Julia Gillard set to reject Kevin Rudd on Palestine

[shaayecanaan]

AUSTRALIA is almost certain to vote against a Palestinian state next month, despite an apparent push by Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd for Canberra to abstain from any such vote.

Leaders of the Jewish community reacted angrily yesterday to a report that Mr Rudd had written to Julia Gillard recommending that Australia abstain from the vote at the UN.

The diplomatic row came as Victorian Labor leader Daniel Andrews joined the Baillieu government's attacks on the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, which led to 19 arrests in Melbourne last month when protesters targeted the Max Brenner chocolate store.

Consumer Affairs Minister Michael O'Brien confirmed that the state government had written to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission to investigate whether the protesters should be prosecuted under section 45D of the Competition and Consumer Act covering secondary boycotts.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/julia-gillard-set-to-reject-kevin-rudd-on-palestine/story-fn59niix-1226111271338

[bemildred]

1. Well, please accept my sympathies anyway. nt

[shaayecanaan]

2. postscript

A former jazz guitarist who is developing a $450 million Melbourne tower has persuaded Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard's partner, Tim Mathieson, to give up his hair-care business to sell residential property instead. Albert Dadon hired Mr Mathieson as a contractor to find international buyers for apartments in the 50-storey project that overlooks Flagstaff Gardens. The appointment tightens the links between Mr Dadon and Ms Gillard after her visit to Israel in June as a guest of the Australia Israel Cultural Exchange, which he founded and chairs. Mr Dadon was the artistic director of the Melbourne Jazz Festival for several years but has emerged in recent times as executive chairman of Uberta Group and a good friend of the Rudd government. He sponsored Kevin Rudd on a visit to Israel in 2002 when the Prime Minister was Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, and did so again in 2005. The two had lunch together shortly before the 2007 federal election, The Age reported earlier this year. Mr Dadon is married to Debbie Besen, daughter of Highpoint property Group chairman and Sussan clothing store founder Marc Besen. Ms Gillard disclosed her partner's appointment to Ubertas Group in a letter to the registrar of members' interests last Friday, saying the new job had started last month. A spokesman said Ms Gillard did not expect any perceived conflict of interest to arise from the job.

A man of many properties, David Crowe, Australian Financial Review, 23/10/09