Great news Warren, but it’s still one person one vote

January 21st, 2005

Warren Snowdon, federal Member for Lingiari, NT (old-school, social justice, great legs, even more impressive moustache, left-leaning Labor) is backing Julia Gillard.

This is great news however, we are looking for more than the people of voting age of the Northern Territory with a total population of 199,900 to change Government.

It is a fine beginning and from little things, big things grow…
with acknowledgement to Paul Kelly, Kev Carmody and Archie Roach

Image from here

"Gather round people let me tell you a story, an eight year long story of power and pride.
British Lord Vestey and Vincent Lingiarri, were opposite men on opposite sides.
Vestey was fat with money and muscle.
Beef was his business, broad was his door.
Vincent was lean and spoke very little, he had no bank balance, hard dirt was his floor.
From little things big things grow.
Gurindji were working for nothing but rations, where once they had gathered the wealth of the land.
Daily the pressure got tighter and tighter, Gurindju decided they must make a stand. They picked up their swags and started off walking, at Wattie Creek they sat themselves down.
Now it don’t sound like much but it sure got tongues talking, back at the homestead and then in the town.
From little things big things grow.
Vestey man said I’ll double your wages, seven quid a week you’ll have in your hand. Vincent said uhuh we’re not talking about wages, we’re sitting right here till we get back our land.
Vestey man roared and Vestey man thundered, you don’t stand the chance of a cinder in snow.
Vince said if we fall others are rising.
From little things big things grow.
Then Vincent Lingiarri boarded an aeroplane, landed in Sydney, big city of lights, and daily he went round softly speaking his story, to all kinds of men from all walks of life, and Vincent sat down with big politicians, this affair they told him is a matter of state, let us sort it out, your people are hungry, Vincent said no thanks, we know how to wait.
From little things big things grow.
Then Vincent Lingiarri returned in an aeroplane, back to his country once more to sit down, and he told his people let the stars keep on turning, we have friends in the south, in the cities and towns.
Eight years went by, eight long years of waiting, ’til one day a tall stranger appeared in the land, and he came with lawyers and he came with great ceremony, and through Vincent’s fingers poured a handful of sand.
From little things big things grow.
That was the story of Vincent Lingairri, but this is the story of something much more, how power and privilege can not move a people, who know where they stand and stand in the law.
From little things big things grow."

Army reservist should have paid attention in History class.

January 16th, 2005

In 1945, in Nuremberg the trials began.

  1. Hans Frank
  2. Alfred Jodl
  3. Wilhelm Keitel
  4. Arthur Seyss-Inquart
  5. Constantin von Neurath
  6. Joachim von Ribbentrop

All these men were found guilty of Count Three: War Crimes.
These were the more traditional violations of the law of war including treatment of prisoners of war.

“I was just following orders”

was not a defense allowed then and it is not a defense allowed now.

US Army reservist Charles Graner Jr., convicted of mistreating Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison, said he had been ordered to abuse detainees as he took the stand for the first time today. He described himself as a by-the-book prison guard corrupted by superiors who ordered him to physically mistreat and sexually humiliate detainees.

He said he initially resisted pressure to mistreat prisoners, but his Army superiors made it clear to him that he was expected to obey the commands of the military and civilian intelligence agents who ran his part of Abu Ghraib.

Graner said a lieutenant in his unit told him:

“If (military intelligence) asks you to do this, it needs to be done. They’re in charge, follow their orders.”

the-nuremberg-trials-the-nazis-and-their-crimes-against-humanity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can buy the book from here 

Paper money thanks, me back’s buggered…

January 5th, 2005

For some time, I was based in and around Darwin, Northern Territory.
While there, I purchased and lived on five acres of ‘virgin’ bush in what was known as Kakadu Stage 3. If anyone knows the area, it was Sunter Road, Humpty Doo.

This was a most beautiful, quiet and remote wilderness.

Nobody paid their rates to the Litchfield Shire Council, because the locals had the idea that you have to provide something to charge a fee!
I can recall one typical local, usually at the Humpty Doo Hotel saying,

"You don’t even grade the bloody road (note singular), I’m not paying any bloody rates"

These are uncomplicated, hardworking, honest, good people and Allan Brooks is one such character.
Of his wheelbarrow odyssey, Allan was quoted as saying,

"If I fill it to the top with coins, I’d be flat-out trying to push it to be quite honest, so obviously notes would be better,"

Shame = $310 million

January 1st, 2005

"President Bush announced today a ninefold increase in emergency aid to stricken areas of Asia, bringing the federal government’s commitment to $350 million, and he said the United States would probably add more resources as the scope of what he called an "epic disaster" became clearer."

"Mr. Bush’s action is the second time this week that the United States committed more funds to the effort, and it came after mounting criticism that the president, who has stayed on his 1,600-acre ranch all week and spoken publicly about the disaster once, had reacted too slowly."

He may be the worst US President ever, but George W. Bush does understand national shame.

I don’t care which emotion informed this, an extra $310 million is a good start!

Let’s send Phil out…he hasn’t had a big lie since October 2001.

December 19th, 2004

I notice that the coalition has sent forth Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to give an air of believability to the terror warnings for Indonesia.

They can’t expect us to believe HoWARd.

They can’t expect has to believe Downer.

Now we are supposed to believe Ruddock?

"A number of people have jumped overboard and have had to be rescued. More disturbingly, a number of children have been thrown overboard.

I regard these as some of the most disturbing practices that I have come across during my time in public life, clearly planned and premeditated."

– Philip Ruddock, then Australian Immigration Minister, October 7, 2001.

Leaving home has always frightened the conservative and unadventurous.

Travel anywhere you desire.
The flowers in Ubud are beautiful this time of year…