Every Monday morning during my radio show on community radio 4ZzZ FM, I chat with Peter Black, a constitutional lawyer, follower of social and political issues and obsessive user of social media. I don’t normally put links to those chats on this blog, but given that our talk this morning was all about the federal election, I thought it was worth putting a link to it on this occasion.
You can have a listen to it by clicking on this link.
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Given I am now running as a Greens candidate, I suppose it is no surprise that I am indicating my agreement with a comment that Bob Brown made today. But I would also say that it isn’t any secret that I haven’t agreed with every public comment that Bob has made, and I would agree with the following comment about the schoolyard level nonsense regarding another possible leaders debate even if it had been made by Steve Fielding:
“What we’re seeing now between the two leaders is an absolute farce and people everywhere are rolling their eyes at Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard not having the maturity to get together to agree to the series of debates which would have enlightened the electorate,“
It is a joke and a sad reflection on the optic and image driven nature of political media coverage in Australia. A couple of weeks ago, there was a three way debate at the National Press Club on important ICT issues such as internet filtering, broadband and wider communications policy. More... ()
A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post about mountaintop mining in the USA. All mining has some impact, but the sheer destructiveness of this type of mining is astonishing – and that’s before you take into account the greenhouse impact of the coal.
This article in the New York Times details the potential impact of a similar project in West Virginia. The significance of this proposal is that there is the possibility it may be stopped, or seriously curtailed, by the Obama administration, which would be a signal of a positive shift on this issue.
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Following are links to a couple of recent radio interviews I’ve done, plus an online one
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As I noted in my previous post, this week’s Newspoll saw the Greens register 16% support – the highest that party has ever achieved, comparable to the Democrats best Newspoll result of 17% back in 1990. History suggests it is unlikely that this peak will be maintained right through to election day (or even the next Newspoll) but it is part of a continuing trend of solid Greens results. I’ve written a piece expanding on this, and how the party might approach the challenges ahead, at The Drum/Unleashed on the ABC’s site – which you can read by clicking on this link.
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Contention over Queensland’s Wild Rivers legislation has been bubbling along for quite a while now. Unfortunately, as with many issues which become polarised, each “side” is focused on defending their position, which has meant that some important underlying issues are not getting the attention they deserve.
I’ve just had a piece on this topic published at The Drum on the ABC’s website. It’s fairly long, so they published it in two parts – the first part is at this link and the second part is at this one. I should emphasise that the article reflects my personal views, and is not a formal view of the Greens, nor of ANTaR Queensland, who I am also involved with.
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Hip hop fans in Brisbane might be interested in tuning in to my radio show on 4ZZZ FM this Monday morning around 7:30am. I’ll be talking with the Gold Coast based duo Choose Mics, who are launching their debut full length album Beggars Can’t Be Choosers at the Step Inn in the Valley this coming Friday night as part of what will be a big night for fans of hip-hop/rap/urban sounds, with Brisbane’s The Optimen also launching their second album “The Out of Money Experience” as part of the same event.
Even though there is a steady stream of musical offerings in Brisbane, a double album launch of this magnitude doesn’t come along every day of the week, so I’ll dedicate a half hour or so to exploring not just the words and sounds of Choose Mics, but getting a broader overview from them of the hip hop related scenes locally and nationally.
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17 Comments, Comment or Ping
Rates Analyst
Andrew,
You make it sound like this is a bad thing…..
I tend to think that the most dangerous enemy is an underestimated enemy. This Olympics will highlight the totalitarian parts of the Chinese State which are an enemy to freedom. They’ve always been there and the Olympics has NOT increased their power.
If anything, the usage of that power at the olympics will galvanise the rest of the world and make them aware of the threat. Short term loss for reporters at the Olympics who temporarily lose ability for free speech – but they’ll get that right back when they get home… and won’t they have some stories to tell?
I think the Chinese State will do themselves serious damage, becuase now that they have demonstrated their ruthlessness, they will no longer be overlooked.
Aug 1st, 2008
Tony
Andrew:
Ah well what did you expect.
Andrew Bartlett and Andrew Bolt agreeing ” Unbelieveable”
Is Bob Brown Packed yet?
Tony
Aug 1st, 2008
Grendel
That’s not a bad thought RA, I’d rather have the news media – organisations and journalists both, exposed to what a totalitarian state is capable of than for them to have a false experience and come away full of praise.
I hope the sensors turn the screws tight and make the journos moan. Then we might not hear to much of the slavish “Oh China, the magnificent” that we have had of late.
Aug 1st, 2008
Naomi Cartledge
I’m getting pretty sick of the nonsense re China and the Games.Those responsible for the current situation are those who gave the Olympic Games to Beijing in the first place.China should have been told at least 8 years ago,that if they proved they could democratize the country, allow freedom of speech etc then the IOC would consider them in 4 years time-it didn’t happen,and now all those who pupport to care for human rights are screaming. We’ve had the debate re athletes taking a ‘moral’ stand and not going; the public not going or not watching the coverage, but it’s never even been muted that we stop loading ships with coal and sending them off to China(the only complaints about these ships are that they’re forced to wait too long to be loaded); the stores are being filled with summer garments with ‘Made in China’ on their labels, as we speak! The person who organized the Torch Relay in China is an Australian woman???
Never has it been suggested that the big multinationals and others, the TV coverage or other media outlets boycott Beijing-no, we mustn’t allow human rights to interfere with capitalism must we? It’s also not publicized, that if you stand in a public park in London and read the honour roll of fallen military in Afghanistan or Iraq, you can be arrested! Nothing about Diego Garcia, nothing about the US’s long term practice of invading other countries and killing the innocent inhabitants;not a word about Guantanamo Bay and boycotting US athletes, not a word about the PATRIOT Act or the homeless being ‘removed’ from the streets in Sydney’s CBD as they’d embarrass us during World Youth Week, or in 2000 when we hosted the games or??. I’m sick to death of the hypocrisy! Incidentally, it’s not necessary for Australian or ?? journalists/commentators to have access to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch or the BBC, to report on the competition in Beijing! They’re going there to cover the Olympic Games? Aren’t they?
Aug 1st, 2008
Censor This
If Andrew Bartlett’s Comments Policy is anything to go by, those websites would have been censored due to them being off-topic. Why would a reporter visiting Beijing to cover the Olympic Games need to visit a Falun Gong website? Anything that is off-topic needs to be censored by Andrew Bartlett.
Aug 2nd, 2008
Andrew Bartlett
“Why would a reporter visiting Beijing to cover the Olympic Games need to visit a Falun Gong website?”
um… maybe because reporters in Beijing for the Games want to also look at and report on other aspects of life in China? There are millions of Falum Gong practitioners in China – admittedly a number of them have been imprisoned, put in forced labour camps, etc. Some of them – gasp! – even have the temerity to complain about the undisputed widespread and brutal persecution inflicted on Falun Gong practitioners. Why should reporters invited to Beijing by the Chinese dictatorship as way of indicating China is opening itself to the world, be prevented from examining this aspect of life in modern China?
Or are you suggesting the Chinese government is not actually wanting to use the Games to promote China, and therefore the media should not run any stories about Chinese culture, history, society, etc while they are at the Games, and the the Olympics is just a sporting event with no other social or political significance to the Chinese government?
And of course all of those websites are censored all the time for all Chinese citizens – I guess its always “off topic” for people to know about human rights, to read the BBC website, to get anything outside “reality as approved” by the government?
Aug 2nd, 2008
GZG
Naomi Cartledge: What’s the one about getting arrested in a park for reading names about?
If you are as passionate in life as you are in expressing your views, then you should be voting with your “hip pocket” (sexism acknowledged, though unintended) by being an extremely selective shopper. You’d have to give up the computer though!
No coal for China? I guess the mining companies could cut off China and advertise thus:
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“COAL FOR SALE”
Register interest by applying in writing including references, UN and IPCC approval. Short listed applicants will be notified and subsequently visited & inspected by our ever roaming representative, Kevin Rudd.
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Censor This: I’m not sure how anything thus far could be construed as way off topic. I think you may be just stirring the pot.
Andrew Bartlett: Your moderating track record for staying on topic seems to show that you err on the generous side I’d have thought (I may be guilty of the odd tangent myself).
It’s a bit hard as an Australian to imagine a valid reason to block internet access for Olympic journo’s.
Aug 2nd, 2008
Censor This
Andrew, your comment takes out of context the comment about this blog’s Comments Policy. All that I was trying to get at was that any comments that do not comply with the Comments Policy and are off-topic will be subject to your moderation.
Aug 2nd, 2008
Andrew Bartlett
Well people can see the ‘context’ of your comments and my reply, and judge for themselves.
As GZG kindly notes, I tend to err on the generous side in any case when it comes to relevance, but even if I didn’t, trying to draw a link between moderating a comment thread for relevance and blocking the ability of people to access a site at all is extremely tenuous, to put it politely,
Aug 2nd, 2008
Liz
In 2002 then Chinese Olympic official and IOC member (don’t know if he still is) He Zhenliang, said that accredited sports journalists would only be allowed to cover sport. I don’t know why anyone is surprised.
Aug 2nd, 2008
LORIKEET
I think Rates Analyst has the intellectual high ground in the matter.
Let’s just cool our heels and wait.
After the Chinese government has slung enough mud, they can rest assured plenty more is going to catapult back from every direction.
Aug 3rd, 2008
Naomi Cartledge
GZG -It’s part of Britain’s version of the PATRIOT Act(there’s one man who’s been doing this near the Parlt and has been arrested several times I believe-he isn’t fazed though-keeps on)in many ways the Australian version is worse than Britains(although they’ve just added to the days a person can be detained without charge)NSW Act is worse than Howard’s in many ways-we also have water cannon,tayzer guns(another death during the last week or so in the US).NSW police now have the right to have people under surveillance,tap phones etc outside our borders etc.We aren’t exactly ’squeaky clean’ when it comes to human rights or freedoms.The IOC knew about China;leaving it until the 11th hour is stupid! Anyway, at last news, all outlets for visiting journalists have been opened up! Access to any or all requirements! The same doesn’t apply to residents I’m sure, but we all knew that 4-8 yrs ago at least???
GZG if you are deliberately trying to miss the point re China, Trade and our outrage re human rights, you’re doing a good job! I haven’t heard one word from govts asking multinationals etc to have blank screens as a protest during the Games, when they hope to make millions – otherwise they wouldn’t place ads in the first place. It’s hypocrisy of the worst kind, and I find it annoying and tiresome! Our famous organizer (Rick??)for the great opening ceremony in 2000, is (as he has done since then) in China assisting them in their Opening Ceremony! No complaints about that is there? has there been? No, I didn’t even know until I heard him being interviewed yesterday on ABC Grandstand! So, we’re pretty involved ‘up front’ for a country being outraged by China’s lack of human rights!
As for me shopping with my “hip pocket”?Lack of finances has forced me into that way of life for most of my life! This is my 2nd computer courtesy of my eldest son who also pays for my (2 yrs)Broadband connection each month. I guess my “humanist” qualities ‘infected’ him too LORIKEET
Aug 3rd, 2008
GZG
Here’s another blow for the rights of US citizens & visitors.
Their Department of Homeland Security (security for whom?) has indicated that they can confiscate a laptop/notebook for a “reasonable period of time” to “review and analyze information” in the absence of any “individualized suspicion.”
Relax my friends, it’s all for our own good, the government just wants to keep us safe, as do the benevolent Chinese rulers want what’s best for their subjects.
Naomi Cartledge:As long as you would have “govts asking multinationals etc to have blank screens” (whatever that means, perhaps a media boycott of some kind), it seems like “annoying & tiresome hypocrisy” for you to conversely buy & use Chinese clothing, computers and doubtless a plethora of other goods.
My point I guess is that there is a place for serious protest rather than melodramatic hyperbole with the “pot calling the kettle black”.
Aug 4th, 2008
LORIKEET
GZG:
I hate to give anyone a scare, but some people working in Australia have the ability to infiltrate anybody’s computer from anywhere they choose, and give it a thorough examination as well.
NAOMI:
I’m glad your son is good to you. I find that people learn various lessons from different sources, but I think the greatest contributor is the gene pool.
It is said that “the apple never falls far from the tree”, but I maintain that the tree has many branches.
Mum said she thinks I’m very much like my maternal great-grandmother, even though she lived in a different era altogether, and died before I was born.
Aug 5th, 2008
Censor This
Are you enjoying watching the Beijing Olympics, Andrew?
Aug 17th, 2008
Andrew Bartlett
I haven’t seen a great deal of it, Censor This, but I haven’t greatly enjoyed much of what I have seen. Do you think the many thousands of people in forced labour camps in China are enjoying watching it? Maybe some journalists might be allowed in to ask them.
Aug 18th, 2008