Oh dear:
"Taxpayers footed the bill for family members of two Coalition MPs to fly to one of Australia's farthest-flung territories, the idyllic Cocos Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean, for a weekend stay. The $10,000-plus bill to fly the wife and two daughters of West Australian Liberal Luke Simpkins and the husband of Northern territory Country Liberal Natasha Griggs to and from the tropical islands is the equivalent of a business-class round trip ticket to Honolulu for each of the four family members." (Public pays $10k for family trips to tropical isles, Heath Aston, Sydney Morning Herald, 9/3/16)
Hm...
I wonder, is rambamming responsible for whetting our politicians' appetite for travel at someone else's expense? I mean, take Luke Simpkins, for example.
Back in 2012, a nice man, quite out of the blue, for no apparent reason, slipped Luke a ticket to Israel. To put it mildly, the experience messed with his head something terrible. On his return, he began muttering about halal meat turning us all into Muslims and squawking from his parliamentary perch that unless we ratcheted up sanctions against Iran, we'd all be rooned. Then, in 2013, he conceived the urge to visit the "homelands" of "major non-English speaking communities in his electorate." He did Vietnam. He did Greece. He did Thailand. And he did Macedonia, which he found to be "complex."
And now this...
Showing posts with label Luke Simpkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luke Simpkins. Show all posts
Friday, March 11, 2016
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Simpkins & Kerr Play Tag for Israel
How wonderful to know that federal Liberal MP Luke Simpkins (Cowan, WA) is toiling away for the good of the nation... the Israeli nation that is:
"The parliamentarian who discovered that a photograph of children killed in Syria had been used to illustrate a bulletin attacking Israeli action in Gaza has dismissed the apology from the group responsible. Australians for Palestine hit out after The Australian revealed Liberal Luke Simpkins' find yesterday. It described The Australian's report on the photo as 'scurrilous'. Mr Simpkins contacted the email bulletin's sender, Sonja Karkar, on August 12 when he discovered the photo had been used as far back as November well before the latest Gaza strife [!]. Ms Karkar responded the same day, admitting to the error. She promised to correct the record in her next bulletin to MPs and others, but no clarification appeared when it was issued on August 18. In an email yesterday, Ms Karkar said 'events overtook me' and insisted the use of the image from Syria was 'inadvertent'. 'There was no intention to deceive,' she said in the email. Mr Simpkins noted the apology had only now been made, and it was only in response to the story in The Australian. 'AFP had the chance to respond to The Australian before the story was published and they chose not to do so,' he said." (Gaza apology 'too late', Christian Kerr, 29/8/14)
Rambammed in 2012, Simpkins, a former army officer, has had Israel's back ever since, declaring that Iran - yes, Iran, not Israel - "has a sense of entitlement as the dominator in the region." And because he's heard that Iran wants to wipe poor little Israel off the map, he's used his parliamentary perch to call for increased sanctions against Tehran.
Now I wouldn't want to give the impression that Israel is Simpkins' only interest, OK? So to round him off, I should point out that he's also warned that Australians are unknowingly being converted to Islam by eating Halal meat. (To view my Simpkins file, simply click on the label below.)
And how good is it that the Australian's Christian Kerr is pursuing this matter of national importance!
Funny, but I don't remember Kerr pursuing The Daily Telegraph when it printed the photograph of a Boston marathon bombing victim with Mike Carlton's head on August 7, prompting its editor to apologise for making such an "inadvertent" mistake. (See Mike Carlton calls Daily Telegraph 'scum of the trade' as editor apologises for photoshopping his face on Boston bombing victim, Mumbrella, 8/8/14)
"The parliamentarian who discovered that a photograph of children killed in Syria had been used to illustrate a bulletin attacking Israeli action in Gaza has dismissed the apology from the group responsible. Australians for Palestine hit out after The Australian revealed Liberal Luke Simpkins' find yesterday. It described The Australian's report on the photo as 'scurrilous'. Mr Simpkins contacted the email bulletin's sender, Sonja Karkar, on August 12 when he discovered the photo had been used as far back as November well before the latest Gaza strife [!]. Ms Karkar responded the same day, admitting to the error. She promised to correct the record in her next bulletin to MPs and others, but no clarification appeared when it was issued on August 18. In an email yesterday, Ms Karkar said 'events overtook me' and insisted the use of the image from Syria was 'inadvertent'. 'There was no intention to deceive,' she said in the email. Mr Simpkins noted the apology had only now been made, and it was only in response to the story in The Australian. 'AFP had the chance to respond to The Australian before the story was published and they chose not to do so,' he said." (Gaza apology 'too late', Christian Kerr, 29/8/14)
Rambammed in 2012, Simpkins, a former army officer, has had Israel's back ever since, declaring that Iran - yes, Iran, not Israel - "has a sense of entitlement as the dominator in the region." And because he's heard that Iran wants to wipe poor little Israel off the map, he's used his parliamentary perch to call for increased sanctions against Tehran.
Now I wouldn't want to give the impression that Israel is Simpkins' only interest, OK? So to round him off, I should point out that he's also warned that Australians are unknowingly being converted to Islam by eating Halal meat. (To view my Simpkins file, simply click on the label below.)
And how good is it that the Australian's Christian Kerr is pursuing this matter of national importance!
Funny, but I don't remember Kerr pursuing The Daily Telegraph when it printed the photograph of a Boston marathon bombing victim with Mike Carlton's head on August 7, prompting its editor to apologise for making such an "inadvertent" mistake. (See Mike Carlton calls Daily Telegraph 'scum of the trade' as editor apologises for photoshopping his face on Boston bombing victim, Mumbrella, 8/8/14)
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Travel Tart
"A Coalition MP who lashed out at supermarkets selling halal meat* took 'arduous' taxpayer-funded overseas study tours to broaden his cultural understanding. Luke Simpkins argued he needed 'to visit the homelands of major non-English speaking communities' of his WA electorate to better understand their concerns. His trips to Vietnam, Thailand, Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in 2011 cost taxpayers $15,840 but he argued they were a success... Mr Simpkins said disputes in Macedonia were 'complex'." (Taxpayers pick up tab for jet set, Daniel Hurst & Jonathan Swan, Sydney Morning Herald, 8/10/13)
How interesting that the Herald should neglect to mention Simpkins' February 2012 trip to Israel - a journey that seems to have inspired several parliamentary fulminations against Iran.**
So, what exactly do we, the people - Simpkins' employers, actually - get for our generous funding of his wanderlust?
Well, here's a sample, an extract from his fulmination of 11 February 2013 in which he contends that Iran is bent on conquering the Middle East and imposing a "Shiah theocracy" on its Sunni Arab majority:
"Iran has a sense of entitlement as the dominator in the region, which leads to fears that they are willing to go to extreme measures in acquiring this domination. For too long, Iran has positioned itself as the victim and continues to claim ancient conflicts between Shiah and Sunni denominations and even between Persian and Arabic ethnicities as justification for violence and hatred. Shiah belief portrays itself as being the little fish in the Arabic Sunni pond. Iran believes it is its responsibilty to return to Persian dominance, as before the Arabisation of the region between the 7th and 14th centuries. So they view it as their right to spread the Shiah theocracy and to suppress the Sunni majority."
Now exactly where Simpkins gets this stuff & nonsense from is anyone's guess. Israel's foreign ministry perhaps? One thing's for sure, though, if he'd had a genuine interest in Iran or Shi'ism, for a mere fraction of that $15,840, he could've picked up a copy of Shi'ism: A Religion of Protest (2011) by Hamid Dabashi, Professor of Iranian Studies at Columbia University, turned to pages 302-303, and meditated on the following:
"The appeal and significance of the Islamic Revolution [1977-1979] went far beyond Iran or Shi'ism and reached farthest into the heartland of the Arab and Muslim world. This Iranian revolution has never been called a 'Shi'i' revolution, always an 'Islamic' revolution, for not a single ideologue, militant or moderate, turbaned or tied, thought of himself as a Shi'i revolutionary before thinking of himself as a Muslim. It is imperative now to keep in mind that Shi'is have never considered themselves Shi'is who happened to be Muslims, but exactly the opposite, Muslims who happened to be Shi'is. Shi'ism for the Shi'is is a take on their Islam, not Islam a take on their Shi'ism. Undue emphasis is put on the distinction between orthodoxy and heterodoxy in Islam or any other religion. Every religious orthodoxy is a politically successful heterodoxy. The political logic of that medieval fact transcends any single world religion and has a larger claim on universality. What ultimately emerged as the Islamic Revolution in Iran was never branded a 'Shi'i revolution' in its character or disposition, political aspirations or institutional foregrounding. That revolution always had a global claim on Islam and the world it inhabited. From its very first rumbles, the Islamic revolution had regional, cross-sectarian, and even trans-Islamic aspirations... The Shi'is have always thought of themselves as Muslims. Sectarian thinking in and out of Muslim communities is always a matter of external political manipulation of internally dormant doctrines. Throughout history, every single revolutionary uprising for or against Shi'ism has had more immediate material and political causes and consequences. Today only the United States, Saudi Arabia, and al-Qaeda speak of Shi'is as Shi'is, for Shi'is themselves think of their identities as integral to the Muslim world at large. The reason for Iranian support for the Lebanese Hezbollah is not because they are Shi'is; nor do Iranians withhold their even more active support for Hamas because they are not Shi'is. "
Think of the saving to the taxpayer. But then, hey, what would someone like Dabashi know?
[*See my 6/2/12 post Here We Go Again; **See my 10/10/12 post Izzy Izzy Izzy, OI Oi Oi.]
How interesting that the Herald should neglect to mention Simpkins' February 2012 trip to Israel - a journey that seems to have inspired several parliamentary fulminations against Iran.**
So, what exactly do we, the people - Simpkins' employers, actually - get for our generous funding of his wanderlust?
Well, here's a sample, an extract from his fulmination of 11 February 2013 in which he contends that Iran is bent on conquering the Middle East and imposing a "Shiah theocracy" on its Sunni Arab majority:
"Iran has a sense of entitlement as the dominator in the region, which leads to fears that they are willing to go to extreme measures in acquiring this domination. For too long, Iran has positioned itself as the victim and continues to claim ancient conflicts between Shiah and Sunni denominations and even between Persian and Arabic ethnicities as justification for violence and hatred. Shiah belief portrays itself as being the little fish in the Arabic Sunni pond. Iran believes it is its responsibilty to return to Persian dominance, as before the Arabisation of the region between the 7th and 14th centuries. So they view it as their right to spread the Shiah theocracy and to suppress the Sunni majority."
Now exactly where Simpkins gets this stuff & nonsense from is anyone's guess. Israel's foreign ministry perhaps? One thing's for sure, though, if he'd had a genuine interest in Iran or Shi'ism, for a mere fraction of that $15,840, he could've picked up a copy of Shi'ism: A Religion of Protest (2011) by Hamid Dabashi, Professor of Iranian Studies at Columbia University, turned to pages 302-303, and meditated on the following:
"The appeal and significance of the Islamic Revolution [1977-1979] went far beyond Iran or Shi'ism and reached farthest into the heartland of the Arab and Muslim world. This Iranian revolution has never been called a 'Shi'i' revolution, always an 'Islamic' revolution, for not a single ideologue, militant or moderate, turbaned or tied, thought of himself as a Shi'i revolutionary before thinking of himself as a Muslim. It is imperative now to keep in mind that Shi'is have never considered themselves Shi'is who happened to be Muslims, but exactly the opposite, Muslims who happened to be Shi'is. Shi'ism for the Shi'is is a take on their Islam, not Islam a take on their Shi'ism. Undue emphasis is put on the distinction between orthodoxy and heterodoxy in Islam or any other religion. Every religious orthodoxy is a politically successful heterodoxy. The political logic of that medieval fact transcends any single world religion and has a larger claim on universality. What ultimately emerged as the Islamic Revolution in Iran was never branded a 'Shi'i revolution' in its character or disposition, political aspirations or institutional foregrounding. That revolution always had a global claim on Islam and the world it inhabited. From its very first rumbles, the Islamic revolution had regional, cross-sectarian, and even trans-Islamic aspirations... The Shi'is have always thought of themselves as Muslims. Sectarian thinking in and out of Muslim communities is always a matter of external political manipulation of internally dormant doctrines. Throughout history, every single revolutionary uprising for or against Shi'ism has had more immediate material and political causes and consequences. Today only the United States, Saudi Arabia, and al-Qaeda speak of Shi'is as Shi'is, for Shi'is themselves think of their identities as integral to the Muslim world at large. The reason for Iranian support for the Lebanese Hezbollah is not because they are Shi'is; nor do Iranians withhold their even more active support for Hamas because they are not Shi'is. "
Think of the saving to the taxpayer. But then, hey, what would someone like Dabashi know?
[*See my 6/2/12 post Here We Go Again; **See my 10/10/12 post Izzy Izzy Izzy, OI Oi Oi.]
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Where Would We Be Without Them?
Because much of the finest work of our politicians, state or federal, goes on day in, day out, away from the public gaze, this remarkable set of men and women is often not given the credit that is its due by an increasingly cynical and tuned-out electorate.
So, in an effort to restore the public's faith in the worth of our political representatives, I take this opportunity to post the following snapshots of Australian politicians who, even as I type, toil away, thanklessly, in the service of... Israel.
Take the state member for Mount Lawley in Western Australia, Michael Sutherland (Liberal), for example. "As well as being patron of the Friends of Israel of Western Australia, Sutherland, who has visited the Holy Land twice, is also a co-convenor of Western Australia's Parliamentary Israel Friendship Group." (WA friends become political opponents, The Australian Jewish News, 22/2/13)
His rival in the forthcoming state election, Labor's Bob Kucera, MP for Mount Lawley from 2001 until 2008, is no slouch at serving Israel either, having "inaugurated the Parliamentary Friends of Israel." In fact, so sold on... Israel is Bob that he confesses that it is actually "a belief in Israel that drives me on." (ibid)
In the federal sphere too our Israelites, if I may borrow the term (which I'm sure they'd wear with pride), are doing sterling work to ensure the safety and security of... Israel.
For example, Liberal backbencher Alex Hawke (surely a worthy successor of his namesake Bob) must surely have been channelling Benjamin Netanyau when he said in a parliamentary debate on 18 February: "Iran 'is perhaps the biggest security question of our age'." (Liberal, Labor debate Iran, The Australian Jewish News, 22/2/13)
In the same debate, Liberal MP for Cowan, Luke Simpkins, frothing at the very mention of the Islamic entity, "outlined [its] imprisonment of political activists, journalists and opposition leaders, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, while raising concerns about the fairness of its electoral system ahead of a presidential poll in June." In fact, so consumed with indignation at Iranian crimes was he that he moved a motion calling for "the release of political prisoners in Iran and a further toughening of sanctions to pressure the regime into opening its nuclear facilities for inspection," explaining "they [Iran] claim to want to lead the the Islamic world and to wipe their enemies - namely, Israel - off the face of the earth." (ibid)
Jewish Israelite Josh Frydenberg, Liberal MP for Kooyong, was adamant that Australia had a job to do on Iran in the United Nations. For Israel, that is: "Australia had 'a responsibility to use our chairmanship of the United Nations sanctions committee to do more to stop Iran'." (ibid)
Not to be outdone, Labor MP for Melbourne Ports and doyen of our Jewish Israelites, Michael Danby, always hugely aroused during such debates, ejaculated that "sanctions had halved Iran's oil exports, causing a loss of $50 billion 'in hard currency' in one year." (ibid)
Enough said. So next time you hear of a pay rise for our politicians, don't roll your eyes and curse. Focus instead of the valuable work they do for... Israel and know that the country - Israel that is - is in good hands.
So, in an effort to restore the public's faith in the worth of our political representatives, I take this opportunity to post the following snapshots of Australian politicians who, even as I type, toil away, thanklessly, in the service of... Israel.
Take the state member for Mount Lawley in Western Australia, Michael Sutherland (Liberal), for example. "As well as being patron of the Friends of Israel of Western Australia, Sutherland, who has visited the Holy Land twice, is also a co-convenor of Western Australia's Parliamentary Israel Friendship Group." (WA friends become political opponents, The Australian Jewish News, 22/2/13)
His rival in the forthcoming state election, Labor's Bob Kucera, MP for Mount Lawley from 2001 until 2008, is no slouch at serving Israel either, having "inaugurated the Parliamentary Friends of Israel." In fact, so sold on... Israel is Bob that he confesses that it is actually "a belief in Israel that drives me on." (ibid)
In the federal sphere too our Israelites, if I may borrow the term (which I'm sure they'd wear with pride), are doing sterling work to ensure the safety and security of... Israel.
For example, Liberal backbencher Alex Hawke (surely a worthy successor of his namesake Bob) must surely have been channelling Benjamin Netanyau when he said in a parliamentary debate on 18 February: "Iran 'is perhaps the biggest security question of our age'." (Liberal, Labor debate Iran, The Australian Jewish News, 22/2/13)
In the same debate, Liberal MP for Cowan, Luke Simpkins, frothing at the very mention of the Islamic entity, "outlined [its] imprisonment of political activists, journalists and opposition leaders, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, while raising concerns about the fairness of its electoral system ahead of a presidential poll in June." In fact, so consumed with indignation at Iranian crimes was he that he moved a motion calling for "the release of political prisoners in Iran and a further toughening of sanctions to pressure the regime into opening its nuclear facilities for inspection," explaining "they [Iran] claim to want to lead the the Islamic world and to wipe their enemies - namely, Israel - off the face of the earth." (ibid)
Jewish Israelite Josh Frydenberg, Liberal MP for Kooyong, was adamant that Australia had a job to do on Iran in the United Nations. For Israel, that is: "Australia had 'a responsibility to use our chairmanship of the United Nations sanctions committee to do more to stop Iran'." (ibid)
Not to be outdone, Labor MP for Melbourne Ports and doyen of our Jewish Israelites, Michael Danby, always hugely aroused during such debates, ejaculated that "sanctions had halved Iran's oil exports, causing a loss of $50 billion 'in hard currency' in one year." (ibid)
Enough said. So next time you hear of a pay rise for our politicians, don't roll your eyes and curse. Focus instead of the valuable work they do for... Israel and know that the country - Israel that is - is in good hands.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Izzy Izzy Izzy, Oi Oi Oi
Remember my definition of rambamming?
Rambam (v): To be sponsored by smooth-talking Israel lobbyists in Australia for a grooming session conducted by tough-talking PR people in Israel with a view to the sponsored adopting the missionary position for Israel, when required, in Australia.
Now cop this:
"A parliamentary motion taking a strong line against Iranian nuclear proliferation will be debated in federal Parliament later this month. The motion, moved by federal MP Luke Simpkins and seconded by Jewish MP Josh Frydenberg, recognises that Iran's potential acquisition of a nuclear weapon poses a threat to the entire Middle East, specifically Israel, and calls for the government to take 'all possible steps to increase sanctions and isolate the regime and pressure it to allow free and unfettered access to International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.' Simpkins, who visited Israel in January, told The AJN a multi-party democracy, like Australia and Israel, is the only legitimate type of government." (Liberal MPs push for tough stance on Iran, The Australian Jewish News, 9/11/12)
Rambam (v): To be sponsored by smooth-talking Israel lobbyists in Australia for a grooming session conducted by tough-talking PR people in Israel with a view to the sponsored adopting the missionary position for Israel, when required, in Australia.
Now cop this:
"A parliamentary motion taking a strong line against Iranian nuclear proliferation will be debated in federal Parliament later this month. The motion, moved by federal MP Luke Simpkins and seconded by Jewish MP Josh Frydenberg, recognises that Iran's potential acquisition of a nuclear weapon poses a threat to the entire Middle East, specifically Israel, and calls for the government to take 'all possible steps to increase sanctions and isolate the regime and pressure it to allow free and unfettered access to International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.' Simpkins, who visited Israel in January, told The AJN a multi-party democracy, like Australia and Israel, is the only legitimate type of government." (Liberal MPs push for tough stance on Iran, The Australian Jewish News, 9/11/12)
Monday, February 6, 2012
Here We Go Again!
The latest batch of Australian polliewaffles recruited for processing in Israel:
"A delegation of 6 federal Coalition MPs travelled to Israel this week. Their program includes meeting Israeli political figures, visits to a range of facilities and locations, and briefings from experts on military, social and economic aspects of modern Israel. It is the third visit for Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher*, who previously visited Israel in 1986 as part of a student delegation and then again in 1999 in an Australian trade mission. Fletcher said he was pleased to have the opportunity to deepen his knowledge of Israel. 'I will be fascinated to see how Israel has changed since I was last there', he said. 'There is much to learn from Israel, including its remarkable economic success in developing and commercialising technology - in fields as diverse as satellite and radio communications, irrigation, desalination and biotechnology. Naturally our group will also be interested to learn more about Israel's security challenges and the prospects for a lasting peace in the Middle East'. Other participants are Tasmanian senator David Bushby**; Paterson MP and shadow minister for regional development and tourism Bob Baldwin; South Australian senator David Fawcett; Brisbane MP and shadow parliamentary secretary for international development assistance and shadow parliamentary secretary for citizenship and settlement Teresa Gambaro***; and Cowan MP Luke Simpkins****. The visit has been hosted by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council." (MPs visit the Holy Land, The Australian Jewish News, 3/2/12)
Just the sort of intelligent, free-thinking, eyes-wide-open sceptics Israel needs to win over to its side:
*Fletcher: "'The Rudd Government's decision to expel an Israeli diplomat is a gross overreaction' Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield said today. 'The state of Israel is the only genuine multiparty democracy in the Middle East. The ties of friendship and of shared values, between Australia and Israel, are longstanding. Even if we are disappointed with a friend - as we naturally would be if the allegations that Israeli security agencies forged Australian passports proved to be correct - there are more appropriate ways to express that disappointment. We should never forget that Israel must fight every day for its survival. Many countries in its region are hostile towards it. Some have openly stated their desire to see Israel destroyed'." (Expulsion of Israeli diplomat a gross overreaction, Press Release, paulfletcher.com.au, 25/5/10);
**Bushby was the bozo who meowed while Penny Wong was speaking in parliament in June last year;
***Gambaro was the boza who opined recently that migrants needed to be taught to use deodorant and to form a queue. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2006 she asserted that only "recognition throughout the Middle East of Israel's right to exist" can bring about a "lasting solution to the conflict." (Perspective, abc.net.au, 11/12/06);
**** Simpkins: "A WA Liberal MP has claimed Australians are unknowingly being converted to Islam by eating halal meat... Mr Simpkins said that Mohammed the prophet of Islam had talked of how the religion could be expanded around the world by getting people to eat halal meat. He reportedly said, 'The non-believers will become Muslims when, amongst other things, they eat the meat that we have slaughtered'. This is one of the key apects to converting non-believers to Islam', Mr Simpkins said. The petition tabled by Mr Simpkins had been organised by the Barnabas Fund, an organisation that supports Christians living in Muslim countries." (Halal meat converting Aussies: MP, Nick Butterly, The West Australian, 25/11/11)
[NB: For a full list of Australian rambammings, see my 30/3/09 post I've been to Israel too.]
"A delegation of 6 federal Coalition MPs travelled to Israel this week. Their program includes meeting Israeli political figures, visits to a range of facilities and locations, and briefings from experts on military, social and economic aspects of modern Israel. It is the third visit for Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher*, who previously visited Israel in 1986 as part of a student delegation and then again in 1999 in an Australian trade mission. Fletcher said he was pleased to have the opportunity to deepen his knowledge of Israel. 'I will be fascinated to see how Israel has changed since I was last there', he said. 'There is much to learn from Israel, including its remarkable economic success in developing and commercialising technology - in fields as diverse as satellite and radio communications, irrigation, desalination and biotechnology. Naturally our group will also be interested to learn more about Israel's security challenges and the prospects for a lasting peace in the Middle East'. Other participants are Tasmanian senator David Bushby**; Paterson MP and shadow minister for regional development and tourism Bob Baldwin; South Australian senator David Fawcett; Brisbane MP and shadow parliamentary secretary for international development assistance and shadow parliamentary secretary for citizenship and settlement Teresa Gambaro***; and Cowan MP Luke Simpkins****. The visit has been hosted by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council." (MPs visit the Holy Land, The Australian Jewish News, 3/2/12)
Just the sort of intelligent, free-thinking, eyes-wide-open sceptics Israel needs to win over to its side:
*Fletcher: "'The Rudd Government's decision to expel an Israeli diplomat is a gross overreaction' Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield said today. 'The state of Israel is the only genuine multiparty democracy in the Middle East. The ties of friendship and of shared values, between Australia and Israel, are longstanding. Even if we are disappointed with a friend - as we naturally would be if the allegations that Israeli security agencies forged Australian passports proved to be correct - there are more appropriate ways to express that disappointment. We should never forget that Israel must fight every day for its survival. Many countries in its region are hostile towards it. Some have openly stated their desire to see Israel destroyed'." (Expulsion of Israeli diplomat a gross overreaction, Press Release, paulfletcher.com.au, 25/5/10);
**Bushby was the bozo who meowed while Penny Wong was speaking in parliament in June last year;
***Gambaro was the boza who opined recently that migrants needed to be taught to use deodorant and to form a queue. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2006 she asserted that only "recognition throughout the Middle East of Israel's right to exist" can bring about a "lasting solution to the conflict." (Perspective, abc.net.au, 11/12/06);
**** Simpkins: "A WA Liberal MP has claimed Australians are unknowingly being converted to Islam by eating halal meat... Mr Simpkins said that Mohammed the prophet of Islam had talked of how the religion could be expanded around the world by getting people to eat halal meat. He reportedly said, 'The non-believers will become Muslims when, amongst other things, they eat the meat that we have slaughtered'. This is one of the key apects to converting non-believers to Islam', Mr Simpkins said. The petition tabled by Mr Simpkins had been organised by the Barnabas Fund, an organisation that supports Christians living in Muslim countries." (Halal meat converting Aussies: MP, Nick Butterly, The West Australian, 25/11/11)
[NB: For a full list of Australian rambammings, see my 30/3/09 post I've been to Israel too.]
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