There's something deeply disturbing about the way in which the left faction of the Australian Labor Party has accepted the shameful five-to-one people swap that the Government has struck with Malaysia. Never mind the one sided nature of the deal, which sees Australia ostensibly rid itself of 800 "illegal" refugees who paid people smugglers to come … [Read more...] about #37 PEOPLE TRADERS OF THE LEFT
#36 SINISTER SIDE OF A SOAP OPERA
There was many a bleary eye in the Antipodes the morning after the night before of Rupert Murdoch's extraordinary appearance before a House of Commons select committee investigating the phone hacking scandal that has gripped his global empire. It was certainly a strange experience for Grubsheet as we struggled through the driving rain in Sydney to … [Read more...] about #36 SINISTER SIDE OF A SOAP OPERA
#35 ODDS SHORTEN ON SHORTEN
Julia Gillard is finished as Australian prime minister, according to senior Labor Party figures who've turned their attention to identifying her successor. The smart money is on Bill Shorten, the former trade union leader who is Assistant Treasurer in Gillard's government. The only evident impediment to toppling Gillard is the threat from the … [Read more...] about #35 ODDS SHORTEN ON SHORTEN
#34 THE POLITICS OF SABOTAGE
Fiji's tourism industry - a vital pillar of the local economy - could be set for a battering as Fiji-bound flights are targeted by Australian trade unionists acting in support of their Fijian counterparts. Members of the Transport Workers Union are threatening to disrupt flights to Nadi operated by Air Pacific and Jetstar - the two carriers … [Read more...] about #34 THE POLITICS OF SABOTAGE
#33 THE END OF THE WORLD
For all the furore that's erupted over the illegal practices of Rupert Murdoch's journalists in Britain, there's been precious little debate about how those practices have become almost routine in the news gathering efforts of many of his competitors. How much easier it is to demonise the infamous "Dirty Digger" than to have a rational discussion … [Read more...] about #33 THE END OF THE WORLD
#32 ARRIVEDERCI ROMA (AND “JU-LIAR” )
Grubsheet has been in Roma during the past week. No, not the Eternal City but the town of the same name in the western Darling Downs of Queensland, some 600 kilometers west of Brisbane. Roma has many of the typical features of a Queensland regional centre - a string of charming 19th century timber pubs with expansive verandas draped around gruesome … [Read more...] about #32 ARRIVEDERCI ROMA (AND “JU-LIAR” )