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Wednesday, 28th January 1998
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Archive of weekly features: [The Canberra Column] [Economic Rationalism]
Pauline Hanson sure to run for the Federal seat of Blair
I am quietly confident that Independent Oxley MP Pauline Hanson, leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation will run for the seat of Blair.
And why shouldn't she? With the redistribution of the seat of Oxley she now lives on a farm in the Blair electorate.
She is expected to announce her decision on Friday, and interesting that she will be at a dinner in Kingaroy that evening - the seat of Blair.
Economic Rationalism: "THE REAL FREE MARKET ECONOMICS"
Extract from this week's article:
"The economic theory underlying the policy known as ‘economic rationalism’ is supposed to be free market theory. As we will see, the resemblance to genuine free market theory is at best superficial."
Pauline Hanson interview tonight on Channel 7's Today-Tonight current affairs programme
Pauline Hanson will feature on Channel 7's Today-Tonight programme tonight talking about MAI.
Keep an eye open for it. Ms Hanson is expected to be on Today-Tonight again tomorrow debating Democrats Senator Stott Despoja over the issue of children under 16 being allowed on our streets after midnight.
Ms Hanson's policy on this can be seen here.
The Australian of the Day scam
The following excellent letter appeared in today's Courier Mail... followed by an alternative point of view...
"It was to be expected that any criticism of Cathy Freeman as Australian of the Year would draw accusations of racism.
"Racist" is not a label that bothers the thinking person much any more; the word has been rendered meaningless through overuse and repeated misuse. In today's vernacular, a racist is anyone who disagrees with any point of view expounded by any other person not 100% white Anglo-Saxon.
"The choice of Freeman as Australian of the Year was inappropriate and very probably politically motivated - a sop to the vocal, self-interested, divisive and racially motivated elements in the community.
"The Prime Minister shrugged off this suggestion, maintaining that political consideration are eliminated by having an independent committee make the selection. That's spin doctor talk and should fool on one. It is very easy to select a group of individuals such that the group as a whole will be inclined towards a prerequisite bias.
"Many worthy awards recognise superior athletic performance. How is it appropriate that a community service award be made on the basis of genetics?
"It was reported that the other factor in Freeman's selection was "advancing the cause of reconciliation". When? How? Reconciliation suggests getting together. It was Freeman who opportunistically used her athletic prowess to parade a factional icon on the world stage, when the universally accepted adornment for that occasion was the flag of the nation that honoured her with the opportunity to represent it and paid her to do so.
"Freeman for Sportswoman of the Year? Very possibly, although the competition would be stiff. Freeman as Australian of the Year? Only if you think that the criteria for such a national community award need not include any demonstration of exceptional community service"
Bill Hely, Clayfield
Alternative point of view:
I cannot believe what an inflated sense of self-importance that Hanson woman possesses. Does she really believe that the choice for Australian of the Year and Young Australian of the Year were anyway influenced by her stupid and ill-informed remarks? Maybe she thought she would have received the award for Australian of the Year for her contribution towards promoting peace and harmony in Australia
Joyce Kwok, Westlake.
There is no doubt in my view that the latter letter writer is talking about herself when she says "stupid and ill-informed".
However, the classic response is that by the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner in Queensland, Karen Walters, who warned Pauline Hanson that her comments on the selection of the Australian and Young Australian of the Year could land her in front of the Human Rights Commission!
"Pauline Hanson has already been brought before the federal commission under similar circumstances for comments she made about not representing Aboriginal constituents in her area," Ms Walters said.
Just about sums up the political correctness of the decision when you have this totally ignorant and ill-informed remark by the Commissioner of the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commission. Maybe she (Ms Walters) should front the Human Rights Commission herself!
These are the words from the incident that landed Ms Hanson before the Human Rights Commission:
Reporter: "So you're fighting for all the white community generally?"
Hanson: "Yeah, look the white community, the immigrants, the Italians, Greeks, whoever, it really doesn't matter you know, anyone apart from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. I just want everyone to be equal and... I think there's a racial discrimination out in the community and we might start to get on to work together as one."
Hanson's comments don't make sense in the context that they are portrayed in News Limited's Courier Mail quite simply because what the paper left out of Hanson's statement was a comment along these lines "... that the indigenous people of Australia receive social services that no one else does..."
So the reporters statement recorded above re-read means: "So you're fighting (on this issue) for all the white community generally?"
Making the
news" -
Subject: Hanson meeting at Mordale
G'day.
I live in Hurstville and on Saturday after doing my shopping I was on my way home when I ran into a few people handing out pamphlets near Hurstville station.
Like most people I grabbed a pamphlet and was about to walk off when I noticed the picture on it. It was a picture of Ms Hanson with cross hairs drawn on it!
I realised that it was another of these anti Hanson blurbs that are getting around and it offended me. I stopped, screwed the bit of paper up and passed it back. I turned and as I walked off got a verbal lashing about being a racist (my uncle Keith Woo and my good friend of 20 years Chan Chuck Fai would have a good laugh about that one).
Just as I was about to enter another shop I heard what sounded like "we'll get you later" or similar. I naturally took this to be a threat and turned back and asked the guy if he was threatening me. He replied with something like "she'll will get hers" obviously a threat aimed at Hanson.
The shout that they had was "no free speech for racists" but to me what they meant was "no free speech"
These people wanted others to turn up at the One Nation meeting and try and disrupt it and if possible assault a few people to try and intimidate them and others.
All this is beginning to worry me a bit. My father (who was an immigrant) fought for this country in WW2 for ALL Australians to have the right to free speech amongst other things. I'm sure he is turning in his grave now.
I don't know where Australia is going and it concerns me.
Regards
Geoff Stanley
Subject: Moon Madness.
To the Editor,
Dear Sir
With unemployment, family breakdowns, starvation, murder, rape, burglaries, plus 10,000 other happenings throughout the World, I believe that if there is life on other PLANETS, EARTH must be the LUNATIC ASYLUM.
All the experts have tried to straighten these problems out and failed miserably, and they have the score on the board to prove it.
Bring on CITIZENS' INITIATED REFERENDA and let us, the PEOPLE, have a try.
Best Wishes
Jack Sturge.
Subject: Australia Day
Dear Editor
Well the card-carrying, fully paid-up members of IHAS, the I Hate Australia Society, are at it again. Every year they agitate for the scrapping of Australia Day claiming that it is unrepresentative of migrants and offensive to Aborigines. Wrong on both counts.
The celebration of the arrival of the First Fleet on 26th January 1788 was the perfect choice for Australia Day. Not only does it commemorate a very significant day in Australia's history, but by extension it also celebrates arrivals full stop.
All white Australians, and the overwhelming majority of blacks, have ancestors who, until the age of air travel, arrived here by ship. Today, only the tiny minority of full-blood Aborigines have no migrants in their ancestry. The First Fleet symbolises all the ships and planes that have brought the millions of people to Australia. For that reason it is still the perfect choice for Australia Day.
With regard to the alleged offence felt by Aborigines, I would just like to pass on to readers the fact that in the little country NSW town where I live, the Australia Day celebrations were kicked off with singing of the National Anthem and the raising of the flag. So what? Well an Aboriginal man strumming his guitar up on the official platform led the singing. He did not look alienated or offended. In fact he looked proud to be an Australian. Onya, Les!
Antonia Feitz
Ps. When you think about it, only a craven, gutless nation is ashamed of its history. Those who seek to get rid of Australia Day should examine their motives.
Subject: Human Rights Commission
Hi,
The Human Rights commission's claim that Australians should all apologise to the Aboriginals even if they were not there at the time is laughable. I don't know what makes the Human Rights Commission so stupid, but whatever it is it really works.
All peoples throughout history have suffered injustices unnecessarily, but to seek apologies from those who had nothing to do with those injustices is ludicrous.
I wonder if the Human Rights Commission would allow me to find some scapegoat to demand an apology from for the injustices that have occurred in my life? Somehow I think that they might say it wouldn't be the politically correct thing to do because I'm a white Australian.
Thanks,
Peter.
Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
I who laughs last, laughs loudest.-- God
Good to see the Aussie cricket team whopped those upstart South Afrikaans again, eh Scotty!
Independent Candidate for the Federal Seat of Blair?
mm!
Barry A Sampson Searle
Australia took out the third and final one day series against Australia - winning 2 games to 1.
Another beautiful day in paradise.
Have a good one.
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