March 2, 2006
AWB dementia
Secret emails sought AWB inquiry. 28/02/2006. ABC News Online
An email to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) requested a high-level inquiry into allegations that AWB was making the payments and had parallel contracts but was not showing them to the United Nations (UN).
The reports say the AWB delegation in Washington had to be pushed to understand how serious the allegations were.
The emails failed to jog the memory of AWB’s former chairman, Trevor Flugge, who is giving evidence at the Cole inquiry today.
Mr Flugge has been unable to recall a Washington meeting in 2000 where Australian officials questioned whether AWB was making illicit payments to Iraq.
Yes, I’m one of the 70% of Australians who thinks the government was aware of the kickbacks.
Given the articles that keep coming up, how can you NOT believe that?
February 26, 2006
So what is the biggest threat facing humanity?
Watchdog bans solar ad featuring Flannery. 25/02/2006. ABC News Online
A free-to-air television watchdog has prevented a commercial involving a prominent South Australian scientist from being screened, sparking claims of political interference.
The advertisement for the Solar Shop in Adelaide featured Dr Tim Flannery.
In the ad he described climate change as “the greatest threat facing humanity” – a statement which was rejected by the Commercials Advice regulatory body.
Dr Flannery says the move reflects an ignorance of the issue rather than a wider conspiracy to suppress information.
“I was surprised actually,” he said.
“But then on reflection I thought ‘Well perhaps a lot of people don’t understand the full implications of what we’re facing with climate change’.
“And if they don’t recognise it as the most severe threat, then really that’s a matter for some more education perhaps.”
The Solar Shop’s managing director, Adrian Ferraretto, says he believes an indirect reference in the commercial to Australia’s rejection of the Kyoto Protocol may have triggered the ban.
“At the end of the commercial we have a tag which says we’re doing Kyoto anyway, and I think that may have had something to do with the banning of the ad,” he said.
February 25, 2006
Amen
Only a meaner nation could turn Kerry Packer into a secular saint – Opinion
I don’t think I was the only one wondering why the State was paying for a memorial service for Australia’s richest man. And he wasn’t even the nicest man. He always struck me as a bit of a boor. Money talks though.
February 19, 2006
Australia attacked from the air
Darwin remembers Japanese air raids anniversary. 19/02/2006. ABC News Online
It is a marked disappointment to me that so many Australians are completely unaware that Australia was bombed during WWII on the mainland and subjected to regular attack for at least 18 months. They are aware of the submarines in Sydney Harbour but the 243 people that died during the air raids by the Japanese on February 19, 1943 don’t seem to have penetrated the average Australian’s consciousness.
That is a very significant number of people to die in one day. Much greater than the number of Australians that died in Bali recently. Even significant natural disasters have had smaller death tolls.
Lest we forget or have we forgotten all too easily?
February 13, 2006
February 11, 2006
The AWB Scandal: I know who I believe…
And it isn’t Downer or Howard…
Govt ignorance about AWB impossible: ex-ASIS agent. 11/02/2006. ABC News Online
February 9, 2006
I hope this man gets a suspended sentence
How much force is okay when defending you or your family against an intruder?
Man charged over tomahawk attack on intruder. 08/02/2006. ABC News Online
