Friday 25th July 1997
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The action of these protesters flies in the face of claims by a spokesman for the Brisbane Anti-Racism Campaign Committee that they are against violence at One Nation meetings.
Ms Hanson did not attend the launch.
A report to Parliament by the Australian National Crime Authority which has, for reasons unknown, never surfaced in the mainstream media suggests that about 80% of heroin arriving in Australia originates through the Chinese triads.
The greed factor is once again taking over Australian sport with both Murdoch and Packer now openly vying to gain control over the Docklands super-stadium in Melbourne.
The interest is centred around the control of the media rights of the Australian Football League (AFL) in the 21st Century. James Packer secretly entered the Docklands TV rights race about eight weeks ago while Channel Seven television and News Limited submitted a counter proposal to the Docklands Authority just hours before the 3pm deadline yesterday.
Channel Seven's Au$125 million contract will be renegotiated at the end of 2001.
Pauline Hanson jump station.
Spectre of racism 'puts off' students
The flood of youngsters going to study in Australia has slowed, with
some observers blaming the racial views of politician Pauline Hanson.
Figures from the Australian Consulate show that in the first six months
of this year 1,577 student visas were issued, against 1,622 in the first
six months of 1996.
In May alone the total was down 47 per cent.
"I attribute the downturn to Pauline Hanson," said Australian
immigration and education consultant Paul Bernadou.
"But I really think that if people do go down there racism won't be a
problem. There may be odd incidents, but they were happening before
Pauline Hanson," he said.
Ousted legislator and president of the Professional Teachers' Union
Cheung Man-kwong said the fear of racism was a "very small factor"
causing the drop. The increasing availability of places in Hong Kong
universities was also a cause, he said.
"In these few years not only Australia but other countries have not
increased their numbers," he said.
Figures from the United States, the only other major destination that
produces month-by-month visa figures, show a three per cent decline to
2,035.
Ivy Ngan Kit-fan, marketing manager for the official Australian
Education Centre, said that looking at whole-year figures the country
continued to be popular as it was close, relatively cheap and students
were allowed to work while studying.
"For Hong Kong students, they are not that sensitive to the Pauline
Hanson effect. Most of the Chinese newspapers haven't reported on her
that much," she said.
The Australian Government's financial year ends on June 30 and the year
just ended saw an 11.5 per cent increase to 4,155 student visas issued
in Hong Kong.
More Australian visas are issued between September to January because
the academic year starts in January. Ms Ngan said the January to June
figures were not a reliable guide.
A Commission for Canada spokesman said she believed student numbers to
Canada were slightly down.
The British Consulate was unable to give figures as most Hong Kong
students did not require a visa to study in Britain.
GREN MANUEL
Yesterday afternoon we experienced light scattered showers.
Have a great day.
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