What Australian newspapers say, Wednesday, April 2
SYDNEY, April 2 AAP - Students who take part in the Books Not Bombs rally today arebeing used as pawns by the organisers, The Daily Telegraph says in its editorial today.
The real objective of the rally is to cause violent divisions in the community andto serve the broader aims of the anarchist left, the paper says.
"The real objective is not to voice opposition to war in Iraq, but to use it to causeviolent divisions in the community, as proscribed by Books not Bombs' socialist umbrellagroup, Resistance, itself a front for the International Socialists," the editorial says.
The organisers should be held financially liable for any damage or personal injuryincurred and accept any criminal charges that may arise today.
China was disgracefully negligent in its response to the initial outbreak and spreadof SARS, The Australian says in its editorial today.
The media was banned from reporting its outbreak, there was a delay in reporting itto the World Health Organisation and officials were more concerned with covering theirown backs than doing anything constructive.
"It now appears that China was disgracefully negligent in its response to the initialoutbreak and spread of SARS, and was able to get away with it precisely because it lacksthe checks and balances of an open society," the editorial says.
China may be trying to integrate into the world economy, but it has shown itself asglobalisation's weak-link in disease control, the editorial says.
American and Australian free trade agreement negotiators are likely to find negotiationslonger and more difficult than expected, The Sydney Morning Herald says in its editorialtoday.
"For all the rhetoric of optimism, mutual gain and endorsement from above, Australianand American negotiators - who recently began formal talks in Canberra - are likely toconfront obstacle courses as broad as the Pacific in their pursuit of a historic freetrade agreement," the editorial says.
Despite bold government assertions we are entering the agreement on equal footing tothe US, Australia is in a riskier position.
Changes to regulations, such as foreign ownership prohibitions and the PharmaceuticalBenefits Scheme, could backfire on the Australian economy.
The ACCC needs to appoint a chairman with a keener understanding of the rights of companiesunder investigation, The Australian Financial Review says in its editorial today.
Former chairman Professor Allan Fels deserves credit for the success of the nationalcompetition policy.
However, he failed to show that companies under investigation should be presumed innocentuntil proven guilty _ often speaking to the media before investigations were even complete.
"Most of the concerns could be addressed by appointing a chairman with a keener understandingof the role of modern competition policy and the rights of companies under investigationto the presumption of innocence," the editorial says.
Prime Minister John Howard has no political problems at home, thanks to his stanceas an ally of America in the War in Iraq, The Courier-Mail newspaper says in its editorialtoday.
The paper said Mr Howard's pro-war policy has consigned Opposition Leader Simon Creanto political limbo from where he has been unable to convey a message the electorate wantsto hear.
Mr Crean would remain the ALP leader until there was an opportunity for a loyal lieutenantto supplant him.
"Within the government's ranks, Mr Howard, the commander-in-chief, has cemented hishold on power for as long as he wishes," The Courier-Mail said.
"His deputy, Treasurer Peter Costello, would have to grin and bear it if Mr Howard,on his 64th birthday on July 26, declares that he intends to lead his party through thenext election and into a fourth term of government."
The naive optimism of coalition commanders that the Iraq war would be a pushover hasbeen replaced by the realisation that Iraqis will not welcome them, Melbourne's HeraldSun editorial says today.
"Early optimism now dissolved, the coalition leaders are warning that the hardest partis yet to come. But in a war hindsight is no substitute for foresight," The Herald Sunsays.
The Victorian division of the Liberal Party has taken the first steps in rebuildingto regain government in this state by electing Helen Kroger president, The Age editorialsays today.
In the meantime the Liberals must ditch factional quarrelling, "and become a decentpolitical outfit that holds the Bracks government to account while also forging a setof sensible, appealing policies," The Age says.
Corporate governance guidelines issued by the Australian Stock Exchange on Monday includea loophole which excuses companies from fully disclosing their fortunes, The CanberraTimes says in its editorial.
The guidelines generally promote transparency but allow secrecy through a loopholewhich allows companies to announce they do not intend to meet certain standards, suchas the disclosure of executive remuneration.
"In only the most limited circumstances will it be true that shareholders are betteroff by not knowing what the directors and senior managers of a corporation are up to.
And, if such circumstances exist, companies ought to be subject to a higher degree ofexternal scrutiny before they can get away with it," the editorial says.
Corporations like One.Tel and HIH show the need for a more disclosure-oriented regime,and created pressure for legislation.
AAP kim/jnb
KEYWORD: EDITORIALS
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