FED:Editorials, Saturday April 23, 2011

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2011
FED:Editorials, Saturday April 23, 2011

SYDNEY, April 23 AAP - The Australian on Saturday says infamous as it's become, it
was too much to hope that Larissa Behrendt's tweet comparing the heartfelt comments of
Bess Price unfavourably with televised bestiality would be an isolated indiscretion. Readers
and contributors to The Australian overwhelmingly supported Price, an Aboriginal community
leader from central Australia whose stated agenda is to improve the lot of indigenous
people. But, predictably, activists have ignored the substance and directed their fury
at this newspaper for having the temerity to publish the story. Using a post-modern political
map, any view challenging their own is labelled "right wing" and their own fringe positions
are treated as mainstream. Yet in the real world there is virtual political bi-partisanship
between Labor and the Coalition to learn from past mistakes and find meaningful solutions.

The Oz in its second editorial says whatever our beliefs about a young Jewish man from
Nazareth who was crucified outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago and whose two billion followers
today continue to believe he rose from the dead, the Easter message of redemption and
fresh hope remains as important as ever in the 21st century. In Australia and New Zealand,
the season is especially poignant this year, coinciding with Anzac Day on Monday, when
we pay tribute to those whose heroic sacrifices benefit the greater good and reaffirm
our belief in allies working in unity towards a safer, more peaceful world.

On Saturday the Sydney Morning Herald says though China, Japan and South Korea are
all valued and important diplomatic and trade partners for Australia, Julia Gillard's
visits to the three north-east Asian countries are taking place in the right order. Making
Japan the first stop was the correct choice for the Prime Minister.

There had been a lingering concern that the Labor government was overlooking the quiet,
longstanding friendship of this ally in the excitement of the China boom, and the broad
strengths of the relationship, overshadowed by the emotion of the whaling issue. Now Japan
is a nation shaken by the impact of the catastrophic tsunami and the struggle to contain
radioactive material from the destroyed nuclear reactors at Fukushima. Australia, with
many other countries, quickly contributed what it could to the rescue and relief operations.

With an exodus of many foreigners from Tokyo and subdued commercial activity, Gillard's
visit seems to have been seen by her Japanese counterpart, Naoto Kan, as a gesture of
confidence that the crisis is being managed, that Tokyo is safe, and Japan is not fundamentally
damaged.

The SMH in its second editorial says let's face it about Donald Trump. He's got the
readies, about $US600 million of his $US2.7 billion fortune. He's got the comb-over.

He has jumped to the front in the early race for next year's Republican presidential
nomination, outstripping the Tea Party favourite Sarah Palin. So there are doubters, like
the comedian Chris Rock (''I won't vote for him, I'm afraid he'll leave us for a younger,
prettier country.'') But when the other front runner, the former Arkansas governor Mike
Huckabee, calls for Julian Assange to be executed and says Obama was tutored by the Mau-Mau
in a mythical childhood in Kenya, we are starting to know what ''race to the bottom''
really means.

Sydney's The Daily Telegraph says something seems to have got into NSW local councils
lately. Not content with their already difficult responsibilities regarding roads, municipal
services and parks, certain councils appear more inclined to take on global issues.

Recently we've seen Marrickville Council making national news because of its quixotic
attempt to ban everything associated with Israel from the area.

Now we have Parramatta City Council commissioning an extraordinary report into how
best local councils can survive global warming.

What they need are councils that focus on rational local issues and solutions.

The Tele in its second editorial says we should never forget, however, that our police
are also human beings. They have limits. Anyone with friends or family who serve in the
force will know of the extreme stress that police routinely endure.

We saw a glimpse of that stress yesterday as Detective Inspector Russell Oxford answered
media questions about the tragic death of Kiesha Abrahams, whose remains were found early
Friday morning in Shalvey.

The entire state knows how he feels. We're on your side,

On Saturday the Herald Sun says rioters at Sydney's Villawood detention centre would
appear to have achieved what the divisive debate in the Federal Parliament has failed
to resolve. Bipartisanship, once the solid policy on which immigration was based, came
about after days of rioting in which millions of dollars worth of damage was caused by
rampaging asylum seekers.

But there is a very long way to go in resolving what has become a disaster for the
soft policies of the Gillard Government following a similar riot and damage at the detention
centre at Christmas Island last month.

At least Immigration Minister Chris Bowen and the Opposition are one in condemning
the Villawood rioters, many of whom had already had their applications for refugee status
rejected and are trying to turn public opinion in their favour.

The Government and Opposition must work together to find a solution to what has become
a major issue involving thousands of asylum seekers who find themselves encouraged to
sail here by policies that have lost the confidence of fair-minded Australians.

Melbourne's The Age says the full-forward marks the ball and prepares to kick what
may be the first goal of the match. Around the ground there is a hush as supporters of
both sides wait to see whether the full-forward's side will take the lead or whether he
will kick another behind, levelling the scores. Everything hangs on what he will do. As
The Saturday Age has revealed, however, what ''everything'' means in such a situation
is in danger of changing. As betting on AFL football - already worth $300 million a year
- continues to surge, whether, and when, goals are scored not only affects the hopes of
a club and its supporters for victory, but punters' chances of earning big money. Sports
betting is an increasingly enticing form of gambling, and a potential source of corruption
for the game.

Betting on the outcome of a sporting fixture is part of the Australian way of life,
and unexpected results are part of the pleasure of sport. But the second of these things
is not supposed to result from the first. Sports administrators must do everything possible
to ensure that it remains that way.

Brisbane's The Courier Mail says Easter, at its very essence, is about the themes of
death and rebirth.

It is also a good time to give thanks for the sort of society that we belong to. We
have plenty to complain about in our daily lives - the grind of work, the rising cost
of living, the travails of friends and family. Ultimately though, as was demonstrated
during our summer of adversity, we have much to be grateful for, and every reason to remain
hopeful of a brighter future. And that, most certainly, is one of the most important themes
of this time of year. So a happy, thoughtful and safe Easter to all our readers.

AAP jfm

KEYWORD: EDITORIALS

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