Recently there's been a lot of discussion about the quandary of the Australian cricket team as to whether they should fulfil their contract obligation to play the Zimbabwean team in Zimbabwe or to boycott the match or request for it to be played elsewhere to avoid giving the Mugabe an "enormous propaganda boost",
[source] which would likely impose a $2 million fine on the team from the ICC.
While John Howard and Alexander Downer initially 'strongly urged' the Aussie cricket team to do the 'right thing' and cancel their Zimbabwe tour, they have gradually stepped up the tone of their words as the story has gained media coverage to the point where, now, they have effectively banned the team from participating in the Zimbabwe tour. "[Australian] Cricketers won't play in Zimbabwe while Mugabe's in power", said Downer in one media statement.
[source] And apparently they'll be blocking cricketers request for VISAs if they try.
There are two questions this issue raises in my mind. First, is it of significant practical benefit to ordinary Zimbabweans in the long term to make this stance (even if in the short term it could be to their detriment,
as Gam points out, due to the loss of potential revenue from international visitors)? I suspect it would be -- particularly in the long term, so I support the Howard-Downer stance on this, even though I suspect they came to it on realpolitik rather than moral grounds.
The second question is whether most people, most Australians, would be prepared to take the same moral stance in a consistent manner, when it would certainly be to Australia's overall economic detriment -- at least in the short term?
For instance -- and this is a fact about which it seems few people are aware --
there are nine children of prominent ministers of the Mugabe regime studying here in Australia,[source] no doubt paying big bucks for their schooling or university places. Should these nine Zimbabweans be deported in line with the Howard-Downer moral stance on the cricket issue? Absolutely. Will hurt Australia's reputation for providing full-fee-paying international students with schooling and university degrees. Yes it would.
Should Australia then also boycott sporting events in China, based on China's current human rights record? If so, should Australia also deport all Chinese full-fee-paying students, especially those whose parents are in powerful positions in the ruling Communist party in China? Now that would seriously be to Australia's economic detriment, given the amount of money made from full-fee-paying students from China who study here. I somehow doubt either Howard or Kevin Rudd would publicly suggest any such boycott against China because that's not what Australians want. A secure economy is apparently more important than moral considerations.
And I seriously doubt either Howard or Rudd will make moves to deport the Zimbabwean students here until a big stink is raised about it in mainstream media. Full credit to Crikey for bringing it to my attention months ago! And now you know too.
Categorised as: media, philosophy, politicsTechnorati Tags: Australian politics, realpolitik, John Howard, Alexander Downer, Kevin Rudd, boycott, Australian cricket team, Mugabe regime, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwean students, Australian universities, ethicsLabels: Alexander Downer, Australian politics, boycott, ethics, John Howard, Kevin Rudd, media, realpolitik, Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwean politics
Remember the excitement last year when the Socceroos got into the round of 16 in the FIFA world cup?
