Populist Politics At Its Worst: Tony Abbott, Foreign Aid, Islamic Schools...

Tony Abbott has shown his true colours while simultaneously showing why he is unfit to be Prime Minister of Australia; he simply does not have Australia's long-term and strategic interests at heart. The man who wants to become the man who makes "shit happen" rather than just talking about when and why "shit happens" has decided that an easy and populist target for cuts to the foreign aid budget is a successful Australian program that helps build and fund Islamic schools in Indonesia.

This racist and xenophobic policy about flip was cased in a need to strengthen Australia's natural disaster relief fund coffers in opposition to the Gillard Labor Government's attempt to introduce a special tax levy to fund the AUD 5 billion in repairs that flooding has caused in Queensland.

To be honest, I would rather not pay the levy. But, also in all honesty, I would rather pay the levy than see an aid program that has Australia's long-term interests and security in the region at its core disbanded because we might have to pay a few extra dollars a week in tax.

The reality is that Australia's involvement in building and providing ongoing support and funding for the Islamic schools program in Indonesia is a positive one. These are schools that provide an alternative opportunity and an alternative message to those being offered by the pesantrens of the fundamentalist and radical fringe of Islamic belief populated by the likes of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (Bashir).

The Abbott proposal is nothing short of a race-based policy that takes money from a program based on the difference of the recipients. It is justified through the use of terminology that makes it sound as if these schools, and the aid program itself, are primary supporters of an Islamist network intent on destroying the Australian way of life. One almost gets the impression that Mr. Abbott is suggesting that there should be some degree of moral outrage on the part of Australians that their tax money is being channeled to those hell bent on destroying us. This is populist rhetoric designed to play to the fears of a select group of Australians.

Unfortunately, the Prime Minister wannabe is misrepresenting the facts and by default the truth. These schools are Islamic schools. They are not Islamist. I would argue that there is a difference, at least in terms of the connotation of the two words. Islamic merely indicates that the underlying belief is Muslim in nature. Whereas, and in contrast, Islamist suggests that these schools are breeding grounds for some sort of fundamental revivalist and ultra-conservative Islamic belief structure that is a "clear and present danger" to our free democratic ideals. Mr. Abbott has chosen his words carefully and to play to the base fears of those receptive to his message.

The withdrawal of Australian aid to these schools is narrow-minded and a step backwards.

Tony Abbott has already proven that he is not the man Australia needs with his finger on the button when the shit really does happen.

Peace.

Assange Entitled to Consular Assistance...

Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks and generally persona non grata, is to be afforded consular assistance if and or when he is arrested. This was confirmed by Robert McClelland, Attorney General of Australia and has been reported widely.

Nevertheless, consular assistance is something Australian citizens arrested abroad are entitled to. I have not heard of any instances where consular assistance was denied. It is also worth noting that the current moves to arrest Assange relate to a warrant that was issued relating to allegations of rape and sexual molestation in Sweden.

In any event, the Australian government went to some lengths to express its displeasure at Assange's work with Wikileaks by condemning the release of the diplomatic cables as something that puts at risk innocent lives of those working for the US and her allies. This displeasure was stated as "grossly irresponsible" behaviour on the part of Wikileaks.

Despite this assurance of consular assistance, it would seem that the Australian government is working at full-steam ahead to assist the US in building a case against Assange for the "illegal" publishing of the 250,000 diplomatic cables. It is also pretty clear that the Australian government would be looking to build a case and prosecute Assange if he were to return to Australia.

It would appear that the freedom Assange once enjoyed is slowly but surely evaporating away before his very own eyes.

The question now is, "if Assange is arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and subsequently jailed, will this stop Wikileaks or other sites that might be tempted to do similar work?"

Is It Safe For Australians to Travel to Bali?

If you have read the latest travel advice from the Australian Government available at Smart Traveller, then you would be having serious considerations about wanting to travel to Indonesia, and more specifically Bali.

According to the advice, rabies is a real threat to Australian travellers. Also, a violent feud between rival taxi companies has also escalated to a point where the Australian authorities consider there to be real risks to Australian holiday makers on the island of Bali. These two issues are additions to the standard fare about the ever-present threat of terrorism and natural disasters.

So, the question is: "Should Australians travel to Indonesia, and particularly Bali, in light of the travel advice?" Yes. If you want to go to Bali then you should not be deterred by the issuance of this travel advisory. Travel, like any other human activity, comes with risks and rewards. The simple equation you have is as a traveller is to balance those risks and rewards and make an informed decision on whether to go or not.

Travel to Indonesia is really about being aware of your own personal safety and surrounds. If you are a little bit more conscious of not placing yourself in dangerous situations then you are unlikely to be harmed. The chances of one being killed in a terrorist attack are small. If you are worried about dying, then have a look at statistics for what kills people while they travel and my guess is that you will find rabies and violent taxi feuds rank pretty low on the scale of misadventure. It is not being argued that it is impossible, but it is being argued that the risks are negligible if you use your brains.

That is the rant for today.

Australia Appoints a New Ambassador to Indonesia...

The Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, has issued a media release noting the appointment of Mr. Greg Moriarty to the post of Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.

The formalization of the appointment requires the two governments to agree on the appointment, and then for Moriarty to present his credentials to the President of Indonesia. This should be a foregone conclusion as there does not appear to be anything in Moriarty's past that will be a hindrance to his appointment.

Moriarty is to replace Bill Farmer AO who has been ambassador in Indonesia since November 2005. Moriarty is currently First Assistant Secretary Consular, Public Diplomacy and Parliamentary Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Moriarty is also the former Australian Ambassador to Iran and had the good fortune of being one of the few foreign envoys to brief George Bush on happenings there. He has also done time in Indonesia and speaks the language. This suggests that there is a good degree of gravitas about Moriarty and his work which makes him a good choice for the Jakarta role.

Megawati & Australia

Keeping to the Megawati theme.