Friday, August 26, 2016

Poodles Pyne: Finding Inspiration in All the Wrong Places

Poodles Pyne is now arguably the only politician on Planet Earth ever to have claimed that he was inspired by Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne will lead a government push to secure Australia as the Asia-Pacific maintenance and sustainment hub for the Joint Fighter F-35 warplane, according to Defence sources... In a speech to defence industry figures last week in Melbourne, Mr Pyne said he wanted Australia's defence industry 'to become a major pillar of our economy'. He said he had been inspired by meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who told him France's decision under Charles de Gaulle to stop supplying high-tech arms to Israel had forced the tiny nation to develop its own domestic industry capability. 'Now Israel's defence industry is one of the great success stories of their economy', Mr Pyne said in the speech." (Pyne push to secure local hub for JSF maintenance, Greg Sheridan, The Australian, 25/6/16)

4 comments:

Grappler said...

Slightly off-topic, MERC, but this needs an airing. Last month the ABC made a big issue of the arrest of Mohammad el Halabi by the Israeli Government for apparently funnelling funds from World Vision Australia to Hamas, forcing Tim Costello to mount a valiant defence of World Vision Australia with little real information to go on. And then the ABC allowed this smear piece on its website (well we don't quite have all the facts yet but the always believable Israeli Government has alleged ...):

http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2016/08/17/4521237.htm

I've searched for a more recent report on el Halabi on the ABC without success. However, here is some interesting information that it failed to report:

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20160825-diplomats-israel-has-provided-no-evidence-against-indicted-world-vision-employee/

It is based on a report in the usually reliable Haaretz but behind a paywall. Here is the link the the Haaretz report:

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.738643

Is the ABC not interested in keeping its readers and listeners aware of how this issue is progressing, or as in cricket, does it only headline the news when its side is winning?

MERC said...

I got rid of my tv set ages ago. As for Radio National, on those rare occasions when my radio's on, all I seem to get are those tired old Zionist gatekeepers, Adams, Kohn and Doogue, and the sport-obsessed Fran Kelly. Friend of the ABC? Hardly.

Grappler said...

I never watch TV either, MERC, though have to admit there is one in the house. This item was a big issue on Radio National Breakfast earlier this month - not last month as I stated above. As I said, they wrong-footed Tim Costello by taking the Israeli Government report at face value, though he did very well in response - pointing out how it was difficult to see how the figures (income and expenditure) would stack up if the Israeli Government was correct.

I have actually taken to switching off Radio National as I drive in to work in the morning because of its slant on Middle East reporting. Its Middle East correspondent, Sophie McNeill, is, strangely enough, based in Jerusalem (Al Quds). In addition to the names you mentioned, I would add Fran Kelly, and the countless Washington think tank people - most of whom were proven liars over Iraqi WMD.

Grappler said...

Another thought. It was the previous Liberal Government, of which Pyne was a member, and indeed a Cabinet member, that rejected an Australian designed next generation submarine in favour of a French one, after having made a pre-election commitment to the Australian option. That would have been a big step towards Australia's defence industry becoming "a major pillar of the economy". A case of what Corman calls the "wibbly wobblies" I think.