Of Course Julia Gillard and unelected Macquarie Bank Foreign Minister Bob Carr gloat about securing the release of the Australian Human Rights lawyer detained by the Libyan puppet government while steadfastly maintaining a Nelsons telescope view of Austin G Mackells continued denial of Freedom to leave by Egypt. And Australia's foreign ministry seem to have become a repeater station for the US on Wikileaks too, parroting the US line that it is not seeking to arrest Julian Assange.
Climate Minister Greg Combet expresses moral outrage about Corporate price gouging -while part of a government and bipartisan political monopoly which have for decades enabled Monopolist behaviour by Telcos Banks retailers and Corporate profiteers. All talk but no action here.
A battling multi generational farming family from out Walgett way at risk of falling victim to slick debt marketing masquerading as financial planning by the National Bank (along with a myriad of similar cases Australia wide) goes completely unaddressed by either government or opposition at State or Federal level as your elected representatives cringe in awe of the power they have vested in economic monoliths. Who do they represent?
Ineffective Federal environmental and heritage protection laws again failed aboriginal people and sentient beings in North West Australia as Courts in Western Australia threw out the latest cases seeking to protect pristine James Price Point (and the Ningaloo Reef ) from the ravages of Shell/Woodside. Not a peep from Canberra here either as once again their laws which articulate protection manifest devastation.
Another day and another expose of The Catholic Church as a den of paedophilia . This all too common occurence on a worldwide scale should be viewed in parallel with government perceptions on organised crime gangs and criminal associations. If Churches are breeding grounds for paedophilia why are these laws not applied to them? Why are they not subject to anti criminal organisation legislation? Who would say that the protection of children is less important than controlling "organised crime?" And if it is the view of governments that an "isolated few" church goers are responsible, isn't it also the case that an "isolated few" bikies are responsible for criminal behaviour within those groups? Canberra certainly must have one rule for gangs another for churches as we dont see any attempts to apply COCA to The Catholic Church. Nor do we see its subsidiaries stripped of their role in fostering and providing care and protection for children.
Fortescue and Rio have both issued statements flagging a fall in their iron ore input prices - Rio guesses 85 dollars a tonne while Forrest is comfortable at 100. What do they really think? And if they said so would it send their share prices into a tailspin? What if China decides to pay $65pt? What does that do to their gearings? How does that impact the property purchases of mining industry workers and what will the flow on effects be? Are Publicly listed companies a protected species in Australia? Are your elected leaders protecting your right to know. Oh, and do they even care that these corporate multinationals are mere conduits through which the value extracted from Australia's natural wealth flows irretrievably offshore??
These are just some of the perceptions and concerns which make this mornings occupiers fail to notice the rain the cold and the general unfavourable weather conditions as we forego comfort for change...