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Wednesday, 18th February 1998
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[The Canberra
Column] [Economic
Rationalism]
Day
by day reports on the Constitutional Conventional reports by Peter
Mackay
Australian Council for the Arts apology arrives....
In an exclusive story we are pleased to be able advise that Michael Lynch, the General Manager of the Australian Council for the Arts, has now apologised in writing to Pauline Hanson for the doctored pornographic image displayed by Loud on their web site.
Thank you to all those who participated in putting pressure on this politically correct organisation to do the right thing.
Here is a copy of the faxed apology.
The Competition Hoax
Extract from this week's article on Economic Rationalism by Graham L. Strachan:
The fundamental lie underpinning economic rationalism is that oligopoly is a competitive market, and can deliver all the theoretical benefits of a competitive market (1). Building on that false premise, economic rationalism then employs free market principles and terms, but they produce quite different results from those originally intended. One such principle is ‘deregulation’.
Our Aussie troops are off to the gulf war.
The photo opportunities offered by the departure of our troops to Iraq was to good to be missed by Prime Minister John Howard and ALP leader Kim Beazley yesterday with both going to the Special Air Services headquarters near Perth just before the troops flew off to Kuwait.
While Howard described yesterday's meeting as an emotional one saying, "It was a message of good luck, God's speed and a safe return. I also told them their cause was a good and a just one. They were in tremendous spirit. They are superbly professional men and women and I admire them immensely."
"Of course it's an emotional to look people in the eye who are going off to put their lives potentially on the line."
Beazley talked about the soldiers focus saying, "I think basically the people who are being deployed are at this stage rather alone with their thoughts in anticipation of what may be ahead of them. These fellows are a pretty tough crew."
In the latest news associated with the developing air of conflict in Iraq Israel and the United States are now drawing up separate plans to assassinate Saddam Hussein - according to an Isreali magazine.
The Jerusalem Report said that Israel would use their latest "pinpoint" accurate 'brilliant' bombs to target Hussein personally if Israel was attacked by the Iraqi armed forces.
Where next with the petrol price?
In one of the strangest ironies of the current crisis, the price of petrol in Queensland had dropped to its lowest level in 10 years.
The trouble in Iraq seems to be the catalyst with the multinational oil companies looking beyond the war, the death of Saddam Hussein and the opening up of the massive oil fields to them by whoever is left under a puppet government.
The price per litre has dropped to just 54.6 cents - after standing at close to 70 cents just two months ago.
The executive director of the Australian institute of Petroleum, Jim Starkey, said "It's a cyclical thing, but there is no immediate prospect of the discount (war) ending. The surplus of petrol and low demand will keep prices down."
Now that, of course, is the official line.
While Aussie kids suffer a Au$37 million aid package is given to Indonesia
Yesterday it was reported that the Queensland State government could not afford to spend Au$30,000 on installing new electrical wiring into a school. The school has one of two options, either it uses the ceiling fans or it uses the lights in the classrooms. As the kids cannot see without the lights the ceiling fans sit there unused while the Aussie kids sweat in what have become sweat boxes under Queensland's oppressive summer sun.
Last week I was at a senior state school in Inala. Their budget is so tight that they have not been able to afford to renew their link to the Internet (costing about $250 per annum).
Then the Federal Government announces one of its biggest ever aid programs in Indonesia, with $37 million to improve training of Indonesia's workforce.
The five year program will help train staff in several sectors including tourism, hospitality and textiles, particularly in eastern provinces such as Irian Jaya and East Timor.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Kathy Sullivan, says the lack of adequately skilled workers poses a major obstacle to Indonesia's development. Mrs Sullivan today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set up the program, with Indonesian and Australian officials in Jakarta.
In a separate aid program, Australia will give $12 million to help Indonesia improve maternal health services and reduce maternal deaths in eastern Indonesia and West Java.
So what about our Australian school kids Mr Alexander Downer, what about our kids...
The Lang Hancock estate saga finds yet another twist.
Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL), who's directors include Lang's daughter, Gina Rinehart, has applied for the estate to be declared bankrupt.
Rinehart and Rose Porteous (Lang's widow) have been fighting since his death over the multi-millionaire's fortune.
Rose immediately sought an order preventing this move which would see her miss out on millions. Julina Burnside QC for Porteous said that no decision should be made until the West Australian Supreme Court sorted out their action demanding that Rinehart and Gary Schwab, another HPPL director, be removed as executor's of Lang's estate.
Burnside said that the royalties from the mineral deposit known as McCamey's Monster, which was subject to the deed executed by Lang shortly before he died in 1992, were at stake.
Burnside accused Rinehart and Schwab of not restoring the royalties to the estate as an asset, saying that under the terms of Hancock's will both women were to receive an equal amounts after special bequests had been allocated.
Making the
news" -
Queensland politics in a state of collapse.
The recent public claims of corruption and counter claims of corruption by the two major state parties, the Nationals and the Australian Labor Party (ALP), are not only public but a damning inditement on how these parties collude to protect each other's backsides.
A few days ago the misuse of government credit cards, tied up with allegations of "ministers entertaining girlfriends" produced a powerful cocktail with three being given the shove by (National Party) State Premier Rob Borbidge.
To cut a long story short the ALP continued digging up dirt on ministerial entertainment expenses - concentrating on Ken Lingard, who was fired by Borbidge when he refused to resign.
Now Borbidge has hit back producing an internal audit by the Ministerial Services Branch detailing allegations of misuse of government credit cards by ministers serving under ALP Premier Wayne Goss in the early 1990s. The allegations of misuse included a bill of Au$693 tun up by the ALP's deputy leader David Hamill. Hamill, according to the documents on file spent nearly Au$350 on alcohol at this one sitting which, the document states, involved just ten guests.
Alcohol consumed included:
The guests included poody-tat
Jim Soorley, the controversial politically correct mayor of Brisbane (seen
here on the right), David Hamill (of course), Philip Berthold, Graham Staerk,
Len Harper, Bill Upton, John Hearsch, John Grafton, Rob Whiddon and Annette
Ruschena.
According to the state's alcohol and drug dependence unit it would have been impossible for the group to have talked sensibly after consuming that much alcohol, let alone discuss business. They also say the average blood alcohol level would have been 0.4 or 8 times the legal limit.
When Soorley was questioned about whether he attended the lunch he responded by saying that he attends 20 to 30 functions every week and wouldn't have a clue all these years later.
If we take the document on face value as correct, it would mean that Soorley (if this reflected his normal alcohol consumption at a function, lunch or dinner,) would have him consuming the equivalent of two bottles of wine at each one - or about 40 to 50 bottles a week!
No wonder his arguments make no sense and his views are becoming so blinkered.... quite surprising he has time for Council meetings!
An informant advised me yesterday that that sleazebag of Queensland state politics ALP MP Jim Elder could be another casualty of the accusations that faced the three national ministers last week. Seems Jim found the young girls at the office too tempting and left his wife about 12 months ago to co-habit with one.
Strangely, an event that the News Limited Courier Mail seems to have overlooked - strange because News Limited are so good at digging up dirt on non-ALP politicians.
As a matter of interest my informant was a journalist.
Subject: How about this?
Dear Sir,
It is Richard Alston and Michael Lynch that have failed the community leadership test and have rewritten the rule book on what is "decent" and what is "youth expressing themselves" and for that they must be soundly condemned.
The problem that we are having in trying to uphold a standard of decency in our community is that we are trying to do it as sane rational human beings. The problem lies in the fact that the enemies that we face are neither sane nor rational and their status as human beings could likely be brought into question as well.
If you are attacked by a marauding gang of street thugs, you could try reasoning with them but you would have little chance of success. You have to learn to fight really quickly or you will have the stuffing knocked out of you. You can't rationalise with a thug, a fool, or a despot as these people have diseased minds and know no reason.
The choices we have are few.
We could drop down to their level and fight them in the gutter which is probably what they want us to do. The possibilities of this type of battle are limitless. We can all superimpose heads over other bodies and get them into circulation, that requires no great skill. If we chose this path we would be no better than our enemy.
We could all gather outside Parliament House and have a peaceful protest, or set up a "Decency Embassy" in the grounds but that would likely go unreported and produce zero result. Besides which, decent people are busy with their responsibilities to work and families and do not have the time or resources to do this.
We could turn the other cheek and pretend that it isn't happening, but it isn't in the nature of "decent" human beings to stand by and do nothing when they are aware of evil afoot. The emphasis on decent here is important as many pseudo-decent people just bury their heads and hope that it won't happen to them. "Evil only prospers when good men do nothing".
I believe it is imperative that we collect and store every piece of information on their deeds that we can possibly get and circulate it to the world. More importantly we should constantly remind them that they are being documented and circulated. Remind them that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. There will come a time when these "evil ones" will be called to account for their actions. Called to account for the part that they have played in the destruction from within of our Nation. They will only triumph if we let them.
Allan W. Doak
Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day
You're not becoming a tiny bit obsessive, by any chance? Or perhaps just lexically challenged? Time for the medicine, nurse!
<< So, where's the promised apology Mr Lynch.
Now imagine if the doctored image had been a picture of a politically correct symbolic head
My taxes pay for you to hold that 'politically correct' position at the Australian Council for the Arts
Let us declare war on political correctness
the Australia Council for the Arts see as a top "politically correct" target group.
This organisation would now hide behind the shield of the media barons while using political correctness
d) I personally believe that the entire "politically correct" board of the Australian Council for the Arts should resign over this incident.
We, on behalf of mainstream Australians, will continue to report on this "politically correct" travesty until you rectify the situation.
Well the politically correct must be squirming in their proverbial seats today
Editor>>
And about Galurrway Yunupingu's credit card, I know as much about that as you do: nil.
Ross Chambers
Not obsessive Ross just concerned, like many, many other mainstream Australians.
Editor.
Subject: Offensive email
I am a recipient of Pauline Hanson's monthly newsletter.
These newsletters state that the "recipient list is suppressed" but I don't
think this is the case anymore as I have been receiving email from a John
Patterson calling me a racist scumbag etc etc. I do not know anyone by this
name and his email address
John is also unknown
to me.
This has come completely out of the blue and the only
thing I can think is that the recipient list is no longer secure. I am not
a member of the One Nation Party and cannot think of any other reason for
this hate mail.
Is there any way for you to check whether your security
has been breached?
Name withheld
The scumbag who is sending this lady the unsolicited email is a link above
(John).
Maybe you would like to tell him what you think of his actions?
Editor
Subject:
Adelaide Advertiser
Editorial - 17th Feb 1998
Quotes from today's Adelaide Advertiser
Editorial:
"We oppose One Nation. What One Nation stands for,
so far as it is possible to be specific on anything save bigotry, disgusts
us."
"For our part we shall report them fully and
fairly............"
My response (I doubt it will get published)
is:
One Nation has stated that it supports true racial
equality for all Australians. No ifs, no buts and no exceptions. It recognises
that so-called positive discrimination for one race corresponds to negative
discrimination against all others. News Ltd. is disgusted, and defines this
as bigotry? Please explain.
One Nation has indicated that it will release its policies
at a time of its own choosing. The Liberal Party adopted the same approach
prior to the last federal election. Even though News Ltd. does not know what
One Nation’s policies are, it opposes them anyway. Please explain.
News Ltd. states it opposes One Nation, yet it claims
that it will report their views fairly. With reference to the journalistic
code of ethics, please explain.
Peter Walters
Lovely article
covering one
of Hanson's meetings last week can be seen here.
Editor
Subject: NATIONAL SECURITY
Sir, I want to know who is going to defend this country
if it is invaded whilst 250 (most of our crack troops) are on the other side
of the world? Name withheld in the interests of international security.
Philip Madsen
Good question... no prizes for guessing that the US would probably look
the other way if we were having a bit of trouble with, say, Indonesia...
Editor
Subject:
SCOTT FAILS
AGAIN!
What's up Scott don't you believe in reincarnation.....
I was under the impression that you thought you were an incarnation of Mark
Anthony and your friend Pauline was the incarnation of Cleopatra, hence the
hero worship we see on you web site all the time.......And as you would well
know the old addage...(running your 'newspaper' the way you do) Never let
the truth get in the way of a good story!
You will probaly want to run with this story Scott
as do the mainstream media who have also picked up the story off your site
and have contacted me with offers to buy the story......but no! this amazing
revelation will not be suppressed by the Government or the Multi-Nationals
!........ they will have to wait the same as the rest of you for the next
March edition of THE LOCAL BULLETIN.................................OUT
SOON.
Anyway unfortunately you actually failed the test in
being really observant because the real point and question in the email I
sent you was 'WHAT ABOUT Cr. PAUL TULLY AND HIS STAND ON THE OUTCOME OF THE
CON CON ............(the biggest con of all)..............and where is you
and your beauties comments about this........eh? So sorry Scotty 0 out of
10................oh! your serve I believe.............ha ha!
BARRY SAMPSON SEARLE EDITOR THE LOCAL
BULLETIN.......
P.S. An interesting development regards the mobile
phone industry is a story I would imagine would be up your alley. Check out
yesterdays Financial Review.......it would make a change from the usual Courier
Mail and The Queensland Times hohum yea yea stuff you usually run
with........
I hope I am not the only one who cannot understand the ramblings of the
editor of one of our local papers!
Appears the 3,000 year old lady has got under his skin!!
Editor
Another beautiful day in paradise.
Have a good one.
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