January 2007
The leapard retains it's spots.
The Islamic Mufti of Australia, Sheik Taj al-din Hilali has again demonstrated that he puts little value on the Australian way of life - and has not really changed his opinion since he shocked even his followers with a statement that Australian women's attire is " like meat left in the open. The cats eat it - and who can blame the cats ? ". This was seen as excusing rape - and brought a grounswell of revulsion from Australian Muslims.
The Sheik vigorously backpedalled. He made the usual claim of " being quoted out of context " and claimed " Arabic is near impossible to accurately translate into English ". In interview shows he said he had no problem with bikini clad girls on beaches - and professed a love of all things Australian.
Speaking in Arabic on Egyptian radio he is now claiming the backlash against his " meat " oratory was " a white conspiracy aimed at terrorising Australian Muslims ", and that Muslims have more right to be in Australia than " white Australians who arrived in chains as convicts ".
He then went on to claim " that Muslims came as free people - We bought our own tickets ".
Maybe the Sheik has a memory problem. The majority of Australian Muslims came here as refugees, many fleeing despotic homelands such as Afghanistan when it was ruled by the Taliban and others fleeing Mullah ridden middle-eastern states.
A spokeman for the Islamic Friendship Association - the long suffering Keysar Trad - described the Sheik's remarks as "Ill advised ".
The Mufti left Australia under a cloud because of his ravings. He was officially on a holiday and intended to attend this years Haj. His position as Mufti must now be even more uncertain - and many of the Muslim faith will be overjoyed if he fails to return to Australia and remains in his native Egypt.
The Sheik vigorously backpedalled. He made the usual claim of " being quoted out of context " and claimed " Arabic is near impossible to accurately translate into English ". In interview shows he said he had no problem with bikini clad girls on beaches - and professed a love of all things Australian.
Speaking in Arabic on Egyptian radio he is now claiming the backlash against his " meat " oratory was " a white conspiracy aimed at terrorising Australian Muslims ", and that Muslims have more right to be in Australia than " white Australians who arrived in chains as convicts ".
He then went on to claim " that Muslims came as free people - We bought our own tickets ".
Maybe the Sheik has a memory problem. The majority of Australian Muslims came here as refugees, many fleeing despotic homelands such as Afghanistan when it was ruled by the Taliban and others fleeing Mullah ridden middle-eastern states.
A spokeman for the Islamic Friendship Association - the long suffering Keysar Trad - described the Sheik's remarks as "Ill advised ".
The Mufti left Australia under a cloud because of his ravings. He was officially on a holiday and intended to attend this years Haj. His position as Mufti must now be even more uncertain - and many of the Muslim faith will be overjoyed if he fails to return to Australia and remains in his native Egypt.
Thursday 11 January 2007
Young drivers.
Yesterday the New South Wales government revealed it's plan to curb the death toll of young and inexperienced drivers. To a degree, this is an election stunt. Parliament is not sitting - and will not sit until after the March 24 election - hence this plan depends on the government being re-elected - and even then there is a chance of a change of mind before the anticipated commencement date of July 1 next year.
The plan will impose severe restrictions on those who have just gained their license and who must display a red " P " plate. There will be no margin of error when it comes to speeding. Any P plate driver found to be exceeding the speed limit will automatically face license suspension for a three month period. At the end of that period they will again have to apply for a license, sit the written and practical test - and pay the fees so involved.
They will be banned from using any mobile phone while driving, even when the car is fitted with a " hands free " system.
They will be banned from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21 between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM. Family members are excluded and there will be exemptions granted where work or other factors are deemed necessary.
Will it work ? The general consensus is that it may save a few lives, but there will be a down side. It wipes out the designated driver plan - where one person abstains from alcohol and is the " safe driver " for a group having a night out. Obviously it's implementation will result in teens being left stranded late at night - and probably driving themselves home after a drinking session.
The other observation is that it imposes hardship on the many - most of whom are responsible people despite their early years - and will be completely ignored by the hoodlum element. The chances of success rely entirely on policing - and there are no plans to increase police numbers at this stage !
The plan will impose severe restrictions on those who have just gained their license and who must display a red " P " plate. There will be no margin of error when it comes to speeding. Any P plate driver found to be exceeding the speed limit will automatically face license suspension for a three month period. At the end of that period they will again have to apply for a license, sit the written and practical test - and pay the fees so involved.
They will be banned from using any mobile phone while driving, even when the car is fitted with a " hands free " system.
They will be banned from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21 between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM. Family members are excluded and there will be exemptions granted where work or other factors are deemed necessary.
Will it work ? The general consensus is that it may save a few lives, but there will be a down side. It wipes out the designated driver plan - where one person abstains from alcohol and is the " safe driver " for a group having a night out. Obviously it's implementation will result in teens being left stranded late at night - and probably driving themselves home after a drinking session.
The other observation is that it imposes hardship on the many - most of whom are responsible people despite their early years - and will be completely ignored by the hoodlum element. The chances of success rely entirely on policing - and there are no plans to increase police numbers at this stage !
Wednesday 10 January 2007
Police misconduct.
Once again the New South Wales police force is in the news for sexual misconduct. A recent investigation has revealed sexual harassment of female officers by their male colleagues - with senior police turning a blind eye and in some cases providing cover to prevent complaints going further.
Women police say that this misconduct ranges from touching and groping to outright demands for sexual favours. Women who complain face discrimination and are usually given the worst jobs and often boycotted by colleagues and subjected to a wall of silence.
This new round of sexual allegations follows a scandal at the Gouldburn Police Academy when it was revealed police instructors were propositioning students with the offer of good marks and a high pass in exchange for sexual favours.
It seems nothing has changed.
Policing is a career fast finding favour with women - and an increasing proportion of this state's police force is now female. The problem seems to be a small, hard core of unenlightened male officers who need to be dragged, screaming into the twenty-first century.
The police commissioner has promised reform and has stated that sexism has no place in todays world of policing. He needs to put action to words and crack down hard - not only on the officers harassing women - but even more so on the senior ranks that are condoning and protecting them.
Nothing would bring the ranks into line more than the sight of police stripped of their warrant badges, denied a pension and discharged from the service and sent to face a civil court on sexual harassment charges.
If the police force is to be brought into line with the rest of the country - nothing less will suffice !
Women police say that this misconduct ranges from touching and groping to outright demands for sexual favours. Women who complain face discrimination and are usually given the worst jobs and often boycotted by colleagues and subjected to a wall of silence.
This new round of sexual allegations follows a scandal at the Gouldburn Police Academy when it was revealed police instructors were propositioning students with the offer of good marks and a high pass in exchange for sexual favours.
It seems nothing has changed.
Policing is a career fast finding favour with women - and an increasing proportion of this state's police force is now female. The problem seems to be a small, hard core of unenlightened male officers who need to be dragged, screaming into the twenty-first century.
The police commissioner has promised reform and has stated that sexism has no place in todays world of policing. He needs to put action to words and crack down hard - not only on the officers harassing women - but even more so on the senior ranks that are condoning and protecting them.
Nothing would bring the ranks into line more than the sight of police stripped of their warrant badges, denied a pension and discharged from the service and sent to face a civil court on sexual harassment charges.
If the police force is to be brought into line with the rest of the country - nothing less will suffice !
Tuesday 9 January 2007
Junk mail.
An interesting statistic emerged this week. One Wollongong resident scrupulously collected all the junk mail that appeared in his letterbox over the preceding year - and weighed it !
The result was 38 kilos of printed matter - which multiplied by the number of letter boxes in Wollongong - amounted to 3,904 tons of what many describe as " rubbish ".
It is true that this amount of paper must result in the death of a huge number of trees and the generation of carbon dioxide during the production and processing of the advertising material, but there is a plus side to junk mail that few consider.
Firstly, there are the people employed in printing the brochures and the even greater number who walk miles each week to put it in your letter box. This is low paid work, but for the chronically unemployed it often is the difference between eating well - or eating poorly.
Not all people deride the daily dose of junk mail. It is a valuable source of information for the housebound and even healthy folk leaf through it and gain information that may otherwise escape them.
Then there is the matter of discount dockets. In particular pizza lovers find junk mail the only source of offers that allow them their regular indulgence at a sharply reduced price.
There have been attempts by governments to reduce the volume of junk mail. In particular, distribution companies are careful to restrict their delivery teams to obey warnings and not stuff letter boxes on multi-story unit blocks because of the resulting litter problems.
It seems that junk mail is now a fact of life and something not destined to disappear in the long term future.
For those into more modern communications it simply morphs into a new form - which we know as " spam " when it appears on our computer screens.
Hence that old saying : " The more things change - the more they stay the same " !
The result was 38 kilos of printed matter - which multiplied by the number of letter boxes in Wollongong - amounted to 3,904 tons of what many describe as " rubbish ".
It is true that this amount of paper must result in the death of a huge number of trees and the generation of carbon dioxide during the production and processing of the advertising material, but there is a plus side to junk mail that few consider.
Firstly, there are the people employed in printing the brochures and the even greater number who walk miles each week to put it in your letter box. This is low paid work, but for the chronically unemployed it often is the difference between eating well - or eating poorly.
Not all people deride the daily dose of junk mail. It is a valuable source of information for the housebound and even healthy folk leaf through it and gain information that may otherwise escape them.
Then there is the matter of discount dockets. In particular pizza lovers find junk mail the only source of offers that allow them their regular indulgence at a sharply reduced price.
There have been attempts by governments to reduce the volume of junk mail. In particular, distribution companies are careful to restrict their delivery teams to obey warnings and not stuff letter boxes on multi-story unit blocks because of the resulting litter problems.
It seems that junk mail is now a fact of life and something not destined to disappear in the long term future.
For those into more modern communications it simply morphs into a new form - which we know as " spam " when it appears on our computer screens.
Hence that old saying : " The more things change - the more they stay the same " !
Monday 8 January 2007
Canberra fire storm report.
The Australian Capital Territory coroner, Maria Doogan has handed down her report on the fire storm that hit Canberra on January 18, 2003, resulting in the loss of over five hundred homes and the death of four people.
The report is scathing. Days ahead of this calamity lightning strikes resulted in several fires in the mixture of grazing land and pine forests that surrounded the capital. Amazingly, the Canberra Emergency Services Bureau ( ESB ) tended to ignore them despite evidence that they were easily containable at that stage.
As time passed the weather conditions deteriorated and senior fire services voiced concern that these fires would linkup and would be capable of forming an unstoppable firestorm if predicted temperatures and wind patterns developed. It seems that the ESB simply ignored this advice - and did nothing.
The coroner was critical of the fact that at no stage were the residents of Canberra warned that a dangerous situation existed. People went shopping or went to work oblivious that danger was on their doorstep. Their first indication of trouble was in the early afternoon when the fire storm roared into town and engulfed whole suburbs of the capital.
Local opinion sheeted home the blame to the man at the top - ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope. There have been calls for his resignation - but in the usual political manner he has rejected this criticism and refuses to step down.
Four years later the capital is slowly recovering, but questions remain as to what has changed at the USB - and whether the political bosses have learned anything from the disaster !
The report is scathing. Days ahead of this calamity lightning strikes resulted in several fires in the mixture of grazing land and pine forests that surrounded the capital. Amazingly, the Canberra Emergency Services Bureau ( ESB ) tended to ignore them despite evidence that they were easily containable at that stage.
As time passed the weather conditions deteriorated and senior fire services voiced concern that these fires would linkup and would be capable of forming an unstoppable firestorm if predicted temperatures and wind patterns developed. It seems that the ESB simply ignored this advice - and did nothing.
The coroner was critical of the fact that at no stage were the residents of Canberra warned that a dangerous situation existed. People went shopping or went to work oblivious that danger was on their doorstep. Their first indication of trouble was in the early afternoon when the fire storm roared into town and engulfed whole suburbs of the capital.
Local opinion sheeted home the blame to the man at the top - ACT chief minister Jon Stanhope. There have been calls for his resignation - but in the usual political manner he has rejected this criticism and refuses to step down.
Four years later the capital is slowly recovering, but questions remain as to what has changed at the USB - and whether the political bosses have learned anything from the disaster !
Sunday 7 January 2007
An imminent threat !
The danger of a terrorist attack on Australian soil has emerged with the news that six outdated but very lethal rocket launchers are in unknown hands within this country. Details are scarce but scuttlebutt suggests that they were either stolen from a Defence Department armoury or siphoned off somewhere in the manufacturing chain on orders from a leading Lebanese crime family based in Sydney who intended to use them to eliminate a criminal rival.
Apparently this family had second thoughts and instead of a rocket attack strafed the home of the rival with automatic weapon and pistol fire, killing the target person and one innocent woman. It is suggested that the Lebanese criminal then on-sold the rocket launchers to a terrorist cell.
One rocket launcher has been recovered, but the fact that five others are at large sends a shiver down the spines of security people. These weapons are capable of penetrating a tank and once inside discharge shrapnel that kills the crew, explodes weapon ordanance and incinerates the interior.
The entire security system is in overdrive trying to recover these weapons. There is evidence that they have been buried in plastic pipes to keep them safe from detection until the time comes for a terrorist attack to be implemented.
It is the nature of such an attack that has security worried. The rocket launchers are small and easy to conceal and there have been suggestions that the target could be the nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. This has been discounted as experts deny that such weapons could penetrate the massive shielding much less cause a radioactive leak.
Security eyes are turning to a meeting of world leaders in Sydney later this year. They shudder at the thought of a terrorist in western Sydney stepping outside, lining up a launcher at a jumbo jet on low approach to Sydney airport and blowing it out of the air.
Then there are lesser targets, from the Prime Minister's car to office towers housing important government or industrial head offices.
One thing is certain. There will be an all efforts drive by the security people to recover these weapons and already one man is in custody and huge pressure is being brought down on Muslim suspects with terrorist leanings. Past terror scares have concerned people building bombs which are hard to position or conceal - but this threat is much more fundmental - and it will not go away until the rocket launchers are recovered !
Apparently this family had second thoughts and instead of a rocket attack strafed the home of the rival with automatic weapon and pistol fire, killing the target person and one innocent woman. It is suggested that the Lebanese criminal then on-sold the rocket launchers to a terrorist cell.
One rocket launcher has been recovered, but the fact that five others are at large sends a shiver down the spines of security people. These weapons are capable of penetrating a tank and once inside discharge shrapnel that kills the crew, explodes weapon ordanance and incinerates the interior.
The entire security system is in overdrive trying to recover these weapons. There is evidence that they have been buried in plastic pipes to keep them safe from detection until the time comes for a terrorist attack to be implemented.
It is the nature of such an attack that has security worried. The rocket launchers are small and easy to conceal and there have been suggestions that the target could be the nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. This has been discounted as experts deny that such weapons could penetrate the massive shielding much less cause a radioactive leak.
Security eyes are turning to a meeting of world leaders in Sydney later this year. They shudder at the thought of a terrorist in western Sydney stepping outside, lining up a launcher at a jumbo jet on low approach to Sydney airport and blowing it out of the air.
Then there are lesser targets, from the Prime Minister's car to office towers housing important government or industrial head offices.
One thing is certain. There will be an all efforts drive by the security people to recover these weapons and already one man is in custody and huge pressure is being brought down on Muslim suspects with terrorist leanings. Past terror scares have concerned people building bombs which are hard to position or conceal - but this threat is much more fundmental - and it will not go away until the rocket launchers are recovered !
Saturday 6 January 2007
" The Ashes " glory.
Yesterday the Australian cricket team delivered a stunning result when they won the fifth test to deliver England a crushing 5-0 whitewash in this series. It was a timely reply to Ian Botham's taunt that the Australian team was " Dad's Army " and unlikely to regain " the Ashes ".
Now a new issue has arisen. " The Ashes " - that tiny urn said to contain the ashes of the bails from the stumps of the first matches between Australia and England over a century ago- traditionally remain in England rather than remain in the hands of the country that wins each series. This runs contrary to all usual criteria for trophies - and most people - including British millionaire Richard Branson - are calling for a change.
It is said that " winners are grinners " and most Australians delight in the defeat of " the old enemy " but retaining supremacy in the next series will have to include some new talent in the Australian team.
Three icons of Australian cricket have announced that this fifth test was their final before retirement. Glen McGrath, Justin Langer and Shayne Warne were cricketing giants and heros to cricketing fans - but age is a determining factor in sport and all three decided that now was the time to bow out - at the height of their careers.
This brings in an exciting time for younger players aspiring to wear that famous baggy green cap and join the elite team of cricket. New blood will invigorate our national team and probably bring despair to our opponents. We look forward to inspiring play in grade cricket as hopefulls try to catch the eye of the selectors.
Now a new issue has arisen. " The Ashes " - that tiny urn said to contain the ashes of the bails from the stumps of the first matches between Australia and England over a century ago- traditionally remain in England rather than remain in the hands of the country that wins each series. This runs contrary to all usual criteria for trophies - and most people - including British millionaire Richard Branson - are calling for a change.
It is said that " winners are grinners " and most Australians delight in the defeat of " the old enemy " but retaining supremacy in the next series will have to include some new talent in the Australian team.
Three icons of Australian cricket have announced that this fifth test was their final before retirement. Glen McGrath, Justin Langer and Shayne Warne were cricketing giants and heros to cricketing fans - but age is a determining factor in sport and all three decided that now was the time to bow out - at the height of their careers.
This brings in an exciting time for younger players aspiring to wear that famous baggy green cap and join the elite team of cricket. New blood will invigorate our national team and probably bring despair to our opponents. We look forward to inspiring play in grade cricket as hopefulls try to catch the eye of the selectors.
Friday 5 January 2007
Iraqi values.
The western media is in a frenzy over the events surrounding the execution of Saddam Hussein. It seems that he was taunted while on the gallows and some witnesses used mobile cameras to record his death and these images were posted on the internet.
So what ? Saddam was handed over from American custody to the Iraqi government prior to his execution. As an Iraqi citizen Saddam was executed by an Iraqi government for crimes committed against the Iraqi people. How that execution was carried out is an Iraqi matter.
We in the west are committed to spreading democracy to less enlightened countries of the world - but what do we mean by that word " democracy ". To most, that means allowing the citizens of that country to pick the type of government they desire, but it certainly doesnt mean imposing our customs and values on those people.
This is critically important in the middle-east. We in the west embrance the notion of one man and one wife. In Islamic society more than one wife is the custom and those women certainly do not enjoy equality with their husbands. It would be nice if they embraced our values in this respect - but are we pushing democracy too far if we try and ram such ideas down their throats ?
Perhaps it is time to do a little navel gazing and adjust our ambitions for what democracy means to others. And the first step on that road involves the type of justice the Iraqi nation handed out to it's hated desport. That step is - tolerance !
So what ? Saddam was handed over from American custody to the Iraqi government prior to his execution. As an Iraqi citizen Saddam was executed by an Iraqi government for crimes committed against the Iraqi people. How that execution was carried out is an Iraqi matter.
We in the west are committed to spreading democracy to less enlightened countries of the world - but what do we mean by that word " democracy ". To most, that means allowing the citizens of that country to pick the type of government they desire, but it certainly doesnt mean imposing our customs and values on those people.
This is critically important in the middle-east. We in the west embrance the notion of one man and one wife. In Islamic society more than one wife is the custom and those women certainly do not enjoy equality with their husbands. It would be nice if they embraced our values in this respect - but are we pushing democracy too far if we try and ram such ideas down their throats ?
Perhaps it is time to do a little navel gazing and adjust our ambitions for what democracy means to others. And the first step on that road involves the type of justice the Iraqi nation handed out to it's hated desport. That step is - tolerance !
Thursday 4 January 2007
Death at a taxi rank.
In the early hours of the first day of this new year about sixty people waited in the main street of a small town in the Riverina. They were sober and orderly - waiting their turn to catch a cab home.
Upon this scene came three youths intent on causing trouble and eager for a fight. They selected a seventeen year old high school boy waiting with his girl friend and proceeded to taunt and abuse him. He offered no aggression - until one of the newcomers head butted him twice - and a second delivered a " king hit " from behind. The victim fell to the ground - and was pronounced dead when the ambulance delivered him to hospital.
Two young men are now in police custody and a third is being sought - but the question remains - why did this happen ?
When the matter goes to court more information will be gleaned. It is possible - even probable - that these attackers were drunk or affected by the drug " Ice ", but that is simply a reason for the attack - not an excuse.
What can we do to prevent similar crimes in future ? There is talk of curfews and alcohol free zones but the type of person who commits these crimes is unlikely to respect any set of rules implemented by the authorities.
The only answer seems to be a return to the laws of the past. If you start a fight and kill someone - that is murder. If you commit murder you spend the rest of your life in a prison.
Presently, murder seems less of a crime than in the past. Even a brutal murder rarely results in a custodial sentence of twenty years. Maybe that has to change. Certainly the family and friends of the victims would think so.
Upon this scene came three youths intent on causing trouble and eager for a fight. They selected a seventeen year old high school boy waiting with his girl friend and proceeded to taunt and abuse him. He offered no aggression - until one of the newcomers head butted him twice - and a second delivered a " king hit " from behind. The victim fell to the ground - and was pronounced dead when the ambulance delivered him to hospital.
Two young men are now in police custody and a third is being sought - but the question remains - why did this happen ?
When the matter goes to court more information will be gleaned. It is possible - even probable - that these attackers were drunk or affected by the drug " Ice ", but that is simply a reason for the attack - not an excuse.
What can we do to prevent similar crimes in future ? There is talk of curfews and alcohol free zones but the type of person who commits these crimes is unlikely to respect any set of rules implemented by the authorities.
The only answer seems to be a return to the laws of the past. If you start a fight and kill someone - that is murder. If you commit murder you spend the rest of your life in a prison.
Presently, murder seems less of a crime than in the past. Even a brutal murder rarely results in a custodial sentence of twenty years. Maybe that has to change. Certainly the family and friends of the victims would think so.
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