WAITING FOR SINO, NOT GODOT

Australian Curlew pondering  Chinese   invasion  ;  first it was  a cracked  Chinese willow pattern bowl  with  odd looking  love  birds  ;  then  a  water  jar  with   rampant  dragons  moved  in   and , finally, a  bundle  of  imported  bamboo  garden  stakes  was  plonked down  on   the   patch.  What next- a   General  Motors- Holden  rickshaw ? 
TO  SAVE  MONEY ,   President Obama  should  bring home  the  Marines  from Darwin and Australia  must  slash  its  defence spending  , especially  abandoning  the  idea  to  build expensive  Japanese submarines , as   the  Chinese  seem  poised  to  capture  the  country  with  their cheque books .  Across the  nation  , especially   in   Queensland  ,  the  desire  for  Chinese  investors   to  buy  up   anything   and  everything   is   palpable.   From  the  Gold  Coast   to  Cairns   the  almost  hysterical  cry  is  that the  Chinese –Yippee! -  are   coming .  A  number of   shopping centres  have been given  quick  paint jobs  and  it ain’t  due  to  making  them  look  nice  for  Christmas ,  it is to  tart  them  up in  the  hope to  attract  Chinese  investors.
 

 

One  aspect of   the  Chinese  invasion  is  the way  the  media  is   running  breathless   reports  about rich  Chinese   snapping  up  expensive Sydney apartments  and  eyeing off   waterfront  mansions . At  times , these  reports  contain  photos of   female  Chinese  investment consultants   almost   posed   like  P3  girls  against choice  real  estate  or  draped  decoratively  on  the  waterfront,  as  in Townsville .  Chinese   investment   is   thus   being  made   look  sexy.

There was  a  time  when  the  golfing-mad Japanese   bought  up  big  in  Queensland-remember Premier  Joh and  Mr  Iwasaki  at Yeppoon?   Well  Queensland Premier Campbell Newman  recently lobbed  in Japan  and had talks with  Iwasaki Group president, Yoshitaro Iwasaki ,  and received  a briefing on the proposed  $350milion  upgrade  at Yeppoon .  Newman is reportedly keen to help fast track the project.  Of  course,  the Chinese ,  contesting ownership of  some islands  claimed by  Japan , might  frown  on  Queensland  collaborating with the enemy, pull the plug  on   investment in the  North, leading  to  much weeping ,wailing and gnashing of  teeth..

   

Meanwhile , on Magnetic Island , off  Townsville , there has been a lot of activity at the  troubled  Blue  On Blue  resort   where  units  and  apartments  are   being  offered  at  greatly  reduced prices , advertised  as  Christmas  coming  early.  A  team specialising in  concrete polishing   lobbed  on  the island in a  large  van  , below,   and   been    scrubbing up  stage  two  of  the  project which  did not  get off  the ground, the rusty  reo  reinforcing  rods  hidden  behind  the  alluring  billboards which  offer  a  fabulous lifestyle  for   beautiful  people .

The word  has  gone  out in real estate  circles on  the  island   that  the  Chinese  are  coming to North Queensland .  A decade or so  ago , Magnetic Island  was  being   promoted as the New Noosa , and it was whispered that the  American  film star, John Travolta , with his  own Qantas jet, was interested  in  buying land  there.  James  Bond  supposedly sailed  by in  a  luxury yacht and it was  speculated that he  and Miss  Moneypenny could  become residents . These  pipedreams  did  not  come  to  pass. Wonder if  the Godless Chinese would be interested in  “the  Pope’s land” which is up  for  lease  on  the  island?.

Near Townsville is  Clive Palmer’s refinery which is  losing a  bundle  of  money each  month ;  even  billionaire   PUP  leader  Clive  dearly  wants  his  Chinese  business  partners  to   urgently  cough  up  $400million,  or else  they  will   suffer  the  fate of  steerage passengers  in  the Titanic.   Yes,  Australia is open for  business , and up  for  sale . At  the rate things are being flogged off ,  by  the  year  2015 , it is reasonable to predict   that  every Australian   child’s  Xmas  stocking  will   be  stuffed  with    Chinese   Fortune Cookies.