International:

The launch of the official biography of Pauline Hanson, "Pauline - the Hanson Phenomenon" is now on-line. The launch attracted all the commercial television stations as well as the major newspapers.

So Australia is now closer to its Asian neighbours now - according to Prime Minister John Howard who said yesterday, "I think Australia's role is much more influential than it was 18 months ago.

"Whereas we may have been seen before as the anxious outsider saying 'notice us, let us in', we are seen more as a confident player bringing special qualities to our participation in APEC."  

But hang on Howard the media have been telling us that Pauline Hanson has done great damage to our status in Asia... are you saying the media is lying. You and I know that is true which makes the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and their party hacks blatant liars. Now things are starting to make sense - after all the ALP are basically an offshoot of the Murdoch/Packer empires. They don't have a clue what democracy is about!

Howard went on to say "The value of having the IMF (International Monetary Fund) umbrella is that you have a consistency of approach.

"I was only prepared to support the contributions in relations to both Thailand and Indonesia when I knew that it was going to be part of an IMF package."

Let's be dinky-di about this Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has now put his hand up to offer support to South Korea who cannot meet their debt repayments. The equivalent of Au$100 billion due next year... makes the Mexican mess seem like a storm in a tea cup... So Australians (every man, woman and child) will, through the generosity of those who "run" this country have each paid Au$235 for the Au$4 billion in IMF currency deals. Now that's a week's groceries gone-a-begging to support our relationship with Asia!

In the authorised biography of Pauline Hanson there are some interesting and disturbing figures on how ATSIC's budget is spent.

Thus it is of great concern to me that that scoundrel Murrandoo Yanner who burnt the Australian flag last year and who has continually fallen foul of the law is able to acquire the not inexpensive services of a QC (Angelo Vasta) to defend his conviction for unlawful assembly in Mt Isa on November 12th 1995.. A QC- guess who WAS NOT PAYING the bill!

The initial case was heard on August 4th this year with Yanner being found guilty and being placed on a three year good behaviour bond. This was not good enough for Yanner who appealed and took up two days of the court's busy time while using a Queen's Council to defend him on such a minor issue!

What non-Aboriginal Australian could afford the luxury of a QC for something as trivial as this!

Vasta in putting down Yanner's defence claimed that his client had not had a fair trial in Mt Isa saying, "He (Yanner) is perceived as a belligerent activist who has strongly opposed the Century Zinc mine." Vasta also referred to local news reports about Yanner's previous conviction for unlawful assembly.

The Court of Appeal's Justices Paul de Jersey, John Muir and Bill Pincus dismissed the appeal in an unanimous decision.

"He (Yanner) has a high public profile in Mount Isa, if not throughout Queensland," the judge said, "Mount Isa's economy is highly dependent upon the mining industry. Rightly or wrongly, Yanner's activities in connection with the Century Zinc project were likely to be seen, by at least some potential jurors in Mount Isa as obstructionist or anti-mining."

Justice Muir said that it was clear the trial judge had taken this issue into account, saying, "He took into account - correctly in my view - the offence had nothing to do with the Century Zinc project or mining."

Pincus in dismissing the appeal said that the time and expense of moving the trial had to be considered and the offence was not high on the scale of seriousness.... but no worries, let's get a QC in anyway...

Political:

Today we read about "photo-opportunity" specialist Kim Beazley's new plan to save Australia. Of course motherhood statements like taxing the rich and leaving the poor and middle class alone abound in his statements... under the circumstances it is therefore surprising the society he likes to mix in.... reminds me of what his own father said in the 1970's:

"When I first joined the Labor Party (in the 1940s), it was made up of the cream of the working class. When I left it (in the 1970s), it was made up of the scum of the middle class."

Beazley claimed he was eating "humble pie" since Keating and the ALP were chucked out by the Australian people. He rejected Howard's Goods and Services Tax (GST) and backed a Republic.

"I think what we are about above all is that people pay their fair share of tax," Beazley said.... "think"... he's obviously not sure. Good start mate. He said that Labor would not pursue a "hate-the-rich" policy but would make the tax system fairer... just like they did for thirteen years from 1983 - when tax evasion by the rich and well-connected became an art form in Australia.

The key points in his statements were:

• Interim unemployment target of 5%
• No GST, no increase in tax burden for the low or middle-income earners
• Immigration intake linked to labour market and long-term population policy
• Formal apology to the "stolen generation" of Aborigines
• New preamble to Constitution recognising prior Aboriginal ownership
• No further sale of Telstra
• Australia Post to remain in full public ownership
• No new uranium mines
• Recognise right for self determination for East Timor
• Industry assistance in return for commitment to increased jobs, investment and exports

You Say:

Subject: Comments on the Day of Reckoning

Concerning media bias (in Victoria), are Kerry Packer, Jeff Kennet, Channel 9, and The Age in bed together? (although on the surface, Kennet doesn't like The Age)

Perhaps a One-Nation policy should be devised to limit media ownership to encourage "journalistic freedom and objectivity". This keeps the reporters on side and is good for media standards.

--
Regards,
Russell

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Another beautiful day in paradise. One to relax and enjoy....

Have a good one.

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