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Tuesday 16th September 1997
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International:

What is of particular interest is the magazine's open invitation to those who have been the centre of Littlemore's attention to have their comments heard.

Littlemore also revealed how the editorial staff of News Limited newspapers are briefed by the editor in chief. A leaked fax detailed how editors should divert unwanted attention and blame being pointed at News Limited following the death of Princess Di and allegations that the paparazzi were to blame.

News Limited editors followed the instructions from their chief to the "T" - showing how much editorial independence there actually is within that group.

This after one of News Corporation's magazines allegedly paid £50,000 to the paparazzi for second rights to secure intimate pictures of Di and Dodi just days before the tragedy.

We know that a very firm and negative line is held on all things Hanson - so it goes without saying that our views in "Making the News" can be easily substantiated.

Which brings us to News Limited's relentless search for dirt on Pauline Hanson's One Nation.

The Courier Mail reports today that One Nation national director David Ettridge passed a commission payment of Au$150,000 for funds raised for World Vision to a bank account called Global Communications in Vanuatu - which is a well known tax haven used by the rich and the famous. You might recall that World Vision severed their relationship with David Ettridge in April when he took up the challenge of getting Pauline Hanson's One Nation going.

According to The Courier Mail article the Au$150,000 commission was paid to Ettridge after he raised Au$1.2 million for the charity through a charity deal with a supermarket chain.

World Vision yesterday released a statement after some confusion about the ownership of Global Communications was canvassed by a publication called the Australia-Israel Review (AIR) which claimed that Ettridge owned the company and counter claims by Ettridge that the company was owned by Ross Borland. The Courier Mail article did nothing to clarify the ownership of the company despite a journalist speaking to Mr Ettridge about this issue.

Ettridge says in the article he was upset that his charitable work had been brought into question by the papers saying, "The money we raised helped save the lives of three million children."

"The whole thing (by Australia Israel Review) is an assertion that I am some sort of offshore tax cheat. It's just not true."

The Australian Tax Office has, of course, been alerted by the media but have refused to say whether it was investigating Mr Ettridge.

Speaking to David Ettridge earlier today I was able to get the background to the story which was once again left out by the Courier Mail.

Global Communications, owned by an ex-pat Australian living in Vanuatu met all the costs for the money raising venture for World Vision.

The venture, inspired by Ettridge, cost World Vision nothing, not one brass cent, with costs being met by Ross Borland's Global Communications. Global Communications were sent the commission cheques in Vanuatu. Over a four year period amounted to Au$150,000. Borland's costs were claimed and the balance of the performance related commissions then paid to Ettridge in the normal manner to cover his costs. World Vision was quoted as saying the fund raising venture, which saved 3,000,000 children's lives, was the most successful promotion that they had ever had.

The fee of 12.5% levied by Ettridge was well below the normal charity administration fee levied at 40% to 60% by those organising charity drives and was based on covering his costs.

Ettridge said that he made absolutely nothing out of the World Vision fund raising venture which he did out of the goodness of his heart. He was sickened to see how the media manipulated this story to make him look like a tax cheat.

Here we have a man doing charity work being accused of being a tax cheat by Murdoch's News Limited. Murdoch is personally allegedly being sought, funnily enough, by the government of Israel (amongst many others) for allegations of tax cheating and other crimes... with hundreds of millions of dollars allegedly being involved.

Now I wonder why that does not get aired by The Courier Mail - after all I doubt if their boss has one charitable cell in that all devouring "greed is good" mentality he expouses so well.

If you want to see how squeaky clean Mr Rupert Murdoch is... have a good look at these allegations... but, be warned, it will make your hair curl!

Political:

Australia has already lent Thailand over Au$1 billion in support for the baht but the currency is still falling fast. The total support given by the international community came to US$16 billion through a plan co-ordinated by the International Monetary Fund - which pretty well runs Australia now because of our foreign debt.

Yesterday Foreign Minister, foot-in-mouth, Downer said, "If we were called in a hypothetical situation to provide support for other countries in the region or additional support for Thailand or whatever it may be we would obviously look at that.

"But I don't think its going to come to that."

Downer was speaking to the Australia Thailand Business Council in Perth and took the opportunity to lash Ms Hanson, who could well become his nemesis, saying, "No amount of inflammatory rhetoric by a maverick rejected by 95% of the population would change Australian's belief in a fair and non-discriminatory approach.

"The member for Oxley, with support from only 5% of the population has not, does not, and will not, be making Australian foreign policy."

Let us remember that the Coalition Government followed Ms Hanson's lead in cutting immigration to Australia after they agreed with her that immigrants were taking Australian jobs and increasing the rate of unemployment here.

You say:

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Tonight we will be enjoying the company of Ian and Monica Anderson, friends of ours from Norfolk Island.

Have a great day.

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