By Andrew Phillips, 19th December 2009
Like many readers, I appreciate honesty. It’s a trait to be admired and encouraged.
However, one rarely expects it to come from the legion of rampant internationalists and those who like to consider themselves as the “intelligentsia” — much less from someone with a history linked with the Hawke Government.
Have these people turned over a new leaf and believe a new relationship with Australians is required? Could it be perhaps they are now so comfortable with the progress of their plan for our nation they no longer feel they need to hide their traditional disdain of Australians?
Whatever their motivation, it was indeed refreshing to read the interview given to Mark Colvin by Professor Ross Garnaut on the ABC’s PM program, Friday Dec. 11th. As a former Hawke Govt. advisor and one of the many advisors to KRudd regarding the culpability of man in regards to climate change, one would expect him to come out swinging in defence of the Global Village, unfettered investment and all the good things one has been waiting to see from the 1975 Lima Agreement.
Garnaut was being interviewed following Opposition Finance Spokesman Barnaby Joyce’s comments reflecting concern about the level of foreign, particularly Chinese, investment in our nation’s resource sector. A fair enough call, particularly considering Simon Crean’s less than masculine begging for the Chinese to return to the discussion table to lay down the ground rules for a future Free Trade Agreement between our two countries. In the meantime however, the Chinese have shown their honourable intentions by putting forward a proposal whereby “billions and billions of dollars” of funding from Chinese mineral companies will be pooled in an investment fund to be administered by “local professional fund managers” (I know I certainly feel a lot more comfortable seeing a “whitey” face on the Chinese body that’s raping my country —how considerate) to acquire a stake in our mining operations and circumventing current investment restrictions.
The comments above regarding the pooled fund for investment were made by one Frank Xu, the head of mergers and acquisitions at China International Capital Corporations. When one combines these sentiments with the quote by senior Chinese trade official Xie Guoli “Australia and China have a basis for long term agricultural co operation, since Australia is rich in land and China rich in labour. But developing such a relationship will depend on Australia’s policy of importing labour.” — it is little wonder Senator Joyce is starting to feel a little uncomfortable about current events.
The prospect of China throwing around billions and billions like a bunch of drunks in some red light district is not so far fetched when you consider the plan by the Australian government to reform the foreign investment regulations to allow the investment of up to a billion dollars before needing approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Garnaut expressed concerns that the Chinese may view any discussion about their voracious takeovers of our economy as “xenophobic” (strange considering the Chinese have made xenophobia a national past-time for centuries) and may begin to source imports from other countries (clearly those whose populations don’t mind being raped economically with impunity). He also made the claim that Australians need not fear Chinese State investment in our national economy because “there will always be state influence, policy influence” but that “without it you need to be prepared to be poorer”.
Right. So, unless we are prepared to sell our natural gas to China for a pittance, allow Communist State run foreign companies to take over our mining sector (followed closely by our primary industries) we need to look for a reduction in our standard of living. Accept hospitals to close, schools fall into ruin.
If we take Garnaut’s claim that we must always accept the involvement of some state run corporation or investment in our resource sectors as fact, then why on earth can we not see the establishment (once again) of some state based bank or investment body such as the Commonwealth Bank once was to facilitate this task? Why can’t Australians rely upon their own government to provide funds for investment in our own resources, to develop our rich nation and ensure the vast majority of our profits are kept in Australia to improve the services to our own people?
The true position taken by the likes of Professor Garnaut in regards to policy, the future of our nation and the relationship between the government, ‘intelligentsia’ and Australians was made clear towards the end of the interview.
When asked by Lyndal Curtis “if it was ok, just as part of the democratic process to occasionally have a debate about the worth of things like foreign investment, about Chinese investment?”, Professor Garnaut replied:
“Oh, there’s no problem with having a debate. It’s only if there’s some risk of it influencing policy that it becomes a problem”.
Well, there you have it proles. It’s ok for you to have a debate amongst yourselves about the future of your country, just don’t expect the government to take your concerns on board……..
2010 will be an interesting election campaign. Some media pundits are saying the Federal election could come as early as August, with the strong possibility of PM Rudd calling a double dissolution election to try and break the back of the pseudo-conservative Coalition long term.
Will concerned Australians finally take such an opportunity to clean out our Houses of Parliament of the arrogant, out of touch and elitist politicians, those belonging to various parties — yet all with the same goal?
Or, will they yet again, be baffled by yet another campaign of pork barreling and political smoke and mirrors tricks, re-electing the same people who have betrayed our interests and those of our children?
This time, vote for a genuinely patriotic candidate.
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