Petition for Tony the Tiger
January 25, 2012
Tony the Tiger
Happy (Chinese) New Year! I’m enjoying a lazy summer and I am immersed in the Australia/India Test cricket matches and the Australian Tennis Open. I’m off to Melbourne to see the semi-finals etc. I’m THINKING about the imminent and overdue next blog!
I thought, however, that many of you would like to sign this petition for Tony the Tiger to be released into an animal sanctuary.
For background information refer to this link.
It seems due to appeals against successful court rulings in Tony’s favour, and yet another lawsuit filed by his owner, Tony is still in his cage. Also deeply concerning is talk of Tony being sent to a “roadside zoo”, hence the word “reputable” in the petition.
VEOLIA ENVIRONMENT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2011: I love this annual exhibition of Wildlife photography which travels widely. It is now at the Australian Museum, Sydney until 18 March 2012. We are reminded how beautiful nature is, but fragile, endangered and at risk, like these pelicans rescued from the oil spill in Louisiana.
Photo by Daniel Beltrá Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 Winner
THE WORLD: What a difference a few weeks or even a day can make. More people killed by their own governments in the Middle East, the illegal invasion of Iraq over and US troops withdrawn, protests begun in Russia, and the unknown future of North Korea and the region with the death of Kim Jung-Il in North Korea. Those crocodile tears! But the EU are still unable to solve their problems and ease global financial uncertainty.
DURBAN: One hundred and ninety four countries including the world’s worst greenhouse gas emitters DID sign up to a 2015/20 agreement of sorts in Durban at the United Nations Climate conference. Emissions from fossil fuel burning and cement production grew by 5.9% last year to a record high of more than 9 billion tonnes of carbon. There are reasons for some optimism however – even if driven by factors such as unsafe urban air pollution levels. China is positioned to benefit most in the renewable energy economies. 9.6% of Australian energy comes from renewables, but there are plans to export even more coal, enough to drive carbon emissions above world targets.
EU: If it wasn’t so serious, it has been fascinating learning more about the EU - such as the dominance of Germany with France playing second fiddle. How marginalised could the UK become and what are the implications? Germany has obviously benefited most from the EU – it has been a good export market for them, and if low on profitability, it has provided good employment as they recovered from their reunification. The Germans don’t like the debt of their profligate neighbours and do not want to compensate them for their perceived laziness. Other smaller EU countries have found it harder to benefit. Suddenly there are echoes of their not so recent wars and histories, like the German fear of hyperinflation from the Weimar Republic days.
Photo by Jack Salzke Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011
PUTIN: Good to see that posturing Putin put on notice and an Arab Spring come to Russia although it is a potentially very dangerous confrontation – Putin is a very formidible opponent.
MIDDLE EAST: My friend emails from Egypt, in one long sentence: “The Muslim Brotherhood will be good for the general population and give them again a sense of dignity after having none under Mubarak, they are really only interested in business and money so their religious fervour will be curbed by that, the army will not leave but act in the shadow to give an impression of a civilian state, it might be a slight improvement, but the liberals and artists and intellectuals, the ones who started the revolution will in fact gain nothing and might lose again.” In recent days however, protesters, including women, are being beaten and shot at and killed by their government.
In Tunisia there has been a successful election and the Opposition installed, but unpopular leaders are hanging on in Bahrain and Yemen. In Syria Assad is living in a parallel universe accepting no responsibility for the killing of his citizens, and in his interview with Barbara Walters he said words to the effect “No ruler would shoot his own people”. It has become a family tradition. I suppose the big news is the US troops leaving Iraq but one can only feel sad – hundreds of thousands of deaths, a trillion dollars, sectarian violence and an unstable future. A warrant for the arrest of the Vice President was not a good start to “democratic” Iraq. Like many others around the world I marched against the illegal invasion of Iraq, but it gives no satisfaction to still believe we were right!
I read in the SMH 20 Bedouin communities between Jerusalem and Jericho are to be relocated (again) close to a municipal rubbish dump on the edge of Jerusalem. The report said this had been described as part of a strategic plan for a ring of Jewish settlements that would cut East Jerusalem off from the West Bank and would make a contiguous Palestine state impossible.
I hope it is a reason for optimism that Hamas in their rapprochement with Fatah, while still not acknowledging the state of Israel, has said it is shifting it’s emphasis from”armed struggle to non-violent resistance”. Hopefully this means no more rockets and mortars will be fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip. 550 more Palestinians have been released as promised from Israeli jails.
Iran is angry that the Hamas leadership in exile are relocating from Syria, and have consequently cut their funding – an example of the many changing scenarios and allegiances in the Middle East.
Obama, Mr Cool, has seen his approval rating among US Jewish voters fall from 78% to 54%. Luckily for him the Republican Presidential candidates to date have been a circus.
Photo by Hui Yu Kim, Veolia Environment Wildlife Photograph of the Year 2011
UK RIOTS: It was interesting to read a report into the riots – the background was a pervasive sense of injustice, and for some this was economic, with a lack of money, jobs or opportunities, but also a significant factor behind the riots was a “widespread anger and frustration at the way police engage with the communities”.
AUSTRALIAN ISSUES: The PM survived a tough year with a hung parliament (described by some as episodes of Survivor). Just as abysmal polls rise slightly, the unhelpful distraction of Gillard/Rudd/Shorten? leadership tensions emerge. The Government handled the GFC extremely well, in my opinion, but will be tested again. Our current national shame is the months old stalemate between both parties over the processing of asylum seekers off-shore. Both agree with it, but not which countries to do it in. Meanwhile people are dying in their attempts to reach Australia – possibly 180 drowned last weekend which may finally force some action. The Indonesian Government has halved the number of Australian live cattle exports as pay back for the temporary ban after the footage of conditions in Indonesian abatoirs were shown on Australian television. There has not been an equivalent public outcry over the 180 asylum seekers who have just drowned.
Our conservation issues should be uranium mining and sales to India, and coal, with mega mines planned in the Galilee Basin in Queensland with 375 million tonnes of coal a year capacity which by 2035 would be eating up 4% of the world’s carbon budget and 9% of the emissions set aside for coal.
“If this goes ahead, it will destroy our chances of keeping global warming to 2 degrees.” John Hepburn from Greenpeace commented.
There is finally a debate about the wholesale embracing of coal seam gas mining without any definitive environmental impact studies as yet. “Wind turbine” syndrome is being discussed – do wind farms actually affect health? Perhaps if you live near by, but are not being paid well to host them! Water management, particularly in the Murray –Darling River basin is being fiercely fought over with the impossible task of pleasing local communities, farmers and irrigators. From an environmental point of view, 4,000 gigalitres (GL=a billion litres) of water needs to be returned to the river, and the current proposal is for 3573 gigalitres by 2019.
A court decision has for the time being blocked plans for a big $30 billion liquefied natural gas terminal in the Kimberley region. The clearing of the site may have been in breach of the WA Aboriginal Heritage Act, and unresolved issues include sacred Aboriginal sites, a divided Aboriginal community, and environmental and heritage concerns.
Photo by Marc McCormack Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011
WHALING: The Japanese Antarctic whaling fleet has set out with a target of 900 whales in 3 months for “scientific data”. There are bound to be confrontations with the Sea Shepherd who last year kept their total number to 17% of their target. The hunt has been described as an expression of national pride – or that the Japanese are sick of being lectured to. It is now however as provocative as it is anachronistic. To protect the expedition the Japanese Government have given the project $28 million from earthquake/tsunami relief money!
MISC STATS: China has $US3.2 trillion in foreign exchange reserves; Chinese trade with Australia is worth $105 billion; 271 (US dollar) billionaires in China (this has doubled since 2010), 400 in America, 57 in India, 35 in Australia; 600 million mobile phone users in China, 500 million in India; 40,000 Irish nationals left Ireland in the 12 months to April 2011; 150,000 Russians left home as well.
PREDICTION: Hong Kong to emerge as the world’s financial centre.
HIV: 34 million people live with HIV. There are 2.7 million new infections each year. Fortunately drugs are prolonging lives but of the $22 billion funding required now, only $16 billion is available.
BRADLEY MANNING & ASSANGE: It is interesting watching the Bradley case unfold, with the portrait being painted of his unstable behaviour something his superiors should not just have ignored. Some people think that the US Government would like him to plead guilty, get a reduced sentence and be used as a witness against Wikileaks and Assange. Julian has won the right to appeal against his extradition to Sweden. I hope the treaty between the UK and Sweden prevents him from being extradited to the US. In the absence of any support from the Australian Government, quite a few prominent Australians have written an open letter to Foreign Minister Rudd asking him to protect Julian Assange from rendition to the US.
CONGRATULATIONS: “The Protester” TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2011.
OCCUPY WALL STREET: The small Sydney contingent are still camped in Martin Place. There seems some sort of tacit arrangement with the police, but with on going harassment - like taking away some items of “public hazard”, and just recently, tents and sleeping bags.
JOHN DARLING: John Darling, poet, artist and film maker was farewelled in a moving ceremony in Perth that brought together the cross cultural influences of Aboriginal, Christian and Balinese Hinduism customs and belief. I spoke, and quoted an academic who said “John’s contribution to Australian understanding of Indonesia was unique” - although John had asked that he would prefer to have his “essence” discussed. He was indeed a beautiful person. Tjokorda Gde Mahatma Putra Kerthyasa oversaw the appropriate Balinese rituals with grace, and when he spoke, conveyed moving words from his father, the Prince of Ubud. There was a Memorial service in Melbourne, to be followed by a ceremony in Bali.
My thoughts are with those that have also lost family members or friends, and those living with illness.
Tjokorda Gde Mahatma Putra Kerthyasa in Perth for John Darling's ceremony. Photo by Made Wijaya
VALE: Christopher Hitchens. I am reading Arguably, a marvellous collection of Hitchen’s essays and articles. My friend Mandy said I should read his memoir Hitch-22 first.
VOICELESS WRITING PRIZE: To advance public understanding of the relationship between humans and animals – see www.voiceless.org.au.
MAIL: Thanks for the emails, Christmas wishes, and sharing your stories on the blog and on the A Lion Called Christian website. Some people have had trouble leaving a “comment” on the blog – please email me directly if you are having trouble with this. A Lion Called Christian showed again on Saturday night and I get such nice emails or messages each time. This year Christian’s story has become better known in India and I’ve loved receiving emails and stories from there. Thanks to Therasa, my sister Lindy, and Kylie for their help with the blog.
CHANEE: See Chanee’s latest video Sounding off about the forests about the deforestation caused by palm oil plantations. As I write this now, the tallest tree I can see from my windows, is being cut down. I wonder what the offence is – too old? Too high? Blocking someone’s view? I feel guilty that I never walked to the base of the tree and admired it up close and now it is gone.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS: One can probably still buy online practical and useful Christmas presents from various Aid organisations. From pigs, cows and goats to fruit trees, clean water and immunisation and educational needs. I can’t really personally vouch for them but see CARE www.caregifts.org.au – gifts. Also see www.worldvision.com.au/gifts and www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au. WSPA also have gift suggestions. At this time many unsuitable pets are given as gifts and later discarded. This year it is ”Red Dog” kelpie puppies (after the movie), but these dogs are sheep dogs and belong in the country.
SEASONS GREETINGS: Merry Christmas if you celebrate it, and hopefully some happy and relaxed time with family, friends and pets! Happy New Year – some have predicted next year will be big, but the scientists have assured us it won’t be the end of the world! Good luck for the undoubted challenges and delights that lie ahead in 2012.
Perth November 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
SUMMER: I have been in Perth and the photograph (above) is of the beach at Scarborough, opposite my hotel. Tempting as the water looks there have been several recent shark attacks on Perth beaches. I always say I haven’t been in the sea since seeing Jaws, now many years ago – and it is virtually true. The Australian native flowers in Perth gardens and parks, and at home in Bundeena, have been especially beautiful and already the temperatures are quite hot. Apologies to everyone going into winter!
OCCUPY WALL STREET: I was away and missed the most recent Sydney Occupy Wall Street rally. Responses by the police removing ostensibly peaceful protesters from their sites everywhere are getting more heavy-handed. There is an attitude “OK you have made your point, now go home”. Sorry, but I don’t think it is going to work like that. I don’t know if the Sydney group has set up a new camp. Their absence of “leadership” and specific objectives is quite fascinating, and the organic growth of the movement still seems to be gaining momentum. They have certainly made the world – and presumably politicians - take notice.
JULIAN ASSANGE: Australia does not seem to be assisting this Australian citizen in any way and I imagine Julian will appeal after losing his High Court battle in the UK against his extradition to Sweden. I’ve been looking up some of the economic and political websites and blogs mentioned at the Occupy rally or by WikiLeaks sympathisers. Most have been very informative, but some are quite scary. I try not to be into conspiracy theories but then again I think I’m often very naive. Fascinating and enigmatic as Julian is, I’ve only read edited sections of his “unauthorised autobiography” in newspapers.
RAFA: While Julian may have disowned his autobiography, Rafael Nadal said he hadn’t even read his own “autobiography”! I found it very interesting. The exceptional natural abilities, mental and physical toughness, and the unavoidable discipline and hard work required to make a sports star. Then there are other factors like luck, the other competitors (Federer ahead of him, and Djokovic emerging behind him), and the ever present risk of injury. Rafa is very tough mentally and can exclude all superfluous thoughts – like losing the last point. He is surrounded by a very good team and family. He has an effective if prickly relationship with his coach his Uncle Tony, who has taunted him as a “Mummy’s boy”. Every morning, no matter how late to bed, Rafa is on the court , or in the gym. I’m looking forward to the Australian Open in Melbourne in January – Rafa was injured last year.
TONY THE TIGER: The victory in his court case has been the best news. I have been trying to ascertain from the ALDF if he is still in his cage at the Truck Stop, and I fear he is. What will the “owner” do with Tony, and can he appeal the decision? Who will decide Tony’s subsequent future? The ALDF and Dee de Santis will keep us informed hopefully.
Copyright WSPCA
ANIMAL NEWS: Read WSPA’s latest bear news here. Also, you can read the new Minding Animals Bulletin #8.
BIPARTISANSHIP: In Australia we have political bipartisanship only about ”hot” and often difficult issues. Aboriginal issues are often bipartisan, with both parties at the moment supporting an ill conceived and uninvited “intervention” in remote Aboriginal communities some of which are admittedly facing seemingly insurmountable social problems. It suits both political parties to acquiesce with each other in these failed policies.
Because of our alliance with the US, both parties also agree over war, with our involvement in Afghanistan (and Iraq). However 72% of Australians want our troops to come home – 32 Australian deaths in Afghanistan, and the last few have been killed by rogue Afghans from troops they have been “mentoring”.
Obama has just whizzed through Australia charming everyone and now we are to have American troops stationed here in a few years in northern Australia. Obama is trying to extricate America from the Middle East, and has committed America to the Asia-Pacific region and its growing economic opportunities. Does this enhance Australia’s security or make us more of a target? How will China, who has been keeping the Australian economy afloat, react to this? The move has been interpreted as an attempt to “contain” China, and we have been reminded “Chinese strategic missiles can reach Australia”.
Israel is also a bipartisan issue and our government was one of only 14 countries that recently voted against Palestine’s admission to UNESCO. Although 107 countries supported Palestinian membership, the move has been described as “detrimental to the peace process”. What “peace process” one may ask? The US is now refusing to pay their $60 million contribution to UNESCO. Israel as a punishment is withholding at least $US100 million in tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority and fast-tracking new settlement development. It was refreshing to hear just how frustrated Obama really is with Netanyahu.
I wish there was a humane bipartisanship in Australia over asylum seekers and refugees rather than the blatant “race to the bottom” playing to the worst and most uncharitable instincts in the Australian population. There have been yet more recent drownings in an unsafe boat setting off from Indonesia.
Up to 30 Indonesian children, who were possibly unwitting crew members on these “people-smuggler boats”, are languishing in our jails, while our media is hysterical over a 14 year old Australian busted for buying marijuana and boasting about it in Bali.
Bundeena November 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
CLIMATE CHANGE: Australia’s Clean Energy Bill has passed the Senate. Al Gore sent a message:
“With this vote, the world has turned a pivotal corner in the collective effort to solve the climate crisis… Today we celebrate. Tomorrow, we do everything we can to ensure that this legislation is successful.”
Rupert Murdoch has assumed Chairmanship of News Ltd in Australia, and appointed a new CEO. I was amused to read in his The Australian, that a prominent US physicist and global-warming sceptic in trying to disprove climate scientists were wrong, discovered that they were right – temperatures were rising rapidly. However, true to form, another report in the newspaper found “an international statesman” who described international carbon trading as “halfway between a fantasy and a fraud”.
The US Department of Energy has calculated the global output of carbon dioxide has jumped by the biggest amount on record, and a draft UN report finds that man-made climate change has boosted the frequency or intensity of floods, cyclones, wildfires, heat waves etc., and this is likely to increase.
As I have previously mentioned, China is acting on climate change and their emissions, but they are also being forced into action because their air is so polluted. I remember the sky was brown in Shanghai when I was there just before their EXPO in 2010.
Our own inimitable Cardinal Pell says it is “immoral” to spend money attempting to prevent climate change. I would say future generations will say it was “immoral” to do nothing about it.
Bundeena November 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
CSG: Both coal seam gas and liquefied natural gas are expected to benefit in the short term from the price on carbon, because they generally emit fewer greenhouse gases than coal and at present they are cheaper than solar, wind or geothermal power. There are 4,000 coal seam gas wells sunk in Queensland already, and plans for as many as 40,000 more! However the technique used (known as “fracking”) apparently caused a small earthquake in the UK recently, and the long term effects on water tables through this process and the use of chemicals etc., are still unknown.
In Queensland, dredging in ports to facilitate CSG export facilities is endangering The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area ecosystem. You can show your concern by signing this GetUp! petition.
MINING: The Government is still trying to implement a Mining Tax against great opposition from most of the millionaire miners. Apparently most companies pay as little as 14% taxation, and 83% of the companies are foreign-owned. Shamefully, Canada is selling vast amounts of asbestos to countries like India for cheap (and possibly life-threatening) housing (Foreign Correspondent 8 Nov ABC). The Australian Government seems to be about to overturn our ban on uranium sales to India which was based on the fact that India is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. This has been a long running impediment in our relationship with India who, despite what happened in Fukushima, Japan, is aiming at a total of 65 nuclear reactors.
RHINOS: As I have previously blogged African elephants are in an ”extinction vortex”. Africa’s Western Black Rhino, however, has been declared extinct and other sub-species may also be facing extinction. Read more in this LA Times article.
A LION CALLED CHRISTIAN: I send a copy of the book or DVD of A Lion Called Christian to any children’s hospitals I read about and I received a letter back from one saying that Christian’s story was proving to be effective “distractive therapy” – an expression I hadn’t heard before. I’m so pleased to think this can sometimes help those children facing often dire medical procedures or futures.
The books are available in digital versions and I have included links below. I’m sort of surprised that Christian’s story continues to inspire people – except his life was so exceptional!
iBooks: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/a-lion-called-christian/id437005297?mt=11
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Lion-Called-Christian-ebook/dp/B0038LB3Z4/
WHSmith: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/eBooksProductDetails.aspx?productID=KB00104739541
Audley Weir National Park Sydney, November 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke
BLOGGING: I finally caught up with the film Julie & Julia which I enjoyed despite Meryl Streep’s no doubt good impersonation of Julia Child’s voice. I was interested in the blogging – Julie was at it day by day, which I am not, and much more personal. I don’t want to inflict on you my daily feelings, mood swings and neuroses. Over a two or three week period what I want to comment on emerges – even if some of it is quite dated by then. Blogging offers all of us the chance to express what we feel about the world, as many of us feel a certain impotence. I’ve let you know I’ve had a life after owning a lion when I was young, and had a career in Aboriginal art which I have found fascinating. In a blog I’m able to talk about other things that I find important or that interest me and I like the way it ends up a sort of diary.
Primarily, however, I hope the blog is a valuable global noticeboard about anyone doing interesting work or campaigning in relation to conservation and animal rights and welfare issues. This very much also depends on your contributions. If we together have helped in any way to free Tony the Tiger, for example, I think that is just wonderful.
I get many more emails than “comments” on the blog – perhaps many of you are rather like me and prefer a one-on-one communication, rather than a more public discourse.
MISC STATS: nearly 4000 protesters dead in Syria so far (and thousands of defecting Syrian soldiers joining the protests); 800 million Facebook users; Justin Bieber’s over 2 billion hits on YouTube overtaking Lady Gaga (his voice is breaking); 7 billion people in the world and 30 million millionaires; Chinese artist Ai Weiwei accused of owing $2.27 million in back taxes ( people are throwing money over his wall); 500 have died in the floods in Thailand; George Soros’ accurate prediction that the deal to fix the Eurozone/Greek financial crisis would last between 1 and 30 days – it lasted 4 days (good luck to the new governments in Greece and Italy); Brazil overtakes the UK as the world’s 6th biggest economy; Australia judged the second best country to live in after Norway!
I’m reading and loving The Colony: A History of Early Sydney by Grace Karskens, uncomfortably watching The Slap on TV, loved k.d.lang’s great voice at her concert, and I was in awe and humbled in the presence of many of Picasso’s own Picassos at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Audley Weir National Park Sydney, November 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
Victory for Tony the Truck Stop Tiger!
November 7, 2011
Many of you will already have heard this very good news. I was thrilled to receive this message last week.
I am still unsure when Tony will be released into the custody of the ALDF or an accredited animal sanctuary. Many thanks for your support. ACE
Hi Ace
How are you? I want to thank you for supporting Tony. I don’t know if you already heard the news, but The Animal Legal Defense Fund was victorious in their hearings for Tony on Wednesday Nov. 2
The judge ordered The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to revoke the current permit and prohibited it from issuing any new permits to the Truck Stop.
Please see the update from ALDF here: http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1859.
Thank you again for caring about Tony and bringing his story to more people through your blog.
FOR TONY
Dee De Santis
Tony the Tiger
ALDF: Victory For Tony!! http://aldf.org/article.php?id=1859
ALDF: http://aldf.org/tony
Help Protect Captive Tigers in the U.S. – Deadline October 21, 2011 !! http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1801
Tony on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FreeTonyTheTiger
Tony on WordPress: http://freetonythetiger.wordpress.com/
Big Cat Rescue’s Free Tony: http://www.freetony.com
Tony on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FreeTonyTheTiger
Tony on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/FreeTonyTiger
http://twitter.com/#!/TonyTiger2000
Petitions For Tony:
http://www.change.org/petitions/speak-out-for-tony-the-truck-stop-tiger
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6207
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/129/272/008/
“The greatest of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Occupy Wall Street, Carbon Tax, Democracy, Bush Heritage, Art Galleries, Live Cattle Exports, Ohio slaughter, Mailbag and Christian the Lion
October 29, 2011
Occupy Wall Street, Martin Place Sydney 22 October 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
OCCUPY WALL STREET: The Occupy Wall Street movement began on 17 September in New York when 1,000 protesters marched on Wall Street, protesting about the failure of the government to crack down on the practices that led to the financial collapse, the government’s bail out of financial institutions and a financial system that has allowed 1% of Americans to hold more than a quarter of the nation’s wealth.
The movement has spread to many cities around the world and has become a metaphor for many things that decent ordinary people, the 99%, are feeling. I went to the rally in Martin Place, Sydney last weekend. The protesters who were camping there were bundled out at 5am the next morning and this had happened the day before in Melbourne, where the protest was broken up, with ensuing violence, by over 400 police. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne spoke very disparagingly about the protesters, and some commentators are confusing what they interpret as a “sense of entitlement” with a legitimate “sense of outrage”. It was a small crowd at the Sydney rally, and in Australia at the moment there is not the middle class following (and celebrity endorsement) that the movement has in the US – but the current economic and employment situation in the US is much more dire. Another rally is scheduled for 5 November – presumably in Martin Place.
I asked some of the mostly young protesters how one could support them. They don’t seem to be into internet activism, they aren’t targeting businesses or politicians – I think they are creating a space for people to think about and debate “corporate greed”, and they presume politicians will be paying attention. Before being disbanded, people were invited at 6pm each evening to talk about related issues and everyone voted on any suggestions or recommendations. They weren’t even especially interested in my donation.
At the rally I ran into an old friend John Shipton – Julian Assange’s father. It must be quite worrying to have a son described as “the most dangerous man in the world”, and Julian has certainly changed the world and made us aware of just how much information is withheld from us by our governments. WikiLeaks is facing a financial blockade from US based financial companies and the publishing operation will be suspended until the financial crisis is solved.
Last time I saw John he was very interested (and amused) by the Christian the Lion internet phenomenon that we were caught up in – but our experience seems pretty tame and Walt Disney in comparison with Julian.
John was at the rally to listen to Steve Keen, an Associate Professor at the University of Western Sydney and author of Debunking Economics. Keen is described in Wikipedia as a “post-Keynesian criticising both modern neoclassical economics and (some of) Marxian economics as inconsistent, unscientific and empirically unsupported.”
Occupy Wall Street, Martin Place Sydney 22 October 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
The “trickle-down theory” that everyone would benefit if the rich got richer, has been disproved. There are now apparently 1,210 billionaires in the world with a total worth of $US4.5 trillion. With this year’s annual reporting season beginning, for the first time Australian shareholders will be able to exercise their right to protest over the obscene level of pay some executives are receiving. From this year on, if 25% of shareholders vote against the salary packages of executives and directors two years running, the entire board will be spilled.
Our airline Qantas seem to be locked in a fight to the death with 3 different unions. Is CEO Allan Joyce’s attempt at a major restructure of Qantas and expansion into Asia worth his $5 million salary compared to the CEOs of Cathay Pacific ($1.4 million), Singapore Airlines ($982,000) and China Southern ($153,000)?
In Australia median pay for the CEO’s of our top 100 companies has rocketed by 131% in 10 years, with bonuses up by 190%. But the stock market value of those companies has increased by just 31%.
Summer whale migration. Source: SMH, photo by Liina Flynn
MANNERS: I think my primary school motto was “Manners Maketh Man”. The very successful writer Alexander McCall Smith has been in Australia to talk at a Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Various factors have contributed to social dysfunction in “The Broken Society” and the recent riots in England, including absent or hard working parents, Blair’s education policies, Cameron stripping back services, police powers to stop and search people etc. McCall’s “dangerous idea” was the absence of manners in society these days! He argued that manners act as a social lubricant and without them society and the community have suffered. Children especially are having less meaningful conversations and communication and have very little civic respect.
Tony Abbott Opposition Leader by Alan Moir, SMH
CARBON TAX: Although it is not to be implemented until July 2012, our carbon tax legislation has been voted in, with a price of $23 per tonne. However we have a very successful and totally negative Opposition Leader (see cartoon above) who has threatened to rescind the carbon tax and this is robbing business of the certainty they require – from investment in aging power stations to alternative energy sources. India and China are referred to as the new polluting economic giants – and they are in some respects, but India has a carbon tax and China plans to have an emissions trading scheme in six regions by 2013 and nationwide by 2015 and is positioning itself to benefit from new green economic opportunities.
Unfortunately there have been solar panel scams in Australia and the US. However, Chinese investment in solar has seen their market share increase from 5% to 54% in six years – compared to the US which has gone the other way – from 42% in 1997 to just 6% today.
Experts have been taken by surprise as to the extent of glaciers melting because of climate change from the Andes to across the Himalayas where lakes are forming which could cause catastrophic flooding. In Australia there is also noticeably less snow on our ski slopes.
DEMOCRACY: While people are taking to the streets and actually dying for “democracy” in some parts of the world, it may be inappropriate to question the effectiveness of democracy. However, the 24 hour media cycle, constant polling and focus groups, marginal seats, and the power of the shock jocks are all contributing factors to a dumbing down of the political discourse. Interestingly at a recent debate in Sydney on the State of Democracy the majority of people did not believe democracy is failing the world and that its disappointments should not be confused with its shortcomings. Arguments included: “democracy has defeated science” in relation to climate change for example; “democracy had reached a point of paralysis and inefficiency”; other models could include “a citizens senate or Confucian democracy”; and others argued democracy keeps “government accountable” and “fostered peace and innovation”.
BUSH HERITAGE: In my last blog I mentioned the work of The National Conservancy (TNC). The organisation Bush Heritage also successfully buys and rehabilitates land – like clearing it of sheep grazing and protecting threatened animals and plants. It began in 1990 with a grant from Greens leader Bob Brown to buy a property. Bush Heritage now owns almost a million hectares and over 33 reserves, and is aiming to protect 1% of Australia by 2025.
Nyapanyapa, Circles 2011 at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney
2011 Nigel Milson Untitled Judo House (Golden Mud) at Yuill-Crowley Sydney
Petrina Hicks Excalibur at Stills Gallery Sydney
GALLERY IMAGES: I had a run around some Sydney galleries last week and loved some exhibitions and works in their stock rooms. My favourite was the bark paintings by Aboriginal artist Nyapyanapa at Roslyn Oxley9 and I bought one. I have long admired Robyn Stacey, and her luxurious photographs in the exhibition House at the Museum of Sydney make us look at 19th century domestic life in a new way. There is an accompanying book, and I recently bought the book Museum, which contains Stacey’s equally stunning photographs based on the Macleay collection of entomological specimens.
Nigel Milsom’s scary paintings of dogs at Yuill/Crowley were inspired by reading Hess’ Steppenwolf and living near a greyhound racing track. You can see more images here on smh.com.au.
At Stills Gallery I saw an image of a dog by Petrina Hicks which has always rather haunted me.
ARAB FALL: An unpleasant, if not totally unexpected end for Gaddafi, and illustrative of the difficulties ahead for a transition to a better future. Difficulties include the interests of the various tribes that make up the Libyan people, and so many weapons in the country. Luckily oil will provide an economic base. The Tunisians, who have a very different history, have successfully held their “free and fair” elections, won by a moderate Islamic Party. It is a relief to have Gilad Shalit finally back home in Israel, exchanged for the 1,027 Palestinians released, or to be released, from prison. I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand the Israel/Hamas/Fatah/Syria/Iran/Hezbollah/Sunni/Shiite histories, strategies, agendas and alliances – but I hope for some progress, any progress, towards a more peaceful and secure life for them all. Protesters are still dying in Yemen and Syria, but footage that has been smuggled out is going to make convincing evidence against authorities for their crimes against humanity.
I see that Condoleeza Rice is trying to rewrite history and claim that the invasion of Iraq has contributed to the Arab Spring popular uprisings. This war has cost $US800 billion and 5,000US lives, and many many more civilian deaths. I think we will see just how “democratic” the government of PM Nouri al-Maliki is once the US withdraw all troops by the end of the year.
Interestingly, Noam Chomsky believes that the role of technology in the Arab uprisings has been exaggerated. “The core of the Arab Spring was really labour organisation. Take a look at Egypt; that was attributed to tech-savvy young people with Twitter. That’s not false, but there is a close correlation between long-term labour activism and the effectiveness of democracy movements.”
SHAME: Amnesty International recently visited the ironically named Utopia, a remote Aboriginal community in Central Australia, and was appalled by the living standards. The community feel they are being deliberately starved off their traditional land and being forced to relocate to other centres.
We should also be ashamed that in Australia we are detaining our relatively few asylum seekers (including children) for so long – some for over 2 years, that there are scandalous levels of mental illnesses and self harm.
2011 Jupiter kissing Ana Julia Torres. Photo by Luis Robayo, AFP Getty Images
LIVE CATTLE EXPORTS: The Government has accepted the recommendations of the review into Australia’s $1 billion live export industry. Exporters will have the responsibility for the welfare of animals (to World Organisation for Animal Health standards) from departure to the point of slaughter. Animal lobby groups object that stunning before slaughter is still not mandatory, and that the review did not address the conflict of interest of vets on board export vessels.
2011 Tigers from Animals in the News - Reuters, photo by Ilya Naymushin
OHIO: The slaughter of dozens of lions, tigers, bears and wolves set free from a private farm in Ohio has sparked calls for restrictions on the largely unregulated ownership of exotic pets in several US states. Eighteen Bengal tigers were shot – and there are only 1,500 left in the wild in India. There are approximately 2,884 pet tigers in the US but there is a certain amount of genetic manipulation with interbreeding between different sub species. I have been emailed recently about caged tigers and panthers used recently at extremely noisy sporting events in the US, with cheerleaders even performing on the roof of the cage, and of course Tony the Tiger’s predicament weighs on most of our minds. Read the SMH article here – http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/ohio-exotic-animal-slaughter-sparks-outrage-20111020-1m9wq.html.
Three Sumatran tiger cubs have made their first appearance at Taronga Zoo as part of the captive breeding program. Only 400 survive in the wild, their habitats and lives threatened by the palm oil industry and hunting.
DONKEYS: I’ve got several friends very concerned about the welfare of hard working donkeys. The Brooke has been working for over 75 years to help working donkeys, mules and horses in countries like Egypt, Pakistan, India, Ethiopia and Kenya. For more information see www.thebrooke.org/littledonkey.
2011 Kevin Richardscon copyright Barcroft Media
MAILBAG: Thanks to David for sending the beautiful, interesting and sometimes appalling images from Animals in the News from TheAtlantic.com, George for the email about the improper use of animals at sporting events, and Christine for the superb photographs of Kevin Richardson with his animals – especially the lions.
Thanks for sending these stories in. We post most of them on the www.alioncalledchristian.com.au website and we are building a great archive which people are enjoying.
Vanity Fair listed ways to support the protection of elephants and other endangered species.
CHRISTIAN THE LION: Thanks to Matthew for this YouTube link with a new version of Christian’s story reedited from the original footage.
MY PHOTOS: Some people sweetly commented on my photographs last blog. Bundeena is so beautiful and on my afternoon walks armed with my small trusty Lumix it is hard to go wrong – even without my glasses!
Reflections, Bundeena 2011. Photo by Ace Bourke.
