QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT'S ENCOURAGING OFFENSIVE ON REFERENDUM

"It was a strongly-worded resolution, befitting the Parliament of a strongly-minded State and its tone was the sort that might have been expected from a Parliament in time of war, or threatened war. It authorised Queensland Premier, Mr. Joe Bjelke-Petersen, and his Cabinet '....to take whatever action they consider necessary or desirable to safeguard and protect the sovereign rights of the citizens of the State of Queensland from any unwarranted intrusion or invasion by the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia". - Hugh Lunn in The Australian, November 27th.

The Queensland Premier's initiative last week in the Queensland Parliament was, in the words of Professor Ken Knight, of the Department of Government at Queensland University "a dramatic gesture. Like everything else the premier does it was a politically astute move. He has shown himself to be a good judge of the mood of Queensland and this may well prove to be effective. It continues this image of the Premier standing against the encroachment of the Commonwealth Government."

Mr. Bjelke-Petersen is not without his faults and "blind -spots", but he has responded magnificently to the massive public support he has received since he became the only State Premier to make a real stand against Prime Minister Whitlam's centralism. League of Rights actionists, not only in Queensland, but also in other States, have made a major contribution to the defence of freedom in Australia by encouraging the maximum of support for the Queensland Premier. In the heated debate, which took place in the Queensland Parliament on the Premier's motion, Labor Opposition leader Mr. Jack Houston charged that the motion had been framed by League of Rights National Director, Mr. Eric Butler, at a meeting in Kingaroy on Friday, November 16th.
It is true that Mr. Eric Butler spoke at a big "Save Our State" meeting in the Premier's centre, on November 16th, and that there was widespread comment on the fact that Sir Charles Adermann, former Country Party Cabinet Minister and Federal Member for Fisher, had agreed to speak with Mr. Butler but no resolutions were passed. Mr. Butler strongly urged Queenslanders to unite behind their Premier's fighting opposition to the Whitlam Government's centralism.

If public opinion polls on the referendum proposals are reliable, it is possible that a majority of electors, reeling under the impact of destructive inflation, could vote in favour of granting Canberra permanent power to control prices, although voting against power to control incomes. In fact, of course, price control means income control, a point, which the Canberra planners well understand. However, it is not only necessary for a majority of electors to vote YES to any proposed change in the Constitution; a majority of electors in a majority of States must also support the change. It is therefore probable that electors in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania will decide the fate of the prices power on December 8th.

No doubt this is one of the reasons why the Queensland Labor Opposition was so bitter in opposing Premier Bjelke-Petersen's motion. In three and a half hours of bitter debate, ALP Members were suspended, others warned, while there was plenty of talk about "fascism" and one suggestion that the Premier needed mental treatment.

The Queensland Premier summed up his motion and the reactions as follows: "The ALP have come out fighting for Canberra and we have come out fighting for Queensland, the State that has nurtured those politicians and made them some of the wealthiest members of the House." This is the type of language the great majority of Australians appreciate. We trust that sufficient of them respond to the Queensland Premier's lead by voting NO to both Referendum proposals on December 8.

MR. ERIC BUTLER AT MELBOURNE CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS' CLUB

LIBERAL - SOCIALISM

"... all Liberals are now Keynesians and not ashamed to confess it." - Creighton Burns in The Age (Melbourne), November 27th

While Mr. Burns may be a little too sweeping when he states that "all" Liberals are not ashamed to confess that they are Keynesians; the reality is that they all have supported Keynesian financial policies for a long period of time. As frankly admitted by leading Marxist theoreticians of the standing of the late John Strachey, Keynesian financial policies and their inevitable inflation, pave the way for the advance towards the Socialist State.

Mr. Snedden dramatically demonstrated his support for Keynesian doctrines when he helped to set the present high wave of inflation in motion with his deficit budget of $650 million in August of 1972. At present Mr. Snedden and his colleagues are attempting to gain some political mileage out of the very inflation they helped to create. Flatly contradicting what they did and argued while in office, they have at least conceded one point; it is now suggested that lower interest rates would help in abolishing inflation. Cannot they now come up with something more original than calls for national conferences, temporary "freezes", and the rest?

Australians like the British, the Americans, the Canadians and others, have been through all this over the past twenty-five years. The disastrous results speak for themselves. The total volume of money in Australia was increased by approximately $4,500 million between 1972 and 1973. It came into existence as a debt and added to inflation. Cannot Mr. Snedden and his colleagues get their minds around the concept of expanding the money supply in some other way rather than by fostering progressive inflation? Would not the use of only a portion of this expanded money supply, issued as a credit and not a debt, and applied to a consumer subsidy, thus effectively reducing the cost of living, remove the basis of the constant claim for increased wages that in turn require a still further expansion of money and more inflation?
This technique was successfully used during the Second World War.

The threat to Australia is now so serious that surely the Opposition can provide something more original than to continue supporting Keynesian-Socialist financial policies?

SIGNS OF SANITY

One of the more heartening signs indicating an understanding of underlying issues emerged in the N.S.W. State elections. This was the marked swing against Labor Party policies in the country areas. It was there that the Askin Government increased its following, not in the over-populated urbanised city areas. History shows these are the areas which breed revolution, and discontent, with masses of people easily manipulated by false ideologies.

A recent contributor to the Wimmera Mail-Times (Victoria) defending the Whitlam government told the farmers they had never had it so good as they have under the present administration. Wheat, wool, cattle and pork, prices were better than ever, and he very rightly drew invidious comparisons with their predecessors who had sold the farmer out, sacrificed thousands and forced them off their farms. All of which is true enough, and one would logically conclude in this cynical, materialistic society, support for the Whitlam government amongst farmers would be at an all time high. But it is not so.

Farmers have a natural instinct for detecting the phony. They are forced by reality in their long struggle with the forces of nature to sift the true from the false, and farmers readily recognise the true nature of the centralist policies being pursued from Canberra. At least that section which has not become completely commercialised does, that section whose whole life revolves around the soil.

The Whitlam government's plan to eliminate Local and State Governments and replace them with regional committees responsible to Canberra is meeting greater suspicion and criticism from country than city councillors. Cr. Edgar Uebergang, Shire President of the Arapalies Shire Council recently told council, "I am concerned that it appears necessary to have another organisation in order to obtain assistance, and bypass the State Government. It means the Strengthening of central government and central power."

A former Mayor Cr. B. Hutchesson, of Horsham refused to be a delegate to the regional committee. He took the realistic view that the carving up of funds granted by Canberra to a regional committee consisting of delegates from a number of councils, would lead to great dissension. He said he would "need to take a gun" if he went.

Mr. Keith Lovett, the secretary for the Wimmera Regional Committee, told delegates at the subsequent meeting that the Federal Government planned to establish a fourth level of government in Australia, but preliminary to the abolition of State and Local Governments. However, when he then observed that Australia would have two levels of government only, federal and regional, he was quite wrong. There would only be one government, at Canberra, and the regional committees would only administer whatever was decided in Canberra. A complete central dictatorship would be established.

Storm clouds and droughts are preceded by recognisable signs. The country people are quicker to read the signs indicating political catastrophe, and many of them know instinctively centralism does not work, but drags all down into ruin.

FAITH AND THE LEAGUE'S BASIC FINANCIAL FUND

Speaking recently at a League of Rights strategy meeting in Toowoomba, Queensland, National Director Eric Butler said that the League's bold, expanding programme was based upon faith. "I have not the slightest doubt that League supporters will more than meet the challenge of 1974 by providing the necessary financial support. My faith is stronger than it has ever been", he said.

Highlights of the Toowoomba Conference were:
(1) The introduction of Mr. Chas. Pinwill the latest to join the League's team of fulltime campaigners. A former Vice-President of the Rural Youth Movement this young man will prove a splendid asset as the national and international crisis deepens.
(2) The announcement that Mr. and Mrs. Chas Eley are setting out immediately by caravan to launch what will prove to be one of the League's most spectacular break-through-strip-slide programme with professionally-taped commentaries. A programme on "The New Education" will be a "winner".
(3) The announcement that Mr. Jack Harding. removed from the ALP because of his support for anti-Socialist financial policies similar to those put forward by the League of Rights, was undertaking the co-ordination of all Queensland Action Groups.

Inspired by the magnificent lead of the 88 "front-runners" who pledged or donated $9000.71 supporters have in three weeks swept the fund forward by another $3,569.60, taking the total to $12,569.60. If this momentum can be maintained, there is the exciting prospect of the basic fund of $25,000 being filled before Christmas. The volume of support is an answer to those who are deluding themselves about the League not being able to rise to meet the situation. Rush that pledge or donation in NOW. All Queensland and Northern N.S.W. contributions to Mrs. Jean Luscombe, Box 64 Maleny. Queensland. 4552. All others to Box 1052J. G.P.O. Melbourne Victoria, 3001.

MR. ROBERT HAWKE'S "UNIQUE POSITION"

"The president of the ACTU, Mr. R. J. Hawke, said last night he would continue to speak out against the Federal Government's policy of neutrality in the Middle East. Mr. Hawke said he would contact the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Willesee today to arrange a meeting with him on the Middle East dispute. He would "report to Senator Willesee on his recent talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Mrs. Meir and Soviet leaders". - The Australian, November 27th.

Mr. Hawke expresses grave concern about the future of Israel. His Moscow friends could have told him that he need have no fear, that having provided the vital military assistance to establish the Zionist State in the Moslem world, to advance long-term Soviet strategy, they are not now going to permit it to be destroyed. The Soviet needs Israel to further its influence with the Arabs. And eventually to get control of the oil.
All electoral comment authorised by Eric D. Butler, 273 Little Collins Street, Melbourne.