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an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper.
Since October 1995

This on-line paper is now archived for perpetuity in the National Library of Australia

Saturday, 24th January 1998
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International:

What won't Bob Hawke do for money?

 It is common knowledge that heroin trafficking is out of control in Australia. One would expect men who have been voted into Australia's highest office, that of Prime Minister, to have some sense of standards when deciding who to "do business with" when pursuing the almighty dollar.

In the case of Bob Hawke standards do not apply.

Ma Ching-kwan is a nationalised Australian and friend of Bob Hawke. Ma is also known as "white powder" Ma after his trafficking in heroin. Ma used his Hong Kong paper, the Oriental Daily News, to reveal that the family had given the British Conservative government Au$2 billion to help him with a "private family matter".

The allegation is that the donation was made after Ma met then British Governor of Hong Kong Chris Patten in 1994.

Patten has denied the facts in the story saying, "I met Mr Ma on a few occasions as I met other newspaper proprietors.

"As I recall our conversations normally covered his views on what was happening in China I repeat that I played no part whatsoever, with Mr Ma or anyone else, in raising funds for the Conservative Party when I was governor."

Now the most intriguing part of all this is Ma's friendship with Hawke, no bets that it si a financial one... 

US correspondent "teaches" Australian politician about MAI.

You might recall the comments by one of the Australian Labor Party's Oxley candidates, Anne Scott, who remains in the dark over MAI.

Extract:

"No, Scott, I will not accept your invitation to surf the net with you, but you may like to explain to all of us what the MAI is."

Well this week Mrs Scott got all the explanations she could wish for thanks to Pauline Hanson, the lady Mrs Scott calls "uninformed and ignorant".

As a result of Mrs Scott's letter referred to above a US correspondent, John Hamilton from Columbia, wrote as follows in the Queensland Times yesterday:

"Please explain to Mrs Scott, ALP preselection candidate for Oxley, that to Australia MAI, Multilateral Agreement on Investment, negotiated in secret by the OECD, beyond the reach of public opinion in Paris since 1995 means it is an instrument of the IMF, the World Bank, the OECD, the WTO and the world's 29 most powerful multi-national corporations that will be full power over the governments of the world and it hides under a shadowy misnomer known called "economic rationalism" but there is nothing rational about it. Put bluntly, it involves the insatiable pursuit of profit, and to hell with the human race and its environment."

On ya John.

The MAI mailing list discussion on Hanson and her expose of MAI:

MichaelP wrote:

Her name was prominent on alternative radio here (NWest US) last July when the australians arrested and deported Lorenzo Ervin (ex-Black Panther, SNCC organizer etc.etc.) who was on a speaking tour in support of aboriginal rights -

What this says as to anti-globalization is that the movement will attract all kinds of bedfellows, and it may well be that reaction to the bedfellows will determine the outcome of political debate.

<......Hanson should be treated with some degree of caution.>

You don't won't to believe all the media tell you!

Hanson is only a politician yes but it seems most of the other polies don't like her because she ain't sucking up to the minorities.

Her maiden speech to parliament was supposed to be a huge put down of the Oz aboriginal but when you read it (and most have not) then you find it was just an Australian who was concerned that the aboriginals were getting better treatment than the "whites".

Hanson might not be as sophisticated as a lot of pollies but she has hit a chord with a fair number of average Australians who are fed up with being blamed for what happened to the aboriginals in the past.

It would be like me blaming all the current generation of "white" Americans for the importation of "blacks" 200-300 years ago.

It was via a Hanson news email that I have found out about the MAI. No other pollie in Australia seems to want to talk about it. Even my local member has refused to reply to an email about it.

Just remember, being a politician is OK as long as you wash your hands afterwards.

GeoffS

Here are Australia's 28 requested exclusions under MAI (these will be phased out over time):

1. Foreign Acquisition and Takeover Act of 1975, not subject to dispute settlement.
2. Other aspects of the same act.
3. Foreign aid contracts.
4. Prior authorisation required for foreign direct investment by foreign governments.
5. All government procurement.
6. Concessions, including national resource concessions, and state enterprises not subject to dispute resolution.
7. Privatisation allowed by any method.
8. Research and development.
9. Subsidies and grants.
10. Banking Act 1959 and 1972.
11. Single Aviation Agreement with New Zealand.
12. Airport Act of 1996: foreign ownership limit on privatised airports.
13. Airlines - 25% limit on individual foreign investment in domestic airlines and 40% limit of total foreign holdings.
14. Qantas sale act of 1992.
15. Bilateral aviation agreements.
16. Assistance to local films.
17. Fisheries Act, 1952; Fisheries Management Act 1991.
18. Preferences for indigenous people.
19. Migrant Act 1958.
20. Broadcasting Service Act 1992.
21. The need for approval to acquire more than 5% in a newspaper.
22. Restrictions on foreign advertising on television.
23. CSL Sale Act 1993.
24. Restrictions under the Foreign Acquisition and Takeover Act on real estate.
25. Ship Requirement Act of 1981.
26. Social services.
27. Sale of Telstra, and 5% limit on foreign investors.
28. The right to maintain and adopt any performance requirement in all sectors.

You say:

Heartfelt apology

Subject native Title

I CAN"T take it any longer.
I'm here to apologise.
Firstly, I have to apologise for myself.

I'm a fifth generation Aussie and I'm so sorry,
but dammit all, I had no say, but still I apologise.
I do apologise for the first of my Australian
forebears who were sentenced to hang, aged nine
in 1788, but who escaped the noose and was one
of those who, a few years later, came storming
ashore in the invasion of Australia, killing
natives, stealing their children, destroying
forests, degrading the land, polluting the
waterways. God I'm so sorry.

I apologise for Pauline Hanson who tells
the truth. An unheard of thing in Australian
politics.

I apologisy for John Howard, who refused
to listen to fellow politicians and the media, and
the clergy.

I apologise for Atilla The Hun who thought
he could unite the world.

I apologise for Noah, who looked up and
said, Oh God, why did we give them a second
chance?'

And I apologise for God who looked down
and said Oh my, why didn't I knock off on
Friday.'

So there you have it, this is for all the
wimps and wackos who are determined to go
through life blubbering over spilt milk, but this is
my apology. If anyone out there is offended by
this letter, I do apologise.

Max Godfrey
Lismore.

Well said.

Should this be sung to the lyrics of "Waltzing Matilda" or "Tie me down kangaroo sport"? 

Ed.

Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day

re: Young Australian of the Year

Whose votes decide who becomes the Young Australian of the Year?? For that matter... who cares? It's about as exciting as Andrew Denton splitting up with Whats'ername.

S.E. Wagger

Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

"The penalty for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.- Plato

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

The only clear thinking persons alternative to a better future.
Independent Candidate for the Federal Seat of Blair? mm!
Barry Sampson Searle

Oh! an observation on your keeping fit comments : I always wondered why I saw you pounding the pavement with so much determination around Karana Downs . Is it working for your sexual atractivness or is it just helping to keep your lower chest development at bay!

Definitely the latter Barry, definitely the latter. For our general readership Barry is a lovable eccentric much like myself... he has a heart of gold but misplaces it from time to time.... <cheeky grin>

Sport:

Wow, what a cricket match! The First in the One Day test series was quite extraordinary.

Probably the best match that I have had the fortune to watch with South Africa just getting Australia out in the last over and winning by just six runs. The final score line 241 (SA) to 235 (Aus). The highlight was the throw by Jonti Rhodes - who succeeded in running out opener Mark Waugh in the first over for just three runs.

Rhodes dived to his left at full stretch to

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Another perfect day in paradise.

Have a good one.

Below are some photographs taken from one of our rental properties let to a young Aboriginal family. Unfortunately we had to have them evicted by the police. The state of the house is just a small part of the overall reason.

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