Tuesday 1st April 1997
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Issues - timed calls for Internet use. A new explicitly defined 10 year defence partnership agreement is being developed to replace the current Au$11.9 million in aid spent on the Defence Co-operation Program.
In related news a letter written by deposed Papua New Guinean military leader, Brigadier General Jerry Singirok to Finance Department Secretary, Vele Imo, on the 30th January this year states:
"You are aware of some of the issues we have raised with Sandline representatives but they are obviously not prepared to negotiate or accommodate.
"Otherwise for those issues, the Secretary for Defence and the Commander (Singirok) are happy with the contents of the proposed contract.
"Please facilitate signing arrangements for the deputy prime minister on behalf of the independent state of Papua New Guinea."
Gen Singirok's greatest concern, according to other documentation, was the inclusion of two Russian built M-17 helicopters - not an issue when Singirok mutinied against Sir Julius Chan.
Three Australian heroin smugglers who tried to take out over 100 grams of heroin were yesterday jailed for 50 years in Thailand. Lyle Doniger, 45, Deborah Spinner, 30 and Jane McKenzie, 29, were effectively sentenced to die in jail.
Howard had a 90 minute session with Peng during which he raised the issue of human rights and the jailing of businessman Australian-Chinese businessman James Peng. The premier had responded to Howard's request for clemency for Peng by saying that he would raise the issue but it was a "matter for the courts".
"I said that inevitably in the area of human rights there would be differences, and I proposed to him that we should establish a dialogue on human rights," Howard said.
"I did that because I don't think it's realistic to imagine that human rights issues aren't going to crop up."
Extensive political commentary and links can be found on Palmer's Australian Politics page.
RE: "Opal Files" and "Can the coming dark age be prevented"
I always had the opinion that your web sight was only slightly
right of center, but now after these two links you have added I have
realized that you are completely to the red-neck radical right.
I had a bit of a look at the "dark age" site and it's associated links
and found out numerous other articles which promote the following:
I have mailed you about calling yourself a newspaper previously.
Do not put editoral comments in the news story just put it in a
separate editorial section. You complain about Murdoch and Packer
but you have no jounalistic integrity yourself.
Clean up your act.You say:
Subject: Clean up your act.
Do you think it is wise to associate yourself with these type
of radicals? Readers wil think 'good stuff' then they read your page but
when they go to the above links they will think " what a wanker".
Paul Howe
I appreciate your comments - and, thankfully, we live in a world where the Internet still allows freedom of speech - a freedom that the personalities that you refer to in your letter would love to curtail. Why? Because control of the media, in all its forms, is control of what people think and how they react. That is true political power - which equates to enormous financial priviledge.
A simple example of this is the obvious fact that you will never see the Murdoch's or the Packer's displayed in a bad light in their media. To do so would be the equivalent of putting in your permanent resignation in that line of career - whether you be a senior editor or a journalist (who's article or expose would not see the light of day anyway).
The same tune can be played to help a political ally, and I would suggest is in Australia, with devastating results. Think of John Hewson during the 1993 election - and what was happening in media ownership circles at about this time thanks to the kind intervention of one Paul Keating.
A small time example of the same thing was in the late 1980s when disgraced premier and ex-journalist, now prison mate, Brian Burke, played a major hand in the political content in the West Australian Newspaper through the state government's and mate Alan Bond's ownership of the major shareholding. The newspaper now concedes itself that these were dark days in which the relatively small but regionally powerful publication was at the beck and call of Burke - who more than once personally intervened to get a headline changed - yes, he saw them before they went in print!
I can personally recall the slanted pre-election articles that saw Labor re-elected under the new premier Peter Dowding against all odds - just after the WA Inc scandal!
The real power games are now played out in the corridors of Canberra - and if you think that this is radical stuff, why don't you go and ask a few well placed questions about what actually goes on there.
It would make Mal Colston's travel allowance fiasco appear like a pimple on your bum. The passing of "timed calls" by the Senate has more hidden agendas than you can point a stick at and it does no good for the Australian people - so to who's benefit is it? Please tell me!
Finally, the de-regulation of petrol provided by petroleum companies (take that as the seven sisters) was muted by Peter Costello as a "good move" that would see petrol prices fall.
Well guess what - here in South East Queensland our prices have shot up 10 cents since de-regulation less than four months ago from an average of about 56 cents a litre to about 66 cents.... now I wonder who was in that Canberra committee and I wonder who lobbied it?
It certainly wasn't you or me but I reckon there was a bit of "sisterly love" hanging around those corridors.
There were some pretty strange decisions taking place in the Australian camp with top spin bowler Shane Warne only bowling a few of his allotted 10 overs and then being put in to bat at number three - going out for a duck!
The South Africans, who were at one stage 16 for 3, recovered to score 221 runs with Jonty Rhodes playing a star role.
The Waugh brothers, Steve and Mark saved Australia's bacon with Mark scoring an unbeaten century and his brother Steve 50 when the South African target was reached.
The two teams have now evened the score in the seven match series with one win each.
Another magnificent day outside, but it was, for the first time this year, cold overnight.Late yesterday afternoon Brisbane and some of the outlying suburbs were struck by a very severe storm and hail... luckily we were spared.
The sunset was quite magnificent.
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