JEFF RICHARDS' WEB DIARYNOTES FROM THE FRINGES OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY(Untitled)- June 30, 2003 The Governor General On the weekend the prime Minster announced the appointment of a new governor general for Australia. The new GG is has a military background, having served bravely during Vietnams war of national liberation. This choice is designed with the next election in mind. It will help erase the memory of the unfortunate Peter Hollingworth. Some voices from the republican movement were heard to mention the possibility of opening up the system by which the GG is chosen. The issue of...http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/06/30.html#a90 (Untitled)- June 22, 2003 Elite Division over the Invasion of Iraq It has been fascinating to witness the current conflict among political elites in the US and UK over the way in which intelligence information about the former Baath Regime has been handled. I had expected nothing but an orgy of triumphalism, but we see a huge argument about the accuracy of intelligence about pre war Iraq&146;s military capabilities. It is to be expected that the opponents of the war would try and make the best of a bad situation by...http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/06/22.html#a89 (Untitled)- June 20, 2003 Beazley and Crean The struggle between Kim Beazley and Simon Crean was not about policy. This was not a contest of different policy agendas. I have argued in the past that there are no substantial differences among the two. Both would adhere to fiscal conservatism; both would continue with privatisation agendas (although they would do it in a different way from the coalition). There are many elements that make up this conflict. It was about the contest among state branches for control of the...http://blogs.salon.com/0001112/2003/06/20.html#a88 |