Yesterday's The Australian featured the disturbing revelation that Bob Katter's Australia Party is funded by an arms company which is also associated with the murder of endangered species.
Today, further claims that the Party then provides bullets to people (via gun clubs) in return for their support.
I don't condone the arms industry or the slaughter of African animals (even if they are from a game reserve).
I wrote to Katter and the arms company, NIOA (the MD is Katter's son-in-law and Party vice-president). I received a reply only from Katter's people. I'd mention that NIOA was banned by Seaworld from hosting its 2010 Christmas party there because of its association with the killing of wildlife (the company advertises in hunting magazines).
I received the usual preprepared reply, with an attachment of their Party manifesto.
What the Party has done is put its "spin" (they refer to the endangered animals as being from "on a property that breeds animals"). Really, so that makes it okay?
The fact remains, these animals are murdered for what passes as sport or recreation (quite disturbing behaviour in most people's minds).
The fact also remains that the party accepts donations from the arms industry, which supplies weapons to these people. The company in question advertises in a range of hunting magazines. I'm all for shooting as a pasttime/sport (having served in the Army for 17 years) but not animals.
Rather than stand up for the rights of people to "have a flutter", Bob Katter might stand up for the rights of helpless animals.
It just reinforces the notion that this mob are just a bunch of redneck hillbillies. Maybe the Party should be renamed Katter's Mad Hatters. As one media report said: "the cowboys are calling the shots".
Today's The Australian
My site: http://www.prlab.com.au
21 October 2011
Bob Brown and the Greens deceive the Australian people ... twice
It was fitting the Federal Ombudsman resigned, but Greens leader Bob Brown's performance leaves me feeling sick.
It was the Ombudsman's pre-prepared questions to Green senator Sarah Hanson-Young (and didn't she go to ground) that caused the resignation. That in itself is deceit, on both sides.
However, Brown's holier-than-thou response, shifting blame on to the government, is a desperate attempt to mask the facts that the Greens were complicit in an attempt to undermine democracy.
Just like the Democrats, when they said they'd never vote for a GST, the Greens have betrayed my trust.
Never again, Bob Brown.
My site: http://www.prlab.com.au
It was the Ombudsman's pre-prepared questions to Green senator Sarah Hanson-Young (and didn't she go to ground) that caused the resignation. That in itself is deceit, on both sides.
However, Brown's holier-than-thou response, shifting blame on to the government, is a desperate attempt to mask the facts that the Greens were complicit in an attempt to undermine democracy.
Just like the Democrats, when they said they'd never vote for a GST, the Greens have betrayed my trust.
Never again, Bob Brown.
My site: http://www.prlab.com.au
19 August 2011
Heart Foundation a disgrace
Yesterday my mother-in-law in Geraldton was contacted by a Heart Foundation telephone caller and asked to donate. She is a pensioner, who has regularly worked for various Church charities.
When she told them she couldn't donate, the response was: "well, you better hope you don't have a heart attack."
My wife reported this by phone to your head office, which said it would investigate and get back to her today. She's heard nothing.
So I will now mount a PR campaign against the Foundation for both it's disgraceful conduct on the phone, and it's pathetic response to what was a most distressing incident for my 72-year-old mother-in-law.
When she told them she couldn't donate, the response was: "well, you better hope you don't have a heart attack."
My wife reported this by phone to your head office, which said it would investigate and get back to her today. She's heard nothing.
So I will now mount a PR campaign against the Foundation for both it's disgraceful conduct on the phone, and it's pathetic response to what was a most distressing incident for my 72-year-old mother-in-law.
23 May 2011
Cracks appearing in Australia's workforce
Australia is sitting on a workforce fault-line, with the cracks in our society starting to appear this year.
Leading Australian demographer Bernard Salt made the observation at State Training Providers Forum in Perth recently.
“The first of the baby boomers, those born in 1946, will start retiring this year,” said Salt.
“What’s going to happen when a large group of tradespeople from this demographic start disappearing almost on en masse? The loss of so many skilled people is going to have a profound impact on from the workforce.”
Salt thinks big and is concerned about issues and trends from a national perspective, giving forum participants plenty to consider when planning for the future.
While training issues weren’t the focus of his keynote address, he referred to some occupations that were under threat.
“Five years ago, more than a third of the nurses in Australia were over 50, so they could decide to leave any time soon,” Salt said.
“The same scenario applies to religious ministers, across all faiths. In 2006, 48 per cent of them were over 50.
“These are just random occupations in the Census. What we should be doing is having this data for all occupations so we can better plan for workforce needs.”
While workforce shortages will rise rapidly, Salt believes there is some hope to halt the sudden loss in labour.
“The federal government will, I hope, do something drastic and allow a large influx of skilled overseas labour, but there also needs to be a reinvention of what we consider retirement to be,” Salt said.
“We need to tap into the narrative of how people want to live their lives. These days people can look forward on average to 20 years of what could be considered retirement.
“But people don’t want to simply stay home and look after the grandkids. They still want challenges. Then there’s those boomers haven’t saved enough, so they have to work beyond traditional working age.
“The skill will be to help them find new niches. This could be through short courses and other incentives for them to remain in the workforce.”
Leading Australian demographer Bernard Salt made the observation at State Training Providers Forum in Perth recently.
“The first of the baby boomers, those born in 1946, will start retiring this year,” said Salt.
“What’s going to happen when a large group of tradespeople from this demographic start disappearing almost on en masse? The loss of so many skilled people is going to have a profound impact on from the workforce.”
Salt thinks big and is concerned about issues and trends from a national perspective, giving forum participants plenty to consider when planning for the future.
While training issues weren’t the focus of his keynote address, he referred to some occupations that were under threat.
“Five years ago, more than a third of the nurses in Australia were over 50, so they could decide to leave any time soon,” Salt said.
“The same scenario applies to religious ministers, across all faiths. In 2006, 48 per cent of them were over 50.
“These are just random occupations in the Census. What we should be doing is having this data for all occupations so we can better plan for workforce needs.”
While workforce shortages will rise rapidly, Salt believes there is some hope to halt the sudden loss in labour.
“The federal government will, I hope, do something drastic and allow a large influx of skilled overseas labour, but there also needs to be a reinvention of what we consider retirement to be,” Salt said.
“We need to tap into the narrative of how people want to live their lives. These days people can look forward on average to 20 years of what could be considered retirement.
“But people don’t want to simply stay home and look after the grandkids. They still want challenges. Then there’s those boomers haven’t saved enough, so they have to work beyond traditional working age.
“The skill will be to help them find new niches. This could be through short courses and other incentives for them to remain in the workforce.”
Australia vulnerable to a "desperate" world, says Salt
Western Australia could find itself at the centre of growing international tension over its mineral wealth. And governments aren’t prepared.
Leading Australian demographer Bernard Salt made the prediction at a forum of WA Vocational Educational Trainers recently.
“The world wants and needs what we have, and there’s going to be a made scramble for all of these things,” Salt said.
“We have what the world wants. That makes us valuable, but also vulnerable.”
Alarmingly, the scramble will come sooner than later.
“Most people are predicting this will happen around 2070, but I think it will come by 2020,” said Salt, who was addressing 200 VET industry representatives in a forum sponsored by the Department of Workforce Training and Development.
“For me, this is the biggest issue facing Australia, and governments are doing nothing about it.
“Look at where our military presence is. We have Lavarack Barracks in Townsville. It was built in the sixties. What’s it protecting now? We have Robertson Barracks in Darwin, which was expanded during the East Timor crisis.
“But there’s no military assets of note between Darwin and Perth – an area that contains pretty much all of Australia’s wealth – about $43 million worth of gas and oil.
“The Chinese have already demonstrated they need the raw materials. Gorgon was about China shoring up its assets.”
Salt was quietly scathing of government inaction, saying while we had aligned ourselves militarily with the US, we expect our financial support to come from China.
“China is now the emerging power, but it remains to be seen how governments deal with the dilemma.”
Salt called for a massive boost to infrastructure, including a larger military presence with at least 5000 soldiers, and a regional town of 150,000.
“It only makes sense to put the military hardware where you are most exposed.
“This is the biggest issue confronting us.”
Leading Australian demographer Bernard Salt made the prediction at a forum of WA Vocational Educational Trainers recently.
“The world wants and needs what we have, and there’s going to be a made scramble for all of these things,” Salt said.
“We have what the world wants. That makes us valuable, but also vulnerable.”
Alarmingly, the scramble will come sooner than later.
“Most people are predicting this will happen around 2070, but I think it will come by 2020,” said Salt, who was addressing 200 VET industry representatives in a forum sponsored by the Department of Workforce Training and Development.
“For me, this is the biggest issue facing Australia, and governments are doing nothing about it.
“Look at where our military presence is. We have Lavarack Barracks in Townsville. It was built in the sixties. What’s it protecting now? We have Robertson Barracks in Darwin, which was expanded during the East Timor crisis.
“But there’s no military assets of note between Darwin and Perth – an area that contains pretty much all of Australia’s wealth – about $43 million worth of gas and oil.
“The Chinese have already demonstrated they need the raw materials. Gorgon was about China shoring up its assets.”
Salt was quietly scathing of government inaction, saying while we had aligned ourselves militarily with the US, we expect our financial support to come from China.
“China is now the emerging power, but it remains to be seen how governments deal with the dilemma.”
Salt called for a massive boost to infrastructure, including a larger military presence with at least 5000 soldiers, and a regional town of 150,000.
“It only makes sense to put the military hardware where you are most exposed.
“This is the biggest issue confronting us.”
19 May 2011
Parliament will run full course
There's no way federal parliament won't go the distance. The Independents will, by and large, back the government, because they know they're "on a hiding" in an election.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
06 May 2011
RSL stance baffling
The Returned Services Leage in Western Australia continues its "no-comment" policy with regard to the issue of killed in action SAS members not being allowed to have their names inscribed on the War Memorial. This is a baffling stance.
By not saying anything, the RSL shows how out of touch it is on two fronts. Firstly, the non-reponse shows how ill-equipped it is to deal with the media, which is hardly surprising, given the age of the executive. And, of course, it has already demonstrated how intractable it is, and has again rejected a move to change the rules, despite a survey by The West Australian showing that the majority of RSL sub-branches support the widows.
From a PR perspective, the RSL is now on a hiding. The public's views are now firmly entrenched and behind the widows and the RSL has lost its chance to at least appear sympathetic and understanding.
By not saying anything, the RSL shows how out of touch it is on two fronts. Firstly, the non-reponse shows how ill-equipped it is to deal with the media, which is hardly surprising, given the age of the executive. And, of course, it has already demonstrated how intractable it is, and has again rejected a move to change the rules, despite a survey by The West Australian showing that the majority of RSL sub-branches support the widows.
From a PR perspective, the RSL is now on a hiding. The public's views are now firmly entrenched and behind the widows and the RSL has lost its chance to at least appear sympathetic and understanding.
04 May 2011
Maybe Twitter not so popular
In setting up next semester’s “e-PR” unit for students the the University of Notre Dame Australia (Fremantle), I have created a google group, blog and twitter account. The students will use google as a hub to conduct a range of activities, including surveys and blogs.
In setting up Twitter I have grabbed some of the peope I’m already following from another account. In an effort to inject more local “content” (more Perth PR practitioners) I searched google for “Perth public relations”. In the first two pages of results, 10 companies were listed (not including paid ads).
To my surprise, only two companies mentioned on their web site they had a twitter presence. Given all the hype about the medium as a communications tool, I found this strange. I now feel a survey coming on. But I’ll save it for class.
In setting up Twitter I have grabbed some of the peope I’m already following from another account. In an effort to inject more local “content” (more Perth PR practitioners) I searched google for “Perth public relations”. In the first two pages of results, 10 companies were listed (not including paid ads).
To my surprise, only two companies mentioned on their web site they had a twitter presence. Given all the hype about the medium as a communications tool, I found this strange. I now feel a survey coming on. But I’ll save it for class.
25 February 2011
Aussies abandoned by government
What exactly does the Department of Foreign Affairs do?
Two indicents this week highlight the ineffectiveness of Australia's overseas representatives.
Aussies stuck in Libiya got no assistance and were told to book their own flights out. Then, just across the Ditch, they were told the same thing.
Two massive events in which citizens in danger received zero help.
And don't start me on QANTAS charging people $900 for a ticket home from NZ, when Air New Zealand offered flights for $70.
Two indicents this week highlight the ineffectiveness of Australia's overseas representatives.
Aussies stuck in Libiya got no assistance and were told to book their own flights out. Then, just across the Ditch, they were told the same thing.
Two massive events in which citizens in danger received zero help.
And don't start me on QANTAS charging people $900 for a ticket home from NZ, when Air New Zealand offered flights for $70.
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