Comment
North Coast news daily:
netdaily.net.au
Why Turnbull’s xenophobic laws won’t work
Volume 32 #28
December 20, 2017
Spin zone accelerates Council’s media unit has been cranking press releases out at a rate of knots in the last week – five came through Tuesday while seven were sent through in the week prior. Is this unprecedented? On December 13, the mayor launched a new Byron Region Food Handbook, which celebrates the work of 114 agricultural producers and food manufacturers from seven northern rivers shires. The following day, $2.6million in state government funding was announced to go towards replacing five old bridges. On December 14, Byron Shire Council staff say they donated $4,500 worth of gifts and groceries to the The Salvation Army, and the same day announced the reversal of Bangalow pay parking plans in favour of new parking time limits. Also as a result of Council’s Thursday meeting, a press release said on December 15 that ‘Work on the Byron Bay town bypass is set to start in early 2018,’ while also announcing plans to address illegal camping and traffic issues at Seven Mile Beach at Broken Head. A gentle reminder about the high percentage of holiday let homes and what Council are doing about it was also sent out on December 18 (see back page). On Tuesday December 19, the mayor sent a press release seeking partnership proposals to ‘deliver a community-centred vision’ for the decommissioned South Byron STP site, which is a 7.76 hectare site in Suffolk Park. Moreover, addressing the discontent around how Council has handled the Byron Rec Ground plan of management – up to now – was the aim of the press release entitled Council working with sports groups to manage Byron Rec Ground. Again Tuesday, the mayor was on the front foot over the redevelopment of Byron’s Railway Square, which is part of the Byron Bay Masterplan. It follows Council’s endorsement of the concept plan at Thursday’s meeting. Soul Street on Jonson Street will again return for Byron’s family-friendly NYE celebrations, and the mayor reminded us Tuesday that ‘New Years Eve in Byron Bay is not somewhere for young people to come and drink and party.’ Finally, a press release by acting GM Mark Arnold explained the reversal on previous parking plans for Brunswick Heads (see page 3). It is encouraging to see Council and the mayor engage on such a public level, given the recent issues. Ironing out any issue would surely be a major task considering the size of its operations. For example, in Council’s Thursday’s public access, longtime activist John Anderson told the gallery that questions he had asked about the bypass were not replied to publicly in the agenda, but instead a private letter was sent to him. He said, ‘The letter failed to answer my questions as to what the cost of these requirements are.’ It may not seem like much, but putting everything on the public record is vital in ensuring trust and respect are maintained. While most will be enjoying some well-earned time off, Council staff will be working over the holiday season, just like The Echo. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday. Hans Lovejoy, editor News tips are welcome: editor@echo.net.au
The Byron Shire Echo Established 1986
Y
ou may have missed it in all the excitement and jubilation of the passage of same-sex marriage, but last week Malcolm Turnbull announced the most significant overhaul of Australia’s espionage laws in decades. Given that just about all our prime minister’s announcements proclaim the greatest reform since federation, or the most sweeping advance since the second world war, or at least the sexiest makeover since last week, you could be forgiven for not getting over-excited. But the bills introduced in the dying hours of the parliamentary session do involve a considerable shake-up, and, like so many of Turnbull’s ideas, at first glance they sound pretty good. The problem is that even a cursory analysis suggests that either there will be unexpected consequences, or that they simply won’t work. So let’s get cursory. There are three principal aims for the somewhat unwieldy package. The first is the most straightforward: update and bump up the threat of cyber-espionage and digital sabotage, with tougher countermeasures for the new offences. Fine, but there is an obvious catch: by definition, most of these crimes arise from overseas and cannot be prosecuted in Australia. Certainly the spooks can and will attempt to identify them and in at least some cases nullify them on a one-by-one basis but they are not likely to put the perpetrators on trial or do much to contain their nefarious activities. This is palliative care, not a cure. It’s hardly Turnbull’s fault, but it would be more honest to admit it rather than boasting about how much money he is planning to spend. The next bit is the ban on foreign donations – a no-brainer and one Labor has been demanding for years, while the coalition has stoutly resisted any moves to curtail what they have always
maintained was a perfectly proper part of the democratic process and has been happy to trouser any and every dollar, rouble and yuan available. So two cheers for the belated conversion. But just how is it to be implemented? It is easy enough to stop the cheques arriving directly from Moscow or Beijing, but what about those from foreign nationals and foreign firms based in Australia? The dreaded Huang Xiangmo, Sam Dastyari’s sponsor and bane, is a permanent resident and his Yuhu group is an Australian
Singling out the foreigners as culprits may be good politics, but it is hardly likely to cleanse the murky process of funding elections. by Mungo MacCallum company, shelling out literally millions to both Labor and the coalition – obviously he likes an each-way bet. But is he in or out? And if he is out, what is to stop him setting up a dinky-di Australian shelf company to launder his contributions? After all, there is plenty of precedent for running funds through intermediaries to the party coffers – and this is why simply banning foreign donations is a first step, but a very small one. The real issue is whether the money is tainted, a bribe to purchase influence, and this, according to the government, is to be studiously ignored. The finance minister, Matthias Cormann, spruiked Turnbull’s spiel with the extraordinarily assertion that only Australian businesses and organisations should be able to influence Australian elections through political donations. In other words, if you have the money and the determination, you can buy your way into the cabinet room – as long as you have an Australian birth certifi-
Echo deadlines and opening over Christmas
The Echo will be closed for just 3 days over Christmas: the 25th and 26th (Boxing Day) and 1 January (New Years Day). We will be publishing as usual on Wed 27 December and Wed 3 January.
Nicholas Shand 1948–1996 Founding Editor
General Manager Simon Haslam Editor Hans Lovejoy Photographer Jeff Dawson Advertising Manager Angela Cornell Production Manager Ziggi Browning ‘The job of a newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.’ – Finley Peter Dunne 1867–1936 © 2017 Echo Publications Pty Ltd – ABN 86 004 000 239 Mullumbimby: Village Way, Stuart St. Ph 02 6684 1777 Fax 02 6684 1719 Printer: Fairfax Media Brisbane Reg. by Aust. Post Pub. No. NBF9237
12 December 20, 2017 The Byron Shire Echo
cate (and, presumably, are not a dual citizen). This is not merely jingoistic – it is, as the ICAC has called it in another context, approving a climate conducive to corruption. Singling out the foreigners as culprits may be good politics, but it is hardly likely to cleanse the murky process of funding elections. And the third significant overhaul is even more political: the clampdown on lobbyists and lobbying, the curtailment of covert foreign involvement in Australia’s democratic process. Turn-
0M `V\ ^HU[ [V [LSLWOVUL MVY JSHZZPÄ LK HKZ [OL KLHKSPUL for 27 December issue is 5pm Friday 22 December. /V^L]LY `V\ JHU LTHPS JSHZZPÄ LK HKZ H[ HU` [PTL \U[PS our normal deadline of 12pm Tuesday 26 December to JSHZZPÄ LKZ'LJOV UL[ H\ Of course the deadline for the following 3 January edition is 12pm on Tuesday 2 January (we’ll all be working on that day). Hope you have a fun holiday period – we’re planning to! Happy Christmas and New Year. Echo: Ph 02 6684 1777. Stories: editor@echo.net.au Ads: adcopy@echo.net.au /LQH FODVVLð HGV FODVVLð HGV#HFKR QHW DX Facebook: @echonetdaily
bull insists that this is a general proscription – it is not just aimed at the Chinese. Well, you could have fooled me. All the rodomontade, the ballyhoo, the fear and loathing, has been about the machinations of the heirs and successors of Mao Zedong – the days of the yellow peril are back. Beijing has no illusions and is furious, as is the former trade minister and now Chinese employee, Andrew Robb, who may have to register as a lobbyist of a foreign power – as may a former Labor prime minster, Paul Keating. And in a sense Turnbull is right – there are plenty of other groups who espouse foreign interests: the Jewish lobby, for instance, is single-mindedly devoted to boosting Israel. The Labor MP Michael Danby, for instance, is one of its fiercest warriors. But moving past the barrage of Sinophobia, or even more general xenophobia, it is clear that there are other targets – advocacy groups, undeniably Australian, whose work could well be hamstrung through the new draconian bureaucracy.
The obvious one is GetUp!, hated by the conservatives because it is unashamedly progressive – which does not make it automatically supportive of Labor or the Greens, although that of course is the rhetoric of reactionaries like Eric Abetz. GetUp!, we are told, must become much more transparent, especially when it comes to foreign donations. Well, okay. But how about the secretly funded Institute of Public Relations, or Gerard Henderson’s equally reticent Sydney Institute, both of which have plausibly been accused of taking money from foreign tobacco companies among many others, and are at least equally one-eyed in barracking for the right. Or the Mineral Council, not averse to a partisan campaign, and which is bankrolled from mining companies such as RioTinto, hardly a native enterprise. Although once again, it has usefully Australian subsidiaries before shifting its profits offshore. And we haven’t even mentioned the American citizen Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp. Until we are told what, if any, the limits of the eradication of foreign influence are to entail, it is wiser to assume that this has more to do with short-term advantage – certainly within the coalition parties’ room – than with serious policy. If there was any real doubt that the bluster is more than somewhat overblown, Turnbull provided it with his appropriation of Mao’s declaration of 1949: Zhongguo ren men zhang lai – the Chinese people have stood up. Now, gloated Turnbull, the Australian people have stood up – in Chinese, yet! But the comparison is absurd and insulting. Mao was referring to centuries of oppression, generations of foreign subjugation. Turnbull was desperate to win a by-election. The most significant overhaul of hyperbole in decades.
Seasons Greetings Wewould would like like to to take take this opportunity We opportunity to wish all our patients a to wish all our patients a joyous joyous Christmas and a New Year Christmas and a New Year fifilled lled with peace and happiness. with peace and happiness. We are grateful and honoured for your We are are grateful grateful and for your We and honoured honoured for support and look forward to caring foryour you support andloved look ones forward to caring for you and your dental needs in the support and look forward to caring for you and your loved ones dental needs in the year to come. and your loved ones dental needs in the
year to come. year come. year to to come.
Call 02 6685 1264 CallMullumbimbi 02 6685St,1264 6/18 Brunswick Heads
w w w. b r u n s w i c kd e n t a l. n e t 6/18 Mullumbimbi St, Brunswick Heads w w w. b r u n s w i c kd e n t a l. n e t Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo