THE DESTRUCTIVE INFLATION FACTOR

by Eric D. Butler
C.H. Douglas observed that the major cause of the break up of the great Roman Civilisation was not the pressure from the barbarians outside the gates, but the internal social disintegration, the major cause being the progressive centralisation of power in an attempt to deal with monetary inflation, this the result of debt and crushing taxation.
Premier Kennett of Victoria is not noted as one of the nation's deeper political thinkers, but he might be interested in the fact that in their desperate attempts to raise more taxes, the Romans also encouraged lotteries. Premier Kennett has talked about a casino led recovery!

The subject of inflation has emerged in the headlines again, with Prime Minister Keating and his colleagues trying to hide their disappointment that their refrain about their success in "controlling" inflation at a low level has struck a sour note with the news that there has been an upsurge in the inflation rate. The U.S.A. is also experiencing a surge in the inflation rate, this resulting in the financial "experts" proclaiming that this means that interest rates may have to be increased. Prospects of reduced interest rates must now be put aside for the time being.

The man who was once described as "the world's greatest treasurer" obviously does not understand that under present finance economic policies it is mathematically impossible to abolish inflation. Attempts to explain the latest surge in the Australian inflation rate in terms of higher prices of seasonably affected vegetable and fruit prices, and some increased charges of other items, tend to obscure the basic fact that the present finance economic system can only be sustained by a progressive expansion of debt.

The "level playing field" policy has helped to force the cost structure down, but the price is growing social disintegration. The latest increase in wages reflects the reality that in spite of all the restrictive policies being imposed, wages are not keeping pace with the overall cost of living. Insisting that the only answer is to force workers to "become more efficient" is a recipe for still greater social dislocation. Like every other developed nation, Australia is now in a situation, which can only be described, as explosive.

The constructive answer to inflation was outlined by C.H. Douglas at the end of the First World War. The Great Depression merely slowed down the rate of inflation, but did not remove the basic cause. It was during the Second World War that the orthodox "experts" were forced to adopt in part Douglas's proposal to finance consumer price discounts. The concept was used with success in every part of the English-speaking world. The abolition of the consumer price discount system and the refusal to consider its restoration provides clear evidence that continuing inflation, whether "controlled" or uncontrolled, is the settled policy of those driving Australia down the road on which it is now travelling at an accelerating rate.

Irrespective of the label, on the politicians, the end result is predictable while the policies of debt finance are maintained. Western Civilisation is doomed to end like Rome unless there is a change of direction. That change will come when one Western nation decides, "enough is enough". That nation could be Australia.

UNDERMINDING THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR GENERAL

by David Thompson
Governor General, Mr. Bill Hayden, having had his term extended by one year, will now step down in February 1996. Why was his term extended by only one year? So that his replacement, which the arrogant Keating (and other republicans) hope will be the last vice regal appointment, can fill the final term of five years this century. According to the Keating scenario, the new republic can be ushered in with the new century, and a new head of state: a president. It is quite likely that Mr. Keating has already decided upon a replacement for Mr. Hayden.

Given that an election will then be imminent, Mr. Keating can be relied upon to make the most of the opportunity to improve his re-election chances, by pandering to some fashionable minority group. Australia has never had a woman Governor General (or should that be Governess General?). And we have never had an Aboriginal Governor General. There is every chance that the Prime Minister will choose a female Aborigine to fill the vice-regal office, and as a most politically correct appointment, this will be impossible to criticise. In fact, the press will be obliged to laud such a "visionary" appointment, and, of course, the Prime Minister who made it. Any Opposition complaints can become campaign ammunition.

In a subtle way, such a choice will undermine the authority of the office of Governor General. Any person appointed to the office on the basis of their race and/or their sex goes down in history as a "token" Governor General, irrespective of their personal qualities and fitness for the office. Every opportunity to denigrate the office will be taken by a Prime Minister bent upon the introduction of a republic.

The appointment of a Governor General is a distinctly political process. But any potential criticism of vice-regal appointments is seriously muted because of traditional respect accorded the Queen, whose representative might be chosen by the Prime Minister, but approved by her. Thus, even when a self confessed atheist republican was appointed in Mr. Hayden, the Opposition protests were muted. However, if the Queen's authority, and our respect for her person and her office is stripped away by the republicans, all this must change dramatically.

A new office of president carries no dignity, no tradition and little respect, since it is an alien element in our traditional political structure. Our readers will recall that South Australian Premier Donald Dunstan sought to denigrate the office of State Governor by appointing an Aboriginal, Sir Doug Nicholls. A fine man of great natural dignity and charm, Sir Douglas simply found the task beyond his abilities, and was forced to suffer the perception that he was a "token" appointment, and "used" by Dunstan for political purposes. It is not beyond the Prime Minister to resort to similar tactics with the next appointment of Governor General.

GOVERNORS MAKE THEIR MARK

In the discussion concerning a president to replace the Queen and Governor General, insufficient attention has been given to the office of State Governor. But it is clear that whatever opportunities are available to denigrate the Governor's office, are being exploited. Last week the WA press carried a nasty, sarcastic personal attack upon the W.A. Governor. As a matter of convention, and the dignity of the office, the Governor cannot reply.

In the scheme of the republican proposals, the State Governors have been relegated to the rubbish bin of history, and regarded as of no consequence. But even in the Commonwealth election, the State Governors have a role. It is they, on the State Premier's advice, who issue the writs for a Senate election. However they are regarded by the republicans, a number of the Governors are making use of their authority to make significant points concerning a possible republic.

Rear Admiral Peter Sinclair, the Governor of N.S.W., is a highly respected figure in his own right, and in the last few weeks, has been making his feelings on a republic quite clear. The North Shore Times (Sydney, 2 1/7/95) reported his address to a Chatswood Chamber of Commerce luncheon, in which Sinclair stated that a president elected by two-thirds of the Parliament would not stand the test of a crisis.

With six months of his term of office left to serve, the Governor said the thought of a "she'll be right republic" scared him to death. "This will be the wrong one, for sure. It might seem all right at the time to have a president elected by two-thirds of both houses of Parliament. But what happens of there's a falling-out between the president and the government? What happens if a president starts abusing his power? How does the parliament get rid of the president? "If you have a president who's attacking the government, can you really see the Opposition leader supporting his removal in a two-thirds vote in parliament? With the backing of two-thirds of Parliament, he would be the most 'mandate' person in government. No Prime Minister would ever enjoy that sort of mandate. And the president would be the chief of the armed forces. It could perpetrate a real crisis for this country..."

Rear Admiral Sinclair said that the "minimalist position" just won't work. "I am bemused that it could be suggested that we remove the Crown from which we all draw our authority and which is the heart and soul of our system of government and throw it away and not have a substitute in its place," he said. Life isn't like that."

Last week the Victorian Governor, Mr. Richard McGarvie, warned that any attempt to teach "civics" to the present generation of schoolchildren, first required that the teachers themselves be equipped to provide a non-partisan view of the division of power. He pointed out that the sheer neglect of the formal instruction of civics for a generation of Australians had created a gap in knowledge even among teachers. And Governor McGarvie stressed that the Governor's office, and that of cabinet and the courts were a central part of the political system. No instruction was complete if it dealt only with the houses of parliament.

The comments by some of the Governors make it clear that they are not to be under estimated in the debate. Monarchists should make sure that every support is offered to Governors of a traditional, monarchist outlook.

GRAEME CAMPBELL CENSURED FOR LEAGUE ADDRESS

While much is being made of the "split" in the W.A. Branch of the Liberal Party, with the League being mentioned in passing, few reports have emerged of the developing battle in the W.A. A.L.P., surrounding the Member for Kalgoorlie. Labor Party backbencher Mr. Graeme Campbell was censured by the W.A. State Executive of the Party for addressing the League's annual Queensland State Seminar. Campbell defended his address to the Seminar, saying that he has "a policy of talking to anyone prepared to listen". He pointed out that he had spoken to the National Civic Council on three occasions, "and there was not a murmur about it".

A number of Campbell's colleagues are reported to have defended his right to speak wherever he chose, including State M.P., Mr. Julian Grill. Grill noted that the League was not an A.L.P. prescribed organisation, and the A.L.P. had a proud record of fighting for freedom of association. There is no record in any report about references to the racial vilification legislation? Campbell's supporters at State Executive level also pointed out that Mr. Campbell was W.A's. most successful Federal politician, and represented views of the blue collar worker, traditional supporters that Labor was now in danger of losing.

It will be noted that while Campbell was censured for appearing at the League Seminar, there was not a word of criticism about what he said. This creates great divisions within the Party, which would rather that Campbell simply shut up and went away. The League believes that what Campbell has to say is vital to the survival of a free Australia, which is why he was extended a platform in the first instance. His courage is acknowledged, and his contribution appreciated.

The best way to appreciate what Campbell is saying, which so infuriates Keating and the A.L.P. "new class", is to see the video of his address and read his books. The Toowoomba Seminar video, "Policies for Better Government", a three-hour video, which includes the tremendous address by Mr. Denis McCormack of Australians Against Further Immigration: $30.00 posted. Australia Betrayed, $20.00, or $23.00 posted, from all League Book Services.

KOORIES NOT THE FIRST

from Herald-Sun (Melbourne), July 27th
"I refer to the letter from Yorta Yorta LEAP Class (Herald-Sun, July 18) which claimed that there was no other race here before the Koories. It went on to suggest that any claim to the contrary was an attempt to rewrite history. "At least two completely different racial types existed in Australia before there was any evidence of modern Koories. "A people with physical features far more evolutionary than Koories occupied the Lake Mungo area from about 45,000 years ago until (at least) 26,000 years ago. "A different race, with physical features far older (in evolutionary terms) than Koories was widespread from at least 15,000 to 6,500 years ago. Their best-known burial complex is at Kew Swamp.

"Josephine Hood, in Archeology of the Dreamtime (Collins, 1983) comments that, 'All the Australian Pleistocene human remains lie outside the range of present day skeletal forms of the appropriate sex, but they fall into two contrasting groups, one more lightly built than modern Australian Aborigines, the other more rugged and archaic-looking'.

"No one knows when modern Kooris first came on the Australian scene, but there seems to have been a huge increase in the population about 4,000 to 6,000 years ago, signified by increased burning and cutting of vegetation. "Some linguists have speculated that the distribution of Koori languages suggests a large migration of new people who spoke a language they term 'proto-Australian'. "Unfortunately, the fate of the earlier races in this continent is unknown."
(A. James University of Melbourne, Victoria)

INACTION IS SHAMEFUL

POWER OUT OF CONTROL