Sunday, October 15, 2006

Spot the inconsistency

It is five years since the Siev X sank with the loss of 353 asylum seekers. On Friday the Age published this photo of Hazam Al Rowaimi who lost his mother, wife and children when the boat sank off Australian waters . At the time Australia's then Immigration Minister, then Defence Minister and the Prime Minister John Howard announced that a number of children on the vessel had been thrown overboard. This was later found to be untrue, but not before it was an issue at an election which John Howard was returned to power.

Apparently a Commonwealth Government Agency have stopped plans for a memorial in Canberra on the basis that it can't be erected until 10 years after the event.

It has been six weeks since Steve Irwin died. Apparently our Prime Minister John Howard has said he would be holding discussions soon about a permanent memorial as "I certainly know that the people want it and we've had some very good suggestions and I hope we can come up with a sensible proposal."

10 comments:

meva said...

Oh, Ms Batville, it makes my blood boil. Our current government demonstrates a complete lack of compassion and a blatant disregard for decency and honesty. We've got to get rid of them at the next election.

gigglewick said...

I've spent the morning feeling cheery about the ALP's policy announcement about abolishing of TPVs, but at the same time wondering why they didn't do that ten years ago (or even six).

The difference re Steve Irwin Ms B is that he was so clearly AUSTRALIAN*. Whereas the people on Siev X quite clearly were TERRORISTS/QUEUE JUMPERS**.


* We know this, because he said 'Crikey' a lot and also because the Americans told us so.

** There is no goddamn queue, people.....it's a war-torn country, not an AFL match.



THERE IS NO QUEUE!!!!!!!!!

Watershedd said...

Do you think the same reaction would be taken if a memorial to any of the Bali victims was proposed? I think not.

audrey said...

Even knowing all things we know about this government, I still am gobsmacked at this. They have to go. But I have a sneaking suspicion that they won't. Because every time I get my hopes up that my kind are taking back the numbers, something happens to remind me that the status quo is always pushing for rigid mediocrity.

The worst thing is, if you wrote this in a letter to The Australian, you'd have a billion people writing back slamming you for knocking Steve Irwin's spirit and saying things like "the boat people weren't Australians, why should we honour, yes tragedy but THEY ARE BLACK."

I swear to God, if Howard gets back in next year I am packing up my bowling bag and moving to New Zealand.

M said...

I hate this government.

Ms Batville said...

Friends, I second all of your comments.

I was chatting to a casual acquaintance over a dinner at a friend's place tonight. He has always struck me as moderately well informed so I asked him what he thought about the request for a memorial being denied. He responded "But no one died did they?"

I was so angry I had to leave the room lest I punch him.

It is one thing to be ashamed of one's government. It is much worse to be ashamed of the populace.

Melba said...

it's stories like these that make me so sad and so mad. and i just want to say fuck fuck fuck over and over again.

that poor man, look at him with the photos of his family. look at the pain on his face. it's just tragic.

i can't believe i live in a country where people voted in someone like john howard, not once but TWICE. it cuts me to the core.

nice parallel between irwin and siev memorials, ms batville. a clear illustration of the australian VALUES that the pm is talking about i guess.

audrey said...

Melbourne Girl, not once but FOUR times.

I'm not Craig said...

It is just wonderful that blogs like this exist. Until I started blogging I had almost given up on finding people who stilled cared about politics and shared my deep desire to get rid of this appalling government.

Thank you for helping me to keep believing that there is hope for the future of our country, after all

Ms Batville said...

I know what you mean i'm not craig. Even if I were never to blog again I would feel better about the world knowing that there are others who see this government for the way it actually is.

Apparently on ABC's The Insiders last week they suggested that maybe the tide was turning and that people had stopped believing Howard. Here's hoping...