C'mon Australia. Why Are You Letting a Ten Pound Pom Speak For You?

Australian Prime minister Julia Gillard left Barry (she's Welsh, South Welsh at that)  as a Ten Pound Pom.  Gillard  names Nye Bevan as one of her greatest political inspirations. The other may well be Judas Iscariot but she's too cowardly to say so. She says her start in life greatly influenced her leftist sensibilities and willingness to fight her corner.

Contrast and compare the Australian-born human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, QC,  (a native Sydneysider) who will represent Mr Assange. He will be joined by an extradition specialist from his Doughty Street Chambers in London. A full hearing of the extradition case must be heard within 28 days.

The Australian national hero (except it seems for the Australian Labor party) is wanted for questioning by Swedish prosecutors for sexual assault.  Seeing as one of his accusers is CIA and the other jealous we should be unsurprised that he denies the allegations.  (Oh go and look in the Daily Mail for what the poor bloke is supposed to have done). 

In an opinion piece published in The Australian today, Mr Assange argues for freedom of speech and criticises the Gillard government for its ''disgraceful pandering'' ('pandering' - now there's a lovely word) to threats against him from the US.
 He and his lawyers plan to fight the extradition because of growing fears the case will allow for a handover to US authorities where a death sentence has been demanded.

The Australian  federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland was consulted last week about the case.  Let us hope that real Australians, including, if we can,  their Prime Minister will return to their proper and usual stance versus 'the authorities'.