Chinese leader honours former Labor PMs
Wednesday Sep 5 22:08 AEST

China's President Hu Jintao has singled out three former Australian Labor prime ministers for particular praise at a Sydney dinner marking 35 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and China.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma was hosting the formal state dinner at the Chinese delegation's APEC base, the five-star Sofitel Wentworth Hotel in Sydney's city centre.

But Mr Iemma was overshadowed at the dinner by the trio of Labor elders attending, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

Indeed, Mr Whitlam and Mr Hawke drew additional, unscripted praise from members of an Aboriginal dance group who used their microphones to laud the men during their performance.

But it was the 65-year-old leader of 1.3 billion people who gave the final bow to the former prime ministers - Liberal Party figures were hard to find at the dinner.

"I want to thank in particular Mr Whitlam, Mr Hawke and Mr Keating for attending tonight's dinner," Mr Hu told the audience.

"I admire and highly appreciate your contribution to the establishment and the development of China-Australia relations."

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Gus: remember that John Howard as treasurer was Mr 22 per cent interest rates... according to Peter Costello, he was a "failed treasurer"...

I hear from the man in the street that he's hurting, despite the "economic boom"... which of course benefit the rich a lot more than the hard working poor or average middle class, who have been more or less squeezed by Johnnee's industrial relations reforms...

But Joe Hockey tells us these laws are good since the stats show that the fairness test is working... Of course he did not say "the stats had been designed to make sure they fitted the desired result" but that's what I understood from the blah blah blah in regard to "higher wages"... which does not make sense since when was the last time your boss wanted to give you MORE money for your work?... Sure, the fairness test is working in relation to the new laws — but not in your hip pocket...

And remember — through all the hype and harbour cruises of APEC — that Bush lied to take Australia and the UK to war... He had either no plan or a secret agenda, re post-Saddam Iraq... The man is a menace. His secretary of state, Condi — should she be genuine — is sweetly deluded about the purpose and the future of humanity... My opinion. The "surge" is an illusion of another 25 years of US "occupation" of Iraq... Eventually something will crack before that... The US troops are part of Iraq's problems.

But back to the venerable men of politics... These men were leading Australia reasonably well during worldwide hard times, including the crash of 1987, when the price of gold hit more than $900 an ounce... And it was Whitlam who got Australia out of Vietnam and bore the brunt of this difficult but necessary action. Whitlam also started proper relations with communist China, before the US, through President Nixon, did.  

Paul Keating set many of the parameters for a smooth future of a united and prosperous Australia, while John Howard has been a divisive promoter of greed at the expense of social cohesion that Bob Hawke was encouraging through concensus...

John Howard deserves to be kicked out. He lied on Medicare, he lied on the war in Iraq, he lied quite creatively on most things, while Costello has been tightening the public purse to make governmental surpluses at the expense of proper public services such as education et al. Tragic.

Thank you President Hu Jintao.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has won a bid to suspend parliament, blocking an opposition attempt to topple his new government.

The governor general agreed to Mr Harper's request, unprecedented in the country, after talks.

If the request had been rejected, he would have had to step down or face a confidence vote he was sure to lose.

Opposition parties had called the vote for Monday, accusing the government of failing to shore up the economy.

Governor General Michaelle Jean agreed to prorogue - or suspend - parliament until 27 January when the government is set to present its budget.

Ms Jean - the representative of head of state Queen Elizabeth II - has the right to make a final decision on such matters.

"Today's decision will give us an opportunity - I'm talking about all the parties - to focus on the economy and work together," Mr Harper was quoted as saying by AP news agency after the meeting.

The Conservatives immediately shut down Parliament, ending all debate.

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Gus: remember 1975, when the GG, possibly a pisspot, dismissed the Australian government, possibly with the help of the CIA... Now, in Canada, the GG protects the conservative government... had it been a leftist government, I would be inclined to believe it would have been made jump... It's in the nature of Queen's men's belief in their right to rule...

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