"WE ARE HERE AS YOUR FRIENDS"

Australia will commit $1 billion to post-tsunami rebuilding:

The aid package is the largest single donation ever given by Australia.

"This is a terrible tragedy for mankind. But what we are saying, to the people of Indonesia particularly, is that we are here as your friends," Mr Howard told the Nine Network.

"There's an old saying in the English language that charity begins at home.

"Our home is this region and we are saying to the people of our nearest neighbour that we are here to help you in your hour of need."

Several e-mailers have noticed that Labor leader Mark Latham hasn't urged his party's followers to join the aid effort. I held off posting about this, mainly because it seemed redundant (given already massive donations) but also because a note from a claimed ALP member suggested there was something more to Latham's silence. Which turns out to be the case:

The Opposition Leader, Mark Latham, under pressure over his failure to express personally his sympathy for victims of the tsunami, has been laid low by illness, according to his office.

A spokesman said last night Mr Latham had been hit 10 days ago by a recurrence of the pancreatitis he suffered last August, 12 days before the federal election was called.

Labor MPs have privately criticised Mr Latham's failure to make a public appearance in the 11 days since the tsunami.

One question: couldn't a member of Latham's staff have drafted a press release? It would've taken 30 minutes, tops.

UPDATE. Religious debate over the tsunami continues:

Buddhist leader Venerable Lama Choedak Rinpoche also suggested the good might eventually outweigh the bad.

He said the tsunami was part of the collective karma of the universe, and could be a catalyst for peace, harmony and generosity.

"To us it seems very big, but when people sweep their driveway they kill hundreds of ants without calling it a tsunami. That kind of suffering and turbulence are happening all the time, and Buddha's explanation is purification of negative karma. It is not the karma of those individuals or punishment by a super-being."

Hmm. Meanwhile, America's assistance for Asia's "hundreds of ants" is addressed by the West Australian's Pam Casellas (no link available; via reader Elliot B.):

Yet again, the generosity shown by Americans towards the victims of a natural disaster is nothing short of overwhelming. When compared with the paltry sums offered by any Arab countries, it should be enough to embarrass the most hardened Yank-knockers into silence, if not warm applause.

History shows that when the world is in need, the US has stood tall. Rather than having to wear the "stingy" label stuck on it by United Nations under-secretary for humanitarian affairs Jan Egeveld, the country is without question one of the most generous, well-organised and reliable contributors of world aid - even in places where its cultural or economic presence is limited. Rather than being flogged mercilessly by its own and the world's media for its transgression, the US should feel justified in saying: "Hey, we do good things, too."

It's true that in the case of the tsunami appeal the initial pledge of $35 million was on the low side. But when the scale of the tragedy became evident the US Government lifted its aid to a whopping $350 million.

Hardly stingy, by any measure, as surely the country's most strident critics must recognise. And critics there are in plenty.

While Latham continues to have little effect, the UN has piped up and suggested that for a mere $1b it can make it all better! I hereby bestow on them the Major Tom Parker Medal for Management. Nobody is impressed.
Conservative governments and their military are doing it without the UN, surprise, surprise.
Kevin Rudd's idea of keeping the Labor Party, or at least himself, in the headlines was to (yesterday) blurt something to the ABC about Burma's governing clique being really mean, and less than fully informative.

One suspects they would rather have Mark out of the public eye rather than have him in it looking like crap.

No media release at least means no admission of illness.

Labor insiders probably thought that his illness would be viewed as a sign of weakness or something. Then he would have come back on the scene when he was looking fit and healthy.

Backroom types don't think like normal human beings, they see everything through the lens of polls etc

Good luck with the Australian Blog Awards, by the way.

So much for any orderly transition of authority within the Labor party.

Firstly no communications for 10 days, then Chris Evans breaks the news. Where is the deputy leader Jenny Macklin?

John Howard has in the same time begun the forging of closer relations with Indonesia, started aid flowing, sidelined the UN and even won support from SMH readers for his/our generosity for the $1b aid package.

Latham can't even nod to an advisor to put out that press release.
He should've taken the Australian people into his confidence and said he was crook.

why doesn't indonesia just steal back a few billion of suharto's filched billions?

maybe it's not as easy as i think...

So Latho hit the piss again over Christmas and is paying the price.

It's not very charitable of me to say so, but there is something strangely fitting about this for a man apparently consumed by old tribal class hatreds. His own guts are eating him up from the inside.

TFK

Maybe paralysis set into the Labor party because they are thinking about their leadership woes. There was the proclamation that Latham must bring the polls up in the beginning of the year or let someone else take over.

It might be a case of some allowing Latham to fail and others simply keeping clear of Latham should he fall.

The tsunami disaster deserves action. The opposition does count for something in the west minister system.

our pm expressed his gratitude toward the australian peoples personal commitment to the tradgedy he seems to say it from his heart like a proud father. mes thinks he may be remembered like this.much to the chagrin of the left.grew up in liverpool knew latham as a kid self absorb then nothing changed.

hey ,i left out bully to boot.

Maybe they learned that the best way for labour to help is to stay the heck out of the way of everyone else.

If there were only some way to keep the UN disaster parasites entirely removed from this tragedy, the rebuilding would look very hopeful for the peoples of that area.

I am still amazed that in spite of all that has been done without the UN, people still insist the UN is the only organization to handle the rebuilding. (I have a bridge I'd like to sell to some of these people.)

I've been unable to find any news about large fund raising by our Hollywood 'elite'. You know, the ones who are so sure Bush is Hitler come to life. The ones who supposedly care so much. This disaster is a perfect chance to show just how much they care. I expected to see them pitching tents and handing out the supplies they've purchased.

Hey, after checking the US navy site for the last few days to view photos on the tsumani relief activites, I looked around but cannot find a comparable Aussie one. Anyone seen one?

In the eyes of the left , the UN can do no wrong.
people like Clare Short of the UK believe that everthing that is done in the world must be according to UN orders, from having a piss to helping out refugees in ex land.
Thus AUS AND US are renegades for not standing behind the start line and waiting for the UN starter gun.
The UN is one of the last Icons of the sick left which must be supported at all costs to save "the cause".
We've seen it and before with Stalin and Pol POt and Arafat.
As for idiotarian holywood actors, who the hell cares what they think?
i Don't. At least Sean Penn is far better actor than than the Aswhari cuddling Richard Gere who takes my prize for the wanker award.
Why do these dickheads always speak "for the world"? is it that they have such huge egos that cannot resist believing their own pub?
I doubt they will contribute as that would be seen as an act of support for Pres Bush.

Notice however in Pam Casalla's piece, that she unfortunately made a common error. The initial $35 million from the US was not a pledge. It was the immediate allocation of funds available. The $350 million is a "pledge" that must be funded by Congress by appropriation. People keep comparing things that are not comparable.

Dusty, here are some images and video of Australian tsunami relief activities.

Evil Pundit:

Thanks. for the link to pix and vids..

I've bookmarked these along with the US pix. I'll include them in posts as needed to spread around the blogsphere.

I am sure the UN is going to try and make these efforts by the aid coalition appear as nothing and will be aided by the 'usual suspects'.

It's handy to have a visual, as well as written, record bookmarked for use when memory, along with facts, fades and a pro-UN re-write of history has taken hold.

Mark may be doing a "Felix Farmer" as per Blake Edwards famous movie S.O.B, wherein the story opens with the failed big-budget movie director unable to stir from his bed due to remorse over the disastrous flop he had produced. His only hope of salvation was to try and buy back every copy of the film and re-cut it, including some gratuitous nudity to enhance its appeal.
Will Mark attempt to buy back footage of the election?
Will Julia Gillard offer to flash her ...
Maybe not.

MTK has hit the nail on the head, which is also the reason why the ALP is hushing up Mark's pancreatitis. Tip, try searching for 'pancreatitis' + 'alcohol abuse' on any search engine to see what we mean.

The situation is that Mark, despite knowing that alcohol consumption will badly incapacitate himself for weeks persists in doing so. It shows very poor self control for an alleged alternate Prime Minister. Add to that his well documented problems with getting agro when on the juice and you can see why the ALP is doing it's best to hush this thing up.

[Aside, why doesn't anybody in the media ask Mark straight up at a press conference if his pancreatitis is linked to alvohol abuse. To me this seems a fair question as the pancreatitis incapacitates Mark for weeks at a time].

Can you imagine how Oz would look to the world if this dill had got voted in? um sorry fellas we're not doing anything about the disaster because the boss is crook and being kept hidden.

Another call on Channel 7 news by a Scandinavian UN spokesman for the US to fall into line behind the UN. Americans should have consulted the UN before sending the Abe Lincoln so its resources could have been better allocated !!!!
Wonder if Diplomadic will pick that up and savage it.
What is it with these swedes and norwegians from the Un ?!

Kevin Rudd on behalf of the Opposition has been very publicly and totally supportive of the government's response to the crisis. During Mark Latham's illness, this seems an entirely appropriate response, coming from exactly the right person.

It is beyond unbecoming to use the crisis to grind one's particular political axe in circumstances such as these. It spits on the graves of the many dead, and is an insult to those who mourn them.

As to America's contribution - it is significant, as it should be, but in comparison to Australia's contribution, it is a pathetic joke.

As an avowed opponent of Mr Howard's an many fronts, I would like to congratulate him on his leadership in this awful situation.

Happy, John.

"We are here as your friends..."

Wasn't that a line from Team America?

Hubris :

The US's contribution af an aircraft carrier and nigh on a hundred helos, plus twice as many C-130s as Australia is committing is no "joke".

Saudi Arabia's contribution of $30 million OTO is. But even then, it all helps.

Australia's contribution - and for that matter, "rodent" Howard's contribution is simply outstanding, that's all.

Your remark on Howard's leadership in this situation is appreciated, and greatly adds to the credibility of your criticism of him on other issues. You've proved you're not blinkered by partisanship, hope I can match you in that.

I predict that, once the news has moved onto something else, the USA will again publically be considered the earthly manifestation of evil by the nutcase left.

I further predict that some barking loon will actually state that the amount of aid given by Australia to the region proves that we are racist.

I'm not going to try to predict the insane 'logic' they will use to support the idea, but wait and see, the Aust = Racist paradigm is too strong for the left to ever break out of.

Pauly — Yellowtail pancreatitis is the worst kind...

Evil Pundit,

Thanks for the link. Much appreciated!

By the way (particularly to CJosephson) here's a USAID site with daily pdf factsheets tied to maps of the efforts in the region. It's a good bookmark as well.

<:) href:"Dusty">idjit</:)>

Here's the link

I think some of the left haven't got the message yet...even those lovers of the US, the BBC, are praising the US' effort in the region. We even got to witness Paxman eviscerate Moonbat on Newsnight for his idiotic statements about the US.

Hardly stingy, by any measure, as surely the country's most strident critics must recognise. And critics there are in plenty.

Australia still has critics though:

Your headline ("Australia takes charge in Indonesia", Herald, January 6) is strongly redolent of the petty triumphalism that made Australia unpopular in Indonesia at the time of the East Timor operation. We are very slow to learn, aren't we?

What would we do without SMH letter writers?

The problem with this:

It is beyond unbecoming to use the crisis to grind one's particular political axe in circumstances such as these.

is that it is only in dire circumstances that the UN intervenes.

The UN's political opponent's point to their corrupt and incompetent practices. Whether that's right or wrong, the UN needs to be held to account, and they should not be considered above reproach simply because the circumstances are so tragic.