Editorial: Make Dundee spoof just a rehearsal
HISTORY may record an even bigger winner to the 2018 Super Bowl than the Philadelphia Eagles — Australian tourism following the hugely successful broadcast launch of a brilliant new Crocodile Dundee-themed tourism campaign.
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ACCORDING to the scoreboard at the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Philadelphia Eagles were the winners of this year’s Super Bowl, defeating the New England Patriots 41 to 33.
But history may eventually record an even bigger winner — Australian tourism, which is certain to enjoy a massive boost following the hugely successful Super Bowl broadcast launch of a brilliant new Crocodile Dundee-themed tourism campaign.
SIGN THE PETITION HERE:
Danny McBride is terrific as Dundee’s American-raised son, arriving in Australia to visit his father’s country. His character is kind of a Dundee in reverse, maintaining the “fish out of water” theme of the first Dundee. He’s a goofy city type alternately charmed and bewildered by the Aussie Outback.
Chris Hemsworth has all the straight lines — but his comic timing is such that they generate big laughs. Even Paul Hogan’s brief and wordless cameo is ideally played. The ad is so good, and crams so much humour and positivity into a mere 90 seconds, that it easily passes as a believable movie trailer.
Little wonder, then, that a movement instantly began to turn the mock Croc into the real deal. Fans worldwide crave an actual sequel based on Tourism Australia’s ad.
A full-length version already has support in high places. Donald Trump Jr, son of the US President, referred to McBride’s Eastbound And Down character in this tweet: “Not gonna lie, Kenny Powers as Crocodile Dundee would be the best thing to home (sic) out of Hollywood in decades.” He’s right. Come on, Sydney. Come on, Australia. It’s time to make a movie.
Intelligent solutions
Malcolm Turnbull first came to prominence as a lawyer fighting for the right of former MI5 officer Peter Wright to publish his memoirs. The Spycatcher case set Turnbull and Wright against the British government, which sought to ban Wright’s book.
At the time, Turnbull said that the issue of principle involved was “whether you have a sensible approach to official secrets.”
But now, Turnbull has introduced legislation that would remove the option of a “sensible approach”.
Instead, the legislation could impose 15-year sentences on journalists for receiving — and not even publishing — classified information. Doesn’t sound very sensible, does it?
Rampant laws lack effect
AUSTRALIA is swamped in legislation. From councils to state governments and then to the federal level, legislation exists to police almost every aspect of Australian life.
With that type of legislative load, you would expect there to be little way to avoid bureaucratic reach. Yet, incredibly, various loopholes remain.
This means, for example, that Camp Australia, black-listed by the NSW government in late 2016 after a sequence of alarming incidents, was able only months later to take over two childcare facilities in public schools. Some of the centres transferred to Camp Australia in 2016 have not had their quality certificates checked since 2013.
According to Network of Community Activities CEO Robyn Monro Miller, quality ratings are “no longer an accurate reflection” of services provided. Education Minister Simon Birmingham says he will “be raising this issue with my state and territory colleagues”.
He should ask why existing legislation — and huge government spending — just isn’t working.