HISTORIC ADELAIDE CHRISTIAN SEMINAR

BRIEF COMMENTS

For purely dialectical reasons, Nikita Khruschev confirmed what objective observers already knew about Stalin: that he was a criminal monster responsible for the deaths of tens of millions. This denunciation of Stalin enabled Khruschev to present himself as a "moderate" Communist who believed in "peaceful coexistence."
The present Chinese Communist leaders are now revealing that approximately 3 million were killed during the "Cultural Revolution". A report in the Japanese daily, "Asahi", states that the Chinese Communist Party Secretary General Hu Yaobang has told foreign reporters that under Mao Tse-tung a total of 100 million Chinese perished. Australians should recall the eulogy of Mao Tse- tung by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser when the Chinese Communist leader died. The present "moderate" Chinese Communist leaders are hopeful that by denouncing their predecessors, they will encourage the flow of massive credits from the West for their "modernisation" programme. But like Khruschev, they understand what Communist dialectics are all about. And they are contemptuous of gullible Western politicians. The desperate American situation may be judged by the fact that many believe that even the return of the former American Secretary of State, Dr. Henry Kissinger, under Ronald Reagan, would be preferable to continuing with the hopeless Jimmy Carter. Edward Kennedy's challenge to Carter must be seen as a preliminary to contesting the Presidency again in 1984. Failure by a Reagan Administration would make the unthinkable almost a certainty: the election of Kennedy as President. The next few years are going to be the most crucial in the history of Western Civilisation.

Earlier this year Mr. Eric Butler reported from Canada on the stand by an Albertan citizen, Mr. Jim Goodwin, against "metric madness" which stated that he was prepared to go to prison in protest against a speeding charge. Mr. Goodwin lives in Delburne, described as the "anti-metric capital of the free world." Reports just to hand concern the activities of groups of anti-metric campaigners who have caused consternation by painting over metric road signs. Strong letters in the press support the anti-metric actionists, who also have the support of one local Federal Member in their opposition to what, is described as sabotage of a vital aspect of the national heritage. Western Canadians, who also continue to resist Trudeau's oil pricing policy (the same policy being imposed by the Fraser Government) obviously are a rugged breed. They are the kind of people who keep the flame of liberty alive at a time when it is threatened by the gales of collectivism sweeping the world.

Adding insult to injury, Federal Treasurer John Howard, and his taxation bureaucrats have spent thousands of dollars of the taxpayers' money on full-page advertisements in the daily press in an attempt to justify their imposition of a taxation increase on Central Queensland miners. From Queensland State National Party Member, Mr. Vince Lester, who represents the miners, comes some refreshingly frank language. Mr. Lester warns that the strike could go on until Christmas, "all because Mr. Howard (The Federal Treasurer) is a dill." And what about Mr. Lester's view of the Federal leader of his party? He believes he has "bungled" badly, is not even a good "messenger boy" for the Prime Minister and should go back to his farm and keep his mouth shut. "Every time he opens his mouth" says Mr. Lester "he is a disaster. He does not even know his facts. His statement last week about beach houses and miners was an example of his stupid inaccuracy." Mr. Lester added that Mr. Anthony's use of a government plane, costing thousands of dollars, on private business, did "not help his credibility with the miners." Mr. Lester has said something that needed saying. In an attempt to impose a miserable tax which, if collected, would make little real difference to total tax revenue, the Fraser Government and its bureaucratic masters have produced a strike which is wrecking the very production they claim is so necessary to solve Australia's finance economic problems. Mr. Lester should be congratulated for his stand for sanity and the Federal Government told by electors to stop acting like a modern day Scrooge.

FROM JONATHAN HUNTINGDON'S NOTE-BOOK

The news has been full of reports of U.S. bombers and carriers in Australia. There's no mention of Australian control or participation; and that - in my book - makes us a captive nation. These Defence illusions could disappear with the waving of the Presidential wand, leaving us as vulnerable as a goanna on its back. We must have our own strategic forces, and that's that! The U.S.A. is in debt to us. Pine Gap is the second biggest C.I.A. tracking station in the world; and we did shed our blood in Vietnam - for America. It is not too much to ask for the same deal given to the French, and the Brits - just the technology for four nuclear-missile subs, for which we will pay through the nose like we do for everything else. In 1959, when Eisenhower persuaded Krushchev not to give nukes to Mao, there have been ripples from each splash in China's nuclear growth. The first was the Sino-Soviet rift after the cancellation of Soviet nuclear promises. The second was the first Chinese blast in 1964: this time the U.S.S.R. approached the U.S.A. about combined action to stultify China's nuclear growth. The deployment of Chinese nuclear missiles led to the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, and the Nixon suppliant mission to Peking. The U.S.A. used much of the money saved by the Vietnam withdrawal to build an anti-Chinese, antiballistic missile system (Safeguard). These modern Ghengis Khans are most devious - yet everything they do is part of a strategy (get out your chess sets). Malcolm Fraser took advantage of the Ohira funeral in Tokyo to get his puppet-strings untangled by Chairman Hua. Confucian proverb: "Over-zealous puppet get strings in knots." Perhaps Malcolm is just getting used to his new friends. Two things characterise the plethora of radical magazines that buzz, priority mail, hither and thither across the globe. One is the overall expensiveness - the high capitalization, the glossy production, more in keeping with "girly mags". The other is the inherent insanity. An example: "Progressive", a monthly magazine produced in Wisconsin, has come up with a clanger; they've printed the formula for a do it yourself Hydrogen bomb. As most civilised nations now have this capability, then the message must be directed towards those less than civilised, e.g., the I.R.A., the Mafia. Rumour has it that the frightening Doctor Kissinger will be back in the saddle if Ronald Reagan wins the U.S. Presidency. The U.S.A. elections have degenerated into a flattery contest with the candidate who can say and do the nicest things for the Zionists winning the media vote (the only vote that matters).

In Britain, the Defence Ministry has begun distributing leaflets at anti-military demonstrations with stunning succession: an excellent precedent, which I hope, is not forgotten.

On the energy front new deposits of oil bearing shale at Condor, south of Proserpine, are said to dwarf Rundle; which means that we could be self-sufficient in two years - if we had a little leadership.

Seed Conspiracy

A Winmallee actionist (N.S.W.) has sent us valuable information on the "Seed Conspiracy" which is put out by the "Plant Diversity Protection Committee", the address of which is "Total Environment Centre 18 Argyle St., SYDNEY, N.S.W. 2000. We suggest that those League actionists who are concerned with this issue should write to this body direct. There are books available which many interested persons may well wish to write for. A Petition to the Senate has also been prepared, and these Petition forms are available from the above Sydney address. We are unable to reprint all of the material on the explanatory brochure prepared by the Plant Diversity Protection Committee; however, we shall give what space allows:
"The Bill: A bill to introduce Plant Variety Rights (P.V.R.) in Australia is expected to be introduced by the Australian Government in the Spring Session. This is probably one of the most important pieces of agriculture legislation ever to enter Parliament. Intent of P.V.R.: Briefly, P.V.R. would allow breeders to obtain sole proprietary rights over any new plant that may develop. These rights allow a breeder to control the use of a variety, to levy and collect royalties, and to take civil action against any infringes. Such a property right is similar to a patent, but sufficiently different to require special legislation.
Reactions Overseas to P.V.R.
Many European countries, the U.K., the U.S.A. and New Zealand, have had similar legislation for a number of years. Although the legislation appeared reasonable, in a number of countries there has recently been serious questioning of its value and the implications that flow from P.V.R. The recent attempt to introduce similar legislation in Canada met with strong opposition (e.g. 50% of the Canadian farmers opposed it), and as a result, the legisation has been deferred twice. Similarly, strong public opposition has brought about a delay in the passage of amendments proposed to the Plant Variety Protection Act (1970) in the United States.
Lobbies in Australia
In Australia, two main groups have been lobbying for the introduction of Plant Variety Rights legislation.
1) The Industries Committee for Plant Breeders Rights, which is said to represent, and to be funded by, the principal overseas seed companies.
2) The Australian Seed Producers Federation.
U.S.A. Type Legislation
The former group has favoured the U.S.A. type legislation, where a breeder only has to certify that a variety is different, homogenous, uniform and stable, and does not have to actually physically test the material.
European Type Legislation
The Australian Seed Producers Federation prefers the European or International Union for the Protection of Plant Varieties (U.P.0.V.) type of legislation, which requires that difference; homogeneity and stability must be proven by actual field tests before it can be accepted for registration. It was the objections of the latter group that led to the introduction of the legislation being deferred in Australia early in 1980.
Government Secrecy
Although the draft legislation was secretly made available to certain organisations (Seed Industries Association, Australian Seed Producers Federation, Australian Nurserymen's Association, the State Departments of Agriculture, and various Federal Departments) for comment by May 15th, 1979, the general public did not become aware of the issue until September 1979. Since then the Government has consistently refused to make details of the draft legislation available to concerned members of the public.
Seeds As a Public Resource
Traditionally, seeds have always been a public, natural resource. But increasingly, they have moved into private hands for private profit. In past times public breeding has ensured the development of varieties based on the needs of the growers with free exchange of genetic material taking place. The increasing trend towards private control of seeds and plants could lead to adverse economic, biological, and social effects, the most important being control of the world's food supply.
Multinationals and Takeovers
Many people believe that P.V.R. is the linchpin in the multinational drive to take over the seed industry. Following P.V.R. in other countries, large-scale acquisition of seed companies by multinationals has occurred, e.g. in Britain over eighty (80) small seed companies were bought out by Rank-Hovis-McDougall in the week following the onset of legislation in the U.K. The world's food grains are controlled by seventeen (17) multinationals; the same companies hold more than half the plant patents issued in the U.S.A. since the advent of P.V.R. legislation in 1970. In Australia, Hortico is owned by I.C.I., 40% of Yates shares are held by A.P.M., Walter Blom is owned by Zadunie B.V. (Netherlands) who control sixteen (16) seed companies. Shell and Continental Grain have helped fund the seeds lobby.
Bias In Corporate Breeding
Because agrichemical companies produce fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, corporate breeding favours chemically dependent varieties. These are not so much high yield as high response varieties bred for yield uniformity and processability, and dependent upon high energy based agricultural practices.
Threats to Small Business
The further reduction in numbers of small businesses, and the employment they provide, appears inevitable."

There is much more which space disallows, e.g. "Loss of Varieties", "Loss of Genetic Diversity", "Public Research in Australia", and many stinging questions which actionists should demand of politicians. This brochure of the Plant Diversity Protection Committee is well produced and there is plenty of suggested action for those directly concerned.