Friday 25th October 1996
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Seems like the man who single handedly jeopardised the stalled billion dollar Century Zinc project earlier this year and burnt the Australian flag in front of parliament a couple of months ago has lost favour with his community. Murrandoo Yanner came seventh out of nine candidates who competed in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) elections after previously being elected the co-ordinator of the Carpentaria Land Council. In what can only be called a "trouncing" Yanner continued with his bravado saying, "At the moment they told me (about the vote), I was a tiny bit disappointed, but I'm really happy for Clarrie (Clarence Walden), who's a great struggler for the cause."
Mr Yanner is currently under investigation for allegations that he stole from a Burketown pub, on this score he said, "They're also trying to pin me with stealing from the Burketown pub. This ain't the first time I've been charged with that; they should call it hotel robbery the third.
"There's no doubt that this legal action has been done to shadow my credibility and standing in the community."
He said Mr Walden and his other ATSIC-elected supporters should still be able to lobby ATSIC to continue funding the mine battle. He admitted to repeatedly attacking ATSIC during his three years in office and to attending only a handful of meetings during his term.
"I never wanted to be a white man's puppy on ATSIC. If I had been elected I would have tied down the white fellas," he said.
Queensland Premier Rob Borbidge who had an unpleasant meeting with Yanner earler this year said, "It certainly indicates that he (Yanner) does not have broad support for certain stands he's taken on certain issues, as has been the view of the Queensland Government for some time".
Independent Member for Oxley, Pauline Hanson, said in Ipswich yesterday that the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Tribunal should be abolished because it is not doing a good job. Ms Hanson, who is expected to be brought before the tribunal following a number of complaints that her statements on Aborigines breached the Racial Discrimination Act, said the body was a waste of money.
She also said that she may refuse to front the Tribunal if summonsed saying, "I've done nothing wrong and I don't have a case to answer. As far as I am concerned they're not a court, they're a tribunal, so they only have certain powers."
In the local media, the heart of Ms Hanson's seat, the underlying support for her appears to be growing dramatically with all letters in today's Queensland Times reflecting this shift of support to her views. Here is a short extract from a typical letter under the heading Conspiracy theories by WT Fox of Minden:
The support increasing daily for Pauline Hanson is not indicative that we are becoming a racist nation, but rather suggests that the majority of Australians are not supportive of certain policies thrust upon us by governments both past and present, particularly those relating to immigration. This fact has astonished the opinion manipulators....
The pressure is now right on the Reserve Bank of Australia to deliver a cut of at least 0.5% before the end of next months. Some prediction suggest that the cut may take place as early as today.
The sharemarket soared to a record high of 2378 following the release of the wage demand figures.
Costello said that homeowners could feel confident that the lower rates were here to stay for a while with a 0.5% cut reducing monthly repayments on a Au$100,000 mortgage by about Au$33 per month.
In typical fashion the Australian Council of Trade Unions President Jennie George played the spoiler refusing to rule out a demand for higher wages - a move which would effectively put the brakes on a rate cut.
Occasionally the truth slips out - we all know of stories which have appeared then, as quickly, disappeared, been rubbished or discredited by the main stream media... we all know of questionable reporting on occasions such as the "need for the stadium in Brisbane" headline reporting in the News Limited papers at a time when Super League were looking for a local stadium...
or the headline reports in the Australian on a near weekly basis about "how innovative and wonderful" News Limited Classified's On-Line are"... now is this what unbiased reporting is all about?
The examples are many and varied, this is the news behind the news... the news that the modern day journalist might think or believe he or she cannot report on without prejudice for fear of being given the boot.
Here is your opportunity to be heard.....
Do you agree that a strong, independent, investigative media should be established in Australia:
Australian (only) feedback as at 4am AEST:
| The mainstream media determine the agenda in this country: | Agree: 118 | Disagree: 35 |
| the major media proprietors often determine what the issues should be: | Agree: 125 | Disagree: 21 |
The Israeli Tax Authority (ITA) describes the US$150 million as unreported income between 1989 and 1996, cutting the alleged tax at stake to about US$52 million.
News says it has been framed... "Allegations of tax evasion are entirely without merit," the company says, "Defamatory comments to the media about the company appear to be a result of a continuing extortion campaign against the company by former employees who have been sued in the UK.... for defrauding it of millions of dollars."
Pictures and stories of the raid filled most of page one of the local Jerusalem Post...
and the source of this little spicy bit of news... none other than the Fairfax paper, the Australian Financial Review (see page 22).
In Australian Rugby League (ARL) news the High Court of Australia has decided to hear an application by the ARL for special leave to appeal against the Federal Court's decision in the Super League case.
Business:
Interesting, in light of the survey in today's news, that the News Limited papers apparently are not reporting on the story currently running hot in non-News Limited media. Seems like the tax boys in Israel hit News with a raid last Sunday morning. News Corp has expressed outrage at the dawn raid by the tax officers who are on the trail of US$150 million worth of "tax transgressions".Sport:
Well after 100 international rugby matches and a sparkling career Campo (David Campese) is to hang up his boots. The Australian international star, now 34 years old, was part of the team that beat Italy 40-18 in front of a small crowd of 10,000 in Padua.Personal trivia, from the global office:
Cloudy and cool today, one to be enjoyed from the global office.
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