Prev
Next

Time Schapelle had her say at the UN Security Council

Daniel Piotrowski

by Daniel Piotrowski

31 May 05:49am

Must Reads

The Punch is moving house - this is a caption

The Punch is moving house

385

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this? - this is a caption

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

122

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming” - this is a caption

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

251

Filed under: Arab Spring, International Relations, Politics, Satire, Schapelle Corby, Syria

97 comments

Foreign Minister Bob Carr held a press conference yesterday and was peppered with questions on what we’re going to do about Syria.

Don't look over there! Look over here!

Over 9,000 Syrian civilians had been killed in the uprising against tyrant Bashar Al-Assad. At least 108 people were killed in the recent Houla massacre, including 49 children and 34 women. Some killed by shell fire, the majority appear to have been shot or stabbed at close range.

But what about Schapelle Corby?

Poor Schapelle. Poooooooooooooor Schapelle. In that uncomfortable Balinese jail for maybe, maybe a couple more years.

The Punch has been informed a group of Corby supporters have submitted a “formal crime report” alleging that top Australian government officials had “perverted the course of justice” in Corby’s case for refusing to provide boogie-board-related evidence.

The boogie board bag conspiracy is soon to rock the highest levels of the Federal Government and Opposition! No matter what kind of stunts he pulls in Parliament, Craig Thomson can’t compete in the controversy stakes with the Corby family.

Like most groups that dabble in conspiracy, this one isn’t expecting their claims will be addressed in the media because of other nefarious conspiracies. HOWEVER.

“Submitting the [criminal] report itself is a pre-requisite to the future submission to international agencies, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague,” spokesperson Elvira Vallons said. “The process itself, therefore, forms a part of the evidential trail. It is extremely important.”

Frankly, they’re totally correct. It’s time we got serious about the pot in the boogie board bag. The Schapelle Corby debate in Australia hasn’t been exhaustive enough. We need to get the world’s highest court involved.

Now, we can’t be sure the path to Schapelle fronting the ICC is clear just yet…

As ANU International Law Professor Donald Rothwell told The Punch yesterday: “The scope of the crimes the International Criminal Court can look into include war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide”. Hmmmm. 

Well, you know, at least the Schapelle activists realised that the court is “international”.  I’m sure they’ve got this covered though, as the team say they are represented by “senior Australian barristers” they haven’t named.

As any legal mind would tell you, the next step for Schapelle is the UN Security Council. If the UN Security Council can refer whole countries to the ICC, surely they can do the same for Schapelle.

The crack legal team will have to worry about all kinds of things. Will the US veto? Will China? Where does Ban Ki-Moon sit on this? Azerbaijan is on the council. Are they too hungover from Eurovision fever to take Schapelle’s case seriously?

But seriously. The absurdity of this small situation epitomises how we get too absorbed in first world problems.

Corby got a stupidly long sentence for a minor crime, in line with Indonesian law on drugs, but who gives a crap when tens of thousands are getting blown up.

On a much broader scale, the Schapelle-outrage is a symptom of how insular Australia is. How, because we’re so well off, we obsess over little things. Four kilos of it in fact. 

One of the options the international community has considered is exiling Bashar Al-Assad to another country.

Tell him to pack his boogie board bag and put him on a plane to Bali. Maybe then we’ll all obsess over Syria.

Most commented

97 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Tony of Poorakistan says:

      06:19am | 31/05/12

      Like anything else, including the Corby issue; it is their country. If they want to blow each other up, have at it. 

      Why we then let them into our country beats me though. They aren’t our customs.

      Reply

    • Little Joe says:

      06:53am | 31/05/12

      Exactly!!!

    • Nathan says:

      07:07am | 31/05/12

      @ Tony of Poorakistan
      I agree with the corby comment. But the “Why we then let them into our country beats me though. They aren’t our custom” So when people leave their homeland for a better life they are all terrorists? That goes a long way to understanding attitudes of allot of people. I really hope you don’t own a passport

      Also we do tend to care when these bombs kill Australians Bali springs to mind.

    • gobsmack says:

      07:31am | 31/05/12

      Hear, hear!
      Keep the Irish out of Australia!

    • acotrel says:

      07:33am | 31/05/12

      When you go overseas and treat the laws of other countries with total arrogance, you can expect to bear the consequences.  We got rid of debtors prisons in the 19th century.  They still have them in the middle east.  If you get around the world believing everybody else should adopt our Australian mindset and values, you will pay the price !  Of course the baggage handlers coud have planted the dope in her bag - yeah sure !

    • GetRidOfCommies says:

      07:49am | 31/05/12

      @acotrel - debtors prisons should be brought back.

    • n_dude says:

      05:52pm | 31/05/12

      Those Poms, Greeks and Spaniards should keep out and keep their foreign customs in their own country!

    • Dave says:

      07:14pm | 31/05/12

      A bayonet in a two year old IS my business, sunshine.

    • DS says:

      08:27pm | 31/05/12

      Nathan, Tony probably thinks that all people who are not white Christian Westerners are terrorists. Forget him not owning a passport, I wish the likes of him didn’t live in this country!

    • Smithy says:

      08:19am | 01/06/12

      Hey Dave, Are you in the right thread old chap? Corby didn’t bayonet a 2 year old. She gave her nephew a good slap was all.

    • Smithy says:

      08:19am | 01/06/12

      Hey Dave, Are you in the right thread old chap? Corby didn’t bayonet a 2 year old. She gave her nephew a good slap was all.

    • craig2 says:

      06:40am | 31/05/12

      To be frank, she is lucky to had not being ordered to be put to death after being found in possession of drugs. Daniel, you may say the sentence was stupidly long but this lady was incredibly stupid to attempt such smuggling activites hence, it will an incredibly brave australian parliament to try and implement such laws such a death penalty or long incarceration but lets face it, we’re at the point of no return with our drug culture and problems and our deterrence is not working so who are we to pass judgement on another country and how it chooses to deal with this matter?

      Reply

    • Your Opinion says:

      06:41am | 31/05/12

      Corby got everything she deserved.

      Reply

    • GetRidOfCommies says:

      07:02am | 31/05/12

      No she didn’t. She got off light. The death penalty was available and not used.

      Cannabis has been proven to be a deadly drug that causes fits, convulsions and death. It is also a mind control drug and was used by the Russians to convert American and Australian kids to communism during the Cold War.

    • adam says:

      07:29am | 31/05/12

      “It is also a mind control drug and was used by the Russians to convert American and Australian kids to communism during the Cold War.”

      Wow!

    • TChong says:

      07:41am | 31/05/12

      GROC
      Cannabis is a ” mind control drug ”  ? 
      Causes fits ” convulsions ”  ( isnt that the same thing as a fit ? ) and death ?
      Introduced by the Russians ?
      As a pathway to communism ?
      Wrong on every single point , GROC, but you were being funny , werent you ?

    • gobsmack says:

      07:51am | 31/05/12

      @GetRidOfCommies
      Alcohol is a mind control drug used to convert kids into bigoted old fools.

    • acotrel says:

      08:12am | 31/05/12

      @GROC
      So that’s why the soldiers smoked so much of it in Vietnam - trying to become communists ?

    • Karen O says:

      08:41am | 31/05/12

      Tchong you shouldn’t be so smug as you tend to be wrong most of the time. But in your case the word pathetic is used rather than funny.

    • acotrel says:

      08:45am | 31/05/12

      @Adam
      ‘“It is also a mind control drug and was used by the Russians to convert American and Australian kids to communism during the Cold War.”

      Wow! ‘

      I love this - it is pure Richard Nixon !

      GROC, you’ve really brightened up my day - extremely funny, but I guess you would have had to live through that time to see the joke.

    • SimpleSimon says:

      09:00am | 31/05/12

      @GROC - There has never been a confirmed case of death by marijuana overdose. Anywhere. Ever.

    • acotrel says:

      09:13am | 31/05/12

      @SimpleSimon
      Dope caused a lot of deaths during the Vietnam War.  When the cry went up ‘GET DOWN !’, the junkies would all jump up and start dancing.

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      09:52am | 31/05/12

      She, as a regylar visitor to Indonesia to her family there knew exactly what the Indonesian las were. Christ almighty there are enough huge signs up to tell you what those laws are. It is printed on our passports. .She tried, fortunately unsuccessfully, to stop the Indonesian Customs people from opening that bag. If she had nothing to hide, why would she do that? She was lucky she did not get the death penalty. Sorry, people, but 4.2 kilos of dry pot is not a small, insignificant amount. It is, unless you are addicted to it, far more than can be justified as being “For Personal Use” - even in Soft-on-drugs Australia. 4.2 kilos is a ‘commercial quanitity’.
      I wonder how people here would react if , say, an Indonesian, was caught breaking Australian Laws which could result in long prison sentences, & the Indonesian Government tried to interfere? Most Australians would tell that government to mind it’s own business and that our laws were just that: Our Laws & we will administer them.
      Corby got far less than she deserved under Indonesian Law.

    • Blind Freddy says:

      11:34am | 31/05/12

      I DON’T want whatever GetRidOfCommies is on. Drugs could only improve him/her as a person. The damage is already done.

    • TheRealDave-ovich says:

      12:01pm | 31/05/12

      yes, Weed is a gateway drug for….wait for it…Communism!

      Want a cone Comrade??

    • Admiral Ackbar says:

      12:17pm | 31/05/12

      “Cannabis has been proven to be a deadly drug that causes fits, convulsions and death.”

      A link to these studies please, because they sort of fly in the face of the well known fact that pot has never killed anyone ever. Go….

    • Redd Neck says:

      03:11pm | 31/05/12

      Getridofcommies—please explain how the Russians were converting American and Aust. to the big M.. I am an old codger but have never heard such a thing…You obviously have some facts,so please share them wih us!!

    • Freddy W says:

      03:31pm | 31/05/12

      Tchong stick to your paid to spin ALP topics!

    • GetRidOfCommies says:

      04:21pm | 31/05/12

      @Redd Neck: I have tried to explain the role of KGB agents and the Viet Cong in distributing pot to hippies and soldiers in the ‘60s because it caused them to become pacifists and communists.

      My comments were not published though. I think the moderators want me to come across as a crackpot, when all I was doing was highlighting a historical fact. Is it really that unreasonable that the KGB would use drugs to exert mind control over people? No!

      Most drug dealers in the 60s were Soviet agents.

    • sunny says:

      06:09pm | 31/05/12

      @GetRidOfCommies Next you’ll be telling us that Jimi Hendrix was a commie!

      The cure for both communism and anti-communism is more BRAN on your breakfast cereal! smile

    • Robert Smissen of country SA says:

      08:35pm | 31/05/12

      HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, are you sure? ?The law in Bali says that drug smugglers get death as a sentence, I think she got off very, very lightly

    • Against the Man says:

      06:52am | 31/05/12

      FM Bob Carr? Remind me again is he the guy who messed up NSW and bailed? You know and he never explained why? This guy is now answering questions about Syrian chaos. Wow what a Labor leap. Pray he doesn’t go to Syria and makes more of a mess and bails…..Labor recycling crap since…..forever smile

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      08:57am | 31/05/12

      Send Sophie MIrabella or Julie Bishop.  That should cheer them up !

    • james says:

      09:26am | 31/05/12

      I still can’t believe Pyne beat Abbott in the mad dash smile

      Trussy wasn’t too bright blocking the exit.

    • Mayday says:

      09:33am | 31/05/12

      Carr is a worry and I’m with you, talk about scrape the bottom of the barrel.

    • acotrel says:

      09:47am | 31/05/12

      Perhaps Abbott should park his bike next to him in the chamber, ready for his next dash ?  Just shows what an idiot he is, he didn’t ha ve the brains to act cool and ignore the stunt.  He couldn’t see that the Labor pollies were just looking for his reaction, and he didn’t disappoint !

    • Craig T says:

      03:18pm | 31/05/12

      what surplus james????

    • Lee-Anne says:

      07:09am | 31/05/12

      It is about time Schapelle was released ! What a joke this whole process has been !

      Reply

    • Joan says:

      07:21am | 31/05/12

      Schapelle supporters turning her case into bigger joke. There must be money to be made in this.

    • L. says:

      07:31am | 31/05/12

      “Schapelle supporters turning her case into bigger joke. There must be money to be made in this.”

      Yeah, I can see next months Womans Weekly now… “The Corby family’s ‘tug of love’”..

    • ShamWow says:

      10:11am | 31/05/12

      It’s about time the Corbys repaid the Australian Govt. for all the monies spent defending their guilty relative…

    • n_dude says:

      05:57pm | 31/05/12

      Proceeds of crime act anybody?

    • Laurie Kidd says:

      07:35am | 31/05/12

      Quite frankly, her biggest enemies are her family.

      Reply

    • Daemon says:

      08:27am | 01/06/12

      Even more frankly, the biggest threat to women in Australia is women’s weakly (my non caps). That they will launch into moment by moment dissection of the last few years or however long Corby has been locked up, will give Aussie women something to live for.. even Joan probably, and Kika too.

      And for GROC I would like to add Azerbaijan.

    • Kitty says:

      07:53am | 31/05/12

      I have seen a boogie board with a cover.  I have seen 4.2kgs pot.  What I can’t see is how the check-in bloke at Brisbane airport didn’t see it.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      08:17am | 31/05/12

      But have you seen a boogie board after smoking 4.2 Kg of pot ?  Get into drug smuggling, get caught, then blame the check-in bloke for not finding it.  Well that sort of makes sense if you are schizophrenic !

    • iansand says:

      08:37am | 31/05/12

      When I take my skis on a plane there is a lot more in my ski bag than skis.  Clothes, boots, helmet - all kinds of stuff.  It is none of the check in blokes business apart from the weight (unless they get really snippy with the sporting goods allowance, although is virtually non-existent these days)

    • OLD MAX says:

      08:06am | 31/05/12

      She did the crime in Indonesia let her finish her time in Indonesia. Tried by their court and found guilty. No more to be said.

      Reply

    • L. says:

      08:42am | 31/05/12

      “She did the crime in Indonesia let her finish her time in Indonesia. Tried by their court and found guilty. No more to be said.”

      Wouldn’t she have had to of comitted the crime in Brisbane first..?

    • Gregg says:

      11:44am | 31/05/12

      @L
      ” Wouldn’t she have had to of comitted the crime in Brisbane first..? “
      I suppose you could have a point there in that she has not yet been tried for that crime.
      So after she does her Indonesian crime time, maybe she could get hauled up before the Australian courts if the evidence of discovery can be admitted here.

      If in fact she had taken a few bullets, maybe that might have got the message through a bit better so we do not have the Bali nine, however it seems stupidity sure takes some beating.

    • morrgo says:

      08:11am | 31/05/12

      Schapelle should really wear a more modest blouse at the Security Council.

      Reply

    • L. says:

      08:55am | 31/05/12

      “Schapelle should really wear a more modest blouse at the Security Council”

      No, it’s ok.. Saudi Araba and Iran were abstaining from the vote that day. wink

    • KimL says:

      08:14am | 31/05/12

      She was convicted of doing the crime, it doesn’t matter that it was in another country..more fool her. I have no sympathy for her or very shrill and loud family. We will all be bombarded by our gossipy press when she comes home. Bet she is not mentally ill..just cunning like a fox

      Reply

    • Charlie says:

      08:24am | 31/05/12

      Heard it here first, we should care about nothing unless it is at-least as evil as the Syrian massacre.  Someone tell the politicians they should not bother with any matters today, tell the media there’s no point reporting anything.

      What a comparison…  What a dick-move.

      Reply

    • MarkS says:

      08:58am | 31/05/12

      “but who gives a crap when tens of thousands are getting blown up’

      Her, her friends & family among others. The day my father died, a war was going on somewhere in the world. People including children were dying. Maybe I should have not been so selfish to feel pain & grief. Simply told myself, “wipe your eyes princess, there are worst things happening to other people”.

      Daniel, now Aker is out of media spots are you trying to take his place?

      As for Syria. NOTHING is going to be done but for a couple of meaningless tanties from countries like Australia.

    • fml says:

      09:18am | 31/05/12

      “we should care about nothing unless it is at-least as evil as the Syrian massacre.”

      No not that at all, it’s commentary about people feeling more sympathy towards a convicted drug smuggler rather than 9000 dead innocents under a tyrannical regime, Also it reflects the values of our government in allowing it’s “valuable” time to be wasted on a convicted drug smuggler.

    • Anna C says:

      08:41am | 31/05/12

      This is a joke right?

      Reply

    • AdamC says:

      09:42am | 31/05/12

      I am pretty sure it is, Anna C.

      Mind you, I seem to recall thinking - at least initially - that those suggesting that the AFP should have withheld information about the Bali 9 drug ‘mules’ from the Indonesian authorities were joking. Sadly, they were beeing serious. So, when it comes to dumb bogans committing serous crimes overseas, and getting caught, you just never know!

    • James1 says:

      10:33am | 31/05/12

      I have had some interactions with the Corby supporters, and I’m not so sure it is a joke.  I would put nothing past them, given their poor understanding of the way things work in Indonesia.  As such, I have a feeling that Dan is absolutely serious, and that they really are attempting to take this step.

      The Corby supporters are a quite unique - their poor understanding of international and Indonesian politics coupled with their enthusiasm and commitment makes for an interesting type of crazy.

    • youdy beaudy says:

      09:16am | 31/05/12

      I don’t know whether she did it or not but i agree that the bag the cannibis was in should have been fingerprinted by the Balinese police at the airport. If they would have found her fingerprints on the bag then that would have proved her involvement but it was not done.

      As far as the stuff getting into her boogie bag, well, the question could be asked as to how the bag got through Brisbane quarantine. They would have found it in the xray dept there surely. So, maybe someone did put it in after the bag cleared the xray dept. Who knows. Only Shappelle i suppose.!

      Two more years to serve, not long really, that time will go quickly and then she will be out. I think she has served enough time now and should be freed soon. I am sure she has learned a lesson here. Next time, wrap the bag in plastic at the airport to be safe. And, that is for everyone if they are worried. A bit late to do it after the fact. As far as the UN goes, i know nothing about what they do there. Nothing i suppose. A good job if you have one there.

      As far as Assad goes well the Lords of Karma will deal with that. He will have a very messy ending over this.!

      Reply

    • void says:

      10:01am | 31/05/12

      Ah the questions that no one else wants to ask because they might, then, have to re-evaluate their stance and admit that they could be wrong.  It’s easy to convict someone when you don’t look for evidence beyond the end of your nose and you assume that people are guilty until proven innocent.

      If the police had searched for fingerprints or any other evidence, then I’d have no pity for Corby, but they didn’t and I can’t help but feel that she was railroaded as a scapegoat.

    • Beck of Kenso says:

      06:11pm | 31/05/12

      One of the statements of defence was that the dope was put in her back somewhere between Brisbane Airport and Bali. Why didn’t her defence team request a printout of the weight of the boogie board bag when it was checked in to Brisbane, and then compare it with the weight in Bali? If there’s a discrepancy, then she didn’t commit the crime. If the weights match, then she’s guilty… simple, really.

    • Tel says:

      09:34am | 31/05/12

      Is it 20 years yet? She got 20 years in a country where that would be considered a lenient sentence - just leave her there to serve ‘em out, and then scrutinize her re-entry into Australia very carefully!

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      09:54am | 31/05/12

      I wonder if she will smoke dope after she gets out ?

    • youdy beaudy says:

      09:48am | 31/05/12

      @Tel, hey there!, people shouldn’t worry about here re entering Australia. She is an Australian citizen. They haven’t taken that away.

      She is hardly a threat to the Universe, just a silly young woman if she did it.! Certainly a good learning experience for her. She won’t do anything like that again i am sure.

      Reply

    • Cranky ol' Bugga says:

      09:57am | 31/05/12

      Very funny photo-shopped picture! An appropriate comment on the never-ending ‘At Home with Schapelle’ soap opera which the media cannot get enough of.

      Reply

    • fml says:

      10:07am | 31/05/12

      I wonder if they are going to make an episode of banged up abroad about her?

      Reply

    • James1 says:

      10:23am | 31/05/12

      I reckon an Underbelly-style drama series, full of boobs and such.

    • Admiral Ackbar says:

      12:23pm | 31/05/12

      I’ll wait for the 3D musical, thanks Glee.

    • Gizmo's thing says:

      10:11am | 31/05/12

      Mark my words. She will come back to a hero’s welcome, and get rich on TV deals…Cause our society is screwed up. facinated with the story of a convicted drug trafficker. How low can we Go!!!!

      Reply

    • L. says:

      10:33am | 31/05/12

      “Mark my words. She will come back to a hero’s welcome, and get rich on TV deals…Cause our society is screwed up. facinated with the story of a convicted drug trafficker. How low can we Go!!!!”

      I’d still watch that before Master Chef, The Block or Dancing With the….

    • Anna C says:

      10:26am | 31/05/12

      I’m just waiting for a TV executive somewhere to commission a TV miniseries based on Schapelle Corby’s life.

      Reply

    • Admiral Ackbar says:

      12:24pm | 31/05/12

      Yawn. Although the dumb bogans have TV’s too I guess.

    • youdy beaudy says:

      11:11am | 31/05/12

      Well, she’s not a murderer of thug. Now, Chopper Read has been made into a hero by the media. People buy his books even tho he was a very bad dude. We revell in the stories of peoples such as Ned Kelly and his gang as being a very important part of Austalian history and of course there is the ole one with the song we love about a bloke who stole sheep and parked down by the billabong ducking the police. Who was that that we love so much in our folk law, well, once a jolly swagman, ho,ho,ho. We love it don’t we so Shapelle may not quite fit into our ideals re that. But we do love our past dissenters and criminals don’t we?. Why is that i wonder.?

      So maybe Shapelle is in good company there don’t you think?. She may well become a folk hero in years to come. Maybe we could re write the song, that we sold to the yanks, and we could have it as, ” Once a jolly Shappelle “, or something to that effect. Could be a best seller!.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      11:56am | 31/05/12

      Chopper Read was made a celebrity, so were Lassie and Gomers Pyles.

    • TC says:

      11:41am | 31/05/12

      At the beginning of this piece, you say “the majority appear to have been shot or stabbed at close range”. I hate to tell you this Daniel, but stabbing is ALWAYS “at close range.”.

      Reply

    • TEZZA says:

      11:51am | 31/05/12

      “Corby got a stupidly long sentence for a minor crime” . . .
      Yes it is a stupidly long sentence for the crime, although the quantity of cannabis makes it a bit more than a “minor crime”.
      What is odd about the Corby case is that she has never admitted guilt.
      Could that be because she really believes that she is innocent?
      In an Australian Court she would not have been found guilty. The bag had been out of her possession for a whole day, so the prosecution could never (in an Australian court) have proven her custody and control of the importation.
      Why doesn’t she just admit the possession and cop the conviction then plead for lenience. She would get softer treatment if she did so.
      Would you admit guilt if you really didn’t believe you were guilty?
      The vehemence of her denial, plus the fact that in an Australian Court she would not have been convicted, makes me feel sorry for Corby. So I hope she does get parole soon.
      (Who do I think did it? No idea, but maybe the kid brother in league with the father).

      Reply

    • Gregg says:

      12:00pm | 31/05/12

      Danny, as for Australians being insular, is that a media determination? and perhaps not so surprising seeing as there were probably more media in Balia for the Corby circus than what there were Aussies on holiday.
      It is the media who serve the drivel up on Schapelle even if the hunch reckons it has been the tits, the Mercedes that less people probably love than the number that own one and then a Mum who ought to keep mum on it all.

      Surely the media could determine that other than a few rusted on innocence believers, most Aussies could not give a RsA about that lot.

      As for Syria, I’d expect that a lot more Aussies do feel for the people of many conflicts and sure, we also value our structured society here, one reason why asylum seekers paying people smugglers is not so kindly looked on by many.
      There are global needs, be it Syria, African countries or elsewhere and as much as it would be hoped all the millions could be helped, that is just not possible and thus there are systems in place to help as much as many governments have deemed we’re able to do.
      Avoiding systems and structure to get ahead of others is not the Aussie fair go way.

      As concerned as Australians may be, we also realise that there is not too much that we can do about the situation and that it’ll be more the Arab League, UN and NATO people that need to put their thinking caps on, something Bob Carr seems to not have done too well in announcing we’‘ll expel some diplomats because that is what a few other countries will do.
      Surely, we can do better than just be one of the mob on this and howsabout recognising that isolating Syria diplomatically is going to do SFA and that maintaining channels may at least offer some options no longer available.

      But then it’s the Julia and Bobby show eh!

      Reply

    • PJKing says:

      12:25pm | 31/05/12

      This country with all our mineral resources are gutless when it comes to standing alone and fighting for what will make us more powerful than countries like China, Japan, Korea, the European countries and even the US.

      We spend all our time trying not to upset the apple cart and forget how to use our wealth to show the rest of the world that we have the power to stand alone with our convictions. Foreign ministers should know when to be diplomatic, pragmatic and when to take charge of the country’s destiny.

      Imagine if China, Indonesia, India etc had our mineral resources?

      Politicians these days are too afraid to say or do what they think is the right thing for Australia. The media go into a frenzy over the smallest incident, forget to do their homework and beat it up making it a 2/3 day news. Instead of listening to the politicians and intervening when they are ranting on about their political spin of the day, they are thinking of the next gotcha question. The journalists play each politician out and waiting for the next slip of the tongue, sensationalize it and hey presto that’s the day’s news.

      Anyone with any common sense would know that when you are visiting other countries you abide with their rule of law and if you don’t you pay the consequences.

      Reply

    • Gregg says:

      04:07pm | 31/05/12

      You’re not having a king of a day are you PJ?
      Mineral Resources is just that, something to be mined and Australia is not the only country where minerals can be sourced from.
      And then there are the numbers, our population and of course lets not forget the Greens, Labor and Unions.

    • Reality Checker says:

      04:11am | 01/06/12

      Woah there PJKing. So Australia has some minerals to flog to the Chinese which has them temporarily in a better economic situation than most of the western world and now you see yourself as a potentially more powerful nation than China or the USA. LOL! Even by deluded Aussie standards this is a beaut. I’m sure Bob Carr is speaking very learnedly about Syria but what exactly is Australia going to do about it? You have no military to speak of, with plans to make it smaller. Last year we had the sickening sight of Kevin Rudd big-noting and demanding that Britain, France and the US pile into Libya, on the understanding that no Australian forces would be deployed. What a great look that was! You may be temporarily rich with your big mines but internationally Australia is all talk, no walk, and always will be. Maybe you should just stick to your 60 minutes fixes of the Schapelle soap opera, that’s about your level

    • Cynicised says:

      01:24pm | 31/05/12

      I guess we obsess because she’s one of our own, and mostly ignore horrors like the Syrian massacre because they are “other”, and “over there”, in a foreign country which we really don’t give a toss about. It’s incredibly sad and ridiculous, but it’s human nature.

      That said, as pointed put in another piece here today, we are all connected as people and we should care about the atrocities in Syria. Such inhumanity ultimately affects us all by spreading disrespect for life. Whether we can do anything to alter the situation is not the point. I’m glad our government has at least expelled the Syrian diplomats and has stated it’s willingness to back military intervention if the UN decides to act. However, it has been made clear by Stephen Conroy this morning that our troops will not be asked to participate if it comes to that point.  I guess our involvement in Afghanistan is stretching our resources enough. Pity. I at least understand why intervention may become necessary in Syria, even if it is another internal fight, which is always a difficult situation in which to become involved, as history has shown and continues to show.

      Reply

    • Gregg says:

      04:19pm | 31/05/12

      @ Cynicised
      I am not sure who the ” we ” are that you refer to as being obsessed and ignoring horrors because ” we ” do not give a toss but I personally have been more obsessed with how the media seemed obsessed with Corby, it being cringe worthy how they created the fiasco the coverage was.

      Like Corby if guilty is just another Crim and did not warrant the attention she got and if guilty, a very stupid Crim at that, lucky not to have been put in front of a firing squad, there being nothing at all to be obsessed about other than what a stupid effort by someone.

      You or your ” we ” may not give a toss about Syrians but there may be many who do and are just somewhat dismayed at the turn of events and the seeming inability of the international community to really do much at all.

      What Stephen Conroy would know about FA matters and military commitment is anyones guess and as for expelling diplomats to be one of the mob, WTF for? if it just cuts off options.

    • Cynicised says:

      10:50am | 01/06/12

      You’ve misunderstood me, Gregg. I was referring to we Australians. Personally, Corby doesn’t interest me one iota, apart from having some compassion for her plight, self -inflicted though it is.

      Oppsy, said Conroy meant Stephen Smith of course, our Defence Minister. Plea forgive the brain fade, but I would have thought my mistake was fairly easily seen rough, if you had been following the news. I do however, care about the Syrian slaughter from a humanitarian perspective.

      Unfortunately we realistically have no options re Syria. The expulsion of diplomats is a time-honored expression of outrage by governments. We will no doubt offer to reinstate their credentials when the situation is
      “normalised”. It’s a gesture only. There is not much else we can do, that’s plain.

    • Paleoflatus says:

      01:25pm | 31/05/12

      The evidence is overwhelming that we do what the U.S. tells us to do internationally.
      Lies and the Iraq war - follow America in lock step. Two innocent Australians in the American Gulag and Guantanamo Bay - pretend they do not exist and be careful not to interfere. War in Afghanistan - follow our masters automatically and start to leave, only when we’re told we may. A convicted drug smuggler jailed in Bali - go out of our way to pressure Indonesia and help her. Julian Assange - follow the U.S. script, call him guilty and join Britain in trying to deliver him to an American kangaroo court.
      We’re wasting our time arguing,  as long as both the Gillard-Slipper-Thomson regime and the Opposition follow the same line.

      Reply

    • Joe Blow says:

      01:54pm | 31/05/12

      Tell me again how the Government justifies providing support to CONVICTED criminals such as Corby, but does nothing to support Assange.  Surely with the Juliar’s recent Damascus moment on ‘Presumption of Innocence’ they shoudl be fully behind Assange?

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      10:59pm | 31/05/12

      Exactly what are we supporting assange for, hes been accused of rape, it may be BS and it may not be, go back and fight the charge and prove he is innocent, hes such a lover of everything been open and free surely he would relish his day in court.

    • AdamC says:

      02:07pm | 31/05/12

      What do you want the government to do to help Assange? Send in commandos and blow up the Old Bailey, perhaps? Better yet, maybe Juliar could Have those chicks who accused Assange of not hanging around the morning after - or whatever the hell he supposedly did - assassinated? I am sure we have some Nordic-looking assassins on the payroll. If not, we sure as hell should get some. After all, an Aussie is in peril overseas - the government must dooooooo something!

      Reply

    • L. says:

      02:41pm | 31/05/12

      “What do you want the government to do to help Assange? Send in commandos and blow up the Old Bailey, perhaps?”

      Real persumption of innonse perhaps, and not state in a press conference that he (definately) “committed a crime”..??

      Not threaten to cancel his passport perhaps..??

      I could go on… but why bother. She showed her colours…

    • DonN says:

      03:05pm | 31/05/12

      “Corby got a stupidly long sentence for a minor crime, in line with Indonesian law on drugs,” A minor crime in Australia perhaps, but not in Indonesia. And as you say yourself it was in line with Indonesian law. End of story. You break the law, you pay whatever the penalty is in the country where you offend.

      Reply

    • John F says:

      03:24pm | 31/05/12

      Innocent people are loud and scream to all that will hear that they are innocent. Guilty people are quiet and reserved for fear of being scrutinised in detail. The Corby’s are very loud ! What would you do if you were convicted of a crime you didnt commit ? Scream to the world your innocence or lie and say you did it to get out of jail sooner ?
      The more you examine the Corby case the more it just doesnt make sense that she can be guilty.

      Reply

    • AnthonyG says:

      05:26pm | 31/05/12

      Sick of shappele, she is only one loser amoungst many over there that i couldn’t care less about

      Reply

    • AnthonyG says:

      08:35pm | 31/05/12

      no bites?

    • Grumpy says:

      08:57pm | 31/05/12

      Sif lock ppl up for a bit of weed…srsly.

      Reply

    • Jonno says:

      10:46pm | 31/05/12

      The Eamon Duff book explained why it was important for Schapelle to check through the boogie board bag in Brisbane. Apparently she favoured the children’s boogie board she has had for a long time. It would be smaller and lighter in the boogie bag presumably leaving some space of roughly similar proportions.

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      11:27pm | 31/05/12

      Come on now, people are been murdered in many countries for many years now and noone gives â f*&^. As far as most people are concerned, out of sight out of mind. The taliban have slaughtered 1000’s but most people would be more then happy to turn afganistan back over to them because it doesnt effect them. Saddam murdered 1000’s but who cares. 1000’s murdered in a large majority of African countrys, in sri lanka, in pakistan, in russia, the balkans, in other arab nations etc etc etc, we didnt care then, we dont care now and we never will unless it effects us directly.

      Reply

    • NESLIHAN KUROSAWA says:

      04:42am | 01/06/12

      Hi Daniel,

      Yes most unfortunately we all seem to living in very polarized world with some very extreme points of views held by certain people.  Australia is very distant and isolated from the troubles of Syria, its bloodshed and mass killings of innocent civilian lives.  How long can the world and countries such as Russia and China afford to watch from a distance?  Of course right now there happen to be certain interests in the Middle East Region.  Is it also any different to the wars in Vietnam, Cambodia, Japanese Imperial Army and its atrocities committed in Singapore, China and Korea?

      Surely by now we all should know and realize that any kind of war and internal conflict in any part of the world will eventually affect our lives, directly or indirectly!  Whether we want to be a part of it or not.  Al Assad does not seem to be going anywhere any time soon.  And will the mass killings stop overnight?  The International Criminal Court might have the right idea when it comes to punishing the War Criminals.  However, it usually happens to be too little and too late for all the needless killings of innocent people in the trouble spots around the world. 

      I also want to know if the ICC actually serves as deterrent at all?  Because all these terrible criminal acts against civilians may go on just the same.  We all have to re examine this idea of punishment fitting the crime once again.  I truly believe that holding one person responsible for all these criminal acts might be a good idea.  However, it does not actually bring back any of the innocent lives lost in such places as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan or Bali!  Kind regards to your editors.

      Reply
 
Sorry, comments are now closed for this article.

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Paul Colgan

Colgo 24 May 13 10:23PM

@joekiely just beat the crus. No sweat eh?

Paul Colgan

Colgo 24 May 13 10:03PM

@bolgo101 Stick ROG in front of the posts and you still have white knuckles

Paul Colgan

Colgo 24 May 13 10:02PM

@joekiely how far out was he?

Paul Colgan

Colgo 24 May 13 09:30PM

Just saw the Waratahs result. Can someone tell me how hard the kick was for the Tahs to win? #SuperRugby

See all tweets

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

The Punch is moving house

by The Punch Team

385

The Punch is moving house

Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

by Hannah Harborow

122

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

by Sarrah Le Marquand

251

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…

Light weight

Gentle jabs to the ribs

Superman needs saving

Superman needs saving

Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more

28 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free News.com.au newsletter