Australian National
(anotd)
Saturday 4th July 1998
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Today's
Headlines
an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's
first daily Internet newspaper.
Since
October 1995
Tony Abbott's lies in parliament
On Thursday morning I received a phone call from a man claiming to be from
the Parliamentary library staff in Canberra.
He asked me where he could get a copy of One Nation's constitution. I advised
him to contact David Ettridge at the Manly office. What resulted was
my name being
raised in The Lower House of Federal Parliament that day in which
Mr Abbott states, "... I approach a person described
as One Nation's constitutional officer. When asked for a copy of the
constitution, the gentleman in question, Scott Balson, said, "I only look
after the web page. You will have to ask David Ettridge."
There you go folks, I wear a number of hats - now including that of
"constitutional officer!"
Now that you know the credibility of Tony Abbott read on and judge for yourself
the credibility of one Peter Charlton.
Murdoch's number one "intellectual prostitute raises
his ugly face again.
One thing that I have learnt is not to believe the small 2 by 2 photos of
journalists that sometimes appear alongside the title of an article in the
newspapers. The picture used by Margo Kingston in the Sydney Morning Herald,
for example, must have preceded Noah's flood. However, the one used by Mr
Peter Charlton would have required, I believe, a large amount of dedicated
and careful touching up.
Having met Charlton in a case in which I took the Courier Mail to
the Australian Press Council earlier this year I was quite surprised at how
ugly this man actually is. Not just in looks but in personality, a personality
which glares out at you with hatred... maybe he has been in the profession
too long? Who knows, who cares.
However, today, Mr Charlton's lead article in the Courier Mail headed
"One Man's Notion" is a classic in
'do what I say, not do what I do'. In the article he states
"The effect is to suggest an open, democratic party
with popular support. Yet the reality of One Nation is quite different."
A few weeks ago Charlton sent me an email threatening me with a number of
legal actions. This email is show below:
Priority: Normal
X-Msmail-Priority: Normal
To: gwb@gwb.com.au
From: "Peter Charlton"
Subject: MAI
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 98 15:52:49 PDT
Mr Balson,
I notice that your home page is carrying my report
in The Courier-Mail about the MAI. I own the copyright on that report. I
receive a payment for the Copyright Council twice a year for articles of
mine which have been copied and used.
I have not given you permission to use my report, or
any other material which is my intellectual property.
Unless it is removed instantly, I shall sue.
In any event, I take exception to being described as
"unethical". I regard that as grossly defamatory.
You will be hearing from my solicitors unless any and
all references to me are removed from your website.
Yours sincerely (and determinedly)
Peter Charlton
The comments in Charlton's email followed
my
close coverage of the events leading up to, during and after my action
against The Courier Mail. (This information was fortunately
taken by an unknown person in the US with interest in media related issues
and posted up on a site there before it was removed from the gwb web site
following Charlton's email). It should come as no surprise to readers that
Charlton was the author of the articles which I considered, and still do,
to be biased journalism. It was blatantly obvious to me that Charlton does
not like coming under the scrutiny that he likes to put others. As I
said earlier "do what I say, not what I do"....
In today's Courier Mail article Charlton makes several references to me and
my company and our involvement with One nation.
Here is a transcript of the part of the article referring to GWB:
"Scott Balson of Mount Crosby, who runs the One Nation
World Wide Web site marked the first anniversary of One Nation thus: "Very
few realised the significance of the presence of David Oldfield, who would
soon after become Pauline Hanson's political adviser. Very few had ever met
David Ettridge before, the man who had forged the One Nation dream with Pauline
Hanson.
"Balson is another important One Nation figure. His
web site, Global Web Builders, offers interested Internet browsers a wealth
of information about One Nation. He also operates an associated news service,
for which he charges US$!0 (Au$16) a month, which he claims is "independent"
of One Nation.
"Much of his news service is, in fact, comment and
interpretation on articles published in Australian newspapers and transcripts
of Australian television and radio programmes.
"On the evidence of his web site, Balson is an unabashed
admirer of Hanson the personality: "Some people and the mainstream media
tell me that she is ill-informed, ill-educated, a bigot, racist and divisive
(sic)," he writes. "Others tell me that she speaks for the mainstream population.
It goes without saying that I support the latter point of view... consider
what this woman has been put through by the media in the past two years.
"She is no longer just a politicians. She is the mother
of this nation. She is a wonderful woman and like many, many Australians
I love her for her dedication, vision and guts... she is Pauline... we all
love Pauline and what she stands for..."
"Balson's web site comes complete with photographs
of One Nation gatherings. It provides an opportunity for feedback from members
and interested supporters. The effect is to suggest an open, democratic
party with popular support. Yet the reality of One Nation is quite different."
At this point Charlton brings in the comments by Tony Abbott with all the
balance of the bottomless pit of funds thrown at a small portion of the
Australian population through the infamous ATSIC.
The article is scattered with "According to Abbott..." statements... well
according to Abbott I am the "constitutional officer" and quite frankly,
that, like so much else is total bullshit.
In another Courier Mail example, it was claimed that Steve Menagh from Manly
was no longer associated with the One Nation party. Steve was most surprised
when I phoned to give him the news. It is a sick reflection on the powerhouse
play of the mainstream media when they attempt to intimidate even the most
junior members of One Nation's staff by naming them in articles aimed at
deriding the party.
But, as I said before, intellectual prostitutes who do their master's bidding
without question do not let honesty and integrity get in the way of a good
story.
Why should they? Murdoch and Packer have all but got Australia's media
tied up and, except for the free Internet, they would get away with their
prejudice, hatred and deceit without question. Thus the threatening email
from Charlton.
One Nation state leader to do away with driver
While billion-dollar-Beattie travels around the country in his Au$50 million
jet the leader of a party which gained 23% of the state's vote has had to
forego his driver.
The decision follows the meagre financial provision for One nation staff.
An allocation of Au$300,000 per year for five staff. Bill Feldman, the One
Nation leader, will do without his driver and employ a research officer instead.
People Power
Here
is an extract from an article in the Financial Review By Michelle
Grattan
"Gathered around the lunch table was a group of some of Australia's biggest
business names. They included Tony Berg of Boral, Frank Lowy of Westfield,
Fred Hilmer, the man who has shaped the nation's competition policy, and
Reg Clairs, of Woolworths.
"It was late 1997. The topic was immigration. One Nation was up and running
but not yet rampant. But the diners were worried the migration debate was
slipping away by default and believed the pro-migration arguments should
be put more strongly."
Making the
news" -
an indepth exposé of media and political collusion at the highest
possible levels in Australia.
Political:
You say:
Subject: Support of One Nation Page
I am very disappointed in a company that would support a party like One Nation.
I will attempt to avoid your company in future occasions.
Regards
Craig Leech
Subject: Barbara Hazelton
Dear Sir,
It is not often that I disagree with you but in the case of Barbara Hazelton,
I firmly believe that she was a plant from the beginning. There have just
been too many cases of information failing to get through in the past. Sorry,
but that's the way I see it and it came as no surprise when she raced off
to the media for her 15 minutes of fame and her thirty pieces of silver.
Allan W. Doak
Subject: Peter Costello
Sir,-
IN HIS attack on One Nation, Peter Costello conveniently overlooked the fact
that in 1945, Ben Chifley placed 48 per cent of families (two-parent) in
their home by introducing the Commonwealth Home Loan Scheme. These homes
were owned outright. In 1954, Robert Menzies dropped this scheme and actual
home ownership fell to 38 per cent. Systematic reductions in taxpayer funded
Housing have seen actual home ownership by families drop to less than 10
per cent. Sure, Australia has a 70 per cent home ownership rate but they
are not owned by families.
The fact that less than 1(one) per cent of yearly total revenue is allocated
to Housing is a clear abuse of power. This has been the case since 1972,
so both sides of politics are guilty.
Violence can be manifested in many guises and when churchmen sit quietly
by while nigh on one million families are demolished through political
skullduggery then they are equally guilty. Watching Peter Hollingworth denigrate
Pauline Hanson, when the lady plans to introduce cheap home loans, makes
one hope she might also introduce freedom FROM religion.
Tony Lee.
Sources: 'The Australian' Budget reports since 1972
Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day
So all One Nation supporters are only variations on the wit theme, HUH? Well
this is one WIT who lacks the superior intellectual humour of the one worlders,
and will not be voting for the three ring circus (Howard and two other a*****)
come the federal elction.
My file on those who have commited crimes against Australians continues to
grow.
The Curlew.
Subject: Offensive Cartoon
Dear Sir,
I protest most strongly about Bill Leak's cartoon in 'The Australian' newspaper
of 2/7/98. Such an insulting and small minded effort is a disgrace to your
paper, and journalism in general. It is also an affront to the many Australians
who support One Nation.
You have lost the right to call yourself 'The Australian'.
I will be complaining officially to the National Press Council after I visit
the newsagent to cancel my subscription to your paper.
I'm sure you will use the 'It's only a Joke' plea. No way. It is offensive
in the extreme.
Milton W. Ingram
Subject: One? Nation
I am confused and perhaps you can enlighten me a little with your
comments........
How can you espouse a "one nation" view when in actual fact Australia is
actually hamstrung by an outmoded system of government - federated states.
We have six public services, six health services, six DPI's, six transport
departments..the list goes on.
On top of all this we see state governments actually costing us money by
vying for contracts that serve and benefit a local rather than a national
economy. We only have 18 or so million people here so why is it that we require
so many tiers of government at a cost of around thirty billion dollars Australian
per year?
This separatist attitude is pushed further by arguments for the bush who
I am sorry to say are actually a minority - aren't you supposed to be trying
to represent us all?
It seems to me that you are perpetuating the us and them mentality that has
existed between rural and city communities for years and for years has been
exploited by the coalition and Labor.
I personally resent having tax payer dollars used to subsidise businesses
(farms) that are unable to sustain crops through poor environmental management.
Smart management of land is an economically smart option because if you don't
wreck what you have then it can serve it's purpose almost indefinitely. I
also find it bloody insulting that some expect their land to be converted
from leasehold to freehold at my expense - I could of course demand that
a house that I have been renting for years be handed over to me at the owners
expense, is that fair?
Whilst I do not dispute that many farmers are doing it tough, why don't you
ask yourself who makes them stay there and how much subsidy would a city
business receive if it went to the wall because the owner refused to adopt
best practises just because he/she has been there a long time.
I find it curious that Australia is producing five times more than it consumes
yet there are lots of farmers doing it tough!!! This tells me that perhaps
there is not enough room for them all and perhaps assistance should be given
for them to diversify or be retrained/re-educated to adopt a more stable lifestyle
without relying on subsidies.
You may also like to consider recent comments on refugee status......
If we didn't stick our noses into the affairs of other countries (interfere)
and worse turn a blind eye to horrendous abuses of human rights and personal
freedoms (because we earn money) then perhaps we wouldn't expect to see quite
so many fleeing situations that we had a direct hand in creating (East Timor
is a classic example). It's great isn't it? Lets screw country X for everything
we can get and when the "battlers" can't live there anymore we tell them
they can't stay with us!! Funny that - this is what's essentially been happening
since my old home (Britain) decided to colonise the world and form an empire.
I suggest you read John Pilgers latest book "Hidden Agenda" .
For the record, I am absolutely not a one nation supporter - I believe that
your party is actually creating divisions not unity as you purport to support. I
wrote this in an attempt to broaden your thinking a little - we cannot survive
on our own, we are part of a wider community and sooner or later what we
do does have an impact on others be it your next door neighbour, the family
across town , somebody at the other end of the country and ultimately someone
in another country.
Please, please, please do your research correctly and check your facts -
since you gained prominence I've watched Australian turn against Australian
and it's distressing.
It's not how I want to see this country.
Marco V.V.Solas
Subject: One Nation: How to win NSW
Hello Pauline and One Nation, you've done a great job. Please try hard in
NSW. Here is how to win in Sydney
Pledge to support resumption of the land at Sydney's East Circular Quay currently
occupied by the toaster.
Promise to conduct a full parliamentary enquiry into the construction of
above. Promise to support the 8 lane superhighway project linking Sydney
to Western NSW via a tunnel under the Blue Mountains.
Promise to support the return of Sydney Showground to the people of NSW to
whom it belongs. Fox Studios (Rupertland) to be moved to Newcastle . Introduce
building regulations to stop the wholesale destruction of inner city suburbs
by greedy developers.
Promise to return all the military land around the harbour to the people
for recreation only purposes (One Nation Park). Military personnel and operation
to be moved to regional areas to provide jobs and support there.
This will win you votes for sure. Sydneysiders only care about Sydney and
you'll even get the greenies on side.
Thanks,
Milton W. Ingram
Business:
Social:
Another perfect day in paradise.
Have a good one.
Recent stories exclusive to
(how to)
subscribe/rs of the Australian National News of the Day:
The Barbara Hazelton
betrayal - 2nd July 1998
Pauline Hanson's
One Nation Queensland State MPs meet in Parliament - 27th June 1998
QANTAS censor Pauline
Hanson - 24th June 1998
"Paul" (Big "K")
Costello's lies - 22nd June 1998
Live coverage
of Queensland State Elections - 13th June 1998
Beattie's preference
lies exposed - 11th June 1998
Launch of
One Nation state policies - 8th June 1998
Sixty Minutes break
new barriers in unethical reporting - 6th June 1998
Ray Martin revelas
his spots when challenging Pauline Hanson on A Current Affair - 4th
June 1998
The backlash to
Ray Martin's unethical behaviour during his interview with Pauline
Hanson.- 4th June 1998
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