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2 THE CANBERRA REPORTER | December 2016

LAFF-IN

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

In a random survey of Filipino-Australians in the Canberra area , respondents answer the question put to them by

reporter MARILIE BOMEDIANO :

How do you spend Christmas ?

EDITORIAL

Operation Sovereign Borders lets its guard down in Darwin

THE Turnbull Government keeps reminding Australians that it ’ s the reigning heavyweight champion of border protection : ‘ No more rickety boats loaded with asylum seekers making the dangerous trip across the sea to Australia , thanks to its much-touted Operation Sovereign Boarders .’

Fantastic .

Now how about doing something to protect our sovereign borders from the real big fish ? What about tackling issues such as , say , China ’ s clandestine incursion into the Australian property market ?

While the Government has efficiently dealt with and turned back mostly cash-strapped asylum seekers , it ’ s either looking the other way or being overly generous about cashed-up China ’ s suspicious acquisition of the Port of Darwin for 99 years .

We keep the small fish out , but let the big fish in .

Even more disturbing is a report on the ABC website warning about concern over the growing number of spies from the Chinese Government operating within Australia ’ s sovereign borders .

A former Chinese Government diplomat , Chen Yonglin , who quit his job more than a decade ago , warned of “ a growing number of spies and agents working for Beijing in Australia ”.

Mr Yonglin said he believed that of particular concern was last year ’ s Australian Government decision to approve a 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese-owned company Landbridge .

“ I think it ’ s very stupid ,” he said . “ It ’ s common sense that Darwin Port is strategically important and against the northern invasion .”

More telling to Australia and the Philippines , as well as other countries around the South China Sea , was the report that Mr Chen had also “ hit out at activists who have recently taken to the streets to show support for China ’ s military expansion in the South China Sea ”.

Mr Yongli ’ s parting shot : “ A majority of Chinese community representatives work for the Chinese Government .”

So much for Operation Sovereign Borders .

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

• JAIME K PIMENTEL , Editor

The Canberra Reporter invites readers to write letters to the editorin-chief , no longer than 50 words , sent by email and addressed to jaimekpimentel @ live . com

NENITA CHAPMAN , 44 Red Hill

We always spend Christmas overseas in Europe and Philippines .

Since we came returned from Dubai two years ago we haven ’ t really spent Christmas with my family in Canberra .

This year ’ s Christmas will be different because we will be in Tathra NSW for a happy family bonding .

We are also very comfortably living here in Canberra with my husband ’ s family . •

ATING WIKA sa Tagalog

AMY LIBRANDO , 61 Franklin

My family has lived in Canberra since 1987 . We usually celebrate our Christmas with the entire family .

This Christmas . we are going to spend our Christmas eve and Christmas day in Sydney with my husband and my daughter and a few close friends .

And then we will be in Melbourne on New Year ’ s Eve and New Year ’ s Day .

We usually prepare lechon and turkey on New Year ’ s Day , •

Paghahambing ng ating Pasko

Ulat ni GLORIA ROSS

BUWAN ng Setyembre pa lamang ay nagsisimula nang marinig ang mga tugtuging pamasko sa mga radyo .

Mga tugtuging naghahanda sa mga kaisipan at damdamin ng mga Pilipino sa pinakamahabang pagdiriwang sa Pilipinas- ang Pasko .

Mga tugtugin at mga palamuting pamasko sa bawat sulok ng bansa ay pumupukaw sa lahat upang magsaya at magdiwang .

Mapapansin ng isang Pilipinong bagong salta sa Australya ang hindi kasingsidhing paghahanda sa Pasko ng karamihan ng mga tao sa bansa .

At ito ay lubhang mapapansin sa Canberra .

Maraming mga mamamayan sa Canberra ang ipinapakita ang kanilang pagiging mapagbigay sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong sa mga organisasyong katulad ng Salvation Army sa halip na magtapon ng salapi sa mga palamuting pamasko .

Ang karamihan sa mga Pilipino naman ay ipinagpapatuloy pa rin ang kinaugaliang pagpapalamuti at pagkakaroon ng kasayahan na kung saan ay nagkakatipon tipon ang mga kaibigan at kamaganak upang magsalo at magbigayan ng mga regalo .

Masaya pa rin ang Pasko sa Australya para sa mga Pilipino . •

KARL FAUSTINO , 27 Braddon

Christmas for me has always been about spending time with family . Every year my family gets together at my relatives ’ place in Antipolo , Philippines .

It starts with Mass , then it ’ s all about eating together over Noche Buena .

This year will be my first Christmas without them .

I know it ’ ll be very emotional , but next year we ’ ll get together again . It ’ ll be in Ilocos . •

Publisher THE CANBERRA REPORTER

( ABN 44149329419 ) Contact 0423 358 747 __________________

Editor-in-chief Jaime K Pimentel

Editorial Violi Calvert - Subeditor Gloria Ross - News Editor Marilie Bomediano - Features Editor

Photography Kym Kunze ( chief photographer ) Dennis Benedictos Gerry Musa

Advertising Rina Benedictos - Canberra Josie Musa - Sydney

Admin Josie Musa

Legal Counsel Libda ( Geronimo ) Santos

Printer New Age Printing , Rydalmere NSW

Distributor Wrapaway , Marrickville NSW

Waiver : Opinions expressed by writers do not necessarily belong

Y HERE ’ S WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS | MALIGAYANG PASKO SA INYONG LAHAT

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