Nice beatup Banjo, shame that no evidence, charges or convictions have ever materialised for the endlessly repeated 'urine filled condoms' and 'marbles at horses' claims of the cops and their subservient media parrots (from s11 wasn't it? you know, the one Vic Gov settled damages rather than have the evidence of planned assaults aired in court).

At APEC we had one nut with darts and an iron bar (rightly arrested and charged) and hundreds of uniformed sado-erotic nuts who will never face Law for their violence. Instead they'll quid-pro-quo govt (ala Bracks-Mullet) to spend our money on more unnecesary overtime, more prefascist uniforms, weapons and donuts. That the hype, lies and violence coming from AFP & NSW Police are unquestioningly supported across the MSM shows what a joke of a democracy we are interned in here.

Mmmmm .... donuts.

I take offense regarding the 'type' of people at the APEC rally. I was there with my brother, daughter and some of her friends. We are middle class workers and university students, active in our communities, taxpayers, spiritual, well-read, educated, and we care about the state of the world - passionately enough to make the effort, despite threats of violence towards us from the government and police, to voice our concerns. Some of which are:

- that economic and political decisions and policies made by those world leaders present at APEC will disempower and marginalise millions of people, keeping them in poverty and fear.
- that our consumerism in the developed world is destroying the environment
- that our consumerism is domestically causing huge debt and unhappiness
- that smoking related diseases cause more deaths than terrorism
- that in countries like Burma I could be imprisoned for feeling this way
- that our government, especially as seen at APEC, supports a regime of propaganda and fear, and so on .....

Whilst I understand the need to provide for, and protect, important world visitors, however, dastardly I believe most of them to be, I resent being treated like a child by Howard, Iemma and their cronies.
Mojo47

Mojo47,

I am sure you aware that there are plenty of people at APEC and G20 who have extreme views and instigated riot and mayhem to get TV time.

You really are playing the victim to the HILT. Neither the Gov’t nor the Police threatened to harm protesters. But many of the protesters weren’t happy with being excluded from security areas and intended to breach them. These were the people bent on confrontation. 30 Police were injured at the G20.

Your first claim that APEC disempowers and marginalizes millions is complete propoganda. Freer trade is the direct cause for the emergence of middle classes in India, China and many others. Free trade isn’t just supported by industry groups, it is the dominant philosophy of economics today. Instead of the failed policies of the left which tried to artificially create wealth by redistributing it through taxes. Current economic policies focus on growing the total wealth of a nation, thus providing everyone with more.

If you want to argue laissez faire capitalism go talk to an economist, they’ll point out the deficiencies of your argument in minutes.

Consumerism is a fact of life, our economy depends upon it and it has always been this way. It is a fundamental human drive to make the most of what you have and live as comfortably as possible. However I agree we need to make sure we are not ruining our environment at the same time.

Smoking deaths are a problem but people do it to themselves, there is no valid comparison with terrorism.

You could be imprisoned in Burma for speaking your mind. You would have been tortured and executed in Saddam’s Iraq for having the temerity to do the same.

Propoganda and Fear? You might wish to first start with the Chinese and Russians and then you could move on to the North Koreans and Iranians. When you have dealt with them come see me.

If you don’t like being treated like a child don’t go to protests where the childlike are the noisy majority.

Well down Mojo47! I agree entirely.

Oops! Not well down!! Well done!