http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/rio-tinto/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Bougainvillians-deserve-the-chance-to-say-its-mine/ By the time Francis Ona and the various factions of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army permanently laid down their arms on 30 April 1998, it is estimated that more than 15,000 Bougainvillians had lost their lives. The decade long conflict – part war of independence, part civil war - had been the most bloody and costly war in the Pacific since WWII. At the turn of the millennium, Bougainville was a place of devastation. Bougainville has long loomed large in the consciousness of many Australians. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Bougainvillians-deserve-the-chance-to-say-its-mine/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Bougainvillians-deserve-the-chance-to-say-its-mine/#item5675 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/you-call-em-thugs-I-call-em-foot-soldiers-of-democracy/ We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/you-call-em-thugs-I-call-em-foot-soldiers-of-democracy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/you-call-em-thugs-I-call-em-foot-soldiers-of-democracy/#item5184 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/gillard-continues-to-recognise-faceless-men/ The series of natural disasters that have caused so much damage in Queensland are creating new medium and longer term challenges for the Australian economy.  However the Gillard Labor Government is unable to take the necessary action needed to stop the inflationary and multiplier effect its re-regulation of the labour market is bound to cause. Unfortunately for all of us the Government can’t and won’t say no to its trade union masters. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/gillard-continues-to-recognise-faceless-men/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/gillard-continues-to-recognise-faceless-men/#item5160 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/rio-tinto-a-tale-of-rampant-capitalism/ New Guinea, geographically as well as historically, is Australia’s closest relative. Separated from the mainland during the last glacial period, the waters filled-in what now separates them: 150km of the Torres Strait.  Despite being endowed with enviable mineral stores, economic and political exploitation has left New Guinea housing many of the poorest people on earth – particularly in the western half of West Papua.  Amidst a program toward independence from the Dutch, the international community neglected West Papua in order to realise a business deal between U.S. mining company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (“Freeport”) and Soeharto – at the time an Indonesian army general.  piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/rio-tinto-a-tale-of-rampant-capitalism/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/rio-tinto-a-tale-of-rampant-capitalism/#item3174 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/with-china-its-not-all-beer-and-dim-sum/ The decision by a Shanghai court to sentence Stern Hu to ten years should teach us a lesson about the future of our relationship with China: Australia cannot expect to continue to reap the benefits of Chinese cash without periodically accepting some of its pernicious qualities. Following the Hu sentence there will no doubt be a temptation to invoke what could be called the “Corby Protocol”, which assumes that whenever an Australian is arrested in a non-Western country they are ipso facto innocent and victims of a corrupt and dictatorial regime. But in this case it would probably be in our interest to understand that while Hu has become a victim of the workings of the Chinese state and business, he was also very much a product of it. This was a position that up until this point had made him, and by extension Australia, very wealthy. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/with-china-its-not-all-beer-and-dim-sum/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/with-china-its-not-all-beer-and-dim-sum/#item2732 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-best-eunuch-in-the-chinese-court-colin-barnett/ If you ever find yourself in a foreign prison awaiting representation from Australia on your behalf just pray that West Australian Premier Colin Barnett does not come through the door. Not only is he unlikely to put up any kind of a fight for you, after a big Yum Cha lunch he may well agree to pull the hanging lever should your executioner be off sick. Like the prince of a Chinese tributary kingdom of the middle-ages Colin Barnett travelled to Shanghai to assure his leaders that he wasn’t angry at them over the arrest of Stern Hu – actually it was our fault as Australians for over-reacting. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-best-eunuch-in-the-chinese-court-colin-barnett/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-best-eunuch-in-the-chinese-court-colin-barnett/#item699 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-we-really-think-about-stern-hu/ While the Australian media is working itself into a frenzy over the jailing of Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu, the public seems to be forming a more pragmatic view of our relationship with China. The Federal Opposition’s attempts to whip up a new round of dog whistling over the arrest have fallen on deaf ears as the public accepts there are things that are outside the power of even a Mandarin-speaking Prime Minister. But the failure of the Hu jailing to bite with the public may speak to a broader maturing in out attitude towards the emerging superpower to which our fortunes are so closely tied. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-we-really-think-about-stern-hu/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-we-really-think-about-stern-hu/#item674 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/free-david-hicks-but-fumble-on-stern-hu/ He may be known as the Ruddbot, but when it comes to his much vaunted specialist skills on China, it would seem that batteries were not included. As the Prime Minister plays catch up on being caught flat footed on the Stern Hu case, he needs to demonstrate that his special China skills are not just a party trick, but can genuinely be used in Australia’s interests. When in Opposition, Kevin Rudd was quick to criticise John Howard, claiming he was “dragging his feet on providing Mr Hicks with a fair trial”. These were his exact words in a door stop he gave almost four years ago on August 2. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/free-david-hicks-but-fumble-on-stern-hu/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/free-david-hicks-but-fumble-on-stern-hu/#item642 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-a-mans-jailing-exposed-chinas-state-run-spin/ Nothing that follows is personally approved by David Penberthy or Rupert Murdoch, let alone Kevin Rudd. That’s the beauty of writing for a free media in a democracy. However, it’s equally ludicrous to suggest that every word that appears in China’s state-owned media every day represents the personal views of Chinese president Hu Jintao. I don’t know Hu - who really does? - but I’m not sure he would have chosen the noun “perfidy” to describe Rio Tinto’s betrayal of Chinalco a couple of months back. Yet that phrase was quickly interpreted as the semi-official, if colourful, position of China Inc to the collapse of the deal - purely because it ran on the “state-owned” Xinhua news agency. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-a-mans-jailing-exposed-chinas-state-run-spin/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-a-mans-jailing-exposed-chinas-state-run-spin/#item627 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/hus-kevin-rudds-biggest-headache-china-arrest/ 餵。我的名字是凱文，我有一個非常大的問題 (Translation: Hello, my name is Kevin and I have a very big problem). Oh how Kevin Rudd must be wishing right now for a dirty stoush with, oh, let’s say Malaysia, or Indonesia, or even better, one of the African nations. How terribly unlucky for the Prime Minister that his first bona fide diplomatic crisis involves China. Our man in Beijing is facing calls to personally intervene in the case of Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu, who’s being held without charge by Chinese authorities on suspicion of commercial espionage. piotrowskid@newsltd.com.au (Daniel Piotrowski) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/hus-kevin-rudds-biggest-headache-china-arrest/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/hus-kevin-rudds-biggest-headache-china-arrest/#item617 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:00:13 +0000 We’ve had factional thugs and faceless men, dishonourable rats and bloodsuckers, slap-downs and sabre-rattling – union officials have hit the front pages over the past week in all their rhetorical glory. We’ve even declared war on shiny arses, although I have to admit I’m still not entirely sure what a war on shiny arses is. But the most startling thing to me is that these exchanges have made front-page news. A bit of argy-bargy between union leaders, politicians and bosses is fairly standard practice in Australia. And some colourful language in the mix is nothing new. It’s called open, democratic society.