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Thursday, 1st January 1998
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Queers now able to adopt babies.
A most amazing development takes us into the 21st century.
A New Jersey state judge has ruled that a queer couple, Jon Holden and Michael Galluccio can adopt a boy, 2 year old Adam, as they have the same rights as heterosexual couples. The American Civil Liberties Union won a class action on behalf of queers and lesbians.
A case for land certainty
by S.E.K. Hulme a senior Melbourne barrister.
Extract from the article (see link above):
"There has been prolonged criticism of the Federal Government from the Opposition, media, churches and Aboriginal activists for including in the native title amendments a provision that all grants to freehold land eliminate any former native title.
"It is said that the government has done this in full knowledge that it is clear that grants of freehold land already have that effect, and that the raising of this “backyard” issue is no more than a cynical tactic intended to scare innocent householders into approving any legislation.
"There is in fact plenty of reason to welcome the inclusion of this principle in the legislation, and its endorsement by Parliament."
Noel Pearson and land rights:
The following discussion took place between Noel Pearson and Mr Causley at a Parliamentary sitting on Native Title and the ATSIC Land Fund:
Causley: I know, but what we are really trying to get to is that I come to an agreement with you that your people are allowed to come onto this land to exercise their hunting, gathering and ceremonial rites. Is there any more to it than that? Is that what it is really all about, with respect on both sides for the agreement?
Pearson: For example, there are rights that the Crown purports to hold over land that it has not granted you as a leaseholder - the Crown holds it. The Crown claims it owns those rights. There might be a contest between the native title holders and the Crown in relation to these presumptions, but that does not affect the leaseholder.
Cauley: No, but you are saying you might challenge the fact that the Crown owns the land if you believe you own the land.
Pearson: Yes, that has to be the case.
What Pearson is saying is that all Crown claims (including those to freehold land) such as mining rights will be sought under native title.
Australian Archives
The Australian Archives, now on-line, carry recently released government documents from the mid 1960s.
What I find most interesting is this comment on record keeping by government agencies. (Remember Wayne Goss and the unresolved shredding scandal?):
"Proper recordkeeping is a crucial part of government administration and accountability. It is the basis for establishing and maintaining documentary evidence of government activities and decisions supporting accountability and good business practice. Agencies contracting out the provision of services to other parties must ensure that these arrangements include recordkeeping practices which meet Commonwealth standards."
Something which the Goss government were unable to achieve in 1990 - and a Watergate type cover-up (censorship) involving News Limited's Courier Mail which continues to this day.
The beginning of the end for Indonesia's independence.
The same trap is being laid for Indonesia to fall into as Australia with the IMF demand that the country's banking system be opened up to foreign ownership now taking place.
Australia had already said that we will do this - even though no-one asked the voter what they thought. In Indonesia four new banks will emerge through restructuring from the current seven state banks.
The official line is as follows, "As part of the series of economic reform policies, especially to bring health into the banking sector, the Government is going ahead with the merger of the state banks," said Finance Minister Mar'ie Mahammad Said in Jakarta yesterday.
The government will open the doors to foreign banks "with international reputation" to become shareholders ion the revised state banking system "in an effort to make the system more competitive and healthier".
Kiss your sovereignty good bye Indonesia, 1998 will be the year you followed Australia's rocky track to dependence from independence.
Making the
news" -
Subject: Happy New Year
To all the Important People,
Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR
May 1998 bring us victories for common sense, decency and a little realism.
Allan Doak and Family
To all our regular readers we wish you a happy new year and look forward to a 1998 in which Pauline Hanson's One Nation will gain the balance of power at a Federal level and do what the Democrats have failed to do so far.
Editor.
Another perfect day in paradise.
Viv and I went to College's Crossing for a New Year's eve bar-b-que and met some of the local Karana Downs characters.
Left to right below: Barry Sampson-Searle the editor and owner of the local Gazette community newspaper. Barry's Kombi made the news in his latest issue "taking a ride on its own" and bursting into flames a few weeks ago. Peter, the chef, runs a great little operation with good food at reasonable prices. There is Viv and finally Viv and myself enjoying the beauty of our little piece of paradise.
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