Friday 29th of March 2024

Thinking Like Americans

One of my least favourite ex-premiers, having privatised our water
and electricity and brought the globals into Adelaide, is now telling
us that we need to change our ways.  He says that Americans live to
work while Australians work to live and has addressed Adelaide business (who put all their support behind Olsen's former opposition) with such choice phrases as

"In the U.S. you get a pat on the back ... in Australia someone says who did you rip-off to make that money?"

"If you drive a Mercedes in the USA you're a success - in Australia you're a wanker.

"In the USA if you are successful, you flaunt it, in Australia we are a little more self-effacing."

Olsen seem to thinks that our attitudes need changing.. 

Mr Olsen, in his capacity of infastructure minister, allowed a
post-deadline tender for the water supply to be won by a
Halliburton-led consortium, is Mr Downer's newest appointee as Consul-General to New York ,
where he'll reside in the same building as former Senator for SA and
Defence Minister (now our UN ambassador) Robert Hill, who has also made
signifigant contribution to SA life.  It's a hard life as Liberal
resigning under Howard.  Admittedly Olsen resigned after being accused
of lying to an inquiry over his misappropriation of public funds to
look after Motorola.  Whether he would have done so if the inquiry's
results weren't handed down on the eve of a federal election (a concept
that will  become a political factor when Cole discusses Downer in his
findings) is debatable.

Olsen's immediate (Lib) successor, and representative for the seat surrounding Victor Harbor (discussed in this post)
Dean Brown has just resigned (before the election)from political life,
and now Rob Kerin is on the ex-list, though still representing his
constituency, for now.  No crystal balls are required to forecast a
rosy private business future for these two, if like Olsen, they learn
to "think like Americans".... if they haven't already.

Flag waiving...

My sentiments exactly. They were expressed in that cartoon "flag waiving". Key f"lag waiving" in the search on this site and you will go directly to patriotic Johnnee...

Relaxed and comfortable... untouchable

From the ABC

Govt felt 'untouchable' over AWB scandal, inquiry hears
Notes from an AWB executive's report back on meetings with the Federal Government last year show the Government thought itself "untouchable" over the oil-for-food scandal.

But today the Cole inquiry heard that the grains trader was very worried about the adverse findings it expected from a UN inquiry.

AWB's former managing director Andrew Lindberg reportedly said the Federal Government feels untouchable on this because the US Government is not going to criticise the Australian Government.

At the June meeting, AWB was very worried that the former US Treasury head Paul Volcker would make adverse findings.

Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer had noted that he was more relaxed than AWB was.

Mr Lindberg also reportedly said Mr Downer had said the grains trader could not be held responsible for where its money went after it was paid to Alia trucking in Jordan.

It is now known wheat contracts were inflated to pay Alia trucking, which passed money on to Saddam Hussein's regime.
.......................

Gus invites:
Anyone for a martini by the swimming pool of deceit.?