Does
our Prime Minister, John Howard, the human rights activist and part-time
investment banker that he is, fully understand the message that he has just
sent?

While
continuing to protest to the Singaporean hangmen about the impending execution
of Nguyen Tuong Van and then getting snippy when not
told that he would be hanged on 2 December, little Johnnie then promotes closer
ties with Singapore via a link between Qantas and Singapore
Airlines.

Here’s
a story on Little Johnnie’s investment banking (mergers and acquisitions) efforts.

It’s
not the first time he has suggested this, but you can imagine what went on in
Pusan at APEC where
Johnnie met Singapore’s Prime
Minister Lee Hsien Loong
(part of the Lee Dynasty which runs the Island
state).

Something along the lines of: “I’d
like to ask you again, how about not stretching the neck of that silly boy from
Melbourne,” and
Prime Minister Lee replying, “I am so sorry Mr Howard,
but it is out of my hands… will I tell him he will be
hanged on 2 December, no, we’ve sent a letter to the mother in Melbourne, that should
do.”

And Little Johnnie continuing: “Good O, now what about closer
economic ties, how about Qantas and Singapore Airlines getting closer,
a merger perhaps?” while imagining a picture of Qantas chairman, Margaret
Jackson reclining in a first class sleeper chair.

There
is just something completely inappropriate about pleading for clemency with the
Singaporean government while discussing closer economic and business
ties.

The
pity is, John Howard just doesn’t see that, nor do many in his
Government.