Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

Hi there. I wrote my first letter to the editor this week, published yesterday in the Canberra Times, about the Australian Christian Lobby's attack on the Greens. I did my first door knocking ever last Saturday - oh the pleasure in overcoming that fear - and yesterday I helped advise Kerrie Tucker when she filmed an election ad. The lesson there was not to be so bloody anxious and intense that it rubs off on the candidate! 

Isn't it weird. Amrozi is about to be shot dead as the Indonesian courts decide they can't even look at the nation's Constitutional protection of human rights re the Bali Nine plea not to be shot dead - because they're foreigners. I, for one, will never forgive this government for handing over our bloody stupid, off the rails young people for arrest, knowing Indonesia had the death penalty for such offences. Yet there is silence from Labor. Where is Labor's promise to never ever let this happen again?

"This is about breaking the code of silence that has developed after 11 years of the Howard Government. Access to government information and decision-making are keys to a healthy and vibrant democracy. It also means that members of the community can obtain reasonable access to government records and documents that affect their lives." From Labor's honest politics policy

A decade ago The Greens had a very simple slogan - “No environment no economy”. Today that is even truer. "Ten years ago it was a warning. Now, in 2007; it is a description of our reality. And the farmers, the fishers, the tourism industry workers, the city dwellers on water restrictions – Australians everywhere – know this is true. Without the environment, there is no economy." Bob Brown

Big Kev even threw in the 'vision' word, just once, his 'vision' for the best education and training system in the world, to drive us forward when the mining boom ends.

Until recently the peak oil debate in Australia has been largely confined to internet forums such as Webdiary. That situation has changed dramatically in recent weeks with the release of the Queensland Government’s long-awaited Oil Vulnerability Taskforce Report. World oil production is peaking – it’s official, at least here in Queensland.

The word 'trust' was absent. The phrase 'interest rates' was absent. Out of the blocks on the front foot with a shock in 2004, reacting to Rudd in 2007 by starting his pitch with Rudd's slogan, 'New leadership'. Nope, 'the right leadership'.

"This election will focus on the showdown between John Howard and Kevin Rudd. But there is another battle looming – the contest for the balance of power in the Senate between Family First and the Greens." Family First Senator Steve Fielding

Webdiary has been banging on about the dangers of peak oil for years now, largely due to the efforts of Ian McPherson, who went on to found Sydneypeakoil. The problem of quickly diminishing oil supply has been known about for decades, and was one of the reasons Dick Cheney wanted to invade Iraq. But Australian governments have buried their heads in the sand, to the medium and short term detriment of their citizens. Yesterday, the Queensland Government issued a report on peak oil, after lots of good work behind the scenes by activists.

'I acknowledge that my own journey in arriving at this point has not been without sidetracks and dry gullies.  There have been low points when dialogue between me as Prime Minister and many Indigenous leaders dwindled almost to the point of non-existence.  I fully accept my share of the blame for that. On the night of the 1998 election I publicly committed myself to endeavouring to achieve Reconciliation by the year 2001.  In the end, that did not happen.' John Winston 'whatever it takes' Howard

Hello. Here is the Australian Law Council's statement yesterday on the death penalty debate. The recent history of this issue is very interesting, as is its prominence now. I'll try to write something later. 

"I don’t feel like fluff anymore, I’ve become an activist again.  Joined a group.  Organise public events to really debate the issues.  I speak about the government's lies at every opportunity I get.  I even went to the APEC protests with a group of very respectable women.  I still throw my slippers and I speak out and I vote! We’ll vote the liar out." Christa Schwoebel

Hello. Family First is on the ball, and today leads the pack on new policies to ease the costs of bearing and raising children. If only FF would come to its senses and preference other minor parties before either of the majors, there would exciting times ahead in the Senate election. It's a no brainer, in my opinion - getting another minor over the line if their candidate doesn't get up in a State means minor parties - including Family First's Senator Steve Fielding, who is not up for re-election this time, is dealt into play. through jointly holding the balance of power.

The APEC thuggery results from a Labor and Liberal conspiracy to destroy our civil liberties and give police untrammelled power to serve political ends. I've been warning of this on Webdiary for many years. We saw with Haneef that now, police and/or government lawyers are prepared to lie under oath to the Courts to get their way. And the NSW Labor Government's disgrace started long before Iemma.Have a look at the start of the rot, under Bob Carr, in 2002, when Howard was revving up his 'terror' laws.

On August 3, Penguin's publisher Bob Sessions rang me with a shock request - could I update Not Happy, John! in three weeks? Huh? I said I could if my old Webdiary friend and collaborator Jack Robertson  agreed to come on board. He did, and the book goes to the printer this week. So, it's hardly in my personal interest for Howard to resign before the election. The book is a critique of his government, sure, but John Howard is the symbol of that government. And then there's the title! My guess is that he'll stay on. What's yours?

7 August 2005 Margo update:  Janet Albrechtsen has joined Bolt -  see 'Pass baton to Costello'. Last weekend's Newspoll was a shocker for the government, and speculation is rife that next week Howard will either call an election or stand down. The Chaser proved that the emperor has no clothes - eerily reminiscent of the Bush visit to Canberra in 2003, when security waved what looked like a camera in without a security check and the AFP dressed civilians up to look like cops. Howard is about appearances, not reality.

'In a landmark decision, handed down on 30 August 2007, the High Court has upheld the fundamental human right to vote, finding that the Howard Government had acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally in imposing a blanket ban denying prisoners the vote.' 

Hello, and welcome to Spring! I'm finishing off my project this weekend before getting back to Webdiary, but just couldn't resist posting this transcript - an interview between Charles Wooley and the PM on the pulp mill. How tricky is this for our tricky PM?

Susan Kiefel's appointment as a High Court judge is great for Australia, and one decision of Ruddock I not only applaud, but do so with gusto. Maybe after all his terrible deeds over the last decade he wants to leave something special in place as his career nears its end. I'm reminded of Paul Keating's appointment of Michael Kirby to the High Court just before he lost office. I met Justice Kiefel in the early 1980's in Brisbane, when she was a junior barrister and I was an articled clerk briefing her on a case. She told me then that Tony Fitzgerald had personally mentored her when she worked as a secretary in his chambers, convincing her that she talented enough to finish year 12 and take the bar exam.

"There is no great separation of powers between the legislature and the executive any more. Parliament no longer scrutinises government, conducts independent inquiry, nor legislates on its own terms. In the past Senators were not so tightly bound by their parties, especially in regard to oversight and accountability." The Clerk of the Senate Harry Evans

"Oz in 30 Seconds is GetUp's competition to broadcast political ads 'of the people, by the people, for the people'. Together, we have a unique opportunity to put our winning ad on air. We've worked with some of the best media buyers in the country to offer you a range of strategic advertising spots. They start at $35 and target some of the most marginal seats in the country including Braddon and Bass in Tasmania and the five marginal seats of South Australia."

[The United States’] adversaries learned as long ago as the Korean War that decentralization would stymie America's overwhelming firepower, which was designed for concentrated armies, and provided a successful antidote for massive, expensive technology. All this is very well known. The real issue is why the U.S. makes the identical mistakes over and over again and never learns from its errors.

A friend just sent me an email with this sample letter urging people to email Senators immediately. You can follow this travesty of Parliamentary democracy at Andrew Bartlett's blog.

Just seen the Network Ten news here in Queensland. I believe that Peter Beattie is single handedly destroying Labor's chances of winning office at the federal election.

“Some of the plan’s elements have been drastically moderated since first announced and that has principally been due to the force of public criticism levelled at them. Much of that criticism has been constructive and has helped save the Government from its own rhetoric. But the Government still appears to see any critic as an enemy that needs to be demonised and Parliament as a rubber stamp. The arrogance of the Government is palpable”: Law Council President Tim Bugg

I refer to pieces by journalists Mark Davis and Sid Maher in updating the Honest Politics Trust saga in the book. They are not available online, and both men have kindly given me permission to republish them here.

"Never has there been a more prescient time for Australia, as one of the world’s most stable democracies, to protect and secure its future by redoubling its commitment to the traditions, values and institutions that have made this nation what it is today. These civic values are fundamental to the successful existence of a liberal democracy and we should never forget that they are principles to be cherished and protected." Kevin Andrews!

Webdiary has done a bit of work on bad and allegedly corruptly procured development over the years. This is an issue that brings people together now matter who they vote for.

I also acknowledge that one of my officers put two errors of fact before the court.  The first related to the SIM card and was based on a misunderstanding of the facts.  The second related to the residence of Dr Haneef in the UK and was based on incorrect material provided by the AFP.  The prosecution is of course under a duty to inform the court promptly of any errors that are made in submissions to the court.  The hearing in which these errors were made was determined in Dr Haneef’s favour and when the errors were recognised it was decided to correct them when the matter was next before the court.

"STEVE BRACKS must be applauded for putting his family first. His actions make him a role model as a proud and devoted family man." Family First