KEATING DECIDES IT'S TIME

The West Australian State election results obviously helped to convince Prime Minister Keating that he should not wait any longer to call a Federal Election. As we read the election results from Western Australia, the much-publicised prediction of a massive backlash against the State Labor Government did not eventuate. The biggest swings against Labor were in relatively safe Liberal held electorates.

As we go to press, Paul Keating has not delivered his address to the Press Club, but we have no doubt that Keating will be attempting new initiatives. That nasty little foul mouthed man Bob Hawke, in last week's TV interview, was attempting to "hedge his bets" concerning the possible election result, but in essence was saying that if Keating won, Dr. John Hewson would have been his greatest asset. Hawke said this in order to ensure that he would not have to congratulate Keating if he wins. And, of course, if Keating loses, Hawke will be able to say that the Labor Party made a disastrous mistake in voting him out; that he could have won the election for Labor.

We are not going to be foolish enough to predict the outcome of March 13th. All the indications at present are that the result will be extremely close. The latest Morgan poll, which has consistently been the most accurate, has Labor leading the Coalition by a small margin. The GST has been the major Achilles heel of the Coalition and Dr. Hewson's attempt to modify this has not assisted him. Neither will his latest comment that he is prepared to make even more adjustments to his "Fight Back" programme.

As a number of perceptive commentators, like Mr. B.A. Santamaria, have pointed out, 'there are no basic differences between the philosophies and Policies of the Labor and Opposition Parties. Both are strongly wedded to internationalism, and to debt-finance. It is hard to find any nationalist fervor in any of the political parties. The best that concerned Australians can hope for is that whoever wins on March 13th will have a slender majority in the House of Representatives and be in a minority in the Senate.

We anticipate that Independent Ted Mack will be re-elected and that Phil Cleary will be re-elected as an Independent in Wills. Miracles are always possible and Mack and Cleary could be joined by one or two other Independents and hold the balance of power. Our advice is that no responsible voter should vote for any candidate who will not give a written undertaking to support the concept of the Electors' Veto and the restoration of financial sovereignty to Australia.

VALE IVOR BENSON

ARNOTTS JOINS THE GLOBAL MARKET

by David Thompson
When the AMP Society sold the bulk of its shareholding in Arnotts to the American share raider, Campbell's Soups, last week, the future of the famous Australian biscuit maker was effectively sealed. But even the AMP must have been alarmed at the demonstration of public anger that greeted their decision. Talkback radio Programmes and telephone polls indicated that an unprecedented number of respondents voted by an overwhelming 95% to condemn AMP for selling out to the foreigners. The AMP was besieged by policyholders calling to cancel their policies.

The long and emotional campaign to save Arnotts is effectively over. The truth is that no matter how emotionally distressed Arnotts shareholders and supporters become, their concerns have no place in the era of the "international marketplace". The demise of Arnotts is the perfect example of rationalist economic ideology, which obviously drove the AMP to reverse their position, and sell the shares. The AMP quote their "fiduciary duty" to shareholders to get the best deal they could. But what criteria determine the "best deal"? The financial return, or the Australian control of Australian assets? In the end, the AMP's 'bottom line' decided the issue, and Arnotts has been "rationalised".

NO PLACE FOR NATIONALISM

Perhaps the Arnotts experience can highlight the practical results of the dogma of economic rationalism and the global market. In the global marketplace there is no place for tariffs or other mechanisms to protect domestic industry, because economic self-sufficiency has been replaced by 'interdependence'. Ultimately, as the trade alliances become political mergers (as with the new Europe) there is no place for nationalism in an internationalised power structure. The demise of Arnotts, however, is merely the result of policies that drive the economy towards internationalism.

The cause with which we need to come to grips is originally a financial policy in which all money is created as a debt to some banking group - increasingly a foreign bank. More and more of Australian assets are sold off to keep the foreign debt collectors at bay. Only a change in financial policy can short circuit the madness of economic rationalism.

In the meantime, all parties and candidates for Parliament should be challenged on the wisdom of permitting Australian assets like Arnotts to be sold off. The Foreign Investment Review Board could have saved Arnotts by simply lifting a finger, if the Treasurer was disposed to regard the retention of our national assets as being more important than a blind commitment to the madness of internationalism.

The book "Shutdown", in which Australian academics defy rationalist economic dogma, is most timely. It should be read by all Australian nationalists and economic patriots. As a special offer, the League is discounting this important book in the run up to the election. Now available from League Bookshops for the special price of $10, or $12 posted.

LEAGUE RESPONDS TO MALICIOUS ATTACK

THE LEAGUE'S RESPONSE

It is not true that the Australian League of Rights is sponsoring the coming lecture tour of Australia by British historian David Irving. "As the biggest distributor of conservative literature in Australia, and a movement concerned with history, the League has promoted Irving's works. It is widely conceded that Irving is the greatest living authority on documents concerning W.W.II. It was Irving who was able to expose the hoax of the Hitler diaries when they were being published as genuine by the Murdoch press. The same press had to turn to Irving to authenticate and translate the Goebbels diaries. The League stocks Irving's updated and revised major work, Hitler's War, rating it as a major source work, and essential reading for serious students of history. "The League will be recommending Irving's lecture tour to supporters, as we have done in the past. The charge that the League is a "shadowy" organisation, and that it may be involved in the daubing of graffiti is an insult to the intelligence of Queenslanders. The League is the best known patriotic movement in Australia, and so far from being shadowy, our programme is available for all to study."

SHEER ARROGANCE OF ZIONIST LEADERS
At the time your ill-informed article was being written, my Advisory National Director, veteran political commentator Mr. Eric Butler, was addressing a well attended Brisbane meeting - open to the public. Your article makes the pathetic charge that you were unable to contact a spokesman for the League. We are listed in the phone book, and our Ann Street Bookshop is well known. My State Director, Mr. Chas Pinwill, has made a number of statements published in the Courier Mail over the years. "The truth is that no serious effort was made to contact the League, as the shabby allegation of the League fostering racist violence would have been quickly dealt with. The League has never been charged with unlawful behaviour, inciting violence, or any similar activity.

In fact, the 1989 Human Rights Commission Enquiry into Racist Violence was obliged to report that no evidence of the Leagues involvement in such activities was found. "If there have been any acts of violence against Jewish buildings, I strongly advise Jewish leaders to report them to the police. There is quite adequate legislation to deal with such matters. "I find it quite unbelievable that a few Zionist leaders should demand that an historian of Irving's status should be prevented from coming to Australia. It is sheer arrogance to attempt to dictate to Australians whom they can hear, and what they may read. The Zionists foolishly pressured the Canadian immigration authorities to expel Irving from Canada, resulting in a sharp escalation of sales of his works. Irving is taking legal action. He has never been banned from Germany, or any other country in the world except Canada. His two previous Australian visits were widely covered by the press. There was never any suggestion that he may have broken Australian laws."

As we go to press, the Courier Mail has not published the League's response.