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Wednesday, 31st December 1997
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The major stories of 1997.
To review the major stories in 1997, follow this link.
Pauline Hanson's One Nation executive meet to formulate policy.
I was honoured
to be invited to be a non-participating invitee to Pauline Hanson's One Nation
first policy formulation meeting. The meeting was held at a secret venue
on the Gold Coast.
In the picture we have Paul Trewartha (closest on left), Vanessa Stewart, Brett Hocking, John Organ, David Oldfield and Pauline Hanson (closest right).
The meeting was very successful with issues being debated at some length and a bar-b-que being the only break from the ongoing discussions.
One Nation's Queensland state policies will be released in the next fourteen days.
Differing perspectives:
Interesting what a difference the ownership of a newspaper makes in the reporting on an individual like Pauline Hanson. This is the Maryborough Chronicle's editorial yesterday headed, "When parties present a united front" (by Nancy Bates):
The continuing personal attacks on Member for Oxley Pauline Hanson show an interesting harmony from all the mainstream parties. They are united in their common aim to bury the one politician who tries to represent what she honestly believes are the desires of people not a party line.
The shrill hysteria from major parties that greets her every move says loud and clear that politicians are afraid of her.
Ms Hanson spoke forthrightly about what she felt were concerns of suburban and rural Australians. She was denigrated as a racist and a redneck for repeating no more than what hundreds of thousands of Australians were saying around backyard barbecues.
The concerns raised by Ms Hanson have never been fairly debated. Had the mainstream political parties and the media, prodded by intolerant minority groups, not chosen to react with hysterical abuse, distortion and scorn, perhaps those concerned Australians would have had an opportunity to listen to reasoned explanations about why successive governments acted the way they did.
Instead of rational comment we have witnessed the most extraordinary tirade of hatred, misrepresentation and orchestrated hysteria. Pauline Hanson questioned the way Australians' taxes have been used for Aboriginal funding, immigration and welfare - legitimate concerns.
For that she was subjected to threatening and intimidating behaviour by louts, politicians, non-Australians, trendies and vicious minority spokespersons. A torrent of abuse has tried to sweep not only Ms Hanson but also the concerns of ordinary Australians under the carpet.
The latest concerted attack on Ms Hanson is extraordinary - but again united. First she was berated for having no policies. Now as she puts together her platform, the return of the death penalty has been floated in reaction to the widespread disquiet on law and order - and the shrieking from the major parties is again shrill.
Why? The return of the death penalty frequently surfaces at policy conventions of mainstream parties. It has not been adopted and might not be adopted by Ms Hanson. If it is, the states can choose their own destiny.
Heaven forbid! You mean the people would be left to decide such an important issue in referendums? This is not the stuff politics are made of.
Ms Hanson has dared to say what millions think, and to hell with the political correctness. She has lanced the boil of disenchantment with mainstream politics in Australia but unless the issues she raises are addressed it will continue to fester.
The manner in which the other parties have closed ranks to try to push her into oblivion is fascinating. The only other time we seem them act with such united purpose is in war time or when there is a parliamentary pay rise in the offing. Does that tell us anything?
Asian tourism collapses.
As a direct result of the collapse of the Korean currency crisis South Korea's Asiana Airlines yesterday announced that it is cancelling trips from Seoul to Cairns in northern Queensland. Nothing to do with Pauline Hanson you understand, nothing to do with One Nation - all to with the IMF, the "won" currency crash and the new financial restrictions placed on that country as part of the "rescue package".
We learn from Mr Len Taylor, Australia's Inbound Tour Operators Managing Director, that tourism from South Korea jumped 36% last year - yes, the year that Pauline Hanson was, according to News Limited's Courier Mail, causing a massive decline in that market.
Thredbo cottages high risk.
A geotechnical report released yesterday by Tony Sponar warned that several holiday cottages on the slope where the fatal land slip occurred earlier this year are under risk of being swallowed up in further land falls.
A Au$24 million upgrade of the roadway above the cottages will take place in February next year lessening the risk to the cottages seen as high risk in the report.
Making the
news" -
Ann Scott to fight Wayne Goss in Oxley
Ms Ann Scott said yesterday that she would fight Kim Beazley's favoured son, Wayne Goss, for the seat of Oxley.
"I have certainly been encouraged by the support I have had from branch members," she said.
She said Wayne Goss was not seen as a local, "I haven't deviated from my ambition (to win Oxley) - I've just worked hard at it and I've got no reason to pull out.
"If the Hanson factor is considered and she runs in Oxley, like I think she will, I think the seat will be very tight.
"My ambition is to defeat Pauline Hanson and to restore responsible representation in Oxley. The electorate has just gone backwards in the past two years," she said.
Ann Scott's husband Les was thumped by Pauline Hanson in 1996 by a massive swing of 20%.
May I add that Mrs Scott's comment that Hanson is likely to run in Oxley again is rubbish - why should she? After all:
When Ms Hanson does make up her mind - and if it Blair - I can predict an awful lot of breast beating and look how I chased her away claptrap... until they find out how good the One Nation candidate for the seat of Oxley will be.... then the feet will be locked firmly in mouth....
Subject: 1998 The Most Important Year
To The Editor,
1998 must be our most important year since Federation. Pressing issues of such great importance to Australia's very existence as an independent Nation and the welfare of future generations will now clearly hang in the balance.
1998 will see our last chance to attempt to turn around
events set in to motion by Governments over the past two decades.
It appears even at this stage it will be difficult to make the change, but
to survive as an Independent Nation we must all act now
and advise our leaders that we will no longer blindly accept the wilful
destruction of the Independence, Sovereignty, Industry and general well being
of our country. All of these priceless things that are being passed into
the hands of Foreign Ownership and control.
Years of gradual and stealth like eroding of Australia's independence and control of our own affairs, must be brought to a sudden halt. The only way we can do this is by loud protest at the ballot box. The so called SILENT MAJORITY must now react LOUDLY and SOUNDLY.
Issues such as WIK, RACISM, and the general Posturing of our Leaders are only blinding Australian's to their REAL OBJECTIVES and that is their total commitment to the WORLD MONEY CONTROLLERS, under a NEW World Order.
Surely there is not any thinking person our there who can honestly say they are not aware of what is happening to this wonderful country.
I am pleading to everyone, Old and New Australian alike, Don't Let Them Keep On Dividing Us with their half truths and lies, WE MUST THIS TIME UNITE if we are to save Australia from ruin.
The Level Playing Field is going to reduce Australia to a third world status in very quick time.
It is said, THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS ETERNAL VIGILANCE, well that vigilance appears to have been lost in the past two decades.
Another Government elected and allowed to carry on in the same manner at the next election that is committed to continue passing Australia over to outside control and direction will be our final undoing. The MAI agreement due to be signed will surely put the seal on Foreign control.
I can remember a time when everything we needed was produced on our own shores, I can see no reason why that situation cannot again become a reality, we may have paid more for our goods but every person was assured of a job, if you wanted to get ahead you could have a second job in your spare time.
We were masters of our own destiny, not
porn's to the whim of Governments, Media and Foreign
ownership of our major industries.
The last two decades of mismanagement
by governments has reduced Australia to a defenceless porn
in the world market place, a laughing stock with our defence
policies and the pouring of Billions of our hard earned public monies to
prop up foreign economies while we cannot supply proper medical care for
our own.
These Billions we supply are not at our initiation but at the
direction to our politicians by powerful foreign monetary interests and not
at all in the greater interests of Australian's they were elected to
represent.
We Need to determine our own future, not have others determine it for us.
Governing Australia For All Australian's? What a Bloody Lie.
Governments now talk
in Billions every time they give
our money away. What is a Billion?
If one million was 12
days, one billion would be
32 years. We cannot afford to continue in this way.
Wake Up Australia.
Tony Fitzpatrick
I e-mailed a fellow "N.W.O. Watcher" in the states. I informed him of the MAI info in your online Newspaper. Below is the reply he sent.
It sounds like part of the GATT to me. One of the goals is to eventually have one world currency. In the meantime watch for a movement to create "Regional Currencies" based on the Yen (this will be what you get), the U.S. Dollar in the Americas and of course the Euro in Europe. Once the "crisis" of the Asian currencies is over you can expect them to start demanding reform of this kind. It's all just a scam. If Australia can't control it's own finances then in fact it has lost all control of its destiny.
Bill
Bill has sent out the link to your December 5 html. No doubt GWB will soon be getting 'hits" from concerned citizens other than Australians.
Keep up the good work GWB.
Wags
Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day
Queensland will awaken to a shock on the 30 March 1998. Traffic direction is to change to the left hand side of the road. That means that we will come into line with America and Europe. Cars are to be manufactured with their steering columns on the left hand side of the vehicle instead of the right. The rest of Australia is to follow suit within the month.
George Craig
Another perfect day in paradise.
Have a good one.
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