Today's Headlines
an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper.
Since October 1995

This on-line paper is now archived for perpetuity in the National Library of Australia

Monday, 13th October 1997
Associated links:

Search entire news archive by day	Search entire news archive by text
Definitive Lifestyle Guide to over 5000 Australian webs	Global Web Builders Gold
The Kid's Locker Room	World Wide Websters

International:

Some interesting perspectives from aus.politics:

Your opinions of Asians and non-whites represent the majority of the white Aussies (if not all). I think you attitude is great because it will cause the Asians(2 billions) to be so resentful that they will try to overtake your white nation by force. Your current immigration policy for Asians is pocket change. If you return to your former white policy, than you will cause the Asians to hate you white Aussies so much that they will try to take your country by force. So, Good luck with your attitude. America is on a decline mate. UK is almost dead. So, who are you white oz goinga call to protect you from the yellow peril?

btw, I am Asian.
William

The defence contract with Malaysia (by Mike):

I just got back and heard that there was apparently a big discussion in Australia about the reason why Australia lost the contract to supply warships to Malaysia.

I understand everyone blamed those they did not like. The Liberals blamed Labor, Labor blamed the Liberals.

Many are sure it is all Pauline Hanson's fault.

Hmmmm - has anyone ever thought about the possibility that that the German offer was just better? That's what I have heard outside Australia!

Let's face it - Germany supplies quality and on time. If you order something in Germany you run little risk too that you suffer delays due to industrial problems (unions) or that some crazy activists superglue their dicks to the ships....

However, the main advantages of ordering from Germany is high quality at a good price with full back up and no delays. Can we match that?

You know, if you go over to continental Europe and talk to people you will find that most purchase things "Made in England" only for people they hate because "Made in England" means it's crap and something possibly falls off before you even left the shop. If you love your Uncle you buy him for Christmas a drill made by Bosch and if you really hate him you buy him a Black and Decker one....

May be we are still far too English....

In any case, the pollies are far too full of themselves. They always think the whole world is looking a them. However, in reality they are totally unimportant for business.

Talk politics in business circles overseas. You'll be surprised...

John who....????? Kim what...????? Ah, I know Costello, he was an actor! I remember the old Abbot and Costello flicks but weren't they English?????

Dear pollies... don't over-estimate your importance!

With reference to the above posts, one of the greatest fallacies being perpetrated by the mainstream media is that there is a "new" bout of racism in Australia because of Pauline Hanson's One Nation.

Racism has always and always will exist in all communities. The first post by William is extreme but could have been written by a white Australian or by a black American or by a Jew (with obvious changes in the content). What is striking in the so-called debate is the lengths at which News Limited and Packer's mob will go to discredit democratically elected threats to their privileged status with the bi-partisan Liberal/Labor governments... while totally ignoring the background to major Australian issues.

This brings us to the second post by Mike regarding the multi-billion dollar defence related ship-building contract that an Australian company lost last week to a German company. (It was Jeff Kennett, Victoria's State Premier, who immediately pointed the finger at a soft target, Pauline Hanson... saying that she was probably to blame for the loss of the contract. A comment widely reported by the Australian media without much else being said on the matter.)

Although Mike brings up some interesting points in this post, what he totally overlooks and what has been overlooked by the media is the little known but well documented Five Powers Defence Arrangement (FPDA) between Australia, Britain, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand which was entered into by Australia mainly to guarantee Malaysia military help in the event of attack.

It was Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, who in September last year warned Britain to stay part of the FPDA and I quote from the Sydney Morning Herald article, "To be a member of the Five Powers Defence Arrangements is a serious matter, it's not just about arms sales to South-East Asia."

During the same trip Downer visited Bonn and had this to say, "I would like to explore a further recent development shaping Australia's relations with Germany and Europe in general: that is the convergence of Australian and European interests in the Asia Pacific region and the advancement of our respective commercial interests through regional initiatives.

"Australia appreciates the contribution that Europe makes to the global security environment. France and the UK are globally engaged powers and their interests extend to the Asia-Pacific region - France particularly in the Pacific, the UK with its involvement in Hong Kong, Brunei and the Five Power Defence Arrangement, Germany with its international economic weight and its interest in the international security agenda, for example on disarmament/non- proliferation issues.

"The EU presidency and the Commission are present at the ARF table representing Europe's interests in the developing Asia-Pacific security framework. The EU is this year sponsoring jointly ARF second-track seminars on preventative diplomacy and non-proliferation. Australia and Germany are partners, with Indonesia, in the first of these projects. Australia welcomes these constructive contributions to our region's affairs.

"Returning to the global perspective, Australia, like Germany, is an outward looking nation committed to developing links with the broader international community both bilaterally and multilaterally. We do not want to be a nation with a narrow view and a limited vision: we see ourselves as a significant nation with a large number of broad global interests as well as a commitment to building prosperity and security in our own region."

We also know, from the link below amongst others, that one of the main reasons that the FPDA was signed back in 1971 was to prop us Malaysia who were a soft target for attack - Malaysia had and did gain the most out of the defence arrangement. Here are some quite startling comments extracted from this lengthy report by RAAF Group Captain Philip Byrne that were made at the time Downer was educating Germany about the FPDA opportunity,

"This security relationship was institutionalised in the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) which had its genesis in the 1971 termination of the Anglo Malaysian Defence Agreement (AMDA). Prior to this, Malaysia had relied heavily upon British Commonwealth defence assistance. Communist insurgency in the 1950s and 60s together with Indonesian Confrontation over Malaysia’s incorporation of Sabah and Sarawak into the Malaysian Federation had created Malaysian dependence on external assistance to deal with security threats....

"In 1981, with the rise to power in Malaysia of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Commonwealth was accorded last priority in foreign policy behind ASEAN, the OIC and the NAM. This perhaps reflected Dr Mahathir's anti-British disposition, one indication of which was a `buy British last' campaign which lasted from 1981 to 1983. This policy was resurrected for seven months in 1994 in retaliation against British press reports that a bribe had been offered to Malaysian Government officials, including the Prime Minister......

"Interpreting Dr Mahathir's anti-Western displays is however, complex and goes beyond mere anti-colonialism. Some observers have placed part of the problem at the personal level. In the case of the relationship with Australia, it has been suggested that Prime Minister Mahathir, 'still nurses an animosity toward Australia that began in the 1960s'. (Of course ALP Prime Minister Paul Keating's "recalcitrant" remark did not help the state of play.).....

"It (FPDA) provides both Malaysia and Singapore with Australian, New Zealand and UK assistance in staffing and financing the Integrated Air Defence System (IADS). Additionally, Australia has 'assigned' one squadron of F/A-18A Hornet aircraft (No 75 Squadron) from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to IADS and conducts multiple deployments to Malaysia and Singapore each year. Naval deployments from the RAN are a regular feature.

" Since the 'revitalisation' of the Arrangements in 1989, FPDA activity has increased in tempo to an average of five or six significant exercises each year. Fiscal year (FY) 94/95 saw a total of six major exercises (three x air, two x maritime and one x land). Six exercises were also held in FY95/96 with a similar tempo planned for the current and future years. The exercises are significant in scope (Starfish maritime exercises conducted in the South China Sea involve some 4,000 personnel and up to 100 ships and aircraft) and are increasing in complexity each year. In 1997, a major air defence exercise and a Starfish maritime exercise are, for the first time, planned to be combined into a major exercise to be called Flying Fish. 36 In 1992, Singapore's Chief of Defence Force commented that FPDA 'exercises had moved to higher levels of professionalism and technology over the years' and that the level of participation in exercises is of 'a rather different order of magnitude from the numbers of the early years and it makes a strong statement about the weight that the member nations put on the FPDA.'37 Through these exercises, Malaysia and Singapore (and New Zealand for that matter) gain access to sophisticated operating techniques and practices that they would they have difficulty obtaining elsewhere. Thus, their professional capability benefits from the continued activities.......

"However, one notable difference between FPDA and other security arrangements to which Australia is a signatory is its lack of reciprocity. Thus, while the three extra-regional signatories may consult should Malaysia and Singapore be threatened, there is no mention in the agreement for Malaysia and Singapore to consult should Australia, New Zealand and the UK be threatened. This could be considered a failing in comparison with ANZUS and the Australia-Indonesia Agreement, which will now be considered."

To summarise, this is the state of play on FPDA a defence agreement with Malaysia that costs Australia tens of millions of dollars each year:

• The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, does not like Australia.
• Malaysia is still the major beneficiary of the FPDA (including advanced defence technology).
• Australia will, under FPDA, help defend Malaysia in times of war but Malaysia does not have to reciprocate.
• Australia mans Malaysia's air defence system under the agreement.
• Alexander Downer says that we are in FPDA for the "trade" spin-off.

With leaves me with the following questions,

• "What the hell are we doing being part of FPDA under its current terms?"
• "What the hell are the mainstream media doing. We know they have heard of FPDA so are the media moguls now looking for a piece of the action in Malaysia and unwilling to damage these negotiations?"
• "Where did Pauline Hanson fit into the equation Mr Kennett?

Political:

The Thai baht has fallen more than 40% against the US dollar since it was floated in July this year.

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamed's accusation of a "Jewish Conspiracy" headed by George Soros has resulted in the American billionaire calling Mahathir a "menace". The Malaysian Prime Minister was furious about Soros' actions in the Malaysian stock markets - wiping 40% of the value off and causing a 30% slump in the value of the Malaysian currency.

What is little known about the Malaysian Prime Minister is his obsessive racism, in particular against Jews. He has, for example, banned Barry Manilow from performing there - because he is Jewish.

This from a man who has been widely quoted as saying that Australia is racist country.

Finally, like Australia's Labor Party Mahathir's ruling party has used violence to quell opposition... but far more blatantly than he luny left here in Australia.

It looks likely that the South Australian Liberal government will cling to power following Saturday's 13% swing against them.

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Yesterday we enjoyed a bar-b-que with our new Aboriginal neighbours...

Return to Australian National News of the Day

#

See GLOBE International for other world news.