Monday, January 05, 2015



Australia’s Islamic leadership: condemning alcohol and regretting the death of a murderer

by Bernard Gaynor

Australia’s Islamic leadership: condemning alcohol and regretting the death of a murderer
Sigh.

Sometimes I despair for the future. It is difficult not to. Especially when supposed news organisations publish articles about the Lindt Café Islamic State murderer with the following quote:

“why exactly he took 17 people hostage inside a busy Sydney cafe with a gun and a fake bomb strapped to his chest, we may never know.”

We all know why Man Haron Monis did these things. He was following the blueprint laid out by Mohammad.

What we cannot possibly answer is this: why is news.com.au allowed to pretend to be a ‘news’ organisation? The only way anyone would know that what it publishes is allegedly ‘news’ is because it has the word ‘news’ in its web address. Otherwise, sensible people would simply assume they had stumbled upon the deluded musings of a bunch of 15 year old school girls and their cool, gay BFF. And sensible people would then flee from the site and never return.

I hate to say this, but news.com.au very often makes the ABC look like a bunch of professionals. And that is scary.

At least the good news is that Tony Abbott has called for a complete, thorough and transparent investigation into Man Haron Monis and how and why he ended up here in Australia and was then able to walk into a café with a shotgun.

I support this inquiry.  If it does what it should.

But I will also point out that it is likely to cost millions. And at the end of it we will probably be told that, unfortunately, there is nothing much we can do in a peaceful, democratic society to stop the Man Haron Monises of the world from doing what they do. And that would be a complete waste. So, free of charge, here is all the Prime Minister needs to know.

We need to stop the bleeding hearts from allowing people who believe that Mohammad was a good guy from coming into our country. And then these problems will disappear.  It’s that simple.

Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to happen and we’ll get a bunch of multicultural mumbo-jumbo.

And I will say bollocks to that right here and now. Peaceful and democratic does not mean unable to do anything to defend oneself. Mr Monis was only here because, under governments both Liberal and Labor, bleeding heart public servants decided that security was less important than stupidity.

I will say that again.  Our nation has made a virtue of stupidity.

As a result, people who hold the same beliefs as the Taliban and Osama bin Laden have been allowed to settle in Australia, claim social security payments and then plot and plan the death and destruction of the rest of us. They have even been able to write foul and abusive letters to the families of slain Aussie Diggers. And get away with it.

Given that, it is no surprise that they have now started taking lethal pot shots at innocent civilians.

This is the entirely logical outcome of the public policy settings of the last decades based on the assumption that multiculturalism is infallible.

And like they say in the movies, assumptions are the brothers of words starting with f and ending in up.

That is exactly what we have seen over the past few days.

And with ‘news’ organisations like news.com.au running around and setting the public agenda, not much is likely to change in the future. Because, for the most part, the journalists are a bunch bleeding heart morons with a death wish for this nation.

They can’t even report the news. They make up fairy tales instead. Like the ‘fact’ that the leadership of the Islamic community has condemned the ‘Lone Wolf’ Monis.

It has done no such thing. Instead, it has tailored its message for the audience. The Islamic community has been exhorted to withstand the heat and informed that ANIC regrets the way the siege ended. It’s the rest of Australia that’s been told the siege was not Islam at work.

And Monis had more social media followers than Australia’s Grand Mufti. So I don’t really know who the Grand Mufti speaks for anyway.

We can see the media’s bulldust when we look at the webpage of the Australian National Imam’s Council (ANIC).

For your information, ANIC are the same bunch of imams that wrote to the Federal Senate in October to tell our nation’s parliament that laws prohibiting the advocacy of terror infringed their religious freedom.

Not that you would know that. That little admission was not deemed ‘newsworthy’.

Yet it is the smoking gun, fired by the nation’s most senior Islamic cleric, that proves Islam is a violent ideology. No other religious organisation felt compelled to tell our 76 Federal Senators not to vote for new anti-terror laws because it impacted on their religious freedoms. I’m guessing that’s because none of the other religious organisations follow a religion that advocates terror. But, you never know, maybe the Islamic leadership were simply trying to defend their peaceful beliefs from the nutters out there offering to ride with oppressed hijab wearing women on the local bus.

Anyway, ANIC’s press releases over the last 8 days are very revealing.

In short, one has condemned a fake imam. And the other has expressed regret at Man Haron Monis’ demise. One has condemned alcohol. And the other has told the Islamic community to remain strong after one of its members murdered two Australians at Christmas time.

As this link shows, ANIC had a go at a fake imam on 10 December. His name is Mostafa Rashed. And he preached that you can drink alcohol as long as you don’t get drunk.

It is a message so outrageous that Australia’s Islamic leadership were compelled to act. Rashed has been named, shamed and condemned. And, guess what? The Koran was even quoted.

But can you find any press releases on ANIC’s website naming, shaming and condemning Monis? Or even quoting from the Koran about why coffee shop slaughter is not halal?

No. No. No and No.

There’s not one having a go at him for sending abusive letters to the families of Australian Diggers.

Not one having a go at him for being a fake sheikh.

Not one having a go at him for setting his ex-wife on fire.

There is not even a press release having a go at Monis after he was charged with 40 criminal sexual offences. For your interest, there is a press release praising marriage laws in Lebanon. They allow old men to make brides of nine year old girls.

In fact, there is no press release having a go at Monis for killing two people in the Lindt Café either.

There is a press release, however, expressing regret at the way the siege ended. I suppose that makes sense. After all, every Muslim in the Lindt Café was slain. That’s Islamophobia for you and it would also explain why ANIC then told the Islamic community to call the Multicultural hotline if they feel the slightest bit threatened by all the racist Australians out there.

So there you have it. Australia’s Islamic leadership have shown the capability and intent to name, shame and condemn fake imams when they break Islamic law. On alcohol. But not when other fake sheikhs make national news headlines for murder. Or sexual offences. Or sending letters to the families of Australia’s war dead.

ANIC obviously thinks that prohibition of alcohol is more important than coffee shop killings. That’s moderate Islam for you.

Now there’s a real news story. And that’s why you will never see it on news.com.au.

SOURCE






Fairfax rags support Muslim protection racket

Kirralee Smith’s introduction to Fairfax style journalism was a rude awakening for a country mum with a legitimate halal beef. She explains here:

“Sunday 28th December 2014 was either a very slow news day or halal certification rackets are finally getting the attention they deserve. Chris Johnston of The Age in Melbourne wrote a story called “Stewing over certifying halal” that was published in the print and online versions of The Age and Sun Herald.

“While it appeared in the “Extra” section of the print versions it was one of the top two trending stories online. And I use the word ‘story’ in the context of fiction and fairy tales.

“I gave Chris Johnston a very long and detailed interview over the phone quite a few weeks ago. I explained to him several times that I founded and direct Halal Choices – an online website and facebook page that aims to give Australian consumers accurate information about the halal certification status of products to give each person the ability to make an informed choice.

“Notice the word CHOICES. It was a deliberate decision to make that a part of our name. We believe most Australians are more than capable of making responsible choices but they need information to be able to do so.

“The catalyst for starting the website was that many companies, especially the big ones, like Cadbury, Nestle, Mars, Kelloggs and Sanitarium don’t respect the consumer enough to give them the choice. Close to 500 companies or brands on Australian supermarket shelves neglect to make plain and clear that they pay halal certification fees. It is not marked on the label and often it is quite difficult to find evidence on the website.

“Chris Johnston is described as a “Senior Writer” for The Age. I was under the impression that would mean experience, fairness and the reporting of facts. However Chris Johnston made a decision to write a piece of fiction about me.

“The opening statement of his story is, “Kirralie Smith is a permaculture farmer from northern NSW and a mother of three. She is also the public face of the virulent campaign to boycott halal food and products.”

“Well, he got my name right. And I do live in NSW.

“Calling me a permaculture farmer is ridiculous and I told him so several times. I have recently moved to a farm and we have aspirations to follow some permaculture principles. I made it clear that that part of my life has nothing to do with Halal Choices.

“I began Halal Choices in 2010. I moved to our farm 3 months ago! He was persistent in trying to get a photographer to my house to capture me farming. I refused, stating over and over again, that it had nothing to do with the report and no-one was coming to my house. He clearly had an agenda from the outset and was most unhappy I would not cooperate.

“Primarily I am a proud and happy wife and mother of three. That is who I am! I love my role as wife and mum and it is this that drives me to pursue Halal Choices for Australian consumers. I believe we all deserve the right to choose whether or not we want to participate with and fund Islamic religious practices. If you do, fine, it is your choice. But if you don’t, for whatever reason, you also should be able to choose. Islamic religious practices do not need to be imposed upon everyday Australians and we certainly don’t need to fund them.

“As for being ‘the public face of a virulent campaign to boycott halal food and products’ all Mr Johnston has done is prove his gross incompetence or deliberately deceptive agenda.

“There is a facebook page called “Boycott Halal in Australia.” I do not run it. I am not an admin. I don’t have any influence with the group other than they like or share some of my posts. I don’t represent or lead boycotts at all. I promote information and choices. Chris Johnston has been deliberately misleading in writing such a nasty, opinion based, harmful description of me in his opening paragraph and trying to pass it off as fact.

“But it says far more about him than it does about me.
“Even after asking him to correct this and apologise he changed a few words to make it more factual but the sentiment remains and no apology issued.

“The word virulent is especially nasty. It means, “(of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful in its effects.” In exposing his agenda to harm my reputation it confirms that the media is afraid of an intelligent and rational debate when it comes to giving accurate and extensive information about halal certification. It seems easier to try and stifle debate with petty name-calling and insults.

“He reports that I am concerned about the extra costs imposed on consumers. I explained to him that is certainly a factor BUT not our main concern. It is the deception and corruption which are much bigger factors. He omitted very key points as well as this. Yes halal certification has been linked to funding terrorism overseas and as yet there has been no thorough investigation into the Australian situation.

“What he omitted from my concerns is that nearly all the money raised goes to mosques in Australia, to build more mosques, Islamic schools and to support Islamic charities. Those pursuits need to be funded by the Islamic community, not every day Australians who are not even aware of it because the information is not on the label. We deserve a CHOICE!

“Mr Johnston reports that Fleurieu Milk lost their lucrative deal with Emirates as result of dropping halal certification. This is what many news agencies also reported in mid November. However, as of the 9th December Nick Hutchinson from Fleurieu said that the contract stills stands, it had not ceased at all.

“To his credit Chris Johnston did mention some of the corruption in the industry but was very careful not to target or demonise anyone else, even though I had passed on quite a few of the reports myself. I guess one house-wife, mother-of-three, aspiring-permaculture-farmer- villain is enough for any fairy tale about choices magically turning into boycotts.

“Be careful what you take in from the media. The apple might look bright and juicy but it could be laced with poison.”

SOURCE






The 2UE/2GB merger and how it may affect the news you hear

2UE & 2GB have been solid commercial rivals for close to 90yrs. As of today, two of Australia's oldest radio stations have the same ownership. Go back a decade or two and what’s happened today would be as unimaginable as Channels 7 and 9 merging or Parramatta and Manly becoming the same team – but this is a move for survival.

Both stations need to reduce costs to maintain profitability, as the share of advertising revenue going to radio is not keeping pace with rising operational expenses.

That said, I think people who think 2UE will cease being a talk station are misreading the market.

Despite all that the management has done to the station over the years, 2UE’s share of 4 or 5% listenership likes what’s there – and if 2UE wasn’t a talk station, they may go elsewhere and probably not to 2GB. It’s too great a risk for to many listeners for the new partnership.

2UE has a cumulative audience across the week of about 270k versus 2GB’s 520k. That’s a stack of people to risk let going elsewhere.

My prediction; 2UE will remain a low-cost but better-managed talk station.  The best hope will be the end of the era of constant changes to the 2UE line-up. Talk radio is about familiar voices.

I’ve felt for UE programme directors Peter Brennan and Clinton Maynard who’ve had to watch as decisions were made ‘around them’ by consultants and so-called experts, often to the detriment of the station.  Even in the 3 years that I worked at the station, 14 changes to the primetime line-up were made – versus 2GB, which had made only one.

By contrast, 2UE’s weekend stars, George Moore and Paul B Kidd have been doing their great show for over a decade - largely untouched – and they are constantly number 1 in town. Not bad for two blokes on the number 7 station. There’s definitely something to that!

Sadly, the newsrooms again will probably end up feeling the impact of the merger the most. Radio newsrooms everywhere are under-resourced and the staff flog their guts out to cover the happenings in the country’s largest and wildest city.

Some sales and administration functions of the stations will probably be combined and that too will cause job losses.

Another prediction; 2CH will have to be sold but will continue to be operated by MRN but ‘controlled’ (as defined by legislation) by someone other than the present ownership – perhaps a friend of the present owner.

2CH has successfully ticked along as a budget operation for years. For much of the 90s (pre-Alan Jones) at 2GB, it was 2CH that actually propped-up the rest of the company financially.

2CH’s biggest fan is John Singleton who has always been very fond and supportive of the station.

22 years ago when 2MMM and 2DAY FM in Sydney merged, it stunned the radio industry. “How could two bitter rivals co-exist?” people asked. And, they’d only been up against each other for a decade!

Strange days indeed.

SOURCE






Green-left ruining living standards

GINA Rinehart has hit out at “haters” and the left-wing “propaganda” she says will stop at nothing to “ruin” the mining operations that keep Australia wealthy.

The West Australian, our nation’s richest person with an estimated fortune of about $20 billion, has also criticised the “notoriously expensive” bur­eaucracy and “time consuming over-regulation” holding back crucial business opportunities.

And she said she doesn’t agree with a recent move by the Barnett Government to offer an assistance package to the state’s junior iron ore miners struggling because of the price crash.

“The haters are quite happy to take all the benefits of mining – and spend all the tax revenue from the industry, but in the next breath they want us closed down. It’s just plainly irrational,” Ms Rinehart told The Sunday Times.

“I cop a lot of the flak for being pro-mining and pro-free enterprise, both necessary to raise living standards in our country.

“When the green-left can’t win on facts, they get personal. “They will try at anything to ruin those people and companies they see as those who don’t support their propaganda.

“The mining and related ­industries need to speak up for themselves and that responsibility shouldn’t fall to just a few.”

She said mining created jobs for about 250,000 Australians “in places where there may otherwise not be work”.

Ms Rinehart spoke to The Sunday Times after her Roy Hill iron ore project in the Pilbara was named the Asia-Pac­ific Deal of the Year by Project Finance International.

“Despite what many in the media seem to believe, getting a mega project like Roy Hill this far takes enormous risk, personal effort, and perseverance,” she said.

“Roy Hill is one of the largest mainland construction projects anywhere in Australia.  “There’s been many years of work, studies and investment to get to here but some still think you just get a tenement and, presto, it all happens, and money starts to roll in. Nothing could be further from reality.”

Ms Rinehart said Roy Hill was the “last of the big projects in the immediate pipeline for WA”. She said it was on track to complete its first iron ore shipment in September, but the biggest problem would be the cyclone season.

“We are ahead of our already aggressive schedules,” she said. “Australian projects are not renowned for making their schedules so our achievements are sending a strong message to Asia that Aussies can do it.”

The falling iron ore price, which recently hit a five-year low of $US68 a tonne, doesn’t concern Ms Rinehart.  But, she said Australia must act “urgently” to cut bureaucracy costs.

“Roy Hill is better placed than many with our low-cost business model,” she said.  “We are a project for a generation as well, so we look to the long-term iron ore pricing.

“There will always be a market for iron ore but like everything – at a competitive price, and Australia needs to recognise this and act to lower its costs, starting with urgently and significantly cutting the costs of bureaucracy.

“Everyone talks about our declining productivity, but too few consider the time wasted and productivity loss caused by very costly and time consuming over-regulation.”

Ms Rinehart said all levels of government “must wake-up and give Australia a chance”.

“People are not going to buy our resources just because they love Aussies,” she said.  “We face competition from emerging nations who can supply sometimes higher-grade ore at lower prices.  “Common sense tells you what is going to happen unless governments wise up and act.

“Just to get to here today, my team at Roy Hill has had to navigate more than 3000 regulatory hurdles. Some of them require thousands of pages of paperwork taking months and years to comply.”

Ms Rinehart said governments “shouldn’t be bailing out businesses”; instead they “should be getting out of the way”.

The Barnett Government recently said it would provide a 50 per cent rebate on iron ore royalties for up to 12 months, subject to the iron ore price remaining below an average of $US73 a tonne over the period.

SOURCE



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