The Go-To Man

"A political fight is brewing between Attorney-General George Brandis and the Institute of Public Affairs. Senator Brandis has angered the IPA and other powerful Liberal Party allies, who believe the A-G is using tricky language to dilute his promise to repeal a controversial section of the race discrimination laws... 'After a spirited campaign from some community groups, it seems the A-G has been having second thoughts,' [IPA executive director John] Roskam said. Senator Brandis is now wedged between the Liberal Party's natural allies on the right and a powerful coalition of ethnic groups... Leaders from Australia's Jewish, Muslim, Chinese, Greek, Armenian, Lebanese, Vietnamese and indigenous populations have united against abolishing or weakening the race hate laws." (Think tank says Brandis is backtracking on hate laws, Jonathan Swan, Sydney Morning Herald, 12/3/14)

Some community groups? Hm... funny how the list of such groups invariably begins with 'Jewish'. Maybe Swan will go on to quote one of the leaders of one of the other deeply concerned groups. Armenian perhaps? Or maybe Greek? After all, as we all know, an Armenian or a Greek can't put his head out the door here in Australia without being subjected to a hailstorm of racial abuse, right? Why, only the other day I...

Or maybe not:

"Executive Council of Australian Jewry executive director Peter Wertheim said he could not recall 'any other issue on which there has been such unity of purpose and strength of feeling across such a diverse group of communities'."

Now where have I seen Wertheim's name before on this matter? Oh, yes, in another (dare I say more informative?) report by Jonathan Swan - see my 17/11/13 post The Jewish Paradox.

Notwithstanding "such unity of purpose and strength of feeling" among Armenians and Greeks, it's funny how Mr Wertheim always seems to pop up as the go-to man on the subject. Why is it so?