I am writing this blog because South Australia needs help. We are an extremely strategically located city, for years headquarters of Murdoch, Halliburton and BAE, and are being systematically brainwashed into becoming defence industry drones without ever being given the choice of taking this path.

For over a year now I've been fairly certain that Adelaide has been the centre of much more international activity than we're being told about. Halliburton's ghostly co-ordination of it's Asia-Pacific activities, not to mention its global infrastructure activities, from this location seems to be at the head of this octopus, if not initiating the thought then at least co-ordinating the tentacles.

Consider these Halliburton C.V.entries The KBR director who through the friendly takeover of his company globalised his efforts into the conglomerate,Malcolm Kinnaird, is named South Australian of the Year, then proceeds to draft a report on what should happen next, and then joins the Defence Procurement Board to make sure all is happennining to schedule. The KBR director who built three Murdoch printing plants, then orchestrated the railway bidding and construction, Mr Franco Moretti,joins the board of an oil company, after which KBR get the oil survey jobs for eastern Victoria.

A well known Australian playwright in his speech at his daughter's wedding said "you might as well take her hand ... you've had the rest!". The Gippsland Basin can be considered as the hand - oil and gas pipelines are magically arriving from Papua New Guinea (no mention of how to get the resources out of Irian Jaya yet) and the Western Victorian Otway Basin, co-ordinated by KBR while they plan the future gas supply of New Zealand in its Project Aria. And let's not even talk about Timor....

In the meantime the company, already the state's major planning consultant, drafts the Environmental Impact Assesment for the Naval Precinct, entirely impartially no doubt. Given their involvement in U.K. naval activities this is more than interesting, more on that later.

In his 1947 "Prelude to Space" Arthur C. Clarke wrote of Great Britain's control of interplantetary activities due to its control of that fantastic launching pad, the Australian outback. Today British Aerospace Engineering is the major player, while Halliburton provides support- railways, resources for the uranium mines, fuel supplies for related industries, defence of the location. Watch the unvieling of the naval contracts if you don't believe me.

In the meantime our one primary newspaper, Murdoch's Advertiser, continually writes "local boy makes good" stories of suburban companies winning defence contracts. BAE is always written of in this manner, on the day of writing so was SAAB. I've had a lucky run of defence propoganda repudiations in the 'Tiser letters pages, even managed to get Halliburton GHQ in, but have yet to find a way of reporting the global nature of BAE. I've even managed one this week on long-term armoured vehicle refurbishment, but I"m not even going to try and suggest that SAAB is not a "locally-based" (standard Murdoch translation for "local international corporation office") company. Such a suggestion would be highly unlikely to be published. There was a little paragraph in our Independant Weekly saying that Hal's Asia-Pacific and Global Infrastructure Headquarters were here ... until last year. That and my letter were the only local printing of Hal operating internationally from this city.

They didn't have much to say when we were standing out the front with placards and an SBS reporter. All that Sophie Mcneill got from them was that they had a good reputation in Australia. However she found quite a lot more for her SBS Dateline piece (watch it!). Last Friday's paper had six pages of propoganda devoted to encouraging us to support the naval contract bid. The front page photo was of local journos dressed as commandos "taking the fight" to Victoria.

If anyone thinks that information that doesn't aid the military plans is going to make print in the city of Adelaide, they should think again.

The Sydney Morning Herald ran a feature on South Australian Hal activities in March. The follow-on reporting by Adelaide media? None. South Australian number plates bearing the logo "The Defence State" are becoming quite common these days. You can see what this State is up against.

If anyone who has information or ideas could leave them here we may provide an important resource, or at the very least a historical trail as to where things began to go seriously wrong. I will leave information here as I find it. Links will be added as fast as I can

In parting for now,did I mention that the Bush family's pet company, Carlyle, are currently testing their new drones in the outback before they float this particular research and devolopment group (once part of the British Army) on the London Stock Exchange? They've just announce a scientific alliance with BAE, by the way (see paragrah 20 here )

In some aspects Sydney and Canberra are not necessarilly the centre of all things. Mind you, with communcations these days anything can be controlled from anywhere. I'll sign off with this thought- there is one important facility not available to the companies of Houston and Austin; a military port. A spare spaceport such as Woomera probably won't go astray, either

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19/5/2005

Here's a lively account of the recent Halliburton AGM protest in Houston, at which numerous arrests occurred. The source is an anonymous witer on Collective Bellaciao

At the Four Seasons this morning, before 8 am, barricades were erected, over 30 Houston horse police, undercover cops and heavy foot police presence (photos) was amassed. By 8:30, the march had reached the hotel, with about 140 - 300 protesters with lots of puppets, and signs such as "stop cronyism." Dick Cheney flashed people video, photo, activists held signs, played a samba and did a funky dance. A break-away march was met by Houston Police, who attempted to corral them, with one arrest occurring. By 9 am, there were 12 activists inside the hotel. Four were escorted out by hotel security and Houston police, while the rest were detained. Outside, things began heating up with pushing, cops on horses and arrests (photos: 1, 2, 3, 4). Some concerns have been raised about cruelty to the horses. The horses trampled several people (videos: 1, 2).

Police used pain compliance on occupation inside hotel. Media were not allowed inside the shareholders meeting and protest. Police Officer # 4961, S. M. Forrester, admitted to a female activist that he had lost control of himself. Andrea Buffa and Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange, got inside meeting and directly questioned war-profiteer / Halliburton CEO David Lesar. Prathap Chatterjee of Corp-Watch had a private five minute meeting with him which ended in vague assurances.

Arrested: Herb Rothschild, David Graeve, Katie Heim, Ellie Shenker, Maureen Haver, Diane Wilson, Jonathan Kresha and Kendle Greenlee were arrested inside (photos, videos: 1, 2, 3). David Solnit, an anonymous male, James Foley, Baku, David Martinez, Andy Peterson, Rolando Maya, Chris McMullen were arrested outside. Baku and David Martinez, both out of town indymedia videographers, were arrested while shooting video. David was dragged by his neck by a cop while trying to go to the sidewalk as instructed (video, photos: 1, 2). There have been many class B misdemeanors, but it is possible some will be charged with assault

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I''m trying to collect information on a Homeland Securtiy Consultant named Scott Bates who was in Adelaide a year ago. Since his involvement in the political reconstruction of Kosovo, From what I can see his main work has been strengthening securtiy for ports. I had a minor encounter with him last year. The part of the conversation missing from the following transcript is where Mr Bates told me to remember that Adelaide has been regarded as strategically important since before the Cuban Missile Crisis:

Mr Bates admits here that last tiime he was in Adelaide he was advising S.A. Premier Mike Rann on election campaign tactic. Which makes me wonder what he was doing at the annual Oakbank races with the Premier and Senators Hill, Minchin and Downer (Federal Ministers for Finance, Defence and Foreign Affairs respectively. I'd make a bet that it wasn't just to watch the horsies go round and round....

Scott Bates, Senior Policy Adviser to the US House of Representatives
Homeland Security Committee (891ABC 10.36-10.54) Bates' career/Iraq

(Abraham: ... flicking through 'The 'Tiser' ... and there is an
article and a photo of Premier Mike Rann with Sasha, his partner, and this
man who's in the studio with us now, Scott Bates ... the Premier had
mentioned Scott Bates was staying with him... ) Great to be with you here
today ... I really appreciate being on what is perhaps one of the top three
morning shows in Adelaide and I'm very excited about that. (Abraham: Now the
Premier's told you to say that.) Indeed. (Bevan: Very funny.) (Abraham: Name
the other two. No ... we'll talk to you about homeland security and what
this job means but you are an interesting person. You are young ... at 26
you were the youngest Secretary of State in Virginia ... ever in America ...
) ... most of what I got to do was appoint people to boards and commissions
... that was one of the more interesting jobs I had ... (Abraham: Now I
imagine you met Mike Rann through Craig James who's a ... we would call him
a spin doctor, but a political consultant ... campaign guru.) ... I had
worked with Craig back in 1990 at a firm in Washington ... we had about a
third of the US Senate as our clients that we helped with their
communications efforts ... maybe in 1997 Craig said how about coming out and
seeing a mate of mine, Mike Rann, and I'd heard about him ... we just hit it
off right away and stayed in touch with him ... (Caller Richard: ... in your
opinion as far as terrorism targets, do you think would a city that's
advertising itself as a defence capital, a city that's got major global
infrastructure headquarters moving in here, do you think that at the moment
we might be becoming a larger potential terrorist target? ... ) ... I've met
with Susan Carman [phonetic] who's your Director of Security and Emergency
Preparedness here in South Australia ... at the beginning of the
conversation I thought ... I'll have all these things to share with her and
maybe ... teach South Australians. By the end of it ... we talked in some
detail, you are years, literally years ahead in planning ... on protection
of critical infrastructure and emergency preparedness than state governments
surely in the United States and even our Federal Government ... when it
comes to being a target I think what we have to think about is that who
would have ever imagined that four aeroplanes would be smashed into
buildings? Who would have ever imagined that 10 aeroplanes would have been
attempted to be hijacked in the Philippines? ... I don't want to say that
everywhere is a target because that's just kind of alarmist but I think it
make sense to take proper precaution, to make sure you minimise risk ... yes
these are trying times ... but really the world is a heck of a lot safer
than it was say 40 years ago ... (Abraham: Did you help ... on Mike Rann's
election campaign in 2002?) Well I guess if you could consider help being
... going out to dinner and chewing the fat and having a glass of wine, I
think that's help. (Abraham: ... I think you're mentioned in dispatches in
Bob Ellis's book.) Well as you know, Mr Ellis is a noted writer of
Australian fiction. He ... I think he referred to me as one of the most
interesting people he'd ever met and a 21st century hero. I pull that book
out at every kind of party I have and do dramatic readings from it ...
Adelaide is a very special place ... I first came here in 2000 and then back
in 2001 ... when Mike was running for office ... first and foremost I've
learned something about Australia that I hold dear is this concept of being
a mate ... being a good friend and ... that transcends politics ... I'd say
Mike is a great mate and that's why I came out. And that's why I'm here
today. I've got two weeks of vacation and I came out for one week here.
(Abraham: Scott Bates, thank you ... )

 

The main reason for looking is that the Australian Government has just announced its intentions to Federalise control of major ports. The reason given has been to reduce bottlenecks in trade, but it's a timely coincidence given that the winner of the Destroyer contracts will be most likely announced next week.

Making the announcements in reverse order would have given too many people "the wrong idea"
.

My guess is that Adelaide will be chosen is that with it's smaller population to Melbourne, less lives would be lost in a maritime "terrorist attack"

 

It's a pretty safe bet given that three of the four submissions involve major work being carried out in Port Adeliade, that this city will be signifigantly involved in the project.. As far as the systems integration work goes, BAE is probably the only company able for the the job, and as they are "Adelaide based" it would be perfect for the work to be given to "local business"

Mr Bates' involvement indicates very close ties indeed between Adelaide and the U.S. on maritime security matters. No doubt his opinion will affect the outcome

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Would the United States ever consider faking attacks on itself in order to arouse the support of its citizens? They already did... forty years ago!

Operation Northwood was a planned faked attack on U.S. soil by Cuba, and included the proposal to blame streetside sniiper shootings on "Cuban terrorists".

Substantiation for some dangerous hypotheticals arises in this scenario relating to the possible uses for the date 6/6/6

It's time for a walk in the sunshine.....

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31/5/05

ADELAIDE WINS WARSHIP CONTRACT

In what he described as a "monumental day in the State's history" , South Australian Premier Mike Rann has just announced that Adelaide's Australian Submarine Coporation has won the contract to build the three "Son of Star Wars" Air warfare destroyers.

Premier Rann said that when the news reached his office "we all shook hands and said 'mission accomplished'."

Mr Rann added that the contract had been signifigant in enticing "a whole lot" of defence-related companies to Adelaide's northern suburbs.

Companies involved in the contract include BAE, Lockheed-Martin, Raytheon and Halliburton/KBR.

Mr Rann also said that on the strength of the win South Australia would be bidding for the Australian arm of the Global Hawk project. The Unmanned Air Vehicle's first trans-Atlantic flight was from Edwards Air Base in the U.S. to the Edinburgh Air Base in Adelaide.

Defence Minister and Senator for South Australia Robert Hill qualified the announcement by adding that much of the construction work would be carried out in shipyards across Australia.

Mr Hill said that "...up to 70% of the module construction will be subcontracted to other shipyards around Australia, creating around 1000 additional jobs throughout the country."

"It's a very large project, very technically challenging."

South Australian Opposition Leader Mr Rob Kerrin said that the deal would "cement South Australia's defence industry for decades to come", while Australian Workers Union representative Wayne Hanson. said "We've won a generation of work for South Australian workers and their families."
.
Senator Hill said that the Federal Government would provide $455 million to fund the second phase project activites such as design work, infrastructure and facilities construction until mid-2007. Local ship construction recruitment is expected to occur at that time.,

He said it would further reduce the risks of the project in accord with recommendations of the Defence Procurement (Kinnaird) Review

Sources: ABC-891 Adelaide, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, Reuters

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15/6/05

 

HALLIBURTON TAKES OVER

 

In a response to an earlier blog TG Kerr made the suggestion that companies such as Halliburton may be creating work for themselves by creating projects and then submitting them for Public Private Partnerships with the Federal Government.

A good example would be KBR's development of the mouth of the Murray River. Plans to create a Twin Lake artifIcial evaporation containment system from S.A.'s Lake Alexandrina which Cheney's Men admit won't keep the Murray mouth open) include construction of a 100 kilometre barrage. The concept is being recommended to councils near the lake by S.A. Premier Mike Rann. The company has proposed it as a PPP... how many other projects are being tendened for by mulitnational companies' under the cloak of "Australian subsidiaries"?

Thanks, John Howard, for such a quick response. Today's announcement of the Roadmap to Water shows the Federal Government's intention to privatise Australia's waterways. Howard is acting on thinktank The Barton Group's advice. The Barton Group tendered for private consultants to facilitate the Roadmap (point #7 here). I wonder who they might be ? Three guesses...

__________________________________________

Second thought for the day: are Adelaide's unnecessary and too expensive new warships being "purpose built" for involvement in a pre-emptive nuclear strike on North Korea? Given Richard Perle's plans, it's a high possiblity. A Catch-22 arises, especially fpr a believer of Alexander Downer's fears of potential North Korean missile range that if the Koreans get a long enough shot fired off before we finish the ships, the docks of Adelaide will be much higher on an enemy target priority list than they would have been without the presence of "Son Of Star Wars" naval construction

__________________________________________

In the same town, the presence of Halliburton employees in local council offices has been creating conflicts of interest in State planning meetings- scroll down to page 11 where Halliburton is highlighted. Such conflicts are enevitable when you look at lists like this. If you've read the highlighted parts of these two links, you'll see the same name appearing for Halliburton in both local planning and nuclear waste management..."curiouser and curiouser', said Aice "

_______________________________________

Cheney's 2003 Christmas card quoted Benjamin Franklin at the U.S Constitutional Convention

"And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?"

I don't think Mr Franklin would have approved. If you can believe Gore Vidal (and I do) the convenors of U.S. Democracy were working to minimise the impact of those such as Cheney when they drafted their Constitution.. According to Vidal, the possibility of a Cheney was the main reason why Bem and friends didn't want to have an army

You know from my first blog that Cheney set up his Australian activities before he moved back into the White House. Reading Cheney's Christmas message from an Adelaide point of view doesn't exactly inspire sentiments of "Peace on earth, and goodwill to all men"

Australia and U.S. As One- letter reprint from Adelaide Advertiser

 

21/6/05

Assembled by S.A. Minister For Infrastructure, Patrick Conlon, the five member group to plot the state's infrastructure future include former KBR International Vice President for Infrastructure and head of Asia-Pacific Operations, Andrew Fletcher, as its head and the owner of a KBR acquired company, Malcolm Kinnaird, as a participant.

You can sense a possible conflict of interest here... in the same manner that U.S. Vice President Cheny needs to distance himself from his former employer, Kinnaird and Fletcher will need to publically ensure that they are fulfilling their obligations to the state and not the corporation.

At the same time, Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced the tripling of the number of troops based in Port Augusta, in a defence expansion that will allow for "full battle group" exercises and the operational shakedown of "new" M-1 Abrahams tanks.

A proposed new transport hub , and the building of 3,000 new homes, near the R.A.A.F Edinburgh base and the Mawson Lakes development, would be carried out by property development group Delfin. The last time Delfin was prominent on this side of town was in a partnership scheme chaired by the man who was CEO of Kinhill when it was acquired by Halliburton/ KBR, Mr David Klingberg, who is now the Chancellor of the University of South Australia.

Minister Hill has also just announced that he will soon be announcing "which company will work with the rest of the air warfare destroyer team to develope the evolved design of the ship" I'm assuming he means the designers but not too sure. .

 

This would all be less disconcerting if not for the very close relationship between the Pentagon and KBR. Even the U.S. Congress is having trouble gettiing the facts

In all of this railway-related activity, I hope people remember that the line is not a public amenity for another 48 years... in the meantime the freight charges will be paid to.... do I really have to say it ?

This is just the beginning.... to be continued

-------------------------------------------------------------

It's the middle of July. I've just found this profile of Andrew Fletcher from when he was Halliburton/KBR Vice President for infrastructure. At this time he was hopeful that the corp would be building a new defence HQ in Canberra, adding to the list of the company's contracts in our nation's capital.

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Saturday July 23

A new Adelaide-based army battallion would utilise the railway for transport of equipment and vehicles, according to today's Advertiser, On reading this my mind went back to this article for some reason. Remember the bet I made a couple of blogs back? Still haven't changed my mind..

The same day's editorial says that defence construction should not be part of a war participation debate Mr Murdoch is always right.

Speaking of construction, KBR are about to increase their eagerness for Austalian Government awarded foreign aid contracts. Are you the person for the job? There's a week left to apply.

28/8/05

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HALLIBURTON'S ADELAIDE

-Reprinted from Margo Kingston's Webdiary, this piece serves well as an overview of the last few months of blogging

While Australians have sat in their trees like manna-gum-'stoned' koalas, the economic landscape has changed around them dramatically. The new King and Queen of the Southern Defence Colony, affectionately known as Condy and Rummy, will be crowned by Alexander Downer in Adelaide this November, with most of us none the wiser.

As I watched South Australia's Premier Mr Rann tell us that now that a U.S. company had won the design contract for Adelaide's contribution to the US Missile Shield it should set up an office here, I thought "...so that when they've finished ours we can start the work for Taiwan."

I now consider Halliburton to be more middle-men, than boogie-men. True, they've organised protection for Woomera and Pine Gap, transport of fuel and water resources and reservoirs for southern expansion, northern supply and extraplanetary migration, but you won't see their logo on everything not so much as part of what appears at times to be an almost-sinister concealment of their activities, but because they're contractors and subcontractors for other people and projects, like the water meter reading, the council park, mowing, the Warship and Joint Strike Fighter programs.

They've kept their names out of the local media much more successfully than they did in the U.S. and U.K (a pity about the Rolling Stones), but when, in that country and ours, you begin to see the likes of the favourite company of the Bushes and Bin Ladens, Carlyle, begin to show its head at the top of the pecking order, you see two paths leading to the same destination. That's when you begin to wonder how many years of preparation have taken place.

It's difficult when you live here to consider how much of a nexus to southern hemispheric activities our insignificant little city has become, and was possibly planned to be since the end of the Second World War. In 1947, in his novel following his theories of geosynchronous orbit and satellite-based communications, Arthur C. Clark presumed that Britain would be the supreme extraplanetary power because of her control of Woomera. According to U.S. Homeland Security Consultant Scott Bates, Adelaide was mooted as the centre of humanity's nuclear-winter survival outpost at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Back then it wasn't known that the State contained forty per cent of the world's uranium. In front bars around town anyone you have a beer with about what's happening will ask "What's so special about Adelaide?" Donald Rumsfeld and Condoleeza Rice, White House Secretaries of Defence and State, seem to have a fair idea. In spite of the "humble" reasoning of the aspirant figurehead of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, Rumsfeld and "Condy" (Downer's term of endearment, not mine) haven't come to a pow-wow in Adelaide just because the man lives here. They've come to 'inspect the troops'.

From here, troops will rest, train and refurbish while their weapons and supplies run across the continent. From here, liquid natural gas supplies will run north to Asia and south to New Zealand creating a possible reverse supply line when mining begins in Antarctica. Another use of the same pipes would mean that water can be coordinated and distributed to what is left of the globe, with a continually drained and refilled Great Artesian Basin acting as the supply depot... Also useful for 'water downloading' if an extraterrestrial water source is found. While we're waiting, don't forget that the icecaps contain 90 % of the world's fresh water.

From here, Jindaee's radar detection of possible enemies is already carried out. No doubt in the future satellites will feed in global strategic information, if they're not already. The arrival of a National Tsunami Centre suggests that sub-sea activities are also fairly well 'scoped'.

From here, given modern real-time communications, the world could be run quite effectively, at a pinch, with the commanders never being in danger of running out of anything. At the end of the day, with an inexhaustible supply of energy and fresh water, the US Dynasty would be able to outlast any enemy.

To the north of Adelaide, plastic and paper are being imported to landfills and recycled into composites to make lightweight armour for land and air and space vehicles.

In the meantime we can be happy little koalas munching on Manna from America to keep us obliviously content.

 

URGENT ADDITION Thursday August 11: Our only newspaper, Rupert Murdoch's Advertiser, has today devoted a page on downplaying a terrorist attack on Adelaide.

A good politician exposes a story by denying it. Extrapolating this concept to possible "psy op" techniques, I'm very concerned for this city.

This blog and it's continuance have received an aggregate of 9,000 hits in three months. I'm glad you are watching Adelaide, in case of what might happen next.

 

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September 11 2005

Scary times, in which a man is arrested in for the crime of protesting against Halliburton. I wasn't aware that legislation had been already been proclaimed
.

Six Federal police and immigration officials were needed to arrest Houston histrpry teacher Scott Parkin at a Melbourne cafe. Park was on his way to prevent a workshop about the U.S. peace movement and companies involved in the Iraq war

Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown has claimed that orders for Parkins arrest and presumably imminent deportation orignated from the U.S. Government. "The Howard Government will do anything the U.S. Government asks....because he's a thorn in the side of of Dick Cheney, Halliburton, and profit making deals that apply in Iraq"

 

PARKIN'S REVENGE- REVEALING THE CONCEALED

(Reprinted from Webdiary)

It now seems that a man is to be deported from Australia for inciting resentment of US corporate giant Halliburton's activities in Iraq.

Scott Parkin's aim is to put economic, social and political pressure on Halliburton so that they withdraw from Iraq. His holiday in this country lead to participation in recent street protests in Sydney. There he reiterated his complaint from Australian soil, that Halliburton and subsidiary KBR are the Poster children of war profiteering.

On Saturday Parkin was leaving a coffee shop, on his way to help present a workshop on nonviolent protest when he was apprehended by four Federal police, assisted by an unmentioned number of immigration officers. BBC News links his arrest to the Sydney Halliburton protest.

Parkin, according to Crikey's Guy Rundle is "not just any old anti-Halliburton activist – he knows more about the company than pretty much anyone around, and he's been a key organiser of campaigns against their AGMs and HQ in Houston."

What message is sent to Australian activists by Parkin's incarceration? As someone who has sensed unethicality in the company's activities both abroad and within Australia I feel vindicated in my beliefs. To remove a person who might promote information implies a desire of the democratic actor, in this case Australia's Federal Government, to obscure and conceal what this man could portray and reveal, and what he could make us think.

I am beginning to suspect that there is a large financial loophole being hidden within the activities of the Howard Government, but unfortunately the key, if flimsy, evidence that I had no longer exists. It was a job ad in the online version of The Economist, in which Halliburton KBR touted for a foreign aid specialist to handle its projects. This ad proclaimed that KBR's clients included the World Bank, USAid and Ausaid. The successessful applicant would be 'preferrably' based at KBR's offices Greenhill Road, Parkside, South Australia. If anyone can help me recover a version of this ad it would be most appreciated.

This ad was 'printed' in the week that the Australian Prime Minister made a surprise visit to Iraq to announce his country's role as aid distributor.

Many of us are nervous tonight, after having been told by our leaders that they don't like what we're doing. Some of us feel a sense of relief at the ramifications of a problem being finally revealed.

 

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

""Well the government owe Australians if not Mr Parkin an immediate
explanation," Mr Brown said, "You can't help but be worried that anti-terror laws are being abused to arrest a peace activist who has been highlighting the extraordinary profit making of Haliburton, which is making a huge amount of money out of the invasion of Iraq."

Parkin's Australian travel visa has been cancelled on the grounds that he is a threat to national security.

Could Parkin's arrest be associated with the release of a purported Al Qaeda statement that Los Angeles and Melbourne are the next targets for terrorism?

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September 14 2005

Quite a card-hand of news will greet Australia in the morning

 

Deputy PM tales Al Qaeda Photo-Op Where's Costello?

Ruddock's trying to say he's got no idea. Mark Vale, on the other hand, is saying that the tape is more reason to get ready for attack,

"There is no doubt that we will continue to fight the scourge of
terrorism no matter what form it takes across the world." he said.

In the meantime propoganda terrorist Parkin intends to mount an appeal, which might possibly not be heard in the interests of national security.

Is protesting against Halliburton now considered "not in the national interest?"

at 12 September, 2005 - 11:02pm FBI says Australian "Al Qaeda Threat" due to Iraq War

AN apparent Al-Qaeda tape threatening a
terrorist strike on Melbourne should not surprise anyone, due to
Australia's support for the US war on terror, according to an FBI
official.

"The bottom line is whether it's this tape or any other tape, we know
there's people out there who wish to strike at the US and our allies,
and that includes Australia," the spokesman said. "It's not something
that would surprise anyone – we know there's a threat out there and we
know it's real." (Brisbane Courier Mail, 13/11/05

Maybe Prime Minister Howard can change their mind.

at 13 September, 2005 - 1:50am Western Australia Jumps The Gun

New counterterrorism legislation allowing area cordons searches and property removal will be introduced into Western Austalian Parliament today.

However W.A . Premier Geoff Gallup draws the line at detaining suspects without charge

" We've yet to agree to taking on board the power to detain people" he said.

(source: Anti-terror laws "nation's toughest", Adelaide Advertiser 14/9/05

at 14 September, 2005 - 12:59am South Australia to prevent distribution of "provocative material

The Advertiser was saving its own state's proposed new terror laws for the "on-line front page"

The South Australian laws will include administering restraining orders to prevent the distribution of provocative material.

Source: "Strong arm of the law" Adelaide Advertiser

If a trend of Labor states pre-empting Liberal control by assuming new powers continues, it would be hoped that such political muscle flexing is being applied pro bono (which people assume means "for free" but is actually "for good") in both of its senses of contemporary interpretation.

at 14 September, 2005 - 1:53am

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Our Prime Minister will be making an announcement to the United Nations today:

 

The Australian Prime Minister Mr Howard will unveil plans to increase aid to $4 billion a year by 2012 from the current level of $2.7 billion.


The increase will take Australia close to the 0.7 per cent of GDP set at the Millennium Summit five years ago.

Source: Melbourne Herald Sun

The main Australian aid provider would possibly be the company in the
process of settling a new foreign aid administrator into its Adelaide
office.

Aid contracts have been given to Halliburton KBR in Adelaide over the last three years under the pretext that they were being given to a local company. But the way, the minister's contact in that media release is now a senior journalist for the Adelaide Advertiser. He is also a former conservative member of Parliament, and led the newspaper's campaign to invoke support for the Adelaide Warship Contract

Question Of The Day. Given that the impending visit of U.S. Cabinet membesr Rumsfeld and Rice to Adelaide in October will be an obvious "terror target", what laws will South Australians be subjected to within weeks?By Richard Tonkin at Sep 14 2005 - 3:00am |

 

"I've just read that Halliburton Gives Kickbacks To The Australian Government So They Can Trade There"-Scott Parkin

Sorry about the title lenghth, but this needs to be google-screamed

You can hear the iParkin's Houston Community Radio interview here (MP3 download) I'll transcribe tomorrow. Sorry, but I need to sleep.

Labor counterterrorism spokesman Arch Bevis said in a media release today "The detention of any citizen for an extended period of time must be based only on sound intelligence of a credible threat and be authorised by a judge, not a bureaucrat or politician."

Why weren't The Federal Opposition making more noise about Parkin's detention?

By Richard Tonkin at Sep 20 2005 Australian Greens and Democrats Call Parkin Senate inquiry, Scott Parkin;s Media Release

How to disassociate Parkin from Halliburton? Don't mention the comany's name any more.

As this story continues to play throught the media, where once you'd see at least one mention, if not several, of the company Parkin had been protesting in Australia against. instead we see, at the end of two weeks of print and airplay, the man but not the cause.

It will be interesting, in the new Howard Government, to see if Bob Brown's motion for a Senate inquiry over the Parkin incident results in any action.

Who will be the sympathetic Liberal who votes with Brown for an
investigation? On the other hand, will Howard use this as an
opportunity to exert control over over his own 'mavericks'?

ASIO historian David McKnight says that if the leak is true it indicates a reversion in ASIO strategy to its tactics in the '70s.

I hope that Brown gets his inquiry. We all knew that a full Liberal
majority was going to create ethical issues. Here's the litmus test on
how they will be dealt with.

 

In the meantime, have a look at what Mr Parkin has to say. This release has been circulated through the nonviolence network, and surfaced on one of Webdiary's Parkin threads:

MEDIA RELEASE
22 September 2005

Parkin refutes ASIO smear

Houston, Texas: Scott Parkin today spoke from Texas to clear his
name and refute the media claims of an alleged ASIO leak that he was
planning to teach violence in his peace workshop in Melbourne.

Mr Parkin said, "These are false, unfounded and personally Damaging allegations.

"ASIO put me in solitary detention for 5 days and not once made
these allegations to me nor have they provided these stories to my
lawyer, Julian Burnside, QC.

"If I am such a threat why have the FBI not even phoned me since my
return from Australia, to follow up ASIO's silly allegations?

"If ASIO wants the public to trust this process is fair they should
have made these allegations in the proper way and not via some
exclusive supposed leak.

"The Government has a public responsiblity to provide facts and not make smears.

"Osama bin Laden is free, meanwhile Australia‘s peak intelligence agency is running around fretting about peace protestors.

"As I always say and sincerely believe, it is unprincipled to do anything violent at any time, including in a protest situation.

"During my time in Australia I spoke publicly against techniques to
de-arrest a person who has been lawfully detained by the Police because
it is against my principles.

"ASIO should know this if they are doing their job properly.

"Horses suffer from being used as riot control machines and I completely oppose anything that abuses them.

"The media and public are welcome to come to non violent protest
training by me or my colleages, but we can assume ASIO were there
anyway and know these claims are unbelievable," said Mr Parkin.

 

The Australian Democrats are also demanding action over spy agency leak to a Murdoch journalist.

The party's Attorney General's spokesperson, Senator Natasha Stott-Despoja said that "The whole process appears fundamentally flawed" and asked "Surely any such leak to the media is in itself an issue to national security?"

 

Given that the journalist who was supposedly given information by ASIO is regarded by many as the most right-wing Murdoch journalist in Australia, questions are being asked about the leak's authenticity.

Federal Parliament resumes in a week. Life in the Senate will not be dull.

By Richard Tonkin at Sep 24 2005

 

Halliburton Stuffs Up

When you read this L.A. Times story, think about possible ramifications in an area near you::

[Excerpt]

By T. Christian Miller, Times Staff Writer

QARMAT ALI, Iraq — The failure to rebuild key components of Iraq's petroleum industry has impeded oil production and may have permanently damaged the largest of the country's vast oil fields, American and Iraqi experts say.

The deficiencies have deprived Iraq of hundreds of millions of dollars in potential revenue needed for national rebuilding efforts and kept millions of barrels of oil off the world market at a time of growing demand.

  

Engineering mistakes, poor leadership and shifting
priorities have delayed or led to the cancellation of several projects critical to restoring Iraq's oil industry, according to interviews with more than two dozen current and former U.S. and Iraqi officials and industry experts.

The troubles have been compounded in some cases by security issues, poor maintenance and disputes between the U.S. and its main contractor, Houston-based KBR, a subsidiary of Halliburton Corp., according to the interviews and documents.

Despite the United States' spending more than $1.3 billion, oil production remains below the estimated pre-war level of 2.5 million barrels per day and well below a December
2004 goal of up to 3 million barrels per day.

Interviews and documents from whistle-blowers show problems with at least three projects deemed crucial to Iraq's oil production:

• Qarmat Ali water treatment plant. This massive pumping complex is needed to inject water into Iraq's southern oil fields to aid in oil extraction. Under a no-bid contract, KBR was instructed to repair the complex at a cost of up to $225 million, but not the leaky pipelines carrying water to the fields. As a result, the water cannot be delivered reliably, raising concerns that some of Iraq's oil may not be recoverable.

• Al Fathah pipelines. As part of the same no-bid contract, the U.S. gave KBR a job worth up to $70 million to rebuild a pipeline network in northern Iraq despite concerns that the project was unsound. In the end, KBR built fewer than half the pipelines, and the project was given to another contractor. The delay has aggravated oil transport problems, which have forced Iraq to inject millions of barrels of oil back into
the ground, a harmful practice for the oil fields and the environment.
A government audit is being conducted based on a complaint by a whistle-blower.

• Southern oil well repairs. A $37-million project to boost production at dozens of Iraqi oil wells was canceled after KBR refused to proceed without a U.S. guarantee to protect it from possible lawsuits.

It is striking that although thereconstruction of the northern oil infrastructure has been hampered by security issues, the southern oil fields — which account for most production — have been attacked only a few times since the conflict in Iraq began but still face serious problems.

After the 2003 invasion, U.S. officials and KBR moved swiftly, resuming oil production only a month after the war began and slowly increasing output. But after matching the prewar peak of 2.5 million barrels a day in
September 2004, production declined to about 2.2 million barrels daily
last month.

If the U.S. had successfully completed the planned
repairs, Iraq could be producing up to 500,000 additional barrels a
day, according to some estimates.

The difference would add up to more than $8 billion a year — money that the Iraqi government could use for new schools and hospitals, to supplant U.S. reconstruction spending and improve the Iraqi security forces that Washington hopes will replace American troops.

U.S. reconstruction officialsacknowledged the delays but said the efforts had turned a corner and that despite the contract disputes, they were satisfied with KBR's performance. The company avoided a possible cancellation of its contract this year after addressing problems associated with cost estimates. The U.S. also has brought in an Australian-American firm to finish several projects started by KBR that had been delayed (Full version here)

If the hearsay about the railway is "on track" we may see local versions of stories like these.

By Richard Tonkin at Sep 27 200

 

P.M. Funds National Terror Initiatives

Prime Minister John Howard today announced funding for a new counterterrorsm package.

The funding will support measures agreed upon between the Federal Government and the nations' State Premiers.

Following today's meeting of the Council of Australian Governments’ meeting (COAG) to discuss national counter-terrorism arrangements Mr Howard announced $40 million in additional funding for a range of measures "to deliver increased safety and security to all Australians."

These measures are in addition to the Government’s recent commitment of $200 million to further tighten security at Australia’s major airports

Initiatives announced yesterdayinclude:

• $17.3 million over five years to establish an Australian Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Data Centre located within the Australian Federal Police (AFP);
• $2.4 million over five years to support the establishment of a Chemical Warfare Agents Laboratory Network, which will provide a network of laboratories across Australia for the analysis of chemical agents;
• $9.2 million over four years for the enhancement of Australia’s national counter-terrorism exercise regime - the enhanced programme will provide a greater focus on exercising Australia’s ability to manage mass casualty incidents, particularly in places such as major city precincts and transport hubs;
• $1.3 million over four years to support the development of a national strategy to explain to the public, through a set of clear, concise messages, the arrangements set out in the National Counter-Terrorism Plan and improved, centralised communication with the media during a crisis;
• $5.9 million in 2005-06 to support the development of a national action plan to build on the principles agreed at my recent meeting with Islamic community leaders and to undertake a range of related work including Muslim community liaison, community partnership projects, a national youth summit and leadership and media training;
• $1 million over three years for Commonwealth aspects of the implementation of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee’s review of urban mass passenger surface transport security arrangements; and
• $700,000 to assist Commonwealth participation in the National Counter-Terrorism Committee review of closed circuit television capability and development of a national code of practice.
• Further, the COAG has agreed to establish a unified policing model at each of the 11 counter-terrorism first response (CTFR) airports including: an Airport Police Commander, a dedicated Joint Intelligence Group, a CTFR capability and a permanent community policing presence, and at each of the major international airports (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide), a Joint Airport Investigation Team.

The Australian Government has agreed to fully fund under the unified model a full-time community policing presence of AFP officers wearing AFP uniforms and under AFP command at all major Australian airports, with officers seconded or recruited from State and Territory police forces. The funding details for this initiative will be settled and announced shortly.

The COAG communiqué can be found at: www.coag.gov

Australian Lawyers Alliance president Richard Faulks told ABC News that the laws are totalitarian and un-Australian.

"Depending on what the final version is, I think it is a retrograde step, and one that we didn't need," Mr Faulks said.

"Australians value their freedom and even though everyone is concerned about terrorism and rightly so, there are steps that can be taken that are still consistent with proper safeguards which are part of our everyday life."

The union for the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has told the ABC that it does not have enough officers to take on the new airport security functions approved today.

Spokesman Jim Torr said that more than 600 employees have been redeployed to counter-terrorism functions since the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"The AFP has to grow proportionately to the scope of the increase of its role," he said.

South Australian Premier Mike Rann told the Financial Review he was confident the leaders would convince Mr Howard to include a sunset clause as part of the package. "I think that a sunset clause after 10 years would be a smart thing."

He said that terrorism was just another word for mass murder, and the new laws should reflect the seriousness of the crime.

 

By Richard Tonkin at Sep 28 2005

 

SA Recruiting In Mumbai For Defence and Research Workers

The S.A. Government is attempting to recruit workers to the State from the commercial centre of India.

Addressing a seminar on ''Living, Working and Studying in South Australia'' in Mumbai this week, S.A. Trade and Industry Minister Paul Holloway said bio-science, automotive, manufacturing, medical research and hospitality were sectors where his country could employ people from the developing countries.

Mr Holloway said that South Australia offers varied job opportunities for overseas workers across a range of key industries including defence, healthcare and engineering.

''If you have skills in these areas, South Australia invites you to be a part of our cutting-edge defence industry,'' he enthused.

The Trade Minister referred to S.A. as the high technology centre of Australia's defence industry, leading the country in shipbuilding, submarine support, aerospace and defence research and development.

In a statement released last March, S.A. Premier Mike Rann said his Government had set a target to boost the number of people employed in the State’s defence industry from 16 000 to 28 000.

Mr Rann said that" Positioning ourselves to win more contracts will help us to achieve so many of South Australia’s Strategic Plan targets on job creation, economic growth, investment, interstate migration, exports, strategic infrastructure and establishing co-operative research centres and centres of excellence."

He said that “To win more defence contracts, we have to demonstrate that South Australia has the skills, the infrastructure, and the full-throttle backing of the SA Government."

Mr Holloway and the South Australian delegation will also travel to Bangalore and Chennai, with the aim of the mission to promote the South Australian education, wine, water, toolmaking and information technology sectors, as well as promoting SA as a migration destination.

Premier Rann will lead a trade delegation to India next month.

The head of the state's peak information and commutications technology lobby group told The Australian the government of "not looking in its own backyard" for skills.

ICT Council for SA chairman David Raffen, told the newspaper that the Premier was "wasting taxpayer's money" and should be paying more attention to the state's existing capabilities.

The Council has previously expressed concern at a suggestion by Administrative and Information Services Minister, Jay Weatherill, that industry development will not be a dominant factor in the Government's future ICT services procurement.

By Richard Tonkin at Sep 28 2005

 

AUSTRALIAN MILITARY COMMUNICATION GLOBALISED

Defence Minister Hill today announced that global defence giant General Dynamics will co-ordinate creation of the Australian Defence Force's new communications system.

General Dynamics claims it " has leading market positions in mission-critical information systems and technologies; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and business aviation. It is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, and employs approximately 70,800 people worldwide

The company is to be assisted by the Adelaide-based international defence corporation Tenix (whose consultants have included former Defence Minister Peter Reith) with ADI, Tenix founders Transfield share ADI in a consortium half-owned by European communications group Thales. The two goups have previously proposed merging aspects of their businesses. Thales acts as recruitment centre for ADI.

It's possible to guess who will look after the subcontracting work, but that would be pure speculation


Here's Minister Hill's medoa release:

Preferred Tenderer FOR BATTLESPACE COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT

General Dynamics, in partnership with ADI and Tenix, has been selected as the Phase One Preferred Tenderer for the design, development and implementation of Defence’s future digital communications system, Defence Minister Robert Hill announced today.

Senator Hill said the Battlespace Communications Systems will increase the efficiency and capacity of the Army and land-based Air Force elements to rapidly share information on the battlefield.

Phase One is approved for $97 million, and will focus on the development of the overall systems design and architecture for future procurements of communications equipment for the Land Force. This will provide enhanced Voice and Data communications capabilities and enhanced technology upgrades to equip a digitised Joint Task Force.

"This project is a key component in the delivery of network centric warfare to the land environment," Senator Hill said.

"This project will deliver state of the art digital voice and data communication, including video and multimedia, as well as an upgrade plan to ensure that the ADF’s equipment remains at the forefront of technology.

"Equipment will span the majority of field deployable units in both the Army and Air Force and is likely to range from small hand held radios to larger vehicle mounted communications equipment."

Estimated at up to $800 Million, the project has been broken up into three phases that are currently programmed over the next 10 years. Under this project, equipment will be introduced into service from 2007/2008.

"The preferred Prime Systems Integrator, General Dynamics, has significant experience in the design and development of complex communications systems through previous work on similar projects with the Canadian and British Armies," Senator Hill said.

"General Dynamics’ involvement in this project will enable the ADF to leverage this experience to strengthen Australia’s systems integration and communications expertise and further develop this critical capability."

General Dynamics has established a new company, General Dynamics Systems Australia (GDSA), as part of this project and will progressively transfer management and engineering work from General Dynamics Canada to GDSA. This will generate new jobs and further enhance the specialised skills needed in Australia’s Electronic Systems sector.

As the Prime Systems Integrator, General Dynamics will embed employees from ADI and Tenix into their team to work on the project and support system definition and design, speciality engineering, life cycle cost modelling, and the interface of the new architecture with existing systems.

"ADI and Tenix involvement will increase in later stages of the project to include delivery of training and logistics support," Senator Hill said.

"This will result in opportunities for Australian industry including, small-to-medium enterprises, to participate in vehicle installations, supply of equipment and through life support activities."

ENDS

Other Australian defence companies with signifigant global activity include BAE Australia, Boeing Australia and KBR Australia.

I seem to be looking for the end of the current globalisation of the resource "monetisation" process we appear to be undergoing. If you include military capablility as part of a country's natural resources, you begin to find a monopolisation of national assets in every country.

The question is what happens when everything's 'bought up?' Is it like the end of the Parker Bros board game, where everyone trades to amalgamete their assets in the most effective form? Look at the defence share trading earlier in the year - in the space of weeks BAE sold its shares in SAAB to buy United Defense from Carlyle who , as mentioned above, areabout to 'monetise' their investment in the UK. Defence via revenue generated in a stock exchange float. This is what I see as the future of Australian military assets - to be bought and sold to the highest bidder.

Corporate takeovers and share trading have the potential to become the new method of warfare, with national boundaries being of little signifigance. Corporation A, with higher miliatary assets and greater cash flow, defeats Corporation B by financial assimilation without (unlike now) a shot being fired.

If evoking the side-effects of warfare without bloodshed is the result, then how can we not commend this global edition of Monopoly?

Whatever happens, the selling of our military communications networks to overseas interests is the strongest indication yet that we're a piece on the board. However, I don't think we're truly a player in the game. It's time to find out who's moving the pieces.

This continues as part of a piece at Margo Kingston's Webdiary

By Richard Tonkin at Sep 30 2005

 

Precedence In New Australian Terror Laws

First written as comment to a piece on Margo Kingston's Webdiary, in which Kerri Browne has placed the Australian Parliamentary Library's compendium of information regarding the proposed Australian terror legislatiion. Click here.

 

When the Commonwealth Heads Of Government meeting was held in Melbourne (late 70's, I think) an Irish friend of our family operated a milk bar somewhere in Victoria, three hundred or so miles from the Big Smoke.

This man's father had affiliations with the Australian branch of Sinn Fein.

The Federal Police came down from Melbourne to conduct a weapons
search, just in case his milk bar was a weapons cache for an armed
action in Melbourne.

I raise this situation as it was not that long ago. There were, and
are, many Australians and Irish who didn't sympathise with the British.
In modern parlance supporters of Irish rebellion would be considered as
criminals, and the literature that was circulated interpretable as
inciting acts of terrorism.

What happens when somebody empowered by the impending Australian
legislation decides that those who supported Irish efforts to reclaim
Ulster may be supporting the terrorists attacking Britain? You can be
sure that the possibily of IRA backers aiding and abetting Jihadists
has been discussed once or twice in Downing Street.

On Easter Sunday last year I had the pleasure of sharing a Guinness
with SA's Atternoy General, Mr Atkinson, at Adelaide's Irish Club. The
occasion was Australian Aid For Ireland's annual commemoration of the
uprising against the British in Easter of 1916. Mick sat in room full
of predominantly middle-aged to elderly Irish, listening attentively to
this annual litany of celebrating a cultural revolution.

Crossing a fine line of definition, Attorney General Mick would be
considered a terrorist sympathiser. I hope his involvement in creating
the legislation ensures that he is not part of a future witch-hunt.

When Mr Howard says that Australia's terrorism laws are a result of the London bombings, he is using as a template a society which has had similar laws to those he would implement for the last thirty years.

See if you find any of this language familiar:
[excerpt]

Conclusion

2.7 In the language of the then Home Secretary introducing the PTA legislation in 1974, the Government believes that there exists now a clear and present terrorist threat to the UK from a number of fronts and that a terrorist threat is likely to continue to exist for the foreseeable future even when a lasting peace in Northern Ireland is achieved.

2.8 Having come to this conclusion, the Government believes that new counter-terrorist legislation is needed to take account of the changes in the nature of terrorism and the methods deployed. It also believes that this new legislation should be permanent - as is the case with the vast majority of criminal law. The annual renewal of current temporary
anti-terrorist legislation, whilst useful in underlining the
exceptional nature of the powers and the connection between their use and the prevailing terrorist threat, and providing an opportunity for annual scrutiny of the use of the powers, does not reflect the current reality that such powers are likely to be needed for the foreseeable future.

This consultation paper on Legislation Against Terrorism was
prepared for the U.K. parliament in 1998, and shows great similarity to
what the Australian Government proposes, arguably to a level of
near-plagiarism.

The one crucial difference has been discussed before. The U.K. has
been an occupying force in many countries for many hundreds of years.

Shouldn't we be "writing our own book" in this situation, instead of
(as it would seem) utilising the timing of events to initiate a
pre-prepared plan?

By Richard Tonkin at Oct 19 2005

 

Bomb Insurance.

It happened so fast that many didn't see it arrive. As the bannor of Halliburton was raised over Australia's Parliament House, the few protesters who dared to attend were taken away for questioning.

Awaiting the arrival of the bulletproof Cadillac carrying President Cheney stood a proud Prime Minister, eager as usual to open the door, while a grinning Cabinet formed a line of honor to mark the auspiciousness of the occasion.

"Thanks, John," said the President, with a courteous nod and an ill-concealed wink. "i'll take it from here."

As they stood at the hour-long ceremony marking the takeover by Corporate Military Personel of Australian Defence activites, the small gallery of approved journalists waited for the response to the President's command that all non-shareholders of Halliburton resign from Cabinet
immediately. None of the Ministers were moving, although it was well-known that at least two rebels hadn't "exercised their stock options."

Those of the media who were reciting Cheney's script, transmitted to their earpieces from an implanted microphone, pondered the fact that the joke that you could tell a politician wasn't lying when his lips weren't moving was no longer true- Cheney's use of the throat-mike was as skillful as any ventriloquist's. Years of practice with the former President had served well.

Locked safely in their litigation-proof TPAs (terrorist-proof apartments) the people-meters on widescreen TVs recorded that the public observed the event with mild apathy, keen for normal programming to resume, eventually switching channels in their never-ending quest to decide which corporation's food to eat that night.

By Richard Tonkin at Oct 24 2005

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 16, 2005

RUMSFELD CREATES ADELAIDE 'HIGH TERROR' CHANCE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA REFUSED PARLIAMENT HOUSE PROTEST

A planned Adelaide protest against U.S. Secretary of Defence has been cancelled by South Australian Authorities, and that those gathering at Parliament House without permission wil be "moved on" by police.

Protest spokesman Mr Mike Khizan said in a media release tonight that " “Donald Rumsfeld, a man whom many millions of people around the world see as an international war criminal is coming to Adelaide, and in the name of ‘protecting’ him, free speech is being denied and the right to dissent attacked.�?

Mr. Khizam argued that “it would be a betrayal of our responsibility to defend civil liberties to simply swallow this decision. If Parliament steps are barricaded off, we will rally as close to the site as possible, on the King William Street end of the barricades.�?

The media release by Rice Rumsfeld Reception Committee also emphasised the fact that many people had already been notified of the Thurday 4.30 pm protest. It also claimed that Adelaide talkback radio participants have been warned on at least two occassions that if they say anything that may incite protest they will be taken of air

.Police have declared a "high" terror likelihood, following media reports that protesters are co nverging on the South Australian capital from all over the country.

The Adelaide trip was announced several months ago by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer, and was planned to coincide with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condileeza Rice. Downer subsequently revealed that Dr Rice had cancelled her trip because "Leftists" were planning to protest.

According to the Adelaide Advertiser, police are preparing for the possibility of up to 10,000 protesters, and have stated that they will have little tolerance for unwanted activity. A police spokesman said today that Adelaide residents should not go near the blockaded area unless they had specific reason to do so.

Mr Rumseld and the U.S. Deputy Secratary of State are meeting with Mr Downer and Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill fo an annual bi-national meeting of minsters known as Ausmin.

Mr Downer has previously stated that Adelaide was chosen as the location of the meeting "because I live there," and that he thought it would be nice to show off his home city.

Mr Rumsfeld is expected to dine on Thursday at the Stonyfell Winery Resaurant, situated next to a quarry at the face of the Adelaide Hills. Prostesters plan to gather at the location, about 14 minutes from city centre, and to be located along the roadside.

Adelaide has strong commercial and defence ties with the U..S. It is the primary location for construction of Australia's contribution to the U.S. Missile Shield, and is the closest major city to an extimated 40% of the world's known uranium reserves. The city is the global headquarters for the Infrastructure Division of K.B.R, the subidary of Halliburton heavily involved supporting U.S. soldiers in Iraq and in the reconstruction of that countries oilfields, as well holding a contract for global support of U.S. military activities.

South Australia is expected, according to its Premier, to host Australian participation in the Global Hawk project, in which Unmanned Air Vehicles for survellance and combat vehicles are being created.

There is also speculation that the region will be a prime player in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter Project

 

A Day In The (Adelaide) Life Of Don Rumsfeld

Interesting day at the Rumsfeld rally (nothing huge, around 600 I'd guess) particularly to watch the level of covert security.

Came into town by train at 4 o'clock... a couple of police on the platform, fifty people with backpacks heading in different directions.

Up to the main street. Immediately to the right is the Halliburton- constructed barrier blockading the Hyatt from the world, a few constabulary behind it- nothing major.

Strolling up past the Casino, you see a few more parked at the outdoor cafe, a couple across the street, three or four at the front of Parliament House.

Then the proudest moment of my life- helping duct-tape the NO WAR banner between the pillars of Parliament House, from where it was banned a day before!

(Note- duct-tape doesn't work very well on stone)

Standing around in the crowd, listening to a conversation a couple down ("barmaid's ears" it used to be called) in which this bloke in slacks and white shirt is saying " XXX is up there... where's everybody else?" a phrase repeated later when there was obviously still not more than one of the constabulary on the steps, and a couple hundred of (seated) protesters.

At the mike, the S.A. Democrats Upper House Leader, Sandra Kanck MLC is telling us how, upon walking near the Hyatt to inspect the blockade, she was asked for her name, address and date of birth. Earlier in the day, a man was asked to remove his shoes and socks for a police inspection while his bag, containing a change of clothes, was also searched.

Awaiting the 6.15. In the meantime it seemed a good idea to return to the point of arrival. Another man in white shirt and slacks is talking to officers and men in orange Transadelaide jackets. As they disperse I'm watching the boys in blue behind the blockade practicing removing one section to let the motorcad in and out when I notice the bloke watching me. Again in a Transadelaide "waistcoat" he's perched at the boundary between the train station and the Hyatt, and he's describing me into his phone "He's just standing there watching...dark shoulder length hair, a bit of a beard... Stu's probably got a picture of him" and I'm thinking it's time to leave. (A big "hello" to "Stu" and by the way, who do you work for

Back down on the platform I'm looking for more corporate logos on the orange train jackets. So many of them only read "security contractor". I found this interesting in its anonymity.

Apparently, during the rally (which the Advertiser says had five hundred protesters compared to Channel Nine's one thousand.) a single protester was removed and arrested on a charge of disorderly behaviour after confronting a lone U.S. protester.

Mr Rumsfeld, I know the numbers weren't huge, but as the pictures of our protest were broadcast around the country, many, many people were, you can be sure, quietly cheering us on. They, like the protesters today, do not like what you represent, and hope you take it with you when you leave.

I've been looking along the tracks at the Hyatt and wondering which room you're in. This is probably as close as I'll ever get to you, unless I catch a bus to town to stand in the street and bathe in your aura.

I wonder if the Hyatt tonight is going to be like the end of each episode of "The Waltons" You remember..."Goodnight John-Boy, goodnight Mom, goodnight Bobby-JO" etc etc.

As the lights go out I wish you could hear my voice in your head saying "Good night Donald- now piss off back to Washington, and take colonels Hill and Downer with you. YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE !

Orstrayyan Defence Minister Hill has said tonight that the Australian and US views on Iraq were "identical"

Q.E.D.

Do you sleep at the foot of the bed, Robert, or on a rug on the floor?

 

PS Amid all that secrecy and securtiy, some idiot gave out Rumsfeld's itinerary to his fellow Adelaide denizens! Here's how it appeared on Michael Moore's website.

 

Adelaide Defence and Research Communications Commence Globalisation

Adelaide, the Australian home of Star Wars, Halliburton, Global Hawk and the Joint Strike Fighter Project, has begun building a global-standard data transfer system that will allow local activities to be co-ordinated internationally
.

Today's Adelaide Advertiser announces the commencement and construction of a major fibreoptic network, connencting defence, science and educational facilities at speeds enabling synchronisation with global projects.

[excerpt]

SABRENet will cut the time to transfer a terabyte of data to just 17 minutes, compared with about three months using business broadband.

A terabyte is 1 trillion bytes.

Until now such large datasets, saved to portable hard disks, have been transported by plane or taxi between research institutions here and overseas.

The new network will enable supercomputer real-time simulations, multi-screen, high-definition video conferencing, redundant storage and disaster recovery of massive amounts of data, and will allow South Australian researchers to participate in bandwidth-enabled experiments around the globe.

The project is the result of almost three years of collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, Flinders University, the State Government and the Defence, Science and Technology Organisation.

 

It is not known whether the U.S. Surveillance base at Pine Gap will be connected to the network.

By Richard Tonkin at Nov 22 2005 - 1:09am

 

Adelaide- US Radar BaseThe Federal Minister of Defence, Robert Hill announced yesterday that trials that would enable Adelaide to play a key role in the U.S. MIssile Shield were successfu

Mr Hill said that the trials "might" allow Adelaide to participate.

The news follows announcements earlier this year that Adelaide to become the location of the construction of three warships equipped to participate in the "Star Wars" shield.

The trials focused on detection of missiles at early stages of flight, and showed the Adelaide-based JORN (Jindalee Over-horizon Radar Network) would aid early interception of incoming missiles

By Richard Tonkinat Dec 6 2005 - 12:40am

Scott Parkin Deportation Justified- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation

Halibucks are fake money (in the style of Halliburton) used by U..S. protesters to demonstrate the idea of dodgy transactions in street theatre. If the idea wasn't conceived by Scott Parkin,the concept originates from his training program..

At a recent anti-Cheney protest in Houston , a protester was ushered behind police lines by alleged Secret Service personel to be asked questions about her use of the Halibucks.

Meanwhile, back at the Southern Ranch, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Ian Carnell,in his review of the role of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in the Parkin deportation, found it had acted within
the law.

ASIO's assessment of Parkin,Mr Carnell claims, was based on "credible and reliable information"

There are two versions of the Parkin Report, one remaining classified.

Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown finds it amazing that Parkin cannot be told of the reason for his deportation. "
"The report justifies ASIO's action in instigating the deportation of Mr Parkin but says it can't say why," he told the Senate yesterday afternoon.

At the time of Parkin's arrest and deportation, an ASIO representative "leaked" information to The Australian's Greg Sheridan that Parkin was planning to teach Australian protetsters how to roll marbles under the hooves of police horse. This activity, which Parkin claims is against his methodology, has been a known practice since the protests against Australian participation in the Vietnam War.

Parkin now has to pay approximately A$13,000 in transport and accommodation costs before he will be allowed to re-enter the country.

I've just thought of a solution to the whole problem- let Parkin pay the bill in Halli-bucks! Wouldn't everyone be happy?

It's my belief that Parkin's deportation was to avoid the possibility of a major protest being organised as US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld visited the Global Halli-headquarters of Infrastructure, Adelaide.

 

By Richard Tonkin at Dec 7 2005 - 1:0





This Is Style Of Protest Parkin's Deportation Was Intended To Suppress In Australia

Pre-planned, brilliant "photo-op" creation. I reckon that ASIO didn't think the Australian protest movement would be able to think like Diane Wilson unless we went to a Scott Parkin class.

From Houston Indymedia :

Katie Heim reports from inside the Westin Oaks Hotel: This evening, as Republicans gathered in the Galleria to raise money for the GOP Diane WIlson, cofounder of Code Pink and author of An Unreasonable Woman infiltrated their ranks. Photos of the banner and arrest. Wilson, who has done work around issues such as the Bhopal distaster and against the Iraq war, got on Delay's RSVP list by donating $50 to
his campaign.

After speeches by the chairman of the Republican Party and a rousing rendition of "God Bless the USA" Tom Delay himself took the stage. Delay referenced the protesters outside, citing the Socialists and the Progressive Workers parties. Then Cheney himself took the stage. WIlson was about 15 to 20 feet away from the VP when she opened up her black velvet wrap to reveal a banner which read "Corporate Greed Kills-From Bhopal to Bagdad". Conservative moralists nearby grabbed WIlson as she chanted "Corporate Greed Kills, and Iraq kills too!"

One GOP member called Wilson a bitch and a whore. Police dragged Wilson out and she's still detained as of this report.

 

Imagine if something like this had happened in front of Rumsfeld in Adelaide? Maybe such photo-tactical thinking is required for protests against our Prime Minister?

 

Clipsal, Halliburton, Old Uncle John Olsen and all.

Costello:"If you have any inquiries into the proceedings of the tax office I
suggest you refer them to the tax office or to the taxation
commissioner."

Searle: " He wouldn't be able to tell you much at all because he would be subject to the secrecy provisions of the taxation act."

A retired senior tax officer says that the matter should have been
referred to the DPP but that he can say no more as, although retired,
he's still subject to the secrecy provisions of the income tax act. This
is much of a tune as Chris Searle can whistleblow, and it's a strong
and stirring lament.

There was no lamenting on the night of John Howard's re-election at
Gerard's private function room in Bowden, as his guests, members of the
SA Liberal Party, cheered the results, and their signifigance. As a
party insider said at the time, "Every party has eliminated it's Left."

Two weeks ago, former Premier Dean Brown announced he would not
contest the seat of Finnis at the next election. The "capital" of
Finnis is the tourist town of Victor Harbour, and the region has been
booming with development ahead of a speculated new four-lane
highway to the area. Immediately after the announcement, Brown retired.
The rumour for twelve months back was that responsibility for the
road's construction is in the hands of Halliburton.

Former Premier John Olsen had a couple of quiet paragraphs in the Advertiser today, announcing his continual journey promoting South Australia in the US. He's just been appointed Consul-General to New York. Olsen, Premier when Halliburton CEO Dick Cheney visited Australia in '97, was responsible for selling SA's water to supply to SA powerbroker Malcolm Kinnaird, creator of the company that becameHalliburton/KBR Australia, and acting as its consultant when his bid, placed several hours afterclosing time, was accepted amid accusations of government andindustrial expionage. The 'Tiser today notes Olsen's significantcontribution to promoting South Australia to the US. If you're lookingfor Judas, he's out in the olive garden, puckering up.

Have you read Alan Ramsay's SMH piece yet? There's a paragraph here that's ringing my bells:
[excerpt]

"A leaked [internal party] memo from Senator Minchin [to
South Australian party officials] states: 'In my eight years as state director [until elected a senator in 1993] I never knew the existence of, let alone met, Mr Bill Henderson, whom we now know apparently obtained the Moriki and Catch Tim donations for the party. Mr Henderson was named as the conduit for both donations." Yes, but the conduit from
whom?

The question Ramsay raises here is a biggie. Gerard, concentratingon financing the expansion of his empire, was probably beginning toshow the finiancial stretch-marks that lead to his "globalisation". Wasit Gerard's money that flowed through Catch Tim and other fronts, orwas he only pretending?

At any rate, with Kinnaird working the corporate end, and RobertGerard manipulating the Liberal Party, South Australia never stood a chance. Cheney and Rumsfeld's wishes were fulfilled.

The ironic thing about the raising of the supicious nature of
relationships between Gerard and Costello is that what the exercise has ultimately achieved is for John Howard to get into temporal firing-range of the next election. Why has this maintaining the PM's international position, over the past recent months, "suddenly" become a necessity?

The phrase, "Think Global, Act Local," has taken on a whole new meaning in the New American Century

First Published on the last night of Margo Kingston's Webdiary. For those who don't know, Margo is also convenor of Your Democracy

By Richard Tonkin at Dec 7 2005 - 8:49pm

 

Intercepted Project for a New American Century Memo The personal blog entry was updated.

Memo to the Downer-Under department.

A big Christmas Howdy to all of Alex's boy's! Our little buddies have been working their butts getting the Apocalypse Headquarters ready. Little John, with some gentle persuasion, has decided to stay with the team... thanks, Agent Gerard! You've saved us a bundle yet again!

Don't forget the date of our next party, on June 6th next year. The Sexy Six will provide the music, George will be serving the pretzels, and Osama as always will be running the chook-raffle

Halliburton Mal has always delivered our every need, and he's lived up to his reputation. The catering he\s provided for the bash is more than anyone could ask for. Another fat Christmas bonus of Defence Research stocks are coming to stuff your stocking, Pally, hand delivered by Director Dick! Secretary Don says we won't run out of anything, and that the playground's second to none. He was particularly impressed with the Liquor Cabinet you supplied after tasting your samples.

The Most-Improved Employee Award this year goes to Gunner Bob. Alill that media training is finally paying off, and he's almost as good at Alex at lying convincingly. Next time we have a PNAC Poker-Face Play-Off the judges will have a difficult time of it.

Johnny O is proving to be a pleasure to have around New York.. a man who knows how to give service, that one! Both John and the Reefer-Man asked us to pass on Festive greetings and by the way, yes it was worth it. John wants to know if you've found anything in Central Australia that he maybe missed that needs selling, but the Reefer-man thinks he's had all the bases covered.

To close this memo a warning.. there might be a virus in the system..

Last night I had the strangest dream,
I never dreamed before.
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war.
I dreamed I saw a mighty room,
The room was filled with men.
And the papers they were signing said
They'd never fight again.

And when the papers were all signed,
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads,
And grateful prayers were made.
And the people in the streets below,
They all danced round and round.
And guns and swords and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground.

Last night I had the strangest dream,
I never dreamed before.
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war.
I dreamed I saw a mighty room,
The room was filled with men.
And the papers they were signing said
They'd never fight again

And when I woke twas but a dream

and peace a dirty word

Itried to tell them of my dream

but not a word they heard

And then I got me fighting mad

and knew just what to do.

I'd fight nonviolently for peace

until my dream came true.
.

If anyone can find the author of this virus, Ed McKurdy, can they have him jailed as a seditionist or deported or something

at Dec 12 2005

 

DEPORTED HALLIBURTON ACTIVIST CHALLLENGES AUSTRALIAN INTELLIGENCE

(Proudly reprinted from Halliburton Watch and Houston Indymedia )

Houston-based activist Scott Parkin, deported from Australia after protesting the activities of global energy and war-industry giant Halliburton, has mounted a legal challenge against his treatment by ASIO, the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.

On September 10 this year security and immigration officials detained Parkin at a Melbourne coffee shop. Parkin was scheduled to co-present a workshop on non-violent protest techniques that afternoon.

Parkin had previously assisted co-ordinating a street-theatre protest at Hallibuton/KBR's Sydney offices, coinciding with an international business conference at the Sydney Opera House.

Parkin had declined a request to appear at an ASIO interview.

According to The Australian, security officers were concerned that Parkin would teach Australian Halliburton protesters how to roll marbles under the hooves of police horses.. presumably the marbles that ASIO lost years ago.

Parkin is seeking to overturn the adverse security finding that caused his deportation.

Halliburton's Australian arm is involved in foreign aid activities in Iraq, and enjoys numerous no-bid defence contracts. It is chief owner of the Adelaide to Darwin Railway, and calculates the probabity of missile-strike breaches of Australian nuclear facilitiies. The possibile sites for the new Australian nuclear dump are all situated along the railway..

Here's the ABC News version

at Dec 132005

SON OF STAR WARS II: NEOCONS DOWN UNDER

"It’s not Star Wars. It’s basically the capability to defeat ballistic
missiles whilst they are in the air after launch, during cruise or as
they reenter the atmosphere and that defensive capability has developed
enormously in the last few years. A year or so ago it was thought to be
decades away. Now the United States will in fact deploy the first part
of its defence shield next year. So it’s a rapidly advancing technology."

"The need in a very unpredictable world is to beable to defend ourselves, whether it’s troops on the ground or whether it’s strategic assets and what we have is the opportunity to get into this massive project at an early stage, to be able to invest in it, to learn what capabilities might be suitable for us in the future and basically to have that option, the option to be able to develop that form of defence in the future."

"We think that in the science and technology area we will make a contribution from the start. The Americans have been out here looking at our capabilities. They have been most impressed with JORN, for example, and new forms of radar and sensors that are being developed here north of Adelaide. And they willhave the opportunity to promote and invest in their science through this project. This is a massive project, a huge public expenditure by the United States and it gives us the opportunity to get into the project and to play our part and to get a benefit in terms of a more secure Australia."

"We will choose the projects within the massive program that we want to invest in and obviously we will do that to the background of our successes to date, in terms of radars and sensors and the like. And we will get benefit back from that investment in terms of better capability for Australia."

"We have said the Air Warfare System will basically be a US design but the US designers are interested in Australian companies contributing complementary parts of the system. That again will be an opportunity that our companies have never had before at that level of sophistication."

Robert Hill December 5 2003

Now let's take the Tardis to December 6 2005

[extract from the Adelaide Advertiser]

Outlining other strengths of the SA defence industry, Senator Hill said the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) - consisting of two over-the-horizon radars - might be used as part of Australia's contribution to the U.S.'s so-called Star Wars missile shield.

The two over-the-horizon radars are jointly operated from the JORN Coordination Centre at RAAF Base Edinburgh by the No. 1 RadarSurveillance Unit.

Trials of the JORN last year for missile defence proved it was successful in detecting a target.

This involved detecting ballistic missiles during the "early boost phase", allowing earlier interception.

Two days later Minister Hill revealed, while announcing the placement of
the AEGIS order, that unless Australia had taken this action
Lockheed-Martin would have need to shut down its AEGIS production line, telling The Advertiser that

"Placing the order . . . allows the U.S. to continue manufacturing without halting its production line, bringing about greater efficiency and achieving considerable savings," he said. "The purchase will also maximise opportunity for Australian industry to provide sub-systems
such as communications, electronic warfare, sonar, electro-optical sensors and other equipment."

It's good to know that, even though we don't have a final design for the ships yet, we know what we'll shoot from them.

Last Thursday the Pentagon extolled the success of it's Southern Hemispheric Missile Shield trial.

[extract from The Advertiser]

      

The latest test in the Pacific was designed chiefly to evaluate the
performance of the interceptor missile's rocket motor system and Raytheon Co-built "exoatmospheric kill vehicle", the bit designed to smash into the target warhead and pulverise it in space, MDA said.

It also successfully tested, among other things, silo support equipment, the agency said.

Last February, a ground support arm in the silo malfunctioned because of hinge corrosion caused by what MDA later said had been "salt air fog" that entered the underground silo.

Boeing said in a statement that the interceptor will be flown against a live target in subsequent tests.

The flight test yesterday validated the system's ability to track, acquire and provide the interceptor with the data for a "hit-to-kill" intercept, Chicago-based Boeing said.

All told, the United States is spending roughly $US9 billion ($11.95 billion) a year to develop a layered missile shield, including components based at sea and in space. The shield is designed to knock out the type of ocean-leaping missile that could be tipped with a nuclear, chemical or germ warhead.

In the dramatic public competition for the winning of the AWD contract...
two state governments toe-to-toe in the media, complete with
Adelaide-base journo-terrorists invading Melbourne to present the case
for South Australia. The Advertiser journalists were lead in the charge
by Craig Bildstien, former Liberal Member for Mildura and ex
press-secretary for Chris Gallus, the Parliamentary Secretary for
Foreign Affairs.

I had the privelege of hearing South Australian Premier Mike Rann announcing the AWD cpmtract being awarded to Adelaide, telling everyone how when his office received the news "We
all shook hands and said "mission accomplished' ". The implication to
the South Australian public was that it was the State's Labour
Government that had won the deal. Hill didn't have much to say at the
time.

Nowadays the relationship is a little more tense. When Senator Hill announced on Thursday that Adelaide was to receive a new
1,200 battallion. Deputy Premier Foley was caught unawares, telling
Adelaide ABC's Matthew Abraham and David Bevin that the announcement, though known to be due sometime in the future (nice to know somebody in the Premier's Department has discoverd the internet) was not expected at that time.

As South Australia gears up for an election next March, the job creations Rann's Defence State are going to be loudly
proclaimed as a vote-getter. The question is exactly how much of the
acquisition of defence contracts is directly attributable to the
Federal Liberal Government, the State Labor Government, and the State's former Liberal Government.

It obvious looking at Hill's statements, at a time when Rann had only been in office for six months,
that planning for our involvement in the AEGIS program had been
developing for much longer than that. In fact, it's been years since
the US government requested three ships to participate in the missile
shield program.

Six months ago I wrote an open letter to Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, saying that,

I share your sense of having participated in a foregone conclusion. Victoria tried hard to win the warships, but as long as the plans created by the Bush Administration and relayed by multinational defence and energy corporations to and through the Australian Federal Government continue on a predetermined implementation schedule, the whims of any State's comparitively tiny political muscle will only beconsidered in the form of providing crumbs and scraps left over fromthe main meal.

Nothing that's happened since then has changed my mind. The one thing I was missing is that if i'm ri