THE G.S.T. - PHASE TWO

by Jeremy Lee
We are now entering what could be called Phase Two of the taxation struggle. The Howard/Costello taxare horribilis is up and running. The whole strategy, which is international in design, must now create the illusion that it was all a storm in a teacup; that Australians, once they discover how easy and simple it really all is, will soon settle down and even rejoice in the many benefits yet to come. It is doubtful if even Howard and Costello really believe this, although the capacity of the high-and-mighty to misread popular feeling is legendary. But there are clear signs of social engineering in the events since July 1st, not least of which was the Newspoll showing a sudden surge of support for Howard and the G.S.T. The poll was held long before the pain sets in, and at the very moment when there was national relief we would be spared further arm-twisting, with its nauseating "Unchain-my-heart" advertisements.

The millions of Australians who signed their names in opposition to the G.S.T. have not gone away or changed their minds. Some will try to make the best of a bad job, accepting what they see as inevitable. But in the Australian heart there is an invincible anger at the way constitutional principles have been flouted and democratic representation neutralised. A hard road lies ahead.

The funding shortfalls facing the Howard government are daunting. Some $100 billion is required to make Australia's defence system effective; there is a backlog of about $130 billion in maintenance for Local Government works and infrastructure; an estimated $60 billion is required to tackle the country's salinity crisis; roads are deteriorating; the public hospital system is in crisis; and behind all this is a wage structure set to explode as incomes in real terms have been eroded over a number of years and the G.S.T. price rises lock in. Reith is desperate to get his individual wage-contracts legislation through before the unions can re-gather enough muscle to declare war on employers. And behind all this is the ever-increasing foreign debt - now a net $255 billion - and the ever-increasing quarterly Current-Account-Deficit. Add to this the million or so small businesses whose paper-work has been vastly increased and who have been ordered to collect taxes from their fellows without pay, and you have the ingredients for a social disaster.

If it is too compromised and beholden to the banks and multinationals to use the national credit for rehabilitating Australia by use of our constitutional provision to fund Australia's needs, the Howard Government can only continue to hand to foreign interests every area that requires funding, selling the nation in the process. Nor does Beazley and Labor offer any alternative. Beazley could do worse than take a leaf from wartime Prime Minister John Curtin's book about re-establishing a "peoples" bank'. He holds the seat that Curtin once held. But Labor is funded by the same banks and multinationals as the Coalition.
No, the G.S.T. won't go away. It, together with the issue of foreign ownership, will begin to haunt every Federal politician by night and day.

ILLEGAL AIRFLIGHTS

Although there has been a slight increase in funding for coastal surveillance in northern Australia, this only extends as far as the slow, leaky hulks that deposit their human cargo on Ashmore reef and other sparsely inhabited places. The Australian (10/7/2000) reported: "Australia's coastal surveillance authority has warned it is unable to combat the problem of illegal flights - potentially carrying drugs and human cargo - because of weaknesses in its radar system. And even if these breaches were traced, the ability of Customs, defence or other civil aircraft to give chase is severely impeded by existing regulations.....The Australian has also learned that the problem of so-called 'black flights' may be bigger than anticipated, with one operation in the Kimberley region witnessing 'numerous' suspicious flights over a two-week period.
Norforce, a military surveillance outfit based in indigenous communities across the top of Australia, revealed that on a recent exercise out of Wyndham, six unusual light aircraft were reported to customs crossing the coastline on a single day ....."

It should be remembered that close to 2% of the Northern Territory is foreign-owned - by an Indonesian family and the Sultan of Brunei. One property includes a major air-strip. To say that technology capable of speedily identifying both air and sea transport is not available is laughable. Why, then, was it not in place years ago?

SHOOT-FOR-THE-DOLE

BEHIND DAIRY DEREGULATION

The closer one looks at the deregulation fiasco the clearer it becomes that the only beneficiary is one giant multinational, Parmelat of Italy. While farmers have owned their own co-operative processors in the past, the actual distribution of milk has been taken out of their hands. They are the prisoners of those who distribute milk to the retailers - now almost exclusively the big supermarket chains. Even in Victoria, the claimed beneficiary of deregulation, dairy farmers, or what will be left of them, will depend on National Foods (the Pura brand) and Ideal (run by Pauls) for distribution to the Victorian consumer. Pauls is owned by Parmelat, which is also in the process of taking over National Foods. Pauls also controls the Brisbane market.

No matter how efficient a dairy farmer may be, he will soon be in a position where he cannot deliver milk to anyone but a Parmelat operative, at the price it determines. Parmelat, a giant by any standard, owns 60% of the Canadian milk industry, and is set to complete a stranglehold over Australia. Remaining farmers, who have been played one against the other, may finally discover that they are ALL eliminated, and that our milk is delivered from New Zealand, where the dairy industry is pushing for a merger with that of Australia.

Another example of a mafia monopoly destroying a once-viable, family-owned Australian farming sector.

TWO AMAZING WOMEN

Lady Jane Birdwood

The "Obituaries" columns of London's Daily Telegraph, June 30th, 2000, announced the death of Lady Jane Birdwood, observing that, "THE DOWAGER LADY BIRDWOOD, who has died aged 87, was a prominent proponent of racialist ideas."

In October, 1999, the United Kingdom On Target researcher Barry Turner, commemorating the death of Dr. Kitty Little, referred to her friendship (and crusades) with Lady Birdwood: "... in the 1970s Kitty began her crusade, together with her friend The Dowager Lady (Jane) Birdwood and others, to pursue the various connections she had uncovered during her formal professional career, with the activities of powerful political and commercial interests, by no means least those forces that lie behind global strategies for a New World Order. "In the case of Lady Birdwood, who later became vilified and marginalised as 'neo-Nazi', 'Fascist', 'Extreme-Right', and all the usual quasi-political cachets, for her determined battle for repatriation of those who had immigrated en masse into the United Kingdom... It is conveniently forgotten that, with Kitty's full approval and scientific grasp of the genetics of race, Jane Birdwood worked closely with the likes of Ronald Bell, Q.C., M.P., ... who, along with others, recognised those Zionist, International, Fabian Socialist, Liberal-Libertarian and other influences that were dedicated not to racial harmony, but to the dissolution of national cultures and identities through the use of racial and immigration strategies..."

Dr. Kitty Little, M.A., B.Sc., D.Phil.

Dr. Kitty Little's background is like reading about a female 'James Bond'! (without the 'interludes'). "Kitty Little had already uncovered the East-West collaboration in the fields of medicine, science and technology, was well aware of Soviet biological warfare preparations, as well as the probable use of AIDS for these reasons in Africa."

After graduating with distinction in Chemistry and Metallurgy, she went on to gain her Doctorate for her work with the Ministry of Aircraft production. Between 1949 and 1958 whilst working at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell, she struck up a friendship with security officer Wing Commander (retired) Henry Arnold who disclosed how he and another M.I.5. agent, Brian Grimston, had uncovered Victor Rothschild's treachery after he (Rothschild) had arranged for Dr. Klaus Fuchs - convicted spy - to pass atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.

"From 1956 to 1966 Kitty worked for Prof. Joesph Trueta in the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedic Surgery where she had charge of the electron microscope... (In later years) "Combining her legitimate research with investigative work, Kitty discovered ... deliberate cover-up, of connections between Bone Pathology, the Contraceptive Pill (later on to be linked to AIDS), and vested interests in the field of Atomic Energy. Her work on Cancer also revealed how smoking has been used to divert attention from the greater carcinogenic effects of diesel-engine exhaust emissions..." And so the story of this remarkable woman goes on.

Kitty also, "involved herself in the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (B.S.E.) crisis, and demonstrated that human Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (C.J.D.), could not cross the species barrier from infected cattle to humans. At the opening of the B.S.E. Inquiry in 1998, her statement was the only one from an individual, amongst others representative of vested interests." She "was equally concerned about Organophosphates, the Gulf War Syndrome, and the genocide of the Iraqi people as a result of the campaign waged by the so-called "International Community" in the name of the United Nations. She had no doubt about the devastating effects on the Iraqi population from the deliberate destruction of the infrastructure..."

Two amazing women who have now 'passed the torch' for the younger ones to take up.

LETTERS

Dear Mr Howard, July 10th, 2000
re proposals to extradite Mr Konrads Kalejs and Mr Antanas Gudelis to Latvia and Lithuania to face war crimes charges

This is the second time I have written to you on this matter. My first letter, some months ago, was passed to Senator Vanstone, who replied to it. This time I plead for a personal response from you in view of the developing seriousness of the matter. There should be no question of Australia agreeing to the extradition of these men or others of similar age facing similar allegations. It would be wicked and inhumane to subject them to prolonged court appearances at their age, especially when the proceedings are in another country and are based on retrospective legislation in an ideological context which seriously jeopardises the possibility of a fair trial.
An explanation is needed of why the War Crimes Act was secretively amended in December 1999 to facilitate extraditions to the Baltic countries without a prima facie case any longer having to be first established. Such an alteration appears to fly in the face of natural justice and traditional British law.

Distinguished Melbourne barrister Dr. I.C.F. Spry, in a recent issue of the National Observer, has indicated that the reasons given in the parliamentary debate have no legal validity. I believe that you and your Government need to provide a fuller and better explanation. The nation needs to know whether the real reason was a will to appease Jewish pressure groups or whether there was in fact authentic justification. At present this remains in doubt.

It has been claimed in articles in the press (by John Manauskas in the Melbourne Herald Sun and by Jewish writer David Cesarani in The Sunday Age) that the Baltic nations have been under pressure to stage (that is a doubly appropriate term!) "Nazi war crimes trials" as a payment for acceptance into the European Union. These very serious claims, which reek of corruption, need to be investigated and reported on by the Government as soon as possible, and certainly before any relevant extraditions are allowed.

It is a matter of grave concern to me that newspapers I read (The Age, The Australian and the Melbourne Herald Sun) appear unwilling to publish articles or letters to the editor bringing these matters to public attention and - facilitating a full debate in the open. It is also regrettable that, while these papers continue to blandly publicise the comments and activities of Jewish individuals and groups seeking the extraditions, the Government has not, as I believe it should have done, closed the matter by saying that the extraditions would not be allowed. If such extraditions occur, it will be a national disgrace for Australia and a deep humiliation.

Apart from the elements of inhumanity and injustice, they will set a precedent for the future of failure by the Government to protect its own citizens from wrongful withdrawal of civic rights at the behest of a powerful and influential minority. Such a failure seems contrary to the essential principles of the Liberal Party.

If the Government is not to be seen to be implicated in a scandalous corruption, it seems to me that your immediate action is called for along the lines I have suggested. If, however, you feel that the matter can validly be viewed in a different light, I request you to personally explain to me what that is. - Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic. Melbourne

Letter Writers' Club

Notice from the 'Steering' Committee
The influence of the work of the Letter Writers' Club is gradually being noticed. This work can and must be greatly expanded if we are to have an effect on the voting pattern of the next election.

ON TARGET Readers

As we come up to 'exercise number two', we make an appeal for the support of On Target readers all over Australia. The brochure included in this week's On Target sets out the 'germ' of an idea that can be developed in many ways. This idea came about because of the failure of the recent petition to the Governor General to annul the G.S.T.
New and regular letter writers are invited to submit their letters on this subject, to the above address for possible wider circulation. In retrospect, we can see that the 'petition' was too little too late. Also, it could be said that we were attempting to fix the problem "from the top down". This will never work.

All 'Social Credit' political activity must work from the grassroots - and this is what the 'G.S.T. Sorry Day Coupon' sets out to do. But it will only work if a sufficient number of coupons are actually signed and posted to the Member of Parliament. And that depends on the reader of this newsletter.

For further detailed information write for the tape: "Where Have All The Social Creditors Gone?".

G.M.O. LABELLING

from Rob Phelps, Gene Ethics Network
Rob Phelps asks us all to write or fax the Prime Minister and our Federal and State Members of Parliaments.

John Howard M.P., Prime Minister, Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 : Fax: (02) 6273 4100
Dear Prime Minister, We are outraged by your letter urging other Australian and New Zealand governments to scrap our Health Ministers' promise to label all foods, processing aids, and food additives made using gene technology (G.E. foods). There is huge public support for the Ministers' labelling decision, as it is the key to a precautionary, open and transparent system for regulating novel foods. They have not been in our food supply before and their long-term safety is still being debated. 90% of citizens want G.E. food labels (all opinion surveys since 1994). We seek a labelling system with integrity, to ensure families are given clear choices, are not misled, and are empowered to act in their own best interests.

Your proposal fails on all these points as it would allow blanket exemptions from labelling for:
* G.E. ingredients up to 1% in processed foods (is that for single or multiple ingredients?);
* all refined G.E. products (such as sugars and oils);
* all G.E. processing aids (such as cheese-setting agents or enzymes);
* for G.E. food additives (such as a colour or flavour);
* foods produced at the point of sale (such as restaurant and takeaway meals).

Your labelling system would be so weak and full of loopholes that:
* none of the Health Ministers' promises on labelling would be delivered;
* at most, two of the nineteen G.E. foods being assessed by A.N.Z.F.A. would be labelled;
* farmers' and processors' livelihoods may collapse if foods (certified organic or G.E.-free as A.Q.I.S. requires) were found to be contaminated overseas;
* Europe and Japan would have far stronger labelling systems, in which thresholds would apply only if G.E.-free foods are inadvertently contaminated;
* foreign interests and agribusiness profits would be put ahead of the rights of Australian and New Zealand families.

Your proposal also ignores the findings of a recent report on, 'Primary Producer Access to Gene Technology' by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industry and Regional Services, which says: "... the committee is aware of the public's concern about the introduction of G.M.O's. and the wish of many people to be able to choose to eat non G.M. food. Labelling the G.M. content of food provides people with the information they need to make choices; not labelling may be interpreted as an attempt to deny choice and to profit from an unknowing public. ... The committee therefore supports a practical regime of labelling for G.M. foods that provides useful information to the consumer."

We commend the Health Ministers' proposal as the best way to achieve this goal and rebuild public confidence in food regulation. Free markets require the full, transparent, sharing of all information on food production methods. Only honest labels will allow food buyers to accept or reject G.E. foods on their merits. A substantial proportion of people surveyed in opinion polls say they would buy G.E. foods to check for any benefits. They have a right to be guided in their choices.

We strongly reject your claim that: 'It is clear that consumers want information but labelling is not the most effective means of providing that information in relation to health, safety and environmental issues.' 1800 numbers and other information sources only supplement food labels are no substitute for clear, honest facts on the product package, about its contents and the process of production. There are precedents for labelling products from new food production systems, including irradiated and functional (drug-like) foods. Like G.E. foods, they pose as yet unquantified long-term risks and hazards. These uncertainties are acknowledged in the Insurance Council of Australia's submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry which says that the probability of G.E. disasters is unclear but the claims may be so large that G.E. crops and foods appear uninsurable.

As a precautionary measure, the E.U., much of Asia and the Codex Alimentarius Labelling Committee agree that where a known allergen (such as a nut gene) is transferred into a non allergenic food it must be labelled as a warning to vulnerable food buyers. We are concerned that new, unrecognised allergens and toxins may be produced by genetic engineering. Your 1% threshold proposal may allow allergens and toxins through unchecked.

We strongly urge you and Federal Cabinet to confirm the Health Ministers' promise, that all G.E. foods, processing aids and additives produced with G.E. will be truthfully labelled. This will empower Australian and New Zealand families to make fully-informed and precautionary choices for their own health and safety.

SYDNEY CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS' CLUB

DIARY DATE FOR SYDNEY CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS' CLUB

CANBERRA CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS' CLUB

THE 32nd GIPPSLAND REGIONAL DINNER

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S STATE WEEKEND

Supporters are asked to mark the dates of Saturday, 19th, and Sunday, August 20th, in their diary. The organisers promise an excellent weekend. The overall theme is on "HEALTH" with two prominent speakers already lined up for the Seminar. Dr. Ziema McDonell Ph.D. will speak on the following: "G.M.O. Foods; Effects on Our Cells and Health; Latest Research; What We Can Do About It". Dr. McDonell has degrees in Medicine, Forensic Science, Biochemistry and Nutrition as well as practising Natural Therapies. Dr. Kate Clinch-Jones: Dr. Clinch-Jones has a general practice at McLaren Vale. She will speak on the following: "Mechanics of HOW the crops are modified and WHY they do so...Danger of G.M.O's. to effect and modify weeds".

"Frank Bawden Memorial Dinner" will be held on Saturday, August 19th. Sunday Action Conference: August 19th...10.00 A.M. There will be a short Divine Service to open the Sunday Action Conference. We will then allow as much time as possible for Dr. McDonell who has agreed to stay on for the Sunday morning. She will speak on the following: "Looking at Cancer; Probable Causes; Treatments; Hormones & Menopause Problems; Men's Prostate and Cancer - How to Treat It; What To Do To Avoid It."

WEST AUSTRALIA'S STATE WEEKEND

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NATIONAL WEEKEND