Aung San Suu Who? Politicians once worshipped Burma’s Lady
Tony Abbott as prime minister welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament, November 28, 2013:
I regard it as a great honour to be here with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on her first visit to Australia as a guest of government. Daw Suu is an icon of democracy …
Bill Shorten also meets Suu Kyi. The Opposition Leader on Twitter, November 28, 2013:
An honour for @tanya_plibersek and I to meet w(ith) Daw Aung San Suu Kyi today — one of the greatest figures of our time.
The Foreign Minister just adored Suu Kyi. Julie Bishop’s statement announcing her visit, November 5. 2013:
Having first met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in 1995, I am delighted to be able to welcome her to Australia.
Malcolm Turnbull’s statement on Suu Kyi’s visit to parliament, yesterday:
(silence)
Shorten’s comments on the leader of Myanmar’s visit, yesterday:
(silence)
At least Julie still cares. The Foreign Minister on Instagram, yesterday:
Meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi after a successful #ASEANinAus
What has changed, guys? Suu Kyi on the BBC, April 5 last year:
I don’t think there is ethnic cleansing going on. I think ethnic cleansing is too strong an expression to use for what is happening.
No wonder nobody in parliament is rushing to grab a selfie. The UN’s anti-genocide adviser Adama Dieng in AP, March 13:
The scorched-earth campaign carried out by the Myanmar security forces since August 2017 against the Rohingya population was predictable and preventable.
In Melbourne, Jon Faine tries to figure out why the Greens lost Batman, ABC Radio Melbourne, yesterday:
Was it the Greens’ single-minded campaign …? Was it the Greens’ infighting …? Was it Alex Bhathal’s tight-braided hairstyle?
We’re not sure Bhathal’s hair was a big factor, mate. Hair: The Musical, October 17, 1967:
There ain’t no words for the beauty, the splendour, the wonder of my / Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Someone agrees with Faine ’s other points. Greens leader Richard Di Natale on ABC News, Sunday:
It only takes a handful of people to undermine a campaign in a way that we saw in Batman … Those people who are found responsible for leaking and undermining our candidate, they can be expelled.
And Yassmin Abdel-Magied gets an award for freedom of speech. Yes, you read that right. Liberty Victoria on Twitter, yesterday:
It gives us great delight to announce that @yassmin_a is the winner of the Young Voltaire Award for 2018!
A woman who runs to Hizb-ut Tahrir for advice is a champion of free speech? Abdel-Magied replying to a senior spokesman’s Facebook post, February 16 last year:
What specifically was problematic and how can I do better in the future inshallah? I am young, and willing to learn, inshallah.
When are those guys getting a gong, Liberty Victoria? Hizb-ut Tahrir member Sufyan Badar at a rally, Lakemba, NSW, February 22, 2015:
(Freedom of speech is) one of the many political tools used to maintain dominance over the Muslims.