Recent stories exclusive to (how to) subscribe/rs of the Australian National News of the Day:
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
UN
agrees to make our fresh water a "global commodity".... beware farmers -
your fresh water dam WILL cost you! 28th March
Courier
Mail's national affairs reporter Peter Charlton attacks MAI concerns and
breaches ethics guidelines 28th March
The
US Government's global "Cablesplice" project, fact or fantasy? 26th
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
Canberra Column by Peter Mackay
This week's Canberra Column follows Pauline Hanson's trip to Queanbeyan.
Here is an extract... and the
famous ties on the right. (They can be purchased
through Peter.)
The lady behind the jeweller's counter looked up as I approached her, then recoiled in horror and tried to hide behind a display rack of engagement rings.
It wasn't me, honest! I was dressed conservatively in suit and silk tie, fresh haircut and smiling broadly. Shopkeepers don't normally run for cover even when I wear shorts and T-shirt.
It might have been Pauline Hanson, a few paces behind me, flame red hair, jacket and lipstick. I can well understand why some of her opponents would be aghast at the thought of actually meeting Australia's most controversial parliamentarian and having to defend their views in person.
No. It was the three TV news cameras following Pauline, lights blazing. Not to mention the press journalists crowding behind. And the dozen plainclothes police scattered unobtrusively around. And the handful of One Nation Party executives dressed alike in dark suits, white shirts and eye-catching Australian Flag ties. And the hangers on.
ANZAC day marches around Australia
It is with a twinge of sadness that I read about the ANZAC day parades around our country. The brave old diggers, infantry, and veterans who served in our armed forces during this century and before.
The "photo-opportunity" politicians are at all the right spots with Prime Minister John Howard speaking at the Hellfire Pass yesterday, declaring it a "sacred monument".
"Their story of sacrifice and suffering of constance and compassion, illuminates the very essence of the ANZAC spirit," he said to an audience of cameramen and veterans. The newsmen in the foreground making it difficult for the veterans to see Howard or what was going on.
Meanwhile in Canberra, deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer paid tribute to Australian army nurses at an Anzac Day speech at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
"It is a story of caring and courage, of duty and determination, and of survival in the face of appalling conditions and treatment," Fischer said.
While the politicians are making feelgood statements aimed at boosting their own political fortunes the flag under which these veterans fought is going to be left off the Olympic uniforms for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Internationalist, John Coates, the Olympic chief, said last week that the Australian Olympic Committee had determined that the team would be "dressed and branded in a way the athletes feel comfortable" and that this would mean that the uniform would not contain the Australian flag... because it had the Union Jack in it.
Well known athlete, Melinda Gainsford-Smith said yesterday, "It is absolutely important that it should be retained. I've got a lot of respect for John Coates and what he says, but I don't think he is right on this."
The Retired Serviceman's League (RSL) is rightly outraged with the New South Wales president, Rusty Priest, saying, "Today of all days, we suggest that we drop the flag, it is unthinkable. I have news for John Coates - the Australian flag is the Australian flag."
Of course the mealiemouth parade of weatherworn career politicians will duck for cover on this issue - no photo-opportunities here, no feel good statements - just another politically sanctioned move to destroy what made Australia great...
Who shares wins
Sydney Morning Herald - Saturday, April 25, 1998
Who shares wins
As governments deliver control to market forces, shareholders run our lives more than ever.
ELISABETH SEXTON looks at the long-term consequences.
Shareholders have been getting a lot of bad press lately.
"The sharemarket made us do it," is the refrain becoming more and more common when a corporate leader has news to deliver that is not going to be universally welcomed.
Whether it's closing bank branches, opening uranium mines, threatening rural phone services, or retrenching workers, executives are quicker than ever to point to the financial benefits for their shareholders.
When Lang Corporation chief executive Chris Corrigan yesterday was asked on ABC radio about his controversial restructure of Lang's stevedoring subsidiaries, he cited looking after his shareholders as moral justification for action which had cost 1400 jobs.
"You do believe that the corporate restructure is entirely legal?" Corrigan was asked. "Yes absolutely." - "And morally correct?"
"Yes, morally correct. At the end of the day shareholders have some rights in this too and I believe they have every right to restructure a company [in a way] that best suits their interests."
Two days earlier the National Australia Bank used a similar line to defend closing rural bank branches.
Making the
news" -
Australian Labor Party (ALP) in disarray
Scorned pre-selection candidate for Pauline Hanson's seat of Oxley, Anne Scott, is not going lying down. Yesterday she accused the ALP of "washing their hands" of her complaint against the selection committee.
"In effect they've washed their hands (of the matter) because they don't want anything to do with it. It's up to me now to pursue any further action. This weekend I'm going to write to the National Executive and ask them to hear the appeal," Mrs Scott said.
Her comments follow delaying action by the Queensland Disputes Tribunal of the ALP after they ruled that they did not have the jurisdiction to deal with a complaint against national secretary as he is not a member of the Queensland branch of the Labor Party.
Of interest is the way in which News Limited's Courier Mail have refused to report on this divisive action in the ALP.... can't make their mates look bad after all - can they?
Mrs Scott said that she believed that the process was now being delayed deliberately and said that she was "very very disgusted" with the party.
"The people of Oxley have been treated like fools right from the start... it's just a joke," she said.
On Monday opposition minister for industrial relations is coming to Ipswich to talk about the same and the situation on the wharves.
His campaign is to support the new Oxley candidate, Bernie Ripoll. Rumour has it that One Nation have a surprise in store for him.
Exclusive coverage of this event will be in this newspaper on Tuesday.
Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day
Dear Sir,
I followed the link to the new world order sites in the ANZAC DAY edition....and i don't know whether to thank you or not!
It occurred to me that our diggers ,who gave their lives to fight world tyranny and domination, would be turning in their graves at what is happening in this country ,today. Today the world domination is by the stealthy, the elite ,the secret, the super wealthy and the powerful. They are drawing up the agenda for total control of the planet. They want to ,in effect , neutralise every country's individuality, to become a part of the World Community...or the Global Neighbourhood...or the New World Order.. whatever its called at the moment. All for the "GOOD" of this "Wider Community" of nations! Any countries not wanting to play the game will be subject to an International Court. A collective New World Army will "enforce" any decisions of this court!
Sounds like good old "Dictatorship " to me!!
When did we ever get to vote on ANYTHING along these lines???
If Pauline Hanson is going to introduce Community Based Referenda , then she has surely got the vote of my family, and many more besides. On that issue alone, any thinking Australian should grab the chance to retain the DEMOCRACY that is so threatened ,today and vote for One Nation.
Regards T.Benge
Subject: Canadian Municipalities vs MAI
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is holding a meeting of the mayors of Canada's 20 largest Cities in Toronto April 24 - 25, 1998. (yesterday and today)
The Multilateral Agreement on Investment was discussed at their meeting yesterday morning, Friday April 24.
They passed the following motion on the MAI:
FCM convey to the Minister for International Trade the concern of FCM's Big City Mayors' Caucus that the federal government consult with municipalities and respect municipal jurisdiction in its negotiations regarding the MAI;
The following handwriting added to the original motion:
and provide ("anm an" handwriting unclear) as that municipalities will not be included in any MAI and approach provincial municipal associations to share our concerns and to urge them to present FCM's position to appropriate Provincial ministers.
Trade Minister Sergio Marchi came to the meeting and spoke to the Mayors. The meeting was not open to the public or the media. We stood nearby.
Apparently the Minister was upset with the Mayors' position on the MAI.
Apparently the Minister advised them to take their concerns about municipal government jurisdiction to their provincial governments.
The Mayors then, apparently, passed their motion again, after the Minister left. That would explain the handwritten notes about taking their concerns to provincial governments.
Although, media were present at Metro Hall at the time, they were not greatly interested in the issue or the Minister's presence.
Bob Olsen
Another perfect day in paradise. Yesterday we took my mother, Joan on a trip to Brisbane and a lunch on the Kookuburra Queen (a paddle boat that goes up and down the Brisbane river.)
Below are some images from that
trip... but before that, the image on the right shows the reclusive, mysterious
and eccentric editor of The Local Bulletin making a point to my wife
at the local dining spot at Colleges Crossing on Friday night... nice fellow
actually.
The old Brisbane building in the final image below is sunsplattered from the light reflecting off a glass building opposite.
Have a good one.
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