Polish Community Club Restaurant in Bankstown

We were full to the brim from restaurant hopping but thought that all the walking would have burnt off some fat. Not exactly. But nothing was going to stop us from going to the much talked about Polish Club twice (to check out if it's open, make a reservation, and finally have dinner there).


Klub Polski w Bankstown

The Polish Club is not exclusively for Poles but is open to visitors. It was a pity we could not find the grocery kiosk our Polish friend had mentioned. We were told by the guys at the club there wasn't one, possibly miscommunication or that the store was closed that day. The restaurant is only opened from Wednesday to Sunday. Even though the place was quiet during the year end weekday, the show must go on. Yes, we learned something about warm Polish hospitality and generosity.


Our Polish friend had provided valuable intelligence that the beetroot soup with dumplings was his favourite and that at least one person must order this when we dine here.

Pork chop with fried, boiled potatoes and carrots. Every meal came with a side dish of salad. How can we possibly eat so much food?

The cabbage rolls with rice and beef filling was naturally sweet.

This was the huge serving of pork knucker. To my knowledge and from memory, I don't think that any other restaurant in Sydney serves this tender melting and delicious stew at such a reasonable price.

The salad side dish that came with the pork knucker meal.

We asked for the top and second most popular beer. They were pleasant tasting and surprisingly better than some local beers.

We heard that the doughnuts were the thing to die for. But we simply did not have any space left for more. We even had to pack some of the meat home. 

http://www.bankstownpolishclub.com.au/

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Exploring Multi-ethnic Bankstown : Vietnamese Shops

Bankstown is a a suburb of South-western Sydney, is located 20 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district.

Centro shopping mall which was extended some four years ago is the most prominent feature as visitors drive into Bankstown CBD. But there are more interesting places to check out first than visiting a shopping centre which is almost the same everywhere.


Old Bankstown charm beckon locals and visitors from other suburbs with the multinational cuisines, exotic local and imported fresh food, herbs and spices and delicacies. You could find mangosteen and durian quite easily in the shops.


Lunch was at the famous My Canh Vietnamese Restaurant.

Spring rolls come with all three types of mint leaves (testimony of authenticity) and lettuce. The shredded radish and carrot strips in the dipping chilli fish sauce is another indicator of the traditional Vietnamese touch and attention to detail.

The soft shell crab in salt and garlic butter which comes with a guranteed minimum of two pieces was wonderful. Tasty but not salty, it is fried to perfection with no trace of excess oil. They are generous with the spring onions and cut chillies too.

Fried prawn fritters braised in tamarind sauce was highly commended in most food reviews. A must try.

The pho was extremely popular. The clear beef broth imparted flavours from many hours of brewing but with spices subtly infused.

You can find special dessert such as durian and soursop smoothie here.

The three coloured ice was equally tempting. The beans are cooked to a right texture, neither undercooked nor too soft and mashed. Just nice to cool down from the summer heat outside.

No wonder my Vietnamese friends say that Bankstown has the best Vietnamese restaurants in greater Sydney metro area. Cabramatta may win in terms of quantity and history. But Bankstown certainly has earned its place as a foodie paradise.

If you still have room for more sweets, head for the Bankstown Lebanese Bakery at Chapel Road. There are a wide variety of Mediterranean sweets to sample. Nutty, creamy, sweet, crispy, more than the well known baclava and such that you could imagine.

- c.g.

Rosso PoModor - one of the best authentic Italian pizza places in Balmain, a hip metro Sydney suburbia

It is going to be very difficult to keep this a secret. Rosso PoModor was bursting its seams with crowds. Bookings were back to back and long takeaway orders especially weekends and holidays, so much so that many diners had to be turned away, while those with reservations must finish their meal in less than 2 hours.

Strange house rules but no complaints. NO : ham and pineapple, half half pizzas and corkage charge. Because this is no mass production and bastarised pizza factory joint. Most ingredients are true to the core of being Italian.

The antipasto for two is on the expensive side but look, it is sufficient for three or four to share if you order other side dishes and salad. So no worries. The cheeses and cured meat were not salty. The olives, pickled onions and artichokes brings out the exquisite taste and freshness of Italiano, quite different from the overpowering soaking liquids that permeate most south European antipasto pickings.

As you notice, even the drinks are imported from Italy - mineral water and soft drinks only. Alcohol can be bought from the liquor shop down the street. The business is so good that they don't need to charge you for opening the bottles.

Since everyone has been raving about the pizzas and we looked around and saw few people having pasta, the option was obvious.

The pizzas are cooked with a few ingredients, but fresh and very balanced. The dough is thin and crispy but not hard.

Above : Vegetariana with tomato pizza base. Light, tasty (not salty), balanced, and not excessively covered with ingredients.

A contrast in flavour - the spicy Della Casa with Italian mozzarella, Italian sausages, hot salame, baby spinach, shaved parmesan.

Time to defuse the fire. Three scoops of gelato - strawberry, fig and caramel (the staff's favourite) and hazelnut. Tastes like it has more gum and sugar than most gelato.

The other favourite is the homemade pana cotta. Very smooth and creamy but not too sweet.

If you hadn't noticed, everything is "red" in colour - from the walls, counters, floor paintings of tomatoes and chillies, to the cups.

Nice way to end the meal with strong coffee; hopefully, it won't keep you away all night.

If you're interested to find out more, check out the menu on the restaurant's website : http://www.rossopomodoro.com.au/assets/pdf/menu.pdf

- c.g.

Shalom Indonesian eatery @ Kensington

In Australia, any Asian, European, American or African cuisine, including fast food would qualify as "exotic".

We would have tried other highly rated restaurants in Kensington if they had not been closed for the festive season. Shalom was one of the few chomps that stayed open on Christmas Day so our choices were very much restricted.

The name Shalom tend to conjure images of Jewish food but that is not to be. I thought that the Indonesians would have borrowed from the Arabic word "Salam" for "peace".


The entree of gado gado did not have the usual ingredients of potatoes, beans and cabbage. It meets the criteria as "fast" food since they simply cut the lettuce and don't have to steam or boil the vegetables. Instead of firm tofu, they chose to use deep fried tofu puffs.



I reckon one could do better by preparing this dish at home if you have enough people to justify the preparation of assorted vegetables.
http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com/2009/01/gado-gado.html


The lamb satay was highly recommended. It was quite flavoursome and the meat was not tough. However, it is slightly probably to mask the fatty cuts on the skewers.




The water spinach or kangkong by Indon lingo was a great disappointment. It was blanched!!! and topped with pulverised chilli. Every decent cook with some training would have stir fried the veggies in a hot wok with sambal belachan.

I actually voted the grilled fish with "shalom" sauce the best dish of the lot we ordered for the day. The marinade on the fish is both tasty and aromatic. The meat is well grilled till fragrant but not overly charred.

The fried chicken (differentiated only by the sauces one selects from the menu) should be served separate from the spicy sauces. I can't tell which is hotter since they all look and tastes rather similar. Drenched in ground chilli paste, I can wagger that most Aussies would not be able to survive this without sinus and gulps of ice water.

The durian ice is quite nice and certainly good value for money (above). One cereal bowl of the dessert has two tablespoons of durian pulp, grass jelly, green jello, coco nata, basil seeds in syrup and shaved ice.

The chendol (not shown here) is a wriggly mung bean jelly in coconut milk and palm sugar tastes of artificial flavouring of pandanus. The avocado milk shake is pretty good by the benchmark Indonesian standards. How else can one go wrong with their popular drink.

If you want my honest rating, the food ranges from below to above average. Nothing really exciting or fantastic which brings out the skills of the mostly young cooks cum waiters who seem to have limited knowledge beyond their brief. Local residents and UNSW students who want a quick meal probably don't mind eating this once in a while.

We'll be back later to patronise another restaurant further up the street.

- c.g.

Power and Pain Relief - Alternative Medicine Claims - effectiveness of the latest wristbands fad

Being the ever inquirer to the extent of sceptical, I was hesitant to jump on the bandwagon of many miracle health bracelets, bands and necklaces. Despite endorsement by friends, atheletes and celebrities, it would be prudent to consider if you would want to join in the fad. Some had been censured by the authorities and deemed scams and hoaxes.

Quote :

The ubiquitous Power Balance band - which claims to use ''holographic technology'' to send energy flowing through the body - has become a talisman for some of the world's top sportsmen, including US basketballer Shaquille O'Neal and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as dozens of Australian AFL and NRL players.

The Australian Medical Association, however, yesterday dismissed this alleged benefit as ''biologically implausible'' and suggested the advertising regulator should investigate the claim.

The players are reluctant to explain why they use them but sports psychologists say the bands have a placebo effect - the players think the bands will improve their performance on the footy field, so they feel more confident and play better.

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/power-wristbands-might-be-the-biggest-scam-20100619-yo11.html

Some of these promises are sold between $10 to $100 online, television ads or expo. If you can get it for a good discount and depending on financial status and affordability, have a go at it. Nobody has the power or right to stop or discourage others from trying a novelty especially if the person suffers from soreness and pain which could not be treated by conventional means. Go on and determine from your personal experience.

In fact, to be scientific also entails keeping an open mind. I won't rule out that there may be some yet to be discoveries or explanations which makes it effective when used by certain people with of particular blood type, physical and mental constitution. There are different versions of health products with varying degrees of efficacy? How is one different from another? Is one's claim more credible than another?

Nevertheless, in the absence of concrete scientific studies done on a sizeable sample over time conducted by credible scholars and institutions, it has not even met the first level of alternative medicine.

Quote :

If at that date, no formal scientific study has proved the effect of the bracelet, the manufacturers have not hesitated to circulate videos of tests meant to prove the effectiveness of their "technology". Simple balance exercises are practiced. And each time, the conclusion is obvious: with the bracelet, guinea pigs are more resistant. Guillaume Barucq, there is a simple explanation: "It's childish. When trying this exercise twice, the muscles are more prepared the second attempt and we do it better. Add to that the placebo effect, which, even for conventional drugs, contributes to at least 30% of the power balance wristband effect ... " Guillaume Barucq, the problem of these power balance bracelet do not lie in their effects - real or imagined - but in how they are sold. "I do not deny that there may be an effect," says he, "but what shocks me is that we can sell this product by claiming that it has beneficial effects, without it has been approved by any scientist. I've seen people think that it could help cure Parkinson's disease "should not mix everything ..." Jean-Pierre Mondenard: "Their strength lies in the media," he slice. Manufacturer EFX side, we do not deny the lack of scientific evidence: "Studies will be made. But it is a very new power balance band technology and would take years, then ...", says one. Amazing defense when, on most sites that sell the bracelet, the principle is rightly described as "old" or even "old as the world, appeared in ancient Egypt," the site KeepKontrol.

http://www.powerbalanceaustralia.org/Placebo_effect__of_power_bracelet-n-180.html

Delicate French Australian Cuisine - Bistro Ortholan @ Leichardt

Impressive in appearances and certainly a pampering experience. However, overall, the prices are steep. The name "bistro" is also a misnomer as this clearly translated to mean fine dining with the exception of a relaxed ambience the place exuded.



A surprising start. This was like drinking a piece of artwork. The complimentary cool appetizer was a colourful float of tomato slices in a concoction of oil and sensuous stock. A good opening statement.

There are a few interesting and enticing entrees such as the sea urchin and oysters but there is only so much one could try at one sitting. Next time, if we ever decide to patronise again.



Tortellini of Queensland mudcrab with fig and greens, silken tofu and roasted crab consommé absolutely true to its contemporary label as this was more fusion than French. Crunchy and light.

The tartlet of Victorian smoked eel and samphire with a petite salad niçoise and softly cooked quails egg was both visually appealing and delicious especially for egg lovers. Well balanced by vegetables, there is no hint of coyness.

Rillette of Macleay Valley White rabbit with duck liver and Armagnac parfait, and freshly toasted brioche. This is a pretty sight especially with the garland of nasturtium leaves and flowers and gelatine on the plate. It leaves a clean and contented after taste.

The mains are fairly substantial by most French cuisine standards.

Twice-cooked sirloin and tenderloin of Wildes Meadow bio-dynamic, milk-fed veal with Soubise purée, glazed salsify and bone-marrow dauphinoise. Tastes flavoursome but tends to get a bit boring after the first two slices.

Crisp-skinned fillet of Cone Bay saltwater barramundi, with squid and corn ‘risotto’ and South Australian samphire. Too good for words - all I can say is that the squid tastes extraordinary. The serving of barramundi could have been slightly more.

Crépinette of Pink Snapper with seared Hervey Bay scallops, foie gras butter and baby greens. The snapper and scallops are undoubtedly fresh and tasty. The inclusion of foi gras sauce and animal fat was a bit out of place even for bold and unconventional standards.

The dessert list looks good but time was running short. With friendly but clear signals that diners must vacate at a certain appointed time while the kitchen was rushing and could not really keep up with the mains and other tables waiting, the sweet endings had to be given a miss.

The eight course degustation menu that costs $120 supposedly takes four hours to finish. It may sound like a "better value" option but only possible if the restaurant is not fully booked back to back during the festive season.

It's is difficult to find fault with the food, wine and service but there is a sense that they are overrated by reviewers.

Other Reviews :

http://yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/bistro_ortolan/

http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/restaurants/1137427326874/Bistro+Ortolan

Bodi in the park - yum cha at Sydney Domain area

Fancy finding a treasure in the vicinity St Mary's Cathedral. Some locals are surprised that Bodi is a yum cha cafe restaurant at You don't go there for sandwiches, chips and coffee. The next surprise albeit a lesser one is that Bodi serves vegan and vegetarian dim sum. It breaks the myth that dim sum must contain meat like many traditional and run-of-the-mill offerings you find all over the world.

There is a wide variety of morsels to choose from with fillings of mushroom, cabbage, carrots, chick peas, peanuts, ...

The usual favourite deep fried stuff are spring rolls, tofu and wanton.
A less greasy option is the pan-fried radish cake. Very delicious.

If you don't mind trying mock meat, the substitute "pork" buns taste quite close to the real thing. They come in egg wash bread pastry, crispy flaky or steamed fluffy versions.

Below was the mushroom and cabbage steamed buns we tried.



Beetroot and ginger strips enclosed in crystal steamed pastry.



The selection of dessert was interesting too - fruity strawberry or passionfruit jelly, sago melon in coconut milk, rice balls, lemon egg tarts ...

Overall, the prices may be slightly above average yum cha restaurants but more than made up by the brisk and attentive service, fresh yummy food and pleasant serene environment dotted with rustling bamboo trees and a view of the park.

Read other links :

http://www.innerwestlive.com.au/blog/2010/09/12/yum-cha-hard-12-bodhi-vegan-yum-cha/

http://www.vegansocietynsw.com/vs/html/restaurant_bodhi.html

Are Hand Cut Fries / Chips Healthier?

Hand cut fries are not uniform, but are usually thinner, crunchier and less floury than the mass produced frozen fries.

However, thick fries are ordered in bulk by many modern cafes and restaurants nowadays for convenience, to save on labour cost and time. What a shame!

Whether it is healthier depends on the type of oil used in frying. Increasing concern over transfat has led to replacement of animal fat with vegetable oil.

More information in : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_fries

Expert assessment on Iran's nuclear diplomacy - Aussie leaders with big ego reject independent advice, tread dangerously on confrontations

In a nutshell, Kevin Rudd who wanted us to believe he was anti-war turned out to be really the opposite of what he projected in the election campaign. Labour might have got rid of a tough talk wimp as PM but his presence continued to be felt as FM and the successor PM Julia Gillard is just a woman with Rudd substance as far as foreign affairs are concerned. As Wikileaks are published in the local media, the more embarrassing our leaders look in the international stage.

Why aren't our politicians cleverly utilising resources from the intelligence agencies and military to go for win-win in smart and effective ways? We knew that Rudd did not pay due respect to the military commanders by turning up late for meetings. Perhaps it would help to pause and listen more to the professionals since they are less politicised, fairly independent and seem to know their craft well. The pun in intelligence must tell leaders to take heed.

After many catastrophic lessons in history, we know that the world is made of people who are not stark black and white as what some political leaders call good versus evil empires. Real world situations are a lot more complex though politicians have a penchant to simplify matters for the masses whom they believe will not understand politics. More likely, the leaders deal with world issues on the basis of their personal prejudices.

Politicians are very selective in making use of intelligence as evidence to bolster their ventures. Much rarer would they share with the public what really went on behind the scenes at real time.

Remember the episode that WMDs in Iraq which never existed. The slightest hints from untested and unreliable sources and Saddam's rhetorics were taken too seriously and sexed up to help President GW Bush muster support to invade oil-rich Iraq, remove Saddam Hussein and opened up opportunities for instability, violence and terrorism to spawn in a weak Iraq. Most of the time, intelligence has been ignored if it does not help to strengthen individual leaders' beliefs and policies. However, undertakings which involve commitment of troops (lives of Australians) and taxpayers' money ought to be measured, debated and well considered. There are times we need to be assertive but to volunteer Australia to get into more wars especially with nuclear powers is far from being responsible.

Read more :

AUSTRALIAN intelligence agencies fear that Israel may launch military strikes against Iran and Tehran's pursuit of nuclear capabilities could draw the US and Australia into a potential nuclear war in the Middle East.
Australia's peak intelligence agency has also privately undercut the hardline stance towards Tehran of the US, Israeli and Australian governments, saying its nuclear program is intended to deter attack and it is a mistake to regard Iran as a rogue state.

The warnings about the dangers of nuclear conflict in the Middle East are given in a secret US embassy cable obtained by WikiLeaks and provided exclusively to The Age. They reflect views obtained by US intelligence liaison officers in Canberra from Australian intelligence agencies.

''The AIC's [Australian intelligence community's] leading concerns with respect to Iran's nuclear ambitions centre on understanding the time frame of a possible weapons capability, and working with the United States to prevent Israel from independently launching unco-ordinated military strikes against Iran,'' the US embassy in Canberra reported to Washington in March last year.

''They are immediately concerned that Iran's pursuit of nuclear capabilities would lead to a conventional war - or even nuclear exchange - in the Middle East involving the United States that would draw Australia into a conflict.''
Australian concerns about a possible Israeli military strike against Iran are also recorded in another US embassy cable, sent to Washington in December 2008, reporting on discussions between Peter Varghese, then chief of Australia's peak intelligence agency, the Office of National Assessments (ONA), and the then head of the US State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), assistant secretary of state Randall Fort.

The embassy's report of the meeting says that ''ONA seniors and analysts were particularly interested in A/S Fort and INR's assessments on Israeli 'red lines' on Iran's nuclear program and the likelihood of an Israeli strike against Iranian nuclear facilities''.

An earlier cable, sent in July 2008, records that former prime minister Kevin Rudd was ''deeply worried'' that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's intransigence concerning Tehran's nuclear program meant that the window for a diplomatic solution was closing and that ''Israel may feel forced to use 'non-diplomatic' means''.

Last week Mr Rudd called on Israel to sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty as part of a broader effort to establish the Middle East as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.

The US embassy's March 2009 report told Washington that the Australian government was ''more broadly concerned about the potential for renewed nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, driving south-east Asian states to abandon the [nuclear non-proliferation treaty] and pursue their own nuclear capabilities, which could introduce a direct threat to the Australian homeland''.

Australian intelligence views on Iran were solicited by US officials in response to a request from Washington to ascertain reactions to the possibility that the US might seek to discuss regional security issues with Tehran.

The US embassy cables confirm the presence in Canberra of representatives of all US national intelligence agencies: the CIA, the National Security Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Geospatial Agency, the Defence Intelligence Agency and the FBI.

US intelligence liaison officers engaged all their Australian counterpart agencies on the Iran question including ONA, the office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, the Defence Intelligence Organisation, the Defence Signals Directorate, the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

In its July 2009 report to Washington, the embassy noted that the Australian intelligence community had ''increased its collection and analytic efforts on Iran over the past decade, demonstrating Australia's strategic commitment to engage substantively as a significant US partner on Iran''.

US diplomats expressed ''high confidence'' that the Australian government would have no objections to US efforts to engage Iran, noting that while Australian troops remain stationed in Afghanistan ''the Australians will look to increased US engagement with Iran to improve upon creating a realistic framework for an accelerated reduction and eventual cessation of Iranian support to the Taliban, al-Qaeda and related groups, and Hezbollah. Simultaneously, Australia will look for increased US-Iranian engagement to lead to a more stable governance environment for Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and the Levant.''

The US embassy's cable on the December 2008 intelligence exchange in Iran reported ONA director-general Varghese's view that possible conflict between Israel and Iran ''clearly represented the greatest challenge to [Middle East] stability''.

ONA analysts said the Iranian government appeared determined to acquire nuclear weapons, though this was probably driven by the desire to deter Israel and the US rather than an intention to strike against other Middle East states.

''ONA viewed Tehran's nuclear program within the paradigm of 'the laws of deterrence,' noting that Iran's ability to produce a weapon may be 'enough' to meet its security objectives,'' the US embassy reported.

''Nevertheless, Australian intelligence viewed Tehran's pursuit of full self-sufficiency in the nuclear fuel cycle, long-standing covert weapons program, and continued work on delivery systems as strong indicators that Tehran's preferred end state included a nuclear arsenal.''

ONA analysts told their US counterparts they were not alone in this assessment, asserting that ''while China and Russia remain opposed to it, they view Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons as inevitable''.

However, ONA urged a balanced view of Tehran as a sophisticated diplomatic player rather than a ''rogue state'' liable to behave impulsively or irrationally.

Mr Varghese said ONA was telling the Australian government: ''It's a mistake to think of Iran as a 'rogue state'.''

The embassy cable reported: ''ONA analysts assessed that Tehran 'knows' about its lack of certain capabilities, but plays 'beyond its hand' very skilfully … ONA judged that Iran's activities in Iraq - both overt and covert - represented an extreme manifestation of Iranian strategic calculus, designed to 'outflank' the US in the region.''

However the Australian intelligence analysts ''asserted that … the most effective means by which Tehran could ensure its national security would be a strategic relationship with the US via some 'grand bargain'.''

http://www.theage.com.au/national/nuclear-war-our-fear-of-iran-20101212-18u0q.html


x x x x x

ISRAEL'S ambassador to Australia found Kevin Rudd to be ''very pro-Israel'' and senior Australian diplomats warned the former prime minister that his condemnation of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad risked retaliation against Australia's embassy in Tehran, according to leaked US diplomatic cables.

A highly experienced Israeli diplomat, ambassador Rotem told US officials in July 2008 that during his first meeting with Mr Rudd after Australia's 2007 federal election, the newly elected prime minister had described Iranian President Ahmadinejad as a ''loathsome individual on every level'' and said that the Iranian leader's anti-Semitism ''turns my stomach''.

Asked by the US embassy about whether Mr Rudd's views on Iran had elicited any response, Mr Rotem said the Iranian government had reacted to the prime minister's statements by taking ''retaliatory measures'' against the Australian embassy in Tehran.

''These measures make it harder for the embassy to conduct its day-to-day business,'' Mr Rotem observed.

The Israeli ambassador added that the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Michael l'Estrange, and Office of National Assessments director-general Peter Varghese had ''met several times to convince the PM to think through the consequences of his rhetoric on Iran''.

The ambassador added that Israeli officials would normally have been concerned at the prospect of an Australian Labor government: ''However, this was not the case because Rudd had long gone out of his way to stress his strong commitment to Israel and appreciation for its security concerns. Rotem said that he has had excellent access to Rudd and noted that the PM has taken a strong interest in even minor issues involving Israel.

''Commenting that DFAT officials are very frank in expressing their annoyance with the PM's micromanaging of foreign policy issues, Rotem laughingly said that 'while I understand their point of view, how can I complain about having that kind of attention from the PM'.''

The Israeli ambassador's enthusiasm for the Labor government extended to deputy prime minister Julia Gillard, with the US embassy reporting in January 2009 that Mr Rotem was ''very satisfied'' with the Australian response to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

Mr Rotem added that Ms Gillard's statements surprised many Israeli embassy contacts as being ''far more supportive than they had expected''.

Ambassador Rotem added that he would be ''playing to Rudd's vanity'' to encourage him to pay an early visit to Israel and continue to speak out in support of a hard line against Iran's nuclear ambitions.

In a meeting with US diplomats in October 2009, First Assistant Secretary Patrick Suckling and then assistant secretary, now Australian ambassador to Israel, Andrea Faulkner, said Australia ''fully supports US efforts to engage with Iran'' but expressed ''deep official scepticism'' about the prospects for diplomatic progress. Mr Suckling said: ''Australia wants the most robust, intrusive and debilitating sanctions possible.''

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/rudd-derided-loathsome-ahmadinejad-20101212-18u0s.html

Hypocrisy on human rights - walk the talk, why leaders shun Anwar Ibrahim?

Leaders like Anwar Ibrahim deserves our support. It is he who had been repeatedly and helplessly been maligned, framed, vilified and punished by an opaque and merciless government that has abused the judiciary and bureaucrcy to perpetuate its rule.

Kevin Rudd has shunned Anwar to appease the Malaysian government. Julia Gillard has too much problems in her hands to bother about Malaysian human rights issues.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/rudd-accused-of-appeasing-malaysia-20091204-kb2p.html?skin=text-only


http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/programguide/stories/200807/s2301012.htm


Recently, even Hilary Clinton avoided meeting Anwar during her visit to Malaysia.

"Clinton would speak to Anwar on the telephone but would not meet him face-to-face."

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A11NE20101102


Why do western leaders not live up to their ideals when it comes to Malaysia? This country has practised deliberate racial discrimination against the minority ethnicities (Chinese and Indians) of the worst kind and corrupt to the core. Nonetheless, western governments are apologetic and willing to gloss over such abhorent behaviour. Is it merely because Malaysia has a democratic form of government and deemed a moderate Islamic country that we must bend backwards to accommodate?

Despite reassurance and promises (mostly broken judging from past track record) by the Malaysian government, we know that Anwar Ibrahim will not be given a fair trial.

On the other hand, Kevin Rudd welcomed a Uighur fraudster with terrorist links, Rabiya Kadeer, with open arms. This incomprehensive code of practice, or to put it bluntly hypocrisy, requires explanation.

Have a good weekend if you can be at peace with your conscience.

Culture of Corruption and Incompetence built up in NSW - where has all the money and work gone to?

Cracks in Aussie System allow Corruption to grow

This may debunk commonly held beliefs that corruption exists only in autocratic and closed systems. Usually so, but it seems that Australia has regressed from being a free and fair system to one ridden with irregularities, inadequate checks and justice system. Despite pumping in money, much of state funds had been wasted on consultancy, studies, red tape, inefficiencies rather than generate benefits for the people. There are reasons why the first state NSW is no longer number one. It has been bleeding for two decades. How long more can it sustain with the ongoing incompetence and malaise?

Citations

Vice files buried as law fails to cope

Natalie O'Brien December 12, 2010

PROSECUTORS have left scores of the state's highest-profile corruption cases on the shelf because they are ''chronically understaffed'' and too swamped to handle the rising workload.

Delays of up to four years in deciding on criminal charges against more than 100 people have been condemned as ''unacceptable'' and ''unfair'' by a former head of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Jerrold Cripps, QC.

Since 2007, ICAC has found that 165 people acted corruptly but 110 of them are still awaiting a decision on whether they will be charged, a Sun-Herald investigation has found.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is yet to decide if there is enough evidence to prosecute public officials such as former Wollongong council manager Joe Scimone and former town planner Beth Morgan, who were caught up in the ''sex for development'' scandal.

Also waiting are RailCorp contractors including Adam Azzopardi, Nat ''the Bobcat'' Severino and William Kuipers, who were found to have acted corruptly. Former ferries chief Geoff Smith is also awaiting word on whether he will be prosecuted.

In the case of ICAC's 2003 inquiry into the NSW Grains Board, it took so long to lay charges - five years - that the key witness died and the charges were withdrawn earlier this year.

Mr Cripps said the delays meant vital evidence may be lost as the memory of witnesses faded. And it was unfair to people who might later be acquitted to spend such a long time under a cloud.

''Criminal prosecutions should be dealt with as quickly as possible,'' said Mr Cripps, who stepped down last year after five years at ICAC.

A spokeswoman for the prosecutions office cited reasons for the long delays including ''chronic understaffing'', ''chronic overwork'', inadequate resources and the sheer size and complexity of the ICAC matters.

She disputed the numbers of people waiting for outcomes, saying they had calculated it as 101, not 110, out of 25 cases dating back to 2007.

But shadow attorney-general Greg Smith, SC, said: ''The community would expect people who are the subject of an ICAC finding of corrupt conduct to pay the price. Instead, Labor's failure to resource the bodies properly sees them roam free. This is symptomatic of 15 years of Labor neglect of the state's watchdogs.''

The head of the joint parliamentary committee which oversees ICAC, Labor MP Richard Amery, did not want to comment.

A Sun-Herald investigation this year revealed a number of RailCorp contractors recommended for prosecution for acting corruptly had returned to working with the corporation or other government-related rail companies. The inquiry was concluded in 2008 and ICAC recommended prosecutions of 33 people; of those, only two have faced charges.

In the Wollongong inquiry, ICAC recommended in 2008 the prosecution of 11 people. Of those, five have faced charges. There has been no decision on the remaining six.

ICAC's investigations have been steadily increasing and were up by 186 per cent in 2009-2010, according to its annual report.

The prosecutions office spokeswoman said ICAC matters were ''markedly different from general criminal prosecutions''. Their complexity often meant returning to ICAC for more information.

''All matters brought before the court rest on the admissibility and strength of the evidence … Frequently the evidence these agencies have gathered will include evidence given under objection - that is, the person has admitted to taking part in a criminal enterprise on the basis that the evidence will not be used against him/her in criminal proceedings - or evidence that is otherwise not legally admissible.''

Asked about some criticisms of the way briefs had been prepared, she said: ''ICAC briefs have been improving in quality over the past two years or so.''

http://www.smh.com.au/national/vice-files-buried-as-law-fails-to-cope-20101211-18tgs.html

NSW MP rorted expenses, corruption watchdog finds

Sean Nicholls December 7, 2010

The Labor MP for Drummoyne, Angela D'Amore, has been sacked as a parliamentary secretary, but the Premier is refusing to call for her resignation from Parliament after the corruption watchdog found she acted corruptly in falsely claiming thousands of dollars in entitlements for two staff members.

More details in :
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-mp-rorted-expenses-corruption-watchdog-finds-20101207-18ndh.html?from=smh_sb


'Culture of corruption' in MP's office: inquiry

Brian Robins May 3, 2010

The Independent Commission Against Corruption is holding public hearings into claims that Penrith MP Karyn Paluzzano and her staff may have made false claims relating to staff payments.

The inquiry has heard Ms Paluzzano and others devised a scheme to defraud the NSW parliament and benefit her relief staff, including her mother.

It is alleged Ms Paluzzano made false declarations in claim forms for an allowance called sitting day relief, which an MP can claim when one of their permanent electorate officers works at Parliament House on a sitting day.

The allowance covers the wages of relief staff who work in the MP’s office to replace a staff member working at Parliament House.

The ICAC inquiry has heard that between August 2006 and June 2007, 22 sitting day relief forms were submitted by the Penrith electorate.

Ms Paluzzano holds the post of parliamentary secretary for education.
Premier Kristina Keneally last week refused to stand her aside while the ICAC inquiry is under way.

Read more in :
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/culture-of-corruption-in-mps-office-inquiry-20100503-u2dn.html


What a waste: how NSW blew $2m a day

Heath Aston December 12, 2010

THE NSW government has squandered more than three-quarters of a billion dollars of taxpayer money in a year.

A Sun-Herald review of 12 months of reports by the NSW Auditor-General has found $778 million flushed down the toilet - more than $2 million a day.

Cases where money has been wasted directly or where the taxpayer has lost out through poor oversight, budget blow-outs or governmental blunders include:

$356 million spent on the abandoned CBD Metro for no result.
$188 million overspent on the Building the Education Revolution stimulus spending scheme.
$150 million lost on the sale of NSW Lotteries, which the Auditor-General found was too low.
$10 million dropped on the bungled handling of the V8 Supercars contract by former minister Ian Macdonald.

Over the year, Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat also found NSW had lost out on $8 million in coalmining royalties due to poor enforcement, and the final budget for World Youth Day had run $66 million over forecast.

Despite Youth Day being held in 2008, the Auditor-General's report did not come out until May this year.

Mr Achterstraat, who has been scathing about the flagrant approach by the NSW government in a succession of reports, is bound by legislation not to comment outside the times when he hands down a report.

The Sun-Herald understands he will drop a pre-election bombshell by taking the unusual step of releasing a year-in-review report in February.
Premier Kristina Keneally defended her government, saying reports such as the one on the CBD Metro showed she had taken the tough decision to redeploy $4.5 billion for better use.

Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said: ''These hundreds of millions of dollars could have started the South West or North West rail links, or upgraded the Pacific and Princes highways.

''It could have hired more nurses, teachers and police or upgraded Tamworth, Dubbo or Port Macquarie Hospitals.''

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/what-a-waste-how-nsw-blew-2m-a-day-20101211-18tgy.html



Country Democracy Rank Press Freedom Rank Corruption Rank
Australia 9 22 8

http://www.worldaudit.org/democracy.htm (November 2010)

Despite the drop in ranking, Australia still holds a high position based on the criteria used by most studies. How long can we keep up the top ranking, if only others are worse than us.

AWB hits Australia’s corruption reputation The scandal involving AWB and payments to the regime of Saddam Hussein has cost Australia its position as one of the countries globally perceive to be the most corruption-free, according to a new report.

Transparency International’s (TI’s) 2007 Corruption Perceptions Index reported that Australia has slipped out of the top 10 countries perceived to be corruption-free for the first time. While the Cole Royal Commission laid the blame for the $300 million in bribes paid to the Iraqi regime with certain AWB executives, the TI index, which tracks perceptions of public sector corruption, suggests the scandal has impacted Australia’s image as a whole.

http://www.riskmanagementmagazine.com.au/articles/e8/0c050be8.asp

http://www.smh.com.au/business/australia-is-sliding-down-the-international-corruption-ladder-20100424-tknv.html

Kevin Rudd : Wikileaks blunt talk confirms he is the most undiplomatic highest level diplomat of Australia

The open secret of Kevin Rudd's undiplomatic ways is confirmed by the latest series of Wikileaks. Kevin Rudd, Australia's highest level diplomat, is the most undiplomatic official that has ever represented (or misrepresented) Australia.

The best interests of our great nation is not served by stoking war with China, ironically, from a professed scholar of Chinese history with many years of international experience.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2010/s3085341.htm

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion-old/call-to-arms-reflects-badly-on-rudd/story-e6frfifx-1225967323156

Kevin Rudd's ignorance, bluntness, recklessness and ruthlessless shine through.

Even the US patron would not go to the extent of war mongering after the the debacles of misadventures in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US is adept at posturing but has tried to avoid wars in the tense but otherwise peaceful economically driven Northeast Asia region.

The latest documents revealed Rudd's true colours. This will be point of no return for Rudd's political career. It is well known that Rudd has pissed his party colleagues but his abrasiveness apparently did not stop at the domestic arena.

With a friend like Rudd, you don't need enemies. That's probably the thinking of many countries out there now.

After Wikileaks, China and other neighbouring countries will no longer believe the friendship gestures of the Australian Foreign Minister or the government he represents. There will be ramifications on economic relations with Australia's largest trading partner which has thus far helped to avoid economic recession that many parts of the world endured.

Rudd's indiscretion has also annoyed our closest friend and ally, the USA. The American ambassador was apparently enraged by Rudd's last minute cancellation of a meeting with Bush which he had earlier pushed roughshod to obtain. It may be alright for a political satire cartoonist to take pot shods at former US President GW Bush but certainly out of sync for Rudd as a head of a friendly state to partake in gossips and offend his counterpart.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/americans-enraged-by-pms-insults-to-bush-20101207-18obs.html

http://www.theage.com.au/world/the-day-kevin-stood-up-george-20101207-18oc4.html

On the domestic front, Rudd and the Labour party came to power on the vote of diversity and equity. The constitutencies too will not believe in Rudd's sincerity.

While most politicians are hypocrites and generally untrustworthy, the image of good old clean cut Kevin Rudd will disappoint many people. Sadly, we have to approach every nice guy with distrust and examine beneath the superficial pleasantries and promises.

- c.g.

Capsicum - double edged, the benefits and allergic reactions of consuming bell peppers

Capsicum is also known by other names : cayenne, capsaicin, chili pepper, paprika, red pepper, bell pepper and tabasco pepper.

With so much publicity on the advantages of capsicum, most people hardly learn about the negative side effects. Like all good things, some people unfortunately do not enjoy the benefits. A very small percentage of human beings have adverse reactions of varying degrees to capscicum.

Capsicum is an herbal medicine used on the skin to treat pain from arthritis and muscle aches, relieve itching. It is also used as a gargle for sore throats. While capsicum is taken for stomach ache, some healthy people may get gastric pain after eating capscicum. Other allergic reactions and side effects include itching, swelling, tingling, breathing problems or rash.

So here's a kind word of caution especially adherents of natural and alternative therapies : ensure that the herb you are taking suits your needs and constitution.

http://www.medicinenet.com/capsicum-topical/article.htm

http://www.gordonhospital.com/HealthLibrary/HealthLibrary.aspx?SubUrl=/Thomson%20Alternative%20Medicine/48/10034.htm

Wiki Leaks - Australian hacker Julian Assange in hot soup for revelations of the truth

Much of the juicy details are just adding meat to the skeletal bones that we already know. Most people with some level of intelligence, education and interest in world affairs would have an inkling of the fakeness of diplomacy and know better not to believe the words of politicians.

http://www.aolnews.com/opinion/article/opinion-wikileaks-finally-goes-too-far/19737083

How much harm has been done? The leaks touch on past issues, not assessments and future actions. It is not as big a deal as governments citing security concerns would like to have ordinary citizens believe in.

So was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is guilty of "a reckless action which jeopardizes lives." Long have we been championing to protect the anonymity, rights and immunity of whistleblowers. But not in this case because the stakes are too high and embarrassing for key figures in the American powerhouse.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704584804575644510268871730.html
What next? Damage control of course is mean feat. The fallout will inevitably affect those in power who have to work out how not to jeopardise war and peace efforts.

The value of truthfulness and honesty has limits or even negative effects. This may be a lesson that absolute "freedom" of information could cause indiscretion, unhappiness and more trouble. To many who unconditionally worshipped the goddess of liberty, it was a dream dashed. Americans' allies include dictators, despots, autocrats and even terrorists! It should also come as no surprise that Australia is a faithful follower of the USA and will back its patron, longtime friend and cultural partner all the way.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20101129-305997/Australia-vows-to-back-any-US-legal-action-against-WikiLeaks

Someone or some people must be make to look like the fall guys and scapegoats to take the blame away from stakeholders. Not the rich and powerful even if they had done wrongs. Guess who?

Where is the hero/villian?

An international arrest warrant was issued in mid-November against Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, on suspicion of rape and sexual molestation of two women in Sweden.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland said yesterday that Wikileaks will be investigated to determine whether or not its whistle-blowing actions violated Australian law.

http://www.zdnet.com.au/wikileaks-assange-offered-ecuador-home-339307631.htm?feed=rss

School Formals need not be a costly rite of passage for parents

Are formals really platforms for one-upmanships, keeping up with the Joneses, ego boosting and self-esteem trips, extravagance at the hilt ....?

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/who-bares-wins-in-the-highcost-world-of-school-formals-20101119-180z3.html

No, school formals need not cost more than a thousand dollars estimated by a survey of private school students. It's a rip-off for whoever foots the bill. Every girl (and guy) can look good and have a great time without having a fortune. Here's a sample from less well-to-do but more sensible kids.

Challenge yourself to accomplish the same for half the amount. Pleasant memories of your peers need not be cast in expensive ways. Instead of showing off your wealth, affluence and snob appeal, why not showcase your ingenuity, cooperative spirit, resourcefulness, business sense and artistic creative talents.

Here's a guide :

Dress : $100 - $200
Jewellery & Accessories : $50
Cosmetics / skin care / borrow from mum : $50
Handbag : $50 or make your own clutch satin bag for $10
Shoes : $50 - $100
Manicure / pedicure (optional) : $50 or help each other FOC.
Hairdo : $50 - 100 (or self style at home)
Taxi /parents' car / car pool / public transport : $50

Total : from $400 to $650

- c.g.

Pretty Business Franchise Gift Ideas - sustainable?

Japan City's Makeover

Franchise concept store Japan City has done a makeover in its recent comeback combining food with its traditional gift line of business.

The chain stores in prominent shopping centres started as a small gift shop showcasing exquite Japanese crockery, homeware, furniture, lights, small furniture, table or wall ornaments, fragrances, incense, green tea in floral printed canisters and many other beautiful boxed giftware. The novelty wore out as the stores closed down one after another like dominoes around five years ago.

The variety of products inspired by Japanese culture is unique in the sense that no other shop (except direct importers) has a wide variety of exotic stuff. However, the prices are steep unless they are discounted during rare occasions of sale. However, most of the gifts are not price competitive. Due to the costs of transport, warehousing and retail rentals factoring into the price, consumers have to pay a premium for the same thing that can be purchased in general stores and discount outlets in Japan and Southeast Asia. Many of the porcelain products are now made in Thailand, owned and managed by Japanese. The quality is impeccably Japanese. Take the pretty colourful chopsticks for instance. You could get exactly the same or similar ones for half the price during your travels or if you care to look hard enough around grocers or supermarkets in the suburbs.

What's in the box?

Japan City like some of the hip gift stores in town have added food to it's original line of gift business. The food counter sells sushi and mochi for dine-in Japanese style on low tables and floor mats and cushions as well as takeaway.

T2 that stocks a huge range of tea leaves, tea utensils and sets, is another example, of offering cafe alongside retail.


A chrysanthemum motif locket on an exquisite dark paper box. Looks more like a handbag than a cake box. Costs will undoubtedly be passed on to consumers.


The best mochi flavours can be narrowed down to green tea, red bean and peanut. They are also more traditional all-time favourites compared to other western influenced tastes.


A closer look. They are really beautiful morsels, too delicate and precious to be eaten. One gobble, it's gone. Judging by the level of customers actually purchasing gifts and food, it would take more to convince sceptics that the revivied Japan City concept is sustainable sufficiently to flourish in time to come.

Let's watch and see. Meanwhile, enjoy them while you can.

- c.g.

Burma - movement by all parties

Burma is facing a new dawn despite scepticism of the election facade largely directed by the military junta to ensure its continued hold on to power.

Significantly, everyone's attention is on the release The Lady and her willingness to compromise and bring about real change for her people. Western countries who had cut off ties with Burma are keen to jump on Aung San Suu Kyi's call for dismantling of economic sanctions.

Quote :

After spending 15 of the last 20 years in confinement Mrs Suu Kyi, the Nobel peace laureate and democracy advocate, acknowledged that her release marked a potential moment of great change in the stand-off between Burma/Myanmar and the West. The freeze in relations has seen the former British colony grow increasing reliant on China.

Kevin Rudd, the Australian foreign minister and former prime minister, has told Mrs Suu Kyi that "reliable" friends were ready to be flexible on sanctions if she could make headway on domestic reform with the generals that run the country.

Mrs Suu Kyi used her second full day of freedom to indicate that her position on Burma's international isolation had undergone changes from the view that the military regime could only be overthrown by sanctions and isolation. "I don't want to see the military falling. I want to see the military rising to dignified heights of professionalism and true patriotism," she told the BBC. "I think it's quite obvious what the people want: the people just want better lives based on security and on freedom."

International sanctions mostly target regime figures – banning travel, financial transactions and business dealing – and many Western countries have imposed an arms embargo on the regime.

As recently as last Thursday, the EU added judges responsible for sentencing Mrs Suu Kyi to the visa ban list and President Barack Obama of the US renewed sanctions in May.

However Senator Jim Webb, a prominent supporter of President Obama, has warned that sanctions and Western business boycotts had rendered Burma as little more than a "province" of China. And the sanctions were already deeply unpopular within Asia, including among intellectual opinion. Jose Ramos Horta, the president of East Timor and a fellow winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, hit out at the isolation of Burma as not "morally good". "I'm very happy with the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest after more than 15 years without reason," he said. "I see it as something good and I congratulate the military regime in Myanmar for handling this," he said.

"I'm also waiting and hoping for two blocs, namely America and Europe, which have been applying harsh sanctions against Myanmar, to lift them."
Derek Tonkin, a former British ambassador in Bangkok, said: "Suu Kyi's reappearance is something that will be utilised at a time when the US and EU are looking for some kind of engagement. There are areas where she can play a considerable role. Suu Kyi could hold consultations with diplomats, even if the regime isn't prepared to talk to them at this stage. There are things she can do with the West that they can't do with the regime."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/8134988/Western-states-hint-at-support-for-easing-Burma-sanctions.html

It was easy for outsiders living in the free world to rally to liberal academicians' agitation for sanctions, not realising that blockades hurt the Burmese people more than the military regime. Similar experience in South Africa showed that sanctions against apartheid did not work.

Idealists who denounce that the military junta absolutely gives up all their power are harbouring unrealistic expectations. The military must have a continued and key role in nation building as it has the machinery to keep the country from falling apart. As history has shown, removal of autocrats and tyrants forcibly would most likely leave a power vacuum for militants, religious fundamentalists, or other tyrants to fill its place.

The generals would have more to gain to include ASSK into its fold. Together they could achieve more and deliver economic growth to the impoverished nation. Too many opportunities for unity have slipped away and it is high time that the Burmese people deserve what they are entitled to.

The world can look forward to helping the Burmese people through engagement rather than cold shoulder.

- copyright of c.g.

Gains and governance overshadow politicised "national Interests" in a globalised economy : proposed Singapore-Australian Stock Exchange merger

Most articles on the issue of the proposed Singapore-Australian stock exchanges merger have been replete with emotional outbursts on national interest and the impact on investors' profits.

Here are some objective analysis by economic, industry, legal and regulatory experts that should be considered seriously than politicising an economic issues.

The main players are keen but each side is worried that they have the short end of the deal. Most Australians' concerns focus on compromises on regulations of companies' listing, complaince such as disclosure requirements and independence. Singaporean analysts, on the other hand, are uncomfortable that the venture is overpriced and laden with obstacles on approval as well as potential management and competition issues from Chi-X.

It is a perennial challenge to achieve an optimal balance between regulation and economic vibrance.

QUOTE :

[Lawyers Michael Wilton and Jill Gauntlett say : ... shareholders should be comforted by the long historical links in regulation between Australia and Singapore. When Singapore fashioned its corporations law almost 50 years ago, it modelled it on the uniform Companies Act passed by all Australian states in 1961. Revised uniform listing rules took effect in Australia at the same time.]

[Singapore has different financial track record requirements and does not have an equivalent of Australia's assets test that allows mining exploration companies to list before they turn a profit.]

[Jennifer Hill, Professor of Law in University of Sydney says :
Australia and Singapore allow their exchanges to grant waivers case by case. This ''may potentially constitute a form of selective regulation'' ... the corporate governance consultancy ISS released a report in 2007 that concluded that the Australian waiver scheme lacked transparency, especially compared with New Zealand, but was substantially more transparent than London or New York .... such disparities could be a concern as global competition among exchanges increases.]

[''During the 1990s, it was often assumed that the trend towards cross-listing of foreign firms in the United States was itself a new form of regulatory competition, under which foreign companies from jurisdictions with poor corporate governance would cross-list to gain regulatory credibility,'' she says.

But this assumption was questioned after the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed in 2002, when many high-profile Asian companies bypassed the New York Stock Exchange in favour of other international exchanges.

''This suggested that overly stringent governance may repel, rather than attract, cross-listing,'' Hill says. ''This remains a danger for securities exchanges, particularly given increased competition for listing and trading revenues.'' ]

http://www.theage.com.au/business/asx-merger-plan-raises-questions-of-governance-20101028-175s7.html

Confusion over Religions and Cultures - Multicultuaralism Betrayed

Hijacked multi-religionism mistakenedly touted as multi-culturalism that has failed us. It would be more reliable to follow the common ethnic identification than religion that is divided, cuts across cultures, ethnicity and personal. In modern diverse societies, tolerance and non-interference would help to foster peaceful relations and unity.

The bottomline is that democracy, English common law and secular government must prevail over all else unless exceptions are provided for in the constitution for the protection of indigenous rights. A clear boundary must be drawn in no uncertain terms.

No religious group should be allowed to challenge the existing laws of the country. Neither should any religious sect or group be allowed to undermine safety and quiet living of our people. Penalising innocent cultural / religious groups would not augur well for harmonious relations among Australians of different backgrounds.

Emotionally charged and misguided government leaders, media and religious fundamentalists who have often contributed to the strife and misunderstanding in communities should reflect on their actions and omissions. Clarifying the issues in their minds will bring about constructive comments and policies.

This is a frank, balanced and insightful article published in The Australian.

QUOTE :

Religious leaders should not be the only Muslims allowed to speak

MULTICULTURALISM is under severe strain. Not from detractors such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel who confuse having an ethnically mixed society with a policy of social integration designed to cope with and cherish ethnic diversity. No, multiculturalism is undermined because religious groups, more specifically Muslim groups, have come to supplant ethnic ones. This has been a slow, almost inevitable process.

The problematisation of Muslim identity in the wake of terrorist attacks have presented Muslims in the West with difficult questions. In the pre-September 11 era, issues of socioeconomic integration dominated, often focusing on the experience of distinct ethnic groups rather than the community of faith. Unemployment, wealth disparity and educational achievements were the issues of concern.

But the emergence of terrorist activity among the Muslim population of the West has elevated the question of socioeconomic integration into an existential one. Now the issue is no longer about the social standing and wealth disparity between ethnic groups of Muslim background and the rest of the society but the presumed threat that Islam poses to the Western way of life.

The heightened sense of unease concerning the place of Islam in the West has put Muslims on the back foot. All of a sudden, Muslims feel an overbearing pressure to condemn terrorism and pledge loyalty to the state of their residence/citizenship. At the same time, public scrutiny of Islam has offered the moderate Muslim leadership an opportunity to advance a version of Islam that is modern, tolerant and aligned with the rule of law in the West. In articulating Muslim loyalty to the state, the moderate leadership has found the multicultural system very useful on two key counts. It allows Muslim leaders to express their views publicly, reiterate Muslims' commitment to social harmony and criticise aspects of government policy or public discourse that they find harmful. At the same time, these leaders can defend Islam and maintain their position among their communities. In other words, declaring loyalty to Australia does not necessary have to come at the expense of religious belief, as multiculturalism allows for cultural/religious autonomy within the framework of civic citizenship. This flexibility makes moderate Muslims among the most ardent defenders of multiculturalism.

The assertiveness of moderate Muslim leadership, however, has tended to come at the expense of the public visibility of non-religious Muslims. Cultural Muslims who congregate in ethnic organisations face difficult questions about the extent of their "Muslimness". The more pious moderate Muslims speak in defence of Islam in the public domain and government agencies turn to such spokespeople for advice on Muslim issues, the more cultural Muslims are marginalised. This is a self-perpetuating process that undermines the credibility of cultural Muslims as "true Muslims" in the public eye and reserves the title for the use of the religiously inclined.

Perhaps the best example of this was the convening of the Muslim advisory committee under the Howard government. It excluded the Turkish community, even though Muslim Turks constitute the second largest ethnic group among Australian Muslims. This omission was as bad as the practice of interviewing hijabi women when there are more qualified, but unveiled, Muslim women. In the eyes of the media, unveiled Muslim women do not have the authenticity of hijabi women. Just as ethnic Muslims are not considered genuinely attuned to community sentiments when compared with religious organisations.

This process is restricting the public space for cultural Muslims who see Islam as part of their ethnic identity and refuse to be classified as simply Muslim. The policy of multiculturalism allows for the public presence of a multiplicity of ethnic groups. It is unfortunate that this flexibility is being bracketed for, and by, religious groups.

- Shahram Akbarzadeh is professor of Asian politics (Middle East and Central Asia) at the University of Melbourne.

(emphasis are mine for easier reading)

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/religious-leaders-should-not-be-the-only-muslims-allowed-to-speak/story-e6frg6zo-1225944419389