The decision of Sydney’s Marrickville council and the NSW Greens to back BDS against apartheid Israel continues to generate predictable hysteria from the Murdoch tabloids (and that’s to say nothing of the racist, anti-Muslim diatribes being circulated by many Jews and bigots across Australia):
The Greens have threatened a trade boycott against the world’s second-largest economy in an attack on China by one of its high-profile NSW candidates.
Marrickville Mayor Fiona Byrne, who is running for the state seat, has revealed her council would consider boycotting China out of sympathy for Tibetans.
Labor labelled the policy as “stupid and dangerous” and warned such a ban could threaten Chinese trade with NSW – worth more than $3.2 billion to the state’s economy – and damage cultural and student ties with China.
“This is one of the most destructive policies announced by any mayor in Australia’s history,” Labor’s campaign spokesman Luke Foley said.
He has called for Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown to step in and rule out suggestions of a boycott of Australia’s largest trading partner.
…
Ms Byrne’s backing for a China ban follows her boycott of Israel last month over its treatment of Palestinians.
In retaliation, Labor and Liberal councillors have already joined forces on neighbouring Randwick Council to boycott Marrickville Council.
Her latest threats against China were recorded at a candidate forum on Wednesday night in Sydney.
Ms Byrne said her council had expressed solidarity with the local Tibetan community. While the Tibetan community had not asked specifically for a boycott, Ms Byrne said council would adopt one if asked.
“If the local Tibetan community came to us and asked us to look at boycotting China, I’m sure council would do that,” Ms Byrne said.
“So we actually have done things [for] our local community … provide action, and support our local community around those issues and I’m quite proud of that, quite proud to do that.”
Fiona Byrne should be praised for raising the issue of universal human rights, something most Western elites oppose when it affects allies. So Libya is awful and should be condemned but occupying Israel is a glorious nation struggling for its life.
And here’s a tip for Murdoch’s Daily Telegraph hack that wrote the story; getting a Labor figure to condemn the Greens, in an election where Marrickville may well fall to the Greens, isn’t really a credible source. It’s blatantly obvious and therefore simply an easy kick against an enemy your dear leader Rupert hates.