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Sunday 8th September 1996

International:

I hope that Starfleet Commander Bill's troops have more success in their quest to conquer space - it now appears that only about half of 44 cruise missiles hit their targets in Iraq.. and 5 didn't even get out of the starting blocks. One wonders where the other 22 missiles went - if that really worries the bully boy and what could have been done with the US$22 million wasted in firing the off-target war heads.

We have reported a number of times on our views regarding Murrandoo Yanner (search on name) in the past. Well now a preliminary investigation into the finances of the Carpentaria Land Council, which Mr Yanner co-ordinates, has come up with some rather interesting facts relating to expenses that have been charged to Australian tax payers.

For example:
 Air charter expenses to fly Carpentaria Land Council officials to Townsville to meet the North Queensland Cowboys Rugby team.

In fact 17.1% of the Carpentaria Land Council's budget last financial year of more than Au$1.6 million (or Au$260,000) has gone to miscellaneous unexplained charter flights - and I, for one, would not be surprised if a charter flight was used to get Mr Yanner into the fray at Old Parliament House in Canberra where Yanner burnt the Australian flag....especially for the television cameras.

The Carpentaria Land Council received an additional Au$500,000 in the same period "in relation to its negotiations on the Century Zinc mine"... now how sick is our society when about Au$2.1 million of tax payer money gets thrown at a remote, out of control Aboriginal Council to largely feed Yanner's ego! Where are the controls, where are the audit trails, where is the accountability towards his own people. THERE IS NONE AT PRESENT!

And guess what, Mr Yanner gets paid TWO salaries... one from the Carpentaria land Council and another from the Mt Isa and Gulf Regional Council - in contravension of the Commonwealth Government convention on double payments. Not that that means anything to this cowboy.

The report into the finances of the Carpentaria Land Council produced a withering attack by local Member of Parliament, Tony McGrady (Australian Labor Party, Mt Isa) who said that Mr Yanner was running a reign of terror in the Gulf "and they believe they are the untouchables".

McGrady said he was receiving complaints from Aboriginal people "who see money being squandered" when it would be "better spent on health and housing in the region".

Political:

On the political front, Former Governor General and Labor Party leader, Bill Hayden, who is heading a state government negotiating team aimed at solving the Century Zinc mine deadlock, wants auditors to show caution when raking over the financial records of Aboriginal corporations.

"In many cases they have been asked to assume a great deal of responsibility alien to their culture and their experience which creates difficulties for them," he said.

After his comments the Carpentaria Land Council welcomed his appointment as mediator.... now isn't that strange!

Sport:

Another great game of Australian Football last night.. with the Sydney team edging out Hawthorne in a game that swung this way and that in the last quarter.

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Absolutely magnificent outside today, sun shining, going to be warm and the waters of the Brisbane river looking crystal clear.

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