Sixty percent of polled Australians say it's well nigh time our defence forces came home from the quagmire in Mesopotamia.

George W Bush has been quoted as claiming similarities between the current situation in Iraq with the Tet Offensive era during the Vietnam War. This is a major admission from the American administration that events in Iraq are clearly degrading and causing more than a little concern in Republican political circles.

Human remains - some reportedly as large as arm or leg bones -have been found at the site of the 11 September 2001 attacks in New York.

Global warming is now clearly a real issue. Why do I say this? Well, it must be because John Howard is admitting so, judging by his subtle, but defined sidle up to the stance.

Unpredictable National Party Senator, Barnaby Joyce seems to be moonlighting on his constituents. He appears to be sidelining as a financial advisor.

A disturbing article in the Guardian concerning the reprehensible procedure known as ‘extraordinary rendition’. It’s not sufficient, in my mind, that this process is hinted at as having occurred or might have occurred. It happens. Present tense. Read the article and you’ll get a repetition of yet another tale of a human being being spirited away on a clandestine flight to a part of the world where normal standards of behaviour simply don’t exist. Where people…..human beings…..are treated as semi-sentient animals from whom information is to be extracted. What fascinates me more than anything else in regard to this disgusting process, is the collusion between supposed hated enemies. The US will align itself with whomever it needs to to achieve any unstated aim. Publically reviled enemy states like Syria are freely flirted with in this process of ‘extraordinary rendition’. This, above all else, is what makes the process of intelligence gathering in this manner all the more appalling.

As a member of the so-called civilised western society of humanity, I am appalled at such behaviour, yet I know full well many, many more, especially those in authority in the most powerful nations, are not. They sanction it! All the while they stand resolute, claiming that “American does not condone torture ”. So much bullshit! It’s a time-honoured understanding that America will do whatever America has to do to protect it’s own……even unto its own. The lines have become badly blurred and no ends is justified by the means.

I don’t care who you are or where you’re from. Who you’ve lost to what fundamentalist action in what time frame and under which government. When we surrender humanity and all it stands for, we’ve surrendered the right to call ourselves human beings. Condoning the behaviour I allude to above is tantamount to surrender.

Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people, or to the world, or harbored terrorists, or was involved in the September 11 attacks, or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger, or had mobile weapons labs, or WMD, or had a need to be liberated, or we needed to establish a democracy, or stop an insurgency, or stop a civil war we created that can’t be called a civil war even though it is. Something like that.

Truthdig - Reports - After Pat’s Birthday.

Read it. Honour the memory of a man who died believing what his country fed him. He died misled. He died a lie.

"It is a storm in a cup ... no worries, mate, in Australian“

No one can sack me, says defiant Hilali | News | The Australian.

Why is the Australian media so het up over the purported – translated no less – statements by a cleric of a religious sect which is a minority in this country?

So, if she isn't being pulled by a fresh opportunity, did McKew feel pushed by changing times at the ABC? A new managing director, Mark Scott, was appointed in July, and this month announced anti-bias guidelines for the broadcaster.

McKew quiet about life after Aunty | Media | The Australian.

Valid question, I’d suggest. Especially given Scott’s black-and-white view of media presentation and his reticence to be seen as anything but plain vanilla. In his recent speech to that doyen of conservative thinktankism, The Sydney Institute, Scott was quoted as stating his new editorial guidelines …

would encourage diversity "ensuring the ABC is the town square where debate can flourish and different voices [be] heard".

Clearly Scott doesn’t have a great opinion of current ABC journalism ethics. I’d say Maxine won’t be the last of the current crop of ABC journalists to seek other pastures in which to graze. Why dine where the food is always plain and boring?

CATHOLIC schools have raised fears of government interference in their religious affairs after John Howard pledged $90 million for school chaplains, a move the former premier, Bob Carr, called a retrograde and divisive threat to the separation of church and state.

Catholics and Carr wary of school chaplains plan - National - smh.com.au.

On initial assessment, my thoughts were that yet again, this Howard government is attempting to manipulate social mores in order to sway ideologies. It is a mark of this government, to install greater conservative influences within the base levels of society. Non-secular religious influences, conservative school practices, raillery against women’s rights to self-determination of issues regarding their own bodies, and so on. It’s yet more fundamentalism running rampant out of Canberra. Even to the extent that this morning I hear Howard claiming that while he’s all fired up about this ‘Chaplain’ idea, he’ll reserve the right to dole out the money to those schools and individuals they wish to choose. In other words, he’ll decide the suitability of the person’s ideology, thanks very much.

To me, Chaplain means sky-pilot as opposed to what is genuinely needed in our education systems, both public and private, which is trained counsellors. Not bible-bashing pulpit thumpers. I’m with Bob Carr. Governments of any stripe must not indulge in boundary pushing on that imperative standing between church and state. Provide proper, trained and independent psychological support to school communities, but leave religion to those who really feel the need.

My current job allows me to tele-commute, which is to say, due to technology and a compliant employer, I get to work from home.

Courtesy of the Guardian’s Hilary Osborne

The ABC has axed its popular comedy show The Glass House.

ABC News Online.

Here’s a prime example of Labor not effectively using it’s brains before engaging its collective mouth. Pg 77; Pg 79 and then Pg 83

Probably. Most privatisation of publically held instrumentalities under the current federal government have had elements of obscene haste about them – the Telstra debate stands out – sufficient to draw the tags of ‘unethical’ and ‘immoral’.

In the presence of senior American officials at a dinner at Canberra's Old Parliament House, Brendan Nelson warned the Australia-US relationship would suffer if Australia did not stay until the end with its allies in Iraq.

ABC News Online.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is welcome to attend tomorrow's crisis talks on the plight of the Murray Darling basin

ABC News Online.

It’s an afterthought, and a direct insult to the Premier of the State which has the most to offer to the Murray-Darling river system, through discussions on the massive water storage and catchement zones allocated to the cotton industry on the Queensland-NSW border.

This week, the Senate sits primarily to debate the private members bill promoted by Senator Kay Patterson(Lib) and supported in kind by Senators Natasha Stott-Despoya (Dem) and Ruth Webber (ALP). The Bill, Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006, offers much hope for suffers of genetic disease, but poses deeply divisive ethical questions.

First Tuesday in November and the last thing on my mind, or in fact of interest to me, is the horse race which gives Melbournites a day off work. I'm much more interested in what the board of the Reserve Bank will say about Australia's climbing inflation rate.

A Victory for Freedom or a huge collective sigh of relief from the coalition leadership triumverate? I’ve noticed the few blogs that I scan have all made mention of the show trial verdict to hang Saddam Hussein. ‘What the hell’, I thought, ‘I’ll wade in too!’

A one thousand year drought. That’s how the water summit held today in Canberra views the current dry in Australia.

Donald Rumsfeld is the first of the scapegoats America's now proven lame-duck President will create in response America's electorate's sharply defined rejection of his policy on the Iraq war.

Mr Howard made it clear he respected Bono's rock star status but that respect only went so far: "I don't accept preconditions from anybody."

Herald Sun.

Mikhail Gorbachev didn’t object. Bill Clinton didn’t object, Even ‘Dubya’ didn’t object to meeting with Bono to discuss global poverty and the importance of developed nations honouring the already agreed 0.7% of GDP allocation to resolution of global poverty.

Little Johnny Howler does, however. The arrogance of the man knows no bounds.

Amidst the passing of a resolution in the Senate for David Hicks to be brought home, Phillip Ruddock finally agreeing to speak directly with Terry Hicks, Attorneys-General meeting in Perth also calling for Hicks to be released & brought home, Little Johnny Howler states that Hicks cannot be tried here in Oz for alleged crimes which weren't crimes at the time he was captured as a POW, nor are crimes against US civil law.

My only response is - "So What?!!"

I missed the news last evening due to visitors, alcohol and good chat. I did, however, manage to catch the last legs of the interview on Lateline between Maxine McKew and Bob Carr, former NSW Premier and self-confessed avid Ameriphile.

Many people don’t like Carr because of his politics, or his almost sycophantic love of all things Americana, his passion for Gore Vidal or any number of other excuses to belittle a man who obviously has intellect. Whether or not he made a fist of political life in NSW is irrelevant to me. I’m a Queenslander. However, ten years at the top of the tree in State politics has to speak volumes for the man, if not his political bent. I happen to like listening to him speak. He’ll never speak on a subject which he isn’t 100% full bottle on, and when he does speak, it’s with assuredness, confirmation and authority. In other words, he’s worth a listen. Seeing as I missed most of the interview, I’ve downloaded the whole thing from the Lateline site. Thank you, Aunty. Despite having to appear even more politically correct than ever under the Howardian appointed Managing Director, your services are still well and truly worth my eight cents each & every day.

Carr – avid American watcher and aficianardo that he is – pulled no punches. In my experience, he rarely does. Damning the Bush administration for its adventurous, expeditionary, evangelistic zeal for spreading the message of truth, justice and the American (Republican) way throughout the Middle-East. Blaming that zeal for wrecking America’s standing in the global community, which it most certainly has. His view on the adventurism of the Bush led, Cheney inspired lunacy which has seen America fail in Iraq, perhaps carrying on into a concocted scenario in Iran is more than a little disquieting.

I did find what he had to say about the forthcoming NSW state elections in March 2007, and the success of Morris Iemma, to be just a little wishful, as was his claims about Beazley winning off the back of IR, Climate Change, etc. Not that I’d decry any socialist victory, but I find those two to be long bows, quite frankly.

It was good to see and hear him speak again. It’s interesting that the media, and not just our dear Aunty, seek out our former political leaders more and more often these days. Surely a sign that the current incumbents can’t be trusted to speak their minds honestly any more. I for one will be watching the predictions of Bob Carr – America in the M/E, Iemma in NSW and Beazley in the Federal sphere – with renewed interest.

On the Iraq front, it seems that Bob Carr was right. The American military look likely to take over the formulation of policy in regard to that non-quagmire quagmire. Not before time either. In fact, immediately the flowers and sweets failed to materialise in March 2003, the Military ought to have been handed the reigns by the politicians who wouldn’t know shit from clay about military sponsored regime change.

The adventure in Iraq has failed. To my mind, was always bound to fail. The similarities between Iraq and Viet Nam are too strong to ignore, despite the politicians all claiming other wise. Both will remain in history as foolish adventures in cultural confrontation, which America believed it could change through sheer military power. America is not a colonial power and never will be. She doesn’t have the ethos to manage, only dominate. Management takes finesse, domination takes only strength and ability. There hasn’t been an administration post WW2 which displayed more than rudimentary interest in management, only in domination. One without the other is always doomed to failure.

Now for the exit from Iraq. Hopefully, soon, before too many more lives are wasted in this futile exercise in empirical fervour.

I sort of half-watched Insiders this morning, having begun a water change in the aquariums just as the program started. The guest was only Peter Costello, someone I regard as an also-ran on the Australian political scene, so nothing missed there. However, when I heard him mention climate change, I stopped what I was doing and paid attention.

The day in question being last Tuesday, November 7, 2006. A momentus day for United States politics, but also for the global community. The Neo-Con experiment can be now seen to have failed and failed spectacularly with great loss of life, enormous expense and ruination of reputation of not only a nation and culture, but many, many individuals as well. All due to adventurism and some mis-led evangelistic fervour for a world dominated by Pax Americana.

The Prime Minstrel is singing sadder tunes these days.

 "We will not interpret this decision as being any sort of constitutionally green light to legislate to the hilt," John Howard on the High Court ruling dismissing the States and Union case against the use of Corporations powers by the Commonwealth. –ABC News

I’m in agreement with Peter Beattie and Mike Rann, in their calls for a constitutional convention in the aftermath of yesterday’s high court decision validating the governments Workchoices legislation in constitutional terms. Justice Michael Kirby, one of two dissenting judges, said it well.

"once a constitutional Rubicon such as this is crossed, there is rarely a going back".

This decision places enormous pressure on the constitutional federalism this country enjoyed before yesterday morning. John Howard’s claim, and I notice today, Peter Costello’s claim, that this government doesn’t want to take this decision any further in constitutional terms, doesn’t mean that it won’t. This decision opens doors, or more pertinently, opens a Pandora’s Box. Kim Beazley may well tear up the Workchoices legislation, however, the precedent has now been set. Governments post-Howardian now know they can exploit the constitutional gift of the Corporation’s Powers. Australia’s constitution, such as it is in these days, is sorely in need of amendment, in my view.

The neo-conservatives who helped convince President George W. Bush that the US military could be used to spread democracy are now lashing out at what they see as the incompetent way the Bush administration has fought the Iraq War.

I heard this story on the morning news. I can’t say I was at all surprised, at least not that the Neo-Con dream of a Pax-Americana turned out to be a nightmare. I am surprised though that the architects of the Iraq Invasion, the people who first pushed and petitioned for the seeding of American-style democracy through armed regime change should turn on the person they deliberately setup as their scape goat so quickly after the Republican stranglehold of that very same American democracy at home was broken.

"While I think it's probably not viable at the moment, I think it will become viable within a 10- to 15-year time frame. And I think that's why we have to start planning now because if we were to leave it 10 to 15 years to start planning for the construction of these facilities, by then it may well be too late."

Thus spake  Martin Blakeman from the mining company Newera Uranium following the release and presentation of Ziggy Switkowski’s report on the Prime Ministerial Taskforce on uranium mining, processing and nuclear energy.

You really do have to ask yourself who pulls whose strings when it comes to deciding who comes to this country, and the manner in which they come.

Currently listening to ABC Radio National’s Saturday Extra. Geraldine Doogue’s style makes this radio current events and political expose` style program well worth catching. Today’s subjects – a nuclear Iran. Is it worth tolerating or removing?

The so-called ‘Cold War’ ended with the nineth decade of the 20th century. Glasnost and Perestroika instigated by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985 led the world to believe that a new openness was pervading the former Soviet Union, leading to a better relationship with the western world in both political and social terms. Ian Fleming would feel sadder today then when he wrote his Bond novels. Or would he?

The findings of Commissioner Terence Cole from his inquiry into “certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-For-Food Program” have been delivered. After having been advised 35 times of seemingly untoward occurrences taking place in regard to Australian grain exports to Iraq, before, during and after the coalition invasion of that country, the Howard government and its officers has been found to be clear of criminal involvement.

Let's take a good close look at this little piece of sleight-of-hand by a corporatised former government instrumentality, and arguably the largest of the Big 4 banks in Australia today.

Your Bannerman spends a great deal of the working day listening to ABC Newsradio, either for it’s news content, or more particularly for the broadcasts from Parliament House in Canberra. While many may not consider such broadcasts rivetting listening, I personally find it fascinating to take in the machinations of our elected representatives. Particularly Question Time over lunch. It makes for some light entertainment to laugh at the ‘Dorothy Dixers’ and arrogantly ignorant rejoinders from the Government benches to questions posed by the Opposition.

Monday, Monday, can’t trust that day;
Monday, Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way.
Oh, Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be.
Oh, Monday, Monday, how could you leave and not take me?

or

 Monday, Monday, so good to me;
Monday morning, it was all I hoped it would be.
Oh, Monday morning, Monday morning couldn’t guarantee
That Monday evening you would still be here with me.

"Kevin Rudd and Julia have been very good frontbenchers of mine," Mr Beazley said. "I intend that they continue to be and then I intend them to be ministers."

Kimbo has clearly studied the works of Sun Tzu.

49 votes to 39, Kevin Rudd has taken the ALP leadership from Kim Beazley. Are we now set for a replay of 2003–2004, with a new, fresh approach to leadership for the party? An unsettling six to ten months for the Howard government with a new catalyst in the changed ALP leadership? Are we going to see Labor move forward into a position of greater strength and ultimately take government in 2007, or are we likely to see yet another near miss, as with Latham? Is it even fair to Kevin Rudd to draw that parallel? Time will tell.

It’s been a disjointed day for your Bannerman. Firstly a network failure at the coal face followed by a very late start to the working day, which thanks to a faster than November broadband plan passed…..well, faster than expected.

"It is time to rehabilitate the word 'compassion' into our national vocabulary,"

NEWS.com.au.

Is this an indication of the new leadership style? A return to a less conservative style of socialism? The Bannerman’s initial impression from reading Farr’s article was ‘Uh oh……welfare state’. I’m sure that’s not the case, but impressions count and initial impressions more so. Of more specific interest is the use by Rudd of the Menzies analogy.

“Menzies would never have legislated this. Menzies would never have the gall to legislate this. Menzies would have recognised that there is such a great breach in the social contract involved in this legislation, he could never have done it."

Now this, I find, is very telling. Rudd does not intend to take the Beazley line of attack. Simply arguing ideological differences from a vague standpoint because it’s the Oppositions job to ‘oppose’ government. Rudd’s line of attack looks distinctly as though he intends to draw the parallels and differences between Labor and Liberal – especially the hard-line, hard-right brand of conservatism characterised by the Howardian government – in stark black and white. This is good. This is Chifley-esqe.

The Bannerman sees the light up on that hill shining just a little brighter this morning.

David Hicks’ legal team has been granted an urgent hearing in the Federal Court, in a bid to have him released and returned home to Australia by Christmas. The hearing, in which Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer are to be sued for failing in their duty of care to protect the interests of an Australian citizen abroad.

Bannerman dislikes intensely highlighting the works of other bloggers, purely because there are very few, in the B-man’s eyes – who warrant attention being drawn. However, and this will not become a regular occasion, attention is drawn this morning to Dunlop’s Murdoch-sponsored bandwidth boon.

As always, Bannerman is not especially enamored by Dunlop’s style, however, he realises that not everyone has the same sense of delivery as he does. Allowances must be made. Let us take issue with the content. Citizenship, specifically Australian citizenship. A multicultural nation we most certainly are, more as a result of the egalitarian approach to distressful events in other parts of the globe from which people of all races, colours and castes fled. Post World War Two many persons immigrated to these shores from European countries devastated in that conflict. Following the Vietnam conflict of the seventies, many South-East Asian peoples fled oppression to come here. And so it’s gone.

Bannerman often vacations on the Queensland border, where great wines and good food are paramount considerations. The ethnicity of that region is primarily southern European, the original immigrants being sometime, if ever, english speakers who came here after the war. They brought their cultural mores with them. Wine-making being one. Bannerman hesitates to state that english was an immigratory necessity in 1946. One wonders how many Italian newcomers, for instance, could actually speak english, let alone know why the large star on the flag has seven points, for example.

The Australian Jewish communities posed a valid question in their submission to DIMIA on this subject.

“The proposition that Australia introduce a formal citizenship test begs the vital question of what it might test for, and how.”

And just who will formulate the basis upon which this test seeks it’s answers. Just what IS the ethos here? Is it really, as Howard stated, to determine just who will and won’t be prepared to defend the country should the need arise? A ridiculous assertion in Bannerman’s eyes. No, this citizenship test/affirmation/entry criteria is yet more ideology from the Howardian stable of staunchly pro-American, ethnically divisive, exclusionist ideals for which Australia is most definitely not known and admired, but for which Howardians desperately yearn. And the timing is just right. The Yanks are introducing a re-vamped test as well. What better opportunity?

The politics of Fear and Loathing are being taken to a new level. Not only will we decide who comes to this country and the manner in which they come, we’ll decide by ameri-centric ethos who get’s to become a second-class of citizen and who remains as a citizenship pariah. The politics of disgust!

Bannerman is smiling sardonically at the responses from the usual media suspects in regard to Kofi Annan’s farewell speech today at the Truman Presidential Library, Independence, Missouri.

Bannerman is watching the seven o’clock ABC news bulletin. He notices the ubiquitous and inevitable media whore, John Winston Howard getting his face on the screen yet again at the Tasmanian and Victorian fire fighting fronts.

Blithe and banal, he shakes hands, chortles with firies who fought the blazes in 1985, saying they don’t look that old and makes a general glad-handing display of himself. Personally, Bannerman believes the old man needs a hair cut if he’s going to appear on television every night of the week.

On the Opposition side of the strait, Kevin Rudd makes a brief appearance in Gippsland and what’s the first thing the media do, but suggest to KR that his presence is a distraction for the firies from their important and difficult task at hand, and perhaps he shouldn’t have come. So….Rudd makes a brief call at one base station at Dargo, and he’s a distraction. Howard drops into Whitfield, Wangaratta and across the Bass Strait to north-eastern Tasmania, and he’s not??! Hmmm…..

Let’s be quite honest. JWH has his dial on the box every night of the week. As Bannerman says, ‘Get a bloody hair cut at least!’ To the media, Bannerman says ‘Wake the fuck up!’

Bannerman’s Federal member in the House of Reps happens to be Andrew Laming. A one term incumbent, Mr.Laming can sometimes be seen on Old Cleveland Road waving at cars in the peak hour rush. Why elected or wanna-be elected persons do that escapes the Bannerman, but many things about the political animal do.

Only a matter of time, is the way bannerman has viewed this occurence. With the much vaunted, yet clearly flawed Joint Strike Fighter delivery date being pushed further and further out – now slated for 2013 – Australia’s defensive capabilities were always going to be left wanting. This is a re-run of the late 1960’s purchase of that era’s leading edge tactical strike aircraft, the General Dynamic F-111.

"Mr Howard's responsibility is this: one, admit to the Australian people you've got it wrong; two, explain to the Australian people detail of the new strategy,"

ABC News Online.

"All of us want to find a way to bring America's sons and daughters home again," Gates said after taking the oath of office as defence secretary from Vice President Dick Cheney at a Pentagon ceremony. "But as the president has made clear, we simply cannot afford to fail in the Middle East. Failure in Iraq at this juncture would be a calamity that would haunt our nation, impair our credibility, and endanger Americans for decades to come."

CNN.com.

Bannerman and his squeeze have returned! The wilds of Queensland’s Granite Belt were delightful…..for the first five days. Then came Boxing Day and the clammering hordes from coastal and interstate suburbia.

Eva Cox from the Women's Electoral Lobby has also questioned the decision to include an organisation opposed to abortion. "I think it is politically extraordinarily inept," she said.

But Mr Abbott says Centacare is a professional organisation and safeguards will be in place to ensure women are not pressured into a decision.

ABC News.

The US Office of Military Commissions also confirmed today that Hicks would likely be in the first group of Guantanamo Bay inmates charged.

NEWS.com.au.

Well, reader, Bannerman has the distinct feeling that he’s read this story before. Some time in the past, in fact. Maybe some thirty-one months ago?

Next week marks the fifth anniversary of David Hicks's imprisonment without trial in the notorious detention centre at Guantanamo Bay. He got there after being sold for $1000 to American special forces in Afghanistan by a Northern Alliance warlord.

The federal government is becoming increasingly out of touch when it comes to the child care needs of working families, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd says.

Yahoo!7 News.

Bannerman is feeling decidedly cynical. Hardly surprising, given that he’s given the last weeks news articles regarding David Hicks the once-over again. Why cynicism? Why not cynicism. John Howard is cynical. Phillip Ruddock is cynical.

Bannerman has deliberately allowed a day or so to pass before making any assessments on the Bush plan for American success in Iraq. He (Bannerman, not Bush) has drawn an analogy between the Bush plan, and an oft espoused roulette strategy called ‘Doubling’. 

It may be too late, it may be too little, but Bush has given US strategy at least a fighting chance of success.

That’s a big improvement on the situation even two months ago.

Greg Sheridan.

"You cannot simply stick your finger up in the wind and say, 'gee, public opinion's against. We better quit',"

ABC News.

Bannerman believes that Dick Cheney would be singing a different tune, were his boss’s administration half-way through it’s first term, instead of half-way through it’s second, and final term. This dismissal of public opinion, blatant and arrogant as it is, merely serves to highlight the complete and utter disregard the Bush administration holds for the American electorate. This is a sign of current Yankee politics. “Oh well……we’re fucked come the end of this term, so to hell with them all.”

Bannerman believes the Bush administration is indeed holding up a finger to public opinion.

The company says it is relocating because it cannot compete with low-cost imports.

ABC News.

And this despite being the recipient of millions in taxpayer-funded government support. Bannerman wonders why, with all those millions in support, the company simply doesn’t lay off a few workers and slap AWA’s in front of the remainder. That’s the Workchoices solution, isn’t it?

"The formality of weddings has never been a big thing for me," Ms Gillard says. “I'm not an actively religious person, so you manage your relationships on the basis of whether you feel committed or not, rather than have you been through a particular ceremony. People have all sorts of choices - for me (marriage) doesn't loom large."

Julia Gillard.

Bannerman entirely agrees. He also entirely agrees with Ms Gillards estimation that motherhood and politics at the top level simply don’t mix. Consider Mark Latham. Not as a mother, although some might use that term in a derogatory fashion. His own focus on family would loom large in his failure, although from differing aspects than those which effect women in politics. Politics is most definitely NOT a mens only game, but women who believe that full-on motherhood and a top level political career are not only possible, but also achievable options together, simply aren’t being realistic.

Imagine, for example, Prime Minister Mother at an Asian Trade conference more concerned with her toddlers teething difficulties than avoiding being conned in trade negotiations. Yes, fanciful scenario and highly unlikely to ever occur, but Bannerman would ask the reader to consider just why said scenario would be so unlikely. The answer is quite simple. Motherhood and political leadership aren’t compatible. In fact, the very idea is laughable, just as is the concept of John W Howard caring about David Hicks.

Bannerman heard this snippet this morning and didn’t quite believe his ears. Looking up the internet news soon confirmed that his hearing is fine. He’s wondering if ALP policy makers thought processes are though.

Acting Prime Minister Mark Vaile has rebutted Deputy Opposition Leader Julia Gillard's claims that it is unlikely a mother would reach the office of prime minister.

ABC News.

Well, when you’re acting PM and Little Johnny Howler is off on another tax-payer funded jaunt, naturally you’ll lunge at any opportunity to score a point. However weak and tainted that point might be.

In truth, when you get right down to it, Vaile is right. There is currently a mother in the role of PM. The instincts are void, but he’s a mother none the less.

The United States ambassador to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum says America must be included in any Asia-Pacific free trade agreement.

ABC News.

In a parody of the Monty Python sketch, Spanish Inquisition, it seems that absolutely nothing is to be permitted to take place on the face of the globe unless the United States is included. The US is demanding to be included in any Asia-Pacific FTA, and if it eventually is, just watch the rubbery mask come off. Thing is though, everyone expects the United States. To whinge and bitch about not getting their own way when it comes to trade negotiations, that is.

Bannerman says, Fuck ‘em! East Asia is most definitely NOT the Washington ring road.

The Federal Opposition is calling on the Government to take action against a Sydney cleric for encouraging Muslim children to die as martyrs. The head of the Global Islam Youth Centre, Sheikh Feiz Mohammed, also referred to Jewish people as pigs in a video of one his lectures.

ABC News.

"The rules even allow hearsay within hearsay, meaning that Mr Hicks could be placed in a position where he doesn't have the opportunity to cross-examine the person twice removed from the witness who actually made an allegation about him,"

theage.

He said that she said that he heard that David Hicks is a card carrying Al Qaeda member. That’s how Dick Cheney wants the military commission process to function. The process which was deliberately legislated as an act of government, to remove it from the reach of a justice system which decreed its predecessor illegal in 2006. David Hicks is still to be charged under this kangaroo court system. Why, escapes your Bannerman, although he does note, with some considerable chagrin, the stunningly loud silence with which the Australian government are complaining.

"The rules even allow hearsay within hearsay, meaning that Mr Hicks could be placed in a position where he doesn't have the opportunity to cross-examine the person twice removed from the witness who actually made an allegation about him,"

theage.

He said that she said that he heard that David Hicks is a card carrying Al Qaeda member. That’s how Dick Cheney wants the military commission process to function. The process which was deliberately legislated as an act of government, to remove it from the reach of a justice system which decreed its predecessor illegal in 2006. David Hicks is still to be charged under this kangaroo court system. Why, escapes your Bannerman, although he does note, with some considerable chagrin, the stunningly loud silence with which the Australian government are complaining.

Bannerman is concerned, but not really all that surprised that Little Johnny Howler should choose to be a party to a video supporting a Christian fringe group.

Howler is, supposedly, a Christian. Devout or otherwise is irrelevant, but that he chooses to use his Christianity for political advantage is not in question. He isn’t overt or radical about it, but he is openly considerate of Christian organisations, as this issue shows clearly.

Disingenuity aside, Bannerman considers overt displays of any form of religious allegiance by politicians like Howler to be not only poor politics, but openly ignorant and dismissive of faiths other than those promoted. Howler, if he really is as smart a politician as Bannerman considers him to be, should never have associated himself with an organisation like ‘Catch the Fire Ministeries’, or failed Family First candidates such as Danny Nalliah. Maybe he’s not that smart a politician. Certainly not if he’s happy to associate with religious nutbags like Nalliah and Scott.

Bannerman is outraged!!!  The man is alive, isn’t he?!!! What more can a concerned politician do???!

"The stakes will be high when America chooses a new president in 2008.”

ABC News.

A massive understatement if ever there was one. America could do a hell of a lot worse than elect her first female President. In fact, she already has what history will surely record as her worst President. George Walker Bush. Asleep to international terrorism, ignorant of public opinion, blind to economic failure, a war monger, a foreign policy destroyer, Bush has taken America down to low road in her relations with the global community, and further sullies her reputation by claiming his God commands he does what he’s done.

Indeed, Bannerman believes that America has already done far worse than Hillary Clinton. In 2008, she can only do better.

"The conclusions of the British parliamentary committee that you don't have the most basic standards applying at Guantanamo Bay adds weight to our view about the fact that David Hicks has been there for too long and ought now to be released." – Kelvin Thompson, Opposition Legal Affairs spokesman

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock was in transit but a spokesman said: "We've been assured the facilities at Guantanamo Bay are modelled on maximum security prisons in the United States".

Sydney Morning Herald.

Ruddock’s spokesperson needs to undertake a little research before opening their flapper:

‘In some jurisdictions, supermax prisoners can acquire increased privileges and amenities-e.g. more telephone calls, access to radio or a television, the ability to walk to the shower without handcuffs or shackles-as an incentive and reward for appropriate behaviour. But the privileges usually only reflect a tinkering at the edges of the basic model of confinement and do not significantly ameliorate the conditions. Moreover, these "privileges" are taken away as punishment for even minor infractions.’

‘Once an inmate is in a supermax, there is usually some sort of periodic review to determine if there is a need for continued segregation or, in facilities with progressive incentive levels, whether an inmate should be moved up or down. Unfortunately, the reviews are often perfunctory, concluding with reiterations of stale justifications. Staff rarely have adequate familiarity with or background information about inmates to make considered judgements -- and there are insufficient institutional incentives for them to give sufficient weight to the inmates' right to be free of unnecessary restrictions.’ 

Human Rights Watch ‘Out-of-Sight’ Briefing Paper on US Supermax Prison conditions, 2000

Bannerman wonders when David Hicks was last permitted to make a telephone call when he wanted to, listen to radio or watch television, walk to the showers unshackled. He also wonders what review process has ever been undertaken over the past five years to determine Hicks’ need to be held in almost continual solitary confinement.

Clearly, even though what we hear about through the media is often third hand, Guantanamo Bay does not meet even the Human Rights Watch assessment of US Supermax prison conditions. David Hicks must be released and repatriated to Australia without delay. Failure by the Howard government to see to this requirement with despatch condemns it for all time as failed guardians of Australian civil rights.

Prime Minister John Howard has called the move stupid and offensive, while Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd says it is "political correctness gone mad".

ABC News.

Naturally, the leaders of the two major political parties would say that. Rudd after Howard especially. Howard most particularly because he so desperately wants, nay, needs to be seen by the electorate as the quintessential patriotic Aussie. Kevin Rudd is being led along by his political nose. What he really believes is not known because of his party’s need to be seen to be either strenuously opposed to Howard’s ideals in a strong public position, or with him in a perceived public position.

Bannerman applauds Andrew Bartlett and the democrats for stating the bleeding obvious. The symbol of nationalism – which is all a flag is, apart from a collection of stitched coloured cloth, is being used by those who see it to their benefit to do so. Such was the ethos of National Socialism in Germany, circa 1932. At every turn, the swastika showed the German peoples allegiance to an ideal. Just what ‘ideal’ are Australian’s being aligned with in this politically promoted allegiance to a flag which remembers a nations colonial heritage and nothing else?

The Democrats are quite right in supporting the stand of the Big Day Out’s organisers. Whatever our nation’s flag may be, whatever it may represent, it must not be permitted to be used as a rallying point for martyrs and jingoists, nor must it be permitted to be denigrated by those whose focus is other than a peaceful, united and rational Australian community.

Bannerman is watching 7:30 Report (transcript available tomorrow). He notes with some minor excitement that Little Johnny Howler has just used the word ‘guarantee’. As in the context of the Australian electorate realising who can ‘guarantee’ continuing economic prosperity.

This is a distinct change of tack from the master politician. Never before has he uttered that word or inferred any form of iron clad confidence from his government. Now he has. Is this a slip, in the tasting of a potential electoral victory? Has the clever man slipped? Time will tell.

"The Australia I want for the future has a strong economy, but one where we don't throw the fair go out the back door," - Federal Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd

ABC News.

There’s yet another “Find Your Political Bent” quiz alive and thriving within the OzBlogosphere. It’s living here.

Howard unveils $10b water plan

ABC News.

From the former DIMIA, especially for the Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilali. Here ya go, Sheik! Rub our convict noses in your 100% Australianism. Of course, any other pretender only has to get 75%, but seeing as you're such an all over Aussie, you'll need to get 100%. Off ya go!

"I think that in private Kevin is a very sincere Christian but in public, on the evidence so far, he looks more like a very calculating politician,"

Tony Abbott.

A lot more astute and way more honest than you, eh Tony?

"It doesn't matter where you go in Australia - you talk about Toowoomba and they say that's where you drink recycled sewage."

ABC News.

Research by Monash University academic Bob Birrell has found a third of foreign students are graduating without a competent level of English.

But ( Federal Education Minister ) Ms (Julie) Bishop says Australian universities only enrol foreign students once they have achieved international standards of language proficiency.

ABC News .

When will the games surrounding the life and mental stability of David Hicks end? When the United States administration gets what it wants? A proof-of-life scapegoat for all of it’s political, social and humanitarian failings?

I don’t want to see you.

I am afraid to speak to you.

The Road to Surfdom.

Rarely will the Bannerman link to another’s blog for the sake of pushing an issue. In the case of David Hicks, this issue, and this post, requires a bloody good shove along!

This article, among many, many others highlights the ever increasing focus by Australians on the plight of David Hicks. Politicians of every stripe except those of the inner circle of the coalition government are calling for, at the very least, an independent psychiatric assessment of Hicks. The inner circle appear quite satisfied with asking the obvious questions and receiving the obvious answers.

The time is long past for this man’s release. He is NOT charged. He cannot be charged with any supposed crime which in any proper court would survive the initial perusal of the presiding authority. He faces a kangaroo court of the U.S. administration’s convenience. His own government has abandoned him out of political convenience and he flatly refuses to see its representatives. Those representatives continue to force themselves upon him, despite his written proclamations refuting their ‘assistance’, and for that he is said to suffer retribution at the hands of a so-called ally.

When will Australia rise up against its government and demand this man’s release?

"It's already been proven that HECS is not a deterrent to the courses that students undertake,"

ABC News.

Really??! Bannerman would really like to read the results of that research. Easy, isn’t it, to make blanket claims in a bid to dismiss a political opponent's statements. This article, and Julie Bishop’s ambit dismissal is so much akin to that of some bloggers as to be immediately laughed off as knee-jerk reactions to an opponents claim.

Let’s wait for the release of the policy document proper, shall we………Andrew?

1 a (1) : of, relating to, or given to retrospection : based on memory <a retrospective report> b : being a retrospective <a retrospective exhibition>
2 : affecting things past : RETROACTIVE<retrospective laws>
3 : relating to or being a study (as of a disease) that starts with the present condition of a population of individuals and collects data about their past history to explain their present condition

In short, the word means acting, or an enaction on the present, taking into account something from the past. Of course, it means something completely different here in Australia, to what it may well mean in the United States english language lexicon. As Little Johnny Howler said today:

“What the Americans do is up to the Americans”

Interpret it as you will, reader. The intent is quite clear. Australia will do absolutely nothing to interfere with the American english dictionary, regardless of whether the life or mind of an Australian citizen is at stake. Let this be a lesson to those of you contemplating even thinking about becoming a soldier of fortune.

All the bullshit starts again tomorrow, this time for an election year. Bannerman really can’t wait! he’s on tenter-hooks just craving the Newsradio broadcasts of the House and the Senate. Sad isn’t it? Maybe so, but if more Australian voters took note of what happened in their Parliament, the country might not be subject to such arrogant, ignorant governments.

"I would like for the Minister to see that I am human and let him know that while I've made mistakes in the past those mistakes are in the past and I ask the Minister to judge me for the man I am today," – Robert Jovicic

As previously stated in this tome, Bannerman enjoys partaking of the audio provided by ABC Newsradio from the federal Parliament when it sits. Today’s broadcast from the Senate struck particular chords with the Bannerman, in particular the addresses to the house on the Australian Citizenship Bill 2006 and Australian Citizenship (Transitionals and Consequentials) Bill 2006 by Senators Nettle (Greens) and Bartlett (Democrats).

Malcolm Turnbull reckons:

"Many of us have water tanks and it’s all very commendable ... but it’s not going to solve the problem by itself. If we go it alone and clean up our own back yard ... that may be commendable, it may be admirable, but it will have no impact unless it is matched by global action. And we could pay a very heavy price, a very heavy sacrifice indeed."

Bannerman just finished watching the much awaited ’debate’ between Mister Millionaire, Malcolm Turnbull and Mister Greenie, Peter Garrett on 7:30 Report.

The transcript won’t be available until tomorrow morning, however one thing about the interaction stood out clearly to the Bannerman. As eloquent as Turnbull appears to be, and as well armed with notes as he clearly was, Garrett never once stooped to character assassination of his opponent as Turnbull did on at least two occasions. Bannerman also noted that while Turnbull constantly referred to notes of what Garrett allegedly said at nameless interviews with the media, Garrett issued forth with facts, figures and a well defined stand on where he and his party stand on issues such as carbon trading, climate change and alternate energies.

Less than thirty minutes spent discussing an enormously broad-ranging set of issues such as Turnbull and Garrett represent for their respective parties is hardly indicative of the strength of the proponent’s arguments or the individual’s ability to support it respectively. However, it is clear to the Bannerman just what the tactics of both are in this face-to-face style of presentation. It’s also clear just which one has the more powerful presence.

"This suggestion that because detainees are there, that that is in itself evidence of terrorism, or their being a terrorist, simply puts the lie to any attempt to deal with them in a fair and open manner,"
David McLeod, lawyer for David Hicks

(via ABC Online)

What defines a ’dangerous terrorist’? Someone’s say so? Is it necessary for said alleged terrorist to have killed someone? Fired a gun, carried a stanley knife, perhaps. Bannerman thinks that all of us could be classified as terrorists if the latter proviso comes into play.

The Prime Minister has implored the state and territory leaders to take up the Commonwealth’s plan for the Murray-Darling Basin for the good of the nation. - ABC News Online

Alas, Little Johnny Howler’s tactic of attempting to play statesman while employing yet another wedge on the Labor states and territories seems to have come a cropper.