Vanstone brushes off Games threat

About 50 campaigners gathered outside the High Court in Melbourne, accusing the Commonwealth of racial discrimination.

The fascist federal Indigenous Affairs Minister, Amanda Vanstone, says Aboriginal activists' threat to disrupt next year's Commonwealth Games is purely a political stunt.

A group of elders has lodged a writ in the High Court in Melbourne asking for an investigation into claims of acts of genocide against Indigenous communities.

The activists want the defendants, including War Criminal John HoWARd, to show cause why the investigation should not be carried out.

They want HoWARd and others charged with genocide.

Senator Vanitystone says the threat is nothing more than a political stunt and does not warrant further comment.

Aboriginal elder Isabelle Coe says if the High Court fails to act on the genocide claims, the activists will take the issue to the International Crimes Commission at the Hague [where HoWARd belongs.]

She says the group will also call on other countries to boycott the Games.

By Sorry 14 April 05

Related:

Minister Vanstone should apologise: FAIRA, 'lazy and inept', remark The Minister has a responsibility, as a Minister of the Crown, to show respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including the elected representatives.

Vanitystone rejects nationally-elected Aboriginal group?
Fascist Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone has rejected the findings of a Senate report that wants a new nationally-elected Indigenous body set up to replace the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC).

Report seeks nationally elected body to replace ATSIC
A report expected to be tabled in Federal Parliament today is set to call for the establishment of a nationally elected Indigenous body in Australia.

Govt accused of isolating Indigenous public servants
A national reconciliation group says the federal Government's main-streaming of Indigenous services into government departments will continue to isolate Aboriginal public servants.

NSW pledges to repay Indigenous wages
The New South Wales Government says it will set up a fund to repay wages and other money paid into trusts for Aboriginal people that was not passed on to them.

Vanstone defends asking Aborigines to wash for fuel
The Federal Government has defended its offer to provide a remote Indigenous community with petrol bowsers and new health programs, if it meets conditions including ensuring children shower every day.

Clark crashes Indigenous affairs ministers' meeting
Aboriginal leader Geoff Clark says he gatecrashed a meeting of federal and state Aboriginal affairs ministers today to highlight the plight of Aboriginal people.

Long says journey far from over
Michael Long has emerged from a meeting with the Prime Minister in Canberra saying it is still the beginning of his journey.

Indigenous welfare plan breach race act!!!!
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) has issued a warning about the Federal Government's plan to link Aboriginal welfare to behavioural change.

HoWARd's 'attitude' to Aboriginal welfare racist
The Federal Government says it is still considering a radical plan to rebuild the Aboriginal welfare system, which could make financial assistance dependent on behavioural change?

UN rates Indigenous health poorly
The Australian Nursing Federation says the United Nations has rated Indigenous Australians as having the second worst quality of life in the world after China.

Poverty cycle must be addressed: Ridgeway
The Democrats' Aden Ridgeway says Prime Minister John Howard should stop beating up on people who are on welfare, and focus on solving the national Indigenous unemployment rate.

"MESSAGE STICK" NEWSLETTER:
1. ATSIC abolition: the story so far. The last few months have seen both major parties buying into Indigenous Affairs in destructive and politically opportunistic ways. First the ALP and then the Government announced they would abolish ATSIC, but now the decision has been referred to a Senate Committee so the full implications of the Government's proposal can be examined. For more information on the Senate Inquiry into Indigenous Administration call 02 6277 3419 or go to:

AMA calls for extra health funding for Aborigines
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is asking for an extra $450 million a year to be spent on the health needs of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.

Labor to request Senate inquiry into ATSIC's future
The Federal Opposition has announced it will call for a Senate inquiry into the Government's plan to abolish the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC).

Reconciliation dreaming
Djerrkura had witnessed the collapse of ATSIC, which he led from 1996 to 1999, with sadness. Despite the peak indigenous organisation's flaws, which he did not deny, its abolition, he said, had been done in "the classic imperial fashion, without negotiation, without understanding and with little empathy".

Amnesty sees lack of progress on reconciliation
Amnesty International says the Federal Government must be held accountable for its commitments to Indigenous services.

The bone has been pointed at Howard
A Queensland Indigenous leader says an ancient Aboriginal curse placed on Prime Minister John Howard is no laughing matter and could even have deadly consequences.

Indigenous Social Justice Association Djadi Dugarang
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT. Part 1

Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research: Aboriginal Crime
In 2001 more than forty percent of the Aboriginal male population aged 20-24 in NSW appeared before a NSW court charged with a criminal offence. One in ten Aboriginal males in NSW aged 20-24 received a prison sentence.

Inquiry told reforms will decimate Indigenous education
A Senate inquiry has been told the Federal Government's proposed higher education reforms will decimate education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The National Indigenous Postgraduate Association Aboriginal Corporation says Indigenous students will be the hardest hit by increases in student fees, interest on postgraduate loans and attacks on student representation.

Australia Must Change Nation: Community

Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham is entitled to raise comments about what war criminal, Prime Minister John Howard the "rodent type" made in relation to Asian migrants 14 years ago because the Coalition has been campaigned on his past.

Mr Latham referred to Howard's concern in the 1980s about the number of Asians coming to live in Australia.

Mr Latham says, "In the late 80s in my community, I wasn't walking around saying we've got too many Asian migrants and Australia needs racially discriminatory migration policy," he said.

"So all things are relative and if Mr Howard wants to talk about what I was doing in the late-80s, and having seen the bombardment of those untrue advertisements, I think at one point in the campaign I can make the observation about what he was doing in the late-80s. 

"I gotta tell you I'm a lot prouder of my record than I would be of his."

Mr Howard says, "he has achieved a significant rebalancing of Australia's foreign policy, deepening ties with the United States,while consolidating links with Asia."

However the predictions made that the Asian region would not deal with a Howard Government have been "pre-emptively" correct!

Howard cannot be re-elected on Saturday it would be an Australian and International crime!

By Howard Out 8 October 04

SO PUT YOUR LEFT FOOT FORWARD THIS FEDERAL ELECTION "WITHOUT CHILDREN IN DETENTION" AND "WITHOUT FEAR" AND "WITHOUT RACISM" AND "WITHOUT TERROR" AND "WITHOUT LIES" AND VOTE 1 THE GREENS.

TO LIVE WITH FEAR IS A LIFE HALF LIVED!

Written and authorised by the community. 

REPORT: AUSTRALIAN PRISONERS' ELECTION NEWSPAPER

There was high drama as the only state prisons department in Australia to refuse The Australian Prisoners' Election Newspaper, was challenged in an emergency hearing before the NSW Supreme Court.

AUSTRALIA: 'HOW TO VOTE' MATERIAL BANNED

Australian voters have been blocked from receiving 'how to vote' material from the political parties. On Friday, October 1st, Justice Action received notice that Victoria and NSW prison administrations are blocking The Australian Prisoners' Election Newspaper from being distributed to voters in those prisons. No explanation for the decisions has been given.

Related:

Union tells workers not to abandon Labor
TOGETHER UNITED, WE'LL NEVER BE DEFEATED!!! Tasmania's main union body has implored the state's blue-collar workers not to abandon Labor in tomorrow's federal election. Unions Tasmania's secretary Lynne Fitzgerald says workers should not be seduced by the Coalition's forestry policy, which she describes as a "con".

ALP ahead thanks to the Greens
Liberals chances of victory tomorrow slipped away as a desperate John Howard continued to play the rat card after weeks of what Mark Latham describes as false advertising and lies about the history of his political career.

Howard's Tasmanian Chainsaw Massacre
JOHN Howard yesterday promised to lock up an extra 170,000ha of old growth forest in Tasmania, a pledge he claimed would not result in one job being lost. Releasing his long-awaited policy to a timber worker rally in Launceston, the nervous Howard was soon bowled over when he received a rousing applause from more than a 1000 chainsaws.

Villawood detainees go on hunger strike
A refugee advocacy group says up to 200 detainees at the Villawood Detention Centre, in Sydney, have begun a hunger strike to draw attention to their situation ahead of the federal election.

Afghan children lose High Court battle against detention
Lawyers have lost their constitutional challenge to the detention of four children at a South Australian immigration centre. Four siblings from Afghanistan, aged between seven and 15, have been in detention since they arrived in Australia in 2001.

HOWARD NO REMORSE!
Australian caretaker Prime Minister, [war criminal], John Howard 'a rodent type' does not need to apologise for the illegal and degrading war in Iraq despite a new report that has found Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction at the time of the US-led invasion.

Nothing fair about more lies, fear, terror and war!
Who's going to be sacrificed? for HoWARd's illegal and degrading war in Iraq and Australia's current foreign policies that are morally bankrupt?

Allies 'planned' Iraq war despite denials
The United States, Australia and Britain started to plan the invasion of Iraq months before the conflict, according to a report Wednesday quoting a leaked Pentagon document.

Critics attack Howard's forests policy
Caretaker Prime Minister John Howard's "the rodent type" announcement that a re-elected Coalition government would protect an additional 170,000 hectares of Tasmania's old growth forests has been criticised by unions, environmentalists, the Greens and a pro-logging member of the Labor Party.

GREEN REVOLUTION, REVOLUTION THINK!
Federal ALP''s Leader Mark Latham's forest policy with a promise to protect Tasmania's old growth forests and rainforest is a revolution. REVOLUTION THINK?

If crime don't pay, why is John Howard still in Canberra?
When Labor and the Liberals took away many prisoner's right to vote. The Greens stood up for your rights.

'Medicare Gold' policy needs examination: Democrats
But leader Andrew Bartlett says his party would look closely at the detail if the plan reaches the Senate to make sure it delivers benefits to the public rather than the private health insurance industry.

Medicare Gold is fully funded: Latham
The federal Labor leader has hit the airwaves this morning to sell his plan to provide free hospital care for every Australian over the age of 75.

Allies 'planned' Iraq war despite denials
The United States, Australia and Britain started to plan the invasion of Iraq months before the conflict, according to a report Wednesday quoting a leaked Pentagon document.

Potent strike into Howard's heartland before it's too late!
HOPE, urgency and Medicare Gold constitute Mark Latham's now formidable assault on The Lodge. In his first campaign launch Latham has unveiled a mega-initiative -- free hospital treatment, public or private, for all Australians aged 75 and over.

Pension claims valid: Opposition
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while 'spending billions on military hardware' is just too much for most disabled people to accept.

Poverty cycle must be addressed: Ridgeway
The Democrats' Aden Ridgeway says Prime Minister John Howard should stop beating up on people who are on welfare, and focus on solving the national Indigenous unemployment rate.

Democrats to keep up pressure over asylum seekers
The Australian Democrats will maintain their pressure on the next federal government over Australia's treatment of asylum seekers, if the party can retain its strength in the Senate.

AUSTRALIA: VOTING PREFERENCES
Greens Senator Kerry Nettel's reasoning: A vote for Labor or the Democrats in the Senate is now potentially a vote for right-wing Christian candidates is beyond rhetoric.

Glenn Million: Why Neo-liberals are set to implode (again)
AS if the Neo-Liberal Coalition didn't have enough trouble. A quick re-cap: under John Howard they embrace a GST - a move that eventually forces the Democrats and Greens against him. That's followed by a collective act of dictatorship they jail Pauline Hanson. They dump One Nation leaders in jail - as racist, unworthy and flawed - but above all criminal, right at the time when the Liberal party is running to the last election, and desperate to stay in power.

TIME TO GO JOHN SYDNEY PREMIERE...
I hope fully that some of you can make it to the Sydney premiere of TIME TO GO JOHN, 15 X 5min films by filmmakers from around the country Fabio & I produced A MOMENT OF SHAME, one of the segments. Hope to see you Wed night Sept 29th at 7.30pm.

THE HILLSONG'S ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF 'NEO-LIBERALISM'
The Hill-Songs Church are alive with the sound of neo-liberalism. With songs they have sung for for the Federal Election....

Community demands Ruddock voted out!
Caretaker Attorney General, war criminal, Phillip Ruddock should have his portfolio seized by the community who have declared he has links to terror group the Neo-Liberal Coalition.

Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.

Annan tells world leaders to respect law
United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan has made an impassioned plea to bring about the rule of law across the globe today. Mr Annan told world leaders to respect international law at home and abroad.

CO-OFFENDERS DO NOT REBUFF UN ON 'ILLEGAL WAR'
The 'coalition of the killing's' complicities - the US, Britain and Australia - have insisted that their countries' military action in Iraq was legal after they have committed war crimes against humanity.

Iraq war illegal, says Annan
United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan says the United States decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 was "illegal". Australia was a key supporter of the war on Iraq and sent troops to join the United States-led invasion last year.

Opp calls for Cooperation: Rudd
Imron Cotan says 10 ambassadors and High Commissioners from South East Asian nations were told comments by Prime Minister John Howard about pre-emptive strikes were part of an internal debate and the idea was still being developed?

Defence people need to vote for the Greens
Caretaker Prime Minister John Howard will today unveil a plan to step up the fight against terrorism in the region, using specialist teams of Australian Federal Police (AFP) that could be sent to work in neighbouring countries.

Australia will not Save Your Soul
The Federal Government will not Save Australian Soul's? Even if you're an innocent bystander caught up in it. Despite a group claiming to have kidnapped two Australian security guards? The alleged group, which allegedly calls itself the Horror Brigades of the Islamic Secret Army, allegedly has given the Prime Minister John Howard 24 hours to end Australia's involvement in Iraq.

Trust John Howard like you can trust George Bush...
Once again Prime Minister John Howard unleashed his "politics of fear" to win his election campaign trying to scare ratepayers.

Apologise to children abused in care: report
A Senate report on children placed in institutional care has called for the Federal Government to apologise to those who were harmed by their experience.

Costello, Howard's Disciple
JOHN HOWARD AND PETER Costello lost their vision for Australia from the time they were elected and embarked on a vision for the neo-Liberals.

Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel?
Well praise the Lord the light is Hell bent here on Peter Costello, treasurer of the Howard Government who now has his own "flock" of onward Christian Soldiers.

Gillard stirs Liberal leadership pot
The federal Labor Party claims Peter Costello has relaunched his leadership bid, after the Treasurer gave a wide-ranging interview outlining his support for an Australian republic.

Australian Govt human rights record 'worsening'
Community groups have given the Federal Government five out of ten for its record on human rights this year. Mr Purcell said the Government was also marked down because of the policy of holding children in immigration detention centres.

Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes
Complaint to Australian law officers about Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes.

Don't rock the Boat Howard!
PRIME Minister John Howard today denied the children overboard affair had swayed the 2001 election? Mr Howard has spent the week defending himself against claims he had been informed that nobody in Defence believed children had been thrown overboard by asylum seekers.

Australia an unfair nation, say young and all!
Young people and older people think Australia is undemocratic and unfair. Young people cite their teachers as having the greatest influence on their political thinking, according to a provocative new national survey funded by the Government. Older people cite "injustice" amongst other things as a "bent legal system" favouring hi profiled superstars, corporations and politicians.

HOWARD'S LIE DETECTOR TEST
But most voters have already decided that former ministerial adviser Mike Scrafton has contradicted Mr Howard's recollection of conversations just days before the 2001 election and says he has been vindicated by a lie detector test.

Not happy, John
Valder's alarm whistle effort 'let love be thy weapon' indeed Prime Minister John Howard is also the subject of a stinging attack in a Sunday feature this week, from the man who first engineered his ascent to the Liberal leadership in the mid-1980s former party president John Valder.

Howard 'unfit to lead'
The Federal Opposition says John Howard is not fit to be Prime Minister after new revelations about the children overboard affair.

Howard's war crimes, Turnbull, at least he's honest
HIGH-profile Liberal candidate Malcolm Turnbull has told voters the Iraq invasion was "an unadulterated error".

Alexanda Downer guilty of war crimes!
The agreement for going to war on Iraq carried with it and incentive and that was free trade with the US. The Howard Government knew about it and went along with it with the US under the guise of Iraq's WMDs. In criminal law this is commonly know as collusion to commit a crime.

John Howard's war crimes blameworthy
General Peter Gration is the spokesman for a group of 43 ex-military leaders, diplomats and departmental heads who have criticised the Government, saying involvement in Iraq has put Australia at greater risk of a terrorist attack.

Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.

Court reserves decision on 'no war' protest appeal
Two men have asked the Court of Criminal Appeal to accept that they painted "NO WAR" on the Sydney Opera House, to defend people in Iraq and Australia from war.

PM's Fox Defence? Less the evidence?
The Fox went out on a chilly night. He prayed for the moon to give him light. For he had many a mile to go that night....

Australians to be sacrificed: Howard
Howard vowed hostages wouldn't sway policy? The Federal Government say they would not negotiate with terrorists if an Australian were taken hostage in Iraq.

PM Howard Morally Bankrupt
Prime Minister John Howard insists the war in Iraq was justified despite his British counterpart Tony Blair's concession that weapons of mass destruction might never be found.

Howard 'should be tried for war crimes'
Former Liberal Party federal president John Valder says Prime Minister John Howard should be tried and punished for war crimes over Australia's involvement in the Iraq conflict.

Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.

War on terrorism' could take a generation: Downer?
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has launched the Government's terrorism white paper, saying the "war" could take a generation.

JUDGEMENT: HOWARD'S WAR CRIMES
Howard Vs Regina in Canberra the Capital Territory of Australia- Friday January 30 2004.

'FACTOPHOBIA' HOWARD, BLAIR AND BUSH
Well think about this! Australia's intelligence agencies look set to receive a substantial funding boost in this year's Federal Budget, with the Prime Minister saying it is an obvious step to take.

Howard, where's your head at?
Australians living on the edge! Seems each time the bombs go off overseas Australians are living on the edge.

Should John Howard be locked up indefinitely?
Australian convicted mock terrorist John Howard is seriously considering appealing the precise time limit on detaining terrorist suspects.

Daily Terror rolled-over for Howard's war games
The DAILY TERROR is suspected of being the source of the news this morning that Willie Brigitte is a terrorist and that Sydney faces a bomb attack.

ALP ahead thanks to the Greens

HOWARD THE RODENT RIPPING OFF TAXPAYERS AND THEIR INTEGRITY AGAIN...VOTERS CHEESED OFF!

Liberals chances of victory tomorrow slipped away as a desperate, war criminal, John Howard continued to play the rat card after weeks of what Mark Latham describes as false advertising and lies about the history of his political career.

The Labor leader lashed out at the Prime Minister, for being "racially discriminatory" and "disgraceful" on Asian immigration in the 1980s.

Australia Must Change Nation: Community

Latham: "So all things are relative and if Mr Howard wants to talk about what I was doing in the late-80s, and having seen the bombardment of those untrue advertisements, I think at one point in the campaign I can make the observation about what he was doing in the late-80s.

"I gotta tell you I'm a lot prouder of my record than I would be of his."

War Criminal John Howard cannot be re-elected on Saturday it would be an Australian and International crime!

Mr Latham's attack on Howard came, as a GKCNN Newspoll survey showed that at the end of the six-week campaign, the ALP will defeat Liberals winning the majority of the margins and Neo-Liberal Coalition has made no headway since the election was called.

The Liberals primary vote in the marginals is 47per cent, compared with Liberals 40per cent. On a two-party-preferred basis, the ALP has an election-winning lead of 51.5per cent to 48.5per cent.

Labor's victory appears to rest with the most certain voters shifting to Mr Latham after the war in Iraq.

The Coalition will win at least a dozen seats back of the Coalition for a clear victory. The Government's seats with the smallest margins - from Solomon in the Northern Territory to Eden-Monaro in NSW look like falling to the ALP.

Two-thirds of marginal voters now expect the Latham Government to win the election, with even 96per cent of Labor supporters in those seats believing Mr Latham will win with Green preferences.

The Un- Australian Newspoll survey, conducted exclusively for John Howard was wrong because they failed to ask too many questions and they were treading on the toes of the people they polled.

Labor's economic credibility yesterday received a boost from Treasury, which found that the ALP tax policy would actually cost $479 million less than estimated - and not $700 million more, as Treasurer Peter Costello had claimed.

Mr Latham attacked Howard "the rodent type" yesterday, accusing him of misleading voters over Iraq and supporting an anti-Asian immigration policy.


Last night he was seen with the pack stealing some more cheese before he gets dumped.

Last night the Labor leader said he had faced hundreds of lies from Liberal Party advertising and was entitled to raise matters of historical fact that he had mentioned earlier in the campaign but which had gone unreported.

Later he said he was raising historical facts that were on the public record.

"If the Liberal Party wants to engage in this misleading and untrue campaign about the past, then I think the other side of politics at some stage has the right to raise directly in the public arena... the historical fact of what he was doing."

The results of the latest Un Australian Newspoll were not available as John Howard was still making it up. Not just that, but how many News poll's can you take in one article?

However GKCNN's latest survey revealed the vital seat of Herbert in Queensland, which is one of five or six seats Labor would win as a base for national victory.

In South Australia, the GKCNN Newspoll survey includes two of the three Coalition seats that the ALP look like wining, Adelaide and Hindmarsh. There are five Coalition marginal seats in NSW, including the western Sydney seat of Parramatta, held by Ross Cameron and his marital infidelity.

Labor expected to win Parramatta and there is a good chance that the neighbouring Labor seat of Greenway will be held.

With Green preferences after the leaders' debate Mr Latham, has become the preferred prime minister.

By Dennis Shagger and Sid Dig 8 October 04

According to GKCNN Newspoll Howard has cheesed off voters.

SO PUT YOUR LEFT FOOT FORWARD THIS FEDERAL ELECTION "WITHOUT FEAR" AND "WITHOUT LIES" AND "WITHOUT TERROR" AND "WITHOUT CHILDREN IN DETENTION" AND "WITHOUT WAR IN IRAQ" AND "WITH AN OLD GROWTH FOREST IN TASMANIA " AND VOTE 1 THE GREENS.

Written and authorised by the community.

Related:

Howard's Tasmanian Chainsaw Massacre
JOHN Howard yesterday promised to lock up an extra 170,000ha of old growth forest in Tasmania, a pledge he claimed would not result in one job being lost. Releasing his long-awaited policy to a timber worker rally in Launceston, the nervous Howard was soon bowled over when he received a rousing applause from more than a 1000 chainsaws.

Villawood detainees go on hunger strike
A refugee advocacy group says up to 200 detainees at the Villawood Detention Centre, in Sydney, have begun a hunger strike to draw attention to their situation ahead of the federal election.

HOWARD NO REMORSE!
Australian caretaker Prime Minister, [war criminal], John Howard 'a rodent type' does not need to apologise for the illegal and degrading war in Iraq despite a new report that has found Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction at the time of the US-led invasion.

Nothing fair about more lies, fear, terror and war!
Who's going to be sacrificed? for HoWARd's illegal and degrading war in Iraq and Australia's current foreign policies that are morally bankrupt?

Allies 'planned' Iraq war despite denials
The United States, Australia and Britain started to plan the invasion of Iraq months before the conflict, according to a report Wednesday quoting a leaked Pentagon document.

Critics attack Howard's forests policy
Caretaker Prime Minister John Howard's "the rodent type" announcement that a re-elected Coalition government would protect an additional 170,000 hectares of Tasmania's old growth forests has been criticised by unions, environmentalists, the Greens and a pro-logging member of the Labor Party.

GREEN REVOLUTION, REVOLUTION THINK!
Federal ALP''s Leader Mark Latham's forest policy with a promise to protect Tasmania's old growth forests and rainforest is a revolution. REVOLUTION THINK?

If crime don't pay, why is John Howard still in Canberra?
When Labor and the Liberals took away many prisoner's right to vote. The Greens stood up for your rights.

'Medicare Gold' policy needs examination: Democrats
But leader Andrew Bartlett says his party would look closely at the detail if the plan reaches the Senate to make sure it delivers benefits to the public rather than the private health insurance industry.

Medicare Gold is fully funded: Latham
The federal Labor leader has hit the airwaves this morning to sell his plan to provide free hospital care for every Australian over the age of 75.

Allies 'planned' Iraq war despite denials
The United States, Australia and Britain started to plan the invasion of Iraq months before the conflict, according to a report Wednesday quoting a leaked Pentagon document.

Potent strike into Howard's heartland before it's too late!
HOPE, urgency and Medicare Gold constitute Mark Latham's now formidable assault on The Lodge. In his first campaign launch Latham has unveiled a mega-initiative -- free hospital treatment, public or private, for all Australians aged 75 and over.

Pension claims valid: Opposition
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while 'spending billions on military hardware' is just too much for most disabled people to accept.

Poverty cycle must be addressed: Ridgeway
The Democrats' Aden Ridgeway says Prime Minister John Howard should stop beating up on people who are on welfare, and focus on solving the national Indigenous unemployment rate.

Democrats to keep up pressure over asylum seekers
The Australian Democrats will maintain their pressure on the next federal government over Australia's treatment of asylum seekers, if the party can retain its strength in the Senate.

AUSTRALIA: VOTING PREFERENCES
Greens Senator Kerry Nettel's reasoning: A vote for Labor or the Democrats in the Senate is now potentially a vote for right-wing Christian candidates is beyond rhetoric.

Glenn Million: Why Neo-liberals are set to implode (again)
AS if the Neo-Liberal Coalition didn't have enough trouble. A quick re-cap: under John Howard they embrace a GST - a move that eventually forces the Democrats and Greens against him. That's followed by a collective act of dictatorship they jail Pauline Hanson. They dump One Nation leaders in jail - as racist, unworthy and flawed - but above all criminal, right at the time when the Liberal party is running to the last election, and desperate to stay in power.

TIME TO GO JOHN SYDNEY PREMIERE...
I hope fully that some of you can make it to the Sydney premiere of TIME TO GO JOHN, 15 X 5min films by filmmakers from around the country Fabio & I produced A MOMENT OF SHAME, one of the segments. Hope to see you Wed night Sept 29th at 7.30pm.

THE HILLSONG'S ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF 'NEO-LIBERALISM'
The Hill-Songs Church are alive with the sound of neo-liberalism. With songs they have sung for for the Federal Election....

Community demands Ruddock voted out!
Caretaker Attorney General, war criminal, Phillip Ruddock should have his portfolio seized by the community who have declared he has links to terror group the Neo-Liberal Coalition.

Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.

Annan tells world leaders to respect law
United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan has made an impassioned plea to bring about the rule of law across the globe today. Mr Annan told world leaders to respect international law at home and abroad.

CO-OFFENDERS DO NOT REBUFF UN ON 'ILLEGAL WAR'
The 'coalition of the killing's' complicities - the US, Britain and Australia - have insisted that their countries' military action in Iraq was legal after they have committed war crimes against humanity.

Iraq war illegal, says Annan
United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan says the United States decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 was "illegal". Australia was a key supporter of the war on Iraq and sent troops to join the United States-led invasion last year.

Opp calls for Cooperation: Rudd
Imron Cotan says 10 ambassadors and High Commissioners from South East Asian nations were told comments by Prime Minister John Howard about pre-emptive strikes were part of an internal debate and the idea was still being developed?

Defence people need to vote for the Greens
Caretaker Prime Minister John Howard will today unveil a plan to step up the fight against terrorism in the region, using specialist teams of Australian Federal Police (AFP) that could be sent to work in neighbouring countries.

Australia will not Save Your Soul
The Federal Government will not Save Australian Soul's? Even if you're an innocent bystander caught up in it. Despite a group claiming to have kidnapped two Australian security guards? The alleged group, which allegedly calls itself the Horror Brigades of the Islamic Secret Army, allegedly has given the Prime Minister John Howard 24 hours to end Australia's involvement in Iraq.

Trust John Howard like you can trust George Bush...
Once again Prime Minister John Howard unleashed his "politics of fear" to win his election campaign trying to scare ratepayers.

Apologise to children abused in care: report
A Senate report on children placed in institutional care has called for the Federal Government to apologise to those who were harmed by their experience.

Costello, Howard's Disciple
JOHN HOWARD AND PETER Costello lost their vision for Australia from the time they were elected and embarked on a vision for the neo-Liberals.

Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel?
Well praise the Lord the light is Hell bent here on Peter Costello, treasurer of the Howard Government who now has his own "flock" of onward Christian Soldiers.

Gillard stirs Liberal leadership pot
The federal Labor Party claims Peter Costello has relaunched his leadership bid, after the Treasurer gave a wide-ranging interview outlining his support for an Australian republic.

Australian Govt human rights record 'worsening'
Community groups have given the Federal Government five out of ten for its record on human rights this year. Mr Purcell said the Government was also marked down because of the policy of holding children in immigration detention centres.

Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes
Complaint to Australian law officers about Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes.

Don't rock the Boat Howard!
PRIME Minister John Howard today denied the children overboard affair had swayed the 2001 election? Mr Howard has spent the week defending himself against claims he had been informed that nobody in Defence believed children had been thrown overboard by asylum seekers.

Australia an unfair nation, say young and all!
Young people and older people think Australia is undemocratic and unfair. Young people cite their teachers as having the greatest influence on their political thinking, according to a provocative new national survey funded by the Government. Older people cite "injustice" amongst other things as a "bent legal system" favouring hi profiled superstars, corporations and politicians.

HOWARD'S LIE DETECTOR TEST
But most voters have already decided that former ministerial adviser Mike Scrafton has contradicted Mr Howard's recollection of conversations just days before the 2001 election and says he has been vindicated by a lie detector test.

Not happy, John
Valder's alarm whistle effort 'let love be thy weapon' indeed Prime Minister John Howard is also the subject of a stinging attack in a Sunday feature this week, from the man who first engineered his ascent to the Liberal leadership in the mid-1980s former party president John Valder.

Howard 'unfit to lead'
The Federal Opposition says John Howard is not fit to be Prime Minister after new revelations about the children overboard affair.

Howard's war crimes, Turnbull, at least he's honest
HIGH-profile Liberal candidate Malcolm Turnbull has told voters the Iraq invasion was "an unadulterated error".

Alexanda Downer guilty of war crimes!
The agreement for going to war on Iraq carried with it and incentive and that was free trade with the US. The Howard Government knew about it and went along with it with the US under the guise of Iraq's WMDs. In criminal law this is commonly know as collusion to commit a crime.

John Howard's war crimes blameworthy
General Peter Gration is the spokesman for a group of 43 ex-military leaders, diplomats and departmental heads who have criticised the Government, saying involvement in Iraq has put Australia at greater risk of a terrorist attack.

Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.

Court reserves decision on 'no war' protest appeal
Two men have asked the Court of Criminal Appeal to accept that they painted "NO WAR" on the Sydney Opera House, to defend people in Iraq and Australia from war.

PM's Fox Defence? Less the evidence?
The Fox went out on a chilly night. He prayed for the moon to give him light. For he had many a mile to go that night....

Australians to be sacrificed: Howard
Howard vowed hostages wouldn't sway policy? The Federal Government say they would not negotiate with terrorists if an Australian were taken hostage in Iraq.

PM Howard Morally Bankrupt
Prime Minister John Howard insists the war in Iraq was justified despite his British counterpart Tony Blair's concession that weapons of mass destruction might never be found.

Howard 'should be tried for war crimes'
Former Liberal Party federal president John Valder says Prime Minister John Howard should be tried and punished for war crimes over Australia's involvement in the Iraq conflict.

Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.

War on terrorism' could take a generation: Downer?
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has launched the Government's terrorism white paper, saying the "war" could take a generation.

JUDGEMENT: HOWARD'S WAR CRIMES
Howard Vs Regina in Canberra the Capital Territory of Australia- Friday January 30 2004.

'FACTOPHOBIA' HOWARD, BLAIR AND BUSH
Well think about this! Australia's intelligence agencies look set to receive a substantial funding boost in this year's Federal Budget, with the Prime Minister saying it is an obvious step to take.

Howard, where's your head at?
Australians living on the edge! Seems each time the bombs go off overseas Australians are living on the edge.

Should John Howard be locked up indefinitely?
Australian convicted mock terrorist John Howard is seriously considering appealing the precise time limit on detaining terrorist suspects.

Daily Terror rolled-over for Howard's war games
The DAILY TERROR is suspected of being the source of the news this morning that Willie Brigitte is a terrorist and that Sydney faces a bomb attack.

Blunkett to extend long arm of the law

UK: Sweeping changes to police powers were proposed by the government yesterday, with officers in England and Wales to be permitted to arrest suspects for any offence, rather than only those which attract prison sentences.

The idea, included in a consultation paper published today by the Home Office - just two days after the Conservatives made a series of hardline crime and order proposals - could be on the statute books by next summer.

But civil rights campaigners have already branded the idea of arresting people for offences such as graffiti and dropping litter "disproportionate".

The 30-page consultation paper also raises a series of other proposals, including roadside fingerprinting, extending search warrants to cover all properties connected to a suspect, and greater powers for community support officers (CSOs). The police minister, Hazel Blears, said the moves would "maintain the crucial balance between the powers of the police and the rights of the individual".

However, the director of civil rights group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, said of the arrest proposals: "When you create a broad, unnecessary power there is a danger of arbitrary and racially discriminatory use.

"This comes just a couple of weeks after statistics showed a 300% rise in the number of Asian people being stopped and searched.

The Home Office says the detail will be set out in guidance - an approach which has failed as far as stop and search is concerned. If powers are truly needed then parliament should debate them and perhaps pass them. But I have yet to hear any serious voice in policing in this country say that the problem the police faces is that they don't have powers to arrest people for dropping litter," she told Radio 4's Today Programme.

She added: "In a democracy you do not create extremely broad powers and say they will not be used in practice - you give the police powers they actually need.

However, Ms Blears insisted that a "necessity test" would ensure that not all suspects were arrested for petty crimes. "What we are saying here is that in future all offences will be arrestable but that does not necessarily mean that everybody will be arrested, because there will be a necessity test.

A constable could come upon an offence and he might not be sure whether it is arrestable or not. In future that would be very clear, she told the BBC.

The shadow home secretary, David Davis, said: "Today's announcements are just another headline-grabbing initiative from a gimmick-crazy home secretary. "We agree with the efforts to make the definition of arrestable offences simpler. But will we now find ourselves in a crazy situation where a litter lout is arrested and a cannabis smoker is not?  

"Every arrest brings with it reams of paperwork," he added. "The government is in danger of encouraging police to make arrests based on their heavy workload of paperwork and not on the seriousness of the offence."

The new principal speaker of the Green party, Keith Taylor, dismissed the proposals as the "latest in a series of attacks on civil liberties". He said: "This government already monitors its citizens more closely than any in Britain's history.

"The power to arrest on the suspicion of even the most minor offences undermines the fundamental right to go about one's day-to-day business without interference from the state. "As with current stop-and-search procedures, there is also the risk that these new powers could be disproportionately used against members of certain communities."

The consultation period ends in October, enabling the government, if it wishes, to table bills based on the proposals in a November, [war criminal], Queen's speech.

The paper - entitled Modernsing Police Power to Meet Community Needs - also suggests giving CSOs greater powers to direct traffic, tackle beggars, [?] search people for weapons and enforce bylaws, leaving police officers free to concentrate on frontline duties. It also proposes that CSOs - who can already issue £40 on-the-spot fines for being drunk and disorderly - be given extra powers to deal with drunks and underage drinkers.

The proposals, which originate with the Home Office rather than the police forces, were given a guarded welcome by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

The association's vice-president, Denis O'Connor, said: "There is undoubtedly a need to rationalise some of the powers we currently hold and strengthen those we need most. "We are supportive of the government's effort to enhance the powers of the wider police family, particularly CSOs, enabling them to assist the police in tackling crime and disorder." He added: "However, we would sound a note of caution at any major extension of powers for CSOs before the Home Office evaluation is complete."

The Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers and is opposed to the expansion of the role of CSOs, gave the proposals a lukewarm reception. Its vice chairman Rod Dalley said: "Any use of or change in police powers should be taken seriously.

"Therefore we will carefully consider the Home Office paper and will be engaging fully in the consultation process. In particular we will be closely examining any proposals to extend the powers given to CSOs in view of the fact that no evaluation of their role has taken place."

Other proposals include:

- Testing people arrested for property crimes for class A drugs.

- New powers to fingerprint suspects at the roadside and to take DNA samples and footwear impressions.

- Allowing police to take DNA and fingerprint samples covertly.

- for example, by undercover officers

- to determine identification of suspects and their possible involvement in an offence, although such material would be for intelligence use only and not as evidence in court.

- Allowing revenue from motoring fixed penalties to fund automatic number plate recognition systems, which are already in use in 23 forces in England and Wales.

- Removing the requirement for civilian investigators to wear a uniform, so that they can go "plainclothes" if required.

- Allowing the courts to remand in police custody anyone suspected of swallowing parcels of drugs

- possibly for as long as 12 days

- to allow the drugs to be passed and seized as evidence.

- Create a new offence of "keeping an incorrectly registered vehicle" to tackle the problem of an estimated 1.2 million untaxed, unsafe or uninsured vehicles on Britain's roads.

- Giving police a new power to stop, search, seize and confiscate fireworks where they suspect the items are held illegally under the Fireworks Act 2003.

- which made possession by under-18s illegal.

- Possible new legislation to deal with demonstrations outside parliament.

- Allowing officers to photograph suspects outside the police station, and use moving images such as video.

By Matthew Tempest posted 13 August 04

Related:

Welcome to the MatrixB
US - In what civil liberties advocates call the most massive database surveillance program in US history, the Multistate Anti-Terrorism, [scapegoat and patsy], Information Exchange, or Matrix, continues to compile billions of records on law-abiding citizens and receive federal funding, despite public outcry and suspicion.

Govt tests airport security eye scanner
Technology that identifies people by scanning their eyes could be introduced into Australian airports as early as next year.

law and order days over, says Blair
Their 3D-iD system is ideal for both stationary assets, such as large physical inventories or for mobile assets like people and portable equipment.

Fingerprints now required for US visas
United States consulates in Australia have begun taking fingerprints from Australians applying for visas.

I won't be a criminal for you!
The only looming rules are for fools giving up personal details to the Devil in the first place when visiting the US.

Putting Your Finger on the Line: Biometric Identification Technology The NSW Department of Corrective Services has progressively been implementing biometric identification technology (BIT) for use on all entrants into maximum security prisons since August 1996. It currently operates in seven prisons in NSW and is scheduled for introduction at Parklea prison later this year. BIT has raised the ire of many community agencies, the legal fraternity and government authorities. Framed examines what the controversy is all about and what the implications of this technology are.

Mossad agents Killing Oz Tourists Steal their Identity to use in terror opps
The fugitive Israeli Mossad intelligence agent Zev Barkan has been dealing with Asian criminal gangs to obtain Australian and other passports stolen from Australians Killed in Asia, a New Zealand security official has said.

The U.S. system of 'justice' is a tragic joke
US: Police abuse, and sometimes kill, innocent persons at will. Cops plant evidence, they lie, they coerce confessions and they commit perjury. Many are, simply, criminals.