Who is Damien Thomlinson ?
An American, Australian ,Israeli, British "Judeo Christian Friendly " blog.
Anthropogenic Global Warming SCAM
Monday, April 14, 2014
World's "Beautiful People" fall over themselves to show solidarity with wife of convicted Paedophile Robert Hughes, whilst Hughes' niece, Melinda O'Donnell speaks about her torment.
Australia's very own "Woody Allen" "Roman Polanski" scandal, and just as in USA and the UK the "Beautiful People" members of the Jugglers and Clown's Union, stand Rock Solid with a convicted Rock Spider.
Star clients back Hey Dad! wife Robyn Gardner
Amy Harris
The Sunday Telegraph
April 12 2014
SOME of the world’s biggest stars are standing by Australian power agent Robyn Gardiner in the aftermath of the conviction of her husband, R obert Hughes, for child sex abuse.
With Hughes awaiting sentencing on 10 counts of sexual and indecent assault of young girls, Sydney Confidential understands that Gardiner’s Sydney-based agency RGM, founded as Robyn Gardiner Management in 1982, has not lost a single client.
The agency’s client list boasts Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, who personally thanked Gardiner when she collected her Best Actress Oscar for Blue Jasmine last month, along with in-demand actors including Mia Wasikowska and Ryan Kwanten, comedian Chris Lilley, actor Lisa McCune, Tropfest founder and film director John Polson, TV personalities Amanda Keller and Andrew Denton.
A well-placed source at a rival agency admitted there was some speculation in Sydney film circles that the scandal that has engulfed Hughes since 2010 may cost the agency at least one big-name client.
“Clearly Robyn has cultivated an enormous amount of loyalty among her stable,” the talent management insider said.
Gardiner sold RGM to former Southern Star Group boss Hugh Marks and ex-Channel 10 chief executive Grant Blackley last year and has since scaled back her role at the agency to an advisory role.
It’s her acting department head Erin O’Conner, as well as agents Trent Baker, El Erdmane and Tracey Silvester, who are the day-to-day points of contact.
It was O’Connor who accompanied Blanchett to the AACTA Awards this year and she also oversees the career of another Gardiner protege — Rose Byrne.
Contacted for comment, reps for Gardiner and RGM said: “RGM Artists is an independently owned and operated business of Hugh Marks and Grant Blackley. Robyn founded the business and we will always value her guidance and expertise.”
So what makes these people tick extract below from an open letter of support for Photographer Bill Henson, signed by Carbon Cate and the usual Luvvies of the Yaarrrrrrt's Community see link for full story scroll to bottom of post.
Hughes' niece speaks about her torment
ninemsn
April 14, 2014
The niece of convicted child sex offender Robert Hughes has spoken out about her torment at the hands of her uncle, saying he "stalked" and "abused" her for years.
In a tearful interview, Melinda O'Donnell said when she was a child, the Hey Dad! star made her lie on his bed for a "massage" during which he would fondle her breasts.
Ms O'Donnell said that her uncle was "very sneaky" and "would try to disguise it so if anyone did think anything looked odd, he would be able to excuse it by saying 'I was just tickling her'".
Ms O'Donnell has spoken publicly for the first time since her witness testimony during Hughes' trial helped convict the 65-year-old of 10 charges involving four victims.
The now 40-year-old mother said Hughes would abuse her at any opportunity, and would brazenly expose himself to her while others were in the room.
She said that even when she raised the issue of inappropriate touching with Hughes' daughter, her cousin Jessica, she was told "that's just my dad. That's how he is. He's very affectionate."
Ms O'Donnell said her immediate family eventually severed ties with Hughes about a decade ago, and she said her mother was now "very angry" and that she herself had "a lot of hatred for him".
Ms O'Donnell said she 'felt sick' when she discovered former child star Sarah Monahan had come forward with allegations that she was abused on the set of the hit television show.
She added that the revelations proved a catalyst in her decision to finally come forward about the abuse she faced.
"I knew that this was going to rip our family apart. I was pregnant with my second child and terrified but I also knew I had to come forward myself," Ms O'Donnell said.
Hughes will be sentenced on May 2, and Ms O'Donnell said she "is praying" that he gets the sentence he "deserves – life in prison, so that he can never hurt anyone again".
Star clients back Hey Dad! wife Robyn Gardner
Amy Harris
The Sunday Telegraph
April 12 2014
SOME of the world’s biggest stars are standing by Australian power agent Robyn Gardiner in the aftermath of the conviction of her husband, R obert Hughes, for child sex abuse.
With Hughes awaiting sentencing on 10 counts of sexual and indecent assault of young girls, Sydney Confidential understands that Gardiner’s Sydney-based agency RGM, founded as Robyn Gardiner Management in 1982, has not lost a single client.
The agency’s client list boasts Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, who personally thanked Gardiner when she collected her Best Actress Oscar for Blue Jasmine last month, along with in-demand actors including Mia Wasikowska and Ryan Kwanten, comedian Chris Lilley, actor Lisa McCune, Tropfest founder and film director John Polson, TV personalities Amanda Keller and Andrew Denton.
A well-placed source at a rival agency admitted there was some speculation in Sydney film circles that the scandal that has engulfed Hughes since 2010 may cost the agency at least one big-name client.
“Clearly Robyn has cultivated an enormous amount of loyalty among her stable,” the talent management insider said.
Gardiner sold RGM to former Southern Star Group boss Hugh Marks and ex-Channel 10 chief executive Grant Blackley last year and has since scaled back her role at the agency to an advisory role.
It’s her acting department head Erin O’Conner, as well as agents Trent Baker, El Erdmane and Tracey Silvester, who are the day-to-day points of contact.
It was O’Connor who accompanied Blanchett to the AACTA Awards this year and she also oversees the career of another Gardiner protege — Rose Byrne.
Contacted for comment, reps for Gardiner and RGM said: “RGM Artists is an independently owned and operated business of Hugh Marks and Grant Blackley. Robyn founded the business and we will always value her guidance and expertise.”
So what makes these people tick extract below from an open letter of support for Photographer Bill Henson, signed by Carbon Cate and the usual Luvvies of the Yaarrrrrrt's Community see link for full story scroll to bottom of post.
TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2008
Open Letter of Support for Bill Henson
http://billhensonletterofsupport.blogspot.com.au/
PRESS RELEASE: MAY 27, 2008
"As members of the Creative Stream of the Australia 2020 Summit, we wish to express our dismay at the police raid on Bill Henson’s recent Sydney exhibition, the allegations that he is a
child pornographer, and the subsequent reports that he and others may be charged with obscenity."
"Many of us have children of our own. The sexual abuse and exploitation of children fills us all with abhorrence. But it is equally damaging to deny the obvious fact that adolescents are sexual beings. This very denial contributes to abusive behaviour, because it is part of the denial of the personhood of the young. In my opinion, Mr Henson’s work shows the delicacy of the transition from childhood to adulthood, its troubledness and its beauty, in ways which do not violate the essential innocence of his subjects. It can be confronting, but that does not mean that it is pornography."
ninemsn
April 14, 2014
The niece of convicted child sex offender Robert Hughes has spoken out about her torment at the hands of her uncle, saying he "stalked" and "abused" her for years.
In a tearful interview, Melinda O'Donnell said when she was a child, the Hey Dad! star made her lie on his bed for a "massage" during which he would fondle her breasts.
Ms O'Donnell said that her uncle was "very sneaky" and "would try to disguise it so if anyone did think anything looked odd, he would be able to excuse it by saying 'I was just tickling her'".
Ms O'Donnell has spoken publicly for the first time since her witness testimony during Hughes' trial helped convict the 65-year-old of 10 charges involving four victims.
The now 40-year-old mother said Hughes would abuse her at any opportunity, and would brazenly expose himself to her while others were in the room.
She said that even when she raised the issue of inappropriate touching with Hughes' daughter, her cousin Jessica, she was told "that's just my dad. That's how he is. He's very affectionate."
Ms O'Donnell said her immediate family eventually severed ties with Hughes about a decade ago, and she said her mother was now "very angry" and that she herself had "a lot of hatred for him".
Ms O'Donnell said she 'felt sick' when she discovered former child star Sarah Monahan had come forward with allegations that she was abused on the set of the hit television show.
She added that the revelations proved a catalyst in her decision to finally come forward about the abuse she faced.
"I knew that this was going to rip our family apart. I was pregnant with my second child and terrified but I also knew I had to come forward myself," Ms O'Donnell said.
Hughes will be sentenced on May 2, and Ms O'Donnell said she "is praying" that he gets the sentence he "deserves – life in prison, so that he can never hurt anyone again".
Pious Muslim "Black Magic" praticioner,Man Haron Monis arrested for sexual assault whilst on bail for accessory to murder of his former wife.
Man Haron Monis aka. Mohammad Hassan Manteghi, refused bail for alleged sex assault on woman who went to him for ‘spiritual healing’
Mark Morrie
The Daily Telegraph
April 14,2014
A SYDNEY man who claimed to be a spiritual healer specialising in “black magic” has been arrested for allegedly sexually and indecently assaulting a young woman.
A self-styled shiek now known as Man Haron Monis appeared in Kogarah Local Court today where it was heard that he is currently on bail for being an accessory to murder of his former wife Noleen Hayson Pal.
The court was also told that his current wife Amirzh Droudis who was at the back of the court is currently on bail for murder of Ms Hayson.
The 49-year-old was refused bail on the sexual assault charges.
Police allege the woman, who was 27 at the time, visited the man at his business in Wentworthville, Western Sydney, on two occasions in August 2002.
She had seen his services advertised in a local newspaper.
Police allege Monis indecently assaulted her on both occasions and sexually assaulted her once as a “spiritual healing technique”.
Afterwards, it is alleged he warned the victim to remain quiet.
According to NSW Police, the man claimed to be a spiritual healer with expertise in astrology, numerology, meditation and black magic.
The man was arrested in Bexley North this morning and taken to Kogarah Police Station to be charged.
Police footage obtained by news.com.au shows the man raising his hands towards the sky.
Mark Morrie
The Daily Telegraph
April 14,2014
A SYDNEY man who claimed to be a spiritual healer specialising in “black magic” has been arrested for allegedly sexually and indecently assaulting a young woman.
A self-styled shiek now known as Man Haron Monis appeared in Kogarah Local Court today where it was heard that he is currently on bail for being an accessory to murder of his former wife Noleen Hayson Pal.
The Crown's chief witness, who allegedly watched the attack unfold through his peep hole, opened his door to ask "what are doing?" when he saw Ms Hayson Pal having fluid poured on her and set alight only to be told to "go back inside" by a woman wearing a "black cape" and a headscarf that didn't obscure her face.
The court was also told that his current wife Amirzh Droudis who was at the back of the court is currently on bail for murder of Ms Hayson.
Sheik pleads guilty to sending offensive letters disguised as offers of condolence to army war widow
It was also revealed in court today that Monis served 150 hours of community service after sending threatening letters to the families of soldiers killed in Afghanistan.The 49-year-old was refused bail on the sexual assault charges.
Police allege the woman, who was 27 at the time, visited the man at his business in Wentworthville, Western Sydney, on two occasions in August 2002.
She had seen his services advertised in a local newspaper.
Police allege Monis indecently assaulted her on both occasions and sexually assaulted her once as a “spiritual healing technique”.
Afterwards, it is alleged he warned the victim to remain quiet.
According to NSW Police, the man claimed to be a spiritual healer with expertise in astrology, numerology, meditation and black magic.
The man was arrested in Bexley North this morning and taken to Kogarah Police Station to be charged.
Police footage obtained by news.com.au shows the man raising his hands towards the sky.
Who are Man Haron Monis and Amirzh Droudis ?
Australia's Labor Green Loons and that terrible "Jewish Lobby"
Andrew Bolt
Herald Sun
April 13,2014
FORMER foreign minister Bob Carr is not wrong: there is a Jewish lobby. But it’s not the lobby that worries me.
Carr last week outraged Jews by attacking Melbourne’s “Israel lobby” for its “very unhealthy” influence on prime minister Julia Gillard.
Carr accused it of trying “to block the Foreign Minister of Australia through their influence with the Prime Minister’s office from even making the most routine criticism of Israeli settlement policy”.
BLOG WITH ANDREW BOLT
True, there is a Jewish lobby, just as there are other ethnic and religious lobbies. True also, it’s more organised than most, and richer.
But also true is that many supporters of Israel — like Gillard, like me — reach their opinions on the arguments, not as quo for Jewish quids.
We see a democracy threatened by terrorism, an open society challenged by closed ones.
Carr also leaves out a critical fact, making the Jewish lobby seem unique and even sinister.
See, he actually defeated the “Israel lobby” in 2012 by warning Labor MPs of a more powerful lobby — the Muslim one.
Steve Price and Andrew Bolt discuss the appalling Mr Carr and further on the Un Holy Alliance between his Labor Party and Islam,aka. Labor/Green Loon's VOTE People
As The Australian then reported: “Mr Carr is believed to have spent an hour with Ms Gillard … explaining the electoral problems in Sydney” if she did not become less pro-Israeli.
The Sydney Morning Herald noted: “Many MPs in western Sydney, who are already fearful of losing their seats, are coming under pressure from constituents with a Middle East background.”
Frontbencher Tony Burke also insisted Gillard back the Palestinian cause — and here’s why: Burke’s Sydney seat of Watson now has an astonishing 20 per cent of Muslim voters. In fact, of the 20 seats with the most Muslim voters, Labor held all but one.
And so Carr rolled Gillard and overturned her support for Israel.
This is not the first time Labor placated the Muslim lobby. It notoriously reversed a decision to deport extremist preacher Sheik Taj El-Din Hilali.
Just last September, the Mufti of Australia wrote to Labor members to warn union boss Paul Howe had a “bias” towards Israel, and if he was not blocked from becoming a senator, Labor would lose the Muslim votes that helped “successfully retain the majority of ALP seats in Western Sydney”.
Did Carr denounce that “unhealthy” influence? No.
It seems there’s only one kind of “unhealthy”ethnic influence now for modern Labor.
The Labor / Green Loon's Muslim "Un Holy Alliance"
If any one wants to know how a grub like Hilalie could ever get into Australia and then be granted citizenship and then rejoice in the murder of 18 Australians and some 2,900 men women and children from all over the world at the World Trade Center it's easy, just arrive when the country is been run by the Australian Socialist Labor Party that needs votes to stay in power regardless of the economic social or security cost's
MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
Interview with Alan Jones, 2UE
ALAN JONES: This boat people issue doesn't go away. The Prime Minister yesterday, in launching his policy, made the simple point that the Government will decide who comes into Australia and on what terms. It's as simple as that, and it is simple. How many times have I made the point that if you're going to determine who comes into your home and on what terms, surely we as a nation have that entitlement in relation to our national home.
But now we have the spectacle after last week and an Indonesian fishing boat sinking and 350 so-called asylum seekers dying, we've got the spectacle of three Indonesian warships searching for a fishing boat ! allegedly hijacked by Iraqi asylum seekers and believed to be heading to Australia.
Now, the search was under way since last Thursday, the day after it was reportedly seized by 170 asylum seekers. But now it has been found drifting off the Indonesian island of Sumbawa and the boat people have been taken by smaller boats to the village of Sangyang which is an hour's sail away. It's said that the boat was hijacked by a group of Iraqi refugees who want to go to Australia. So the debate goes on.
As one editorial wrote at the weekend, "When Australians awoke last week to the image of three little girls staring from almost every newspaper front page, many felt a surge of sorrow and a huge pang of guilt. Suddenly, protecting our borders from asylum seekers seemed flint-hearted. What nation could be so stony as to turn away the sweet innocence? Surely not the land of a fair go."
But it went on. "A mourning Muslim community was quick to blame the Government. After ! all, it was argued the girls would never have been on board that leaking rust bucket had it not been for our law designed to ensure those who seek refugee status really are refugees."
It said, "The Muslim community, so deeply touched by tragedy, could easily be forgiven for reacting in anger." And then it said, "The truth is somewhat different." It said, "It should be remembered that those who choose Australia as a destination do so not because they've suddenly become imbued with Aussie fervour, it's because the people-smuggling industry sees us as an easy target. The softer we get, the more they will come."
And it's on again. We woke yesterday to headlines which cried, "Mutiny on the Ocean - Vessels Head for Australia." And then of course in the middle of all this last week, we've got Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilaly, the alleged spiritual leader of Australia's 300,000 Muslims, accusing John Howard and government policy of having "opened the gates to death" to the asy! lum seekers who drowned off Indonesia.
And that has led to a flood of comments, emails and faxes from you to me about the Sheik, such that it's time we spoke to the Immigration Minister about what this bloke is saying, who he is and how long he can go on saying it. And Philip Ruddock is on the line.
Minister, good morning.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Morning, Alan.
ALAN JONES: What about this mutiny on the ocean? What is the update, and what do you know on that?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well, no more than the reports. I mean, obviously while we're in touch with the Indonesian authorities, they don't brief us on all of these developments. But I'm pleased that we haven't seen a further loss of life because I think the events of last week were tragic and one wouldn't want to see those sorts of things happening again.
And as far as I'm concerned, if we were to relax our approach and encourage more people to think that they should come this way, we would only ! be exposing more children to a possible death in the same way that these children have died.
ALAN JONES: There is talk today that two Indonesian police officers have been arrested over the fishing boat that sank on October 19 with only 44 of its passengers surviving. Can you confirm that?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: I can't, but it's a matter for the Indonesian authorities to, of course, progress. They've been obviously very concerned about many of the claims that have been made - I would be - and they've sought to deal with it.
And our view all along was that it was a matter for the Indonesians to handle. It's within their boundaries, they're a sovereign nation and they've got responsibility in relation to any complaints that are made about their law enforcement officers.
ALAN JONES: There's talk of 3,000 more boat people expected to head for Australia in the next few weeks and the Indonesian Government saying there are 4,000 illegal immigrants waiting to sail! to Australia. Is that consistent with your intelligence?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Not quite. I mean, the sorts of numbers that we've known to be in the hands of smugglers - that is, we've identified particular smugglers who might be planning to bring boats to Australia - don't suggest the numbers are immediately as high as that. But the reports of up to 4,000 in Indonesia and possibly another 4,000 in Malaysia are very real.
ALAN JONES: Is there a need to re-examine the quotas on refugees who are found to be genuine? We allow in about 12,000 a year.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well, I mean, Mr Beazley's not arguing that we should and the reason he's not is that there is a very heavy cost. And it's one of the draw factors, of course. I mean, for us it's $30 million per thousand on the forward estimates. So I mean, you can decide that you're going to spend that money on additional refugees being resettled in Australia, but I look at what's happening at the moment in Pakistan, f! or instance, and I think to myself, well, what would $30 million do in terms of looking after millions of people who are in dire straits.
And I think that certainly the approach being taken by the international community at this stage is that an evacuation of modest numbers of people from Pakistan is not going to deal with the very much larger crisis that Pakistan faces. And I think it has to be seen in that context.
And there's no amount of people that we could take that would limit, I think, the groups of people with money to travel and still vulnerable to the blandishments of smugglers.
ALAN JONES: Okay. Well, down to the thing that has concerned my listeners - and I have been inundated and I suppose you have as well. But they're asking me how much longer that Australians have to cop the kind of stuff that this Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilaly went on with last week arguing that you and the Prime Minister and government policy had "opened the gates of death! ."
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well look, I wasn't very impressed with the comments, as you can imagine, and I'd seen the Sheik several hours before he made them and didn't make them to my face.
I said - look, one of the things in your introduction I'd just pick up. I think it's unfair to say that all Muslims take the view that the government policy in this area is wrong. Many Muslims I know very strongly support the approach that we take because they believe we're a…
ALAN JONES: But this bloke calls himself the spiritual leader.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Yeah well, he does that but his position is not as sound as that and he's been - essentially, I think there are very significant splits within the Islamic community.
ALAN JONES: Well, Alan Ramsey who's been around Canberra longer than you have - and that's saying something…
PHILIP RUDDOCK: I saw Alan…
ALAN JONES: Well, he wrote at the weekend - and I just want to take you through some of this beca! use my listeners want some answers - that 11 years ago, as Opposition spokesman on immigration, you pursued questions never answered as to why the Hawke Labor Government granted this bloke, Al Hilaly, permanent residency in 1990, that eight years earlier, he said, the Sheik had arrived in Sydney from Egypt under the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils on a three-month visa and his family never left.
Now there were several convictions, intellectual convictions against this bloke and many want to know how he still remains in the light of saying the things he said.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well, I mean, Alan Ramsey's story went through it and I think there were some other stories at the same time, that related what happened. I mean, this…
ALAN JONES: He was accused of inciting racial hatred.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Yes, and Chris Herford, who was the former Minister, determined that in character terms he should not remain in Australia.
ALAN JONES: That's r! ight.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: And he issued a deportation order.
ALAN JONES: That's in 1986.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: And that was overturned because there were representations made by essentially the Lebanese Muslim Association in Sydney to the Members of Parliament - I think Leo McLeay was one and Paul Keating was another.
ALAN JONES: Alan Ramsey said that Hilaly had been supported by strong New South Wales and federal ALP lobbying and survived.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well, as I understand it, there was very strong lobbying, and I spoke to Robert Ray at the time. He made the decisions that he would be able to continue to remain here on a temporary basis. They were renewed, as I understand it, for a number of years, and Ray I think was a bit nervous that there may be a change in an election. It didn't happen. There was a Labor Government was returned and Hilaly was given permanent residency.
And once he was granted permanent residency, provided he remained i! n Australia, he was eligible for citizenship.
ALAN JONES: Let's go back a bit, just go back a bit, because…
PHILIP RUDDOCK: …while Gerry Hand was Minister…
ALAN JONES: Let's go back a bit though before we get to Gerry Hand because you're going fairly quickly but my listeners would want us to go a bit more slowly.
In October 1998, you demanded his visa be withdrawn after, as Ramsey rightly reports, a series of virulent anti-Semitic comments were attributed to a speech he made at the University of Sydney. I should repeat that Ramsey at the weekend said the comments were published in a Jewish newspaper and contained a reference to Jews as the underlying cause of all wars and that Jews who "used sex and abominable acts of buggery to control the world."
And this bloke, in spite of overtures that such a person shouldn't be kept in this country, has been kept here.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: And the reason he's been kept here is that the decisions the L! abor Government took at that time gave him permanent residency and then citizenship, and once you achieve citizenship, it cannot be revoked. And you know, when we came into office…
ALAN JONES: So the deportation order of Herford was revoked by Herford's successor?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: That's right.
ALAN JONES: To placate an ethnic community in the run-up to the July '87 election?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: There were very significant pressures put on at that time, and former Prime Minister Keating, I believe, was the person who pushed for the Minister at that time to take those decisions.
ALAN JONES: Ramsey wrote on Saturday that privately the Sheik had travelled to Canberra for a meeting with McLeay and Keating and when Robert Ray learnt of it - the Minister - he deferred the Sheik's application for a year on the grounds of collusion. And Ramsey said that Keating wouldn't speak to Robert Ray for months.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well, I know none of that. But ! I know that Ray was not keen to make the decision, but I know the decision was made and I know when I came Minister in 1996 it was a fait accompli.
I mean, citizenship is something that cannot be revoked unless it was initially obtained by fraud, and there is no suggestion here the information that you are speaking of was not known to the Government at the time.
ALAN JONES: Right. But Ramsey does say in September 1990, when Hand then approved Hilaly's permanent residence, you, Philip Ruddock, sought under Freedom of Information "all briefings and advisings" in the "grant of resident status to Hilaly and his family." And you were quoted as saying the Minister must be able to justify the decision, and yet you've never had those questions answered.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: No. I mean, you might - the question I would expect from you is why I haven't asked for those papers now and what would I do with it. And essentially I've come to the view that if I can't do anythin! g about the decision, it's going to be pretty silly of me just seeking to look at the papers.
I mean, I know of the concerns. There were security concerns and they were mentioned in that article as well as the vilification of a segment of our community. And I make the point every time I speak in front of Hilaly about the importance of our culturally diverse society and what that means. And I make the point very strongly that, you know, when you've settled in Australia, while we acknowledge that people have different cultural backgrounds, we have an expectation that they'll observe our laws.
And one of the things that disappoints me in relation to immigration laws is that some people seem to think - and Hilaly is arguing this - are entitled to ignore our laws if they relate to immigration. And I don't think you have a society that believes in the rule of law where you say, well, there are some laws that I'll obey and some that I won't.
ALAN JONES: But when ! a bloke says that the Prime Minister of a country has opened the gates to death because asylum seekers have drowned, isn't this an incitement to mobilise his people against those who support the Government?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Look, I mean it is very clear that remarks of that sort, if they were being made - and the sort of remarks that he's made elsewhere - would be matters that we would take into account under the character provisions if we were dealing with a migration application de nevo. They are matters…
ALAN JONES: He's already a permanent citizen.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: He's a permanent resident and citizen.
ALAN JONES: And citizen. But in January last year, is it right that he was sentenced to a year in jail with hard labour after being convicted of smuggling antiquities from Egypt to Australia?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: I believe there was a conviction which he has appealed and that appeal is still being dealt with.
ALAN JONES: And the Sheik's so! n and four other people were also jailed.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: I don't know about that, but I do know that those proceedings were taking place in Egypt and he was the subject of a conviction and that matter has been appealed and that appeal is still being dealt with.
ALAN JONES: It's not fair to the Muslim community, surely, to be represented in the public place by people who speak like this, is it?
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Well, I think the Islamic community have been very concerned about this matter themselves and he's been at times relieved of some of his responsibilities. And as I understand it, he is no longer the Mufti - which was the terms used - for the Supreme Spiritual Leader in Australia. He is just one of a number of imams.
ALAN JONES: Good on you. Thank you for your time because many of my listeners wrote and asked me to ask you those questions. I've done that and you've answered them. I thank you for that.
PHILIP RUDDOCK: Thanks, Alan.
ALAN JONES: Philip Ruddock, the Immigration Minister. There you are, we're inundated with letters and faxes and emails here about all of that. I hope that clarifies it for you. He is an Australian citizen.
29 October 2001
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