Malcolm in the muddle

Former Australian Prime Minister, the sheep farmer from western Victoria, Malcom 'Memphis Trousers' Fraser opines on the paucity of depth in Australian politics. Never short of a word, but usually short of long pants, Malcolm is sad that the ALP has contributed nothing to the debate over Iraq, immigration, US military prisons, ASIO powers etc etc. Strange, seeing as how he always seemed to be a committed conservative. Although of late, he and that other degenerate, Gough Whitlam, continue to stroke each other's ego's about the good old days back in the mid 70's.

"What does it take to really rouse people and say look we've just got to do something about this, we've got to get back to basics. The Labor Party has contributed absolutely nothing to that (the Iraq) debate," he said.

"I think the Labor party is just paralysed with fear and that is one of the reasons why on many of these issues there is no difference between the government and the Labor party.And also with a lot of these issues like refugees the Labor party is just as reactionary as the government."

There's more.

Mr Fraser condemned the Howard and Bush governments over the treatment of prisoners at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the military tribunal process.

"How is it that the American administration and the Australian administration say that these military tribunals are fine, the guy will get justice, even though he is not going to be told or doesn't have to be told the charges against him, even though evidence can be taken under torture. Where have we travelled to, where have we gone?"

Perhaps living in the past has addled his brain. The Australian public have endorsed the government's policies on these issues by returning it with increased majorities each time. Here is yet another whiner who has yet to announce their preferred alternative policies or plans to the government's actions.

1. What SHOULD have been done about Iraq by the international diplomatic community?
2. What SHOULD the government do about illegal asylum seekers that land on our northern shores without permission?
3. What co-ercive and restrictive powers SHOULD A.S.I.O be permitted to have?
4. What SHOULD have the US military done with David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, instead of feeding and clothing them for the last few years?
5. What SHOULD be done about the gravy train of retired politicians with enormous post-retirement benefits that are so out of touch with the general public as to be verging on obscene largesse by a coterie of the self-appointed political elite?

Oh wait, maybe he didn't say that last bit... Malcolm's in the muddle yet again. Click the link if you are familiar with Oz politics, to see with whom Malcolm Fraser's real loyalties lie.

Cross-posted at Bastards Inc.

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