Malcom Fraser: Australians All: Justice, Security, A Fair Go

There's no doubt about Malcolm Fraser, 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. In 1975, his actions divided the nation. In 1986, a now retired Malcolm somehow managed to get drugged and lose his trousers in Memphis, Tennessee. But, for many years, Malcolm has had the status of National Treasure. Where would we be without him?

In recent times, he has gathered around him a coterie of forty distinguished Australians from all walks of life, from major faiths, from across the political spectrum. You can find them all on Malcolm's site, Australians All, which has the motto - Justice, Security, A Fair Go.

In the dark shadow cast by John Howard's Shock and Awe Campaign in Aboriginal communities, there's a lot of good writing at Australians All so please pop over and avail yourself of it, dear Reader.

Campaigning for a tall Prime Minister: a capital idea

Denis over at The body politic is ill has discovered a goodie. One of the Southern Highlands locals has an apt name for Prime Minister John Howard. John Howard is a very short man so when Miss Eagle came across this nickname "Prime Miniscule" - like the Mitford sisters, she roared.

Then Miss Eagle went into a reverie. The correct spelling is minuscule. Those, like Miss Eagle, involved in calligraphy know what a minuscule is: it is a small letter, a lower case letter. It is the opposite of majuscule which is a large letter, a capital letter.

How Miss Eagle longs for a tall, majuscule Prime Minister.

Remember Gough Whitlam, remember Paul Keating. Prime Ministers tall with visions tall. And there is Malcolm Fraser who to-day has stature as a moral compass for the nation. Not small minded men with small, limited, and limiting vision. (Yes, Miss Eagle realises Bob Hawke was a short man - but how can Miss Eagle consider a man who turns on a national strike affecting the whole nation to suit a mate of dubious business ethics a man of great vision.)

Please, God, send Australia a tall Prime Minister with a large and wise vision for this nation.

Please, God, rid us of the small and small-minded with delusions of grandeur and take them from positions of power.

Justice, torture, coercion, and moral bankruptcy

Australia does not provide justice to all Australians.

Malcolm Fraser speaks plainly about how Australia, along with other western nations, has moved away from the rule of law and is prepared to accept evidence gained through torture in spite of the long battle under British law to outlaw such a practice.

Brian Walters SC, a Melbourne barrister and the immediate past president of Liberty Victoria, says that, contrary to well-known principles of international law, Australia's Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, says that sleep deprivation is not torture: it is merely "coercive".

You can decide but Miss Eagle thinks the only point of argument is whether Australia, as a nation state, has reached a state of moral bankruptcy or is merely on the road to it.