'NEW RIGHT' A RED HERRING

Charges and counter charges are being made concerning the role of what is termed "The New Right" in Liberal Party policies. From a party political point of view, Prime Minister Hawke must be encouraged by the open infighting between the Liberals. Liberal Party critics of Mr. John Howard are claiming that, among other things, he is seen as being closely aligned with "The New Right", and that with more effective leadership the Opposition should have a far more commanding lead in the public opinion polls. Through all this former Liberal Leader Andrew Peacock has been adopting a low profile, merely letting it be known that if there is to be another vote on the leadership, he is available. As Shadow Foreign Minister, Peacock has left no doubt that he is, for example, anti-South Africa.

A Peacock Government would see no basic changes in the policies being pursued by the pragmatic Bob Hawke, whose pragmatism has now extended to telling his Zionist friends that Israel should accept the Palestinian Liberation Organisation as the legitimate representative of the Palestinians. Mr. John Howard has been reluctant to produce his complete taxation policy too early in case features of it are "pinched" by the Labor Government. The Hawke-Keating team has in fact adopted much of what Mr. Howard had previously advocated - including the permission for foreign banks to operate inside Australia.

While in Switzerland, Mr. Hawke quietly informed the high flying international investors who had assembled that today's trade union leaders were prepared to offer a trouble-free work force to encourage capital investment into Australia. Veteran former Labor leader, Sir Jack Edgerton, observes that the Labor movement has been captured by the academics, all highly paid. Traditional Labor supporters have been deserted. The ALP under Bob Hawke has become the party of internationalism. There is no evidence to suggest that "The New Right" offers any real challenge to this internationalism.

In attacking "The New Right", Bob Hawke is merely engaged in party political dialectics. He knows that "The New Right" is acting like a red herring, saying many of the things which concerned Australians like to hear remember what that great neo- conservative Malcolm Fraser was saying before he was elected but failing to offer any genuine alternatives to the policies which have brought Australia to its present crisis. Clearly either a Howard led, or a Peacock led government would be one of great internal tensions, these having a paralysing effect on constructive policy making. What is required is the election of sufficient candidates in the Senate, pledged to return Australia to its basic traditions, and to "hold the line" while the growing grassroots conservative movement throughout Australia reaches fulfillment.

NEW ATTACK ON VICTORIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Although the Cain Fabian Government was forced to move backwards last year on its proposed compulsory amalgamation programme, it is now initiating new revolutionary moves on the local government front with proposed major changes to the local government Act. The following letter, by Mr. Brian Lumsden, President of the Swanpool and District Ratepayers' Group, R.M.B. 17998, Benalla, 3673, which has appeared in a few country papers, is an excellent summary of the new threat and an outline of an appropriate action programme:
"Readers will be shocked by the moves of the Government, on Christmas Eve, to radically re-write the Local Government Act. Renewing the intention to amalgamate councils into three categories, change the rating system to be like a wealth tax on property by making capital improvement value the only rating system, and a provision that councilors will not be required to take an oath of office, are just a few of the radical changes. 'The proposed new Act was delivered to councils on Christmas Eve, when most offices were closing until early this month, at a time when many senior staff and the public are on holidays. The Minister expects to have council and public responses to this Act no later than the end of next month (February).
"The proposed act makes it clear that additional community responsibilities will be placed on councils, and can be transferred without even being considered by Parliament. Unelected persons can be placed on council committees, council boundaries must be reviewed every five years, and the residents have no legal right to decide by referendum. "No clear definition has been given of properties to be exempt from rates. The Minister should state clearly if he intends to rate church schools, for example… "If the Opposition Parties do not remain firm on this issue, or one of their members is absent and the Government again breaks the pairs arrangement, these changes will take place .... radical action by a Government against the people must be met with strong, legal and peaceful resistance. Our only weapon is to force the Government to an election, to preserve democracy. Our group has recommenced collecting signatures we already have many thousands for a petition to the Governor asking him to dissolve Parliament and call an election.
"The Opposition leader, Mr. Jeff Kennett, has signed the petition, and we expect all Liberal and National Party Members of Parliament to actively work with the public to protect and restore democracy in Victoria. The Petition will achieve this by either bringing on an election, or making the Government see that the public will not accept its attack on Local Government and the residents' rights."

While recommending the action being taken, we strongly urge that the most effective form of campaign is for electors to contact all State Labor Members, particularly these in marginal seats, and to make it clear that their political futures are at risk unless they publicly oppose the latest Fabian assault on Victorian Local Government.

BRIEF COMMENTS

We have just received a report from the U.S.A. stating that Ernest Zundell has won his appeal against the Toronto trial, which found him guilty of distributing false information concerning the allegation that six million Jews were gassed during the Second World War. Our American contact says that Zionist leaders are shocked by the Zundell appeal decision. Not without significance is the failure of the general media to publicise the Zundell appeal victory. We will be reporting on the Zundell appeal case when information comes to hand.

Mr. Graeme Campbell, Federal Labor M.P. for Kalgoorlie, deserves congratulations on his independent stand concerning South Africa. Mr. Campbell left for South Africa last week, stating that he wanted to see for himself what the real situation was like in South Africa. He said he was "getting rather sick of the hypocrisy that's going on about South Africa',' and was opposed to his own Party's policy on economic sanctions. Mr. Campbell is paying his own fare, and his expenses while in South Africa. He says that his South African visit was not greeted with any great enthusiasm by the Hawke Government. It will be recalled that Mr. Campbell was extremely critical of his own Government's policy on Aboriginal land claims, circulating a document in Labor circles, stressing that the land claims programme would produce a massive electoral backlash. Events proved Mr. Campbell right. We trust he will have the opportunity to produce a realistic report on South Africa when he returns to Australia.

Prime Minister Hawke and Opposition leader Howard use exactly the same terminology in their comments on the progressive centralisation of power through takeovers; which are allegedly the result of "market forces." Neither mention that these "market forces" are controlled by those who have the power to create financial credit. Rupert Murdoch could not even take over "The Woop Woop Times" without the backing of his international banking friends. Those journalists now complaining about the growing monopoly of the media might devote a little attention to the most dangerous monopoly of all - the credit monopoly. But, of course, they would have some difficulty in having their material published. The circulation of vital information and independent comment is increasingly dependent upon small newsletters like "On Target" and journals like "The Intelligence Survey" and "The New Times."

NAZIS