Rudd and AustChina: Moral shields won’t protect him
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The Opposition finally got cracking on the Government’s links with Chinese communications company Beijing AustChina in Question Time yesterday, although its attack rather lacked bite. First Communications spokesman Bruce Billson, then Shadow Foreign Minister Andrew Robb – who has substance but frankly lacks a bit of presence at the Dispatch Box – asked Kevin Rudd about his trip to Darfur in 2006, paid for by Beijing AustChina as part of a trip to the US, the UK and China. It has since been revealed that, in addition to funding several of his overseas trips, AustChina presented Rudd with a bottle of Grange. This isn’t exactly unusual – if you want to know why the stuff is so expensive, look no further than the hordes of lobbyists and companies that shower bottles of the stuff on politicians. Beijing AustChina has also hired PR flacks Parker & Partners to handle the issue. Rudd’s answers yesterday – later corrected – were interesting for two reasons. He defended his use of sponsored overseas travel as a shadow Minister on the basis that no-one else was going to pay for his visits overseas. Beijing AustChina has since confirmed this, saying that it likes to provide travel support for Opposition MPs who may wish to develop an interest in China. However, even if we accept that Opposition MPs should have their portfolio responsibilities partly funded by commercial interests, it leaves the other members of the AustChina Five in a tricky position. Wayne Swan might at a stretch be able to argue that, as shadow Treasurer, visiting the key source of Australia’s resources boom twice at the expense of AustChina was appropriate. Tony Burke insists that his AustChina-sponsored five trips to China were purely in his capacity as Labor’s Immigration spokesman. One trip to visit an important source of migrants for Australia, perhaps – but five? And as for Bernie Ripoll and Kim Wilkie – both were backbenchers. Rudd also made a point of declaring that in Darfur he was “hosted” by World Vision. “Hosted” is a rather nebulous term and shouldn’t be confused – as perhaps Rudd would like it to be – with “paid for”. World Vision has confirmed to Crikey that its involvement with Rudd’s trip to Darfur was limited to Rudd speaking to Tim Costello before and after the trip, and meeting World Vision program officers while there. This rather smacks of Rudd using Tim Costello as a moral shield. Indeed, the entire trip to Sudan, however well-intentioned, has the look of being tacked on to Rudd’s Women’s Weekly World Discovery Tour on the AustChina account as a justification for enjoying their largesse. And let’s stop tiptoeing around an issue at the heart of all this. Rudd’s oft-proclaimed Sinophilia means he must have strong connections with a brutal dictatorship that, as events in Tibet are currently demonstrating, savagely suppresses dissent and imprisons and executes its opponents. China’s role in Darfur has been heavily criticised. And there are also rumours that AustChina has links with the Sudanese military — categorically denied by an AustChina spokesman this morning. AustChina has denied having any commercial role in Sudan. However, Q-Mac International, a West Australian based firm and an affiliate of AustChina, sold high-frequenecy radios to the Sudanese army in 2003, according to reports from Amnesty International. This has a way to go yet. |
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20 Comments
… that headline was written by a gweilo for sure.
A beat-up of course, and China has become a “brutal dictatorship”. If part of a sovereign country rebels and seeks independence it is usually regarded as treason. Look at Turkey’s oppression of the Kurds — where’s the outrage against Turkey?
1. Mmm, lotsa comments, keen readers. 2. Who cares? Rudd leaked his honours thesis on ‘Chinese dissidents’, so he does! 3. Beijing aka ‘HongKong govt’ advertising on smh mycareer for ‘political/business analyst with Chinese language’ i.e. a spy!
Bernard, I care. Krudd’s moral mantle will eventually shred as St Kev ducks and weaves and waters the truth. Guess what, Marilyn, the decent people in Iraq are winning and the boat you mention was actually sunk by the people on it. Yes, we care…
The illustration’s caption is frankly unpleasant, and there’s some faint xenophobia hanging over this issue. Not especially pro-China, but what if MPs visited another hegemonic power notorious for rights abuses, bullying and warmongering? Same reporting?
So does this leave him well positioned to speak to China as a Dutch Uncle or not?
well at least the headline was interesting
Are we a wholly owned subsidiary of China Inc? Rudd says “use restraint”. What about “Stop killing people!”?
Bernard, no-one cares. Did he sit and allow $300 million to be paid to Saddam Hussein, was he a minister of the crown seeking advantage? Did he order the illegal invasion of Iraq or say Iraqis threw their kids into the sea? No?
Then who cares.
Bernard, I dont know why all these left wing geeks are putting the boot into you. They’ve never been great ones for human rights violations, except if the Americans are involved. It was Stephen Mayne who first wrote about this! Comrades, go easy!
John James - what ‘good economic management’ during the Asian meltdown? The economy survived because the dollar fell, so our cheaper exports found new markets. Keating built this mechanism into the economy, and the recession bedded it in. Howard did zilch
Oh my God, crikey has been invaded by Madam Lash herself, Ann. ….I am now convinced Mr Keane is really PIERS AKERMAN ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I am beginning to have serious doubts about Bernard Keane’s objectivity on this, and other matters Rudd. Bring back Christian!
So what is your point Bernard. You know about this as it is all on the pecuniary records. Both Liberals and nationals have benefited as well from Chinese donatiosn. I am not a great fan of China but China is the reason we have had a strong economy.
Gee Bernard - remember 2001 before the mineral boom? Costello & Howard’s so called good economy was going south but then along came China - lucky for us. I’m glad Rudd can speaks their language and can put issues directly to them to benefit us all.
Has no one seen the connection between AustChina and Rudd’s commitment to have a computer in the hands of every school child in Australia? Keane is right - this has a way to go yet.
Can we add China Inc consultancy to the “Kevin is a liar” list, alongside Rudd’s other explanatory lies on Brian Burke, strip club visits, wife’s business, Sunrise ANZAC Day, family history? By standards applied to Howard, we can now declare Kevin a liar.
I love this left wing revisionism.Bit like the Apology and fabrication of Australian history that underpinned it. Australia’s economy is strong because it was well managed, without any recessions “we had to have”. through the Asian meltdown.Watch Swan go!
what about “two wongs don’t make a white”…”nigger in the woodpile”..etc. Bring them all back! When you are on a beat up, you need all the bad taste you can muster. I am waiting for your piece on Penny Wong.
Interesting article, however, the stench of racism on the illustration’s caption was rather off putting. Can’t you do better?