Today's Headlines
an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper.
Since October 1995


This on-line paper is now archived for perpetuity in the National Library of Australia

Tuesday, 27th January 1998
Associated links:
Search entire news archive by day
Search entire news archive by text
Definitive Lifestyle Guide to over 5000 Australian webs
Global Web Builders Gold
The Kid's Locker Room
World Wide Websters


Links to the MAI

Queensland State Election website


Archive of weekly features: [The Canberra Column] [Economic Rationalism]


International:

Hanson to make her decision this week.

It is expected that Pauline Hanson will call a press conference later this week to inform Australia on her decision on whether she will stand for the Federal seat of Blair or Oxley.

Political correctness selected our Australians of the Year - Pauline Hanson.

Yesterday Pauline Hanson was slated by Prime Minister John Howard, ALP leader Kim Beazley, Governor-General Sir William Deane and others for stating the obvious - that political correctness had been the criteria for the selection of the Australian of the Year and Young Australian of the Year.

Ms Hanson said on 3AW Radio yesterday, "The government has been pushing us to become Asianised and I'm totally against become Asianised," when speaking about the selection of Tan Le a 20 year old Vietnamese refugee as Young Australian of the Year.

"It's rubbing my nose in it that we are appointing an Asian," Pauline Hanson continued.

Ms Hanson said that an Aboriginal's (Kathy Freeman) selection was designed to distract attention from the public debate over issues such as Wik and the so-called stolen generation.

John Howard responded by saying "They (her comments) were stupid, they were petty and they're very divisive remarks being made on Australia day."

Beazley called her comments "egocentric meltdown". While Sir William Deane who some people call our Governor General, but I am not sure why, said, "I regard reconciliation as essential if we are to enter our second century as a diminished nation. And by that I mean healing the physical and spiritual wounds and divisions of the past and going forward together as friends and true equals."

"Diminished nation?" We are already there.... look no further than MAI and FSIA... but that's okay because that suits the elite.

The response by readers of this page has been summarised with some letters to the editor carried below. The unanimous view is that Ms Hanson has made a very pertinent point and the number of Australians requesting to go on Pauline Hanson's mailing list following the publicity received has jumped dramatically - underscoring the point that people agree with her politically incorrect statements on this issue.

The so-called "sorry" books

Australians for native title spokeswoman, Hazel Hawke, has joined the elitist politically correct, by pushing for people to sign the so-called "sorry" books.

"The Human Rights Commission went into this matter and agreed that we should apologise - even though we were not there at the time they said that we were a continuum of the problem," Hazel Hawke said today on Channel Nine's Today programme.

"Its about time we all took responsibility and we are sorry," one of the messages from the sorry book.

Well known Australian author Bryce Courtenay said, "We will only be a complete people when we have a complete reconciliation. I make an unrevocable apology to those who have suffered at the hands of other Australians," when signing the "sorry" book.

Well thank you Bryce, I recently suffered at the hands of a dishonest Aboriginal family who abused my philothranpic nature by trashing my home after they had not paid rent for a month - starting days after I had, out of the goodness of my heart, paid over Au$300 bail to save the father from 12 days in the watchhouse over the Christmas period.

I had to call the police in several times days before they were evicted Bryce, because they tenanted the house next door to my family home, and the man took delight at kicking my dog in my backyard, smashing my garden furniture, harassing me on the phone and the final straw entering my home and threatening one of my clients.

Oh, I accept your apology Bryce, but I am sure like millions of other Australians who have been abused by Aborigines we the "white" victims don't count.

Poody-tat to say sorry

Closer to home that "poody-tat" also know as the Mayor of Brisbane, Jim Soorley, has vowed that the Brisbane City Council will say sorry to Aborigines next month.

Aboriginal leaders protesting about "invasion day" welcomed Soorley's "initiative". Soorley says that he will apologise to Aborigines on behalf of the Brisbane community in the City Hall on February 7th before presenting Aboriginal elder Herb Bligh with the keys to the city.

"In the case of the stolen generation, many people with the best of intentions believed they were doing the right thing for the indigenous community. It is now time to recognise this was a mistake and say sorry.

"We believe Brisbane cannot be a truly great city until it acknowledges responsibility for the injustices of the past, which happened in and around our suburbs.

"It is time to acknowledge that what happened was totally unacceptable, to apologise and to move on as a city together."

 Once again "poody-tat" is ignorant, stupid, opportunistic and bigoted - here is an extract from the recent article in the Herald Sun:

“If the child was of light colour, the Aboriginal midwives just grabbed a handful of ashes out of the fire and placed it over the nose and mouth of the child so that it didn’t live.”

Some light coloured babies were not killed in this way. But as the babies grew, the tribal elders often continued to bash the mother until she was prepared to abandon the child.

These children were then brought up and educated in Darwin at the missions. But they were not told of the circumstances of their birth. They came to believe they had been kidnapped and they nursed a resentment against the missions.

It is extraordinary that Sir Ronald Wilson, a contemporary church leader, should be so disdainful of the humane Christian work his predecessors in the church carried out 50 years ago.

Suharto begs Australia for aid?

One of Asia's wealthiest men, built on blatant corruption, President Suharto, yesterday begged Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for help through credit lines to underwrite nervous Australian exporters products.

Here is what we said yesterday:
Extract from the Washington Post:

"Since seizing power in the mid-1960s, Indonesian President Suharto has translated his absolute political power into a massive family fortune. The Suharto family is worth an estimated $16 billion according to Forbes magazine, and $35 billion according to one estimate attributed to the CIA. Suharto's desire to protect this empire while the economy melts down has dismayed international investors and confounded officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who see economic reform and the end of so-called "crony capitalism" as essential to Indonesia's recovery.

Indonesia's main opposition leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, has told Downer he should reject Suharto's request saying, "This is helping the regime and not the people, who need rice. Without rice, there will be food riots."

Downer shrugged off Megawati's comments saying, "You would understand that as a foreign government there are two things we do. One of them is that we deal with the government of the day and the second thing we do is keep out of domestic political debates between different political movements."

It is expected that the Australia government will dig its hand deeper in the Australian taxpayer's cookie-jar handing out a line of credit to Suharto Incorporated - owners of one of Australia's largest properties - the Northern Territory Tipperary.

Sir Joh speaks out on native title

Pauline Hanson's latest recruit, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, has called on church leaders who support native title to give up their churches and properties to Aboriginal families.

"You can't do these sort of things and then expect things to go along normally. You can't after developing properties for generations and places, then say that you have the same right of access to a property to co-exist."  

Sir Joh was also outraged to see alternatives to the Australian flag being promoted by the media on Australia day.

"It is an insult to ever suggest giving away this flag," he said pointing at an Australian flag badge on his pocket.


Making the news" -
an indepth exposé of media and political collusion at the highest possible levels in Australia.


email the editor

You say:

Subject: Hanson and the MAI

Dear Editor,

Some comments on the report on Pauline Hanson and the MAI:

"....a spokeswoman for Assistant Treasurer Rod Kemp....denied there was any secrecy surrounding Australia’s involvement in the agreement.” [Rubbish! Hardly anybody in Australia outside government and the bureaucracies has heard of it, and the same applies worldwide (see the Canadian reports on the Internet). The secrecy about this agreement has been deafening, and for one good reason. It gives away the sovereignty of the Australian people over their economy. It is the final act of economic treason in a long line of such acts].

"Senator Kemp’s spokeswoman said....there was no question that Australia’s labour or environmental standards would not be lowered as a result of the MAI.” [More garbage! To demand such standards be met would be illegal under the agreement. Not only that, but if the government did so demand, the multinational can take its ‘investment’ elsewhere without notice, to a country where there are no such demands, and there’s no way the government could stop it. To try would be illegal under the agreement too. We can either have industry and no standards, or standards and no industry].

"Peak industry groups support the proposed agreement....” [That figures. ‘Peak industry groups’ represent transnational corporations who want to own the world, and this agreement enables them to do it. It’s the Australian people who have to support this agreement, not ‘peak industry groups’].

"Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Mark Patterson said yesterday that industry had been consulted extensively on the agreement. [Really? Well why hasn’t it also been made public? Does this government answer to ‘industry’ or the Australian people? Don't bother answering that, Mr. Patterson].

"He said Ms Hanson’s concerns were unfounded." [Well the people will be the judge of that, not 'industry groups', Mr. Patterson. Your word, the word of 'industry groups', and of their political stooges, is far too self-interested to be taken as definitive].

Graham Strachan.

Subject: "Australia" Television.

Dear Sir,

I am an Australian who is working in Manila as an electronic engineer.

While watching Australia Television on cable TV on Sunday night I saw a news item about the new flag competition. As they panned across a sample of the entries they almost all seemed to have Aboriginal colours or artwork. Now I have nothing against Aboriginals but surely we should have a more representative selection. I think they said that the public will get to choose one out of the three finalists? I await our choice with interest!

Another item on the same news broadcast included a short (and I mean short) comment from Pauline Hanson that she thought that Kathy Freeman was awarded Australian Of The Year simply because she was Aboriginal. This was followed by Beazley and others proclaiming it to be a racist comment. (The journo's must have run faster than Kathy to tell him).

First of all I was a little worried that Pauline might be alienating some of her supporters with such a brash but possibly true comment. However, having read your comments today regarding other prominent Australians who possibly better deserved the award, I realised that maybe Pauline had attempted to make a similar comment but was abruptly cut off! The Australian news media is at it again.

Finally, I have to agree with one of your readers, Jason, when he says that Australia lacks national pride. Having also worked in Singapore for four years I can tell you that at least the Asians and their governments have a sense of purpose. I had to laugh when I saw a news commentator recently asking a financial analyst why the Australian dollar was devaluating when Australia is not really part of Asia. The reply was that most investors simply see Australia as a "giant quarry" and right now the prices of gold and minerals are fluctuating!

How about Australia presenting a new image to the world. If the government wants to throw some money around why don't they throw a significant amount at research and development (R&D) for instance. Maybe then we could boast of more industries than just tourism.

Keep up the good work with the paper. I agree with almost all of the comments found in your pages.

-Kevin Wildash.

Subject: Australian of the Year

It seems that Pauline Hanson has sent the media rabid as they try to misrepresent her statement about the political motives behind the nomination of Kathy Freeman as Australian of the Year.

Mrs Hanson was just stating the obvious. Australia has plenty of gold medal winning athletes who were overlooked for Australian of the year - most of them have never even been nominated. The only thing that makes Cathy Freeman different from our other elite athletes is her race, and the politically correct need to manufacture some Aboriginal icons to further their cause, especially in an election year with significant Aboriginal Industry related issues.

Cathy Freeman hasn’t done anything wrong. She has been placed in an awkward position through no fault of her own. I saw her interviewed on TV tonight, and she admitted that although she has achieved athletically, so have many others who have not been recognised. She tries to avoid politics, admits that she does not follow it closely, and seems irritated when the politically correct persist in trying to recruit her to their cause. Cathy was in a no win situation, she could not avoid being used as a political pawn regardless of whether she accepted or rejected the nomination.

Kerry O’Brien was forcing words into her mouth on tonight’s 7.30 Report. Cathy didn’t seem impressed but he persisted anyway, ignoring her protests. No doubt she will continue to have microphones shoved up her nose until she learns to parrot the politically correct catchphrases on demand.

Politically correctness is not a matter of individual journalistic bias in the ABC, it is a corporate policy. You don’t have to be a genius to realise that they will soon be turning Mrs Hanson’s exposure of the political nature of the nomination into a personal attack on Cathy Freeman.

Gweilo

Subject: Australian of the year

Hi,

Perhaps someone could develop a computer program to be an objective judge for the Australian of the year award. Just think about it.....it wouldn't consider skin color or any racial backgrounds at all. It wouldn't even consider whether those nominated were politically correct or multi-culturalists.

I'm sure those racists in the Aboriginal industry and those racist multi-culturalists will not approve of such an impartial judge ignoring their influence.

No doubt most if not all those who were nominated for the Australian of the year award deserved to get it, but in the current atmosphere created by political correctness, the Aboriginal industry and the multi-culturalists social engineering, it's reasonable to question whether the selection process may have been prejudiced.

Thanks.

Peter.

Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day

I was just watching the Australia Day celebrations on the news, when they had a bit on the new Australian citizens getting their medals and certificates.

I would like to ask why when you come to this country, you get everything handed to you, even a medal, when those poor souls born and raised here don't get a thing (but only if you a white of English decent).

Where is my medal to say I'm an Aussie.

Steve

Subject: Indonesia

We have scaled down our military and handed in our guns due to our "irrational paranoid" notions that Indonesia could be a threat. Six months ago this seemed rational. Don't look now, but our close neighbours to the north now have a currency that is worth nothing, have food riots, emptying of supermarket shelves amid ever decreasing means to pay for food and are facing millions out of work and even martial law. What are 130 million starving desperate people capable of?

What-ever they darn well like now!

I guess we can call 000 when we see them landing on mass, that's if we are not busy fighting at the supermarket due to our own currency crisis.

Can't happen?

Tim Shaw

Subject: Shining examples???

Is Cheryl the "Last Great Female Hope" for Labour? Let's look at the past few stars;

And now they have Cheryl Jumpship.- "Hey get that camera outta my face or I'll cry like Bob The No Homeless Children Hawke. And um, um, um, I'll leave politics. That'll fix ya's!!!"

While we're on the subject, let's not forget Howard' real life version of the film "Dumb and Dumber" Namely, Amanda and Bronwyn. (I never did get one of those Bronwyn for PM Stickers)

This now brings us to One Nation's lady. Until someone proves otherwise, to me she is the General Patton of female Politicians in Australia.

S.E. Wagger

Subject: Comments on Australian News of the Day

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: If you feed your mind as often as you feed your stomach, you'll never have to worry about feeding your stomach. -- Albert Einstein

With regards generating a local money supply how about something like a Debit Tax (vs GST) as promoted by the Debit Tax Council Australia.

Independent Candidate for the Federal Seat of Blair? mm!
Barry A Sampson Searle

Business:

Australian house prices are on the increase at last according to the Housing Industry Association which claims that housing prices have risen up to 26% over the past year.

Property prices:

Comparison of median established house prices
for the past two December quarters:

City

1996 Au$

1997 Au$

Change (%)

Sydney

233,700

276,600

18.4%

Brisbane

153,800

174,000

13.1%

Perth

144,800

163,600

13.0%

Canberra

144,600

161,600

11.8%

Melbourne

137,300

173,900

26.7%

Adelaide

121,500

136,200

12.1%

Hobart

120,000

136,600

13.8%

Personal trivia, from the global office:

Another perfect day in paradise.

Have a good one.


Return to Australian National News of the Day

#



Web development, design, and storage by Global Web Builders - Email: global@gwb.com.au

See GLOBE International for other world news.


anotd