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Australian MP questions award to Sachin
Tendulkar
Wednesday October 17, 2012 12:27:29 PM,
IANS
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Related Article |
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 Sachin Tendulkar conferred with Order of
Australia
Gillard, who made the announcement during a visit to a cricket
clinic here organised by an NGO Magic Bus, said that the "special
honour", known as AM, would be conferred by Australian Cabinet
Minister Simon Crean when he visits India soon.
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Sydney: A
parliamentarian has questioned the decision to confer a top
Australian award on Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, saying
"it's about the integrity of the honours list, which should be for
Australians".
Tendulkar's award was an "obvious diplomatic touch point", NSW
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott said Wednesday, a day after
Australian Primer Minister Julia Gillard announced Tuesday in New
Delhi that Tendulkar would be conferred with the Member of the
Order of Australia award.
"I love Sachin, I love cricket but I just have a problem with soft
diplomacy," he told ABC radio. "It's about the integrity of the
honours list, which should be for Australians."
Gillard is on a three-day visit to India that began Monday.
An article in the Sydney Morning Herald asked: "So Sachin, what
have you done for us lately?"
It said that the Order of Australia apparently "operates on the
principles of independence and freedom from political patronage".
"But the timing of Tendulkar's award is curious. Short of sending
a ship-load of uranium to India, Gillard's nod to Tendulkar in
what she called the `cricket-mad nation' has worked wonders in
bolstering relations with our fastest-growing export market," it
said.
The article pointed out that other commentators have noted
Tendulkar's involvement in the racial abuse of Australian
all-rounder Andrew Symonds by Indian bowler Harbhajan Singh during
the Sydney Test in 2008.
The only other Indian to have received an honorary award was
former attorney-general Soli Sorabjee in 2006.
"Tendulkar sits rather oddly alongside such luminaries, who have
done much to aid Australia and Australians at home and abroad.
Sure, many Australians like cricket and Tendulkar is particularly
good at playing it. But beyond giving us something to watch over
summer, what has he done to benefit Australia?, the article asked.
It went on to say that if honorary awards are to be given on the
basis of international achievement in a sport that also happens to
be played in Australia, "presumably the prime minister also has
Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov in mind. A nod to English
darts players Phil "the Power" Taylor would be well received in
every pub in the land".
"Or what about the world women's beach volleyball champions,
Brazilians Juliana Felisberta and Larissa Franca? There's a sport
many of us like to watch. Certainly, such an award would do no
harm in bolstering our trade relations in South America."
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