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an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper.

Monday 21st October 1996

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International:

On the issue of immigration Ms Hanson said that her views were no different to the current immigration policies of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, yet no one thought that they were racist.

Malaysian President, Dr Mahatir, said yesterday that Ms Hanson's views were having absolutely no effect on trade between the two countries..... exposing another mainline media beat-up.

In the program we were shown images of Pauline Hanson's trip to Palm Island which is inhabited by an Aboriginal community. The once beautiful location was an absolute mess.

• The streets were lined with rubbish - knee high in places.
• The houses had holes in their walls, broken windows and showed a state of total dilapidation.
• It was alleged that 80% of the adult community were alcoholics.

• There was no work on Palm Island.
• Whites were worse alcoholics than Aborigines - an allegation made by Charlie Perkins (Mr 15%) that I would refute.
• The houses were overcrowded, and no-one had built any more for the Aboriginal population on the island.

The point really seemed to be lost, which was a real shame.

We also got to see the school on the island where it was alleged in the mainline media that she had upset the principal because of her unscheduled visit... saw no sign of that at all - he was quite happy to show her around.

Ms Hanson did show signs of being uncertain about her stand, and my concern is that she does not have the political nouse of the hardened politicians who are feeling very threatened by her ability to be in touch with the mainstream Australian population.

In Australia we are very fortunate. We don't suffer from the terrible violence that one sees in all major American cities. We report widely on what appears to be a minor crime within a city in the US, because here it still matters. People matter, all people....

What Ms Hanson has been saying, and I totally support her on this, is that there are poor and destitute people of all races in this country. We have Asian, white and Aboriginal ghettos. Not many mind you but they are there. The amount of money that has been thrown at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) by the Federal Government over the last ten years is a disgrace when you see what little success they have had in tackling the problem of helping their own people.

Let me be quite frank - the greatest % of the money allocated just does not get to the people. It gets gobbled up by the ATSIC "commissioners" and bureaucrats within the organisation. The drips that come back to the community out of the tap after this scam is disgusting. I had my own experience of this in Perth... this is what we are all annoyed, frustrated and verboise about.

So the likes of Charlie Perkins can keep on taking the media around to destitute Aboriginal communities and say what they like... but the truth is that they are revealing ATSIC's own failure in allocating the money provided to resolve the problem not the failure by the Federal Government to care.

And it is an outrage when police are attacked and wounded when performing their duty. The point that it was Aborigines who attacked the police is relevant.

The uninformed comment from the US Correspondent:

Is this an internet newspaper?

If so, why not strive to abide by a few basic journalistic principles in your 'reports'. The latest offensive 'report' was your lead about the assault on police -- An "unprovoked attack by drunken Aborigines" -- The fact that they are Aborigines is not the lead. A drunken mob who police said launched an unprovoked attack is accurate, correctly sourced and places the emphasis on the actions of the alleged offenders rather than their race/ethnicity.

This comes hot on the heels of your appalling defence of Pauline Hanson from the bashing you allege she has received from the media (of which you are a part). I afraid your red-neck is showing and spoiling what otherwise is an enterprising concept.

Greg Truman, USA

Political:

The Australian people are tired of the "political correctness" that the Labor Party instilled in our community at the whim of small lobby groups. Howard saw it as a big win for the Liberals - who have allowed the debate on several key issues to be opened up. The type of issues that Pauline Hanson has been on about... thus the tremendous impact that she is having in the wider Australian community, and I believe, the basis of the large swing to the Liberals at Lindsay.

Now the Liberals have revealed that they will field a candidate in the seat of Oxley and swap preferences directly with the Labor Party in an effort to see that Ms Hanson does not get re-elected. Personally I think that this is a very dangerous move because the balance that we have in our current political system could be thrown way out of whack if another party, like the Democrats, was to have a small but growing number of MPs and Senators join the political fray.

It doesn't take much to build a platform on, and the "threat to a voice in the wilderness" by the major parties could cause a real voter backlash if candidates with similar views to those of Ms Hanson were put up in other marginal seats in the next Federal election.

Business:

The meeting is expected to the showdown at the High Capperall for either Palmer or rival ANI director Peter Joseph. Both have feuded openly at meetings and are seeking the removal of each other through resolutions tabled.

Personal trivia, from the global office:

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