Friday 10th January 1997
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Headlines like "Houdini of the seas" and "Praise God he's alive"..... yes British Tony Bullimore survived by staying within the dry part of the upturned hull for four days and Thierry Dubois was picked up the HMAS Adelaide from his lifecraft - a al Australian taxpayer.
The now safe 29 year old Dubois said he was not remorseful that he had to be rescued and said France would go to the aid of sailors who came to grief in its area of responsibility - a statement which is blindingly stupid. Australia is surrounded by million upon million of kilometre of open sea whereas France would probably fight with one of its neighbours over rescuing someone in the open sea in a tiny stretch of international water that they might be obliged to monitor.
Dubois said, "It is part of an International Agreement for Mariners." He went on to say that, "I have to win this race. Next time I hope I can construct my boat more securely. This was my old boat, a first-generation boat.
"Maybe we need new rules to prevent this problem (enormous rescue costs to Australian taxpayers). I understand that the guys in Australia don't want to pay for all adventurers like me."
Close to the mark - but we don't want to pay for any shipwrecked self-seeking adventurers.
The upshot of this ridiculous facade called a race is that the Australian Defence Force had to rescue the yachtsmen in 4 of 17 yachts competing in the race at an enormous price tag to Australian tax payers. Personally I think that the French and British Governments should just be handed the bill. Then they can go and collect the money off the sailors through their court system. I am sure, after they have told their stories to the media that they will be able to afford it.
By the time the media have finished with the glorification of these floating cowboys who have drained millions of dollars out of Australia without remorse they will probably be portrayed as the Rambos of the sea who even during their rescue performed amazing acts of brevity and other bull****.
RTZ-CRA have sold out of the proposed Au$1.1 billion Century Zinc mine project to Melbourne based miner Pasminco. The sale is conditional to the project being granted valid mining leases after the fracas that broke out earlier this year over native title.
It is a tragedy that such an important mine that could bring so much wealth to the indigenous people of northern Queensland has been stymied by a small group of "representatives" - even after they voted in favour of giving the project the green lightearlier this year.
This is the real issue about native title. Whenever a mining company sticks up its hand to mine a resource they can almost now be sure that all of a sudden native title claims will be made by an Aboriginal group being represented by those funny looking guys in white wigs.
I can see it now - there is probably a database of traditional lands throughout Australia with key contacts and indigenous leader details which can be data matched with mining projects currently being considered. That little program would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a Queens Council - thanks to native title.
The movement's convenor Bruce Whiteside said yesterday that the level of communication with Ms Hanson's office had been "bloody near disasterous". He said that he had been told not to talk to the media about the activities of the group or Ms Hanson and was sick of people telling him "to keep his head down".
The Pauline Hanson Monvement based on the Gold Coast claims to have 5,000 members in 28 branches spread around Australia. Small beginnings for what could, one day, become a popular new political voice for Australians in one form or another.
St George Bank's managing director Jim Sweeney should now be able to realise his ambition of running Australia's fifth largest bank.
National Australia Bank which had tried to block the deal was present at the hearing but did not address the court. NAB had earlier criticised the deal and lobbied the Australian Securities Commission to voice its concerns.
NAB could still mount a legal challenge, however this now appears to be unlikely.
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