International:

Yesterday Prime Minister John Howard criticised Pauline Hanson and One Nation following a report by Hong Kong’s The Standard newspaper which calimed that Howard supported Hanson’s views as he refused to condemn her.

The Standard was refering to a document signed by the three (ALP) stooges - Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and Gough Whitlam - which openly condemned Pauline Hanson’s views.

“What Asia wants is an assurance from Australian leaders of today that they comdemn the Hanson platform and that it willnever become offical government policy,” The Standard editorial said.

“When today’s Prime Minister refuses to join his political elders, we need to ask why. Is t because he privately shares the views of Ms Hanson and is reluctant to publicly condemn them?”

These so-called political elders have done the equivalent of raping and pillaging Australia for their own financial benefit... in many ways they seem to be close to the legalised corruption of Asian empires like that of Suharto. Who needs them?

Howard told Channel Nine’s Sunday Program, “Of course I don’t share her views. I think her views about Asian immigration are contemptible. I think her views about Aborigines in this country are insensitive and ignorant.”

Speaking on the Wik debacle John Howard said on the same programme, “I will not be intimidated out of going ahead with the bill in its present form by people running around calling me a racist.

“If the Senate doesn’t pass it, I’ll obviously put the thing back in three months time, and it would obviously then be able.. to seek a double dissolution.”

The leader of the ALP, Kim Beazley, responded to Howard’s comments saying that a double dissolution based on the Wik Bill would be divisive and damage the country’s international standing.

Political:

“You can’t be serious about reforming, in a fundamental way, the Australian taxation system without having a broad-based indirect tax which replaces other taxes in companionship with major improvements in the personal tax system.”

“An aggregate package which is fair, delivers significant personal income tax cuts and is seen as taking Australian business into the 21st century - I’m very, very confident that that can be sold to the Australian public.”

“We’ll be going to the election on the policy and the policy, when legislated will come into operation after the election and that’ll keep our promise not to change the system between elections.”

Personal trivia, from Melbourne:

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