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NEWS AND VIEWS
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Monday, 19 May 2008 GO TO OTHER DAILY EMAILS - indexed by date Misusing by not usingGiving members of parliament the right to say what they will within the confines of their parliamentary chambers, without fear of legal retribution, is an important component of our democratic system. This parliamentary privilege developed for just the kind of case which Greens Leader Bob Brown recently has spoken of where a lobbyist offered him a bribe to vote in a particular fashion. Without special protection, MPs would feel constrained from giving details of what clearly are serious threats to the way our democracy works. An allegation that a person representing a large media company had offered a $1 million bribe, if made in any normal forum, would result in defamation action that the MP would be in grave danger of losing because it was based on one person's word against another. Senator Brown has explained not previously revealing details of this vote buying attempt that occurred eight years ago in this way: "I didn't because it went nowhere and because in making, publishing an approach like that, the advice I got was that I would be open to defamation, a position that could be taken because I was defaming a character who would clearly deny the conversation had ever taken place. It is a case of one person's word against another." When asked by Sydney Morning Herald journalist Stephanie Peatling why he had not elaborated on the bribery claim in the Senate, where politicians are protected by parliamentary privilege, Senator Brown said he was "not one for making such claims without being able to do so outside [Parliament]". If he really believes that, then Senator Brown is throwing away an important safeguard of our democracy. Debate would be very much limited indeed if the restrictions of the defamation laws were generally applied to parliamentary proceedings and reports. And by not naming the person, yet narrowing the suspects to someone working for a large media company, Senator Brown has unfairly cast suspicion on the innocent as well as the guilty. Let me add, as someone who has in the past made representations in Canberra at different times for Messrs Murdoch, Packer and Stokes, that it was not I who offered the million! Thoroughbred industry should think about mulesingThe leaders in the Australian thoroughbred industry should perhaps have a chat with the wool industry chiefs who every day seem to have to fight a new battle with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. This very clever animal rights group, which is having considerable success in persuading textile manufacturers around the world that the mulesing of sheep is cruel, is now turning its attention to what it sees as the cruelty of horse racing.
The spur for PETA's new campaign was the televised killing of Eight Belles at the end of this year's Kentucky Derby after the filly broke both front ankles as her jockey was pulling her up. That sudden act of euthanasia revived memories of the long drawn out attempt by veterinarians to save the life of the 2006 Derby winner Barbaro who suffered injuries in the Preakness Stakes a few weeks later and was, as they euphemistically say in the racing game, put down after several months of attempts to save him failed. Don't mention the warIn Tasmania the war of words between the environmentally concerned and the timber giant Gunns continues but it is a war the Tasmanian Government is loath to even mention. Last Friday the state's Primary Industries and Water Minister David Llewellyn put out a press statement on results from the latest round of chemical testing of Tasmania 's rivers and streams. After giving details of tests that revealed traces of pesticides in the Coal River at Richmond, Mr Llewellyn reported that the latest sampling indicates that the low levels of simazine previously detected in the Macquarie River have disappeared. The levels detected, he said, did not pose any risk to public health and there were existing warnings in place against use of water from the river for drinking purposes, because of algal contamination. The minister's statement ended with the comment that The Director of Public Health, Dr Roscoe Taylor, advised that he has required the relevant operator to discontinue the use of long-acting herbicides such as simazine and atrazine in the Macquarie River catchment until advised further And who would that relevant operator be? Gunns Limited, of course, who use the chemicals to kill weeds in forestry plantations. Dr Taylor told the Hobart Mercury he had written telling the company not to use the chemicals in the Macquarie River catchment area. Germans have acted, will Australia?The crisis in the Rhine Valley of the bees being killed by agricultural chemicals has seen the Federal German Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) ban a wide range of insecticides including at least one being sold in Australia by Bayer.
Mesurol is used in this country as a Bird Repellent and Snail and Slug Spray but its registration has been withdrawn in Germany because of fears about the consequences on bees of its use. Also withdrawn is the Bayer seed treatment sold in New Zealand as Poncho.
The Daily Reality CheckI confess I couldn't resist it myself - Man dies in spitting contest plunge is the kind of headline that gets you in and I am an old tabloid boy at heart. It certainly worked for the Sydney Daily Telegraph website where it beat out such gems as a Deborah Hutton swapping a female lover for a man and a woman missing for 42 years found dead in a chair in her flat. The Australian reinforced its position as the leading serious news website with its readers favouring stories on the Chinese earthquake and the American presidential campaign along with a couple of Australian political items. The Pick of this Morning's Political Coverage
Liberals squabble as ALP flaws appear Glenn Milne, The Australian Rudd Government to ease company directors' liability Lenore Taylor, The Australian National anti-graft body left toothless Cameron Stewart, The Australian Costly, 'magical' spell cast on Port Phillip Council Royce Millar, Melbourne Age Calls for wider attack on binge drinking Tim Colebatch, Melbourne Age Disgraced minister takes the helm - Linton Besse, Sydney Morning Herald I rejected $1m media bribe: Brown - Stephanie Peatling, Sydney Morning Herald Retirees say Budget doesn't work for them Mark Kenny, Adelaide Advertiser Galaxy poll reveals working families let down by Budget Malcolm Farr, Sydney Daily Telegraph The Pick of the Weekend's Political CoverageState's violent pubs face closure Linda Simalsi, Sunday Telegraph Crushing cost of driving to work - Sharri Markson and Miawling Lam Sydney Sunday Telegraph Call to probe record petrol high of $1.60 Heather Mather, Hobart Mercury States face $1.76bn bill over budget health error Josh Gordon, Melbourne Sunday Age Labor promises massive increase in migration to lure workers Paul Kelly, The Australian What the world is reading on the netUnited States LA Times: Obama links McCain's Social Security stance to Bush's United States USA Today: Texas minister arrested in sex sting resigns UK The Independent: Britain's best homes: The proud owners of some leading contenders invite us through their keyholes UK The Times: France falls for Nicolas's golden boy, Jean Sarkozy China The People's Daily: President Hu renews call to save lives in remote villages Singapore The Straits Times: China declares mourning period as quake toll nears 32,500 Canada Toronto Globe and Mail: Police arrest man in connection with death of political aide India Times of India : Top sex 'mishaps' revealed! Australia The Australian: Mother's voice saves son from Sichuan earthquake rubble Quote of the DayWe may well have underestimated consumer negativity.
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© Richard Farmer 2007 |
