Friday, 30 November 2012

Labor had plenty of time for the plethora of Dorothy Dixers!


From: g87
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 4:20 PM
Subject: Labor had plenty of time for the plethora of Dorothy Dixers!.... Anna Burke speaker is a disgrace!


Labor had plenty of time for the plethora of Dorothy Dixers!
The Speaker of The House of Representatives is compliant in allowing Julia Gillard to not need to respond to the Opposition questions.
The last day was a disgrace as the PM was asked many questions by Tony Abbott, Julie Bishop, Christopher Pine and others.
She refused to answer them.
Indeed - Gillard’s non – responsive abuse and disparate classical stonewalling was what we got. Pure farce.
Labor had plenty of time for the plethora of Dorothy Dixers!
The Speaker Anna Burke felt no need to request any remotely sequiturial answers – even when she was asked to rule on the abomination that she had allowed question time to degenerate into.
And to add insult to injury, the media only showed the girly PM’s [oops!] pathetic abuse – creating the impression that she was in control.
Then you have the lamentable Tony Windsor in the Bib and Bub show on Lateline with Tony Jones who kept feeding him puerile lines like:
‘’TONY JONES: Was today Tony Abbott's Godwin Grech moment? ‘’
These players care not that they are a blight on our democracy!

Tony Windsor discusses the major issues from Parliament

Independent MP Tony Windsor talks about the the so-called 'slush fund affair', the Gonski report on education, poker machine legislation, the NBN and energy.
Geoff Seidner
13 Alston Gr
East St Kilda3183
03 9525 9299
############################################################################
page 58
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, 29 November 2012
CHAMBER
Mr Pyne: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of
order on relevance. She was asked whether she would
support a judicial inquiry into this very grubby deal.
The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition
Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has
the call.
Ms GILLARD: And there we have it, even in the
interjection—more sleaze, more smear, more
unsubstantiated allegations. He had 15 minutes to
explain why his deputy did not tell the truth publicly
about her dealings with Ralph Blewitt, 15 minutes to
deal with these issues, and spectacularly failed to do
so. No amount of carry-on, no amount of grasping at
straws is going to change the fact that the Leader of the
Opposition is drowning in a sea of sleaze and smear,
and there is a reason for that.
The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will return to
the question.
Ms GILLARD: There is a reason why this man is
drowning in a sea of sleaze and smear, and it is that he
does not have one idea for the nation's future. Instead
of wasting our time, as we are invited to do by the
Leader of the Opposition, we will get on with building
great Labor reforms like the National Disability
Insurance Scheme, using our time to improve the lives
of the Australian people—
The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister will return to
the question.
Ms GILLARD: something the Leader of the
Opposition will never understand.
Nation Building
Dr LEIGH (Fraser) (15:13): My quest
Posted by at No comments:

MAJOR LINK FORGOTTEN TO SEND TO ABC RE GARETH EVANS


From: g87
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 1:13 PM
Subject: MAJOR LINK FORGOTTEN TO SEND TO ABC RE GARETH EVANS
Posted by at No comments:

VER 2 ! Julia Gillard deserves commendations ...but..



From: g87
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 9:27 AM
Subject: VER 2 !Julia Gillard deserves commendations ...but...

VER 2 ! Julia Gillard deserves commendations ...but..

Julia Gillard deserves commendations in her obvious support for Israel; it nearly cost the beleaguered PM her job.
She realized the implications of standing by Israel before she ventured there: true courage under pressure.


However too many others in her party were guilty of standard political humbug.
Little do these duplicitous so - called supporters / friends of Israel realize that their actions will be seen as humbug.

Recent comments of Foreign Minister Bob Carr will come back to haunt him at election time.

''ISRAEL runs the risk of “feeding extremism” if its response to Hamas is seen as disproportionate.'' he warned in mid November

I guess the mega – intelligent Carr’s postulate is that maybe Jews should have used peashooters in response to the hundreds of Hamas mega - bombs?

 This is what happens to Israeli - supporting politicians Labor style. Bob Hawke is now also in the Palestinian camp – also seeking with forlorn hope the Western Sydney vote.

Unlike the Liberals – Tony Abbott who simply said: "Do what is right and the politics will look after itself...."


UN shift risks status with Israel | The Australian




Geoff Seidner
13 Alston Gr
East St Kilda 3183
03 9525 9299

###############################################################################################

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/un-shift-risks-status-with-israel/story-fn59nm2j-1226527092051
Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg said Senator Carr led an ambush of Julia Gillard. Mr Frydenberg said the Prime Minister's decision was regrettable and Australia has abandoned Israel soon after Iranian supplied rockets rained on its cities. Senator Carr declined to respond.
Tony Abbott said the Coalition did not want any additional recognition to be given until the Palestinians clearly and unambiguously recognised the right of Israel to exist behind secure borders. The Opposition Leader said he was not concerned how that would play out in western Sydney electorates that could prove crucial in next year's elections.
"Do what is right and the politics will look after itself," he told the Nine Network.
#####################################################################################

UN shift risks status with Israel | The Australian

www.theaustralian.com.au/.../un.../story-fn59nm2j-12265270...Share
9 hours ago – Tony Abbott said the Coalition did not want any additional ... "Do what is right and the politics will look after itself," he told the Nine Network.
##################################################################################


Thank you Oz Foreign Minister Bob Carr:

''ISRAEL runs the risk of “feeding extremism” if its response to Hamas is seen as disproportionate.'' he has warned.

  • Maybe Jews should use peashooters in response to the hundreds of Hamas mega - bombs?
  • I do not recall any country anywhere tolerating for decades terrorist attacks without appropriate reaction.
  • Furthermore the rules of warfare do not explicate this mealy - mouthed disingenuous waffle. Remember Hiroshima / Nagasaki, Carpet bombing Berlin and 40,000 murdered by Si Lanka? How pathetic, Mr Carr: it is indecent of you to cheapen Jewish blood!
  • Years ago the UN was pathetically debating / contemplating Israel's right to exist! Now they debate the Middle - East's only democracy's right to self - defense. They are shameless and immoral; it always been so.
It can safely be predicted that the so - called Philistines will sue for peace now that Israel has been pushed beyond any tolerance level.

And in a few years - after rearming themselves with UN money - Israel will be attacked again. Ad nauseum.

Ad infinitum.
###############################################################################################
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/bipartisanship-on-israel-shattered-says-coalition/story-fn59niix-1226525593658
28/11/12

Manager of opposition business Christopher Pyne said national bipartisanship on Israel had been “shattered” by the decision.
He said the Prime Minister had been “rolled”.
“This has shattered the bipartisanship that usually exists between Labor and the Coalition on the issue of Israel and the Middle East,” Mr Pyne said.
“The Prime Minister has been rolled by both the cabinet and the caucus on a very important issue. One shouldn't underestimate how dramatic it is that Australia is now abstaining from a vote for the Palestinian territories and the Palestinian Authority to gain observer status at the United Nations

EXCLUSIVEUN shift risks status with Israel

Michael Danby
BRENDAN NICHOLSON AND TROY BRAMSTONMICHAEL Danby has warned that the decision to abstain from a vote on  Palestine threatens to undermine the ALP's long-standing support for Israel.
Show tools
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, 29 November 2012

Julia Gillard deserves commendations


From: g87

Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 4:10 PM
Subject: Julia Gillard deserves commendations

Julia Gillard deserves commendations in her obvious support for Israel.

It nearly cost the beleaguered PM her job.

She realized the implications before she ventured there: true courage under pressure.

Too many others in her party were guilty of standard political humbug.

Geoff Seidner
13 Alston Gr
East St Kilda 3183
03 9525 9299




Posted by at No comments:

ABC CHAIRMAN 'continuum;letter rewritten on 3011/12




From: g87
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 12:48 PM
Subject: ABC CHAIRMAN 'continuum;letter rewritten on 3011

Attention Mark Scott
ABC CHAIRMAN


30 November 2012
[a]
Email continuum to Managing Director of ABC Mark Scott of my email of 27/11/12

[b]
Michael Danby.
A deserved compliment hereunder to the beleaguered Julia Gillard! It has been rewritten.
You may care to note my VERSION 2:

http://socialistdystopia.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/ver-2-julia-gillard-deserves.html

GS
#######################################
Dear Mr Scott
I write you as follows. Having barely given you a chance to respond to my earlier email: reason being that there are far too many new elements that you must address as below.

I refer to the ABC's redrawing of Gareth Evans as a ''friend'' of Israel. See Mark Leibler's article: IT IS PLAINLY OUTRAGEOUS FOR YOU PEOPLE TO DEPICT EVANS as a ''friend / longtime supporter of Israel''! It is plainly not true. This claim is duplicitous - and only being made through the classical artful dodge of media manipulation!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artful_Dodger

It works like this: take an issue - UN vote on 'Palestine' that is plainly antithetical to Israel's survival / interest and morally repugnant as well. It is asking a lot of the ABC to understand how pathetic the UN luvvies et al are in pre emptively giving prima - facie / partial acceptance to an alleged people [Arafat invented terrorism and the 'Palestinians' in the 1960's] whose even so - called moderate factions promulgate holocaust denial and plainly will not even sit in the same room with Jews. Their stated objective is destroying / mass - muder of Jews. You want to see ALL OF their CONSTITUTIONS ?
Here are links

It makes 'great' reading, Mr Scott: THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE!!!
I recall what the Nazis did to 6 million of my brethren - and you guys feel warm and cuddly in supporting these people who OBVIOUSLY would again manifest a HOLOCAUST!!

THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE, MR SCOTT!

JUST TELL YOUR MANIPULATORS - YOUR ARTFULL DODGERS - YOUR MEDIA SPINNERS - YOUR ABOMINABLE LIARS WHO SIMPLY DO IT SOOOOO DELIBERATELY THAT THEY FAIL TO REALIZE THAT IN CREATING THEIR ALMOST INGENIOUS EVIL - THEY EFFECTIVELY PROVE THAT THEY ARE NOT MERELY IGNORANT!!!

IT TAKES SKILL TO CREATE EVIL!
THIS SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD BY ALL.
I HOPE PEOPLE WILL LEARN THE MEDIA FRAUD THAT IS REGULARLY BEING FOISTED ON THEM BY YOUR TOOLS AND APPENDAGES AND TO REGULARLY HOLD YOU TO ACCOUNT!!

INDEED - EVIDENCE EXISTS THAT THEY COULD NOT BE STUPID! NO MR SCOTT: WE ARE SEING THE GREAT EVIL OF OUR TIME - WHEREIN THE WILLFULLY BLIND GET AWAY WITH THEIR CRAFT!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artful_Dodger

YOU MAY CARE TO TELL THEM TO NOT PRACTICE THEIR CRAFT SO ARTLESSLY!
So let us delineate what you do - so artlessly.

BUT NOT SO ARTLESSLY THAT THE AVERAGE PLEIBIAN IS NOT MANIPULATED - artlessly or otherwise

  1. Ignore Gareth Evans' abominable article which is simply that - abominable distortion of reality.ABC NEWS GARETH EVANS LAUDED AS ISRAEL SUPPORTER!
  2. Take the first stage of the artful dodger media manipulation [mm] technique as above.
  3. And what do we have? A media scam that surely no one is crazy enough to expose?
LO!
I JUST DID!
SHAME ON YOU ALL!!

Oh - do not go into alleged differentials about Jews and Israel to impugn my comments above.
Make a thorough study of Abas' Holocaust - denier thesis - or Hamas / Palestinian constitution - and then accept it is untennable to raise it!


I now refer to your ABC acolytes / in house enemies of fair play / morality to their multiple ...humiliation of your predecessor - ABC Chairman Maurice Newman.

SIMPLY IMMORAL AND OUTRAGEOUS.

My main problem is the oft - appended denier moniker.
Highly offensive - it is sickening to be appended against anyone in the context of CLIMATE LUNACY!

It is asick syndrome I lacerate herein. IT IS TIME YOU DID SOMETHING ABOUT SCEPTICS BEING CALLED NAZIS!! AN OBSCENITY THE ABC ARE PROUD OF!!

Do you want to try rewriting of bias - abomination over time by your ABC? DO NOT DO SO!


Now I mentioning what is obvious to all: the Palestinians will have control of Arafat's body then hand it over to compliant scientists! What lunacy. What distasteful lunacy! A classical Muslim conspiracy anyway...see links below. THERE ARE THOUSANDS: they are the progenitors of conspiracies galore!

SEE LINKS BELOW.


So - how are you going to report this?
Why - you already have!
WHERE IS THE QUESTIONING MIND THAT WOULD SEQUESTER THE ABOVE BEFORE ANY NEWSPRINT OR TAPE IS WASTED ON IT?

Now please note the wonderful Julia Gillard who has shown courage under pressure! I verily say to you - no matter how her Prime Ministership has been lambasted by people like me - she has demonstrated true courage under great cost to herself. Now you demonstrate what YOU are made of, Mr Scott!!!


The ABC and it's innate left wing elements do not make life easy for you.
Reference is made to the classically pathetic comments of the irresponsible attack on sceptics - calling them akin to PAEDOPHILES - AND THE PESENTER OF THE SCIENCE SHOW ARTTACKING YOUR PREDECESSOR - FORMER ABC CHAIRMAN ABC - MAURICE NEWMAN!!

Most of this was by presenter of the Science Show Robin Williams.
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/

Regularly Williams has discredited the large elements of the science communities by the following means.


  1. Concentrating on supporting government policy on Climate Change [CC] to the point that critical analysis may confirm that 80% of his thus discredited programme is simply unproven flummery and thus mere trite antithesis of real science.
  2. It is so obvious that Williams either seeks out 'stories supporting same, concots situations wherein he can sail anywhere in his idylic dystopian world - and generally creates the impression that CC is of catastrophic importance.
  3. And worse all your other organs, appendages and other non - obscene concomitant collateral accessories - are manifestly spin merchants.
  4. One supports the other - which in turn are supported by true believers. Ad infinitum, ad nausium ad continuum!
  5. Never mind the ultimate obscenity: regularly your ABC referes to sceptics as DENYERS! And when this is remonstrated against - mentioning the clear HOLOCAUST conotations - they repeat it!!! THIS IS SOMETHING YOU MUST IMMEDIATELY PUT A STOP TO!! IF YOUR LUVVIES ARE ALLOWED TO DIMINISH MASS - MURDERING TERRORISTS AS MILITANTS - See entries on my blog - then you have to contemplate how your career will look of you never railed against this obsenity! In the name of 6 million of my brethren - I demand you forever BAN this sceptics / Nazi comparison from ABC 'LABELS' SARCASM AND VITRIOLIC CENSURE IMPLIED!!

I draw your attention to the fact that you may be scared of what the utopian catastrophists / antisemites may do to you if you were to object against their bias!

It takes real courage Mr Scott to take on these demigods! YOU ARE PLAINLY SCARED OF WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO YOU _ YOUR REPUTATION - from their perspective - VIA THEIR BRAND OF SPIN - POST / PRE YOUR RETIREMENT OR POTENTIAL SACKING?

Never mind Mark - I will stand up for you: I will explain to your grandchildren how in Yes Minister style you made a courageous decision!

Never mind Mark - you could always do what the great Maurice Newman is doing: become brilliant in EVERYTHING!!
As soon as he got way from the crazies at your ABC!

OR - YOU ARE PERCHANCE SCARED - PLAINLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING - AND YOU SEEM TO BE PLEASED WITH THE STATUS QUO!!

Mr Scott: I ask you: when your grandchildren ask of doddery Mark: what did you do in the war against the leftist twirps / your underlings? Did you ever use truth to power? [ a classical leftist phrase - oh forgive me!]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-27/australia-to-abstain-from-palestinian-vote/4395000


I think this 'spin' was repeated on ABC AM, PM AND THE WORLD TODAY et al. I have not had the time to append yet another link.
Here is my link to ABC News:


This is the way the ABC works: tell a lie, make sure it is a big lie, make sure that only 'experts' understand the lie!
And the end - product?
Israel is diminished - the correct interpretation - see Mark Leibler's great article and point of view is also never heard - but your guys manage to paint one of Israel's greatest mainstream enemies / dissemblers as ISRAEL'S FRIEND!!!

PATHETIC!!

GS
##############################################################################################################################################################
HOW ABOUT THE BELOW, MR SCOTT?
Young Australians risking all to support Israel

Young Australians risking all to support Israel

Despite the Middle East ceasefire, some young Australians are preparing to join the Israeli Defence Force for any future conflict with the recent violence increasing their enthusiasm.
TOM TILLEY: So how does your mum feel about you going to Israel?

DANIEL CROOK: Um, look, she's obviously gonna really miss me.
TOM TILLEY: 24-year-old Daniel Crook is another young Zionist about to emigrate to Israel and pacifism is central to his beliefs.



GS:ISRAEL DEFENCE FORCES WILL NOT NEED TO EXIST''
HUH?
IS THIS YES IT IS - YET ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT BALANCE??
TOM TILLEY: Last weekend, around 100 Zionist youth leaders met at a camp near Ballarat.

Did it unsettle you much, watching the conflict on TV knowing that you'd be there in a few weeks?

SAM GOSLING: Um, it was a little worrying, but really it doesn't change that I want to go there. If anything, I want to go there more.

TOM TILLEY: This will be Sam Gosling's last camp in Australia. The 20-year-old has already booked his ticket to Israel. He leaves in less than three weeks.

Are you willing to risk your life for it?

SAM GOSLING: Yeah. I am putting my life on the line for Israel. I've made that decision, that it is worth it for such an incredible place that I will join the Army for it.LEIGH SALES: Tom Tilley reporting.
####################################################################################################

Gs continues:
HELLO MR SCOTT!

DO YOU SEE THE EVIL HERE?
THIS IS BIZARRE: THIS TWIRP ''UM MY MOTHER IS GOING TO MISS ME'' - IS GOING TO ISRAEL _ HAVING BEEN SEARCHED OUT FROM YOUR ENEMIES / TWIRPS OF ISRAEL PACIFISTS - WHO - MORONICALLY - WILL - SIT - IN - FRONT _ OF - TANKS -TO - HELP ISRAEL'S ENEMIES ......

TELL ME MR SCOTT: HOW IS HE GOING TO DO WHAT HE CLAIMS - THIS USELESS IDIOT OF THE LEFT?? [ by the way - even the left would disown him - BUT NOT YOUR ABC!!!!!!!!!

THE LEFT - IN THIS MORONIC CONTEXT - IS WHO BY THE WAY IS PLAINLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND!!
Congrats to the ABC!
Truly heroic distortion of reality. Great find!!
But tell me Mr Scott - is this mega - twirp really claiming hero status by going to Israel to be sitting in front of tanks or bulldozers or what?

OR WHAT?????

Is he not suggesting that it is the Israeli Defence forces that his life is at risk from? THIS IS THE ULTIMATE EVIL!!!!
''ISRAEL DEFENCE FORCES WILL NOT NEED TO EXIST''
HUH?
IS THIS YES IT IS - YET ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT BALANCE - A LA ABC? SICKENING DISINGENUOUS EVIL!!

Geoff Seidner

East St Kilda

http://www.australianclimatemadness.com/2012/11/maurice-newman-on-the-climate-religion/

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/climate-balance-urged-at-abc/story-e6frg996-1225839329115
Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

MY EMAIL TO ABC MANAGING DIRECTOR MARK SCOTT




From: g87
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 1:30 PM
Subject: ABC RESPONSE SEQUESTERED
Managing Director ABC
Mark Scott
Dear Mr Scott,
I address you via a link here to my blog.
Kindly respond quickly as your management responded with their trite ABC – SPEAK response.
Yours Sincerely
Geoff Seidner
cc to Michal Danby,
ECAJ / Danny Lamm
and lots bcc
Posted by at No comments:

ABC RESPONSE SEQUESTERED


######################################################

######################################################
ABC
General Manager 
Mark Scott
27 Nov 2012

 Dear Mr Scott
 I understand many Jewish organizations have been complaining about Emma Alberichi and her pathetic no need to ask questions modus when Jews are attacked style.

 I refer in my links herein to her cloying interview with the lamentable Geoffrey Robertson whom Ms A held in such sycophantic esteem that she did not mind humiliating herself with said cloying interview. Anti - Israel bias was taken to new heights.

 You need to check the DVD: Emma is obviously very close to Robertson: too close. It was a pathetic performance - and she should have left Robertson to deliver a soliloquy. I guess she was present to merely ensure that the ponderous GR would eventually finish.

 A critical analysis of what was allowed to pass unsequestered by a non - journalist.

 I make a similar reference to the outrageous interview of that professor from the world's leading fellow of Jihad study Professor Rami Khouri of Beirut University.

 You have heard from Beirut University?
They are reputed to be in the top 10,0000 Universities.
I guess that explains EA's refusal to engage with the man: even if Emma's lame non - journalistic style was not because she had the 'hots' for him.
Oh no!

 EA absented herself even if she allegedly parried the interview with such flair and verve because it was because Jews  / Israel were more explicitly lied about!!

 She did not want to be accused of bias by holding him to account in any way. Such a lovely interview: it will remain a lesson in media spin that I can tell my grandchildren about!

 I now advise you that I refuse to accept your Management's response to my original complaint late on Friday Nov 23 2012

 You are respectfully requested that I am not tolerant of that garbage of a response, ESPECIALLY AS EMMA A DEMONSTRATED SHE COULD CARRY AN  INTERVIEW WHEN HER ANTI - JEWISH / ISRAEL / ABC IN HOUSE BIAS WAS NOT INVOLVED!
SEE BELOW MY DETAIL OF LAST NIGHTS LATELINE!

 LO!

 THE GIRL [sexism, misogyny?] ASKED SOME EXCELLENT QUESTIONS WHEN IT WAS POLITICALLY APPROPRIATE TO DO SO!!!

 LOOK AT WHAT SHE DID TO THAT POOR MAN WHO HAS SPENT HIS LIFE PROTECTING 'CHURCHLY' PAEDOPHILES!! 

 Mind you - she needed to read all her questions closely from the script prepared for her - so it is not as if Emma has - or ever had an over - abundance of talent. 
To wit - she spent 90% of her on - camera time looking DOWN  at the reasonably straight - forward material which she plainly barely mastered.

 I refuse to play the ABC's game - as set out in my original complaint.
It accurately pre empted the response frm your formulaic pen pushers.
  1. You are required to advise me why your outrageous policy of 'balance over time' did not come into play with the latest Catholic Church interview: THEY HAVE ALL BEEN ANTI CATHOLIC!!
  2. Why use this policy only when it comes to Israel and JEWS?
  3. Do we expect to have an interview with the KKK  / CEC postulating that Hitler did not kill enough JEWS? And balance with say an item about life for Jews in GAZA? THE EVILS OF THE UNILATERAL WITHDRAWAL IN 2005? A conspiracy story about Sharon still being active and is merely hiding to hide his extrmist views?
  4. You may like to view my award winning mini letter as per link. It was prescient, non?
  5. You are kindly requested to respond MEANINGFULLY TO MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT!

I now advise you: I expect. with respect a viable answer and an apology which should settle matters for me.
If you do not respond sui generis - or find some non - ethereal codswallop in a viable response, I will consider my options.
Another thing Mr Scott  Your appendage the ACMA are yet to prove that they are anything but handmaidens of the Government / ABC. Au contraire.

Today my correspondences are lodged on my blog: a permanent record.
You ignore me at the peril.


Geoff Seidner 
East St Kilda 3183

 ############################################################################################################

MY Links:


###########################################################################################################


My best letter? ex 2005 published in the AJN

http://mediaspinners.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/my-best-letter-ex-2005-published-in-ajn.html




Rami Khouri Interview in Beirut

RAMI KHOURI INTERVIEW IN BEIRUT

Interview with Rami Khouri from the American University of Beirut.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2012/s3641458.htm


###########################################################
#########################################################
Patrician Head discusses convicted brother

Patrician Head discusses convicted brother

Brother Philip Mulhall, the Head of the Patrician Order in Australia and PNG, answers questions about the brother who has returned to the Order after serving time in jail for molestations and buggery.



Patrician Head discusses convicted brother


Print Email
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 26/11/2012
Reporter: Emma Alberici
Brother Philip Mulhall, the Head of the Patrician Order in Australia and PNG, answers questions about the brother who has returned to the Order after serving time in jail for molestations and buggery.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: To discuss this story I was joined a short time ago by the head of the Patrician Order in Australia and Papua New Guinea, Brother Philip Mulhall. 

Until recently he was also the executive officer for national standards around dealing with child sex abuse claims for the entire Catholic Church in Australia. 

Brother Philip Mulhall, thanks very much for coming in.

PHILIP MULHALL, HEAD OF PATRICIAN ORDER: Thanks, Emma.

EMMA ALBERICI: Can I start by asking you: what qualifies Thomas Grealy to be considered a Patrician treasure?

PHILIP MULHALL: Yes. Can I say something about that? Putting that in one of our newsletters is a dreadful, sad mistake on our part, really. Number one, it's not the reality, but number two, the contributor who did that should not have put that in and I should've picked it up, to be honest. And I can understand how victims feel about that. I know how they feel about it: affronted, confronted, injured, hurt - all those things - and angry. And I'd apologise to them. I'm shattered by that, to tell you the truth. And it's something I should've picked up and it doesn't represent the reality of what it is. People say things like that, but, you know ...

EMMA ALBERICI: Who says things like that? That he's a treasure.

PHILIP MULHALL: People that don't understand terribly well and are used to using hyperbolic terms and that sort of thing.

EMMA ALBERICI: Well you are the head of ...

PHILIP MULHALL: Exactly.

EMMA ALBERICI: ... the Patrician Brothers in Australia. You lead from the top, don't you?

PHILIP MULHALL: I hope I do. In this one, I should've picked that up and ...

EMMA ALBERICI: It's not just about picking up what was written in a newsletter; it's about picking up a sentiment and creating an environment that doesn't tolerate the return of paedophiles and the feting of paedophiles.

PHILIP MULHALL: The, um - all I can say, Emma, is not just the writing of that, it's the person who contributed that feels that way, then I have an education problem and there may be a couple of people who do feel that way. And I may - I have an education problem in doing that. 

But the reality on the ground is that, for example, in 2010 the classmates of Tom Grealy celebrated their 60th jubilees and he didn't. He didn't join that. So, you know, that was obvious, that - the attitude to that then.

EMMA ALBERICI: But why did the Patrician Brothers invite Brother Grealy back into the order?

PHILIP MULHALL: The policy at the time that he came out was like this: um, he's our member, he's our problem and we have a responsibility to see that he's not a problem for other people. And in religious communities, you have a little more ability to do that because you've got other people present. 

Now that was the rationale. That was why people decided. He wasn't even brought back into the order; he had never left it, really. He was in jail as a Patrician Brother. Everybody knew that. And it was great shame for everyone, a shame for us. 

But people said, "He's our problem, he's our member and we need to take some responsibility for seeing that he's not a problem for other people." Now that was the rationale. But as I say, that sort of stuff, we're in a pretty new age really in many ways and new awarenesses and understandings. I think that's got to be re-examined.

EMMA ALBERICI: In sentencing Brother Thomas Grealy, Judge Jack O'Reilly said Thomas Grealy had brought great shame on himself, his family and his religious order and caused lasting damage to his victims. It's also understood that some boys in Thomas Grealy's class from the 1970s have since committed suicide. In what circumstances do you actually forfeit your rights to protection and support by the Catholic Church?

PHILIP MULHALL: Are we looking particularly, like, at Thom here, for example?

EMMA ALBERICI: Well, that as an example.

PHILIP MULHALL: That's the example.

EMMA ALBERICI: If we take that as the worst possible crime ...

PHILIP MULHALL: Yes, I see what you mean, yes. Yes, I understand.

EMMA ALBERICI: ... that some people think can be committed, in what circumstance does the Catholic Church abandon someone?

PHILIP MULHALL: And I couldn't answer for the Catholic Church generally, but ...

EMMA ALBERICI: Well what do you think?

PHILIP MULHALL: ... I'll answer for my own group. I think it was the correct decision at that time, but I think now that we need to look at what replaces that in the future.

EMMA ALBERICI: What made it the right decision then and perhaps not now?

PHILIP MULHALL: Um, I think awarenesses, understandings have changed. I do think that the understanding of the effectiveness of monitoring and supervision, I think that's much better understood now than it was. As indeed were things like psychological treatment and things like that, which people thought back some years ago, they thought were probably effective. And I think that people now will often say that many of those treatments - and that's not just in Church circles, that's generally in the area of child abuse.

EMMA ALBERICI: He was known as Brother Augustine when he carried out his crimes.

PHILIP MULHALL: He was.

EMMA ALBERICI: Why was his name changed when he was released from jail and brought back into the order?

PHILIP MULHALL: To be honest, I don't know that. I was out of the country at the time. I was working overseas at that time. And I'm not sure what the rationale was for doing that. He probably had his own private reasons for doing that.

EMMA ALBERICI: Couldn't one of the reasons have been that the order and of course himself didn't want to be recognised as the paedophile who went into jail?

PHILIP MULHALL: That certainly is a possibility.

EMMA ALBERICI: We understand that the Patrician Brothers have been in a court battle, a civil court battle with five of Thomas Grealy's alleged victims.

PHILIP MULHALL: That class. Correct.

EMMA ALBERICI: Can you tell us why you have dragged these five victims through the courts to even just establish whether it's yourselves or the Sydney Diocese who are responsible here?

PHILIP MULHALL: I would like to talk to that. And I don't think of this as a court battle. 

And I need to say this to you very honestly: I hate the fact that this has gone on. I really do. There's five people out there who have been hanging for so long. We have never raised any defence of not being able to be sued and we won't. We will not plead this at all. 

What happened was that in earlier hearings about this - and they were very - quite early hearings, really, just sort of preliminary stuff that people do to get these things underway. The Archdiocese of Sydney asked to be not - to be taken off as - I don't know the correct legal terms - but to be taken off as a defendant and they pleaded certain legal arguments.

EMMA ALBERICI: So basically the Patrician Brothers will pay the compensation, they will be liable?

PHILIP MULHALL: Oh, yes, we have - nowhere from the start have we disputed any of this. We've just gone through the procedural stuff. And we've been waiting until - mediation I believe is supposed to take place in February and I'm so glad that it is in February. But it's much too late, much later than it should be. But we have never pleaded those ...

EMMA ALBERICI: It's 40 years too late, really, isn't it?

PHILIP MULHALL: Ohh, I know that. That I know, yeah.

EMMA ALBERICI: Let's move on. Brother Phillip, until recently, very recently you were in fact the executive officer of the Catholic Church's National Committee for Professional Standards ...

PHILIP MULHALL: That's correct.

EMMA ALBERICI: ... in dealing Australia-wide with governing the Towards Healing process ...

PHILIP MULHALL: That's correct.

EMMA ALBERICI: ... which is supposed to help ...

PHILIP MULHALL: That's right.

EMMA ALBERICI: ... sex abuse victims.

PHILIP MULHALL: Mhmm.

EMMA ALBERICI: Not just for the Patricians, ...

PHILIP MULHALL: No, no, no. That's right.

EMMA ALBERICI: ... but for the entire Catholic Church in Australia. Can you say you've always put the interests of children above the welfare of the Patrician Brothers and other parts of the Catholic Church?

PHILIP MULHALL: I think that I have placed the needs of victims in particular ahead of Church personnel. And that includes my own members.

EMMA ALBERICI: You had your photo taken for instance in the same shot with Thomas Grealy, ...

PHILIP MULHALL: Yes, I ...

EMMA ALBERICI: ... knowing the effect that might have on victims as the head not only of the Patricians in Australia, but one of the most senior figures in the Catholic Church in Australia, standing alongside a convicted paedophile. What message does that send?

PHILIP MULHALL: I'll take - I'll accept criticism of that. Sometimes when you have a gathering, gatherings can be for all sorts of things, for meetings and stuff like that, someone says go and stand over there and we'll take a picture. And sometimes you don't think about it. 

I don't stand in solidarity with Tom Grealy at all. And I - I know it's easy to say it, but I am genuinely concerned for his victims and I'm very concerned for these five victims that have been waiting so long. I would love to have been able to have even some contact with some of them and just say what I felt about it. As I have done in other cases which didn't go into that adversarial mode, but were dealt with in other ways. And I've been happy to talk with lots of victims and talk with them many, many times if they wanted to do that.

EMMA ALBERICI: Now we know another Patrician Brother has been charged with child sexual abuse at the Patrician Brothers College at Blacktown.

PHILIP MULHALL: Correct.

EMMA ALBERICI: When did you become aware of those allegations?

PHILIP MULHALL: I heard about this in - about a month before Christmas last year - let's say November.

EMMA ALBERICI: So a year ago?

PHILIP MULHALL: A year ago, yes.

EMMA ALBERICI: So can you tell us why it took a full two months before that brother was removed then from the school?

PHILIP MULHALL: Um, I don't know why it took that long. I do understand that what I heard was not very much information. And the information which I heard I took to the child protection officer at Parramatta. That's the correct line of reporting in a thing like this, an active member serving there. 

The school is not our school. The school is a system Catholic school. And I took those straightaway there. And then action was taken to start an investigation. To be honest, I don't think at that stage there was anything terribly definite, but then things must've become clearer subsequently. I was no longer involved in the investigation directly myself, except to be updated every so often as to say we're still investigating this matter.

EMMA ALBERICI: If it was still being investigated - pardon me for interrupting, but if it was still being investigated, was it appropriate then for this brother to be featured in promotional videos for the Patrician Brothers as recently as February, a month after he was dismissed from the school?

PHILIP MULHALL: This is something which happened internally there, I understand that.

EMMA ALBERICI: Again, you are the head of the Patrician Brothers in Australia. You should have oversight, I'm assuming ...

PHILIP MULHALL: No, I don't have oversight on what the school does as promotional videos. That's quite independent ...

EMMA ALBERICI: No, no, no, the promotional video I'm referring to is a promotional video for the entire Patrician order.

PHILIP MULHALL: Ohhh, I see, yes. Yes, I understand. Um, yes. I think these are videos that had been made some time before, to tell you the truth. They're old footage and stuff like that. I don't mean to excuse them. They're old footage.

EMMA ALBERICI: What do you hope emerges from the Royal commission? What is the single most important thing you hope it achieves?

PHILIP MULHALL: Maybe not the single most important thing - I think a whole range of things will emerge from it. I think there needs to be very good scrutiny of the way abuse issues have been handled in the Church generally, including my own congregation. I hope that the commission will go through maybe not looking so much for targets, but looking for how people handle this sort of stuff, how it was dealt with and were there lots of mistakes in that or were there some mistakes in that? What can be learnt from that? 

A look at also the present period of time - how are those things done now? And how do they stand up against best practice anywhere in the world? And what lessons are to be learnt from that? And what things can be put in place for the future so that it can be a whole lot better than it was in times gone by? 

I really want - and I'm very open to this Royal commission. And I certainly will cooperate with it completely. And even if that means criticism of myself or criticism of my colleagues or criticism of people that I know, so that something really good can be learnt for the future.

EMMA ALBERICI: The bishops' conference today was talking about whether George Pell was the best spokesman for the Church nationally in Australia and whether the lines of responsibility were clear in this country. Is there a problem with that?

PHILIP MULHALL: Well I think the spokesman for the Church for bishops' conference is now Bishop Hart, as I understand it. I think what's occurred here is that Bishop Pell, he's a very prominent person. 

He's a - call it a regal-looking person, and he's got a particular way of speaking, and of course he's a cardinal also. And so people I think go to him to talk about him as most senior figure in the Church. I've heard Bishop Hart speak - be interviewed a couple of times and he came across fairly well to me, even though I don't know him terribly well.

EMMA ALBERICI: And there was only one other issue I wanted to ask you and that was whether you've had cause to reflect on why members of the Catholic Church are so disproportionally represented in issues of child sexual abuse? The Victorian inquiry heard that they're six times more likely to offend than all other clergy put together.

PHILIP MULHALL: Well I have my own theories about child abuse in people who join the clergy and religious life. They take a fair while to go through. Many of them are to do with immature ages of entry. 

The lack of opportunity to have a normal adolescence - a lot of people join very, very young and to experience a whole lot of stuff that kids normally experience. And I think that's there somewhere in the equation. And I have other theories about it too, but they're things that would take me quite some time to work through. And I think there is a need for a very, very serious study here.

EMMA ALBERICI: Brother Philip Mulhall, thanks so much for coming in tonight.

PHILIP MULHALL: Thanks, Emma. It was a pleasure.


Do you have a comment or a story idea? Get in touch with the Lateline team by clicking here.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)