Rogue politician to visit Australian Guantanamo Bay inmate David Hicks

by Jason Phelan

South Australian Democrats leader Sandra Kanck is getting set to visit Australian Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks.

Australia’s Prime Minister John Howard is currently visiting the U.S. and Canada, the neo-conservative heartland with assurances that if he were to retire and relinquish control of the government to Federal Treasurer Peter Costello the conservative, pro U.S. President Bush party line will still be towed. Statements made by PM Howard pertaining to Guantanamo Bay inmate David hicks “Australia does not want [Mr Hicks] to return home until charged by US military tribunal” go a long way to re-enforce this observation.

Yet whilst this tax payer funded smoozing mission to the United States is under way only one Australian politician is trying to do the right thing by constituents. The Australian Democrat Party is often labelled by conservatives as ‘wishy washy liberals’ or simply ‘flaky’ and yet the fact remains that only one Australian Politician has seriously proposed a fact finding mission to the much publicised Guantanamo Bay facility….A Democrat..

Sandra Kanck has drawn attention to herself in the past by offering evidence that the US Drug Administration label ‘Ecstasy-A damaging and addictive substance’, was premature and there was no evidence to support this rating. In order to keep some perspective on this subject the same label was given to speed in the past, yet today it is an accepted and successful treatment for some psychological disorders.

Democrats members contacted by one conservative newspaper say their biggest concern is Ms Kanck was “off on a frolic of her own” and not focusing on real issues. It should be noted the publication doesn’t say who these ‘contacts’ were.

In the interests of maintaining an objective view to international readers I have included Ms Kanck’s portfolio of current responsibilities, as well as to Prime Minister Howard’s equivalent. Both come from the Biography page of their government web sites.

Ms Sandra Kanck :
Her current portfolio responsibilities are:

Arts and Cultural Heritage
Commonwealth-State Relations
Drug Law Reform
Energy
Environment and Conservation
Health
Infrastructure
Mining
Nuclear Issues
Premier
Public Sector
Status of Women
Transport
Urban Development and Planning
Water and the River Murray

She is a member of the following Parliamentary Committees:

Environment Resources and Development Standing Committee
Natural Resources Standing Committee
Pitjantjatjara Lands Select Committee
Mt Gambier District Health Service Select Committee
Electricity Select Committee

Sandra is a Patron of the Women’s Studies Resource Centre, was inaugural winner of the Midwife Advocate of the Year award in South Australia, and has been awarded life membership of the South Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society.

http://www.democrats.org.au/people/index.htm?person_id=111&display=1&level=1

The Hon John Winston Howard :
[…it should be noted that Mr Howard does not offer any such portfolio]

The Prime Minister has been active with the Liberal Party since the age of 18 when he joined the Young Liberal Movement and participated in student politics at university.
In addition to his life-long commitment to public service and the Liberal Party, Mr Howard is a keen follower of sport - particularly cricket. He enjoys playing tennis and golf and follows the St George Rugby League football team.
http://www.pm.gov.au/your_pm/biography.html