So a celebrity brought two animals into the country illegally and bypassed those annoying quarantine procedures we have in place for no apparent reason, and now Customs is acting to have the dogs removed. The outrage! The injustice of it all! Who do these people think they are?
Well, that's what a lot of people think if you have glanced at even a smidgeon of the media or social platforms like Twitter in the last 24 hours. It's a hard life for a rich dog these days.
However, for some of us it seems pretty normal, par for course even (controversial I know).
I'd like to offer up a few things I consider more worthy, or at least as worthy, of the media attention and public reaction Johnny Depp's beleaguered pooches attracted.
Johhny Depp (AAP) Source: ABACA USA
1.
I find it disturbing we can have more compassion for a couple of animals than we do for a human being's life, which brings me to the sad and disturbing case of the death in custody of Indigenous woman Julieka Dhu.
Dhu, who was 22-years-old at the time of her death in August last year, was in jail for four days for failing to pay a $1000 fine.
It's emerged that not only was Ms Dhu released from hospital multiple times after complaining she felt unwell but she was locked up as part of the WA government's policy of paying down outstanding fines through prison time.
The mother of 22-year-old Yamatji woman Ms Dhu, who died in custody in a Hedland's in WA's Pilbara region, addresses protestors rallying against deaths in custody, Oct 23, 2014. Source: AAP
After complaining to police about severe pain, vomiting and partial paralysis she was twice taken to a local hospital but on both occasions declared well enough to be sent back to prison despite reportedly not being seen by a doctor. She then died.
Her family is still waiting for a coroner's report and an inquest into why she died.
This seems worthy of public outrage, but since I'm not foaming at the mouth over the injustice being visited on Johnny Depp's puppies, what would I know?
2.
If there's limited interest in one person's plight, what about a whole heap of people, almost 1800 in fact. That's the approximate number of people living on Norfolk Island (many of whom are descended from from the mutineers of the Bounty from Pitcairn Island) who are about to lose self-determination after more than 150 years. The island is broke after the GFC wiped out its tourism business and it wants to join the Australian taxation and welfare system, but it also wants a model of governance that reflects its unique political and cultural history so the Island retains its identity. Seems reasonable.
Ms Dhu's family is still waiting for a coroner's report and an inquest into why she died.
Not according to the Commonwealth Government, which has decided their unique culture and isolation requires nothing more than a local council and for the rest of the island's affairs to be controlled remotely from Canberra and Sydney by public servants.
Many on the island and in the Norfolk Government disagree and have asked for a referendum on their future. They were told there was no way they would get one, so they held one themselves with the result showing almost two-thirds want a say in how they are governed and the future of their Island.
Despite this the Australian Government is pressing on with its sweeping reform agenda claiming it has consulted the Islanders and that most want these changes.
It's a disturbing approach to consultation and one that is largely being ignored by the mainland with patchy media coverage to date.
3.
So far this year 34 women in Australia have been killed because of domestic violence. Yup, it's not cute and fluffy but it's a hideous thing to hear. The Government itself has labelled this situation a crisis, so it's staggering there was no new funding in the budget to tackle this issue. Agencies on the frontline such as refugee, counselling and legal services are still reeling from deep cuts in last year's budget and have had no new funding this year. It's beginning to look as though the PM's decision to make violence survivor Rosie Batty Australian of the year a PR move, at best a symbolic gesture. While this issue has attracted a fair amount of attention, it does not seem to galvanise people in the same way a pair of celebrity owned Yorkies can.
4.
While we're on the topic of government funding cuts, it seems almost every week we hear about some sector of society being affected by budget cuts; from legal services for the poorest to outreach programs that could help stop radicalisation of Muslim youth to the defunding of remote indigenous communities. But one of the less publicised is the continuing punishment of the CSIRO with cuts and public attacks from members of the current Government for having the temerity to tell us about the looming impacts of climate change. Last year's budget saw $150 million in cuts made to our national science organisation with 1300 job losses to take effect over two years.
5.
Finally there's those unsexy metadata laws. Laws which allow about 21 security and policing agencies to access two years of an individual's metadata.
Proponents argue they are crucial to thwart terrorism attacks and prevent serious crime, but many fear they will be used to target journalists and whistleblowers and any who challenge the Government.
Governments are already accessing large amounts of data without warrants, last year the Australian Communications and Media Authority revealed it had received 563,012 authorisations granted to government agencies for access to telecommunications metadata in the 2013-14 financial year. The data retention laws will place even more private information within the reach of these agencies.
The increasing encroachment of government agencies in our private lives and the ongoing reduction of privacy in the name of 'security' continues with little reaction.
Someone needs to get the memo to these affected people that you have to be rich, famous and beautiful before a lot of people will care (about your dog).
