DAUNTING HORIZON

by Jeremy Lee
The excellent performances of our athletes, and the magnificent opening ceremony for the Olympics has partially obscured the quite horrendous events now gathering to confront Australia as we move to the last quarter of 2000. We must now accept that oil prices are not going down in the near future. In fact, we are now being warned that average prices in capital cities will top $1 a litre in the next few days. Why this should be so when Australia produces 70% of its own requirements at a cost of about $9 per barrel is only mystifying to those who have not yet realised that our Federal Government is now simply another corporation, acting in concert with other corporations.

Escalating oil prices have proved a real bonanza for the Commonwealth.

As this article is being written the Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest ever - below US54 cents. It will probably go lower - some predictions even tipping below the 50cent mark. The 'gurus' are surprised, reiterating the nonsense that Australia has had an unprecedented wave of prosperity that should have forestalled such a fall. Others are beginning to face the truth.

Looming on the near horizon is another Asian calamity like the August 1997 meltdown. The Korean Stock Exchange, for instance, has fallen by 8% in the last few days. This time, Australia will not escape the tidal waves. Robin Brumby, writing in The Australian (20/9/2000), commented:" ...Any regional financial crisis will come at a time when Australia is looking especially vulnerable, as our dollar goes into freefall, foreign debt piles up (and gets more expensive to service with a lower dollar) monthly current account figures continue gloomy, and oil prices rise…"

This is an accurate picture, but one we have not noticed Treasurer Costello openly revealing to Australians.

GLOBALISTS MOVE FROM MELBOURNE TO SYDNEY

CONTINUING RIPPLES FROM FORUM

Debate about the World Economic Forum and globalism continues to grow. Klaus Schwab, the WEPs founder was asked in an interview (AFR, 15/9/2000): "…Is the Forum elitist, as the protesters would claim?" "I feel it is relatively easy to say the people meeting in Davos - the rich and the powerful - are ganging up against mankind. But our motive is to improve the state of the world ...."

Considering the World Economic Forum consists of 1,000 dues-paying members, which include many of the world's transnational giants, Schwab's altruism sounds less than sincere. Tony Walker, in another article in the same issue, argued that politicians would be hard at work getting their minds round the growing opposition to globalism: "…indeed, John Howard groped in his dinner speech to the World Economic Forum to explain the phenomenon and his words were careful, and largely non-condemnatory. 'To some, globalisation is a mere stalking horse for all that is not right in the world,' he said. 'The collective responsibility we all hold, in government and business, is to convince people otherwise.' Of course, when politicians are faced with the inexplicable, such as the anger of people about their lot in the midst of the most protracted boom in Australian economic history, they fall back on the need to improve the message, as if basic policies and actions for which they are ultimately responsible are in no way at fault…"

Paul Kelly, after describing protesters as ".... a broad coalition of the old and new left, workers, greenies, students, Trotskyites, aid groups, feminists, academics, anarchists, socialists and, significantly, the trade union movement ...." (Weekend Australian, 16-17/9/2000), went on: ".... The 10,000-strong protest movement had two victories this week: it drew public attention to its antiglobalisation cause, and it ensured that the World Economic Forum (a talk fest of the most senior corporate executives to visit this country) won't come back to Australia. The WEF's usual Asian locations, Singapore and Hong Kong, are a safer bet without our democratic excesses…"

What an admission! The day seems to be approaching where these global-elite gatherings won't be possible in any democratic country.

MORE PROTESTS

The next round of protests is following hard on the heels of Melbourne. The Australian Financial Review (19/9/2000) gave this picture: "Forget the Prague Spring. Czech authorities are bracing themselves for what they fear could be a much more violent 'Prague Autumn of protests as anti-globalisation activists turn their attention to the biggest event in the financial world's calendar, the annual meetings of the international Monetary Fund and the World Bank which begin in Prague this week.
Fresh from their attack on the World Economic Forum in Melbourne earlier this month, thousands of demonstrators have pledged to maintain their rage in the picturesque Central European city…This time the target of the protesters will be the world's top capitalists - the estimated 18,000 bankers, finance ministers and central bankers who are expected to attend the first annual meeting of the IMF and World Bank to be held in post-communist central Europe…"

Eighteen thousand bankers in one gathering! Things are certainly hotting up!

CARDINAL WARNS OF IMMIGRATION DANGERS

The Catholic Archbishop of Bologna, Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, has advocated the barring of any more Islamic immigrants into Italy. His remarks have caused a political storm. Further Islamic immigration could, he said, threaten Italy's identity. "....Europe must return to Christianity or Islam will win ...."(The Courier-Mail, Qld., 16/9/2000).
" Cardinal Biffi's views outraged leaders of the country's 1.3 million Muslims as well as government ministers and civil rights groups…"

With over a million Muslims in Italy, Biffi's warning may be too late. It should be a cause for reflection in Australia, which recorded over 200,000 Muslims at the last census in 1996, with a rise through immigration and illegal boat people since then.

UNITED NATIONS IN MORE TROUBLE

COMMON CURRENCY

The Editorial in The Wall Street Journal (18/9/2000) canvassed the possibility of a common currency between Australia and New Zealand. This was the subject of the lead article in May's New Times Survey, the League's monthly intelligence journal.
The Editorial went on "....But consider one other possibility, if the case for a common currency between the two is strong, the case for using the US dollar is even stronger…"

Treasurer Costello is playing sceptical about a common Anzac dollar. Perhaps he knows what the next step is intended to be?

LATEST U.N. MEMBER

ANOTHER SIDE TO THE COIN

The following article was sent to On Target by an elderly Queensland reader, one of several who travelled to Melbourne for the protests against the World Economic Forum:

The S11 blockade at the Crown Casino in Melbourne against the World Economic Forum as seen through the eyes of a League supporter may be of interest to other League supporters. There were consistent reports of about 10,000 protesters, but the media played the numbers down to much less, and quoted the police presence at about 2,000. This could be correct as concrete and wire mesh barricades were erected right round the Casino, which occupies two city blocks on the banks of the Yarra River. Except for the riverfront there was an unbroken line of police surrounding the whole Casino. In addition to these police there was a tactical response force of about 200 police (at least we think they were police but they could easily have been imported KGB thugs).

The peaceful intent of the crowd was always evident and encouraged by the many marshalls with loud-hailers. There were a few in the crowd who tried to initiate violence, but they were quickly over-ridden by the crowd who would start to chant 'NO VIOLENCE - THE WORLD IS WATCHING'.

In spite of media reports the only violence was initiated and committed by the tactical response force which moved round standing in front of crowds all day intimidating them. On the first and second mornings they viciously attacked the barricade at the entrance to the Casino. They failed to break the barricade on the first morning but with their numbers doubled broke it on the second day. They attacked at the double, belting with their batons and kicking some people on the ground. I saw one woman with a policeman's foot on her neck. It appeared to me that they had instructions to break the barricade at all costs.

The most encouraging aspect of the protest was the presence of thousands of young people, many from universities in WA, SA, NSW. QLD and VIC. A lot of them were from the Green Movement who were upset at the multinationals' disregard for our environment. However, they were all keen to learn and I always had a ready audience. The Socialist Party was very evident and moved round during the three days telling us that they would fix everything when they gained control! The Communist speakers were there telling us that the answer is World Communism. I spoke to a Russian Communist who said the trouble with Australia is that we are not controlled enough and that all wages should be the same; so he was there because the WEF delegates are being paid too much.

I tried to counter the various speeches by small self-interest groups by saying that parties divide and issues unite, so let's put aside our differences until we have regained democracy, and dealt with the main issue of opposing WORLD CENTRALISED GOVERNMENT. My message was short and to the point. 'We have lost democracy when we accept the practice of political parties requiring their candidates to sign an agreement to only vote as directed by the party. etc. To start retrieving our democracy we must only vote for Independents, putting the major parties last. Then when we have regained some independent representation we have a hope of regaining free speech, and our differences can be debated openly.'

The S11 bringing together of a multitude of Australians who, in the main, were seeking knowledge about the plight of Australia and looking for answers was I believe, a wonderful opportunity for League supporters to help them find their way. I know that there were other League supporters there, although I did not run into any at the rally. But I believe that had League supporters been encouraged to be there as individuals our message would have reached many thousands more willing ears than was the case. However, perhaps we can learn from this and in the future encourage our well-equipped supporters to attend as many 'protest' gatherings as possible to spread the word and motivate new informed supporters. It is not necessary that we all be great orators. Just talking all day one-on-one or to a small group is a very effective way of by-passing the mainstream media Just remember that 6 to the power of 10 is 60 million.- Ted Paterson

'FRUITS' OF MULTICULTURALISM?

It is when peoples of the Western World express their preferences for their own kind, when they discriminate in favour of their own kind (kin), that psycho-political swear words are hurled at them in order to suppress what is in fact an inherent preference for their own kind. It seems that even the German people have had enough (we are talking about a people who have been brain-washed for the last 50 years), and have decided to take action. Tired of having 'foreigners' and asylum seekers' foisted upon them, the community of Celle are building a 1.8m wall, topped with barbed wire, around a refugee hostel to keep the occupants under control. The wall will have a single gate and identity cards will be checked.

It is reported that the hostel is a wreck, and the mainly male occupants brawl, play loud music and disturb the peace of Celle. Police say the hostel functions as a drug-dealing base and raids have netted cocaine, designer clothes and other loot from robberies. But the report is so slanted the reader could be forgiven for thinking the problem lies with the German people and their lack of sympathy for these 'refugees'. Terms such as 'increasingly self-confident Neo-nazis'; 'popular prejudice'; 'vague sense of Germanness' that 'steers ordinary people towards supporting right-wing extremists' pepper the report (Weekend Australian, 12-13/8/2000).

The Celle conservative council is segregating the foreigners 'to stop the voters from defecting'. There is mounting evidence that disgruntled nationalists have had enough of a politically correct agenda being forced upon them and are rejecting the One Worlder's concept of 'multiculturalism'.

ON YOUR GUARD MATILDA!

In an epilogue to his book "Here We Go Again" Canadian journalist and author Doug Collins warned Australians, "The frontiers of freedom are diminishing daily and Australia is not exempt from the process. All over the Western World, pressure groups like the ones who have pursued me are in the vanguard of the attack and the Zeitgeist or Spirit of the Times, is political correctness! ...many have paid lip service to free speech while making excuses for its enemies...On your guard Matilda! ..."

Mr. Collins' book is a compendium of his columns and his fight against censorship in the media Available from all League Book Services. Some 'snippets' from his column in the North Shore News:
"Swindler's List will hit the Academy bell because Hollywood is Hollywood and what happened to the Jews during the Second World War is not only the longest lasting but also the most effective propaganda exercise ever. Doctor Goebbels himself couldn't have done any better. And didn't. From his seat in hell he must be envious. Hardly a day goes by that press radio and television don't mention something about the six million. The figure is nonsense but media folk go on parroting what everyone 'knows. I used to do the same."

"Free speech has always had a bad name. It had a bad name when Luther nailed his thesis to the door of Wittenberg cathedral. It had a bad name when John Milton wrote that Truth and Falsehood should grapple freely... Oh there was one other chap who got a bad time for speaking out. I think his name was Jesus."

Doug Collins has some very powerful forces lined up against him as the article overleaf spells out.

BACKDOOR MIGRATION HEADACHE

A growing headache for Australia is the growing market in 'back-door' migration from New Zealand. One in three of the record numbers of people moving across the Tasman were not born in New Zealand according to a report in The Australian, 23-24/9/2000. Through the agreement of unrestricted travel between the two countries, migration from New Zealand is not counted against Australia's annual intake of immigrants - even of those who originate from a third country.

"Of the 72,083 people who left New Zealand in the year ending in August, 36,821 - or 51 percent - ended up in Australia" according to Christopher Dore, The Australian NZ correspondent. In just two years the migrants not born in New Zealand, but migrating from there and settling in Australia, has ballooned to 75 percent. The most recent figures show that the northeast Asian group was growing the fastest as migration into New Zealand from Asia increased. Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock has refused to rule out a review of the immigration deal with New Zealand.

ICCC UNDERMINES CANADIAN RIGHTS

Gwendolyn Landolt, The Standard
Canadians should be alarmed about the application of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Canada. On June 29th, 2000, royal assent was given to Bill C-19, a vast and convoluted statute, by which Canada has agreed to accept and enforce in Canada all the decisions of the ICC. This agreement includes enforcing the payment of fines and reparations imposed on any Canadian convicted by the ICC.

There are many problems with this court that will impact directly on Canadians. One of the main concerns is that the ICC is not only a court to deal with established war crimes, but it is also a human rights court. That is, although the court is supposed to deal with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, the definitions of these crimes are so breathtakingly elastic and wide open to manipulation, the court's jurisdiction has become extremely wide-ranging. For example, crimes against humanity and war crimes include such offences as enslavement, rape, forced pregnancy, inhuman acts causing injury to mental health, sexual violence, sexual slavery and inhuman acts against 'identifiable groups.'

The powerful, independent and unaccountable ICC prosecutor (subject to review by only a panel of ICC judges) has jurisdiction to investigate any alleged offence on the complaint of any state, individual or non-governmental organisations (NGO) anywhere in the world. The prosecutor can lay charges not only against states but also against individuals, including heads of state and government officials, as well as leaders and employees of institutions, such as churches. This broad mandate is the main reason why both the US and Israel have refused to back the ICC, since the ICC renders them vulnerable to those having a political or ideological axe to grind.
It is significant that the ICC has jurisdiction if an accused national's own country is unwilling or unable to prosecute ICC offences.

A political agenda has already been woven into the machinery of the ICC. All court officials and staff must be selected according to gender and must also have expertise on gender issues, including sexual and other violence against women, which is to be considered a matter of central importance to the court. The feminist NGOs, who have had undue influence on the establishment of the ICC, released documents in March in which they set out how the ICC will be used to restructure family life and religious practices worldwide. Specifically, the feminists intend that ICC violations are to become an engine for the elimination of cultural ethnic and religious practices if they stray from the convictions of the ICC's gender sensitive judicial elites.

Since the ICC allows the prosecutor to accept the offer of free personnel to assist in the work of the ICC, we can expect well-funded feminist NGOs and others with their own agenda to play a major role in the ICC. Moreover, the ICC is to be a 'victims' court, with victims assisting every step of the way of the trial, through representation by counsel, cross examination of witnesses and the presentation of evidence.

Also, contrary to our concept of a fair and reasonable trial, the accused may not necessarily know who is his accuser, or have the right to cross-examine him - standard requirements for all justice systems in democratic countries. The ICC also has extraordinary jurisdiction, even in countries that have refused to sign on to the ICC. The ICC claims jurisdiction over a non-signatory state and its citizens if one of its nationals commits an offence in a country that has ratified the ICC (think US peacekeepers), and also in a non-ratifying country should a national of a ratifying country commit an offence there. This is a direct infringement on the national sovereignty of nations.

Of particular concern to Canadians is the fact that Bill C-19 requires the Canadian government to give full co-operation to any ICC investigations carried out here. This includes the seizure of assets of the accused, conducting searches and seizures of evidence, locating and protecting witnesses, and, of course, immediately arresting and surrendering persons accused of crimes to the ICC.

Under Section 48 no Canadian can claim immunity or protection from arrest or extradition to the ICC by reason of any Canadian law. On the other hand, the ICC investigators, while operating in Canada, will be provided with full diplomatic immunity, which will continue even after they cease to be officials of the ICC.

Bill C-19 also provides that these crimes prosecuted by the ICC will, henceforth, also be crimes in Canada as well. That is, Bill C-19 has created a whole new category of offences in the country. We can reasonably expect that our judicially activist courts will be happy to interpret and explain these new offences to us over the next few years, according to their own philosophical and ideological assumptions.

Canadians, under the direction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy, played a leading role in the establishment of this controversial court. Moreover. Bill C-19 was steam-rolled through Parliament after only a few hours of debate and with few MPs or Senators having read the bill, let alone having understood it. Axworthy, supported by the all-powerful Prime Minister's Office, insisted that this bill be passed in haste so that it could serve as a model for other countries to follow. Axworthy appears to have been so caught up with his vision of the international laurels he expects to receive for Canada's leadership role in the establishment of the ICC that he has blinded himself to the 'little' issues of Canadian national sovereignty, the manipulation and power of this court worldwide as well as the negative implications and alarming loss of rights for Canadian citizens. From Neil Baird's website: (Gwendolyn Landolt is National Vice-President of REAL Women of Canada)

LETTERS

The following letters appeared in Herald Sun. 22/9/2000:
PM shoots himself in foot basking in medal glory "Have you ever seen such a hypocritical scene as Prime Minister John Howard turning up at the single trap shooting event in an attempt to bask in the glory of Michael Diamond winning back to back gold for Australia? "Where was the flak jacket he wore in Sale when he appeared before a pro-gun owners rally? "What an insult that was to law-abiding Australians. Then again, he could be coming to realise that he requires all the votes he can get at the next election - including those of law-abiding Australians who own guns for whatever reason.
It is quite obvious that with recent events, no person carrying out a criminal act will care - if using a firearm - if it is registered or if they have a licence to carry it. "They will continue to be what they are - criminals. It is people who kill, not guns.

I would have more respect for our Prime Minister if he wasn't attempting to bask in the glory of our world class Australian shooters in an attempt to get votes." - Phillip D. Butler, Diamond Creek.

"The audacity of John Howard basking in champion shooter Michael Diamond's glory! After his national vilification of our sport, gaining exposure like this is sickening. Shooting his mouth off is as close to Michael's achievement as he could get." - A. Kesper, Lakes Entrance.

The letters were accompanied by a photograph of John Howard wearing a flak jacket when addressing a group of pro-gun owners at Sale.