by Geoff Kay
December 28, 1999
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.
APR-MAY
The following is part of a manuscript that is as yet unpublished. Members of the One Nation Executive have had copies of it since before the last Federal election. Nothing has been heard from them, this seems to be par for the course for the Executive. The following is an extract commenting on a piece, written by Tony Abbott published in a book called "Two Nations".
"The Feral Right" by Tony Abbott
"The Feral Right", nice one. I guess we could figure out where this one was going without even getting past the title.
Right from the start Tony leads us to the truth about the 2 major parties. Even though he won't come right out and admit it.
He states; "If Kim Beazley has seemed jollier than usual lately, it's because he knows that One Nation could deliver the next election to Labor - ".
Well, why was Kim Beazley happy? Because he was the first to jump to the moral high-ground and declare that Labor would put One Nation last. But why last? Because they are racists of course.
It had to follow then, that if the Liberals didn't put One Nation last, they would be tainted with the racist tag too. Hence the Coalition decision. They can't be seen to be in government with One Nation, (even thought they have more in common with them than Labor), because that would mean; sharing power, policy compromise, having to listen to other points of view, and of course, being labelled racist. It seems they were caught between a rock and a hard place.
He then continues, with the 'party-political' admission;
"that a strong One nation vote presents the Coalition with two alternatives; conceding government to Labor (by directing preferences against One Nation); or creating a credible rival for the conservative vote (by putting Labor last)." Well, we all know what their decision was. Now, you know, why.
Once again... To prevent the creation of a credible rival for the conservative vote. The proof is in black and white, from the horses mouth so to speak.
The Coalition were willing to risk their re-election, preferring the enemy, Labor, to win government, rather than have One Nation become a major political force. How many times have I said it? They do not want a third major party in Australian politics.
Here is one of my favourite lines from Tony's essay ; "No preference decision can guarantee that One Nation will reciprocate (and any attempt to deal would put Coalition campaign directors in the humiliating position of having to beg favours from Hanson Svengali David Oldfield). Numerous moderate Liberals would rather defect to Labor rather than support a party which 'compromises with the devil'." I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions about that one, we all know Tony's feelings towards David Oldfield.
After a few more insults, most of them to our intelligence, Tony tries to justify the Liberals' election policy. He says; "For all that, the argument for putting Hansonite candidates behind Labor at the coming federal election is morally and politically compelling." Note, it's not morally and politically correct, in fact it's not morally anything. Also note also the use of the term "Hansonite", something he uses constantly throughout his essay. It is never the "people" who support One Nation. Remember rule number one; always objectify your enemy, never allow them to be thought of as people. Well, as we all know, we are people.
The next little bit comes under the, "they still don't get it" label. Tony states; "Hansonites"... There's that word again... "Hansonites are convinced that, for the first time in our history, the challenges are too big for us." Obviously Tony shouldn't speak about things he doesn't understand. I bet he's never even been to a One Nation meeting, let alone understands that the hopes, dreams and aspirations of One Nation supporters far exceed anything the Liberal or Labor party have ever aspired to, or, put to the people. Compared to the people of One Nation; Howardites and Beazleyites are a totally blinkered species.
Oh and another thing about, "the average Hanson supporter." Not that I think Tony really knows any. There is no, "average Hanson supporter." As we all know, they come from all sections of Australian society.
I know the Liberals have this fixation with "average". The majority of Australians do not earn the "average wage" for instance. So if the Coalition stopped targeting this in their policies, they might just start making decisions for the majority of Australians instead of the few. Speaking of which, Tony states; "that politicians, as a class, don't share the views which large sections of their constituency regard as self-evidently true." Is he really saying that politicians do not truly represent us? Or is he saying that we are stupid, and that those of the "political class", know best?
Tony Abbott has one pearl of a paragraph, that illustrates the problem with politics in Australia today. I will quote it here in its entirety.
"The key factor distinguishing the Hanson phenomenon from previous protest movements is the gulf which has opened up between the man-in-the-street and the mindset of the opinion-forming establishment. Since the days of Whitlam, it seems, elite and popular culture have been following different trajectories. Unsurprisingly, Canberra press gallery journalists are typically more interested in childcare for working women than the closure of banks in country towns, generally enthusiastic about 'sorry days' and the like, tempted to patronise people 'left behind by events' (unless they make good copy for anti-government 'victim' stories) and usually keen on change because they have proven their own ability to adapt."
As you can see, Tony has recognised part of the problem. But what he clearly doesn't understand, is what One Nation supporters and many other Australians have been trying to say, and that is; that "the opinion-forming establishment", have been forming the wrong opinions.
Well... Has any member of the Executive bothered to contact the Author...? NO
How many other people with ideas and enthusiasm have they ignored? How much talent is there buried within the Party that lies undiscovered? Does the Executive do anything to foster this talent or seek it out? NO
Not even Pauline who was given a copy in person at the AGM has bothered to contact the Author. Not even to say thankyou for your support. How can a Party run in such a way survive?
Can it claim to be the "people's Party" or have as part of it's platform CIR, if it refuses to acknowledge the "grassroots" and calls Democracy, "mob-rule"? NO
David Oldfield referred to SERFDOM in his maiden speech. Perhaps this is how he sees the ordinary Party membership. Perhaps the Executive have lost touch with the real people who make up One Nation and are now like all the rest.
Media Watch...
Upsetting the welfare wagon...
The Daily Telegraph MAY '99
Piers Akerman
After speaking to Mr Akerman I can tell you that he will probably never acknowledge Pauline Hanson, One Nation, its policies or supporters in anything he writes. Well at least not in a positive sense. His main problem and the cause of his bias, is his opinion of the party leadership.
This is the second time that Piers has failed to acknowledge One Nation recently. But he did go close.
He states; "With a single simple statement of fact, Noel Pearson has overturned the whole rationale of the Aboriginal industry. The welfare economy, he says, is killing the Aboriginal people, turning them into 'drunken parasites'."
"Mr Pearson, who once categorised the Howard government as 'racist scum', appears finally to have grasped what Prime Minister John Howard and Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Heron, among scores of others, have been saying ad nauseaum." I guess we fit into the "scores of others".
But there's more; " It is a matter of concern however that the politically correct so dominate debate on Aboriginal matters in this country that had anyone other than an Aboriginal uttered the same sentiments, he or she would undoubtedly have been branded a racist." Well, we all know someone who this has happened to... Pauline. We all know a party that has been branded as racist... One Nation.
Maybe it's about time people like Mr Pearson said "sorry". Sorry to people like Pauline Hanson and her supporters. Maybe Charlie Perkins and some of his "elitist" mates, cut the rhetoric, admitted their hypocrisy, and apologised to One Nation.
Facing the reality of the unspoken truth...
The Daily Telegraph MAY '99
Mark Latham
For those who don't know, Mark is a current ALP MP. Sitting on the Labor backbench, (as punishment), due to his 'radical' ideas and out-spokeness. One has to wonder where he has been for the last few years after reading this article.
"Something has gone wrong in Australian politics when people need to be brave just to tell the truth." See what I mean. "The Aboriginal activist Noel Pearson is probably experiencing this feeling right now."
"He has described the horror of welfare dependency and alcoholism in Aboriginal communities and the need to take more individual responsibility for these problems." Charlie Perkins would roll over in his grave, (if he was dead), at that one.
Mark continues; "Yet, what for Pearson is simply a dose of reality, has been taken by others as a breach of Aboriginal solidarity."
"Disadvantaged communities don't need charity. They need change."
"As Pearson suggests, parents who turn a blind eye to truancy should have their family allowance docked."
"The other poison for Aboriginal communities has been bureaucracy. Bodies such as ATSIC have simply replaced white bureaucrats with black bureaucrats. Nothing has changed on the ground."
"The various federal and state government programs devoted to Aboriginal welfare should be bundled together and paid directly to bodies such as the Cape York Land Council. This is their right. But just as much, if the money is wasted there shouldn't be any second or third chances. This is their responsibility."
I know, I know. We all know... this is what Pauline and One Nation have been saying all along.
Mark, then goes off into "preamble and sorry land", somewhere I don't want to visit, before asking the Prime Minister to;" show some leadership". Something Pauline and One Nation has been doing in this area for quite some time. Like I asked before, just where has he been?
THE OTHER PARTIES AND COMMENTATORS PUT THEIR VIEWS TO THE PUBLIC... THE RIGHT OF REPLY AND REBUTTAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO ONE NATION, EVEN IF IT WAS GRANTED IN THE HOPES THAT WE WOULD SLIP UP. THESE EXAMPLES I CITE ARE ONLY IN THE NATIONAL OR N.S.W. MEDIA. SURELY OPPORTUNITIES EXIST IN OTHER STATES AS WELL. WHAT HAS THE ONE NATION LEADERSHIP BEEN DOING? OPPORTUNITIES GO BEGGING, EVERY DAY. SURELY THESE, SO CALLED "POLITICAL MASTERMINDS," CAN PUT TOGETHER SIMPLE ARGUMENTS LIKE MINE. MAYBE, BETTER... AND SCORE POLITICAL POINTS FOR THE PARTY.
Geoff