PREMIER JOH LEADS

Last week Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen of Queensland demonstrated that he is the only political leader in Australia who can claim to be a statesman. Although there are Members of the Federal Coalition government who must think like the Premier, it was left to him to say in forthright language that Prime Minister Fraser should stop trying to run affairs of other countries and concentrate upon solving Australia's problems.

Speaking out in Brisbane on July 28th. Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen specifically criticised Mr. Fraser for his anti-South African stand, describing it as "hypocritical and frightening." He said that Mr. Fraser was wrong in opposing the Springboks' New Zealand tour and should drop his North-South dialogues policies (part of the New International Economic Order), which were described as "all rubbish". The Premier said, "Instead of being a stabilising influence on the world scene, Mr. Fraser's attitude and actions are encouraging events which could lead to anarchy as in New Zealand." Premier Bjelke-Petersen also said what a lot of fed up Australians are saying about threats by African States to boycott the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane next year: that he was not interested in what effect his statements would have. "I will always stand by my friends and never let them down", he said.

In a statement issued on July 12, the Premier said that Black African nations of the Commonwealth would be wise to stop their blackmail tactics and follow the lead given by Papua-New Guinea. Recently in Brisbane Mr. Iambakery Okuk, Papua-New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister, said that his country was going to participate in the Games and that no country should try to interfere in the affairs of another. It is no secret that the organisers of the Brisbane Games are not unduly concerned if a few African nations do not participate, but they are concerned about the possibility of New Zealand being precluded, because it is anticipated that there will be more visitors from New Zealand than from any other Commonwealth country.

Premier Bjelke-Petersen's hard-hitting criticism of the Fraser Government's foreign policies followed other outstanding statements by the Premier. On July 26th he said "Not one dollar of Australian tax money should be advanced to communist Poland until the Communist party rulers pledge themselves to hold genuine free elections under international supervision. What was good enough for little Rhodesia under a multiracial government should be equally good for a communist, one party dictatorship under the Soviet heel." The Premier went on to refer to Poland's massive debts to Western banks.

With the Springbok tour of New Zealand, South Africa and the New International Economic Order certain to dominate the Commonwealth Conference late in September - early October, and with Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen placing himself in the forefront of Australian support for New Zealand, and extremely critical of increased foreign aid, the stage is being set for a clash which will bring out the dangerous realities of Malcolm Fraser's foreign policy. The Premier should be thanked for his leadership.
It was fitting that the Assembly of Captive Nations of Australia recently declared their annual "Loyal Australian of the Year" award had gone to the Queensland Premier. There is no doubt that it is a much more loyal Australian than is Mr. Malcolm Fraser.

AFTER WAGE INDEXATION

The torrent of comment concerning the ending of wage indexation has obscured the basic fact that irrespective of how wages are adjusted (by arbitration or by collective bargaining), all wage increases are financed by the creation of new financial credits by the banking system, issued as an interest bearing debt to borrowing employers. A simplified example demonstrates the realities of the situation: Employer X has 100 employees and finds that he is obliged to pay a wage increase of, say, $20 a week. To finance the total wage increase he must increase his bank overdraft by $2000. He now has to increase his prices by the same amount, PLUS INTEREST, thus further stimulating inflation.
Even if the wage earners received the $2000, they cannot meet the interest. But the total $2000 does not reach the wage earner, because an increasing part of his wage increases is taken by taxation.

The impending substantial wage explosion, coupled with other increased financial costs imposed by the Federal Government, makes higher inflation inevitable. The Federal Government will be a major beneficiary in the form of higher taxation revenue. This increases further the power of the government. The arithmetic of the situation is beyond argument and cannot be altered by political rhetoric.
Increasing technology has resulted in a situation in which a relatively small number of technicians can now force all Governments to capitulate to demands for increased wages. The capitulation of the Federal Government during the recent wave of industrial chaos has demonstrated that all the "tough" talk in the world has no bearing on realities.
A revolutionary situation is fast developing, not only in Australia but also in every industrialised nation where, in spite of differing methods of adjusting wages, the same basic factors prevail. And the same finance economic policies are imposed.

The financial solution to the deepening crisis is basically simple: If millions of dollars of new credits can be created and distributed in such a way that they increase financial costs, the same credits could be used to lower financial costs, starting with the complete abolition of Sales Tax and the re-introduction of the successful price subsidy scheme on basic items used so successfully during and after the Second World War. The administrative aspects of how this could be done are clearly outlined in Dr. Bryan Monahan's "Freedom and Inflation" ($1 posted). Only a falling price level without loss to producers and others operating the economic system can reverse the slide towards greater industrial unrest and eventual revolution. Either Governments must find the political will to change policy, or they must continue to capitulate to the forces of revolution. But members of Parliament will not find the will unless sufficient electors clearly indicate that they want a changed policy.

BRIEF COMMENTS

In an article on Mr. Andrew Peacock in "Woman's Day" of August 12th Margaret O'Sullivan quotes Mr. Peacock, as saying that one world leader he "particularly admires" is Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Canada's Prime Minister is the Fabian Socialist who, together with several of his fellow Fabians, "hijacked" the Canadian Liberal Party and has used it to destroy traditional Canada. At present he is trying to impose a new Constitution upon the Canadian people, designed to prepare Canada to be fitted into the New International Economic Order. Mr. Peacock is just as dedicated to The New International Economic Order as Mr. Malcolm Fraser. Replacing Mr. Fraser with Mr. Peacock would see no changed in basic policies.

In a letter to "News Weekly" of July 29th Mr. Paul Rackemann makes the following important comment: ''As an Australian of German descent, I can claim to be regularly discriminated against on grounds of race or nationality. I have never objected to this, because I realise that unless people are free to discriminate, to choose their associates, for all sorts of reasons, good and bad, no society above the level of the ant nest can exist. I have always thought that the person who complains of discrimination is declaring that in his own opinion, he is not merely inferior but worthless. He is declaring that he has to be accepted as an act of charity.... The campaign against discrimination as it is carried on today is not only the ploy of persons who consider themselves worthless but also the tool of Communists and other nihilistic people who have determined that if society will not recognise their natural right to govern it, they will do their best to destroy it... .One should never complain of 'prejudice' or discriminations, but only of specific injustices, which, if they exist and can be shown to exist, are capable of rectification.
Mr. Rackemann's penetratingly logical comment should be sent to all those sloppy journalists who constantly use "discrimination" as a political swear term.

The Rev. Ian Mackie, director of the Anglican marriage and counseling service in Perth, charges that government policies were bringing increasing pressures on families, pointing out that "A one percent rise in housing mortgage rates represents a crippling extra $30 each month for the average suburban family. When this is added to the risk of losing everything or pay-up health insurance predicament, education cuts, unemployment and increases in local government charges, there is an increasing burden on wage and salary earners. Present financial policies are making a major contribution to the break up of family life in Australia and must be challenged by all those calling themselves Christians.