SECRET DOCUMENTS IN EAST TIMOR TRAGEDY COME TO LIGHT

Because of  his long  involvement in the East Timor struggle ,  Darwin agronomist Rob Wesley-Smith continues  to  build a  massive  dossier on  the   way  the West  turned a blind eye on  the invasion of  the   former Portuguese  colony  by  Indonesia  in 1975  and the  ruthless  oppression and slaughter of many of its  people.
 

The latest documents include  1983  secret communications from the Australian Consulate in Bali  to the Australian Embassy, Jakarta , forwarded to Foreign Affairs, Canberra. Discussed  is American help in fitting napalm  tanks to planes for  presumed  use  in East Timor and  the suicide or murder of  a  US citizen.


Another subject of interest  is the suggestion that there had been a  plot to either  kidnap  or   harm  the  American Ambassador to Indonesia,  John  Herbert  Holdridge. In 1971  Holdridge accompanied US Secretary of  State Henry Kissinger on the secret trip to mainland China that opened the way for President  Richard Nixon to visit in 1972, which impacted in the Australian election,  resulting in the Whitlam government coming into  office.    

 

Wesley-Smith pulls no punches when he tells how US President Ford and Secretary of State Kissinger  gave the  green light for Indonesia  to  invade East Timor.  He is  just as critical of  Australia's part in  the  affair . Another point he makes about  the communiques is that they reveal an Italian involvement as the napalm  tanks  were  made in  that  country. 

GALMARA-SPIRITUAL HOME OF WILDLIFE WARRIORS # 1

Special Little Darwin  series  about exceptional wildlife  conservationists, Arthur and  Margaret  Thorsborne ,  and  their  army  of   supporters .

From inside  this  restored  close to 100  year  old  cedar wood  house, Arthur and  Margaret Thorsborne, supported by a growing band of supporters,  spearheaded  a  long  and  effective  campaign  to  save  the  flora  and  fauna   of   the   Queensland  wet  tropics, in  particular  the Pied Imperial  Pigeon,  also known  as  Nutmeg  Pigeon. 

The unique dwelling  was  named  Galmara  after  the Aboriginal guide and  songman who accompanied  ill-fated  explorer  Edmund   Kennedy on the 1848 expedition that  passed  through the area .  Also known as  Jacky Jacky, Galmara  was  one of  the  few  survivors of  that expedition and the only one to reach their  final  destination  after  Kennedy  was  speared to death. 

In the l960s, when  the Thorsbornes  first  saw  the  property, north of  Meunga  Creek , near  Cardwell, accessed through a side road leading to  the  Edmund Kennedy National Park,  the  overgrown   house  was  a   wreck .  Undeterred ,  they  restored  the  main building  and  then  filled it  with  an eclectic collection  of books, paintings, prints, antiques , trinkets , a  growing number of   items  related  to  the  wildlife  of  the area .

 

 A  legion of people  flocked to  the cause . One , Sydney artist , Peter Kingston , provided a  sign  over  the front door of Galmara , see at top ,   which  said : Bib and Bub say please don't hurt  dugongs. Bib and Bub are from May Gibbs' famous Gumnut books ;  Kingston had  been active in the  campaign  to save  Gibbs'  Sydney  harbourside   house ,Nutcote, recently the subject of  coverage in  the  ABC   Gardening Australia.  

In the  campaign to save the dugong, Kingston  organised the Dugongs of Hinchinbrook Art  Exhibition in Sydney which  raised money for the cause. He also drew dugongs and slogans  on  the  pavement  where  Prime Minister John Howard went for  his morning  power  walks  from  Kirribilli  House . 

Today the  Peter Kingston artwork website includes a view from the Galmara verandah  in  torrential rain , a  Cassowary outside  peering over the rail, a Blue Wren on a rail, a frog on the table, an Echidna  waddling in  and  a Pied Imperial Pigeon at home. Another painting, entitled Rain Warden, depicts a Curlew in gumboots , pelted by rain.
 

 

 

 

An outer, small , restored building , Wren  Cottage ,below , served as a  guest  house , open  to  the  air  and  wildlife , a  mosquito  net  over  the  bed .   



 

A New Zealand company made an impressive film  about  the house in which Galmara, the  poet , spoken  by  a  mellifluous   Maori , told the story of the dwelling  from  its re-enacted original occupants, the arrival of the Thorsbornes ,  the  creatures   which   flitted , crawled and hopped   in  and  out  at  will  during their time , the  encroaching  embrace  of  the  rainforest, floods  . It  included footage with  Margaret  Thorsborne  and  the  small  cedar  trees she  had  planted early on to replace the ones cut down to build Galmara  which  by  then   had   grown  considerably. 

 

 

Cyclone  Larry  blew a  tree  across  Galmara, repairs were carried out . In early  2011 , Cyclone Yasi , above,  eventually brought  about the  end  of   Galmara which  is  shown surrounded  by  stripped  trees. The  driving force and the beat continue on  many  fronts . Photographs by Allan Watson.

 

 NEXT: A fateful trip north,save the  pigeons, and  the Hinchinbrook Nightmare .

 

 



AUSTRALIAN SKI ACE FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA

A recent acquisition is  this  1959 book by the late  Ollie Polasek, a ski instructor at  Mount Buffalo and  Mount  Buller, Victoria.  During a  bad snowstorm  in  the early 1960s, two children  of Sir Rupert Clarke , a  leading businessman and pastoralist connected with the introduction  of Santa Gertrudis  cattle from  the King Ranch  in Texas,  went missing  and  were feared dead.

 

 Polasek went to  the mountain and rescued them. As a result , Sir Rupert  backed  Polasek in  the Cresta Valley Lodge at Mount Buffalo . It has been reported that in a deal done over the form guide  at  the Caulfield races , the Victorian  Premier  Sir Henry Bolte  gave part  of  the mountain  to Sir  Rupert and Polasek for the ski lodge . Polasek hosted  the nation's first major ski race at Mount Buffalo in 1964 and invited every slalom  entrant from the Innsbruck Winter Olympics  to Cresta Valley.

Born in Hranice, Czechoslovakia , Polasek graduated from university in Prague  with degrees in Commerce, Economics  and Pedagogics .While studying he was  a ski  instructor  in  Bavaria. Arriving in Australia in 1950, he went to Melbourne  University. Published by Lothian,108pp,dj,the book is well illustrated and  contains  diagrams by Judith Ellerton  and   cartoons by Margaret Richardson and  Wally Tooth. Bushfires destroyed  the lodge in December 2006.

STUDY IN DECAPITATION

TOP : Lopped  palm tree converted  to  tropical Tower of  Babel thrusting towards  Heaven  . ABOVE: Glistening , headless crayfish  washed  up  on  a beach.



CANBERRA WHIPCRACKER BECOMES MODESTY BLAISE

From Australia's most audacious political comic strip -Fabula-which featured thinly disguised leading  politicians  comes  this  illustration , regarded  as too  hot  to run . The   strip  first appeared  in the  March 6, l969 edition of  the national publication, Broadside, edited  by Pete Steedman, published in Melbourne . It  told how the always  scantily  clad  Fabula, private secretary to  Prime Minister  Sir Jim  Grey , protected  him  in a great southern continent, said to be  a  precarious outpost  of  civilisation surrounded by  enormous numbers of  hostile  coloureds.

 

The  capital of  the country  was the  headquarters of  Operation Panic !, the unique form of government  practised  by the cultured and sophisticated  people.  Fabula , plucked from  the obscurity of  the  typing pool, a  dynamic patriot, put  herself  physically and  mentally  at  the  disposal of  her country, fighting  its  foes  and  preserving the cultural  way of  life.

    



The  above  version  of  Fabula , in typical deshabille,  was  unearthed  during  Pete  Steedman's  recent consolidation of his  extensive  files .  The  doctored published  version  showed   Fabula   in  tights.

 

While the  Fabula  strip was being run , the controversy  broke  about  unrest in the Conservatives  over   the   influence   Ainsley Gotto , 22,   had over  Prime Minister John Gorton  as  his principal private secretary.  When Air Minister Dudley Erwin   was asked  why he had been  sacked  in  1969, he  famously said  :" It wiggles, its shapely, its cold blooded  and  its name is Ainslee Gotto ." Veteran reporter  Laurie  Oakes   said  most papers, fearful of defamation, dropped mention of  cold  blooded . The highly talented Gotto  went on to  become a  successful  international  businesswoman .

 

Fast  forward  to  our Charlie Chaplin MODERN TIMES  in Australia   and  a   Fabula-like  comic  strip  would  surely  be  a  real  goer . Is there  somebody  with  a  bit of  nous   and  daring out  there in the  publishing  world  to take up this  idea?

Fabula  in  action  in  the  corridors of  power. 

 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HOLY MAN'S DOUBLE ?

Maharishi

Follow up  to  ABC  Compass documentary  

When the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi  came to Sydney in the late 1960s he was interviewed by a reporter, Graham Gambie , who  bore a  remarkable resemblance to  him.  With unruly  hair  and  a  beard , Gambie  worked  on the Sun-Herald, puffed  fat, roll your owns. He went  with  the  Maharishi when he  inspected a  possible  site for a transcendental  meditation  centre in  Sydney.
 

Gambie  was  so interested in the Indian way of  life  that  he  went  there and  lived ; reporters jokingly said he  became a " holy man " himself. This writer  attended a  farewell party  for  Graham  in  a  Paddington  pad  heavy with  the  smell  of  pot .

 

Some   time  later , an  Englishman  came  into  the  Sun-Herald  and said  he had been  travelling  in  India when a man  "popped out" of  a  cave , struck up a conversation  and  introduced himself as  Graham Gambie. When the man said he was going  to Sydney, Gambie  told him to  drop into the newspaper office  and  say  hello  for  him .

There were  reports of  Gambie  building  a  dwelling  out  of cow  dung ,the   cave , him  becoming  an   assistant  teacher  in a  meditation centre.  There he met a woman, she left  for Japan, came back  and they married .Then they   returned to Sydney in the late 1970s where  he  built up a reputation as  an  investigative reporter  during  Premier   Askin's  corrupt  reign  in  NSW.

In his extensive writings  about the corruption  in NSW, Australia's top investigative reporter , Evan  Whitton, who has long campaigned for  major reform  to the archaic legal system (see The  Cartel : Lawyers and their Nine Magic Tricks )  mentioned  Gambie's reporting . One case involved the unsolved murder of Sallie-Anne Huckstepp,prostitute, heroin addict, writer  and whistleblower, who made a sworn statement  that  she  had paid money to members of  the  Vice Squad , Drug Squad and  Armed Holdup  Squad.

 Her  body was later found in  Busby Pond, Centennial  Park.  Notorious criminal Arthur  "Neddy" Smith was recorded  saying he  had  murdered  her, but later  claimed he knew he was being  taped  and made the statement  to  promote  a book  about his  criminal life. 

 The  brutal saga  involved Huckstepp's boyfriend,heroin dealer and standover man, Warren Lanfranchi ,shot dead by Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson  , in  what  was  claimed  by her  to  have  been  an  execution.

 Huckstepp inspired a song, Sallie-Anne, by the band  Spy vs Spy . Rogerson and another  former detective, Glen McNamara,are to appear in the NSW Supreme Court in July charged with the murder  of student Jamie  Gao and supplying ice . Both have pleaded  not guilty. 

Gambie  also drew attention to the  Crown of Thorns starfish attacking the  Great Barrier  Reef . About to go  on a holiday to New Zealand with his wife , he was   found to  have a  massive tumour on the  brain.

He died June 27,1986. That same month , a study , Accountability of the Legal System, of District Court sentences of 276 defendants in cases of serious drug offences 1980-82, funded by the Australian Criminology Research Council and conducted  by Professor Anthony Vinson, Professor of Social Work, University of New South Wales, Morag Caroll and Natalie Bolzan and Arthur King  was completed  and dedicated to the late Sun-Herald disclosure journalist, Graham  Gambie. Excerpts  from an  article  he  wrote ,  AS IT WAS / AS IT IS , were  included  in  the THE  ART  OF  DYING , by Sanjay PS.  

FOUNTAIN OF STREWTH: Another Townsville News Beat Special

There was a  time when  the Townsville  railway station was a busy centre of  activity in  the  city  , a   tourist  attraction,  as  this  fold out  pictorial  view  souvenir  from  the  Little  Darwin Ephemera  Collection shows .  Nowadays it  is  a  quieter part of  the city and it is  not known if  it is on any organised  history  tour  to  inspect its interesting architecture , ticket box layout , war  Roll of Honour .There  is now a  Railway  Oval  fountain  at  the front of  the old  building.



On  a recent visit to the  area, the fountain , which should be playing  as above, was not  working  properly, apparently blocked by bottles, plastic bags  and  cans .

 

The  neglected  plaque at  the  Railway Oval  in need of  prompt restoration .





DRAMATIC MUSICAL INTERLUDE WITH SAUCY FRENCH FEMME



It did not take long to cash  in on  the  loss of  the unsinkable British  passenger liner Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912 . In double quick time  several  songs were written  about  the  disaster . One of them  is  this  piece of sheet music, with a woodcut  illustrated cover  showing  the  ship sinking , icebergs  and  boats with  escaping passengers  , by Jeanette Forrest . Photograph taken on  a deckchair  at  the  residence  of Magnetic Island researcher , Gary  Davies .The dramatic event is described thus : 

Crash! Crash!

The iceberg is discovered.

Whistle sounds the alarm

All rushing to the deck

The awful truth is realized

Women and children escape while men and band render

"Nearer my God to Thee" as the big ship sinks

Music grows fainter and fainter

  

 

Bought in Adelaide , the  above 1921 piece of  sheet music has a striking art deco  cover which captures the nature of  the  song ... in far away France there lives a sweet  coquette  who  steals the heart of many. From  the Little Darwin  Collection . 

THE ADVENTURES OF DON QUIXOTE IN AUSTRALIA #1

Salvador , French  passport 

From an  impoverished , persecuted  region of Spain , a great man , Salvador Torrents,  set  sail  for  Australia   aboard  the  Osprey in  1915 , seeking a  new life as the world was rushing  headlong  into  the maelstrom of World War l . From  a  North Queensland  cane farm,  armed  with  a  prolific  pen,  he   toiled  and  tilted against  the  real dragons of  the world...warmongers , poverty , racial  intolerance ,  social  injustice , religious  ,  political,  and union  organisations which  failed  the  people  .  His  aim for  humanity  is  succinctly summed   up   in  the  English  translation of  his  only  daughter’s  name -  Peace  Liberty  Universal . Advice  he  gave  to  a male member of  the  family  was  to treat  your  wife  as  your equal , not  as  a  maid.

Drawing  on  his  personal possessions  in   the   Special Collections  section  of  the  Eddie  Koiki Mabo  Library  at  James Cook  University , Townsville , Darwin research  and   other sources ,  a wide ranging    series  has been prepared  about  this  fearless , self-educated  campaigner  who  wrote passionate letters to  international  anarchist  publications  and  Australian newspapers , composed   poetry   and   short  stories.

Near  the  end  of  his  life  , he set out  in  an  exercise  book  his  philosophy while holidaying  at  Mission Beach , saying  it should   become  the  Miami  of  North  Queensland , in  a  nation  he  considered  a  working man's paradise. This   special  series  includes an unusual  connection  with the  Northern Territory,  correspondence  with   prominent  Australian  writers ,  early postcards of  Australia , a  special  plea  to  the people of  Australia  about  the  fascists  in the  Spanish Civil  War . His extensive library  included   books in several  languages, a novel by  journalist  William Lane who  set up the  utopian  New Australia settlement in  Paraguay , trade  union  history,  religion critiques.  

Torrents  was the subject of a recent  talk on the ABC  by  the Special Collections Librarian  at  James  Cook  University , Bronwyn McBurnie . 

ABBOTT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO THROW INDUSTRY,WORKERS ON SCRAPHEAP : SABOTAGE CLAIMS

While the Abbott Government has  buckled  to  the pressure of the two major  iron ore  companies  and  done another backflip , once again showing it is the handmaiden of the Big End of Town ,  there  is no end  to  the Coalition's destructive,relentless campaigns   against  important sectors of  Australia.   It   drove the car industry out of Australia , now it is intent on replacing  all  Australian  seafearers  with  foreign  crews  who are not  paid  Australian  wages . The  Maritime Union of  Australia (MUA) has pointed out this move would not only mean massive job losses but be  a blow to our national security and the environment . The Deputy PM , National Party drone, Warren Truss ,whose  ineffectual  party  complained about overseas  countries buying up  farms ,  has  enthusiastically   backed  the  shipping handover  to  foreign  crews.

It is , of  course , another  instance of Abbott  Government  union  bashing .The  MUA, which will  be  holding nation wide rallies , including Darwin ,  against the move  is  lobbying Senators  to stop  the government  sell out . Opposition Leader Bill Shorten  said  the  Abbott approved move was sabotage , Work Choices on water :

" What we see is thousands of Australian jobs to be jeopardised. What we see is this government's predilection for lowering employment conditions in Australia. What this government hopes is that because ships are beyond the breakers and that  people can't see every employment condition in a ship, that they can get away with seeing third world conditions employed on ships which carry cargo around the Australian shoreline. This is unacceptable, Australia is an island nation, we should have our own indigenous shipping industry."

The South Australian Premier  has just  accused the   Abbott Government of deliberately sabotaging the  Australian shipbuilding  industry . Sabotage  is  the same unambiguous world  used by a  spokesman  for the renewable energy industry  who  said  the  government has  been  hellbent on  smashing  this sector, resulting in the loss of jobs , reduction in expansion plans and a drastic fall off in investment .
 

In  America ,  employees of  McDonalds have been  holding  demonstrations outside the  fast  food  campus  protesting about the low pay they get , little more than seven bucks  an hour, saying it is not a  liveable wage , they having to depend  on welfare , food stamps .  There  an   economist , commenting on the  trashing of the middle class  and   more money going to the  top section of  the community, had the hide  to  say "the poor and middle class" are better off  now  than they were some decades ago, because they now have  a car , electric light   and  TV ! He also managed to  say troublesome unions are  responsible for  the lowly paid  workers  in  the  fast  food industry seeking  more pay  . The   Abbott  Government clearly  has the same  mean-fisted, slave master  attitude to Australia  workers as the  American  economist. In  Queensland  this  week  the LNP Opposition , copying  Abbott's destructive approach,    renewed its attack on  unions and union membership.

DEATH OF A GERMAN RANGER WHO CAPTURED WILDLIFE ON FILM

Former  wildlife ranger , Frank  Woerle , in his 80s, died  recently  in  Darwin  . When  based  at Cannon Hill , 40kms north of Jabiru , in  the Kakadua National Park,  he  took  many  great photographs of  the  wildlife , the  rugged  country, spectacular  storms .

A close friend of his was the  top professional  photographer, Mike Jensen,  of  the  Australian  News  and  Information  Bureau , once based in Darwin , now residing in  Canberra,  whose work promoted the  Northern Territory and  Australia  generally both  nationally  and  overseas .

Frank's  extensive  photograph collection is still being  used  today , most  recently  in  the Bush Tracks autumn  edition in  a lead article  about  the Northern Quoll  at Carnarvon Station, central Queensland.  Frank  was  cited  in  various reports  about  buffaloes, crocodiles and wild  Banteng  cattle with  associated  photographs  taken  by  him .
 

Moons ago , Frank's wife, Gwen , supplied Little  Darwin with a  handwritten   recipe  for  turning   raw  fish  into  tasty  numus .       

END OF THE WORLD NIGH?

There  are  clear  signs in Australia  that  increased  numbers of  Marines and  B-bombers are coming .   Some  devout individuals believe the Second Coming  is not far  away-but not , please God , until  long  after the Cowboys  win  the  footy competition .   Several  nights ago  there  were  spooky lights in the  sky over Townsville . Sinners  fell to  the ground  and  begged  forgiveness , UFO  believers  danced in  the streets ;   noisy  park  boozers  promised  to  sign  the  pledge and screamed  hallelujah , causing  frightened  fruit  bats to fall  from  trees .

The lights seemed to rotate in  the  clouds   for  hours . On nearby  Magnetic Island  several people were  seen  gazing , apprehensively, into  the  heavens, one speaking in tongues , German  being one of  them . A  Kiwi added to the  babble as she ran into the night, risking life and limb , a phone to her ear, looking  for  the  mysterious lights.

Then  some  killjoy announced there was a special  do on  at the casino   to honour the  local rugby  gods , Hollywood-type searchlights playing on  the sky . Still, some  people  are  unnerved about  those  lights . And when a strange  bus  goes  by on Magnetic Island   with  Eternity its biblical destination, a dinosaur at  the wheel ,  you begin  to doubt your sanity ,  wonder  if  you  should turn over a  new leaf , become a paid up member of  a tabernacle , or just relax and  crack  another  bottle .  

HOTELS IN THE NEWS

Built in 1900,Townsville's  Great Northern Hotel , opposite the  old  Great Northern Railway building , was recently  evacuated  due  to  fire , a  person  later charged  with  arson. Townsville  has  more  than 40 heritage listed building , about  double the number in Cairns , which saw  many old buildings knocked down  during  the Japanese  tourist   boom , which  later  dissipated .

In Darwin , part of the  once grand  art deco style  Commonwealth  Bank which  survived the Japanese  bombing , shown above in the  l950s  , is being turned into a  bar. The future of  The Vic  Hotel  in  the  mall is still unclear.

 

 Long   gone in Darwin  is the prefabricated English, Scottish and Australian Bank building , known as the tin bank , which became the Northern Territory  News, the staff  regulars at The Vic , bought  by  Rupert  Murdoch. Our framed photograph from the NT Genealogical  Society  Collection.

AUSTRALIAN BANNED FROM ENTERING AMERICA

The  above eye  grabbing  1971  cover of  the leading American underground newspaper , the  Berkeley Barb ,  included   Australian  controversial  journalist, anti Vietnam  War campaigner , editor   Pete Steedman, of  Melbourne , Nigerian  model  Mina Bird , and   young  Dante Hughes , son of   the   art  critic  and author , Robert Hughes.

The  top  trio  had  originally  appeared on  the  cover of  the  iconoclastic  London Oz magazine  in  what  had  been  a  send  up  of what  was  then  regarded as  radical chic .  The Oz  caption  read something  like  he  drives  a Maserati,  she's a model and  the boy  is the  son of  the  Time magazine art critic. In 1971 Steedman  ran  the Oz  office while the principals, Richard Neville, Jim Anderson  and Felix Dennis , were  fighting obscenity charges in  court .

 

The  heading  pointer  on  the  Berkely  Barb   cover  refers  to notorious Harvard  psychologist  Professor Timothy Leary, the  so called guru of psychedelic  , who urged people  to  turn  on , tune  in  and  drop out .

In  Melbourne   university  magazines  during  the   l960s , Steedman  had  been  a leading campaigner  against  Australia's  involvement  in  the  Vietnam War and the  conscription  of youths  based  on  a  lottery  draw, receiving death threats .   At   one   stage  the government  seriously  considered   bringing  in  special  legislation  to charge him  with subversion.

In  Berkeley University, California, there was also strong  opposition  to the  war  and  Steedman  was  contacted  by  activists  there, one  an Australian , the suggestion  being  he  come to America  and  address  students. However, a member of  the United States Information Service,   in  Melbourne , believed   to  be in  the CIA,  informed Steedman , over  a   beer , there  was no way  he would be  allowed  into  the  US.

 

The   Berkeley Barb was  kicked  off   by  Max Scherr, who  wrote  and produced much of  the paper , on August 13,1965 . Wikipedia  states  he relied on  a large, youthful, low paid and politically left staff. The  Barb for a few years in the late 1960s was the popular voice of  counterculture Berkeley, speaking for and  to  a generation intent on change. It mixed radical politics with counter-culture social values, celebrating opposition to the war in Vietnam, and  the  cocktail of “sex, drugs and rock' n' roll.”The civil rights  movement  was  also  supported.

Both irreverent and serious, in 1967 it ran a hoax claiming that bananas contained a psychoactive substance released when the skins were smoked. The cartoonist Joel Beck and ground-breaking sex-advice columnist Eugene “Doctor Hippocrates” Schoenfeld were two  high-profile presences in the paper.

Most sales were made by street vendors who bought the  paper for a  nickel(five cents)  and sold it for  fifteen.   One  of  those who flogged the Barb in the financial district of  San Francisco  from 1967-69   was   none   other  than  Underground   Comix  identity ,  Bucklee  Bell , the  subject of  several recent posts  in  Little Darwin.

"Didn't  really  pay  the bills," commented Bucklee , recalling those  wild  days . He  did not  meet   Leary, described  by  President Nixon as  the  most dangerous man in America , but  saw  him several times  at  happenings  in  the Frisco  Bay area. With an  inimitable  way of expressing  himself, Bucklee  described  the LSD taking  scene  in   those  days  thus:

At the time the West Coast versus East Coast approach to taking acid started out quite different. West was spike their  Kool-Aid  and don't bother to tell them. Ha,Ha,Ha. East was  put some  Ravi  Shankar on the  juke box and  let your guide  lead  you  through  the  labyrinth  of  your  mind.

He went on  to say he had recently read  a  history of  the  hippy-freak-longhair outbreak in  the British Isles, the Oz magazine  and  Steedman. These  guys, he said , were  every bit "balls  and  pussies to the wall" as  their American counterparts.

WARNING : Fleeing  the  annual  ice age in Melbourne , Steedman  plans  to thaw out in North Queensland  in the near future  and  has  indicated he will  be available  to  show  students  at    James  Cook University , Townsville , how to turn  their tame  publication , Bullsheet, into a  ripsnorting  and  powerful  read , unfortunately resulting  in the entire  campus  being  banned from setting foot in the US of A .

POWERFUL WOMEN PROVE PRIME MINISTER ABBOTT “ GIRLY MAN ”



Soon to be deported to a nuclear waste dump, Australian Financial Review cartoonist , David Rowe, catches  sensitive ,  MUMMYfied  pollies  demonstrating  a  woman's  work is  never  finished .

In Moscow, German  iron  lady, Angela Merkel, actually shirtfronted the Russian President, Vladimir Putin , when she  firmly told him  at a  public event   that  he had  to get  out of the Ukraine and  stop supporting the  separatists . Putin  looked  ferret-eyed , peeved  by her strong words. It will be recalled  that  PM Tony Abbott  promised  to shirtfront  Putin in Brisbane at  the G20 extavaganza  over the outrageous shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines  MH17 passenger  jet  over the Ukraine, but did no such thing , apparently only  warning  him  to watch out  that  a  Koala  did  not  piss on  him  at  the expensive   photo   opportunity.

Now   a  panel of  three  prominent  female political reporters,Niki Savva (The Australian ) , Laura Tingle (Australian Financial Review ) and Annabel Crabb (ABC  platforms  and  popular polly waffle cooking series ) on the latest ABC  TV  Insiders  could  be   said  to  have   also   really  shirtfronted  Abbott / Hockey  et  al  over  the  latest   budget.

Was  that unladylike  expression – crap – uttered  by one in connection with the claimed  credible  path to  a  surplus ?   Savva  spoke of  the government  mucking  up  the selling  of  the child care/maternity leave  package  for  MUMS   with  talk of  rorters and fraudsters .  One  powerful   comment  was  that   the   government  has  no  day   to   day  plan.  This is  why the  empty slogans continue to   flow thick and fast , MUMS repeated  like subliminal , brain washing advertising.The  Coalition  really loves  all  you MUMS , especially if you leave  the  kids in day care, with  a nanny , a  dog handler  or  passing  swaggie  and  go  out and snare  one  of   those  elusive  jobs .

Surely it  was  an  extreme  statement  by one of   the  three  wise  women  to say  the government now  felt  its  members, who had been hiding in  the cupboards  in their  electorate  offices, to  come out  and have  something good to say to  voters?   And  was  that  pull no punches  economist  Judith Sloan,of The Australian ,   heard  moaning  after  the  budget  was  read ?  If so , it  was probably due  to the  pain inflicted  by reading  the  Budget  papers, not  as  a  result  of  the  biological  and domestic  burden  women  bear.

And just to show  how much the  government loves all  yuz  femmes , there was only  one  line in the massive rubbery Budget  documents  dealing  with  women  in  general. 

Horrified  Treasurer  on  Insiders  contemplates  Revenge   of  the  Mummies  when   Budget   bombs and  Tories  begin leaping  from  the  Sydney Harbour Bridge which he recently extended and duplicated  by word  of  mouth  to  Perth   in  Western  Australia , the world's  most astonishing infrastructure  project, visible  from  Mars .