Nexus - 0110 - New Times Magazine-pages

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jer the implications - .a global network of millions of “selected” and ‘controlled” people living in high: security cities, complete with state of the art sensing. devices, and in short- a high tech “big ‘brother’... here seems to be something fishy The deeper one digs into the MFP, the about the MFP. It was reported in — more one becomes aware that itis part of a E the Sydney papers lastJanuary that much larger ‘plan’. The list of Govern- Federal Cabinet had endorsed a ments, and multi-nationals alone suggests “Big Brother” style information _ that this decision has already been made,’ campaign to head off public concem andasusual we're the last to know aboutit. about the proposed Multi-Function Polis. The MFPs sited in Australia are Under the new plan, special groups in the —_ designed to eventually “hook-up” to other community were targeted for “positive” such MFPs world-wide. This is an : messages about the project. interesting and possibly obvious be development, butconsider the implications ee eecocccscccsccrcccoscccsscescccvcrceess ® _agiobalnetworkofmillionsof “selected” to Australia, Japanese companies inthat property development bonanza, ® and “controlled” people living in high sector are known to be most dubious potentially overriding existing $ security cities, complete with state of the about the project". Professor Sugimoto _ regulations and any other considerations. * art sensing devices, and in short - a high points out that even in Japan, critical A joint Government venture, like a tech “big brother” if in the wrong hands. expertise is retained in Tokyo. MFP, would greatly strengthen Japanese If you look at the fine print, the MITI Other critics suggest it is more likely influence over access to Australian a planincludesacentralised “security” force, thatcreative science would flow theother resources and opportunities, and e acentralised health system to keep an eye way, and Australians will end up with facilitate offshore corporatization, _ on your lifestyle, centralised supervision "the service jobs" as in the tourist directly or through further joint ventures. of electricity use and even centralised industry (where Japan exports profits by It must inevitably stimulate the - accounting. Confidential documents of owning the construction, transport, increasing trend towards foreign e MFP Aust. Research Lid involve plans for hotels, and destination attractions)! ownership, from property to patents. E the manufacture of biological implants for These are immense engineering © However "internationalized" the e humanmoodcontrol, and thedevelopment projects, significantly shaping extensive Multi Function Polis becomes, the . of Australia as a nuclear waste dump. urban developments in Australia's most financial and other strengths of the e (MFP Aust Research Ltd is a private valuable landscapes. Japanese corporations will ensure their * company and is exempt from Freedom of Significantly, of the 115 members of increasing control of the MFP, directing » Information requests from the public) Japan's "Working Groups" on MFP, 68 the outcomes to what most benefits Japan * Consider this extract from “Hard are concemed with urban infrastructure _ as the hub of the emerging Pacific Rim ¢ Facts for Hard Times” #17 - Nov 1988 and international resort development, economic web. © by Joan Coxsedge MP (VIC). including Kumagai Gumi, which is also What is the Multi Function Polis : “Our governmentalready has the “right” building the Sydney Harbour tunnel. meant to be? A"Renaissance City" ofthe ® man to Jead the project - Alan Wrigley, Japanese construction corpor- Space Age, integrated into Australian $ recently retired Director General of ASIO. ations like Kumagai Gumi have a society as a whole? A "Technopolis" ¢ He is doubly qualified, having previously pattern of initiating and developing concentrating on existing Australian : been in charge of Government Aircraft "packages" to be “sold" to expertise in science and technology e Factories, (which is almost exclusively Governments in joint ventures with Japan would value? Or is it meant to bea q engaged in military contracts, often under local companies, avoiding tendering kind of "Silicon Valley", teaching e conditions of extreme secrecy. processes by "owning the idea". Australian businessmen how the . Itis highly unlikely that a person with Mainland States are bidding Japanese make ideas saleable, and sell e these particular qualifications would be competitively to attract it - without an them? A lovely place to visit, or live in, 4 chosen if the projects were of a civilian analysis of whether regions can sustain _ with or without visa, built where nothing » nature. And then we have Ross Garnaut, such concentrated leaps in population, is now? Near an existing city? In a ° Chairman of Aluminium Smelters Victoria, and withoutany consultation with people pleasant climate with plenty of e and amember of the steering committee of already living in the near city fringeareas _ recreational opportunities... beaches and * the MFP Project. on which the MFP might be imposed. golf courses? A super University town... 3 This lays the groundwork for later corporate cloisters, and a Management * Continued overleaf > > > extensions of more “MEP's"; a sanclified Board of shareholder corporations? D] § peeccccccccccccceess to Australia, Japanese companies in that sector are known to be most dubious about the project". Professor Sugimoto points out that even in Japan, critical expertise is retained in Tokyo. Other critics suggest it is more likely thatcreative science would flow the other way, and Australians will end up with "the service jobs" as in the tourist industry (where Japan exports profits by owning the construction, transport, hotels, and destination attractions)! These are immense engineering © projects, significantly shaping extensive urban developments in Australia's most valuable landscapes. Significantly, of the 115 members of Japan's "Working Groups” on MFP, 68 are concemed with urban infrastructure and international resort development, including Kumagai Gumi, which is also building the Sydney Harbour tunnel. Japanese construction corpor- ations like Kumagai Gumi have a pattern of initiating and developing "packages" to be “sold” to Governments in joint ventures with local companies, avoiding tendering processes by "owning the idea". Mainland States are bidding competitively to attract it - without an analysis of whether regions can sustain such concentrated leaps in population, and without any consultation with people already living in the near city fringe areas on which the MFP might be imposed. This lays the groundwork for later extensions of more “MFP's"; a sanclified Nexus #10 Continued overleaf > > >