BY TIM STEWART

BRISBANE — Despite the Queensland premier's challenge to publicly debate anti-CHOGM protesters on the issue of globalisation, Peter Beattie failed to show at the launch of the CHOGM Action Network on September 5.

Under the theme “does globalisation create common wealth?”, Beattie, the Liberal Party and Youth for Free Trade were challenged to argue their case against three speakers from the CHOGM Action Network (CAN).

Instead, 80 people were entertained by a pompous recital of official press releases from the premier stating that he was “on the same side as the anti-globalisation protesters”, and a letter from Youth for Free Trade announcing a march for capitalism in November under the theme “taxation is theft”.

Launching the “debate”, Friends of the Earth spokesperson Andree Stark gave a history of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings since 1971, citing continuous declarations arguing that the free market is the solution to poverty and environmental problems.

CAN spokesperson Karen Fletcher, indigenous leader Sam Watson, Greens Senate candidate Sarah Moles all took apart the myths promoted by the corporate globalisers, while environmentalist Hamish Alcorn told the audience “it's really about money versus morality”.

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