Payments For People Smuggling Information

If you were a boat person, transporting illegal #asylumseekers to Australia, that was intercepted by an Australian patrol boat & paid by a security operative for information on the smuggling ring leaders, then you were turned around, sent back to Indonesia & arrested on arrival with a wad of cash, what would you say in your defense? Before you answer, remember, these smuggling ring leaders are brutal people & their web runs very deep in Indonesia.

Of course, you would say “I was paid by the Australian Navy to bring the illegals back to Indonesia.” You are not going to say I’m an informer because you have no idea if the person arresting you is part of the conspiracy. 

Then, because Indonesia  is full of corrupt officials who are up to their necks in any number of illegal activities you would agree to appear in pictures for a story that is published by our ABC (but with a balaclava covering your face hence identity) on the proviso that you are let off. 



It makes, sense and any person with a brain who knows what is going on in Indonesia and who understands the mission of the ABC would agree. That is why no questions were asked by the opposition in Parliamentary Question Time #qt on Tuesday this week. And, why Julie Bishop issued a stern warning to Bill Shorten. Of course the ABC & some of Labor's MP's show little regard for security issues and even less intelligence when it comes to putting the country before their own ambitions.

Seriously, anyone who thinks professional and highly experienced and trained Naval personnel and their on-board security team is that naive and incompetent as to give illegal boat crew money to turn a boat around, knowing the potential consequences, simply, has rocks in their head. If money changed hands and it's a big if, it was for information not to turn the boat around and head back to Indonesia.



Smart Leaders Don't Play The Misogynist Card

I know very few strong female leaders who haven’t faced some level of bullying in their career. I’ve certainly received my fair share. It often took the form of undermining, attempts to belittle, spreading untruths, and even being accused of bullying for simply standing my ground.  Most, find ways to overcome and often earn the respect of the ‘bully’ in doing so. In my case, two men who bullied me at one point ended up becoming two of my strongest allies and supporters. Few, use bullying as a tool to gain sympathy or gain. Whilst we have shared our experiences among ourselves and even used experiences and our solutions when teaching other woman how to deal with bullying, few make a big ‘song and dance’ about it.

With the above mind, it disappoints me (and to some degree surprises me) that Julia Gillard has once again chosen to accuse another man of bullying. This time, she has used the opportunity in a documentary airing on ABC. Julia has a history of accusing men of bullying her; Tony Abbott and now Kevin Rudd to name two. Julia always struck me as a strong and forthright woman. Strong and forthright women do not devalue themselves in admitting men bully them. You would never hear Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel do that.

Ms Gillard achieved the highest position in the land, that of Prime Minster. Whilst her ascension to the position was clouded with controversy, the fact that she was in a position to be considered and that she was eventually appointed by the Labor party speaks volumes.  It indicates she is as they say ‘no wilting flower’. So why is she constantly pushing the misogynist bullying line. To me, it indicates she only got the position playing the weak female. That may be unfair but I suspect I’m not the only one who thinks that.  Particularly those of us who have reached senior positions within big business and who have faced all sorts of barriers (including misogyny and bullying) but who have dealt with it quietly and not used it as a crutch.

I do not support Julia Gillard’s political party being an avowed middle of the road conservative. I also think she was a very poor Prime Minister which is a huge disappointment for many. Those two things aside, she had a superb opportunity to be a great role model for young women endeavouring to build their careers. I am always looking for inspirational women to use as examples to help motivate young women to be the very best they can. Unfortunately, those women who seek to play the misogyny card demotivate rather than motivate. Certainly, those women who play that card to excuse their failures are automatically dismissed. Sadly Julia is in that group. What an opportunity we have lost as a result.

The Two Faces of Australia

Am I the only one who struggles with the conflict of the Australia I know and the one we hear about and read about daily?

The Australia I know is full of opportunity. People are respected (not to say you can't joke about something like ethnicity, religion, colour of your hair or skin). Where we cherish and acknowledge the difference, albeit we may not always agree. Where all violence and abuse is condemned. Where people think it's wrong to sponge on others. Where we accept responsibility for who we are and what we do. Where a 'fair go' is core. Where success and self-sufficiency is praised and encouraged. Where we 'pull our weight' and where we step up and help those genuinely indeed.

The Australia we hear more and more about is full of violence and hate. Where stories of the arrests of child abusers are a daily occurrence. Where people who defend morals are attacked. Where people who choose to dress modestly are abused and accused of victimhood when they raise it. Where difference marks you as a target, just because you are different, despite how you live your life. Where the numbers of deaths and of violence in the home are staggering. Where depends on the contributions of others are viewed as an automatic right and success is envied and attacked. Where walking the streets exposes you to dangers. Where we turn a 'blind eye' to violence unless it fits a certain profile. This is the Australia that we hear about day after day and it dominates on social media and in our published media.

I would like to hear and see more of the former and less of the latter. How about you?

The Industry of Reconciliation

I heard an ad this morning by Adam Goddes talking about reconciliation. Encouraging people to attend events rights around Australia hosted by our indigenous and Torres Strait Islander community. (Remember also that Goddes father is of English, Irish and Scottish heritage.)

Like so many, I grow ever more weary of calls for reconciliation. Which, with out deliberately trying to sound harsh, is a call by a minority in this country who believe they have and are entitled to rights the majority will never enjoy. Are we expected to concede to demands for ever? Will this ever be settled?

The definition of "reconciliation" is:

The restoration of friendly relations. The action of making one view or belief compatible with another.

It's nye on impossible to achieve that whilst white Australians are continually told that we are for all intents and purposes camping on indigenous lands. We can't even attend a major sporting event, at venues, which by and large our taxes paid for, without being welcomed to 'their land'. Guests in the country thousands of us were born in.

We are vilified because of actions committed by the British over 200 hundred years ago. Whilst many shameful events took place how many times are we expected to say sorry for the past. What about the good things that stemmed from British occupation.

Let's face it, our indigenous race didn't just miraculously pop up from the ground here. People migrated here thousands and thousands of years ago. We are all seeds of migration. So far back do we go in the claims for rights.

It's about time we said enough. We are all equal under the law. No one group should be treated differently to another. Stop the reconciliation calls. Stop the indigenous industry and stop making the majority feel like they don't belong because the minority feel like victims.

Human Trafficking - Stopping the Boats

"Thai action kills off illegal migrant trade". People justify deaths in war as necessary to stop something evil. Stopping boats is a war against the insidious trade of human trafficking.

People who operate people smuggling rings are not heros. They are evil men who exploit people for profit.  It's a massive business. One that is now more profitable than either the drug or illegal arms trades.  Like the drug and illegal arms trade it must be stopped. Whilst ever countries accept illegal migrants, the trade will continue to flourish. With millions of people trying to escape their home countries for any number of reasons, the size and scale of this incidious business is vast. The amount on money these traders in human misery stand to make incalculable.

It breaks my heart to think of children dying at sea. The same as it breaks my heart to think of children dying in war zones. But we have to take a stand against this evil trade. No country can afford to keep taking on more and more disaffected peoples. We have to kill the boat trade and then all efforts need to be put into fixing problems in these basket case countries like Myanmar etc. Instead of attacking Tony Abbott and blaming him for problems in Asia and other parts, refugee advocates should be thanking him for having the courage to take a stand in leading the way in stamping out the boats trade.