8º of latitude

Richard Laidlaw on things that interest, engage and enrage

General Interest

  • The Carr That Skittled Kevin

    Appointing Bob Carr as foreign minister-designate – ahead of the New South Wales parliament formally electing him to the vacancy caused by the unexpected departure of no longer faceless man Mark Arbib – may be just what Prime Minister Julia Gillard needed as a circuit-breaker.      There are certainly signs the Liberal opposition thinks so… Continue reading

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  • SOME NECESSARY INFORMATION

    28 February 2012   Statement   Australia supports Indonesia’s territorial integrity   Australia is fully committed to Indonesia’s territorial integrity and national unity, including its sovereignty over the Papua provinces. This is a fundamental obligation of the Lombok Treaty between Australia and Indonesia.   The meeting being held by the International Parliamentarians for West Papua… Continue reading

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  • HECTOR’S DIARY Bali Advertiser, Feb. 22, 2012

    A Fine Weekend Brad and Siska Little’s Bali Life Foundation is getting a giant helping hand from Karma Kandara Resort at Ungasan on the Bukit. On the weekend of February 24-26 the resort is hosting its first Bali Life Foundation Weekend in support of a children’s home – founded by Australian surfer Brad and his… Continue reading

  • How to Regulate the Currency

    Super Idea   Proposals for a redenomination of the rupiah which have resurfaced from Bank Indonesia are essentially sensible and should be welcomed. There is however one difficulty with the proposal – insofar as the details are known – to knock three zeroes off the currency under which Rp1000, Rp2000, Rp5000, Rp10,000, Rp20,000, Rp50,000 and… Continue reading

  • An Age-Old Question

    An Age-Old Question When are you too old to be useful? Continue reading