Witches Brew 6

Meet Liberal MLC Scot MacDonald, who hails from the Deep South, the Riverina to be exact. If it's a matter of 'By their friends ye shall know them', then you should know that he's a mate of federal senator Neo-Connie Fierravanti-Wells, Marie (BDS is EVIL) Ficarra, and of course the mover of the anti-BDS motion in the NSW upper house on 15 September, David Clarke:

"I support the motion. I did not know it was being moved today so I do not have extensive notes; I am going on my instincts."

How promising! Who needs any real knowledge of the issue? Just go with your instincts, honed by 20 years running a 'family business' in Guyra and a stint at the helm of Riverina Citrus. Don't give a fig if your contribution to the 'debate' is bound to be the proverbial lemon.

But first, a bow to those beaming gents in the gallery:

"I am a member of the Israeli friendship community [sic] and I acknowledge the presence of the Board of Deputies."

OK, so this hoary old chestnut's not a member of the citrus family, but hey, just go with those instincts and deploy it anyway:

"I think the most recent figure I heard was that the Marrickville brainwave would cost the Marrickville ratepayers $3 million; it would disadvantage them in many ways, their services would cost extra and they would have to forgo some services."

And hearing is believing? Right.

"In terms of the international perspective and the economic impact from campaigns such as the boycott, divestment and sanction [sic], I do not support boycotts in any way, shape or form. The history of them is weak, especially in South Africa, which has been mentioned several times in this debate. I think the great losers from boycotts are always the voiceless, the disadvantaged, the poor, the unskilled - those who do not have a say in these matters."

I think? Sure, ANC President (and Nobel Peace Prize winner) Chief Albert Luthuli once said, "Economic boycott is one way in which the world at large can bring home to the South African authorities that they must either mend their ways or suffer from them,"* but hey, what would he know?

[*The Netherlands against Apartheid - 1960s, iisg.nl]

"What would be the outcome of the boycott, divestment and sanction [sic] campaign if it flowed through to Israel? It would largely impact on the Palestiniamns. Why do we have such discord and discontent amongst the Palestinians? Because inevitably they are at the bottom of the economic chain in that region."

Did I mention lemons? The Palestinian struggle then is not about having your homeland pulled out from under your feet, no, it's all about market share!

"Most companies that have been mentioned employ Palestinians. Hundreds of people travel from Palestine every day to work in the factories. What would be the outcome of boycotts and a reduction in economic activity by infrastructure technology, defence and food firms, et cetera?"

And the Israeli occupation/blockade/lockdowns/checkpoints etc*, which have put the Palestinians at the bottom of the economic chain (as our economic rationalist from Guyra so quaintly puts it), why they're actually, somehow, keeping the Palestinians in jobs, don't you know? Right.

[*See my 30/9/11 post The Other BDS.]

I guess Scot just had to get all that off his chest, but oh well, at least he kept it short.

But nowhere near as short as the next speaker, Robert Borsak of the Shooters & Fishers Party (Is Australia the only nation in the world blessed with such a party?):

"As time is limited I simply place on record that the Shooters & Fishers Party totally supports the motion. For both personal and policy reasons, we think it is a good motion and we will be voting for it."

Now wouldn't you just love to know what those personal and policy reasons are?