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Last updated on August 3rd, 2017 at 02:11 pm
Hang your heads in shame, fellow Australians:
The United Nations Association of Australia has written a report strongly criticising Australia’s recent record on international issues.
The report gives Australia a ‘C’ on human rights, nuclear disarmament and aid, while on climate change and migration Australia gets a ‘D’.
Human rights? In Australia, we don’t jail protesters; we give them lots of money. Nuclear disarmament? Australia has no nuclear weapons. Aid? Apparently one billion dollars to Indonesia isn’t enough. Climate change? We only generate 1.5% of the planet’s warmy gases. Migration? According to leftoid Clive Hamilton: “Rarely in our history has a federal government pursued such a high level of immigration as the Howard Government.”
A former ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Woolcott, says Australia’s reputation within the UN has suffered over the past few decades.
Good. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe heads the UN’s commission on Sustainable Development.
“Of course it’s been greatly influenced by Iraq, I mean the Iraq situation has rather frayed existing alliances,” he said.
Not any important ones. In fact, they’ve likely become stronger.
“Then there’s the issue of style, there’s a tendency of Australia’s part now which partly stems from Iraq, to lecture more and listen less.”
Maybe we learned that from you, Richard.
(Via Alan R.M. Jones)
UPDATE. Fast Eddie responds:
Dear UN,
And proud of it,
Sincerely,
Australia.
PS Now get stuffed.
- “Gaggle of Thugs Scolds Nation For Not Being Evil Enough.”Posted by Andrea Harris, Administrator on 2007 07 23 at 06:42 AM • permalink
- The United Nations Association of Australia is not an official UN body though its values are indistinguishable from the morally malnourished ones of the UN itself.Posted by Jack Lacton on 2007 07 23 at 06:55 AM • permalink
- With stories like this to face down, the UN’s playing a desperate game of Holier-Than-Thou.Posted by SwinishCapitalist on 2007 07 23 at 06:55 AM • permalink
- Worse still, we’re a nation of Gore-Haters!!Posted by AlburyShifton on 2007 07 23 at 06:59 AM • permalink
- Media release of the Indonesia Human Rights Committee, 3 July, 2000:
“Why do they want to listen to a thoroughly discredited person like this – an implacable opponent of East Timor’s liberation and a leading propagandist for Indonesia during the Suharto years?” asked Maire Leadbeater for the Indonesia Human Rights Committee. “I cannot imagine that he has anything worthwhile to tell New Zealanders about East Timor or Indonesia.”
“Richard Woolcott has a deeply shameful record. He betrayed the people of East Timor way back in 1975 when he persuaded the Australian government to give Indonesia ‘the big wink’ – the go ahead to invade. In an infamous cable from Jakarta Woolcott told his government not to criticise Indonesian border incursions and to keep in mind the sea bed resources of oil in the Timor Gap – a stand he himself described as ‘pragmatic rather than principled’.”
Reporters Without Borders on the recent Coroner’s Court investigation into the murder of the Balibo Five:
Woolcott said he organised their burial after getting the agreement of the victims’ families. But in a statement read to the court on 18 May, Peters’ sister, Maureen Tolfree, said none of the families had given their agreement to a burial in Jakarta. She added that she was arrested by members of the Indonesian security services, questioned and then sent back to London two days before the burial.
A former ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Woolcott, says Australia’s reputation within the UN has suffered over the past few decades.
That’s all I need to know – A+ Australia – well done.
Nuclear disarmament – what a joke – Australia has an acknowledged leading role in the North Korea nuclear crisis, but this socialist wank tank says the opposite. Bollocks!
I am completely furious today – the media has falsely reported on the AFP on Haneef and media TART Beattie has defamed the lot of them – I so want to introduce him to some reality check it’s not funny. What the hell is going on with this country when a so-called premier will defame his police force so little kevin doesn’t look like the shit stirrer? A sign of the times – wait until Labor is in power everywhere, and then see what happens to your country.
- #10 Peter, yes, Beattie’s behaviour over all this has just about made me want to vomit. The man is an utter shit.
—Nick the Profane
Posted by The Thin Man Returns on 2007 07 23 at 07:21 AM • permalink
- Woolcott, a sort of cut-price Australian Jimmmeee Carter.
What grades does the same Australian UN Association give the UN on:
1. Capacity to stop genocides it knows are coming, or are happening for years?
2. Capacity to stop venality, incompetence and corruption at all its bureaucratic levels, including the top?
3. Standard of moral sexual leadership in its missions?
4. Speed of responding to urgent disasters like the Indonesian Tsunami?
5. Moral leadership in its endless numbers of committee State appointments?
6. Advancing democracy in its member states over 60 yrears.
- Dear UN,
And proud of it,
Sincerely,
Australia.
PS Now get stuffed.
Posted by Fast Eddie on 2007 07 23 at 07:52 AM • permalink
- A former ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Woolcott, says Australia’s reputation within the UN has suffered over the past few decades.
I’ve always wondered why lefties trot out the ‘international reputation’ furphy over things they disapprove, as if it’s some kind of valid point. Who on Earth cares what Oz does, and what’s it matter what they think?
Now I see it’s our ‘international reputation’ among the internationalists that they’re talking about. Still doesn’t matter, though.
- Hmmm… the UNAA.
Golly the vice patrons are a who’s who of intellectual probity*. A cook, a pair of former part-time foreign ministers/full-time Lotharios, a basketball player, a genius who should be able to recognise oppression when he sees it, a nun, a ahh colourful judge and of course…. Phillip Adams.
If they receive one cent of my tax money, there’ll be trouble.
*Assuming they’re not in it just for the T-shirts.
- #17
I’ve always wondered why lefties trot out the ‘international reputation’ furphy
Because they still resent the reputation they had growing up…
As far as I am concerned, if countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea and even New Zealand disagree – we are doing something right.
Can you imagine if the police based their actions on their reputation with the criminals?
Although it’s largely to do with Israel, this page neatly sums up why Australia shouldn’t give a shit about the UN.
America and Australia should start our own club. We need a name…
- If you get in early, in 4 weeks time you can attend the premiere social event of the year, sponsored by this august association.
Like the Muppet Show, with less humour and more clowns.
UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
Invites you to attend a dinner with Dr Hans Blix
Special Introduction: Gareth Evans, UNAA Vice-Patron & President, International Crisis GroupMonday 27 August, 2007
Mayfair Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Melbourne
123 Collins Street, Melbourne
$140 per person
$1400 per table of 10
Lounge suit
6:30pm for 7:15 pmSounds like an absolute laff.
- Two things:
1) Yes, the UN is a load of shit.
2) We can do better on some things and we should. In this country, we still do not give full rights to gays and lesbians. In fact, there are plans to remove some of those rights, although that will probably not happen before the election. Don’t even get me started on the treatment of people who are transsexual or intersexed.
So, let us mock the UN for the merriment and improve our country because that is what distinguishes us from most of the UN members states.
- What? Australia is hurting the feelings of terrorists, gaiasts, and leftists everywhere? Good job! Make sure that when engaging in active feeling hurting to use a good solid object with a padded grip, because you don’t want any blisters or sprains. Safety first.
And in north Florida, we have experienced what may have been a record low temperature for July, the height of summer. Obviously some people were not using their gas-fired grills last night. And you know who you are. Al Gore apparently really has it in for the Canadians and wants to encase them in glaciers, and the only thing that will save them is the judicious application of fossil fuel and CO2. Looks like Al Gore isn’t the only one who would like the Canadians under ice, you CO2 slackers.
Posted by SwampWoman on 2007 07 23 at 08:41 AM • permalink
- 27 SwampWoman
What? Australia is hurting the feelings of terrorists, gaiasts, and leftists everywhere? Good job! Make sure that when engaging in active feeling hurting to use a good solid object with a padded grip, because you don’t want any blisters or sprains. Safety first.
Yes, yes indeed. Those nasty blisters or sprains. Could screw up the playing golf, thingy.
- this would be the same “man of impeccable scruples” Richard Woolcott then?
It emerged that Richard Woolcott, former ambassador to Indonesia, had sent a telegram to Canberra two months previously, which said that it was in Australian interests to take a “pragmatic” rather than “principled” stance as Indonesia prepared to massacre tens of thousands.
- #33 El Cid
Golf clubs are primo feeling hurters, too.
Posted by SwampWoman on 2007 07 23 at 09:00 AM • permalink
- #37 Dave Wane
A sustainable Development Commission headed by Zimbabwe,under Mugabe,WOW what do thy sustain?
I believe they are leading the way in the fight on obesity, and the ruined economy and shortened life spans is shows us the proper way to achieve CO2 reduction.
Posted by SwampWoman on 2007 07 23 at 09:03 AM • permalink
- Whoops. Ignore that extraneous is in #41. I was distracted by an advertisement for $3,000 for egg removal for infertile couples and telling daughter she owed me $3,000.Posted by SwampWoman on 2007 07 23 at 09:06 AM • permalink
- This is a matter of some concern. The question is: how much concern? What we need, after a process of full consultation, is some kind of committee to decide whether or not to write a letter and move things forward.
If we can fast track our core competencies, we can find a strategic fit to leverage a value added and proactive approach to benchmarking our bottom line, and produce a result-driven game plan.
Posted by Margos Maid on 2007 07 23 at 09:07 AM • permalink
- 38 SwampWoman
Golf clubs are primo feeling hurters, too.
Yes, mine mostly…:).
Well for Christ Sakes, what took so long?
- #43 Ash_
Um, ‘Head’ the committee is probably what you don’t want to do, unless it is via email. Think about it, it’s the UN?
It would be “Sheik Abdul Durka Jihad, his goat, and his Malay ladyboy maid”
You probably wouldn’t want to be ‘head’ of that particular committee.
If you did, I would lose all respect for you. 🙂
- The “United Nations Association of Australia”, eh? Handing out a report card, is it? Well, as CEO of the Pedagogical Association of Conservative Oligarchs, I have completed my study of Richard Woolcott’s comments and I give him a ‘D -’ in logic, an ‘F’ in wisdom, and a ‘C’ in fashion. However, if we were grading old-man dewlaps, he’d get a ‘B+’ in that.
- Australia, so the UN is pissing down your back….you must be doing something right!!Posted by Old Tanker on 2007 07 23 at 09:18 AM • permalink
- I saw that, El Cid! I wonder how long it will be before the weight-gifted/cellulite-enhanced sue for equal employment opportunity?
If it were my comapny, I think they should send them over fully clothed, have them remove a piece of clothing every time they make a circuit of the lawn, and add a strip tease effect in there. It would make for lengthy lawn care, though.
*Sigh* I wanted to start a window washing company and send the daughter and ex-daughter-in-law in bathing suits to do the job, but noooooo.
Posted by SwampWoman on 2007 07 23 at 09:22 AM • permalink
- #52 Paco
A ‘C’ in fashion? I put it to you that there was n’er a fedora in sight, and the head tilt was all off. That should be an ‘F’.
I know you are busy running your clandestine international business empire, but hey, perhaps
you need a ‘Protocol Manager?’
Hey, I will have Wronwright wearing his Elvis suit every day, if you perhaps elected me to that elevated position? Also, the mandatory jackboots and black G-strings for the Minnionettes would be enforced, for you condsideration, of course 🙂
- #56 185600: His attire was given a ‘C’ to represent his completely average fashion sense. We gave him a chance to boost his grade, but he responded with this. He’s just not a zoot suit type of guy, though; the white gym socks and earth shoes messed up the whole effect.
- SwampWoman
I saw that, El Cid! I wonder how long it will be before the weight-gifted/cellulite-enhanced sue for equal employment opportunity?
Damn soon, I would say. Can see it now…The Weight-Gifted/Cellulite-Enhanced Lawn Care Service, Inc’s. Motto, “We Don’t Mow. We Matt It Down”
If it were my comapny, I think they should send them over fully clothed, have them remove a piece of clothing every time they make a circuit of the lawn, and add a strip tease effect in there. It would make for lengthy lawn care, though.
Yea, sure
woodwould*.
* ain’t that a forest somewhere?*Sigh* I wanted to start a window washing company and send the daughter and ex-daughter-in-law in bathing suits to do the job, but noooooo.
KIDS! they never listen…:).
- #57 Ash_
As one of our ‘femme fatales’ (with kae, RebeccaH, Janice, MareeS, Zoe. etc), you can wear whatever you think appropriate, of course. 🙂
What I would like to see you all wearing is pretty much irrelevant, but I would love to see some armoured bustiers?
At least I can try to coax Dirty Harriet into a ‘highly modified’ set of body armour.. 🙂
- How much notice does the world take of Australia?
For years, I subscribed to The Economist. We used to get a mention about once a year – if we were lucky.
No one cares about us, and why should they? International magazines like that focus on two things – what the big economies are doing and what is happening in the completely fucked parts of the world. We fit into neither, and I’m happy with that.
Posted by mr creosote on 2007 07 23 at 09:46 AM • permalink
- #23 –
UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
Invites you to attend a dinner
Monday 27 August, 2007
Mayfair Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Melbourne
123 Collins Street, Melbourne
$140 per person
$1400 per table of 10A snip at $140 per person, but maybe I can find nine other souls and get the large table discount. Should save me about..divides 1400 by 10 using long division..wait..wait..reaches for calculator..should save me somewhere in the range of ..wait..
Posted by Whale Spinor on 2007 07 23 at 09:57 AM • permalink
- You all miss the whole point of this exercise of Woolcott’s. It’s not to accurately compare Oz’s performance against some objective standard (what good is that??), but to burnish Mr. Woolcott’s reputation amongst his peers. And what better way to do that than to take a brickbat to the Howard/Bush oil conspiracy?Posted by Jeffersonian on 2007 07 23 at 10:00 AM • permalink
I’m a good Catholic girl. I obey all of the teachings… uh, ‘cept that one about sex and something to do with only after marriage. Oops.
There’s sex after marriage?
Posted by Jeffersonian on 2007 07 23 at 10:01 AM • permalink
- Shame! Shame on Oz!Posted by bugscuffle on 2007 07 23 at 10:02 AM • permalink
- President’s Letter, November 2006
The Democrat’s victory in the US Congressional elections is the most hopeful political event relating to foreign policy in a developed country so far this century. You could react to this statement by saying it is too strongly partisan but I make it, well aware of the risk of that criticism. The reasons are clear. President George W Bush has wrought immeasurable harm to global wellbeing. … American foreign policy during the last six years has involved explicit repudiation of the most basic elements of principled international relations. Not only have hundreds of thousands of people been killed in Iraq and immeasurable damage caused but the Muslim sixth of humankind has been forced to watch their brothers and sisters being brutalised, provoking intensified terrorism.
So read the opening sentences of the annual letter of the President of the United Nations Association of Australia,
John Langmore.I have read the letter to relieve others of the burden. It is entirely devoted to the US, and it gets worse.
Remember 2006? Genocide in Darfur. Threatened genocide from Iran. Holocaust denial conferences. Murderous riots over a bunch of cartoons. Embassies, churches burned. Islamist terrorist attacks across the globe as thick as flies in a folk festival latrine…
Not worth a word in the UNAA President’s letter. It is all Bush’s fault. Helped by Howard and Blair of course.
In a way this is apt. Lest we forget that the UN, and its local cheersquad, should be taken as seriously as a dead donkey’s fart.
- Ash_
I will never argue with a pregnant woman (or any woman for that matter) I find it better to just do what she says, I get to live with the reproductive bits intact. 🙂
Speaking of which, I had better go to bed, because I have BEEN SUMMONED.
And unless you have to share a bed with a woman facing down her thirtieth birthday who wants babies, you have never BEEN SUMMONED. 🙂
Good night and God Bless all (even you Ash_, you sweet little sinner you)
🙂
- #87, Ash: Confession is the thing Muslims have never got a handle on. We Cathos can do that on Saturday afternoon, be very sorry and be pure again (well, until saturday night, and be sorry and confess in the morning). Muslims have to abstain or die in order to reach a state of heavenly purity, and they can only do it once.
- #93, Ash: As a Catholic, being married to a presbyterian could have been nearly as bad as I’d imagine being married to a Muslim would be. They’re absolute puritans. However, I got him early, converted him to sin and introduced him to Father Mendoza,the Spanish mountain-climbing, whitewater-rafting, motorbike-riding priest who married us and saved Mike from a future as a dried up prune. The army helped, too.
- #96 Maree, I got Jesse (or whatever his name is) when he was Greek Orthodox, and he converted without much thought at all (which should have been a sign) and we got on great. I was somewhat worried at times like when he went to the pub when I was in confessional, but I figured that was because he wasn’t comfortable with confessing his sins. I should have known better, and it’s one of those things I kick myself over every day.
The United Nations Association of Australia
Does this group have any direct connection to the UN, or is it just a busybody Leftist propaganda organ?
Posted by Spiny Norman on 2007 07 23 at 11:34 AM • permalink
Does this group have any direct connection to the UN, or is it just a busybody Leftist propaganda organ?
It’s two hippies with a pirate copy of Adobe Acrobat.
I’m sure we, The Right Wing Death Beast Association of Australia, could come up with an equally professional looking web page and report.
You can convert your documents to PDF files here.
I was rather successful at getting it beforehand, it wouldn’t be proper of me to speculate on after marriage.
Having never got that far.
I gotta get that airline ticket to Oz…
Posted by Jeffersonian on 2007 07 23 at 02:21 PM • permalink
- If we annoy the United Nations and the Amnesty International (which we do regularly) we are doing things right. Keep up the good work fellow Aussies.
I didn’t see this item reported in the main pages of the Herald-Sun or The Australian. Looks like only the ABC thought it newsworthy. Typical.
Posted by walterplinge on 2007 07 23 at 06:56 PM • permalink
- #102 – Great site Monaro. Thanks for the link. I was looking for a freeware WAV to AAC converter last week and couldn’t find one. Got one now. Modified rapture – WAV uploads even on cable are slow.Posted by walterplinge on 2007 07 23 at 07:06 PM • permalink
- Newsflash, organisation that appoints Zimbabwe as head of development commission criticises Australia.
Film at 11
Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2007 07 23 at 07:09 PM • permalink
- My wife has pretty much quit going to confession (not that I think she commits many sins) and I’m not Catholic (or particularly religious in any way. She says she couldn’t stand the sobbing. Crying priests are a bit disconcerting, I guess.Posted by JorgXMcKie on 2007 07 23 at 07:16 PM • permalink
- UN, I give you a FU.Posted by Honkie Hammer on 2007 07 23 at 07:42 PM • permalink
- Sandi, the chances of me continuing to kick myself over the choices I’ve made are high. I regret almost every minute I spent with Jesse, even the good stuff. The fact is, if I’d been paying proper attention and hadn’t been so idiotic, I would have suspected something was up and chased it up. That is something I’m doing only now, although I should have found out much more about him years ago. There were many small hints, but I ignored them because they were only small, however they all make perfect sense now.
At the moment though, I seem to be dwelling on this, rather than looking forward to the future with the little one.
“Then there’s the issue of style, there’s a tendency of Australia’s part now which partly stems from Iraq, to lecture more and listen less.”
Yes, because every Ozzie I’ve met in every bar in every country I’ve ever been to has been such a great, quiet listener…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2007 07 24 at 10:51 AM • permalink
- Congratulations Australia. I am hoping Canada can also receive such a compliment from teh UN.Posted by Wimpy Canadian on 2007 07 24 at 12:26 PM • permalink
- Australia, you’re an A++ in my book…hope that helps soothe any ruffled feathers you MIGHT have over that stupid U(nnatural) N(ations) thingy.
Ash_, as mother of another ‘accidental’ mother-to-be (& having been one myself), I can assure you that the pity pot you drown yourself in today will soon be replaced with WAY too much busy-ness & baby love to continue.
You saw signs & did nothing but enjoy yourself & love another person. You got a lovely bambino growing. These are not bad things. It just takes what it takes to get us where we need to be, y’know?
Lots of us might do things different if we could have a do-over. I used to be one of ‘em. Now I know it took what it took to get me where I am, & the jackass I used to be married to was one of the steps in the path.
Meanwhile, the despots and megalomaniacs are carrying on regardless ruining their countries and disappearing their people.