Potted History: Australia 1966 - 'very well and cunningly devised'

Correspondence between W.C. "Billy" Wentworth MP and Minister for External Affairs Paul Hasluck concerning censorship in July 1966 - four years after Australia's involvement in Viet Nam began and one year after Prime Minister Menzies formally committed Australian troops at battalion strength to the Viet Nam War.
[Digital images from the Australian National Archives,Communism - Control of Communist Propaganda in Australia - Vietnam War]

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The finger points squarely at Tony Abbott

 

It’s come to a sad pass in this country that undertaking scientific research on climate change within a university setting sees academics threatened and harassed:

“SYDNEY, June 4, 2011 (AFP) - - Climate researchers at one of Australia's top universities have been rushed to a secure location after receiving death threats, an official said Saturday, as debate rages about plans for a carbon pollution tax.
The Australian National University (ANU) scientists had to be shifted following mounting abuse, with threats they would be attacked in the street if they didn't stop their research, said ANU vice-chancellor Dick Young.
Young said the menacing emails and phone calls had intensified in recent weeks amid heated public debate over Prime Minister Julia Gillard's plans to introduce a tax on carbon emissions aimed at reducing pollution.
"Obviously climate research is an emotive issue at the present time," Young told ABC television.
"These are issues where we should have a logical public debate and it's completely intolerable that people be subjected to this sort of abuse and to threats like this."
Young said the threats had rattled the academics, who were "really not equipped to be treated in this way."
"The whole scientific process is one of open debate and discussion, but the concept that you would be threatened for your scientific views and work is something that is completely foreign to them," he said.
"I think it is totally outrageous and the vast majority of Australians would think it is totally unacceptable for anybody in society to be subjected to this sort of behaviour."

This is the bitter crop that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s rabblerousing and demonising has raised up.
If someone gets hurt I will be pointing my finger squarely in his direction.

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Onya, Janelle - give 'im heaps!

From ABC Radio Australia News 7th June 2011:

"An Australian Federal Labor MP pushing for a freeze on live cattle exports to Indonesia has rejected a compromise solution put forward by Meat and Livestock Australia.

The morality of exporting live cattle has been hotly debated in Australia since ABC's Four Corners program aired footage of cattle being mistreated in Indonesian abattoirs.

Meat and Livestock Australia says cattle could be sent to 25 slaughterhouses in Indonesia that meet world animal health guidelines.

But MP Janelle Saffin says she does not trust Meat and Livestock Australia to effectively police the abattoirs and the proposal does not go far enough.

"At this stage we can't be assured how the cattle are going to be treated and until we know that the ban, or the halting, is the best solution," she said."

Update 8th June: Temporary six-month live export ban

''In light of the evidence presented to us, we have resolved to put a total suspension in place,'' Ms Gillard said. ''This suspension will remain until we can make sure cattle from Australia are treated properly at every step of the supply chain.
We will be working closely with Indonesia, and with the industry, to make sure we can bring about major change to the way cattle are handled in these slaughter houses.''

News Ltd finds proof that 290 Australians oppose a carbon tax and the media runs wild

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On 1 & 2 June 2011 Galaxy Research telephone polled 500 voters out of an estimated 14.08 million registered Australian voters and, found that 290 of these opposed a carbon tax.

Now Galaxy asserts that its results have been weighted and projected to reflect the population of Australia, but I think it's possibly stretching credulity to give so high a percentage.

Nevertheless, this poll produced a flurry in the media with headlines such as:

Three-quarters of Australians expect to be worse off under carbon tax - Courier Mail
Julia Gillard feels the heat over carbon tax backlash as voters call for new election - News.com.au
Majority against carbon tax: poll - The Northern Star
Aussies want 'election before tax' - Nine News
Most Australians against carbon tax: poll - AFP
Abbott says poll needed on carbon tax - Nine News