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

Thursday 22nd May 1997

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

International:

It never ceases to amaze me how the fringe minority groups try to discredit anything that does not perfectly match with their own viewpoint of Australia. The radical Chinese Voice which represents only 30,000 ethnic Chinese in Australia (their own claim) has now called the decision by the Australian Federal Government to cut immigration by 6,000 next year - "POPULIST". Yes, that's right POPULIST. Previously they have referred to Ms Hanson's comments as "populist" as well but then thrown in the old "racist" term for good measure. The Chinese Voice is also one of the parties officially objecting to the formation of One Nation.

In this democratic society the views of the majority are labelled and then discredited. Why? Well, in this case the government's decision, which does closely follow Hanson's claims that immigration into Australia is too high at present, will reduce the family reunion category by 5,000 with only 1,000 parents of immigrants being admitted compared to 9,000 just two years ago.

A few years ago, just after the Tienamen massacre, then Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke opened the flood gates giving all Chinese students studying in Australia the right to permanent residency in this country. 10,000 Chinese students...

Since this time the Chinese students have been trying to get their families out of China so that they can enjoy the "lucky country".

As Hanson has correctly suggested the tide, if not tamed, will become a flood. Luckily, in this case the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock listened and the tap has been all but shut off... drawing the ire and the populist statement from these fringe radicals.

In 1997-98 only 68,000 migrants would be allowed into Australia a move that Ms Hanson welcomed as a step in the right direction.

"It is something I have been talking about for at least 12 months," she said yesterday.

She added that when her party had more seats in Federal Government she would move to cut immigration by about 30,000.

"I have a duty to Australian people and we cannot expect the tax payer to bring out migrants who cannot look after themselves," she said.

The table below lists the immigration cuts made over the last three years:

Category:1995/961996/971997/98
Parents of migrants8,8906,0001,000
Spouse27,79023,60025,600
Fiance5,7603,0001,800
Aged or Orphan dependents2,8002,0001,000
Children2,5402,3002,000
Child Adoption290300400
Skilled Category24,14027,65035,260
Total migration program82,56074,00068,000

It is decidedly too "cushy" to see a picture of media-mogul James Packer sitting alongside Federal Communications Minister Senator Richard Alston at this time when the Packer camp are trying to acquire Fairfax through changes that they have lobbied Alston's department for. The occasion was quite unremarkable. They were both attending a fundraiser for the Fred Hollows Foundation in Sydney.

What was most telling of all in the press photograph is that Alston looks like the kid who has been caught bunking school. He looks one way stoney faced while "rock jaw" Packer looks the other way while sitting alongside each other. Decidedly too precious - as if they happened to just be seated one along the other by accident and didn't really know each other was there.


Pauline Hanson's One Nation Official home page.

Political:

Federal Industrial Relations Minister Peter Reith warned yesterday that wage rises being sought are still too high.

He said that if the claims were successful they would badly effect Australia's current low inflation rate.

"There are many wage negotiators who still need to adjust to the new economic climate," he said.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) state secretary John Thompson said that his organisation had been busy, "Most of the increases whicvh have caused the wage outcomes to go up would have been driven by unions who are very active in this area," he said.

email the editor

You say:

Your correspondent Rich is really rich! But for the blind followers, who mostly are poor,

  1. The nation has always been divided, (divide and rule they call it.) Lib about 45% Lab about 45% and 10% to swing it in case the Big two get disobedient.
  2. Finally its one nation (all the people) against THEM, the money hungry people. Thinking Asians and Aboriginals (they’d rather be called Australians) want to preserve this country from becoming the hellhole they (the immigrants ) escaped from. The real aboriginal knows that most of the money put towards Aboriginal affairs goes to the mostly part-aboriginal, who has his foot in two camps. I am sure ONE NATION welcomes members from all races, true Australians, and even candidates for the Election.
  3. Rich accuses One Nation for not divulging Policies.!!!! Hey Mr. Howard, Hey Mr. Keating, Hey Mr........Isn’t that normal and smart.
  4. If Nazi idiots in this country are now picking on Australian citizens, where are the police? Is Truth to be compromised because of organised blackmail?
  5. The same goes for Trade. I would rather have a free Australia , free from Politicians who obey multinational bosses, NOTICE I SAID MULTINATIONAL, NOT FOREIGN. Big Business would not agree, but principle is more important than MONEY . These are the people getting the big profits working the poor Asians overseas for a pittance, BECAUSE THEY CONTROL THEIR GOVERNMENTS, and they want us to be the same. Next time you buy a pair of shoes THINK about it.
  6. HILARIOUS sums you up Rich, a real sincere person would have said SAD.

    Philip Madsen.

    Subject: Pauline Hanson and 60 Minutes

    Well done Ms Hanson! Keep up the good fight, the masses are behind you. The out of work, dole bludging uni students with nothing better to do than hurl tomatoes will have a change of heart when they finally realise why they can't get a job - or a reduced interest loan.

    Regards,
    Helen Trenerry.

    Subject: Launch of One Nation at Geelong

    All of the hard working people I know and work with, agree with Pauline Hanson. The media bias to the minority has annoyed me and I can't wait to cast my vote for One Nation, just like the many many thousands of other true blue Australains. This Party will rock and roll come federal election day.

    Subject: Pauline Hanson and 60 Minutes

    I just wanted to say that I agree with the fact that Australia should be one nation, not separated, all cultural groups should come together as australians. However as australia is a multicultural society, each cultural group should still retain their culture.

    Doesn't Ms Hanson see that this notion of creating "one nation" is causing more and more seperation? And if everyone who does not have australian parents and grandparents leaves, there will be no one in australia left?

    Australia is multicultural, that is a fact. Without multiculturalism, australia would not exist. Australia is an almagamation of nations. that is why we can live together, we understand the fact that everyone is different, and making everyone the same causes rifts in the communtiy. thank you

    Anne Wiseman

    Subject: Pauline Hanson and 60 Minutes

    To Whome it may Concern,

    I have up till now understood, not necessarilay agreed with the arguments put forward by Pauline Hanson, but after reading the home page response to the 60 mins. interview I have to sumize that you people are either extremly thin skinned or have absolutly no understanding of the real Australia. Of course 60 mins are going to give you a hard time, that is their job. Have you never watched the show before!!!. Did they give other political entities an easy time? NO, what makes you think that you are so different.

    The letter that you refere to clearly states that they want to look at your organisation as a serious party as such it should stand the trial of complete public exposure ( unless there is something you do not want exposed ). In contrast to your childish response you should be proud that 60 mins. have taken your clams to task, this gives you the oppertunity reassert and prove your position, this is not bad publicity but oppertune time for exposure.

    Your reaction has greatly concerned me, I can no longer accept what you are stating without clear proof ( as with all other political parties ). Your job is not to complain about your treatment but use it as a justification to promote your views and facts ( if they are accurate which I now question, because of your response, not the interview). Please clarify your research for the immergration figures and the foriegn dividends is it or is it not accurate????

    I can only restate that I am disturbed by your reaction and now must question your facts and motives. I will activly promot oppersition to your organisation if I am not satisfied that your arguments are acurate, at the moment it appears that you are only addressing issues on an emotional level and are not really concerned with the facts or the real future for Australia.

    ( Note that it was not the 60 min. article that has raised these questions but you response. The book did not help a lot either. )

    Regards
    Michael Harte

    Subject: Pauline Hanson and 60 Minutes

    I hope Pauline Hansens minders are'nt so niave next time. Don't they understand that the media is controlled. Even if the reporter was an independant thinker, their material is still edited. The controllers of the media are all for globilisation not an independant national Australian identity. You must state the grounds for your interview, get it in writting and signed and have the right to approve the editing or no interview. Trust no-one in the media, they have their jobs only because they conform to their superiors or they have the same faith (globilisation). As far as Facts and figures are concerned, always verify them with your own research first, because false and unsubstantiated information is usually the first ploy the opposition will indirectly feed you so as to discredit you.

    I fully support your cause.Keep up the good work.

    Finlaygh.

    Subject: Pauline Hanson and 60 Minutes

    I find your "newspaper" is little more than a propaganda sheet for the "Dumb Nation" party, if you read the 60 Minutes "agreement" you will find the words "We consider it is time we look past the "Pauline Phenomenon" and report what she is saying and what direction she and the movement are heading." you then criticise 60 minutes for asking questions about what she has said. You might also like to highlight that the bogus $200B in dividends and profits is a figment of the collective imaginations of a lobby group which have no standing when it comes to making genuine estimates of financial matters. Just for your information $200B represents 40% of Australias GDP of around $500B. Now if you add the Federal Govt's $110B as part of the "take" you will realise that there is only $200B left for the rest of us, I leave it to you to multiply Australia's Average weekly earings ($35k) times the number in full time employ (9M), then you can try to work out why these numbers are already way out of your crackpot estimate. Then you might consider how the inclusion of part-time wages, local company profits etc might make these already hopelessly inaccurate figures look as sick as the rest of the "Dumb Nation" platform.

    Subject: Pauline Hanson and 60 Minutes

    To the stupid racist biggots,
    Stop whining and take it on the face you dumb bitch,
    go to hell, all of you. The Sixty Minutes interview showed you up for what you really are,
    stupid, uneducated, racist, biggoted, fuckwits. Stuff you all,

    James

    Subject: hanson

    Dear Sir/Madam, Anybody with an inkling of knowledge about Australian politics and its electrol system knows that Pauline Hanson's "One Nation" party is doomed to remain in the gutter from where it came. Political parties need intelligent people to run campaigns and I doubt "One Nation" can find any in its white trash membership.

    The political FAD of the decade will soon die out and those of us that want to live in an intelligent, peaceful society can go on living in the best country in the world without having to listen to bigots that clearly belong somewhere else.

    And to all the tough people out there that have to hide behind a pathetic witch like Hanson I want you to think of your children growing up in a world full of the hate that you support and the disgusting lack of decency and humanity in the person you believe to be your political saviour.

    No wonder Hansons' now a bigoted one term wonder, all the good fish and chips are made by immigrants.

    A proud white Australian that'd happily fight against your type of scum anyday and easily win.

    Sophie and Nick (from Japan)

    Global Gripe of the day:

    The church should keep out of politics.

    The self serving Anglican church are at it again - and I say this as a practicing Anglican.

    The Archbishop of Brisbane, Peter Hollingworth yesterday said that the Australian national anthem should be changed to include themes of Aboriginal heritage and multiculturalism.

    "I don't think its improper because no one really knows the words terribly well except for school children, who are being taught it," he said.

    "But the words to me really don't carry our best aspirations as a nation for the future. I want to suggest we have been a bit slack in picking up the words because the words are not very inspiring - they don't grab you.

    "It is a set of ideas that have come out of the 19th century. It does not deal with the issue of this land and its indigenous people and it doesn't really deal with the idea of diverse groups making one nation."

    Now that last statement is a complete contradiction in terms - you don't have to look beyond Chinatown or Cabramatta to see what hogwash the vision of one nation under those criteria are. And that from a church which is still living in the 15th century...

    What next, a new Australian flag made up of the Aboriginal flag, the Japanese flag, Korean flag and, if we can find some space what is left of the old version after the Republicans have their way with it....

    Give me a break!

    Personal trivia, from the global office:

    Beautiful day outside but it is getting cooler outside.

    Have a great day.


    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.

    WA
    anotd