Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Something Missing

Notice something missing here?:

"Tim Mathieson, the partner of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has quit his job with ALP benefactor and prominent Melbourne property developer Albert Dadon. A senior Jewish business figure last night told The Age his resignation had been 'inevitable' and that moving away from any such employment was 'the right thing to do'. Last month, The Age reported that if Labor won the election, Mr Mathieson would resign, with senior figures in Labor and the Jewish community concerned about his position with Mr Dadon's Ubertas property business. The ALP increasingly regards Mr Dadon as a conduit to donations, including from the Jewish business community. On the last Sunday before polling day he hosted a large breakfast function at his home, where Ms Gillard met members of the Jewish community. The Prime Minister's spokeswoman said Mr Mathieson had decided to resign from his job only because he wanted to pursue more advocacy and charity work, in line with his responsibilities 'as the partner of a Prime Minister'." (PM's partner quits property job with ALP benefactor, Rafael Epstein, The Age, 22/9/10)

That's right, not a whisper about Dadon's role as a leading Israel lobbyist and sponsor (through his Australia-Israel Cultural Exchange & Australia-Israel Leadership Forum) of Labor heavyweight visits to Israel (Gillard/Rudd in 2005; Gillard in 2009). Or about Gillard's declaration, in the lead-up to the last federal election, that Australia and Israel share a "unique bond [that] endures through good times and difficult ones," and promise to "take our friendship [with Israel] to new heights" should she remain prime minister (See my 20/8/10 post A Pre-Poll Breakfast Tradition).

1 comment:

Syd Walker said...

Is Rafael Epstein an Arab?