Rudd to appear on Q & A

Australia's Foreign Minister and former PM Kevin Rudd is scheduled to appear as a guest on Q & A on ABCTV on Monday April 4th 2011. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Rudd the cover story of today's Financial Review

"Subject to the views of my pre-selectors, I will contest the next election. I believe I have a contribution still to make to Australian political life."
- Kevin Rudd, Foreign Minister

Why Rudd just won't go away.
Pamela Williams
Financial Review. March 24th 2011 p.1,60-61.
http://afr.com/p/national/why_rudd_just_won_go_away_jpuSlh8j8HXKUMR4CCbQuI

A nice week for Rudd

This week has been a horrific week for the people of Libya and Japan, but a relatively good week for Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd. Today the Security Council of the UN "approved a resolution permitting "all necessary measures" to impose a no-fly zone, protect civilian areas and impose a ceasefire on government forces" in Libya, an action that Rudd has been tirelessly campaigning for.

Rudd prays no-fly zone comes in time
By Jeremy Thompson
ABC News
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/18/3167683.htm

Rudd's interview with Tony Jones on Lateline on Wednesday the 16th of March 2011 about the very worrying situations in Japan and Libya was an example of Rudd in top form, quite something to see. It is nice to see that the Foreign Minister is getting back to (not completely) normal.

ABC iview News and Current Affairs
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/news

As they say, it takes all types to make a world, and I think there is wisdom in the observation that ABC journalist Annabel Crabb has made more than once - that Rudd often shines in a crisis:

"And while evidence exists to support the contention that the Foreign Minister is a deeply, ornately strange human being, it's certainly fair to say that if ever global circumstances could suit the characteristic oddities of a man whose very favourite thing is to sit up all night phone-stalking the members of the UN Security Council, then these are they."

Kevin, um, it seems, ah, we (shuffle) sort of, ah, owe you an apology
By Annabel Crabb
ABC News
The Drum
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/18/3167814.htm

Kevin Rudd issued a denial the morning after

Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has issued a denial regarding the accusations in Julian Assange's question for Australia's PM Julia Gillard, broadcast on the Q & A TV program last night.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8224020/rudd-denies-wikileaks-info-exchange-claim

Full transcript of Julian Assange's question to the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard on Australian TV on Monday March 14th 2011

The TV show is Q & A, broadcast on the evening of Monday March 14th 2011 in Australia on ABC television, Australia's government-funded TV station. Julian Assange is shown in a non-live, edited video from Norfolk UK, where he is under house arrest. Assange is shown in a shot of his upper body. Shortly before the showing of the video of Assange PM Gillard had been telling the audience that the Australian government has been looking after Julian Assange in just the same way that it looks after any Australian who has gotten into legal trouble overseas. PM Gillard has just returned from an arse-kissing tour of the United States in which she made a speech to the US Congress that made the US House Speaker John Boehner cry, (which isn't really that amazing at all).

Julian Assange -

"Prime Minister, you just got back from Washington, but what Australian citizens want to know, is which country do you represent? Do you represent Australians and will you fight for Australian interests? Because it's not the first time that you or a member of your cabinet has been into a US government building and exchanged information. In fact, we have intelligence that your government has been exchanging information with foreign powers about Australian citizens working for WikiLeaks."

The shot then changes to a closer shot of Assange's head and shoulders. This is a pre-recorded, edited piece of video.

"So Prime Minister, my question to you is this; when will you come clean about precisely what information you have supplied to foreign powers about Australian citizens working or affiliated with WikiLeaks? And if you cannot give a full and frank answer to that question, should perhaps the Australian people consider charging you with treason?"

Assange delivered his question in the style of an evil genius from a James Bond movie issuing veiled threats (pretty much his usual style).

PM Julia Gillard -

I did not take a full transcript of her reply. She had a rather patronizing smile while listening to Assange's question, and stayed cheerful while addressing his question. She said:

"I honestly don't know what he is talking about."

She denied exchanging information about people at WikiLeaks. She admitted that "we" do sometimes exchange information with foreign powers in matters such as following up "transnational crimes". She also said:

"No one in the US raised with me Mr Assange, no one."

When she made this statement she did her characteristic exposed palms patting downward gesture, rather like the gesture that one might make to a dog or a toddler who was jumping up and getting out of control.

Some thoughts that come to my mind after viewing this are:

Assange possibly intended to add to the many minor controversies about Australia's high-profile Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd in the part of Assange's question about people nipping into US government buildings to leak information. Would this be a big deal if it were true? I guess it depends on the information.

What information might our government be receiving in return for leaking information to the yanks?

Is Assange issuing a threat to Gillard or Rudd or some other party?

Is WikiLeaks transforming from a whistleblowing organization into a blackmailing organization?

Link to Australian press story about Assange's question: http://www.smh.com.au/national/tough-qa-assange-hints-at-treason-by-pm-20110314-1buo3.html?from=smh_sb

Q & A http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Rudd at the National Press Club

It felt a bit like old times watching the Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd's recent address to the National Press Club. I don't have the interest or the background to be able give any type of serious review of the talk, but I do know that the former PM looked smart and confident, very much the way he performed in public speaking before his term as PM started to go pear-shaped. I thought he handled the questioning about "faceless men" with care and intelligence. Over the last five months or so there have been a few times when this interesting man has looked rather lost, but he's back now, for sure. If you wish to record this broadcast, I believe ABC 1 will be repeating it at some ungodly hour of the morning coming up.

http://www.npc.org.au/speakers/kevin-rudd.html

Harmony Day proves not to be very harmonious

Abbott stands by his man as Muslim row turns toxic
By Malcolm Farr, National Political Editor
From: news.com.au
February 17, 2011
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/abbott-stands-by-his-man-as-muslim-row-turns-toxic/story-e6frf7l6-1226007586272

Angry protester harasses Bowen on Harmony Day
Source: ABC News
Published: Thursday, February 17, 2011 2:43 AEDT
Expires: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 2:43 AEDT
"Immigration Minister Chris Bowen gets criticised for transferring asylum seekers back to Christmas Island detention centre."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2011/02/17/3141602.htm

So nice to see the neglected art of political heckling revived in such a lively style on a day when we are all supposed to go around smiling and being nice and agreeable.

Oh, the irony!

In general I dislike politicians, but some I detest more than others.

As US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gives a speech about freedom of expression etc a protester is arrested right in front of her. This is a meme that is sure to spread all over the internet.

http://warisacrime.org/content/hillary-talks-about-tolerating-free-expression-police-front-her-brutalize-ray-mcgovern-turni

Daniel Domscheit-Berg discussing Julian Assange on Lateline

Daniel Domscheit-Berg has been interviewed on Australian TV discussing Julian Assange. A picture was created of an Australian leader who is highly intelligent, autocratic, eccentric, "not really a team player", someone who doesn't quite belong in human society, a control freak who operates on fear and anger, who prefers to surround himself with compliant and uncritical people, and a bloke who let fame go to his head.

And just for good measure, Domscheit-Berg dropped a big hint in the direction of the autistic spectrum, without actually saying the word "autistic":
"So, on one hand he's a very intelligent person and he's very good with, for example, understanding systems, which is I think key to why WikiLeaks was created in the first place, and understanding of how a system works, how society works, how the media works and all these things. But on the other hand, he's not really good, as I found out, with dealing with humans and accepting criticism, for example."

I wonder, has Mr Domscheit-Berg been taking lessons from David Marr?

WikiLeaks' Assange 'paranoid and autocratic'
Lateline.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 16/02/2011
Reporter: Tony Jones
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2011/s3140943.htm

Not a good look

Former Australian prime ministers kissing up to despots - it's not a good look. Kevin Rudd as Foreign Minister of Australia met with the now-deposed former dictator of Egypt Hosni Mubarak as recently as December of last year, Rudd reportedly silent on the issue of elections that had recently been rigged in that country, while other countries had taken issue with this abuse.

I'm reminded of the time way back in 1995 when the former PM of Australia Bob Hawke with his second wife Blanche d'Alpuget were all over the Australian media like a rash gushing about what a great place "Myanmar" was, Myanmar being the name given to the country Burma by its military junta, but a name that was not recognized by the government of Australia. Apparently one of Australia's tackiest couples had recently been to Burma on business, Hawke meeting with the trade minister of the government of Burma, a visit that was condemned by many people at the time. I couldn't find any mention of Myanmar or Burma on the Wikpedia page about Bob Hawke. Isn't that funny?

Sack Rudd before he causes more damage
Andrew Bolt
Herald Sun. December 15, 2010.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/sack-rudd-before-he-causes-more-damage/story-fn6bn88w-1225971134178

Wishing You an Unhappy Birthday

This evening our pathetic excuse for a national news TV channel ABC News 24 broadcast Prime Minister Julia Gillard giving a jocular speech in which she acknowledged the presence of a number of federal ALP colleagues at the celebration of the AWU's 125th anniversary at the Gold Coast. The list of ALP guests listed by Gillard consisted mostly of Wayne Swan and all of the infamous "faceless men", of which two have been leaders of the AWU, an influential union. Gillard made a joke about AWU leader Paul Howe's role in the coup that removed then-PM Kevin Rudd in June of 2010, an incredible lapse of taste in my opinion. It is no surprise at all that one major figure in the ALP was not mentioned in Gillard's list of party guests.

I'm guessing that Gillard might be keen to crack jokes with and slap the backs of her faceless pals, as there has been a persistent rumour repeated by a number of different sources lately that one of these unpleasant friends, Bill Shorten, is planning some type of coup to intall himself in Gillard's place. No, seriously, I am not making this up, this is not a joke, yes, apparently Shorten sees himself as our Prime Minister, not in 20 years time, but now. Yes, that bloke with the psycho-eyes. What's with the eyes? He must be as mad as he looks. Bill Shorten as PM? Imagine that. I can see rioting in the streets, Egypt style.

After all of the natural disasters that have been visited upon our great nation in the last few months, why couldn't a flaming fireball of a rogue asteroid plunge through the Earth's atmosphere just above the venue for this gathering and blast a hole of fiery destruction just big enough to wipe out these thoroughly dislikeable people? Why not?

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8210517/awu-national-conference-opens-in-qld

http://www.awu.net.au/712743.html

Gillard scrutinised by Four Corners

It has been around six months since Gillard took over the role of Prime Minister of Australia in the coup that removed Kevin Rudd, and after all this time we see a serious journalistic story broadcast which poses the question "... does she have what it takes to lead the Labor Party and the country?" If people are still asking this question, I think the answer must be obvious.

The Real Julia?
Reporter: Liz Jackson
Four Corners. ABCTV.
Broadcast: 07/02/2011
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2011/s3129028.htm

Fail Julia Fail

"The failure of Gillard to truly replace Rudd is agonisingly obvious. Her tenure in the job is tenuous. Senior members of her Cabinet – both those who opposed and supported the coup – see her as a flop. They’re talking about dumping her."

Conspirators turn on Gillard.
Phillip Adams
The Australian February 01, 2011.
Weekend Australian. magazine February 5-6th 2011.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/conspirators-turn-on-gillard/story-e6frg7fx-1225998053845

Mining industry spent $22 million in 2010 in its campaign against Rudd's resource super profit tax

A snip at $22m to get rid of PM
by Mark Davis
Sydney Morning Herald.
February 2, 2011.
smh.com.au
http://www.smh.com.au/business/a-snip-at-22m-to-get-rid-of-pm-20110201-1acgj.html