John Menadue

John Menadue is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.

John's recent articles

ANDREW JAKUBOWICZ A multicultural whirlwind blowing up for the next election

Turnbulls gone and with him, hopefully, his recurrent but incorrect mantra of Australia as the most successful multicultural society in the world. With the next federal election now just over the horizon, understanding how the ethnic vote delivered the last election to the Coalition may help us to understand how Australias multicultural present could shape the next government. Moreover the concerns of these over 150 different ethnic groupings, a mishmash of cultural, familial, human rights and political worries, may become vitally important once more at the tips of the voting tails.

E. TAMMY KIM. Moon Over Korea (New York Review of Books 16.08.18 Issue)

Moon Jae-in eui Unmyeong [The Destiny of Moon Jae-in] by Moon Jae-in Seoul: Bookpal, 488 pp., 15,000 In Singapore on June 12, as Donald Trump vigorously shook hands with North Koreas Kim Jong-un, the man behind this improbable meeting leaned forward in his chair and smiled. South Korean president Moon Jae-in, just thirteen months into his five-year term, had helped arrange the first-ever summit between an American president and the leader of North Korea. Yet Moon was careful to keep a respectful distance. He watched on a television monitor in the Blue House, the presidential compound...

TONY KEVIN. Australian politics: There has not been nearly enough change.

Reflections on last weeks political bloodbath and on what needs to happen now.

JOHN CARMODY: The Catholic Right

While Malcolm Turnbulls own manifest lack of political skills and understanding has played a major role in his downfall, he and others are perfectly correct to recognise that outside forces including some journalists and other media figures who seek to be players rather than simply observers and commentators have also contributed significantly to his fate .

ANTONIO SPADARO SJ. The prosperity gospel-dangerous and different

SCOTT MORRISON is described as a devout Christian who worships at Shirelive, an American style Pentecostal Church in Sydney.. He formerly belonged to Hillsong. An essential feature of the prosperity gospel of Pentecostalists is that prosperity, success and good health is a sign of Gods favour. And the lack of faith leads to poverty and sickness. On this reckoning God does not care for the poor,the sick and refugees. In the article below Antonio Spadaro describes the origin and spread of the prosperity gospel. These are extracts from an article in La Civilta Cattolica of 18 July 2018. The...

SCOTT BURCHILL. Anti-Americanism and moral panic in the West

After a similar challenge posed by George W. Bush following popular opposition to his invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Trump presidency is another reminder to Americas allies of the dangers that emerge when individuals, rather than economic and political structures, are considered significant agents of change.

JAMES KYNGE. The US cannot halt Chinas march to global tech supremacy.

The moment may one day be glorified in propaganda art. As the mist rolled off the Yangtze River, Xi Jinping stood on top of the Three Gorges hydropower dam in Yichang, a proud symbol of engineering prowess, and proclaimed that China would blaze its own trail to become a technology superpower.

JOHN MENADUE Tracking Peter Costello is not a good start for Josh Frydenberg .

After failing with his National Energy Guarantee, Josh Frydenberg rushed to Melbourne to get some tips from Peter Costello about handling his new Treasury portfolio. In fawning style over coffee, Frydenberg described Costello as the greatest living Treasurer. It is part of the Liberal Party myth that conservatives are better economic managers. But it is just not so and for Peter Costello in particular.

Help from across the Tasman

JOHN MENADUE. Julie Bishop Foreign Minister or Senior Consular Officer A repost from 16 May 2018

In this blog and elsewhere, Geoff Raby, a former Australian Ambassador to China, has pointed out that Australia's relationship with China is unlikely to improve until Julie Bishop is sacked as Foreign Minister. The departure of Julie Bishop as Foreign Minister is necessary, but it is unlikely that Malcolm Turnbull will act. If he did so, it would imperil his own tenuous hold on Liberal Party leadership. Almost two years ago on 14 June 2016, I wrote about Julie Bishop's continual and serious failings as Foreign Minister. Those failings have increased since then particularly with the management of our relations...

DAVID HUTT. Does China really dominate Southeast Asia?

Widespread reports of China's hegemony over the neighbouring region miss the nuance of fast-shifting political and strategic dynamics.

BRUCE WEARNE. Has the Party Ended?

I'm not doing anything until I get legal advice as to whether his (Dutton's) membership of the Parliament is constitutional.

GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts covered in other media.

JOHN MENADUE. Scott Morrison did not stop the boats

With the appointment of Scott Morrison as Prime Minister we will witness again the repetition of the myth that the Coalition and Operation Sovereign Borders stopped the boats. They did not. I expect that many in the media will also climb aboard again to continue the myth about the stopping of the boats. Perhaps being careless in the first place the media finds it embarrassing to admit error.

JANE McADAM, JOHN CHURCH. Rising seas will displace millions of people and Australia must be ready

Sea-level rise is already threatening some communities around the world, particularly small island states, as it exacerbates disasters resulting from storm surges and flooding.

RODNEY TIFFEN- How Turnbull shrank in the job

The most important date in the history of the Turnbull government was December 1, 2009. That was the day Tony Abbott defeated Malcolm Turnbull after a revolt by the right wing of the party defeated Turnbulls support for an Emissions Trading Scheme to address global warming.

JOHN WHITE, PETER FARLEY, DAVID GILLETT, CHRIS STOLTZ.- Wasted Capital in Major Project Development.

The establishment of the Australian Public Service (APS) Review Panel is a powerful opportunity to examine the state of play of project development at the federal government level and kick-start a positive step change in performance. This will apply pressure to state governments and business to achieve similar step changes in performance.

NATALIE ACTON. A revolution that starts in the heart.

An afternoon at the Sydney Writers Festival had delivered me an unexpected and precious gift. I think Id experienced what Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister names as having an unboundaried heart, writes Natalie Acton.

DENIS MULLER. How the right-wing media have given a megaphone to reactionary forces in the Liberal Party.

The polarisation that is devouring Australias politics is reflected in the increasingly stark polarisation of the countrys professional mass media.

BRUCE GUTHRIE. Hello Rupert, bye-bye Malcolm (The New Daily 23/8/2018)

Anyone who doubts Rupert Murdochs role in the political chaos that has played out in recent days has never worked for him at a senior level. Murdochs annual visits to Australia invariably trigger seismic events both in and outside News Corp, the company hes presided over for decades. So is it any surprise that Malcolm Turnbull is facing his political demise less than a fortnight after Murdoch arrived here? Of course it isnt.

TIM COLEBATCH. Let the voters decide (Inside Story, 23.08.18)

An early election is the only solution to the chaos in the Liberal party room.

LARRY ELLIOTT. Think our governments can no longer control capitalism? Youve been duped.

In reality there has been a class war, in which the right has spent decades using the state to undermine workers. We can fight back.

VIC ROWLANDS: Where on earth are we going?

John Howard could smell political advantage under water. Tampa changed politics in this country for the worse and made any future rational discussion of immigration and refugees thereafter political poison. Howard was in Washington when the Twin Towers were struck and it understandably had an immense impact on him, but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that he also sensed opportunity. The We will decide 2001 campaign speech fed into the world wide climate of fear and enabled him to set in place refugee policy which became a race to the bottom in the treatment, detention and demonising of...

LESLEY BARCLAY, HANNAH DAHLEN, NIGEL LEE. Australia is breaking records for intervention in childbirth, and the costs are many.

Variation in rates of obstetric intervention, including caesarean section, were recently cited by the Grattan Institutes Dr Stephen Duckett when suggesting that a new Code of Conduct for doctors should include a focus on over-intervention. In the article below, Emeritus Professor Lesley Barclay AO, Professor Hannah Dahlen and Dr Nigel Lee argue that concerted efforts to reduce caesarean section rates in Australia would bring benefits for women, babies and those who fund health services.

IAN BUCKLEY.Historical Light on Current Aims to Attack Iran

This article highlights the vitally important role played by former US intelligence officers to prevent ongoing illegal regime changes across the world, presently Iran. Then, to better understand current examples, it explores their historical origins, consequences and possible remedies aimed at prevention.

FENG ZHAUKUI. Joining B&R can open up new opportunities for Japan.

Recently, more and more Japanese companies have taken actions that show their positive attitude about participating in the Belt and Road (B&R) initiative, and Japanese leaders have also made some positive gestures.

TIM COLEBATCH. A party too divided to rule.

The reckoning has arrived for a party and its Coalition partner riven by cultural fixations.

MARK HUDSON. The too hard basket: a short history of Australias aborted climate policies (The Conversation, 20.08.18)

Less than three years ago, after Malcolm Turnbull had wrested the prime ministership from Tony Abbott, I wrote an article entitled Carbon coups: from Hawke to Abbott, climate policy is never far away when leaders come a cropper.

JOHN MENADUE. Peter Dutton is an embarrassment for all of us. Repost from March 21 2018

Peter Dutton failed as Health Minister. His track record since then is even worse.

JOHN MENADUE. Drug policy reform series

Attached is a collection of articles on drug policy reform, which were published as a series on Pearls and Irritations between 6 and 11 August 2018.This series is designed to draw attention to this important issue, and to the failure of our current policies.

TONY BERG. To Close the Gaps, Deal with Alcohol Abuse.

For ten years our political leaders have talked about closing the gap. The harsh reality is that the gap in disadvantage suffered by indigenous Australians fails to close. Worse, there has been little discussion about why the gaps do not close despite all the money, the effort, the programs and the goodwill over the decade. Not only are the gaps obstinately immovable, but they are worse than they appear.

WILL STEFFEN. A Fundamental Re-think of the Climate Change Challenge

Using a complex systems framework, we argue that a set of feedback processes intrinsic to the Earth System could form a planetary threshold which, if crossed, would not only speed up climate change, but also take the trajectory out of human control and propel the system irreversibly to a Hothouse Earth state.

BEVAN RAMSDEN. The Force Posture Agreement between the U.S. and Australian Governments

This Agreement makes Australia a base in the Indo-Pacific-South East Asia for the U.S. military and from which they can parade their strength, intimidate and launch hostile acts against our neighbours.

STEPHEN GRENVILLE Who has been best for Australia: Trump or Obama? (Lowy Institute, 14.08.18)

US President Donald Trump comes in for widespread criticism, but he has at least one well-placed Australian defender. Former foreign minister Alexander Downer says that for Australia, Trump has been better than Obama. On the whole, Trump has been good for us. This is seriously misguided.

JOHN MENADUE. Refugees and asylum seekers. The only unforgivable sin is despair'

We can be proud of what we have done for refugees in the past but like many others I am ashamed that we have now had a succession of leaders who have appealed to our most selfish instincts. When I feel discouraged about our national failure, I am reminded of Graham Greenes challenge that the only unforgivable sin is despair.

JOHN MENADUE. The failure of the National Party on rural poverty and rural health. Repost from 23 February 2018

Country electorates have the most disadvantaged people, the poorest health andinferior health services. But the National Party does very little about it. Does it care? The National Party record on climate change,NBN and irrigation is appalling.I have written previously on these subjects Today I refer to its failure to address rural poverty and poor rural health

KOFI ANNAN. Stop 'war on drugs' (05.11.13, CNN)

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from preventable drug-related disease and violence. Millions of users are arrested and thrown in jail. Globally, communities are blighted by drug-related crime. Citizens see huge amounts of their taxes spent on harsh policies that are not working... .(In memory and honour of Kofi Annan who died recently.John Menadue)

JOHN MENADUE. Creeping privatisation of public land. The new squatters

Not only is a developer wanting to construct a 'wedding factory' in the South Head National Part, but private interests have erected big tents on adjacent Camp Cove Beach for a party on Sunday 19 August 2018 (last night). Camp Cove Beach is one of the most beautiful and historic beaches in Australia. It is remarkable that private interests can take over a public beach like this in Australia for a private party.. We just don't do that! What a hide! The new private squatters are intruding again into our public space.

GOOD READING AND LISTENING FOR THE WEEKEND

A regular collection of links to writings and broadcasts covered in other media.

DAVID JAMES. Australia's deadly game of mates (Eureka Street, 13.08.18)

In Australia it is common to hear criticisms of the corruption in developing countries. It is a constant theme, for example, in media coverage of Papua New Guinea, our nearest neighbour.

ANIKA MOLESWORTH. The drought and intergenerational equity

In failing to act on human-induced climate change, our political leaders are neglecting the rights of the next generation.

LYNDSAY CONNORS. Tempora mutantur

Times change, but the Australian system of planning and funding schools is in a time warp, being held back by vested interests from keeping pace with the demands upon it.

JOHN MENADUE. Prime Minister Trumpbull.

The styles of Donald Trump and Malcolm Turnbull may vary but on many important issues the substance is similar.

TIM LINDSEY. Jokowis deputy pick confirms rise of conservative Islam in Indonesia

The selection of the controversial and highly conservative head of the Indonesian Ulama Council as Jokowis vice presidential running mate is disturbing. It reveals Jokowis lack of political authority and is yet another demonstration of increasing intolerance among Indonesian Muslims.

JOHN MENADUE- The National Party is dudding farmers.

The National Party remains highly sceptical of climate change and its effect on farmers. Yet the science is clear that global warming has contributed to the current drought. Some farmers are pointing to the failure of the National Party to address climate change.

NASSRINE AZIMI. Rethinking Our National Holidays?

I often ask my students to think what it means to live in a country with a constitution that prohibits wars of aggression, and removes from national priorities war-mongering discourses, distractions and impulses?

PETER SMALL. Mulesing; Have we convinced ourselves of our own rhetoric to the wool industries detriment?

It is five years since I first went to China and I heard the plea of wool processors for Australia to do something to increase the availability wool from non-mulsed sheep. I responded with the well-worn rhetoric as to why we had to mules. You all know the lines; - Mulesing is the lesser of two evils; a death from fly strike is much worse

JOHN MENADUE. Conservatives like Malcolm Turnbull set the gold standard in scare campaigns.

After following politics and elections for over 60 years, it is quite extraordinary to see the Liberal Party still complaining about Labors Mediscare campaign. Malcolm Turnbull speaks in a continual and personally abusive way about lies and liars. In this case it is the well funded lie campaign on Medicare.

JEFFERY SACHS. We Are All Climate Refugees Now.

This summer's fires, droughts, and record-high temperatures should serve as a wake-up call. The longer a narrow and ignorant elite condemns Americans and the rest of humanity to wander aimlessly in the political desert, the more likely it is that we will all end up in a wasteland.

<