Recent stories exclusive to (how to) subscribe/rs of the Australian National News of the Day:
The Internet and
the DEATH of the MAI - 30th April
Launch of Pauline
Hanson's re-election campaign - 29th April
Second One Nation
protest surprises Bob McMullan - 28th April
Sultan
of Brunei buys up big tracks of Australia - then negotiates Indonesian
"settlements" 25th April
Maritime
Union of Australia win in the Federal Court 22nd April
Just
who is behind the dock war? 19th April
One
Nation Birthday Party on Pauline Hanson's farm 10th-12th April
One
Nation state and federal candidates meet in Toowoomba 4th -5th
April
Hindmarsh
Island Bridge case thrown out by High Court 2nd April
The
Hindmarsh Island Bridge farce revealed 31st March
Current topical links (available to all readers):
[Links to the MAI]
[Queensland
One Nation State Election website]
[One Nation Federal Web
Site]
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
MAI wounded but not dead, Hanson.
With news earlier this week that the MAI was dead, Pauline Hanson has warned that it is likely to appear in another form.
Here is an extract from the article:
The OECD suspended negotiations on the destructive Multilateral Agreement on Investment until October this year is good news, and a great triumph for people power. However, the MAI is only slightly wounded not dead and One Nation will be doing everything possible to kill the MAI and bury it once and for all and forever.
The Australian people must be made aware this is not a defeat for the OECD and their accomplices, the Liberal/National coalition and the Labor Party, merely a tactical withdrawal to assess a new line of attack. Both Labor and the Coalition have demonstrated their commitment to sign the MAI - anything different said by them now is just part of their deceptive trick.
Growing importance of One Nation web site
Today's Weekend Australian notes the growing importance of the Internet in promoting Pauline Hanson's message.
Here is an extract from the article:
The party is also extensively using the Internet and its Web site to sell a campaign by-passing the mainstream media, particularly in regional Queensland.
A One Nation success could be the first step towards the election of a virtual party and a computer candidate as more appears on the site than is actually expressed by Ms Hanson in parliament or in public.
Courier Mail respond to my Australian Press Council complaint.
The Courier Mail yesterday responded to my complaint to the Australian Press Council (APC) only after I agreed to sign a declaration stating that I would not take them to court over the case.
Their response, which has led me to ask for the APC to adjudicate can be seen at this link. The hearing is set for 22nd May 1998.
Native title claims in Queensland continue
Almost all of north-western Queensland's mineral province is now under native title claim following a massive new entry to the Native Title Tribunal.
The claim on behalf of the Kalkadoon people covers 63,000 square kilometres - representing just under 5% of Queensland.
Queensland State Premier Rob Borbidge said yesterday that there are "now native title claims overlapping the over lapping claims.
"Virtually the entire north-west minerals province is now covered by at least one native title claim," Borbidge said.
Queensland Mining Council director said yesterday, "These overlapping (native title) claims make it very difficult for mining companies to operate.
"It's this very confusion that we are anxious to have cleared up, hence the need for urgent resolution of the whole Native Title Act and the amendments that have been proposed in Canberra."
The new claim runs from the Gregory River, site of the new Nathan Dam, 250 km north of Mount Isa to Dajarra 100 km south of Mount Isa and takes in the towns of Camooweal and Cloncurry.
Another major native title claim has been made on the opal district of Emerald by the Ghungalu people with an area of 25,000 square kilometres stretching from Emerald to Moura falling into this one.
Meanwhile the Southport Spit, on the Gold Coast, has also been claimed on behalf of the Kombumerri people - this claim for just four hectares - is adjacent to Sea World - but would fetch a very high price because of its location if sold to commercial or developer interests.
Another job-busting decision by Australia's High Court
Local television quotas must include New Zealand-made programs, the High Court ruled yesterday.
Television stars and film-makers called the decision a "black day" for Australian culture. They say Hollywood will cash in on it unless the Government acts quickly to amend broadcasting laws.
New Zealand program makers argued - and the court upheld - that the Closer Economic Relations agreement between New Zealand and Australia prevailed over the Australian Broadcasting Authority's local content regulations.
"This means that a commercial network could screen 175 hours of the New Zealand soap Shortland Street, no Australian drama, and still comply with the Australian content quota," said the secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Ms Anne Britton.
Networks say they are not about to flood schedules with New Zealand programs when 17 of the 20 top-rating shows are Australian.
But local film-makers fear that even if New Zealand shows rated poorly, the networks would eventually find the cost savings irresistible and screen them outside prime time.
"Some successful Australian programming will go on at least for a while, like Water Rats and Neighbours and Home and Away," said the president of the Australian Writers' Guild, Geoffrey Atherden. "But it will make it harder and harder for new Australian drama programs to get up, because they will have to fight against foreign competition."
The local production industry fears Hollywood will seize upon the decision. The Motion Picture Association of America, led by the lobbyist Mr Jack Valenti, has long argued that international obligations override our content standards. The director of Blue Heelers, Mr Graham Thorburn, said: "The flow-on effect from this treaty to other treaties may well mean we are no longer able to maintain our cultural sovereignty.
"Ultimately it will be a pyrrhic victory for New Zealand because it will be about the big powers winning and the small powers no longer having the ability to determine what they see on air."
Local actors, producers, writers, directors and government film agencies, banded together as Project True Blue, called the result "a scandal".
They called on the Government to fix the "technical loophole" through which the New Zealanders slipped.
A spokesman for the Minister for Trade, Mr Fischer, said he was holding talks yesterday with the Arts Minister, Senator Alston. Senator Alston's office said the matter would get "early consideration".
Making the
news" -
Hello Scott,
just read the news about MAI. Congratulations. At least the crap you copped is worth it.
Regards
Martin
Subject: CER TREATY IMPACT ON FILM INDUSTRY & AUSTRALIA IN GENERAL, OTHER COUNTRIES WITH TREATY AGREEMENTS WITH AUSTRALIA Dear Sir,
Enclosed below, if you don't know already, is a list of all the treaty nations Australia is associated with. In the wake of the court decision against the Australian Broadcasting Authority by the New Zealand Film Industry it might be worth a look at the CER treaty established by Doug Anthony & his New Zealand counterpart in the final days of the Fraser Government, and by obligation, retained by the Hawke-Keating-Howard administrations.
Perhaps the rural people in Queensland might like to hear from you & Pauline Hanson about the National Party's former leader betraying his own constituency on the reduction of tariffs & the impact on other small & large business operators in all forms of academic interest.
In anticipation of a media release, or a reply to this letter,
Yours Sincerely,
CHRISTOPHER M. AXTENS
Brother to a local arts student
Student in Politics
Arch opponent of the ideals of the former
Member for Richmond & Deputy Prime Minister
Congratulations on the re-affirmation of your wedding vows, however, this E-Mail is addressed to your wife.
Madam, I salute you. You are a truly brave and remarkable woman.
Jason
Another perfect day in paradise.
Have a good one.
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