THE MEDIA ART OF THE 'BEAT-UP'

by Jeremy Lee
The chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, Professor David Flint, giving the opening address at the ABA's inaugural annual conference in Canberra on May 3rd, was scathing about the standard of journalism. The Australian Financial Review (4/5/01) said: " .... Professor Flint said political journalists were a homogenous pack who regularly indulged themselves in campaign journalism. " He said journalists often failed to distinguish between news and comment, were often intrusive and sensationalist .... There is a right and a freedom to comment provided that fact and opinion are not blurred. Not to do this is contrary to the codes of ethics, including the principles of the Press Council and the media should observe these." .... "Journalists insist, and correctly insist, on the application of civic virtue to others in public life. Surely it is the time now that our political journalists should look to their own behaviour. They should apply to themselves the same principles which they would apply to others ...."

Professor Flint's remarks could not be more timely as a prelude to the three-page 'beat-up' in The Weekend Australian (26-27/5/01) on the issue of Pauline Hanson, Graeme Campbell and the Australian League of Rights. The usual inaccuracies concerning the League were trotted out; for example: "....the League of Rights pursues ultra-nationalist causes, including anti-immigration, racial superiority and anti-Semitism .... Veritas produces so-called "race studies", and supports and distributes the work of controversial British historian David Irving, who disputes the extent of the Holocaust. Butler also wrote that Jesus Christ was not considered a Jew and the League of Rights disputed the authenticity of The Diary of Anne Frank. ...."

While it is true such issues have been included from time to time in the weekly newsletter On Target, and the monthly New Times Survey, the articles have always expressed the views of individual writers, and do not find their way into the objectives of the League, which are carried month-by-month on the front cover of the New Times Survey. As an association, there is no mention of Anne Frank or David Irving or of the Jews in its objectives. The League does present a platform, which exists nowhere else, for issues that are entitled to be heard, and which are screened out of the mainstream media. All of which is turned from a virtue into a crime by journalists who in Professor Flint's words, "should look to their own behaviour."

The present conflict within One Nation which, as far as we can tell, has been blown out of all proportion, must obviously be decided within that arena. Like others, League supporters will watch with interest to see whether the "guilt-by-association" tactics fostered by Senator Boswell will succeed.

POLITICAL RORTING

It was a pleasure to turn from the nonsense above to Dennis Shanahan's article in the same issue of The Weekend Australian, which started: "There are clearly grounds to believe that a rort far bigger than Peter Reith's misuse of a telecard or Mal Colston's dodgy travel is going undetected during federal election campaigns. " There is also a systemic exploitation of our electoral machinery crying out for reform, which has far more practical impact on the lives of our citizens than consideration of a republic ...."

Shanahan went on to elaborate on the nauseating misuse of public funds by parties during election campaigns, and the erosion of the democratic process by corporate political patronage. As more mainstream journalists comment on the stench of money-politics, it must, sooner or later, become the subject of proper investigation.

PHARMACISTS AND DRUG COMPANIES

Another example of corruption-by-mammon was included in an article by Sarah Bryden-Brown (same issue of The Weekend Australian) headed DRUG GIANTS UNDERWRITE CHEMISTS. She said:
"Pharmacists have accepted $1.5 billion in loans or bank guarantees from the three big drug whole-salers and manufacturers - Sigma, Australian Pharmaceutical Industries and F.H. Faulding. In return, the pharmacists must purchase 90 percent of their stock from them .... "
We are horrified at the potential ethical problems this presents," AMA-vice-president Trevor said. "Customers are expecting the pharmacist to say, 'take this cold remedy because it is the best, not because it is owned by the provider of my mortgage" ...."

The sin is compounded by the fact that many drugs are subsidised by the Government, whose medical benefits scheme is now in dire straits due to overspending.

ABOLISHING THE POUND STERLING

Opinion polls in Britain show the population opposed, by two to one, to entry into European Monetary Union and the loss of the British pound. The Conservative Party should be on a winner, after the lead given by Baroness Margaret Thatcher at the Party's annual conference. But the electorate knows that the party is almost equally divided between supporters and opponents of Europe. So the Conservatives are trailing in the polls due to their apparent indecision. A red-blooded opposition to Europe would warn Britishers by quoting the words of Trotsky, one of Lenin's henchmen, made in 1917, the year the Bolsheviks took over in Russia:
"The Federated Republic of Europe - the United States of Europe - that is what must be. National autonomy no longer suffices. Economic evolution demands the abolition of national frontiers. Only a Federated Republic of Europe can give peace to the world ...."

Tony Blair's "New Labour" and Trotsky's "Bolshevism" are on the same track.

ALEXANDER DOWNER'S TOAST

Under the heading DOWNER TOASTS THE DEATH OF MORE THAN 1 MILLION TIBETANS, The Australian Financial Review (25/5/01) carried a letter by Katherine Smith:
"As a member of the Australia Tibet Council I am writing to express my anger and disappointment at Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's attitude towards Tibet. He sent an official representative to last night's reception at the Chinese Embassy to celebrate the 50th anniversary of China's takeover of Tibet. It means Australia is toasting the deaths of more than 1.2 million Tibetans - one sixth of the population, along with the deprivation of human, civil, political and cultural rights of Tibetans during the Chinese military occupation ...... We would never have attended a celebration at the Iraqi embassy to celebrate the invasion of Kuwait, or even at the Indonesian embassy to celebrate the takeover of East Timor ....."

Ah! But we do more business with China, you see. They take $3.9 billion in exports, much more important than bloodshed and tyranny!

THE WAR ON BANKS

As if it didn't have enough troubles, the Coalition is going to be facing a campaign by the Financial Sector Union, targeted at marginal seats, during the federal election. The Australian Financial Review (28/5/01) reported: "The FSU has conducted polling and focus groups in marginal seats on banking issues, which will allow them to confront sitting members and candidates with comprehensive feedback from consti-tuents ..... The Union has formed a social coalition with other interest groups, including consumer, legal, pensioner, church and local council associations, to lobby against banks' flagging service standards ...."

Which should generally add to the cup of cheer of coalition candidates - particularly in the bush - come the election. How will they reply? Probably by using Ron's tactic of blaming the whole thing on that wretched League of Rights!

EAST TIMOR'S FINANCIAL WOES

There are three currencies in circulation in East Timor - the Australian and US dollars, and the Indonesian rupiah. But all that's about to change. The Australian (25/5/01) reported: " .... The UN-run government, keen to rationalise what is effectively a three-currency economy, has opted to base the economy exclusively on the US dollar .... Threatening heavy fines for those who break the rules, it has banned the use of the Indonesian rupiah and the Australian dollar ...."

The move threatens to escalate the unrest that already exists in East Timor. Surely, the best move would have been to establish a "peoples' bank" in the country, which issued its own independent currency. (See the League's New Times Survey for April , which gives many world-wide examples of how this could be done.)

GULAGS UP FOR TENDER

BANKRUPTCIES KEEP RISING

LETTER TO THE ARCHBISHOP FROM PHILIP BENWELL

I have come under a great deal of criticism for daring to oppose the nomination of and acceptance by Archbishop Peter Hollingworth for the highest office under The Crown of Governor-General. If I, as National Chairman of the Australian Monarchist League, must be muted on these issues, then what worth is our democracy. I believe that there is no transgression in justified criticism, even against members of the Royal Family. Rather, the fault is in slavishly paying obeisance. For the edification of those interested I append below a copy of a letter I had written to the Archbishop. I have had no reply, not do I anticipate one.
Philip Benwell, National Chairman, Australian Monarchist League Would you please note that correspondence to the Australian Monarchist League should be addressed us at: P O Box 1068, Double Bay, NSW, 1360.

The Most Rev'd Peter Hollingworth AO OBE, Archbishop of Brisbane, Etc.
Your Grace, We must admit to concerns over Your Grace's open dalliance with support for a republic which we believe could well taint you for the high office to which you are to be installed. We would like to clarify matters for you are to be our Governor-General and we are to be your People. We note that at the Constitutional Convention you did not simply observe and comment on matters pertaining to the Christian nature of our Constitution, but was actually a very active participant, presenting reports from working groups and seconding motions and you are even reported as having said that the Australian People "would be fools" not to vote for a republic. We remain disturbed at your inference at the Convention that the term 'God' in the Preamble is meant in a generic sense whereas the actual wording is 'Almighty God'. Whilst it is true that you abstained from voting on the final day of the Convention, we note that you consistently voted along with the republicans in favour of the 'Turnbull' Model in rounds one to four on the 12th February 1998.
The final motion on that day was "That, if Australia is to become a republic, this Convention recommends that the model adopted be the Bi-Partisan Appointment of a President Model" to which you voted in favour. It was only on the vote on the following day, the 13th February 1998 for the motion: "That this Convention supports in Principle, Australia becoming a republic" that you abstained.
You have since been reported as saying that this was because you felt the model proposed to be unstable. If this was so, why then did you not vote against it? We are disappointed that our calls for prayers for The Queen on special occasions, the last being for Her Majesty's 75th birthday, have never been acknowledged by you or your staff. We have also over time received numerous concerns from monarchists that their communications to you have been ignored. It would be to the benefit of us all if these concerns could be clarified. Notwithstanding this, we wish to assure you that as Governor-General you will have our complete loyalty. Philip Benwell

THE AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL CONVERGENCE

by Antonia Feitz
The major parties (and their backers) are very worried by the continuing drift of people to the minor parties and independents. Why? Because globalisation can't happen without major party bipartisanship. They know that if Australians manage to elect enough independents and/or minor party representatives they can slow down, even halt, globalisation. The Australian's International Editor, Paul Kelly, has told us that Australia has been a laboratory for globalisation. But it seems the voters' massive desertion of the major parties wasn't in the script. By now, ordinary people were supposed to be totally debased by "reality" TV, not thinking about politics!

Another unforeseen spanner in the works is the convergence of the Left and the Right over globalisation. Who in their right minds would ever have imagined that Jeremy Lee would share speaking engagements with the green's (as opposed to the Green's) Dr. Liz Elliott. Here's proof from a leftist newsletter: "June 2 and 3 at Byron Surf Club; 9-5 daily, 2 day workshop on Globalisation with Dr. Liz Elliott, Mr. Jeremy Lee and others; featuring glorious beach views, music at night, and lots of time for debate and political strategy. Topics will be "What is Globalisation?' (Trade), Finance (Banks) and Australian Politics. $40/concession for helpers ..." (WTO Watch Qld bulletin 46)"

Isn't it wonderful! While Jeremy Lee is addressing greens at Byron Bay, Dr. Liz Elliott has already addressed this year's Inverell Forum which according to the mainstream media is the gathering of Australia's "far right extremist" leaders. Never in their wildest dreams did the globalists expect this convergence. Surely this proves that the good guys - us! - will win in the end. Whether right or left most of us want the same thing: a decent society. And though we differ about our visions of the decent society we are firmly united in the belief that globalisation will not deliver it.

OLDHAM RIOTS

by Antonia Feitz
The ABC online is normally a creditable news source but its reporting of the Oldham race riots was disgraceful for its anti-white bias. One lead story said, "... overnight the white supremacists got the brawl they had been seeking.." (28/5/01). Come again? Hundreds of Asian youths go on a rampage and it's the fault of the whites? Really?

The best way to test for PC (political correctness) is to reverse the races/sexes and if you blush at the result you've got PC. So let's do it with that ABC news sentence: "... overnight the black supremacists got the brawl they had been seeking..." As if anything remotely similar would ever be written, even if it were true.

Oldham has been simmering with racial tension for a long time. Recently an elderly white man was allegedly bashed by a gang of Asians. Somebody - most probably angry whites - threw bricks through the windows of two Asian homes. The disproportionate response was a full scale riot with five pubs fire bombed, cars set alight and hundreds of youths throwing bricks and petrol bombs at charging riot police. To top off the nightmarish scene, police helicopters flew overhead with search-lights looking for trouble makers. Whatever happened to Merry England?

If it was a myth it's undisputed that after Britain achieved a measure of social justice she was renowned for the civility, docility, and the patience in queues of her population. What's happened? Governments have enacted policies of multiracialism and multiculturalism against the wishes of their people. What's happened to Britain is all very depressing and many Englishmen must be hearing Enoch Powell's ghost saying, "I told you so".

I have no doubt that the majority of Asians and blacks in Britain are peaceful people who just want a better life. But as former Edinburgh University academic Chris Brand wrote in his newsletter, "White and Asian (i.e. Pakistani) youths last night provided a visual aid as to the impossibility of the kind of multiculturalism venerated by British politicians and media folk of the past generation." (27/5/)

He's right. All people want a homeland and a shared culture. Multiculturalism is a theoretical PC absurdity. It's interesting to note that only the white nations have been forced to accept multiculturalism. The Asians and Africans have too much respect for their own cultures to have any truck with such an absurd concept. They know their people would treat such an inane concept with the contempt it deserves.

Multiracialism only works among wealthy and educated people. By definition they are a minority. As multiracialism is invariably disastrous among the masses why in heaven's name have Western governments pursued it? Were they so arrogant (because wealthy and educated) that they thought the massive problems in such racially mixed areas as Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji, Rwanda wouldn't happen in the West? It seems so.

According to Brand, "Government ministers responded by admitting the violence had been serious and warning British people not to talk about race." In other words, terrified by PC they've ostrich-like buried their heads in the sand: it's not really happening because I can't see it and I don't live there anyway. Great.

STATISTICS AND LIES

by Antonia Feitz
In its first study of the video rental industry the Australian Bureau of Statistics found "the average Australian rents eight videos a year for $4.60 each, while each person attends the cinema 4.1 times a year." (Australian, 30/5/01) If a person wanted to study Australians' video-watching and cinema-going habits, those figures would be utterly useless. Common sense would tell him that the reality is that some people watch lots of videos a week, some never bother, and some watch a few. Some pay full price for the latest releases, others do the 10 for $6 deal. It's the same with going to the flicks. The figures 8 videos a year for $4.60 each bear no resemblance to reality. There is no "average Australian". So it's a sobering thought that Governments use such figures in their computer modelling for social and economic policies. This is why they can claim with a straight face we are enjoying record prosperity that rivals that of the golden fifties. They don't ever see reality because the aggregate figures are good. It's just too bad that a greedy minority is hogging the wealth.

The reality is that small businesses are buckling at the knees under the GST; families with children are doing it hard; and single employed people are having a ball. There was a snapshot of a low income working family in The Australian (31/5/01). The father was a 38-year-old truck driver whose annual income was a shamefully low $24,000 a year. They have five children aged 6-17, four at school. Their income is topped up by the parenting allowance and the family tax benefit. Their rent is $175 a week.
In 1999 the wife had commented on the GST, "... I think in the long run we'll be worse off."

Here's her verdict in 2001: "We are definitely worse off, we are finding it really hard to get by. We have had to borrow money from our parents and we live from week to week. We don't have enough money for our needs, let alone our wants. It's probably the worst 12 months we have ever had. We pay $100 a week on a personal loan, but are resigned to the fact that we will never pay it off because the interest is just breaking us."

In contrast, a 37-year-old single woman flight attendant with Qantas who earns $63,000 commented, "I am definitely better off because I have had an income tax cut and I haven't purchased any luxury items."

The last three governments have a lot to answer for. It unconscionable that they are planning even more assaults on the standard of living of the low paid and unemployed and promising extra rewards to the comfortable and even well-off.

Recruitment crisis in the armed forces

The 2,000 defence White Paper revealed the armed forces have a recruitment crisis. Despite doubling the advertising budget, enlistments rose only 13 percent (Australian, 30/5/01)). But the forces can't hold the people they've got. In his latest report, the Auditor-General found that in the year 1999-2000 there were 4,043 enlistments and 6,467 departures. What's wrong? Though the experts profess to be mystified blind Freddy could tell them a few home truths. The army was once a man's world. While women have served with distinction in the armed forces, the sexes each had their own spheres. Now the army has to conform to political correctness. The sexes have to be regarded as 'equal' in the sense of 'identical'. Put simply, service in the armed forces has lost its appeal for many traditional men. The sexes have always enjoyed their own company but these days only women are allowed to enjoy the luxury of it.
We see it everywhere: in official comps children may play in girls' teams, mixed teams, but male teams are not allowed. That some exist due to lack of interest from girls is purely fortuitous. Officers have to concern themselves with soldiers' baby sitting needs. Soldiers are encouraged to air their personal grievances which must lower morale and affect decision-making.

The fact that people are leaving in droves proves something is very wrong. Unfortunately, political correctness will ensure nobody dares to speak the truth. At least we aren't as bad as the US. David Hackworth has written that "The U.S. military is filled with Flakes (a 'soldier' with purple fingernails, dreadlocks, three children by three fathers who referred to a bayonet as "a pointy sticky thing"). During Desert Storm, the equivalent of a light infantry division of women couldn't deploy with their units or had to return from the desert because their baby sitters went AWOL or they'd gotten pregnant."

"WHY THE TROOPS ARE HANGING IT UP"

**STOP PRESS** - SYDNEY CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS' CLUB

ADELAIDE CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS' CLUB

STATE WEEKENDS

West Australia
August 11th-12th, to be held in Perth. Betty Luks and Jeremy Lee are two of the guest speakers. South Australia: August 18th-19th, to be held in Adelaide. Speakers for the SA seminar include Mr. Jeremy Lee and Mrs Wendy Scurr, who will recall what she saw and experienced at the Port Arthur massacre. After having heard her and former policeman Andrew McGregor at the Inverell Forum we believe her story needs to be told. Keep these dates free.

SA
Wendy will be doing a series of meetings prior to the SA Weekend.

Victoria
At this stage meetings have been arranged for Melbourne, Horsham, Nhill and Apsley in Victoria. Further details as they come to hand.

NATIONAL WEEKEND