Archives for March 2015

Order of Australia

March 31, 2015 by James J. Morrison W.G. Dupree Leave a Comment

My Father received an Order of Australia many years back, the pin of which he wore on his jacket at many prestigious functions for years with some pride. It acknowledged the many years he had given to his particular community in this country … Australia that is. Although he is gone, I see it in Dad’s cupboard whenever I stay at our family home with Mum. It is a memory of our country’s acknowledgement to the man who was my Father and for what he contributed to us as Australians. It is something I can speak of with some pride in my Father’s accomplishment. The Order of Australia was not then given lightly and as such should command some respect for the individuals in Australia who have earned it.

When I first saw this image (to the right) posted by a friend on social media, two questions occurred:

Is this some silly satire?
If not, when did this occur (because I had not been aware of any recent announcements)?

In fact, there was never a mention of it in any of the Mainstream Media. Besides, I assumed, surely Abbott could not be so stupid as to repeat the Prince Phillip fiasco? Also, he took flack after praising the Japanese for their honourable efforts in WWII! So with these two events behind him surely Abbott, nor anyone in the LNP, would undertake to pronounce awards of an OAM to a Japanese General, when there are plenty of Australian Soldiers or Officers who have served Australia with honour and in recent years. I reasoned it had to be a fake accusation. People I had spoken to said they never heard of it. So I sought answers.

The answers are:

No and
Friday the 27th March 2015.

Here’s the proof in the link below and … I have no further words I can say…………!

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2015G00438

The IGR

March 17, 2015 by James J. Morrison W.G. Dupree 1 Comment

The intergenerational report (IGR) produced by the government is another fraud like the “Budget Emergency” (which they seem far less panicked about since they doubled the deficit – which if you have read the main page you will realise means little). The prospect of not achieving a surplus is merely because their ideology prevents it, not because it’s unachievable. It is beyond their ideological capacity of thinking of retracting the massive subsidies to Mining, huge defence spending, huge “subsidies” to Super, huge “subsidies” to investors but not beyond them to cut subsidies to tuition in Universities. Instead, there were the cuts suffered by everything from the ABC, CSIRO, Trade Cadetships, Health, Hospital, Climate management, ATO, and even our children’s education (i.e. Gonski). Then the removal of major revenue streams (mining & carbon taxes – minimally over 6.5 billion), the 8.8 Billion Hockey gave away to the Reserve Bank – they said they didn’t need – and let’s also include the failure to collect taxes from 30% of the country’s largest companies. If achieving a surplus was such an urgent consideration, there are billions recoverable from the list above which would result in Australia having that (were it even an important factor in our economy). Add to this the fraudulent nature of our claiming national poverty for the 14 wealthiest nation (regarding gross domestic product per capita in IMF$,) in the world (Yes, Australia) with the third lowest gross debt to GDP of any country in the OECD.

Budgetary deterioration under the "Adults". — Budgetary deterioration under the “Adults”.

If a deficit is supposedly a measure of financial progress in a sovereign economy (which it isn’t) then doubling that Deficit under Joe’s administration surely is a poor indicator. If anything it merely exemplifies that what Australia can not afford is to continue to subsidise our wealthiest individuals and companies. It is purely about “political will” to act to redistribute the economy fairly, not an incapacity to bring in revenue.

The IGR has no allocation for disaster relief because of increasing natural disasters triggered by Climate change, in fact, Climate change is only mentioned in relation to the Direct Action policy (which a long list of experts believe will be completely ineffective anyhow). A slow economic growth (consistent with current) will result in a budget shortfall for Hockey alone. [Note: the mining boom contributed nothing/zero/zip/nada to economic growth in the last quarter – dropping from 5.6% in 6 mths – and professional/scientific/technical contracted by 1% – (ABS stats – look them up yourself)]. As jobs growth contracts and unemployment expands [i.e. as jobs disappeared from mining the expected pickup in Construction has not occurred and has fallen from 7.9% contribution to GDP to 5.6% in 6 mths], our prospects are grim. A ratio of jobs to the unemployed is 1:5 – although moving thru to 1:6 and that is only if you accept Govt Stats on employment & unemployment. (If you look at more realistic stats such as Roy Morgans then the prospect is far worse at 1:8.) ACOSS has noted that the IGR report is silent on what poverty would result by full implementation of government policies. No indicator of the Gini coefficient (an standard reporting indicator for the socio-economic impact of policies) has been provided. I wonder why Hockey forgot that? The value of the all ordinaries on the Australian Stock Exchange has fallen, consumer & business confidence is collapsing, the Aussie dollar is at the lowest level since 2010 and inflation went up from 2.4% to 3.0% last year. (Yes, it has fallen this year, along with everything else too.) BUT the Adults are in Charge of our economy! Bejesus, Hockey, give us a break!

Friday 13th unlucky for Heirisson Island

March 15, 2015 by James J. Morrison W.G. Dupree 1 Comment

Aboriginal Eviction across the Centuries

Descending like storm troopers onto the deck – but in black and on horseback – the police stormed in on an aboriginal island community on Heirisson Island on Friday morning, stealing their property and herding aboriginals off their homeland. Videos have sprung up showing police voluntarily (or should I say complicity) and illegally evicting people off their land on Heirisson Island. Eviction without fair cause is considered criminal in most States. What legislation unbeknownst to the traditional owners has the Western Australian or federal government enacted to be able to remove people from the land that they own? Is the government’s declaration that they were “squatting on their own land” now considered fair grounds? Does not the absence of support of the courts cause curiosity? It is surely ironic (not the least to say, excessive) that the police would come as mounted troopers to clear them out! Especially for anyone who is aware of the violent early history of Australia about suppression by “authorities”.

A friend of mine in reaction to a meme I posted about Tony Abbott’s statement that we are “sick of being lectured to by the United Nations” said, “… we can’t afford to care for our own marginalised people, let alone introducing extras“. After some responses to that pointing out the fraudulent nature of ours claiming national poverty for the 14 wealthiest nation (regarding gross domestic product per capita in IMF$,) in the world (Yes, Australia) with the third lowest gross debt to GDP of any country in the OECD. I finally said, “What we can’t afford, Alice, is continuing to pay for the ultra-rich!” And this latest Abbottism about “lifestyle choices” for “our own marginalised people” (i.e. Aboriginals) shows a similar lack of insight into wealthy versus poverty based lifestyle choices.

Abbott’s statement is hypocritical at best but more probably just another “lie” of misdirection to victimise the marginalised to facilitate the wealthy to take advantage. The only other thing the land these aboriginals are on is useful for (outside of occupation by “real Australians”) is either agriculture or mining. Let’s not forget that the Mining industries are significant donors to the Liberal Party. Guess who wants it? Who’s “lifestyle choices” are we supporting now Mr Abbott? Waging war against aboriginals and their rights to their land – for the benefit of wealthy exporters seeking to mine that land – is, I would assume, an act considered despicable by Australians that acknowledged their apology for white man’s mistreatment less than a decade ago.

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