Banks of Marble

Paradigm Shift 4zzz fm 102.1 22 Nov 2019 Friday at Noon
Banks of Marble
Medevac & Refugees in detention in PNG

Interviews
1) Anna Bligh, former Premier of Qld and CEO of the Australian Banking Association (satire).
2) Jacob Rice, former teacher at Australia’s detention centre on Manus Island.
3) Fr Gerry Heffernan, member of Catholic delegation to Australia’s detention centre in Port Moresby PNG.

Westpac Bank – shall one of the four pillars fall? – Analysis
Can Westpac survive the allegations levelled against it? Will one of the four pillars fall? In setting up the royal commission in November 2017 then Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said: “It will not put capitalism on trial.”

In this country at least, capitalism is not even on trial.

Medevac Bill
Fr Hefernan speaks about how the repeal of the Medevac Bill will adversely affect the refugees in PNG.

Playlist
Pete Seeger – Banks of Marble     
Margaret Roadknight – Girls in our town     
Phil Monsour – Who killed Reza Berati     
Pete Seeger – Which side are you on

Bastard Banks – interview with Anna Bligh (satire)

Interviewer: Can you please introduce yourself?

ANNA BLIGH: I’m Anna Bligh, former Premier of Queensland?

Interviewer: Can you tell listeners a little about yourself, where did you grow up?

ANNA BLIGH: I was born in Warwick and went to school at Broadbeach State School on the Gold Coast even though I was a Catholic. I was a surfie chick, not really very sophisticated but went to University of Queensland and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Interviewer: What made you interested in politics?

ANNA BLIGH: In my first year at Uni in 1978, I saw people being hit over the head by police in a right-to-march demonstration in King George Square.

Interviewer: So what did you do?

ANNA BLIGH: I joined the Women’s Rights Collective which campaigned for legalised abortion against the policies of the Bjelke-Petersen government.

Interviewer: And then what?

ANNA BLIGH: I was elected Women’s Vice-President of the Student Union and tried to oust the faction running the union led by David Barbagallo and Paul Lucas.

Interviewer: Weren’t they later in your cabinet when you became Premier?

ANNA BLIGH: Paul is now the Deputy Premier and David is the Premier’s CEO.

Interviewer: What was your biggest achievement as Premier?

ANNA BLIGH: Privatising the coal carrying section of Queensland Rail.

Interviewer: I was not expecting that as an answer. I thought you would say being the first popularly elected female head of government. Privatising Queensland Rail made you very unpopular with the unions?

ANNA BLIGH: Yes, but it was important to bring Queensland Rail into the 21^st century as an efficient system for exporting coal and other minerals.

Interviewer: 3,000 rail workers lost their jobs only 3 months after you privatised Queensland Rail. How do you feel about the unions now?

ANNA BLIGH: Sections of the union movement wrecked my government, they are often unaccountable and engage in unlawful bullying activity.

Interviewer: Which are worse, unions or banks?

ANNA BLIGH: How do you mean?

Interviewer: Banks provide loans to people who can’t pay them back and confiscate their property. They charge fees where no service is given. They have been involved in money laundering activities.

ANNA BLIGH: As CEO of the Australian Banking Association I can assure listeners that banks have responded to that criticism and put in place tougher lending guidelines.

Interviewer: But the regulator AUSTRAC is prosecuting WestPac bank for 23 million transactions involving $11 billion?

ANNA BLIGH: That is most regrettable.

Interviewer: Which? The prosecution or the unlawful activity by the bank?

ANNA BLIGH: Malcolm Turnbull set up the Banking Royal Commission and we have been supporting Commissioner Hayne in the very difficult job he has been given.

Interviewer: Australia’s four major banks dominate the financial services industry in this country. Will the findings of the Royal Commission bring down the four pillars of banking?

ANNA BLIGH: Australia needs a more competitive financial system and popular support for credit unions is testimony to that.

Interviewer: Is the banking royal commission putting capitalism on trial?

ANNA BLIGH: No, Malcolm Turnbull promised that it wouldn’t and I think we are seeing some important reforms coming out of the royal commission.

Interviewer: Turnbull would say that wouldn’t he, he was a merchant banker?

Do you recall that your last act as Premier before your government was defeated by the biggest landslide in Queensland history, that you tabled a petition criticising unconscionable transactions by the local West End branch of the Westpac bank?

ANNA BLIGH: No, I don’t recall.

Interviewer: I think that we should leave it there.