Recent stories exclusive to (how to) subscribe/rs of the Australian National News of the Day:
News Limited and
censorship - afirst hand experience. 24th
March
Pauline Hanson
endorses 12 state candidates. 22nd March
News Limited bucket
opposition to the MAI. 21st March
The proposed privatisation of
Telstra 16th March 1998
Queensland State Candidates meet the
people 15th March 1998
One Nation, the First Year 12th March
1998
Pauline
Hanson tackles the MAI in Parliament while the media re-writes
history 10th March 1998
Feature:
How did the Hanson phenomenon start?
8th March 1998
Presentation on
"the level playing field" that ain't 7th March
1998
Current topical links (available to all readers):
[Links to the MAI]
[Queensland
One Nation State Election website]
[Sign the "I'm so sorry Pauline"
book]
Archive of weekly features (available to all readers):
[The
Canberra Column]
[Economic
Rationalism]
Today's
Headlines
an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's
first daily Internet newspaper.
Since
October 1995
Globalisation and the MAI
by Grahame Strachan
Extract from this week's article:
The MAI is the latest step in a programme to which successive Australian governments since at least 1983 have committed this
country: it’s called ‘GLOBALISATION’. The public have not been properly informed about it, let alone asked if they want it. Nor
has the real meaning or full implications of ‘globalisation’ been made clear to them. The word has subtly been slipped into the
language by the media, and the process proceeded with as though it has all been agreed to. The realisation of what
‘globalisation’ really means is only now dawning on the public, brought to light by the MAI.
When people ask, “Why would successive Australian governments pursue an economic policy obviously designed to run down the
nationally-owned and controlled economy, in favour of foreign ownership and control? The answer is, “That’s part of
globalisation”. It’s no conspiracy theory.
Selective reporting reveals the true state of the independent press
If you watched Channel 9s A Current Affair yesterday and read today's News Limited Courier Mail you could be excused for being confused about the reason for expected price rises in the price of petrol at the pumps.
On a scale of 1-10 I would give Channel 9 a "3" for credible reporting, while News Limited would not even feature with misreporting being the order of the day leaving me with no option but to give it a negative score.
The reporting on expected petrol price rises is a case in point. News Limited's Courier Mail tells us that a slowing down of production will have an effect on the price at the pump providing the Motor Traders Association of Queensland as its source.
The A Current Affair report provides an entirely different perspective - one that should be of major concern to all of us but, in particular, our Federal politicians. Unfortunately our federal representatives are too busy fighting each other over personal issues such as Parer and conflict of interest claims.
For days now the upper and lower houses of parliament have been embroiled in a stand up row between the Coalition and the Australian Labor Party. These career politicians live in another world sanitised from the real lives of the Australians who voted them in - stupidly. When they leave parliament the measure of their success is not measured in what they have done for Australia but what they have done for themselves through establishing contacts and doing repayable deals when in power. The roving, global ALP ex-Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating are proof of this simple fact.
The plight of you and I true-blue Aussies is very different. Day after day we see little pieces of what is dear to us being chopped off and thrown in the "greed basket" of the multinationals. The family petrol station franchise is the latest classic example.
The petrol stations want to establish outlets at big shopping centres. Outlets managed by major supermarkets like Woolworths. The small family franchisees could get in the way of big profits if they try to compete by offering lower petrol prices.
Over 1,000 small family run petrol stations will be closed by the major oil companies when their franchise agreements expire. Already some, like Tom and Diane Ervine, who worked a franchise for Ampol for 27 years have been evicted from the only career that they know. It is not just Ampol. It is BP, Mobil, etc... it is multinationals.
Wendy Willan who runs a small BP franchise with her husband in the Sydney suburb of Avalon said, "I know that we don't fit into the big picture. The only thing they are concerned with is making big profits."
95% of Australia's petrol outlets are owned by petrol companies with most being run by franchisees. In 1980 the Federal Government introduced the Petroleum Retailing Franchising Act guarantees contracts of 9 years for those taking up a franchise. Now the oil companies are refusing to renew hundreds of these contracts with little or no compensation more often than not leaving the successful business owners unemployed but with unpayable debts to pay... many will be forced into bankruptcy.
Mark Hilliard of the Caboolture (north of Brisbane) Ampol franchise is an example of one whose contract will not be renewed. After running the franchise for 22 years Ampol have given him four months notice to move out.
According to Marcus Covington of the Service Station Association the oil companies are looking for a new breed of person who, if they do not work directly for the company, will work indirectly for the company - allowing them to maximise their profits. "Because these companies are taking away the livelihood with no compensation, no recognition for years of service that they have spent working for the company and often leaving the families with debts that they cannot service because they are unemployed."
The only representative of an oil company who agreed to be interviewed was BP's media manager, Neil MacMaster. MacMaster was interviewed in his swish Sydney office. He said, "We need to do something that will make our industry, our company more profitable and unfortunately that means the rationalisation of service stations. There is nothing to defend."
Interviewer: "Are these people getting any compensation?"
MacMaster: "They are getting the compensation in the fact that we are giving them a fixed contract for a long period of time. We could have given them a month's notice by law but we felt that because of their good performance we felt they should be given the support, the career planning advice to allow them to exit with the possibility of moving on to another career."
Interviewer: "I take it you are quite proud to be giving them the 12 month's notice?"
MacMaster" "Yes we are."
Final word from Covington: "You and I will be the loser because the petrol companies and the supermarkets will dominate the (petrol) market."
Where is the level playing field in this... and we don't even have the MAI to contend with yet.
Update on the MAI and FSIA in Canada.
Citizens reported hearing Marchi (the Canadian trade minister) say on the news on Thursday March19,1998 that he will sign the MAI on Canada's behalf in April 1998. It was confirmed yesterday by the COC that Marchi has said he will sign a political accord in April respecting the MAI and will negotiate the issues later.
It appears that he is so bound and determined to commit Canada that he may indeed sign something. Canadian activists are saying that they must not let up until they have it in writing that Canada signs nothing without referring the question to the Canadian people by way of a binding referendum, that Canada has withdrawn from negotiations on the MAI until that referendum issue is resolved.
Canadians are also saying that it is imperative that Canada does not ratify the Financial Services Agreement, that Canada not approve the merger of the Royal Bank and the Bank of Montreal, that Canada maintain the 10% rule for ownership of Canadian banks, and that Canada re-establishes the rule that not more than 25% of shares can be owned by foreigners.
In Australia it is already too late - we signed the FSIA in 1995 and now 86% of our banking industry is foreign owned.
In Canada, just like Australia's Packer, Conrad Black is a visible presence at the elbow of their prime minister at state functions demonstrates his ascending reign of power.
"Make no mistake ! Marchi has something up his sleeve. He alone can commit us. We have to reign in the arrogance of their power and reassert democracy. Democracy will only die if we let it!!!" is the catch cry of Canadians...
Indian student's active TB covered up by immigration officials
Immigration officials knew when Rammohan Neelan, the student who died of TB, arrived in Australian in August last year that he had TB. Yet they told no-one.
Now it has been revealed that this student worked in a restaurant on the Gold Coast.
Yesterday Queensland's Chief Health Officer, Diana Lange, said, "The student could have been treated effectively when his condition was diagnosed but he died because the (local authorities) were unaware he had the illness."
Immigration Minister Phil Ruddock yesterday told Parliament, "I regard health testing as being absolutely critical but one ought not to alarmist in relation to these matters."
Ruddock said that the office in New Delhi, India through which Neelan gained student-immigration status would be investigated with one staff member, employed locally, already having been fired.
Meanwhile TB has now reached epidemic proportions in Indonesia with the poor most affected. About 175,000 Indonesians die each year because of TB while in Australia only 6 in 100,000 catch the disease - normally after travelling abroad. The national average in Indonesia is 250 per 100,000 with regions like Kalimantan and Sumatra being well above that number.
Making the
news" -
Prime Minister John Howard fazed by internal fighting in the Queensland State party.
Howard yesterday lashed out at his Liberal colleagues in the Queensland State Party saying that the boil over was affecting its chances in the upcoming Queensland State election.
Howard targeted the row over the release of documents relating to Senator
Parer's business interest by an unnamed Liberal and the impact that that
had had over the selection of candidates for the Senate.
We reported
on the Parer/Senate issue
yesterday.
Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day
Interesting story on Ray Martins program tonight. Apparently all the oil companies simultaneously (coincidence no doubt!) have given notices to thousands of service station owners/franchisees round the country notice to pack their bags and vacate. All service stations are now to be owned and operated by the oil companies themselves. Many of these people have had the stations for decades as their family business, and are being thrown into unemployment with no compensation whatsoever.
The fact that all the oil companies are doing it simultaneously is proof of monopolisation of the retail market, and is what we can expect from multi corporate power. Employees instead of competitive retail outlets. Small business being abolished causing unemployment to experienced career business people. The MAI if enacted may pose a serious deterrent to our Government doing something about this sort of trend through policy.
Tim Shaw
See lead story above.
Editor
Subject: TB Death
Dear Sir,
Authorities may make light of the fact that a known infected Indian student was allowed into our country to study and subsequently died of tuberculosis. They can well say that there is no cause for alarm but try telling that to my 18 year old son who is a student of Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus. I can assure you that we will not be waiting for the system to catch up with him. Until the relevant public servants get off their backsides and screen everyone within a hundred kilometres that had even the remotest possibility of having been in contact with this infected person we have the potential for a major disaster.
Allan W. Doak
Subject: Less Migration.
The Editor
Dear Sir
The result of the voteline, in the Melb Herald Sun on Tuesday March 24th, regarding 'Does Australia need more migrants?' is-
3.2% YES
96.8% NO.
Jack
Subject: MAI
It would appear that the same tactics are being used by the Federal Government on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment as with other treaties, i.e. the use of an inquiry. A recent advertisement by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia advised that the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has been established to receive submissions on the subject. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Alexander Downer has asked the Committee, chaired by Mr. Bill Taylor MP (Liberal, Qld.) to conduct an inquiry and report to the Parliament on; "the potential consequences for Australia arising from the matter known as the MAI". An interim report has been sought by 25 May, 1998.(Good timing??)
This should be given wide circulation, at the same time pointing out that such inquiries are a cover for a decision that has already been made The Inquiry is designed to placate the innocent by referring to all of the submissions and stating that the Committee reached its recommendations after due consideration to the submissions.
It is a waste of time to draft a submission for what can be seen as a fait accompli in the making. This happened with Inquiry on Tariffs and the writer has evidence within a submission to the effect that the final report on that Inquiry would be to continue with the policy of tariff reduction. Last year a similar Inquiry into the finance system had a similar outcome and again the writer did not put in a submission on the basis that the outcome was a foregone conclusion, and it was proved again to be correct.
The MAI is too important to allow this to happen again. Is the MAI in any way linked to the sale of the remainder of Telstra? Remember the visit to Mr. Hawke by Mr. Rothschild immediately after his election to office and the subsequent opening up of the financial system to foreigners? Does the visit by Bill Gates constitute a quick visit to open our eyes to the wonder of new technology, or was there another reason? How come an individual, irrespective of how rich, can address the cabinet of an elected government? Can we expect more of this after the MAI becomes a reality?
Victor J. Bridger
Subject:
Re: MAI - It
scares me.
It is rather humorous isn't it. : )
Still, this isn't the first time you have agreed
with us. For example when we were protesting against Suharto's capitalist
dictatorship and the brutal massacre of the East Timorese and the horrendous
imprisonment of democracy activists in Indonesia. You should watch out, you
may be turning into a socialist.
Actually, Resistance is active in supporting
her right to free speech. I think you must be confusing us with the ISO,
(International Socialist Organization). I think the ISO believe in
trying to close down all her meetings. There are quite a few other organisations
that try to shut her up too. They don't seem to realise how hypocritical
it is to claim to support free speech while you try to shut up anyone who
disagrees with you.
But Resistance and the Democratic Socialist Party (the
Democratic Socialist Party is a political party which was started by Resistance)
do not think she should be denied free speech.
We do however think she gets a lot more media coverage
than anyone else and we don't think that's very fair, especial since such
a small majority seem to currently support her in polls.
For example, when was the last time you heard Resistance
or the Democratic Socialist Party mentioned in the media? Actually the media
isn't very reliable at all. Like all capitalists they will only print what's
in their money making interests. So when you say bad things about indigenous
people they will sensationalise on it, but when you say things that upset
their money-making ventures in foreign countries they will keep very very
quiet about it. I tried to read your newspaper on the internet, but you charge
money for it (and US money too!). Whereas our newspaper
Green Left Weekly
is completely FREE and every singe issue is available on the internet.
The capitalist media certainly doesn't portray our
protests accurately, and neither do you. I wasn't sure I wanted to go to one
at first because I had read and seen in the media that they were violent
and aggressive. But I did go to one and I saw for myself that there was no
violence or aggression. Everyone had balloons and there was singing and dancing
and a variety of speakers from different organisations. The media came for
a short while. The guy from channel seven was there shaking his camera and
rocking back and forth trying to pretend it was violent. But the media gave
up and left when they decided that there wasn't going to be any violence
or anything they could use as sensationalism.
Pauline and her one nation party do make a lot of people
very very angry and upset though and there was understandably a lot of shouting
and chanting at people who went into the meeting. They have good reason to
be angry and upset too. But there was certainly no violence.
I am very glad Pauline Hanson is taking a stand against
the MAI. The Democrats are also taking a stand against it. I signed a petition
that they were doing at Uni to stop the MAI.
I am glad to hear Pauline Hanson is not a racist. I
can't stand racists. Racism is pure evil.
She wont mind then if we bring all our anti-racism
placards and badges and T-Shirts and everything to her meetings then. But
somehow I find it hard to believe she is not a racist. Her enormous factual
errors at the base of her major policies can only be explained by her having
an irrational fear and dislike of other races. Her upbringing would easily
lead to racism.
Racism has been created by governments and big corporations
to justify the evils that they do.
For example governments always try and stir up racism
so they can justify things like the Vietnam war, in which the United States
invaded Vietnam, dropped an amount of bombs equal to 150kg of explosives
per person, per year on it, and killed more than a million Vietnamese people
and used chemical weapons on the country (makes their stance on Iraq completely
hypocritical). After the war Vietnam had more craters than the moon and one
third of the land had been poisoned (which for an agricultural country like
Vietnam is devastating). Australia's ruling class created all these "yellow
peril" myths to justify the fact that they were forcing their citizens to
go over to Vietnam and slaughter the Vietnamese and kick them out of their
homes just to please the United States.
Pauline Hanson's mother seemed to have fallen for these
myths when I saw her speaking on a video. Oh well. It's just one of many
instances in which Australia does whatever the US tells us to do. The United
States are the ones who seem to run this country half the time :-(
Pauline Hanson's supporters seem to have a tendency
to blame all the countries problems on immigrants and aboriginals and other
races. This is what the government wants of course, since that lets it completely
off the hook. If the government can get everyone to blame all their problems
on an easily recognisable group of people who look different then the government
doesn't even need to try to do anything to reduce unemployment and it doesn't
have to accept any responsibility for the problems.
I agree with you when you say "MAI is just one of many
symptoms of a sick political system".
Anyway, if I decide to go to a One Nation meeting can
I get in for free? And when and where will it be? I live in Adelaide.
If Resistance goes to a Pauline Hanson meeting, will
Pauline Hanson come to a Resistance meeting?
Carl Kenner.
PS. Does it seem ironic to you that a company named
"Global Web Builders" supports a party called "One Nation"? There is nothing
Global about a single nation.
That is the name of my business.
Editor
Have a good one.
Another perfect day in paradise.
Have a good one.
See GLOBE International for
other world news.
Resistance
Personal trivia, from
the global
office:
Another perfect day in paradise.
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