Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Fabrication and humanity

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  • Grant McDougall,

    Not really, Sydney is a big place and only a small part is being sealed off. It would be the same as saying Auckland was in lockdown when in fact only the Viaduct area was closed. But yes, the media have latched on to this word Lockdown.
    I expect (some of) the protest action to get nasty, although they will be hammered by the security forces.

    Good call. I've just gotten off the phone to my brother in Sydney and said that only small of the CBD was being sealed off.

    I asked about the protest and he said extra ambulance officers have been rostered, in anticipation of injuries in a cops v. protestors stylee. (He's an ambulance officer).

    Unfortunately, ruling against the protest is just going to inflame things, I reckon. The protest leader said on RNZ this morning that they were going to protest even if the decision went against them. The decision now adds fuel to the flames and will aggravate things.

    The decision does Howard no favours either, reiterating his creepy, Bush's-puppet image.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    The decision does Howard no favours either, reiterating his creepy, Bush's-puppet image.

    Well, tough titty. I don't believe that's the function of the state or federal judiciary. Might also be a rather good idea if the Prime Minister also kept an appropriate distance from the operational functions of the NSW judiciary and police, don't you think?

    Somehow, I don't think the folks who think Howard suffers separation anxiety when Bush's fist isn't up his arse were going to change their mind, no matter which way the decision went.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan Travaglia,

    Good call. I've just gotten off the phone to my brother in Sydney and said that only small of the CBD was being sealed off.

    True but it's still the CBD and being made to feel like you've been locked in a cage every time you walk down the main street is bound to generate some justifiable resentment amongst the people who live here.

    This is also on top of having the motorways blocked off anytime Bush, Putin or the Chinese PM want to take their 20 car motorcades anywhere, and having literally the whole damn city shut down on Friday.

    There's not really much in it for the people who actually live here...

    Sydney • Since May 2007 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    I don't believe that's the function of the state or federal judiciary.

    Good for you. As the original blog entry notes, it's Howard who knowingly landed them with the mess by opting to hold the circus in Sydney, rather than purpose-built Canberra.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    I find your lack of faith disturbing

    Well played!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    As the original blog entry notes, it's Howard who knowingly landed them with the mess by opting to hold the circus in Sydney, rather than purpose-built Canberra.

    Sorry, Joe, not seeing how that makes it a good idea for the Prime Minister to be trying to bring political pressure on either the NSW judiciary or police because their decision might well be politically embarrasing. Don't you find that even slightly problematic?

    And have you ever been to Canberra? If it's 'purpose-built' for anything, it's as a case study in how urban planning theory forgets the human beings who have to function in synthetic capitals. Your mileage may vary, but I couldn't get out of the damn place fast enough.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    We have lived in Canberra, and it's not so bad, if you know where to go. There's some great bars and cafes, especially around small suburban shopping centres. Which exactly reinforces Craig's point - that all the design features of Canberra don't suit people at all. However the huge roads, the massive spaces around parliament, and the positioning of the parliament as a fortress in a hill, would make crowd control much easier.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Deborah:

    Fair enough, and there's no city on earth that's going to be appealing to everyone.

    I love Sydney, but will cheerfully admit my view might be rather more jaundiced if I was getting serviced by a mortgage that resembled my telephone number and commuting via one of the city's more *cough* Dickensian stations. (Seriously, I had a panic attack on one of the lower platforms of Town Hall station. Someone just has to get their shit together and seriously deal with the fact a "75-year-old station built to a 1916 design and based on a 1890s concept" (as the SMH puts it) is going to require some serious investment before there's a disaster.) Like any big city, I'm sure you can rattle off infrastructure and planning issues until the sun goes cold.

    But if I was looking for a venue to host a major international meeting - and incidentally show off Australia to the world as a vibrant and energetic world-class nation - I've got to admit Canberra would be well down the list.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    The decision does Howard no favours either, reiterating his creepy, Bush's-puppet image.

    Well, tough titty. I don't believe that's the function of the state or federal judiciary. Might also be a rather good idea if the Prime Minister also kept an appropriate distance from the operational functions of the NSW judiciary and police, don't you think?

    Somehow, I don't think the folks who think Howard suffers separation anxiety when Bush's fist isn't up his arse were going to change their mind, no matter which way the decision went.

    Craig, you've got me down as if I'm some raving, feral protester or something; I'm not.

    Of course I agree with the seperation of state and judiciary. But the key word was "image". In other words that while Howard had nothing to do with the actual decision, it will, nonetheless, reitierate the image of him being Bush's beeeatch.

    As for your second point, as I stated in my original post, the protesters' spokesman said on RNZ yesterday that they were going to protest even if the decision went againsty them.

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    not seeing how that makes it a good idea for the Prime Minister to be trying to bring political pressure on either the NSW judiciary or police because their decision might well be politically embarrasing. Don't you find that even slightly problematic?

    No more so than the risk of 'political embarassment' that Muldoon might have reaped from the '81 tour. A lot of dosh was expended on spinning the World Economic Forum and the Asian Pacific Economic Summit held in Melbourne back in 2000 - those ghastly protesters not only threw ball bearings under the hooves of police horses, they also doused decent hardworking rent-a-cops with their own urine! Both figments of some flack's imagination, as it turned out. There's a lot at stake for either side right now in Sydney, and you can bet no opportunity will be lost.

    While I agree with your aesthetic assessment of Canberra, it's probably great for motorcades (and all that concrete's a mecca for skateboarders) - unless you want an audience, which the increasingly desperate Howard plainly does. And it IS the capital - that's what it was built for. It has an international airport & all. Then there's John 'n Janette's predilection for Kirribilli House over the Lodge.

    Anyway, as usual Alan Ramsey doesn't mince words: "__an ageing, unwanted John W. Howard playing host in his home city to the lame-duck political caricature that is George W. Bush and his grotesque caravan of 650 staff, advisers, security personnel and assorted hangers-on.__"
    http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/two-dead-men-walking-come-to-town/2007/08/31/1188067365982.html

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    But if I was looking for a venue to host a major international meeting - and incidentally show off Australia to the world as a vibrant and energetic world-class nation - I've got to admit Canberra would be well down the list.

    true. and besides, howard has effectively made sydney the capital anyhow.

    apparently they spend many, many thousands annually flying officials to kirribilli or thereabouts, so that howard doesn't have to spend time in canberra.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig, you've got me down as if I'm some raving, feral protester or something; I'm not.

    Grant - fair enough. If you want to be a 'raving, feral protestor', you really suck at it. :) My point is that it may well be an 'image problem' for Howard (or Iemma, for that matter) but I think that's ultimately the weakest argument against the NSW Supreme Court decision.

    As for your second point, as I stated in my original post, the protesters' spokesman said on RNZ yesterday that they were going to protest even if the decision went against them.

    Meh... I don't know about you, but I'm all for the right to protest, as long as they don't interfere with the equal right of everyone else to go about their lawful and legitimate business without undue interference. I'm also one of those cranks who believes in obeying the law, even those I don't personally agree with.

    If the Stop Bush Coalition want to force some kind of confrontation with the Police for God only knows what reason, then they wear the consequences. If they negotiate some alterative route, and they hose down the 'fuck up the fascists' element, I'm cool with that too.

    There's a lot at stake for either side right now in Sydney, and you can bet no opportunity will be lost.

    QFT, Joe. Though I must admit that Alan Ramsey's Dixie Chicks shtick is getting a little tired - you know, bitching about how his dissent is being crushed (yet again) in the pages of a major metropolitan daily newspaper. Poor darling...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    If the Stop Bush Coalition want to force some kind of confrontation with the Police for God only knows what reason, then they wear the consequences.

    These events have been the focus of some very violent protests in the past. Violence by people who if they were in power would make both Bush and Howard look like Thomas Jefferson. So I'm inclined to accept the need for the sort of security we see in Sydney. And get rather tide of endless tide of self pity coming from these protest groups.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    - you know, bitching about how his dissent is being crushed (yet again) in the pages of a major metropolitan daily newspaper. Poor darling...

    No, I don't know. Got a linkt?

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I think that "getting the wrong end of the stick" is a very kind way of putting it. I'm sure they are well-motivated and good people, but I'm also sure that Panah's spokespeople knew that basically every piece of evidence he presented in two separate appeals was found to be a crock, and the most they'll cop to are "relatively minor and explainable discrepancies".

    I think this is... not irrelevant, but not the issue. If the RSAA process is a private process, which uses anonymous case studies as part of their education and legal process, then it's not up to anyone to break that privacy, except the individual concerned.

    If people are spreading false information in public, then people are doing that. However it's the job of the RSAA to figure out the truth and make a decision, it's not a court of public opinion.

    The Minister can't go breaching a legal right to privacy like this, just because he wants to jump into the public opinion sandpit. He's a minister of the crown! He's got to stand back and say it's a private process and the government is neutral and will let the Authority make its ruling.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Didn't TVNZ's Close Up drive this one, by telling Cunliffe "if we can get Panah to waive his right to privacy, will you then release this 'secret' information?". It's not really fair for Panah to say "I want entry" but then claim right-to-privacy when the Govt wants to explain why they want to deny him entry.

    You can't give someone a private process and then demand that they waive their right to privacy. If it's a private process, then that stands.

    Sure, his supporters might be abusing the private nature of it by publicly making statements that don't match up with reality, but them's the breaks. As long as the Authority's decision still has integrity, the hunger strike and and public statements etc, won't affect the final decision, which is what's important.

    We need to remember that some of these people get sent back to countries that they really want to get away from, having told the Authority about how bad that country is.

    That information needs to be kept private, otherwise people aren't going to feel confident being honest with the Authority, for fear that if they get sent back home, what they've said will be used against them.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    as a vibrant and energetic world-class nation

    Wait, how can a nation be world class? This sort of suggests that there are some nations that haven't met world-class standards, and will therefore be banished from the world. (Awesome!)

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    This sort of suggests that there are some nations that haven't met world-class standards, and will therefore be banished from the world. (Awesome!)

    If wishing made it so!

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Wain,

    Mark, did He give you the score? and the opposition?

    looking for some good odds...

    Since Nov 2006 • 155 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Wain,

    sorry, only catching up on this thread now... (and dunno how youse all do that flash indented RE: thing above!)

    "I'm of a view that anyone who tries as hard as people like Zoui and this dude to stay here they must really want to. For God's sake, its not like we are so special that we want to be sealing ourselves off from the world a la the USA or Australia, so we can fearfully peer through the venetian blinds at the border looking for Al Qaeda's football on the lawn all the bloody time"

    I played football in an Auckland Saturday league this season against Ahmed Zaoui and 10 other, rather younger, Muslims... does the SIS know about this?

    he was very good BTW. hit my crossbar with a shot from a difficult angle, ran things all day. luckily we played well enough to win but sheesh, I'd give him residency just on the off-chance his kids turn into decent All Whites...

    Since Nov 2006 • 155 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I think this is... not irrelevant, but not the issue. If the RSAA process is a private process, which uses anonymous case studies as part of their education and legal process, then it's not up to anyone to break that privacy, except the individual concerned.

    You're right of course, but I do sometimes wonder if there's a risk of undermining public faith in the process. Justice being seen to be done and all that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Brent Jackson,

    Richard said :

    (and dunno how youse all do that flash indented RE: thing above!)

    To the left of the "Post a reply..." box is a handy little reminder of formatting that is possible. The one you want to use is the "Quote:", namely, put the text between HTML quote tags.

    Cheers,
    Brent.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 620 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    This sort of suggests that there are some nations that haven't met world-class standards, and will therefore be banished from the world. (Awesome!)

    Well. Robyn, if you're a flaming pooftah with a low opinion of the government (and express that disdain in both traditional and new media) New Zealand and Australia are pretty top drawer places to be. Zimbabwe, Iran, Fiji or China not quite so much.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Oh, and you do realise I was extracting the urine? Vibrant, world-class, 100% Pure tourist leaflet blahdy-blah. Just tell me ciragrettes are cheap and the water won't kill me, and I'm an easy sell.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • kmont,

    100% pure baby

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 485 posts Report Reply

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