THE GRAEME CAMPBELL EXPLOSION

by Eric D. Butler:
Last week saw the long running drama concerning West Australian Labor M.P., Graeme Campbell, come to a head, with Campbell being stripped of his Labor Party nomination for the electorate of Kalgoorlie, the biggest in the democratic world, and in effect being expelled from the Federal Labor Caucus. However, having been elected - with an overwhelming majority - by the electors of Kalgoorlie at the last Federal Elections, he cannot be expelled from Parliament. He will continue to sit in the Parliament as an Independent and has announced that he will recontest his electorate as an Independent.

However, a close examination of Campbell's statements indicates that as yet it is far from certain that Campbell will, in fact, run as an Independent for Kalgoorlie. As a skilled grassroots politician he must be well aware that, assuming he were re-elected, his scope for effective national action would be limited as a private Member in a Parliament which he anticipates will see a John Howard Government. It can, however, be safely assumed that irrespective of whether he stays with the House of Representatives, or moves to the Senate, he has a national strategy planned. One thing is certain: he has dramatically changed the course of Australian politics.

No mature political observer denies the potent Zionist factor in Australian politics in recent years. For many years the Zionist propaganda machine has conducted a persistent campaign against the League of Rights, attempting to act whenever they feared the growth of League influence. It was Zionist influence, which prevented the Hawke Government from granting a visa to the British historian David Irving. It was Zionist influence, which was responsible for the threats, and ugly demonstrations, which prevented the showing in a number of centres of David Irving's video film, The Search for Truth in History. The Zionists were the driving force behind the campaign to have war crime trials conducted. They also exerted every possible influence to have the Race Hatred legislation passed.

When the news was announced in 1993 that Graeme Campbell had agreed to appear on a League of Rights platform, the Zionist machine went into immediate action with attempts to intimidate Campbell. Instead of retreating as many politicians have, Campbell went on the attack. From then on he was a marked man.

It was when he appeared once again on a League platform, at this year's Queensland State Seminar, along with Denis McCormack of the Australians Against Further Immigration Party, that the Zionist campaign against Campbell really exploded. Zionist leaders demanded that the A.L.P. expel Campbell. But the problem was could the A.L.P. afford such a drastic move in the run up to a Federal Election? It was Campbell alone who had won Kalgoorlie for Labor and then built it into one of the safest Labor electorates in Australia. Sacking Campbell could mean the loss of a vital seat.

Keating's hand was forced when maintaining his firm support for the Australians Against Further Immigration; Campbell appeared on the A.A.F.I. platform at what was described as a launch of the Party's Federal election campaign in Sydney. Campbell followed up with a scathing attack on the current immigration policy and multiculturalism in the Federal Parliament. It was at this stage that the Zionist hit men moved in and Keating obviously felt he had no other option than to call for Campbell's expulsion.

It is instructive to look at the reaction of all the well-known Zionist front men. Gerard Henderson of The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. League watcher David Greason raised the alarm concerning the possibility of Campbell and others obtaining a foothold in the Senate. The Age editorial of last Friday applauded the expulsion of Campbell, once again stressing his association with the League of Rights. The political commentators had a field day last weekend, scribbling away. A classic but not surprising article by the foreign editor of The Australian, Greg Sheridan, appeared in The Weekend Australian, December 2nd-3rd. The article was smugly entitled A.L.P. MOVE AN ACT OF DECENCY

Sheridan's view was that Campbell should have been removed five years earlier. Campbell's crime was that he had associated with the "odious, fringe dwellers", Australians Against Further Immigration and the "anti-Semitic", Racist League of Rights. But the central point made by Sheridan was that Campbell was challenging the policy of non-discrimination against Asians and Aborigines. Sheridan conveniently overlooks the fact that Campbell has widespread support among his Aboriginal electors and support from some Asian leaders.

As yet Campbell has not clearly defined his strategy for the future. But it is certain that the events of last week have dramatically changed the face of Australian politics. An historical development of the most far-reaching significance has taken place. The League of Rights is poised to play a major role in the unfolding drama.

BRIEF COMMENTS

Since Eric Butler wrote the foregoing assessment of the Campbell factor in Australian politics, Campbell has indicated the type of strategy he is going to pursue. Along with other commentators, we have reservations about the wisdom of attempting to get himself re-elected in Kalgoorlie. As former Democrat leader Don Chipp points out, to be completely certain of winning, he must poll at least 50 percent plus to be certain. If he has to rely on preferences, he would be struggling. It is difficult to visualise the Liberal and National Parties giving him their preferences in the present climate.

Campbell's strategy of concentrating on support for Senate candidates who support him is sound. We have persistently said that the future of Australia depends upon the Senate. It may prove, of course, that Graeme Campbell, a man well known for his deep sense of loyalty, could take sufficient of the Labor vote in Kalgoorlie to perform a political miracle. Perhaps Graeme Campbell's theme song for the elections should be Scotland the Brave. No one can dispute Graeme Campbell's courage.

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It is not surprising that John Howard continues to slip in the polls concerning the electors' perception of leadership qualities. John Howard continues to try to be all things to all men. We do not belong to that school of political thought which says that it is certain that the Coalition will win the Federal elections, as long as John Howard maintains his present bland approach and presents few concrete policies. John Howard continues to urge Australians to trust him and the Coalition. All the evidence indicates that the majority of Australian people at present have no real faith in any politicians.
Graeme Campbell is moving into a very vulnerable area for all party politicians with his declared support for the concept of the Citizens' Initiative Referendum and Recall mechanism. Campbell correctly says that the first step towards restoring trust in the Australian political system is for the politicians to indicate they trust the people by offering C.I.R.
At the present critical moment in Australian history, we can make no better constructive suggestion to our readers than to obtain and widely circulate Graeme Campbell's magnificent address, The Struggle For True Australian Independence, at the University of New England Last year. This address is a synthesis of Campbell's thinking on a wide variety of issues, ranging from multiculturalism to "economic rationalism". Available from all League addresses, $5 posted.

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Once again The Democrats have demonstrated that while they want to ensure that the system of Proportional Representation remains, purely for reasons of political survival, they want to seriously weaken the constitutional power of the Senate to stall or block Supply. John Howard has said that a Howard Coalition Government would never block Supply. In effect this means that a government could pursue whatever draconian policy it liked without any check. To their credit, the Greens, who played a vital role in preventing the imposition of the Zionist inspired hate bill, state that they reserve the right to block Supply in "exceptional circumstances". The Coalition is divided on the question. The safest policy for responsible electors is to vote against all the major political parties at the next Federal Elections, particularly in the Senate.

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Statements by Dame Leonie Kramer suggest that she would make an admirable Senator. In a major address the Chancellor of The University of Sydney has said that a debate on the Republican issue is not a top priority at the present time. She referred to a "deceptive ideological vocabulary" of contemporary Australia, including the idea that certain groups need to be "empowered". This was an affront to the Australian character and a threat to democratic freedoms.
Dame Leonie Kramer said that Australian energies were being drawn into "essentially unproductive debates" which were an abuse of political and media power, which made Australia look foolish in the eyes of other countries. She instanced the Demidenko-Darville affair and the Blainey immigration debate of 1988. Dame Leonie went on to say that electors were not only concerned with the lowering of standards of behaviour by politicians, but that the politicians were surrounded with an army of departmental advisors and "media hounds". And much more in similar vein. The full address deserves national distribution.

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A few of the more discerning political commentators have come to the same conclusion that we came to some time ago: That Prime Minister Paul Keating and Jeff Kennett needed each other. One commentator asks, "Why should Kennett want a Liberal Prime Minister - particularly when it's Howard - when he can do business with Keating" (Paul Daley in The Sunday Age, December 3rd).
It is no secret that Jeff Kennett has virtually detested John Howard. His famous lurid telephone conversation with Andrew Peacock will be recalled by those with long memories. The Kennett revolution in Victoria has been carried through with no opposition from Paul Keating, who clearly believes that the damage Kennett has done will benefit him at the next Federal elections. Keating has always been careful not to upset Kennett too much. Such are the realities of modern party power politics, with Big Business with international connections becoming an increasingly dominant factor.

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Premier Kennett has suddenly discovered that the privatisation of Melbourne's water supply might not be such a good idea. But re-elect him with a big majority and he will then claim to have a "mandate" to privatise.

COUNCIL: THE REAL BOTTOM LINE

SHARING WISE WORDS

From U.K.S.A. Newsletter, Yule 1995
"U.K.S.A.", abbreviated from "United Kingdom Settlers' Association, Inc." This Association was formed in 1967 to serve and represent the interests of Settlers from the United Kingdom and their descendants. We at On Target know personally many of the members of the U.K.S.A. and have no hesitation in commending it. All correspondence to The Editor, P.O. Box 221, Fitzroy, Victoria, 3065. A request for a specimen copy of U.K.S.A. Newsletter would doubtless be met.

The Letter begins: "As you know, we are often told by Republican apologists that the Australian republic is 'inevitable'. We certainly do not accept that anymore than the inevitability of the British and their descendants being put down and denigrated without a fight-back! I will enclose a copy of Lord Trevor-Roper's thoughts about 'inevitabilism'. He has probably since regretted coining such a tongue twisting word. I certainly agree with his thinking though. I hope it will interest you all if you have not seen it before."
(Mr. & Mrs. A.L. Vincent, Holder, A.C.T.)

The extract from Lord Trevor-Roper's Historical Imagination follows
"It seems to me that the greatest harm, in human affairs, has been caused by what we may call 'inevitabilism' - whether systematic (as in the case of Marxism) or merely indolent. Such a doctrine is not only wrong (I believe it can be proved wrong): it is disastrous. It is disastrous because of its practical result. The practical result of believing that historical events are inevitable is that they do in fact become inevitable, that mankind surrenders the freedom of its will and becomes defeatist. When people are conditioned to believe that historical processes are inevitable, then they tend to accept whatever happens, to give up the will to choose, to submit dumbly to whatever does happen - that is, to whatever some more 'active person, or group, or class, or nation chooses to do to them"
(end of Lord Trevor-Roper's quote)