by Geoff Kay
January 1, 2000
This is part of a series of articles covering the previous year. A year when One Nation went to sleep. I hope to be able show you; issues and opportunities that One Nation let slip by, opportunities for positive publicity and opportunities for building a more inclusive and positive rapport; within the Party and with the public.
Local Elections loom large
Pauline Hanson says NO! One Nation will not field candidates in the September Council elections...
One Nation cries poor... The "peoples party", does not have the funds to support candidates in the upcoming Council elections...
Despite the wishes and willingness of One Nation members and supporters to run in the Local elections, Pauline Hanson holds her ground...
Last minute backflip by Pauline Hanson's One Nation... Time for another election... Local Council elections will be held on the 11th of September this year. In a reversal of attitude, Pauline Hanson has now accepted candidates for the election. One Nation will not supply funding for candidates though.
Well... Here we go again. David Oldfield was rumoured to be "for" fielding candidates in the council elections. Pauline Hanson was the only one rumoured to be "against" it. These rumours were being spread, not through the public, but throughout the membership, (not by "white-ants" either). How can one person have so much sway within an organisation that purports to be democratic?
Can a Party hope to succeed in elections with last minute changes in direction? NO
Can a Party prepare for an election properly with no funds and with little lead up time, (in this case caused by Leadership decisions)? NO
NSW Regional Vice Presidents
The positions created for Regional Vice Presidents were supposedly to enable branches more of a "say" within the Party... or was that just a rumour? Were the RVP's actually there just to
"hose-down" concerns of the membership? Remember the "Laws of Control"?
PROMOTE THOSE WHO ACCEPT YOUR WORD AND DECISIONS WITHOUT QUESTION. THIS CREATES A BARRIER WITHIN THE HIERACHY FORCING THOSE WHO MAY WEAKEN YOUR CONTROL AWAY FROM POSITIONS OF POWER WHERE THEY MAY BECOME A THREAT.
Well... I guess we could ask John Karnau about this one. As an RVP that was found "out of step" with the Party, I guess he would know.
As you all know, not only is the Referendum focusing on the issue of the Republic... we also have the matter of the Preamble to the Constitution to decide. After reading Mr Howard's preamble I decided to write one of my own. One with a One Nation flavour to it... I present it here for you to look at and think about. I wrote it in about 1 minute, just as a starting point for further development. I believe that One Nation should put up it's own Preamble for consideration... after all just about everyone else has had a go at it.
"We the people, who have gathered together here on this continent over the ages. Leave behind us the wrongs of the past, to move together as one nation, one people. To forge a future for our children, free of inequality, free from prejudice. A future where, "a fair go" for all, shall be the norm. Where our culture and tolerance, will set the standard for others to follow."
"We, who call ourselves Australians, commit ourselves to these goals, achievable through our determination and indomitable spirit. Goals, embodied in this constitution."
Well... Did One Nation enter the debate in any major way? NO
Did they put forward their own attempt? NO
Did they make an attempt? NO
Did they comment on the involvement of the Democrats and the even greater mess that they had made to the original draft? NO
Media Watch...
Advocate
July, 28th 1999
It is little wonder the local One Nation branch wish to field candidates at the September local government election.
The controversial party, which many say is in political decline, has always had strong support at the polls around the city.
Local candidates have managed to snap up between 10 and 15 percent of the vote at recent State and Federal elections.
But does One Nation have a place at a local government level.
Does any political party have a place at local government level?
Councils are grassroots government. It is decisions made around the round table on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis that most directly affect citizens.
Party politics does not always have the best interests of the community at heart.
Being forced to vote according to party guidelines may compromise the beliefs and principles of the person elected to represent their constituents. The Badgerys Creek airport proposal is a good example of this when politicians are restricted by their own party's stand.
Party rules, guidelines, restrictions and limitations - shackles if you like - should be thrown out the door when it comes to local government.
Too often the rules and beliefs of the party are put ahead of the basic needs of the community, town or city.
Our city is at a crucial stage in its history, bracing itself for what could be the biggest economic boom in its history.
The last thing the city needs is to have these prospects compromised or jeopardised by political jockeying by parties chasing greater power. The people deserve better.
The above Editorial was in the Letters column... on the surface... it was about the Local Government Elections. There were 2 replies to this... Here is one of them...
The Editorial in last weeks Advocate Letters column put forth some views about the upcoming local government elections. The piece was anti-political party involvement. However only one party was mentioned by name - One Nation. In fact the entire first half of the article referred only to One Nation. It ended by saying; "The last thing the city needs is to have these prospects compromised or jeopardised by political jockeying by parties chasing greater power. The people deserve better". The inference being that Blacktown deserves better than One Nation. I would like to thank the Advocate for finally showing their true colours. Their political prejudice. In our city, particularly Labor, have always fostered candidates, through the local government system. (John A*** being the latest in a long line). Why should One Nation do less? At least their core policy is to listen to the people!
Well... Maybe the last sentence should have read;" At least their core policy WAS to listen to people."
Did One Nation enter the debate in any way? NO
There were 2 ways in which this could have been approached by the Executive depending on their final decision... both would have given them the 'higher" moral ground on the issue of standing candidates for Local elections. Did they use either? NO
SCOTT BALSON will be speaking at the Dural Country Club, Old Northern Road, Dural. On Tuesday the 17th of August at 7pm. Scott is the author of "Murder by Media" and is the Webmaster for One Nation's Internet site
Well... As you can see, only a few short months ago, Scott was not considered a "WHITE-ANT". The Party endorsed him and promoted him openly. Encouraging members to go and listen to him... today however, their encouragement is quite different.
"'ROUND AND 'ROUND WE GO... WHERE WE'LL STOP NOBODY KNOWS." OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUE TO GO BEGGING, OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE EXECUTIVE SEEM TO BE BLIND TO. THE PREAMBLE, THE REFERENDUM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IN 1999, WHERE WAS ONE NATION...
Geoff