National pride begets blind arrogance

Stephen Smith and Michael Mullins are right! The gross lack of understanding of a different society, its law and its culture are evident in the strident efforts of various politicians to intervene in ways that may serve their political ambitions but are likely to exacerbate an already difficult situation.

Once, when I was in China, a superb Chinese academic shyly answered my question about how Chinese generally viewed Australians: 'Chinese see Westerners as uncivilised', he said apologetically. I regret instances where this belief is borne out.

Doesn't the author realise that 'Chinese justice' is an oxymoron? It has been vividly demonstrated recently in Tibet and is still visible in Urumchi in Xinjiang. In totalitarian states a due process cannot take place because the judiciary is not independent of political control and manipulation.Lucky you! you have never had to live in a country ruled by a totalitarian regime.

There has been so much fevered media coverage of the case of Mr Hu, and exaggerated claims by Barnaby Joyce et al that it is refreshing to have this considered comment. We may not approve of the Chinese legal system, but companies like Rio and their employees work in that country with prior knowledge of their system. It is ridiculous to assume that the charges are groundless, and it is premature to demand that the Prime Minister get involved.

The assumption in Michael's article is that the Prime Minister has 'impeded' the canonisation process of Mary MacKillop. Has he really? Since the early Middle Ages many
canonisations have been the open recognition by Rome of local heroes.

Whether we like it or not, Mary's cause is being promoted not just as acknowledgement of her holiness, but also because she is Australian. People are often heard saying she is Our Saint, meaning Australia now has a saint as well. It is this nationalistic identification with Mary that would prompt the Prime Minister to act as he did, just as Renaissance princes may have had something to say to their 'friend' the Pope about their own candidate. As then, this would be regarded by politicians not as impeding the process, but expediting it. Never mind the cost!

Incidentally, Australia is and has always been populated by many holy people and local heroes, most of whom have never been heard of in Rome.

Finally a comment that makes sense and enlighten. Thanks Michael.

There has been a lot of Australian jingoism in the last ten years or so, lots of flags, footballers clutching their hearts, and so on. There has also been a stupid conflation of Australia's foreign policy priorities with her trade priorities, exemplified by the very name, 'DFAT', to the detriment of both.

Now we have an overwhelming responsibility to Stern Hu, already the meat in the sandwich, long before Turnbull and Joyce opened their mouths. He has rights, and Australians have values I suggest, even if China, typically, doesn't recognise them.

Rio and other Australian businesses may need to smarten up their act, sticking to agreements and so forth. But to employ state power for commercial ends, without court sanction, is the essence of what used to be called imperialism. (I will admit I don't want this matter sorted by deploying the Collins Class submarines.)

There has been a lot of Australian jingoism in the last ten years or so, lots of flags, footballers clutching their hearts, and so on. There has also been a stupid conflation of Australia's foreign policy priorities with her trade priorities, exemplified by the very name, "DFAT", to the detriment of both.

Now we have an overwhelming responsibility to Stern Hu, already the meat in the sandwich, long before Turnbull and Joyce opened their mouths. He has rights, and Australians have values I suggest, even if China, typically, doesn't recognise them. Rio and other Australian businesses may need to smarten up their act, sticking to agreements and so forth. But to employ state power for commercial ends, without court sanction, is the essence of what used to be called imperialism. (I will admit I don't want this matter sorted by deploying the Collins Class submarines.)

What a load of nonsense. I would like some sense in the arrest and a proper explanation. None is forthcoming. Nothing to do with national pride or the person is Australian. Nothing like Corby.

Regarding the Hu case the shock reaction of the Australian public is from their coming face to face with the chinese justice system.

Australians had not realised that China is itself a huge corrupt prison. It was not national pride but national ignorance of what dictatorships of that kind are like. Regarding Rudd Lobbying the Pope I dont think that happened but I would expect that any Australian meeting the Pope would speak of the matter and express the interest we have in the outcome. I think that is pride in Mary MacKillop being expressed. She was a rebel of the kind we admire.

hypothesis: Corby was a "fall guy".
to fill in the dots here, ask what the press were looking at before this. Corby was a ruse to throw the morons of the press off the scent.