Comments on: Hu is the broadsheets’ Schapellian moment

By: Michael Rynn

Michael Rynn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:27:37 +0000

The Australian Government cannot take any moral high ground on the issues, because it tacitly supports policies that it must presume to be the defacto standard for treatment of foreign citizens. That is the US government policy of locking people up for extraordinary long periods of time without hope of fair trial, including in the mix torture as a means of evidence gathering, or just torture for idle amusement by sub de-humanised prison guards.
Yhe absence of hard factual information about what crime or misdemeanor Mr HU has done is absolutely in keeping with US standards of meting out justice to foreigners, especially those from nations with which they in competition with.

I would say Australia’s involvement in the wars for oil in Pipelinestan and Baddystan is an example of competition, which would be perceived as moves against Chinese resource interests. And Australia is completely supporting US policy in every detail. Therefore how does China view Australia’s involvement in this activity on its doorstep ? Its real nice for the US to plead for Mr HU on our behalf, but the US is a debtor nation to China as well as being a practiced deliverer of injustice.

Most cases of the pressure and rewards for our bendy public office holders would not be so blatant as that uncovered in the recent Nuttall case. Mr Nuttall should thank his lucky stars he did not get justice in China.

Bribery and corruption are always at risk of becoming standard fare in any government that dispenses big resource development favours. The government now risks not being to explain adequately as to why it offers such big ETS concessions to carbon polluters, nor how the system will actually work. Economic growth is totally incompatible with carbon emissions reduction. The government cannot promise and deliver both.

The sad thing is that Mr HU is possibly a pawn in all sorts of ways. He is a pawn of Rio Tinto, who have in some way authorized or advised HU in taking some risk in a resources gambit. So how much of what he has been arrested for has been approved by his company? Does this make the company liable? I am sure their legal team are keeping it quiet. He is now a captured pawn of the Chinese government, or possibly competitive Chinese business interests. He is even a pawn of Mr Turnbull, who has been crowing with delight in Mr Rudd being unable to have sufficient leverage and maneuverability in the great game to bring about the appearance of justice at work. It is too early to tell yet, we may have many years to go on this. Mr Rudd may yet do something for international justice, or at least will bend the standard rules for the executives of big important corporations.

By: Harvey Tarvydas

Harvey Tarvydas — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:44:56 +0000

Dr Harvey M Tarvydas

Based on so many comments to media the Ausie normal person seems to have more insight and appreciation of this issue than the opposition polititians. Probably because they are responding naturally rather than having to manufacture a ‘proper’ response.
At least the Goverment polititians have an intelligent leader that can control himself.

While I an a touch smaller than Rio Tinto I have interests in two very different business’s that deal in China. Coruption there in business (local & foreign) and public services is getting us all down.
This year particularly the Chinese government has been trying to change this and the March conference their shows their determination to help China become like the rest of us procedurally and ethically in business.
In the defence of the Chinese this may be part of that effort and their internal law and order system should be given a chance to do something as valuable as this decontamination.
Insulting them and carrying on like fools and crybabies in their face they do not deserve while we build up a psychotic delusion about payback.
We didn’t do much in the coruption scandal with grain to Iraq to qualify ourselves as China’s advisors on ethics and anti-coruption methods.

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:11:43 +0000

For God sake, how about mentioning China deliberately moving to junk their market economy settings in the wake of the GFC and reasserting it’s command and control centralised economic settings? Do you think?

And the small matter of removing the iron ore miners best negotiators unless and until they cut a best price deal. That’s one hell of a negotiating tactic by Beijing there.

Sort of like the Cincinnati Kid with Steve McQueen only he gets locked in his hotel room before he can take a seat at the poker table against The Man.

Nice.

By: jungarrayi

jungarrayi — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:48:42 +0000

One of the most appalling aspects of the xenophobic reaction at the time of Shapelle Corby’s arrest, were those people that demanded a refund of their donations to the tsunami appeal.
In 2006 I obtained an Australian passport, a little booklet was included with a personal message from Alexander Downer: “…I believe strongly that the Australian Government has a responsibility to assist-to the extent we can-Australians in trouble overseas….”. I remember at the time thinking that it left out “….Australians in trouble overseas, except David Hicks….”.
Another small matter was that of Australian Federal Police complicity in the entrapment of the Bali 9. The double standard by our political leaders in regard to the death penalty also is worth pondering.
If you “…believe strongly that the Australian Government has a responsibility to assist-to the extent it can-Australians in trouble overseas….”, such matters as guilt or innocence, good looks or otherwise, evidence or lack thereof, media spin, public perception, which school you went to, national/commercial interests etc., should not be part of the equation. Assistance to Australians in trouble overseas should be unconditional. I like to think my Australian Passport is worth at least that.
The outrage by the now opposition (that the Australian Government is not doing enough for Mr.Hu) rings rather hollow to those of us that can remember back to when they were the government.

By: Peter Nicholson

Peter Nicholson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:08:23 +0000

Just on Heathdon’s clarification, I’m not sure Schapelle Corby’s looks were ever as important as some people say. It’s more the illogicallity of the whole thing - a clear bag of cannabis on top of an unlocked bag, going through Brisbane and Sydney airports when a direct route from Brisbane is available, having your girlfriends sleeping over the night before you do your drug run, smuggling from a high priced market like Australia to a market which has an abundance of cheap drugs. So much just doesn’t make sense.
An important intangible is that Schapelle Corby doesn’t appear to have the nerve to smuggle drugs through customs, particularly in an unlocked bag. Compare her and Renae Lawrence of the Bali 9 - chalk and cheese. I’m bolder than Schapelle Corby and I couldn’t do it.

By: Heathdon McGregor

Heathdon McGregor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:57:43 +0000

just a clarification

Im not saying Scappelle is guilty just amused by the instant assumption of innocence because of her appearance. I agree with Peter Nicholson that if she had the familial connections of perhaps say Michelle Leslie she would be home.

By: Peter Nicholson

Peter Nicholson — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:43:28 +0000

I think this is one the most offensive articles I’ve ever read at crikey. To liken Schapelle Corby to Paul Hayward is a disgrace (there was zero doubt about Paul Hayward smuggling heroin, in cohoots with Neddy Smith) and to see it as impressive that this story “hogged our attention for as long as it did” is a sad reading of Bernard Keane. The reason a vast number of people questioned Schapelle Corby’s guilt is because of the implausibility of the circumstances. We all know about the unlocked boogie board bag etc but I’ve read all I can about her case and it becomes more problematic the further you dig. This is compounded by the subsequent revelation that yes, there were indeed drug smugglers working in our baggage handling departments at the time Schapelle Corby flew to Bali.
The reason Schapelle Corby is still in prison is because she has a wayward family who, together with her shonky advisers, made it easy for people to move to the position of quietly accepting that she’s guilty. In a forensic sense, the questions are still unanswered. The sad truth is that if Schapelle Corby’s dad was a doctor or lawyer and she’d gone to SCEGGS, she’d have been home years ago.
Peter Nicholson

By: David1

David1 — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:33:29 +0000

Andrew Farran , you resort to personal abuse of Bernard Keane, a trait not uncommon in those who lean to the right and count the Liberal Party doctrine as their political bible. No doubt you also enjoyed the the treatment of David Hicks, an Australian Citizen incarcerated in that chamber of horrors Guantanemo and the disgraceful treatment of Dr Haneef, a non citizen, by the then Howard Govt. I don’t recall the good doctor being offered visits by his countries Foreign Affairs staff, or receiving any Australian justice, as he was kept under arrest on trumped up charges. Turnbull and Bishop were Ministers in a Govt that trod all over human rights and supported the disgrace. Now those same two persons are acting like screaming skulls and expect the Chinese Govt to cower in a corner at their outbursts. Where is your criticism of their attitude? Perhaps selective judgement is more in your line.

By: Heathdon McGregor

Heathdon McGregor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:16:17 +0000

Sorry Andrew

Is your email referring to my comments or the article? Its a bit confusing and vague.

By: Andrew FARRAN

Andrew FARRAN — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:24:20 +0000

Perhaps the media by and large loves a simple story, but this one (Stern Hu) is not simple and I believe a number of commentators have done well to spell out its complexities. You are too dismissive of its implications (perhaps you like to keep it simple too - so go join your mates!). One can spin out any situation by drowning it in prejudice - you obviously have many. I hope you have analysed where your’s come from and perhaps put a product warning in front of your comments in future.

With comments such as your’s we could all be down the drain in no time!

Cheers chum!

By: Heathdon McGregor

Heathdon McGregor — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:11:35 +0000

my ignorance may be showing but how is the arrest of Mr Hu “China looking after its own interests” but the questions arousing about the Fitzgibbon affair are “xenophobic and racist” Perhaps some who believe the good of the nation is secondary to the way the nation appears are reminded that China is not a western democracy and are looking in the mirror and reexamining their opinions? Style over substance doesn’t cut it in a foreign prison.

Once again our media has put people at risk to sell headlines. I hope Mr Hu makes it safely home to his family, I wonder how many editors of the newspapers hope the same? Wouldn’t it be better for headlines if he had something bad happen to him? Vultures.

I loved the “free schapelle” t shirts I saw in Glenferrie Road. Of course she was innocent, she was white and pretty.

By: Mr Squid

Mr Squid — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:41:00 +0000

one thing, and one thing only, is for sure in all this: thanks to the media, led by the virulently bigoted newscrap, the chances of australian citizen and rio tinto employee stern hu being accorded any goodwill or being treated as a citizen of a friendly nation by the chinese authorities is zero. I am sure hu, his family, friends and colleagues and rio tinto would like to express their profound gratitude to our media sleazebags.