Latham thinks the Eureka Stockade flag would be a great flag for Australia. So do the BLF and, according to Christopher Pearson in todays Australian, so does the Maoist Australian Independence Movement.

There’s still the related issue of the flag. As far as I can determine, he’s never resiled from his 1992 preference: “The Eureka model is a fine starting point and says a lot about the Australian ethos ? standing up for your rights and bearing adversity. It is time to reassess.” Indeed it is. Considering that the Eureka Stockade flag was the emblem for the Maoist Australian Independence Movement ? as contaminating an association as there ever was ? can Latham still seriously be entertaining the idea?

I too thought it could be a good choice until I noticed the BLF had beaten the country to it. How can a flag, that had once symbolised union thuggery, every be considered to be symbolic of the country overall? No way, I thought, and I put that issue aside as did the vast majority of Australians.

Go for it, Latham. We conservatives must encourage Latham in every stupid move he makes.

When I was first posted to Queensland in the mid 70s I soon decided not to read the front page of the local Courier Mail. While Joe Bjelke-Petersen’s National Party were in power they didn’t seem to follow the Westminister system of government. With no Liberal Party presence I gave Queensland politics the flick and concentrated on complaining or commenting about national politics.

Although I didn’t like Joe’s manner I fondly recall his answer to striking electricity workers who held the state to ransome for some weeks or months.

Go back to work, he said, or I will publish all your names and addresses in the press and the people can tell you what they think of your stand.

It worked and Queensland got thier power back

Time marched on, Joe left and I resigned from the Army. No longer obliged to be apolitical I joined the New National Party and helped in the post 86 elections. I eventually left, disenchanted with the power plays and egos of those on the periphery of politics and abysmal standards of some aspirants.

I now reside in the state without thought to politics at least while Labour is in the ascendency and my beloved Liberals can hold their AGM in a telephone booth.

Beattie, the media tart, will get back in albeit with a reduced minority and I figure it will take at least two terms of government before the conservative side of Queensland politics can offer any sort of threat.

Until then, I’ll return to my original stand on local politics and avoid the first few pages of the Courier Mail.

Or is it just The Age?

This article appears in todays Age but for the life of me I can’t find it in any on-line Indonesian press.

Australia’s decision to look at buying sophisticated warships armed with long-range anti-missile defences was clearly aggressive and would be considered by the Indonesian parliament, a leading opposition MP in Jakarta said today.

Djoko Susilo, a member of the Indonesian parliament’s commission for security, defence and foreign affairs, said Australia’s consideration of air warfare destroyers for the navy capable of shooting down ballistic missiles in space was an aggressive move.

The Jakarta Post doesn’t mention it. Go see. One would think if a local senior opposition politician critisized Australia it would make to the local press.

Antara, the Indonesian News Service doesn’t mention it. While you’re there look at the International section. Nope. Not a mention.

Tried Googling and although my Indonsesian is a bit rusty these days I cant find any mention of Djoko getting up Australia.

Went to AAP and if they mention the item, it’s well hidden.

The Age wouldn’t have an anti-Howard agenda, would they? No, impossible. Must be me, ‘getting old – can’t read’ or just maybe ‘getting old – getting cynical’.