Brumby must take the blame for anti-Australian backlash

AUSTRALIA is enduring a catastrophe in its foreign policy and its standing in the world generally, and it is predominantly the fault of the Victorian Premier, John Brumby. Perhaps no premier since World War II has done more to damage the Australian national interest than Brumby. Through the widely publicised assaults, murders and arson attacks on Indians and Indian houses of worship, Melbourne has become the racist-violence capital of Australia. Brumby's reaction of indolent denial, and the incompetent lack of response from his government and police force, have contributed hugely to a vast anti-Australian backlash in India. But this is happening throughout Asia and more broadly internationally. The BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera - all are covering the attacks in a way that would constitute hundreds of billions of dollars worth of negative publicity for Australia. Last week the Indian high commissioner, Sujatha Singh, told the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, that the Victorian government was in denial over the issue. She said there would be long-term consequences of the attacks. She has not used the term racist attacks herself and has frequently stated that she does not think Australia is a racist country. But, as reported in Fairfax papers, she told the Governor-General that the police in Queensland, South Australia and NSW had been far more effective than the Victorians. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. The issue moved to new heights following the stabbing death of Indian student Nitin Garg in early January. There is now a raging, anti-Australian fury in India that cuts across any party or political or even communal divides. Australia has never been so hated in India and in much of Asia. This is a bitter moment for the Rudd government. It is not responsible for the Melbourne attacks and it can't fix the relationship until they stop. Last week in London, India's Foreign Minister, S.M. Krishna, twice met Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to express his government's dismay. Krishna said it was "becoming increasingly difficult to accept these attacks are mere opportunistic crime and devoid of any racial motives". Krishna also told Smith: "There has been no visible progress so far into most of the investigations into previous attacks, including the murder of Nitin Garg. It (is) the responsibility of the Australian authorities to immediately put effective measures into practice to prevent any further attacks." Source:theaustralian.com.au/