I
arrived at the Pioneer Village Country Music Club in Daboro Road at about
6pm. The sun had just set and the clear warm spring night was a fitting closure
for another balmy Queensland day.
September 28th 1998
Commentary by Scott Balson, Global Web Builders
In the modern world that we live in the odds are stacked against once what was the norm in society. What started off as little cells of politically correct bureaucracies - formed under the vote-grabbing efforts of the Laboral factions in Australia (the major parties - Liberal, Labor and Democrats) - is now out of control.
Pauline Hanson, more than anyone, has been the focus of politically correct attacks.
On one hand she is labelled a racist for expressing what a large number of Australians feels while on the other the politically correct hide behind the guise of "satire and freedom of expression" while being supported by the mainstream media as they openly defame, tag and ridicule those in their sights.
On this day Pauline Hanson had taken the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) Triple J "youth radio station" and a disgusting little misfit by the name of "Pauline Pantsdown" (PP) to the Supreme Court to have her challenge of defamation against PP's song which suggested, by cutting and pasting her voice, that Mrs Hanson is amongst other things as a homo-sexual, a paedophile, a supporter of the Ku Klux Klan and a "very caring potato".
It was on this day, just five days before the Federal Election, that Mrs Hanson openly wept in the Supreme Court as the song by PP "I'm a Backdoor Man" was played to three of Queensland's most senior judges in the Court of Appeal.
Chief Justice Paul de Jersey upheld Mrs Hanson's complaint calling the song a "mindless effort at cheap denigration".
Outside the court Pauline Hanson said "I am delighted that the ABC's appeal has been rejected. I was very upset by it. What the message is that freedom of speech does not extend to allowing people the right to defame others and tell lies."
The objective, cold, straight-down-the-line reporting by the mainstream media on what is a gross blackening of Pauline Hanson stand is bleak contrast to the colourful language used by reporters to describe her as a racist , uneducated or bigoted when reporting on things she does not say and adding journalistic twists spun to support these claims.
Just hours after her distress Pauline Hanson was to speak at a function to which I had been invited. Unlike the very public court case this was a closed event for the One Nation faithful.
The mainstream media did not report that Pauline Hanson was so upset by the events of that morning that she broke down and cried at a Business Luncheon of One Nation supporters at Petrie that afternoon.
They would not have cared. The One Nation members who attended did and were devastated to see Pauline Hanson, the focus of the divisive bile of the politically correct, in tears. This was not the hardened politician portrayed by the media this was the true face of Pauline Hanson a caring and very vulnerable Australian mother.
That night Pauline Hanson was to attend another function a fundraising dinner in Petrie - for her it would be a very personal test after the events of the day before.
The pictures and coverage below record what happened that night and reveal how this brave woman has spun a thread of light into a world where the forces of politically correct darkness have gathered over this land we call Australia.
I
arrived at the Pioneer Village Country Music Club in Daboro Road at about
6pm. The sun had just set and the clear warm spring night was a fitting closure
for another balmy Queensland day.
The guests had gathered on the porch outside the converted dining room.
Meat was being bar-b-qued and the mood was jovial.
Outside I met a number of people and old friends including David Walsh and Greg Lynch (seen here on the right). David is a strong follower of the anotd daily on-line newspaper.
I took the pictures below of people gathering outside the function room and signs reminiscent of a political campaign.
Three
senior One Nation party members were amongst those gathering here, left to
right: Mick Chapman (Queensland Electoral Campaign Committee), Bruce Camfield
(One Nation candidate for Dickson) and Berwin Smith (co-ordinating the One
Nation federal campaign in Queensland)
By the time we moved indoors about 100 supporters had arrived to support Bruce Camfield's fund raiser. There was much talk about the under-rated support that the party had amongst grass-roots Australians.
Inside the hall the colourful tables, with Australian flags dominating, were ringed around a dance floor. There would be no dancing tonight - Pauline Hanson would need an early night after the draining events of the day that had gone.
When
Pauline arrived the mood of those gathered expectantly inside had changed
- word had got around about her confrontation with the politically correct
in the Supreme Court.
She walked into the room to a standing ovation (right). There were no Federal
police accompanying her - just
her trusted adviser Peter James - who had been
with her during the court hearing.
It was a very different entrance to that of the One Nation launch nearly eighteen months before. The image on the left Pauline Hanson was taken at the launch just moments after she had encountered some 200 violent protesters blocking her entry and abusing her as she tried to enter the Ipswich Civic Centre in April 1997. Here in Petrie there was not one demonstrator to be seen.
As people settled down following Pauline's arrival at the Country Music Club venue I wandered around the room and took the photographs below.
Below are some images taken of One Nation personalities at the function:
After
a casual buffet type hot meal Stephen Evelyn (right) President of the Pine
Rivers branch introduced himself and welcomed Pauline Hanson and the guests.
He was followed by Dickson candidate Bruce Camfield who spoke about the One Nation philosophy of putting our nation ahead of the multinationals.
Bruce spoke about the manner in which Packer and Murdoch worked in the background - aiming at influencing the outcome of the elections based on deals being done in the backrooms - out of sight of mainstream Australians.
Camfield,
left, talked about One Nation's success at Bribie Island where more than
50% of the Liberal Party 's 54 strong membership had left to join One Nation
- just 4 people remaining in the branch; how the National Party and Labor
Party branches had closed on the island - with the entire National party
branch joining One Nation.
He spoke of this being Australia's last chance, our only chance as the mainstream parties would move to change the rules again to shore up their position.
During
the evening a singer played and sung.
Following Camfield's speech was the first public playing of a pro-Pauline Hanson song - although the recording was of fairly poor quality the theme was well understood.
The pictures below were taken of Pauline Hanson as the song was played.
Pauline Hanson received a standing ovation when she got up to speak. Although visibly tired she seemed to have fully recovered from the pressure of the court case against the ABC.
One
of the most unreported aspects of Pauline Hanson's speech is how she goes
out of her way to thank people. She started off by thanking the chef "as
one chef to another" for a great meal.
She spoke about One nation now having 320 branches nationwide.
She spoke of her support.
"The media would not tell you this," she said. "I believe that we are facing a media blackout. They refuse to report on our policies - leaving people to ask 'What are One Nation's policies?'.
"As
I have moved around the country the support has been tremendous. We received
over 400 guests in John Howard's seat of Bennelong. The media however are
trying to push the line that there is little or no support for One Nation.
But the major parties know better - they are begging for One Nation preferences.
"When Malcolm Fraser suggested that the two major parties join together to get rid of One Nation he was so close to the mark - with their exchanging preferences. He was so close because their policies on issues like globalisation are the same.
"Sometimes when I put my head on the pillow as I go to sleep at night I ask 'Why me?' In the past two and a half years I have been swept along in this movement. I realise now that there is no safe political seat in Australia - not even John Howard's or Kim Beazley's.
"For too long Australian's have been apathetic about voting and have said
'What's the use?' - They're all tarred with the
same
brush.
"But we are not".
There was a round of applause and clapping at this stage.
"When I make decisions I make them in the best interests of all Australians - it doesn't matter if you are an Aboriginal or an immigrant. We are all the same.
"It didn't surprise me that, just before the parliament broke up, the major parties spent valuable time turning their attack on me and denigrating my party. One wonders why they cannot be bi-partisan over real issues like unemployment in this country. After their tirade against me, I got up and said, 'I tell you something I will be back'. Their jeers filled the floor of the house as they said 'no you won't'.
"But next time I walk in with my MPs I will say, 'I'm back'.
"God I wish it was Sunday October 4th.
" I won the court case against Pauline pantsdown and the ABC today."
More thunderous applause.
"October the 3rd will be the biggest day in Australian political history.
Remember this - the only way you will have good government is by having good
opposition - something we have not had for some time. The true opposition
through One
Nation's
influence is not Pauline Hanson - it never was - it is you and your support
- this is where the true opposition against them is.
"Let me tell you the fight to regain Australia has just
begun."
Pauline Hanson sat down to thunderous applause after receiving a bunch of
flowers..
Among the guests were a number of men wearing one of the Australian symbols - the Australian flag ties. These, amongst other items of interest were signed by Pauline Hanson.
And this was just another day in the amazing political career of Australia's Evita.