ALP WHITEWASH IN VICTORIA

"Since 1955 the Federal A.L.P. has been at war with itself. This is too much of a luxury for Australia's alternative government to indulge in. The A.L.P. as it approaches the end of the 21st year since it was in office in Canberra, seems at last to be aware of the fact and to be doing something about it." From editorial "One Step forward for Labor" in The Australian, September 15.

The move by the Federal Executive of the Australian Labor Party to "reform" the Victorian Branch of the party has been excellent publicity for Federal A.L.P. leader Mr. Gough Whitlam. It has fostered the carefully created image of Mr. Whitlam as a moderate Labor leader and an acceptable alternative Prime Minister.

The basic issue in the controversy between the A.L.P. Federal Executive and the Victorian Executive was not really one of policy, but of personalities and tactics. Even before he became leader of the Federal A.L.P., Mr. Whitlam was convinced that the Victorian Executive, with its extreme Left-wing image, was the major barrier to the Federal A.L.P. obtaining office at Canberra.

His first attempt to intervene in Victoria was abortive. This time he has been able to leave the initiative to Mr. Clyde Cameron, South Australian Federal Member, who actually proved the resolution, which brought the Victorian Executive to an end. Anyone who believes that Mr. Clyde Cameron is an A.L.P. moderate opposing extreme Left-wingers and sectarians in Victoria is deluding himself. Cameron was the driving force behind the Left-wing campaign to take over Australia's biggest and richest Australian Trade Union, the Australian Workers' Union. This campaign was very nearly successful.

If the A.L.P. comes to office at Canberra, Cameron sees himself as Minister for Labor and in a powerful position to continue his campaign against the AWU. He is as much against a degree of financial justice for Church and Independent Schools as are the members of the Victorian Executive he destroyed.

Federal Secretary Mick Young is a protégé of Cameron's. As a youth he was nourished on Marxist literature. Before he was 20 he had been rewarded with a trip to Moscow. Ideologically Young is very close to the Victorians he has helped to depose. But he believed that their bad image was preventing Labor from coming to office at Canberra. He can best be described as a cynical opportunist.

The most able of the Victorian Federal Members of the A.L.P. Dr. Jim Cairns, is still a most influential figure in the Victorian whitewash. He understands that no change of A.L.P. policy concerning Fabian Socialism is envisaged. But there is to be a much more sophisticated presentation of that policy. Both Cairns and Whitlam are closely associated with the Fabian Socialist Movement. Mr. Whitlam's private secretary Race Matthews being the former Secretary of the Fabian Socialists in Victoria.

While the Victorian whitewash will undoubtedly assist Mr. Whitlam in his campaign to become Prime Minister, his greatest asset is the present Prime Minister, John Gorton, and his Government. A public opinion poll taken before the Federal Budget showed a major decline in electoral support for the Gorton Government. All the evidence indicates a further decline since the Budget. Mr. Gorton appears to be completely unaware of the mounting anti Government feeling in the rural areas of Australia. If Australians have to suffer a Labor Socialist Government, it will be primarily because of the double standards and hypocrisy of the Gorton Government.
But Australians are not doomed to the false alternative of either Liberal-Socialism or Labor-Socialism: they can demand a genuine alternative and support only those candidates prepared to give a written pledge that they will support such a policy.

RURAL PRESSURE MOUNTS ON FINANCIAL ISSUES

"Speaking on drought relief measures being presently considered by the Commonwealth Government, the Member for Maranoa (Mr. J. Corbett) said from Canberra yesterday that it was his belief that the Commonwealth Development Bank should be recharted to enable it to make available to primary producers long term low interest loans to cover all, or part of their indebtedness. The debts could thereby be consolidated, and the cost of servicing and redeeming the loans would be reduced, he said." - Northern Downs News, Queensland, August 27.

Mr. Corbett is one of the Federal Country Party Members who is feeling the pressure of both events and the mounting activities of the Australian League of Rights. His proposal for a re-negotiation of the primary producers' debts on to a more realistic basis is in line with the proposal put forward by Country Party Member Ralph Hunt. (Reported in last week's On Target) It is also an acceptance of a major part of the Rural Independence Policy Statement now being signed by an increasing number of electors, both primary producers and non-primary producers in rural electorates.

Another demand in the Policy Statement is that inflation be ended, and that no further parliamentary salary increase be granted until inflation is effectively dealt with. The campaign for some financial realism was also given a tremendous "lift" at the recent, 1970, State Conference of The West Australian Country Party, when the following resolution was carried:
"That this conference recognises the fact that -
"1. The Cost-Price-Squeeze is not inevitable.
"2. The Cost-Price-Squeeze is induced by an inflationary financial policy advocated by successive governments' financial advisors.
"3. The Cost-Price-Squeeze be reversed by 'Free Enterprise' financial policies."

The above resolution was supported by some hard-hitting talk and significant facts. The strong opposition of Federal Cabinet Minister Ian Sinclair provided further proof that Federal Country Party Members holding Ministerial positions with the Gorton Government appear to be determined to accept political suicide for their Party, and the Government, rather than support financial policies, which will reverse the growing disastrous developments in the rural areas of Australia.
But the private Members of the Federal Country Party could be decisive if they unite to insist upon a reversal of policies, which are progressively centralising control of primary production.

THE AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE OF RIGHTS

AUSTRALIA'S IMMIGRATION POLICY UNDER ATTACK

"A Melbourne solicitor and his wife feel ashamed because a coloured man and his family were refused assisted passages from Britain. So they have launched a public appeal to raise money for the family's fares." - The Sun, Melbourne September 15.

The solicitor who feels so upset about the Jamaican-born Jan Allen, is D.L. Waxman of Chapel Street St. Kilda. The Sun publicised Mr. Waxman's appeal for Australians to contribute to a fund to bring the Allen's to Australia. From the United Kingdom come reports that increasing pressure will be applied to Australia because it refuses as a general policy to accept non-Europeans as migrants. There are many British migrants in Australia primarily because they were concerned about the growing race friction in the United Kingdom. It would be instructive to learn from the Minister for Immigration, Mr. P. Lynch, why Mr.Allen is being permitted to come into Australia at all. Mr. Lynch should also be asked to provide more information concerning the substantial increase in the number of allegedly part Asians being brought into Australia. Where do they come from?

Now comes the irresponsible suggestion that non-Europeans, including Negroes, should be brought into Australia as one means of attempting to overcome the shortage of teachers. All this has a chilling and familiar ring: the initial encouragement of non-Europeans into the United Kingdom was on the basis that they were required to overcome certain labour shortages. Now the British are paying an increasing price for their shortsightedness, and is attempting belatedly to halt the flow of non-European migrants.
People who cannot learn from the experiences of others are either suffering from a form of in sanity, or they are subversive.

The Communists were the pioneers of the attack on the Australian immigration policy. But as on so many other issues, they now have many useful innocents working for them. It is a fundamental natural right that any association of people should be able to determine who shall be permitted to join that association. Some Asian nations have much stricter immigration laws than Australia. Australians do not feel offended by these laws. Australians have to date been free of the race problems being suffered by many other countries. They enjoy the stability they have because of the far-sighted vision of their forebears. If they fail to ensure that this lack of race friction is maintained, they will fail to pass to their children the heritage passed to them.

There are those who are in effect suggesting that this heritage may have to be sold for a mess of financial pottage. Premier Don Dunstan of South Australia has for many years been a vigorous opponent of Australia's immigration policy. After a recent visit to Japan, Mr. Dunstan has raised the question of Japanese being permitted to live in Australia if more Japanese investment is to be encouraged for the development of Australia's resources. There is no real necessity for the present rate of foreign capital investment in order that Australians can develop their own resources. If they heed the siren voices of those who urge that a breaking down of the present immigration policy is necessary for economic and financial reasons, they will pave the way for the eventual taking over of Australia by those who have no sympathy whatever with the principles and values upon which Australia has been built.
This proposed betrayal must be strongly challenged.

DR. CAIRNS ATTACKS AUTHORITY

Canberra - "The chairman of the Vietnam Moratorium committee, Labor MHR Dr. Cairns, last night called for an end to authority. Speaking at a meeting in Canberra, Dr, Cairns said there was a world wide rebellion against authority by people under 25 which amounted to a 20th century reformation. 'I believe that those who are prepared to resist authority are those behind the new reformation', he said... I sincerely hope that authority has had its day." - The Sun, Melbourne, September 16.

It is certainly true that there is a worldwide revolt against authority of all types. But most of the leading figures encouraging this revolt, and claiming in some cases to guide it, have long passed their youth. Dr. Cairns might explain just what type of "reformation" he expects to come from those young people waving copies of The Thoughts of Chairman Mao.

We can understand those many sincere people who are opposed to any further Australian participation in the war in Vietnam. But the Vietnam issue has been used to build a base for a broad campaign against the very foundations of an orderly society. If Dr. Cairns is not familiar with the key role of Marxist revolutionaries in this campaign, he stands self-condemned as one of the most gullible men in Australian public life. But Dr. Cairns is on record as saying that he has no objections to working together with Communists. Dr. Cairns said at Canberra that, "We won democracy by breaking laws, by demonstrating in the streets, by cutting off the heads of kings. "

If Australians have democracy then why encourage lawless revolt against authority? This can only lead to anarchy. Is this what Dr. Cairns and his friends desire?