I’ll miss Pauline Hanson

AFR says:

01:13pm | 15/02/10

Well, there is always barnaby joyce, and look at the wonders he does for this country and its reputation (end sarcasm)

Jack Thomas says:

05:16pm | 16/02/10

According to many ranters here, Tony Abbott will be tearily waving her goodbye, having been her best mate and strategist for years.

Well according to the conspiracy theorists and other assorted wacko’s with not a skerrick of proof just bitter twisted little minds anyway.

Good riddance Pauline, from one of many many Libs glad to see the back of you.

Lee Mazengarb says:

10:57am | 15/02/10

Yep, now look at the country, she was good for it and the politically correct and big business cronnies that make a mockery and a fortune out of immigrants really put one on her. I know a lot of people that voted for her, in direct votes she did very well, with our wonderful NON democratic preferences system that gives politicians the ability to do back room deals with each other regardless of how or who we voted for, she was left out of the system…...If you want to see racism or protectionism etc, go to another country and try n get a job or buy property…see how far you get. This country has gone to the dogs, not the immigrants, but those that supposedly lead this country but have far different agendas in their minds like making it to the UN security council for example or as a political activist but then taking a seat in the labour party and now promoting what he use to fight against….At least Pauline was honest and believed in a fair go…something she has realised doesn’t exist in Aus any more. All you can do now is join them…

Tom says:

09:30am | 15/02/10

I suggest you actually visit the UK before making such wild and wholly false accusations! The UK was built on immigrants over several thousand years, and now thrives on multiculturalism. I don’t pretend it’s perfect, but I suspect if Pauline tries to enter politics there she’ll be met with the opposition she deserves.

Chris says:

09:54am | 15/02/10

Tom, what a total betrayal of British culture.  Get back on your pills.

minnie says:

10:50am | 15/02/10

Britian is multicultural, so far as it is filled with people who have highly related heritage anyway.There is a degree of non related infucion and this is where the problems lay.

Freddo Frog says:

10:50am | 15/02/10

That is totally incorrect. Pauline will get a surprise at how well multiculturalism works in U.K. I was there last August/September and it’a an amazing place with so many nationalities working hand-in-hand to make a great country even greater.

Look around the place in Australia and see how whites like Ms Hanson have kept Australia almost lillywhite. Even our indigenous people fail to get even the most mundane of jobs because of people like Pauline.

Eveywhere she goes in U.K. she will get a shockk when she is served in shops, gets on a bus, gets on a train, wherever, she will be surprised at how well ALL nationalities and colours integrate in U.K.

As an ex Pom, I am proud of what has been achieved for ALL people in U.K., not just those with white skin and red hair.

Greg says:

12:23pm | 15/02/10

If the UK and its multculturalism is so good, whey did you leave it Freddo?
And why is the BNP doing so well lately?

Daniel says:

12:52pm | 15/02/10

How is the BNP doing well when they only appeal to the uneducated rednecks of the UK?

Rob Herron says:

01:37pm | 15/02/10

Are you for real Freddo Frog ? . “Even our indigenous people fail to get even the most mundane of jobs because of people like Pauline.” ?????  Ease up on the cane toad licking old mate. When I see people distorting reality to this extent to fit their dogma I can see why Pauline was pushing it up hill .

Kim L says:

10:13am | 22/02/10

Tom, I would agree with Chris on this matter. Obviously has no idea what British culture is, or was.

Julia says:

08:37am | 15/02/10

Gosh that’s very bigoted, Adrian.

James says:

09:14am | 15/02/10

Tony Abbott led the charge to have her undermined politically Adrian.  There is no refuge for racists like her in either mainstream political party.

Joe says:

09:55am | 15/02/10

lets not forget the deceit of the Tampa issue “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come”  hail howard

Bruce says:

09:59am | 15/02/10

Adrian B. If thats your take on politics. You have no idea what you are talking about. It took the Liberal party to get ridd of Pauline Hanson and her views. Other political parties did not have the “ticker” to take on the hard task !!

Neil says:

10:44am | 15/02/10

Joe, Tony Abbott led the charge to stop loosing Liberal party’s primary vote.

Michael says:

08:58am | 15/02/10

i agree with the social engineers

Sunny says:

10:54am | 15/02/10

Where’s Culcutta? Pffft, whinge much, blame someone else much, Scared of losing your perceived dominance in society much? Get a grip, the sky isn’t falling.

Lucy says:

04:30pm | 15/02/10

Sunny,  I miss the goals of civilization, shared values of equality, tolerance and a “fair go”.

Many coming here do not share these values at all and are in fact, very racist, intolerant, very unfair, brutal and backward.

Lucy says:

08:46am | 15/02/10

Yes I’ve never seen a female on any of those boats either.

mona says:

08:58am | 15/02/10

it’s because we’re in a man drought Tim

Michael says:

09:05am | 15/02/10

your not against gays as well are you????

James says:

09:15am | 15/02/10

Did you miss the little Sri Lankan girl Lucy?  Also, the boats bring a very small proportion of out migrants - about 2000 out of some 140 000 a year.  Not the most representative sample.

Tim says:

10:16am | 15/02/10

My figures are from the overall immigration - it has nothing to do with boat people.

Lucy says:

07:35pm | 15/02/10

One little Sri Lanken girl, amoungst hoards of Sri Lanken men?  Oh how generous of them.

Judy says:

01:00pm | 15/02/10

Yes!  it was in the media’s interest to portray Pauline as a racist, as newspapers had to be sold and other political parties had to discredit her because she took their votes.  We need to teach our children to have a mind of their own, be individuals not sheep, ask questions and certainly not to believe everything they read in the newspaper.

Paul says:

01:15pm | 15/02/10

I have to agree on this. I listened to her maiden speech in parliament, it expressed concerns over immigration nothing more.  Polarising media portrayed it as so much more, and thus the political mayhem ensued.

Whilst I disagree with her sentiments, the way she was systematically hounded and destroyed shows that mainstream Australia is indeed as bigoted and ignorant as she was made out to be.

I hope for Pauline, its a conclusion, to what has been very shameful treatment of a naive politician who dared express how she felt.

Pablo says:

03:02pm | 15/02/10

Susan, it wasn’t the media misrepresenting her, over the years she polished her act to a great degree, by the time she did the Denton show, she knew to tread lightly,  where as early on she was pumped by her impact, and thought she could be as blunt as she wanted to and that would get her the best political result, dont forget a lot of her early stuff was very inflamatory, largely without foundation, and very divisive. Many good australians of non anglo backgrounds, found themselves looking over their shoulders, and questioning if their country had really embraced them after so many years, Pauline Hansons politics were always based on division, fear and prejudices, and no amount of her trying to correct the record will ever change that.

Mary says:

03:29am | 16/02/10

Paul, Pauline may have ‘dared to express how she felt’ but racist sentiments are no longer acceptable.  I cannot see how the media twisted her words as you all claim it did.  Quotes from her maiden speech include ‘I believe we are in danger of being swamped by Asians’ and ‘A truly multicultural country can never be strong or united.’  These are dangerous views that incite hate towards immigrants and the media was right to show how dangerous and inappropriate her comments were.  Have we not seen the scapegoating of races/religions that have lead to world wars?  Before you all start citing how other countries are not tolerant of whites so why should Australia be tolerant of other races, Australia is not ‘other countries.’  Australia is a young country.  To compete with the world it needed to accept people from varying cultures who could bring their skills to the table.  Australia is not a ‘white’ country, it is a multicultural country - that is its identity.

SallyJ says:

09:02am | 15/02/10

Tom - you said it so well - I totally agree with you.  We are being taken over and everyone is too scared to say anything.  Look around & open your eyes Australian people and what do you see !!

Brett says:

01:59pm | 15/02/10

T.Chong, once again you are fooled by the media. All the reports of this come from a story in Womans Day. Pauline Hanson does not say she is immigrating. She said she is going to go to New Zealand for 6 months, and then to the UK. She said it will be for an indefinite time. Show me where she actually said migrate to UK. Any reporters out there care to get the story right?
Anyone is this forum have the tenacity to go out and stand up for something you believe in, even though you will be harassed, ridiculed, taken out of context and made a political prisoner. And for the record it was Tony Abbott that established the trust fund to finance the lawyers that put Hanson away.

Brett says:

12:55pm | 17/02/10

My comments were finally vindicated today with correct reporting on news.com.au.
THERE WAS NO MENTION OF IMMIGRATION.
Take a look at your silly comments, then tell me about bigotry. Some of you people are so concerned with your own agenda you are blinded to the truth.

T.Chong says:

08:57am | 15/02/10

Tom, an example of how “radical muslims and other ethnic minorities “
are slowly taking over, and how and where -“this is happening here”. ?
Very interested to know, so I can join in your outrage.

Jeff Mueller says:

08:58am | 15/02/10

I think you’l find the chief antagonist in pursuing One Nation’s highly irregular organisation was one Tony Abbott. Cunning enough to know that Hanson was chipping away at the Liberal/National base as much as anything, he launch the campaign that saw her go to gaol.

Rob Herron says:

09:12am | 15/02/10

Spot on Tom . I am surprised she chose UK too with all its racial, religious ,and economic problems -as result of the policies she vainly tried to warn us against. NZ seems to me to be a better choice now with a far more homogeneous and harmonious mix of races than either Australia or the UK.

Bob says:

11:05am | 15/02/10

Radical Muslims are trouble wherever they go and the UK is no exception. Its simple, they preach in the Mosques for everyone to breed an breed, then one day they will have a majority. Maybe not in our lifetime but it will happen. Trust me people you DONT want Muslims running this country, I’m saying this not from what I see in the media but what has happened to my homeland and the continuous persecuton of non-Muslims and a government who denies anything is wrong. Pauline took as stance and nobody had the balls to support her despite knowing in some way that she was onto something….and to T. Chong do you want to know how they’re taking over Australia? In some council meetins now ham sandwiches are banned as to not offend Muslim members. Wheres the bloody common sense, just dont eat it and stop bloody complaing. This isn’t Saudi but you never know sometimes….

Sunny says:

11:07am | 15/02/10

Funny, everyone cites the UK as a massive problem, but sounds like you’ve never been. My repeated experience is one of harmony and acceptance, not scared of someone who looks a bit different.

So other cultures are Ok, just to eat their foods, live off their historical discoveries that allow modern society to be what it is (the wheel, numbers, alphabet, modern medicine, sewerage etc), they’re OK to live here, as long as they fit in, and oh, but we really don’t want to see you in public because you look different and you are steallng all our jobs…oh that’s right, i don’t actually work because i get the dole or disability and smoke durries and drink all day.  You started the generalisation, thought i’d keep it going. Radical muslims, pffft, all scared of your shadows. What radical muslims. Could it be that people stick to their own cultures, even if they don’t want to, because of this type of reception and attitudes?

Lauren says:

11:55am | 15/02/10

A very suitable name for your post, I must say Tom Riddle!! Its just like Hogwarts being taken over by all those damn Mudbloods and making it theirs, isn’t it?

T.Chong says:

12:02pm | 15/02/10

Bob 12:05 Ham sandwiches ? Thats it ? WTF ? So, at some meetings, some one shows enough manners to serve culturally appropriate food, and thats your straw man.?
I trust that was a joke, but give other examples of the similarities of secular main stream Australia and Saudi Arabia, please, because we might never know sometimes.

rene says:

02:16pm | 15/02/10

About the ham sandwiches, why is it only in western countries that the “cultural sensitivies” are taken into account?  Ha, people get arrested in Saudi Arabia for kissing etc.. if their not married.  And what about that poor teenage school girl who got whipped for having a skirt which was knee length? I cant remember which country it was, butbut her parents were not informed til after the event and of course, they werent Muslim. They were a Christian family so those rules SHOULD not have applied to her.  People really need to stop bagging people who are concerned about what is happening in their countries and think about things like this that happen in other countries and then feel very afraid when the words “sharia law” are mentioned etc..

Tony says:

04:19pm | 15/02/10

This is wonderful news! Australia finally has her revenge - England sent us her convicts, and Australia returns the favor by sending back dimwitted rednecks.

James says:

05:13pm | 15/02/10

rene,

People are fleeing those countries to get away from that kind of thing.  And you would stop them.  What does that say about you?  Why would you want to be complicit in such crimes?

rene says:

05:53pm | 15/02/10

To James, exactly what makes yo think I would want to stop the immigration?  Where did I say that?  I am a child of immigration as an example.  My point is that when here (or there, I am referring to Western countries as a whole), the customs and laws that exist should be abided by as much as possible by the immigrants and not have external customs and traditions imposed upon the existing population.  And that is true, a lot of these people are fleeing these horrible places, but I do have a problem when some of these immigrants start living that way here. For example, female circumcision, honor killings that have happened, requesting sharia law and so on. These are some of the reasons a lot of these people left.  What I do not understand is, if people want to flee these types of places,and then live under those types of rules and customs again, then go to more moderate Islamic countries like Indonesia or Malaysia for example.  But not to Western countries where democracy exists and all people are considered equal and for which this ideology is completely at odds with some religions.

Imran Ahmad says:

06:57pm | 15/02/10

Bob,  I have read many nonsense and xenophobic comments against Muslims. If anyone believes that this country is slowly becoming someone else’s, dosn’t this mean that they are incompetent enough to lead this country. Are these so called ‘someone else’ are taking over this country illegally? Bob, this is the height of joke I have come through so far in my life. You have the majority in this country, there is not a sinlge Muslim in Australian Parliament and yet you cant do anything to stop it? What a shame ! I think its better if someone else takes over this country, at least they would know how to handle the situations.

If any council has banned eating pork material, its very good, as eating pork is harmful for health, it causes serious lungs problems (according to scientific research). This xenophobic / racist behaviour got to stop. Being realistic and logical helps leading a happy and peaceful life. Why people can not understand that there are lots of idiots in this country who are incapable of running the country that’s why government invites migrants from other countries because they have got brains and skills.

James says:

07:14pm | 15/02/10

Plenty of white Australians commit crimes, kill their wives/children/husbands.  I’m sure members of your immigrant group commits crimes as well.  But when such things occur, we are talking about a criminal issue, not a migration issue.  When a, say, muslim man kills his wife, the logical reaction is not to stop muslim coming here.  It is to arrest the man, and try him according to the law. 

I’m also pretty sure that you and your parents would have customs that I do not - I can trace my family back to the second fleet.  Should I then have the right to say that your customs do not belong, because you have not been here as long as my family?  Where do we draw the line, and how do we define Australian customs?  What you propose is a slippery slope that ends with places like Saudi Arabia and Iran - where culture, religion, customs, dress codes, and everything is sanctioned by the state.  I like liberal democracy, and would not want to see that.  This is about basic Western freedom to act however you want, within the law of course.

John says:

06:36pm | 18/02/10

Imran Ahmadi@ I smell the stink of cultural relativism, if majority understand what it means the Labor would disappear overnight. But luckily for the Labor Party ignorance is bliss.

Lee Mazengarb says:

11:19am | 15/02/10

The problem was she wasn’t free to express it, we didn’t protest , we didn’t raise a voice against Australia’s first political prisoner. Was a joke on democracy and what Australia is supposed to be. Let all immigrants learn a lesson in this, you cannot voice seriously a protest against the government or try to change things, you will be humiliated, joked, directly on TV and radio, way way beyond what can be sued over for slander etc yet nothing, nothing happened or was done about it other then she got sent to Gaol??? like what, the politicians etc should have been sued for slander, the tv and radio station all should have gone to the wall over it, the government sacked by the governor general but that position is generally filled with a job for the boys so that wasn’t going to happen. Can’t argue against her decision to leave, only destination might be questionable…China sounds better…They understand sovereignty.

Richard says:

09:54am | 15/02/10

What??? Is Anthony Albanese going there too?

Polywatcher says:

10:32am | 15/02/10

As well as Albanese, I imagine Martin Ferguson will follow.

T.Chong says:

09:26am | 15/02/10

So, vote for one of the race based parties. They may be holding a rally in a phone box near you real soon.

Lucy says:

07:36pm | 15/02/10

Either have I

James says:

01:11pm | 17/02/10

You do have that right, Tony.  Sadly for you, you do not have the number necessary to do so, as you are a fringe minority group.  How does it feel?

Darryl Price says:

09:20am | 15/02/10

Yes I can imagine we’ll all be the source of much derision during High Tea with Germaine and Pauline. Pauline’s nasal whipper-snipper-crossed-with-a-chainsaw whine, and Germaines bad case of man-face will be “quate” a spectacle at the Ritz

Amy Brunner says:

04:35pm | 15/02/10

Speaking of IQ levels, the majority of the Australian population, failed the IQ test in 2007, by electing Kevin07. We had a well functioning Government which in 11 years had spent the first 8 years paying off the $96,000,000,000-00 debt left behind by the last labor Government. The Howard/Costello team were lambasted for not spending money on services and infracstructure, they were busy paying off the debt, dummy.  When they started to spend on services and infacstructure, the Labor party controlled State Governments were nothing but obstructive.  The money for the By-pass of the Goodna bottle-neck was sitting in a fund for four years, but the Beattie Labor State Government wanted to up-grade the Ipswich Motorway.  Guess why, I’ll tell you why. The rules of this game is, and it is a game of power to the Labor Party Governments, is that when a by-pass is built which re-routs a Federal Highway, then the by-passed road becomes a State responsibility. think about it.  Possibility through ignorance of the facts, Queenslanders and Australians failed the IQ test…....

Nigel says:

03:46pm | 15/02/10

You forgot to add ... and don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out.

Rob Herron says:

09:14am | 15/02/10

Amen Bug Catcher

Seano says:

12:03pm | 15/02/10

Didn’t you already post this tripe?

You claim that there are so many “honest” aussies who wish to speak out but “lack the courage” (except for “Brave” Pauline). Bullshit. You lot never STFU. We’ve heard it all ad nauseum. FFS you even pointed out, Hanson did to speak for you all, she got her say in our parliament.

And guess what? Few people either agreed or cared and now she and her ideas are so relevant she’s pissing off to the UK. Great.

I hope she goes by boat, I think that would be kind of appropriate.

Aileen says:

01:31pm | 15/02/10

very well said bug catcher i agree totally with your comments

AussieLouis says:

06:08pm | 15/02/10

It’s strange to read here by a number that “People had the same thoughts but lacked the courage to speak out.”

As a guy who travels the world constantly, it is my distinction impression that Aussies are the first to speak whether their listeners like what they say or not. I’ve yet to come across a more vociferous, raucous and outspoken people than Australians. Just read the news and watch the Teles and you would get the impression that Australians pull no punches when they have something nasty to say about others.

Otherwise, how do you get a Pauline Hanson?

FINK says:

10:06am | 15/02/10

The woman was very wrong about lots of stuff, and misrepresented on the rest.

Aren’t we all.
Just look at were we have come, faceless groups walking our streets where identity and purpose are unknown and more dauntingly don’t wish to be known. The days of bringing skilled migrants into this country who wanted to work and make a life for themsleves and their families are almost gone! Now just one immigrant brings their whole country and it’s problems with them.

What says:

03:11pm | 15/02/10

Actually Dan all but 1 of the London bombers were born in the UK.

Rob Herron says:

09:29am | 15/02/10

It’s not ironic at all, persephone true patriots are the ones who are most heart broken by the decline in almost all standards in this once fabulous country . It is those without much in the way of standards themselves who are happy with the current state of affairs and direction in which we are heading.

persephone says:

10:03am | 15/02/10

True patriots fight for their country, Rob Herron.

They don’t cut and run.

It’s called desertion.

James says:

10:22am | 15/02/10

Hold on a minute there Rob.  I love my country, and I love my culture, but that does not mean I need to hate others, or resent them not wanting to dress, eat, and pray (or not) like me.  Those of us with a spine and a bit of pride do not see the existence of other cultures in our great country as a threat, as we are comfortable with who we are.  The existence of something different in no way detracts from who and what I am, and if it did, it would only be because I let it.

Mick says:

10:38am | 15/02/10

The media was against her from the get-go, they didn’t decide one day to pluck up the courage to take her on. Don’t underestimate the power of the media, even here in Australia.

Old Clive says:

10:55am | 15/02/10

Back to the underworld from whence you arose, truth will not be downgraded forever by you bigoted truth bashers. Pauline was honest which is more than I can say for any political party in this day and age. Just think she may have tri citizenship, Aussie, Brit and Irish, we already have a pom in our senate, she might arise again like the pheonix.

Rob Herron says:

10:56am | 15/02/10

Holey moley , persephone you are a tough crowd . I can’t think of anyone in the history of this country who has fought as hard and as long for what she believed was best for this country , can you?

Mike says:

11:01am | 15/02/10

James - but this is what multiculturalists in every western country have been saying and selling to the masses for a while now. Yet I don’t see anybody other than the west (and we are not the only ones in need of migration) allowing their societies to be so radically altered in such a relatively short space of time to accommodate others - multiculturalism is a unicultural phenomenon. Trying to look at it as objectively as possible, I just don’t think it’s going to end well - the signs of strains have been there for a while now, as in the UK, Europe, USA, etc.

persephone says:

11:45am | 15/02/10

Mick

no, the media gave her a fair run to begin with.

We have three independents in the Federal Parliament at present, who get nowhere near the media attention Pauline got.

They also have a message about the dominance of the two party system, but noone seems to think they’re important enough to listen to.

Pauline was used by svengali types to push an agenda she herself didn’t fully support and then spent most of her political life trying to live it all down.

I can understand why she’d want to start a new life; the image she naively allowed to be built of her is one she can’t run away from here.

James says:

12:34pm | 15/02/10

Mick,

The reason that only Western nations act in this way is because unlike most of the rest of the world, we have a little thing called freedom.  It means we are free to act in whatever way we please, so long as it conforms to the law.  Before you respond to that point, let me point out that every ethnic group has elements that do not conform to the laws, not just immigrants.  Look at the Aborigines for instance - one could not get much further than that from a migrant, and yet the are the most over represented group in our crime statistics.

And how multiculturalism ends depends on how it is managed.  There is not some predetermined end point, which results in disaster.  If we can incorporate and not discriminate against different ethnic and cultural groups, and make them feel as though they have a stake in our liberty and freedom, then surely - like past waves of migrants - they will love our country as much as we do.  By believing migration inevitably results in conflict, and then acting as though it already is, you are predetermining the outcome, and influencing it in a way that is detrimental.  But, this is a free country, and you are free to believe and do whatever you like, so long as it conforms to our laws.

fluffy says:

09:03pm | 15/02/10

@ old clive…

if she rises again, it’ll be more like the unflushable poo than the *phoenix

Greg says:

12:37pm | 15/02/10

Let’s hope so. Pauline had the right ideas but was and politically naive. She could learn a lot from the BNP, who are making great progress in recent times, and will do will in the forthcoming General Election.

James says:

09:22am | 15/02/10

It is very interesting that this so-called silent majority never amounted to more than about eight percent of the electorate - even in a place as backward as Southeast Queensland.

Lee Mazengarb says:

11:36am | 15/02/10

She polled quite well the first time, its call the NON democratic system of preferences that makes it so, get rid of the preferences system and you will see a different form of government. There was no fraud, don’t ever believe what they want you to. The silent majority exists still, just the threat of being branded and thrown in Gaol for freedom of speech is something that us laid back Aussies seem to not think worth fighting for…:)

Jason says:

12:53pm | 15/02/10

@Lee

The “silent majority” were at no risk of being thrown in jail for voting her in on the ballot paper. At her peak, her party polled 9% federally and nearly 23% in Queensland which certainly would not constitute a majority. The party supporters are always going on about the silent majority and that she stands for what everyone is thinking but when it comes down to the ballot box where in Australia, there are no repercussions, the outcome is quite different.

fluffy says:

09:41am | 15/02/10

please…ill explain..  good on her for having a go.. noones mocking her for that, but she had a fair go..she was given lots of media time to express her thoughts and views, its just that the majority didnt like what she was saying. shes a scared little redneck xenophobe..  who thought if we ran out of money for anything, we could just print more..  not really leadership material, but she looked ok with her pants down!

persephone says:

09:42am | 15/02/10

What, apart from the Greens and the Democrats?

ROn Ruys says:

09:58am | 15/02/10

Greens and Demecrate! For your Info the Democrats suffered the same fate, and the Greens are as green as my tires, just another pawn for the other parties. And before you use the xeno wqord, find out the meaning of it. For your info, racial profiling is used by every inteligence agency in the world. She was ahead of her time. And as for run out of money and print more, check the US financial policy, they do it all the time. SO Fluffy, you’re an idiot and typical of the problem in Australia today.

persephone says:

10:06am | 15/02/10

Ron Ruys

you praised Pauline for being ‘the only one’ to fight the ‘Political Duopoly’.

No, she isn’t. There’s not only the Greens and the Democrats but a plethora of independents and small parties who are all fighting the ‘duopoly’.

I don’t mind you praising Pauline, but do it for actual achievements.

Davy says:

10:12am | 15/02/10

Fluffy perhaps you need to look up the meaning of xenophobe. It isnt just about other nationalities, it also refers to a group that thinks or acts differently than oneself. Your statement “shes a scared little redneck xenophobe.. ” indicates something very clearly about yourself. Why is it that so many seem to think it incredibly bigotted to say eg “a muslim will cause nothing but trouble ” and in the same breath use statements such as you have.

fluffy says:

10:26am | 15/02/10

oh ok wonderful.. we should all just print more money! come to think of it.. its a fantastic idea! - how much would you like.. a million/  i know.. lets give every aussie ten million then wed all be rich! problems solvered..

you dont see any problem with that?

thinking that just because the usa does something, then that means its ok… makes you the idiot ron..

and i already know the meaning of the word xenophobia, among other things, it means youre scared your country will be swamped by asians, those nasty little furriners! ....  it has nothing to do with racial profiling..

the majority rejected her ron, so its actually people like you that are typical of the problem in australia today..according to the majority.  i got an idea for you, hop on that plane with pauline.. alternatively, heres $0.50 cents.. go rent a clue you pathetic scared little turd! ( well you started with the name calling.. so i thought id stoop to your level..  didnt realise it was so low though! gees my back hurts )

fluffy says:

10:58am | 15/02/10

@ davy -  she was referring specifically to asians.. to want to exclude someone from something.. based purely on race.. is racist.  her reasons were, that wed be swamped by asians.. illogical, ignorant, and scared. typical of redneck xenophobes.  i wouldnt call her a racist redneck if by her actions, she didnt so clearly demonstrate that that is exactly what she is. if to be intolerant of intolerance ....makes me a bigot.. well then .. i guess so

Truth-IS says:

10:59am | 15/02/10

xenophobe
noun
°One who fears that which is unknown; one who fears people who are different from oneself, especially in the case of foreign people.
synonyms: bigot, racist
I don’t believe it’s a fear of, rather a calculated decision based on facts.

sunny says:

11:24am | 15/02/10

Yes Rob, I agree! It’s funny you ask for a “giving someone a fair go”, but perhaps only if they are white? Everyone deserves this. I am born n bred in Australia to skilled migrant parents. I love my country. I grew up in a country town where everyone was given a fair go and were judged on what was on the inside, not the superficial outside. How times have changed, walking home from the city public hospital in which i work, “go back to your own country”  is the at least twice weekly catcall from the redneck ute driver with the southern cross sticker on the back. I’m in my own country, i help my fellow countrymen and mix with all types. Yes, Ron, how about a fair go to all, not just someone who agrees with you. Good aussies died in other countries defending our right to this.  That’s the aussie way, don’t kid yourself otherwise.

fluffy says:

11:43am | 15/02/10

@  Truth-IS
xenophobe   noun
  °One who fears that which is unknown; one who fears people who are different from oneself, especially in the case of foreign people.
  synonyms: bigot, racist

———————————————then you say—————————-

  “I don’t believe it’s a fear of, rather a calculated decision based on facts.”

your definition plainly states in the first three words.. “one who fears…”
its an abnormal fear based on ignorance.  usually suffered by people who have comprehension difficulties also.

Truth-Is says:

12:18pm | 15/02/10

oh MRFluffy, Definition and her motifs are not neccessarily the same. definition says fear of, while she has gone to te trouble to show that some races are not neccesarily desirable here, A PROVEN FACT. As for her and Aboriginals, I remember her touring their camps, (something no on else has done) and saying, “it cost nothing to clean up”. That is racial profiling, like why is it that the Australian aboriginal is 7% of the population yet 17% of prison population. Ever lear statistical analysis in school?

Amy Brunner says:

12:54pm | 15/02/10

TO persephone,

Do you really believe that The Greens are fighting the ‘duopoly’. the are, and have been for a long time now; engaged in an un-written but most obvious COALITION with the Labor Party.

persephone says:

01:22pm | 15/02/10

Having been abused by Greens for being an ALP member, I don’t feel like we’re in Coalition - if anything, we’re competing for the same primary vote.

Truth - Is, Pauline is not the only politician to tour Aboriginal camps. Again, the fact that we saw her doing so just demonstrates that she got a better run in the media than most politicians.

Jason says:

01:23pm | 15/02/10

Fluffy - “we should all just print more money!”

Wondering how this is different from Mr Rudd’s current efforts of running up the national credit card?  Still spending money we don’t have…just bits of paper with numbers on them now.

Amy Brunner says:

02:43pm | 15/02/10

TO persephone,  You fell for that…....  Look up the Electoral Commissioner site in your state and at a federal level.  Check what The Greens do with their “left-over” votes, over and above what they need for the quota for the Senate seats. When it comes to the preference direction on their “how-to-vote” cards,  I have never seen a Green candidate direct preferences to any Party other than the Labor Party in any State or Federal Election for the lat 15 years. Do your research. Go to a meet the candidates meetings, and listen to the unsubstantiated asinine reasons for directing preferences to the Labor Party and handing on the leftovers for the Senate

persephone says:

04:51pm | 15/02/10

Anna

I could also, while I was there, check out the far right wing nutter parties and see where their preferences end up.

That doesn’t mean I’m going to go around accusing the Liberals of being in cahoots with the CEC, AAFI, Shooters Party and the Festival of Light.

Parties have to send their preferences somewhere, and make decisions about who is ‘least worst’ of the majors. Doesn’t mean they’re working in coalition.

persephone says:

04:53pm | 15/02/10

Bugger, I meant ‘Amy’ not ‘Anna’.

Apologies

James says:

10:02am | 15/02/10

Where is your evidence that anyone wants that Ben?  All of the Muslims I know love Australia just the way it is, and they do not want it to turn into the countries that they fled to live here.

Greg says:

12:44pm | 15/02/10

What? Do you both of them James?

Steven says:

02:32pm | 15/02/10

Isn’t the major reason for immigration to leave the persecution felt in one’s own country, seeking peace and tranquility in an area where people are living in harmony rather than fighting ideologically. Those that fear immigration instead stereotype these people into soldiers of fortune who are trying to infiltrate the political systems of the nations they are heading to. If these immigrants are so intent in having these cultures surrounding them why did they leave in the first place. It is the one thing those that fear immigration seem to forget; The intent of those actually removing themselves from their homelands.

James says:

02:40pm | 15/02/10

More like 20, Greg (I assume that was what your garbled post was asking me - try learning English, like my muslim friends).  And yes, they do.  They love the relative freedom they have here, compared to their previous homes.  The love the fact that they can walk down the street without being abused and spat on because they come from an ethnic minority.  They love the fact that Australia (for the most part) is free of racism, that once they become citizens they will get to vote, that their children can look forward to an education.  These things mean a lot to people who never had it before.  How many muslims do you know?  Do they tell you they hate you, and are hoping to undermine our democracy?  And if they do, why are you still friends with them?

Richard says:

11:23am | 15/02/10

Some Australians, in fact a helluva lot of Australians are eligible to do just that; from what I remember, around 1 million Aussies were either born in the UK or have at least one parent from there.

She has an English father, which makes her “Australian by birth, British by descent”, all she needs to do is apply for and obtain a British passport before she leaves and walk straight in through the British Citizens exit at UK Immigration.

SLF says:

12:16pm | 15/02/10

Richard, there isn’t a Bristish citizens exit at UK customs. British citizens queue up to go through the European Passport Holders exit. If the thought of this doesn’t push Pauline over the edge, I would be surprised.

You do not get the special nationality specific treatment that you get in Australia in free market Europe.

James says:

05:17pm | 15/02/10

Perhaps Britain is in danger of being swamped by Australians…

Mick says:

10:43am | 15/02/10

Exactly. The establishment was against her from day one. In hindsight I don’t think she ever really had a chance to have a fair go, both the political and media systems aligned completely against her.

Lee Mazengarb says:

11:58am | 15/02/10

Yep, too true. Funny how no one ever gets sued or taken to court etc over anything anti Pauline…:)

Rob Herron says:

12:34pm | 15/02/10

Absolutely right,  Mick and Ron from the speed with which the major parties united in this cause you would think they were talking about removing another basic freedom like gun ownership or more likely going for a pay rise.  It was a political blitzkrieg the likes of which I have never seen in my lifetime.

fluffy says:

04:47pm | 15/02/10

“To all you misinformed people,.... For your Info… ” -

well well well ronnie ..  i just want to say thankyou for giving so much of yourself to enlighten us all. I can only hope to one day reach a fraction of your lofty awareness.

you traced the website.. YOURSELF! wow. such a cleverness! AND you has emails! -well yup, thats the clincher right there!

so now.. a political system is corrupt, if websites can be registered under false names?? thanks for that, i didnt know.

ben says:

06:41pm | 15/02/10

the more I read what “james” says rhe more I have the impression he is a pretty ignorant,simple minded nit wit.

James says:

09:04am | 16/02/10

Run out of arguments Ben?  It is just typical of your type to resort to insults so quickly.

Seano says:

10:18am | 15/02/10

Ah could that be because the Whitlam government abolished that policy in 1975 genius?

Truth-Is says:

10:53am | 15/02/10

Ah Seano you mean labour stopped a Liberal policy?

James says:

11:16am | 15/02/10

Actually, the Gorton government began that shift away from the White Australia Policy, Whitlam affirmed it in principle and legislation, and Fraser acted on it.  Being against racist policies spans the partisan divide, and has for a long time.

Seano says:

11:48am | 15/02/10

I wasn’t making a political comment, I was stating an historical fact. Albeit in not as much detail as James.

This policy was dead long before Hanson’s brand of veiled racism surfaced.

James says:

05:28pm | 15/02/10

The reason no one ever mentions it is because it is a stain on our history and our politics.  Only a complete idiot would blame Ms Hanson for it, as the legislation that enabled it were the very first pieces of legislation enacted after Federation.  For an Australian, your knowledge of our history is appalling.

haha says:

11:54pm | 15/02/10

Oh boohoo! Blame Tony Abbott and his flock. The same ones your gonna vote for later on this year.

Amy Brunner says:

01:23pm | 15/02/10

No John Howard and the Liberal/National Party was not governing illigally. Pauline Hanson won a seat in Parliment in 1996. People were only able to vote for her if they lived in the electorate of Oxley. The Liberal/National Party won enough seats in the lower house in the rest of the country as for it to not matter if Pauline won one seat in Queensland. During the 1998 Federal Election, the Pauline Hanson’s One nation Party put out “double sided” how to vote cards.  One side directed preferences to Labor; the other side directed preferences to the Liberal or National party candidate in the specific Electorate. As for the Half Senate election, unlike with the Lower House Electorate votes which can only be directed, the Left-over Senate votes (those over the quota to gain a seat) can be actually given over to another candidate.

Brad Coward says:

02:30pm | 15/02/10

Consider for just one moment here, Eleanor, had Pauline Hanson not uttered the words “please explain” when the word xenophobic was thrown at her…around 80% of the country would never have learned the meaning of the word.  Prior to this famous quotation, xenophobic was a word that more than 95% of the country would never have used in a sentence….during an entire lifetime !

Bug Catcher says:

05:16pm | 15/02/10

Brad Coward, you are absolutely correct. The blonde bimbo on Sixty Minutes who asked the question all those years back would have been groomed to use that word. The media were full on with their ” Let’s Get Hanson” campaign.
I asked many friends at the time, if they knew the meaning of the word, Xenophobic,  and they had never used or heard of the word before.

Lee Mazengarb says:

11:41am | 15/02/10

Sounds like a plan.
Anyone care to register a new protest political party.
Not for any racism ideas but to merely change this
political system we have where all our votes just go
to 1 of these 2 parties we have at present.
Really have to get rid of the preference system that
these polies have set up for themselves.
And change the way the governor general is selected.
Say, the Ruling King or Queen in england selects them,
not from a list from the Prime minister here but
maybe a memebr of the royal family or such??
Stop this job for the boys thing. We need something to
put honesty back into these politicians.

T.Chong says:

12:07pm | 15/02/10

Lee Mazengarb: are you posting for David Flint ?

Lee Mazengarb says:

12:35pm | 15/02/10

David flint??...noooo.
I’d gladly join a political party, but none will have me…:)

Rob Herron says:

02:11pm | 15/02/10

I see perespone has run up her colours at last as a member of the ALP , who are you posting for Mr Chong?

persephone says:

04:56pm | 15/02/10

Err, Lee, did that a long time ago, and have never denied it in any forum.

Being a member of the Labor party doesn’t mean I’m posting for anyone, as I’ve also made clear.

Strangely enough, I’m a member of the Labor party because, on the whole, I approve of what they’re doing.

Pat, Ex-Pat says:

11:25am | 15/02/10

If it is, she’ll get a rude awakening. Aren’t the BNP being dragged through the courts at the moment because of their ‘whites-only’ membership policies?

I can’t imagine any non-whites seriously wanting to join so that they could fight for their right to be deported…

Colene Frood (nee Hughes) says:

01:36pm | 15/02/10

George, George, George…... “looney hatefilled base”  Do you really believe that all the 23% of Queenslands who voted for “One Nation” in the 1998 Queensland State elections were “looney hatefilled base” people.  Did you ever read the woman’s maiden speech. Did you ever read the published policies of One Nation.  You George are an ignorant hate-filled person. No I don’t believe Pauline Hanson had all the answers, in fact she herself had very few answers.  A Mr John Pasquarilli wrote her Maiden Speech, she just had the termerity and the spine to get up and deliver it.  It appears that you get your information from the 6 o’clock news.

James says:

05:33pm | 15/02/10

I’ve lived in that part of Queensland, and it would not surprise me in the least if upward of 23 percent of the population was either a) stupid enough to think the race matters, b) loony and/or c) hate filled.

Colene Frood (nee Hughes) says:

12:03pm | 17/02/10

James-

Your opening statement of :- “I’ve lived in that part of Queensland”

And what “part” of Queensland is that James?

The 23% of the Primary Vote, was fairly well across the board. There were pockets of “rusted on” Labor, Liberal and National voters, which of course never shift, especially for instance the Labor voters of Woodridge.  Bill Darcy and Mike Kaiser are a testimony to that.

I say the same thing to you James as I said to George, do your research; Did you ever read the woman’s maiden speech. Did you ever read the published policies of One Nation.

I was the secretary of the Ipswich branch of PHON. The membership was anything but hate filled bigots or stupid. The membership came from all walks of life, social economic backgrounds, and all past political party alliances and to your surprise non-Caucasians.

For the most part, and there were some idol worshipers and sycophants, the members just wanted to see this country prosper.

Amy Brunner wrote, in part:-

‘Those published policies and her Maiden Speech, had more to do with the inequities in our society in general, the selling off and shutting down of our industries (so the big end of town could make more money manufacturing off-shore), the fallacy that is multiculturalism (that only enables our Political Masters to divide and conquer) the gross inequities in the Child Support System, the lack of discipline in our schools, etc, etc. ‘

And then some, for instance:-  Truth in Political Advertising. Truth in Media Reporting, Truth in Sentencing (having the time fit the crime)

Do a little research James,

http://www.australian-news.com.au/maiden_speech.htm

You may also like to look up the web pages for both John Howard’s and Kevin Rudd’s maiden speeches, very enlightening.

That is of course if you wish to be educated or you just wish to sit at the computer and spit out your own form of “looney hatefilled” and un-informed diatribe.

James says:

12:44pm | 17/02/10

Yes I have read her maiden speech, and One Nation’s published policies.  The speech itself contained very little that is objectionable.  Except of course the “swamped by Asians” bit.  The unsubtle subtext of that is that this is a bad thing, as though Asians are somehow less desirable than Caucasian migrants. 

The parts of Queensland I lived in were Toowoomba, Ipswich and Gatton.  Plenty of the people I met during my time there who supported Ms Hanson did so because they did not want brown people coming to this country.  I had one old woman (a Hanson supporter) tell me that she didn’t like migrants once.  I told her I found that offensive, as my father is an English migrant.  She replied that she was talking about the “darkies”, and not good migrants like my dad.  Like it or not, people like these loved Pauline Hanson and One Nation.

That aside, my main objection to One Nation’s political platform is their belief in economic protectionism, and opposition to immigration and globalisation.  I am centre-right politically, and I support free markets and immigration, as it is a natural extension of globalisation, which has been a force for much good in this world - certainly for Australia.  The kind of policies One Nation had would take us out of the world economy, and it would cost the kind of people who voted for One Nation severely.

Now I would like to propose a research program for you.  Look into the history of migration to Australia, and you will find it has always been multicultural, and there have always been bigots who oppose the existence of other cultures.  At first, the split was between the Irish Catholics, and the English and Scottish Protestants.  If you want to find out about this, do some research into the early colonial period - particularly around the 1798 Irish Rebellion, or into the two conscription referenda held during the First World War. 

This schism lasted right up until after the Second World War, when the Greeks, Italians, and Slavs of various nationalities started to come here.  These groups were opposed by the Anglos and Irish, whose differences were suddenly forgotten.  Then, in the post-Vietnam war period, came the migrants from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, who the Italians, Greeks, Anglos, and Irish all combined to oppose (or at least the bigots among them), in the process forgetting their differences.  But now, all of a sudden, people seem to think that current waves of migrants from the world’s trouble spots are going to be somehow different, and that their migration needs to be stopped.  They believe that their perspective on these issues is somehow different to these cases from the past.

Colene Frood (nee Hughes) says:

02:14pm | 17/02/10

Interesting response James, all of a sudden you have metamorphosed from a almost mono-syllabic, un-educated, ill-informed individual to a apparently well informed person, very interesting………

Your comment about her comment, or should I say part comment “swamped by Asians”, as usual taken in part and out of context.

If in fact you did read the Maiden Speech, you just did not get it………..

The following is an excerpt from a web site “Australian News Commentary” touting themselves as a   “Independent commentary to counter the left-leaning, politically correct bigotry of a majority of mainstream journalists. “  (Just as an aside to this issue although possibly in the same genre when it comes to the Media’s propensity to join in on feeding frenzies is an article on Global Warming)

* * * * * * * BEGINNING OF PART OF ARTICLE* * * * *

“I believe we are in danger of being swamped by Asians” - this is the statement that really fired up the elites and the left-wing media. It is a harmless enough statement. But the fury it provoked exposes the hypocrisy and double standards of the ruling elites. Most Asian countries would be in fear of being swamped by Westerners. Malaysia’s loopy Mahatir regularly makes disparaging remarks about Western culture. A recent 60 Minutes feature revealed that a large number of Indonesian students (Indonesia’s future leaders) are hostile to Australia and its cultural values.

In his revealing book, The Year The Dragon Came, Chinese author, Sang Ye says: “China is a country with a strong xenophobic, isolationist tradition; a place where deeply racist sentiments are not uncommon.”
Sang Ye based the book on interviews with over one hundred Chinese immigrants living in Australia.  It is instructive to hear what the immigrants think of Australians.

Sang Ye says, “Nearly all of the interviewees here referred to Australians as “devils” (guizi) or “foreign devils” (yang guizi) or the slightly more polite “foreigners” (laowai), apparently oblivious to the fact that in Australia, its they who are the foreigners.”

None of this evokes any response from the elites and the journalists.
When Hanson made the “swamped by Asians” statement, politicians and bureaucrats scrambled to publish misleading immigration statistics disputing her figures.

A report in The West Australian in August 2003 exposed the lie of the fabricated statistics when it revealed that over 400,000 Perth residents, more than a third of the population, were born overseas.

The report stated, “About 14 per cent of Perth residents were born in South-East Asia.” It went on to say that over half of the population of inner city suburbs such as Highgate and East Perth (well-known Vietnamese enclaves) were born outside Australia.

Hanson was making the point that multiculturalism was dividing the nation and posed future problems for Australia. Many mainstream Australians would agree.

* * * * * * * * * *END * * ** *

It is my opinion, considered opinion; along with the advantage of having been not only the secretary of the Ipswich Branch of PHON, but a One Nation candidate; that Pauline Hanson is a ordinary woman who found herself in an extraordinary position. She saw something wrong and tried to right it. That she is not the most articulate or educated person should not be used to denigrate the woman. She has her faults, as we all do.

Not unlike the Media Frenzy over Work Choices and Global Warming, some people read in the newspaper or see on TV, a journalist’s opinion of a person or situation; and they take that as Gospel.

They then act, or voice an opinion of an organisation, which is not in keeping with the true stance of that organisation or situation.

I know from personal experience that that sort of bigoted and raciest remark, that you allude to (ie: “darkies”, ) made at a One nation meeting, would have been regarded as such, and that person would have been told in no uncertain terms that that attitude was not welcome in a branch of One Nation, that that was not what we were about and that maybe they should find somewhere else to be.

James says:

07:00am | 18/02/10

Thanks Colene - I have been known to step up to the plate when necessary.  I did get the speech, I just didn’t agree that Asians coming to live in Australia is an issue.  Like I have said, my father is a migrant, and I see no difference between him and an Asian or an African migrant at all.  Race, colour, culture, religion, all that is irrelevant to me.  I take individuals as I find them.

While I appreciate that you might believe what you do, people in the past said the exact same things about Irish, Italian, Greek, Hungarian, and every other type of migrant that ever came to this country.  In 1901, in most cities around Australia, an average of between ten and twenty percent were born outside Australia - whether they were born in Britain or Indonesia makes no difference to me.

My final point is, just because China is introverted and xenophobic does not mean I must also be so.  I would like to think that in a Western liberal democracy, we hold ourselves to a different standard than that of a communist dictatorship.  Most Indonesians that I have met - and I have taught quite a few at universities over the years - become noticably less hostile to Australian values when I inform them that there is no longer a White Australia Policy.  In most Southeast Asian education systems, they learn a little of Australian history, understandably, they learn the parts that are interesting to them.  This includes obviously the White Australia Policy, the anti-Chinese riots on the goldfields in the 1850s and 1860s, the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes’ vehement opposition to the racial equality clause’s insertion into the charter of the League of Nations in the aftermath of the First World War.  When you show them that we are not like that anymore, they respond well.  When people in Parliament say things like “We are in danger of being swamped by Asians”, as though Asians are a bad smelling mud that will engulf us and be dangerous, well, I think it speaks for itself.

I think it is admirable that you would act that way towards racists at meetings.  But to then go on and discuss racially selective migration policies undermines that opposition to racism.

Pat, Ex-Pat says:

11:41am | 15/02/10

We need Pauline to stay here and continue her long and vocal campaign against the evil corporations…. sorry, I think we’re in the wrong discussion.

Pat, Ex-Pat says:

11:36am | 15/02/10

There are also demonstrations and marches by Christians against the British lads in the war zones.

Guess that’s what the Poms get for their lax immigration policies in the 4th Century, huh?

Amy Brunner says:

02:27pm | 15/02/10

Pat, Ex-Pat: & Freddo Frog ~  true_face_of_islam.wmv ~ tells a very graphic storey of what the Muslims intentions in the UK really are. And would you remain so blinkered with the multicultural talk as to think that that is not what the aim is al over the world.  Pauline Hanson did one very very bad thing, she did not realise that the reaction to her comment of “We are in danger of being swamped by Asians” was used to cover that we were really in danger of being swamped, not by Arabs, Chinse, Indians, Negros or any other ethnic group; but by a religious fundamentalist fanatical group called Muslims who whish to work towards a world wide state of Islam. Muslim is the religion, Islam is the Governmental side of the invasion. Not immigration, not even colonisation, but INVASION….................

Sunny says:

02:47pm | 15/02/10

OMG Amy, are you kidding? Islam is the RELIGION, a muslim is the FOLLOWER…yup, nice and informed, hahahaha. Look, whilst I agree we as a secular and multicultural society should do everything in our power to oppose radical religion (be it fundamentalist islam, christianity (ie like in teh USA), hinduism etc) and maintain the rights for all and our way of life, really, Amy, you need to know what you are talking about..an inability to understand the most basic concepts makes you look silly.  The moderate and mainstream islam followers need to step up and out the radicals with our support.

Amy Brunner says:

05:34pm | 15/02/10

Sunny, do a little more research, Muslim is the religion, Islam is the “State of Islam”. The State of Islam is a society in which sharia law is enforced. It knows no boundaries as we know Political (Sovereign Countries) and / or Geographical boundaries.  Do you know the difference between the definitions:- Socialism, Communism,  Free Market Economy (Free Enterprise) and Democracy; Constitutional Monarchy, Republic, Military Junta, Dictatorship? Probably not, if you do not understand the difference between Muslim and Islam.  I agree with you on your final comment: - “The moderate and mainstream islam followers need to step up and out the radicals with our support.” As Edmund Burke (1729-1797) said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” And a lot of good people stood by and let Hitler take control of Germany. And yes but not on the same catastrophic level, a lot of good people stood by and let a simple, out-spoken, woman; who saw that things were not right and had the temerity to speak out, be vilified.  You too may like to read her maiden speech, and if still available on the net, the published policies of the One Nation Party. Those published policies and her Maiden Speech, had more to do with the inequities in our society in general, the selling off and shutting down of our industries (so the big end of town could make more money manufacturing off-shore), the fallacy that is multiculturalism (that only enables our Political Masters to divide and conquer, and build a voter base) the gross inequities in the Child Support System, the lack of discipline in our schools, etc, etc.  Do a little reading Sunny, and don’t just be led by the nose by the T.V. and Newspapers, after all it was The Courier Mail (in Queensland) that published a BANNER headline, front page storey the day before the last State Election, virtually pleading with the Queensland voters to “G I V E   A N N A   A   G O”.

Imran says:

08:17pm | 15/02/10

Amy, it is really strange that people who do not know Islam are discussing about it.  ISLAM is the religion, MUSLIMS are the followers.

Some people who have really no education believe that Islam is a abd religion. For those people I would like to say that ISLAM is the only religion which has been supported by scientific research against the facts thats mentioned in the holy book “Quran”. For those people I am leaving a website address that would help them gaining some information before they talk about it.

http://WWW.HARUNYAHYA.COM

Imran says:

08:18pm | 15/02/10

Amy, it is really strange that people who do not know Islam are discussing about it.  ISLAM is the religion, MUSLIMS are the followers.

Some people who have really no education believe that Islam is a abd religion. For those people I would like to say that ISLAM is the only religion which has been supported by scientific research against the facts thats mentioned in the holy book “Quran”. For those people I am leaving a website address that would help them gaining some information before they talk about it.

http://WWW.HARUNYAHYA.COM

Amy Brunner says:

10:21pm | 16/02/10

Imran:-

Then why is it that the immigrants to Great Britain, have not been happy just to live in a country which opens its doors to all people from all countries, in peace; observe the laws of the land, and be happy and content to be able to practice their particular religion.

Why is it that I was not able to walk down the main street mall of Oxford without being accosted by a group of Muslims trying to convert me to be a Muslim, extolling the virtues of bring about a “State of Islam” in Britain.

The following is just the tip of the ice burg.  I say again, the truth of the matter is that Islam is not a religion, it is a state.  it is referred to as “the State of Islam” there have been many many Muslim (religion) leaders who have made it quite plain and clear that they intend to create and/or establish a “State of Islam” across the world.   

true_face_of_islam.wmv

IMMIGRATION,  NO!

INVASION,  YES,  then comes the subjunction.

Why else are the Muslims in Britain agitating for shria law?

Go ahead Imam, deny, deny, deny, I for one am not buying the “we are a peaceful people blah, blah blah.

For as long as the majority of Muslims and Muslim Imams do not denounce the radical leaders, but protect them; then I will not believe the followers of Mohammad that being a Muslim is being part of a peaceful religious movement.

As Edmund Burke (1729-1797) said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Lee Mazengarb says:

12:21pm | 15/02/10

Yep, and now the Gov and big business cronnies have changed things to sell us out(property) to foreigners without them having to come here, mainly as immigration isn’t fast enough to keep there fat wallets filled any more. More immigrants keeps the gov, big business, insurance, water, electricity, phone, building, auto, BANKS companies happy. New babies don’t buy anything for quite a while, immigrants do..Doesn’t help retail or small business as big business will take their money b4 they get to spend it.

Rob Herron says:

01:55pm | 15/02/10

You are not alone Anna . I was talking to a Chinese mate who arrived here years ago and ever since has been working six days a week since he got here to build up a business to support his family . He was livid at the ease with which new migrants and so called “refugees ”  latch on to the taxpayer funded teat and never let go . He tells me people are actually leaving here to go to Indonesia to then come back in by boat because of the pot of gold that is Centrelink if they make it ok. . Further many once they get here start saving their ill gotten gains to send home to other family members to pay the people smugglers to bring them across as well.

Mick says:

08:41pm | 15/02/10

Rob, I would like a bit of proof to back up some very outrageous accusations you have made there.
I could say it’s whitey and his welfare mentality that has damaged this country but just because I think so doesn’t make it true.
And before you get on your high horse about the “whitey” remark i am white so don’t even go there.

Pat, Ex-Pat says:

11:39am | 15/02/10

“My parents worked hard all their lives (from the day they landed) , were law-abiding, contributed to society and supported themselves financially (there was no dole etc).  These qualities seem to be sorely lacking in a lot of new immigrants. “

Well said. After all, there is no law-breaking or welfare-dependency amongst the upstanding, hard-working white Australian community.

Or at least, there wasn’t until the immigrants started arriving. Hold on a minute… I might be misremembering here, but isn’t there something to do with criminals somewhere in white Australian history somewhere? 

You know, before these immigrants started coming here…

Steve H says:

12:06pm | 15/02/10

Pat - sound like a broken record, much?

Pablo says:

02:21pm | 15/02/10

Pauline come back!! your followers are alive and well, ask Anna…
hahahahahaha

James says:

03:30pm | 15/02/10

Never heard of the Calbrian Mafia Anna?  Take a trip to Griffith some time, and see how many people they “disappeared” over the years…

Pat, Ex-Pat says:

11:46am | 15/02/10

Those boats should come back where they came from.

Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan… they’re all beautiful, friendly places these days, surely?

You don’t think that no matter what the policy of Australia, some of these people will still think it worth the risk, to avoid the torture, rape, death and mutilation (and not necessarily in that order) that they may face at home?

“Join the queue” you say, “Go through the proper channels” But being seen pursuing “the proper channels” may be sufficient to bring forward your appointment with that lovely man with the nipple-clamps and car batteries while you wait for a visa.

Mat says:

12:13pm | 15/02/10

Pat - Is having every post dripping in sarcasm necessary? Or does it instill a sense of greater intelligence or something?

fluffy says:

04:41pm | 15/02/10

@ mat… are you being sarcastic?

Amy Brunner says:

05:48pm | 15/02/10

Child overboard says:- And I say to you…. Did you watch the doco, on our ADF taking a boat load of illegal immigrants in tow, then in the middle of the night they turned the boat around and were heading back to whence they came..   

Well I did, and I saw a man grab a toddler from it’s mother, stride to the other side of the boat, hold the child our our the bow of the boat and demand to be taken to Australia.

That was an obvious threat, in this case the child was not thrown in the water, but for the intervention of the ADF.

If my memory serves me, those people were in the water, they were in the water because they scuttled their boat, rather than be taken back from whence they came, to make application to come in the front door, and yes there were children in the water with them….....

If you can justify that behaviour, you too probably failed the IQ test in 2007

Brett says:

01:13pm | 17/02/10

Child overboard, are you joking! I have family in the Navy who have been directly involved in this stuff. Let me tell you, throwing their children overboard is the least worst thing they have done. (AND THEY DID DO IT) You have no idea of the behavior of these people. They are cunning, cheating desperate people. They are also reasonable wealthy to afford US$15,000 for the ride. Those boats carry some serious cash. They know how the system works. Please go and research some reliable information.

Seano says:

12:09pm | 15/02/10

I always laugh at the suggestions of “silent majority” from Hanson supporters, a group that are rarely silent and clearly not in the majority.

I think it’s great that anyone can have a go. But for some reason Hanson supporters equate having a go with having their way, despite how many times they’ve been spanked at the ballot box.

Seano says:

12:13pm | 15/02/10

“ALP based media smear campaign”, yeah Tony Abbott had nothing to do with it. lol.

Vicki PS says:

11:52pm | 15/02/10

Pauline’s supporters keep on insisting she had something to say but was silenced.  As far as I could tell, she’d already said it.  Pauline was a woman of very few but vehemently held ideas.  She aired her handful of thoughts, the rest of the world rightly dismissed them as the product of a narrow and weak intellect, and life went on.  No vendetta: she insisted on her right to be heard, and we insisted on our right of reply.  “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt”!

Rocket Surgeon says:

12:57pm | 15/02/10

Josie, you are confusing the freedom to make a comment with criticism of the comment. Pauline and others are free to make any comment they wish unless they are inciting violence, but everybody else is also free to criticize the comment. That’s discussion.

Greg says:

12:47pm | 15/02/10

Where can she go? There is nowhere on earth where white people are not having multiculturalism enforced upon them.
Only non-white races are allowed to have their own space, where they can pracitice their cultures without compromising to others.

Imran Ahmad says:

05:13pm | 15/02/10

Offcourse Greg, Noone has forced multiculturalism on anyone. people have chosen themselves as they need help from other cultures to run the country, therefore they invite people from different cultures. On the other hand countries of non whites are self sufficient in handling any issues, so they have their own space and practice their cultures without compromising to others.

Imran says:

08:39pm | 15/02/10

Terry, I know what do you meant by track record. The problem with you guys are that you do not try to find the facts yourselves. and easily on lies if being said by a white specially. You know very well that terrorists are just terrorists and do not belong to any religion. It is just a propaganda by some organizations who are wise enough to understand that Islam is spreading fast around the world and this is the only religion which is supportd by many scientific researches proving it to be genuine. The matter of laugh is that without knowing the fact people argue about Islam. For such people who want to know Islam from scientific point of view to enable them to discuss about it, following is the web site:
http://www.harunyahya.com

Rob says:

01:05pm | 15/02/10

Funny despite all the immigration to cities like London still remain world class. Funny that the sky didn’t fall in when the doors opened after all…

Jack says:

01:49pm | 15/02/10

Rob - have you actually ever been to London? It is far from a ‘world class’ city. There are some nice suburbs, mostly in the south west, but much of the place is a ghetto these days. And London’s much vaunted ‘world class’ banking sector is in tatters as the labour government taxes the banks and hedgies out of the country. But don’t take my word for it, go see London for yourself, you might want to take a stab proof vest…

Budz says:

03:46pm | 15/02/10

Jack, if it’s so bad then why do so many Aussies keep going there? You sure it’s not Aussies that’s making it so bad?

Imran Ahmad says:

04:17pm | 15/02/10

Offcourse Jack, countries need migrants when they cant run the country by themselves. They do not give migrants a favour by doing this, in fact they need migrants to make themselves prosperous and properly governed. That place is still British as people who are controlling the country are British Citizens. You should Read Country’s law before you comment about it.

AFR says:

01:11pm | 15/02/10

Bob, where is all this “bannng of xmas” occurring? Not where i live, work and shop. Every year the medis puts up one random story of a school thatt bans something or other and all of a sudden they’re out to destroy xmas? Come on.

persephone says:

01:29pm | 15/02/10

bob

could you please provide references for these assertions?

In most cases, I’ve found that when you trace these stories back to their source, you find that in one case in another country someone suggested that mabye it would be a good idea if….

Not saying you’re wrong, but I’d like to see the evidence.

So—

a. of a shopping mall or school not being able to put up Xmas decorations or sing carols;

b. of Christian schools being forced to change their uniform policies;

and, in both cases, of this being due to Islamic pressure rather than a misguided belief of the part of the operators that that would be a nice thing to do to keep the Muslims happy.

Quite happy to be innundated for information, I just don’t know of any cases personally.

Seano says:

02:21pm | 15/02/10

You honestly believe that CHRISTIAN schools have been forced to accept students wearing the garbs of NON-CHRISTIAN religions? Really? Wow.

stephen says:

11:44pm | 15/02/10

Yeah, from zero to ziltch.

Seano says:

02:28pm | 15/02/10

“I look at my apartment block of 32 and I am yet to see another Australian” and how do you define “Australian” Anna?

And you wonder why people call you racist?

Pablo says:

03:14pm | 15/02/10

Seano mate, you can see why Anna is so bitter can’t you, she never got her dream 1/4 acre block and white picket fence, and so many non australians did…..lol

Areyou Foreal says:

03:20pm | 15/02/10

You know all the citizenship status’ of your neighbours by simply looking at them? That’s awesome! Same with judging it on the phone. Funny, it never comes up in my phone conversations. Must be asking the wrong questions..

But even better is that you are able to judge their values and morals, and contributions to society by their facade. Well done.

All of the residents in my unit block are Australian, doesn’t mean we all look the same though.

Hopefully this was just a troll comment and I have just wasted my time.

Imran Ahmad says:

04:06pm | 15/02/10

Anna, what is your concept of being an Australian? Do you mean that people who have less Malanin on their skin (white skinned people) are only Australians? If you think so, I am afraid to say that you are absolutely wrong. Any person who is a citizen of this country is Australian, disragard of culture, race, religion they belong to. You are born and raised in Australia as you say, and its really hard to believe that you do not know about Australian Constitution and culture. There are lots of educatiuonal Institutions in Australia, have you tried any one of them?

Bedazzled says:

05:31pm | 15/02/10

Anna, interesting just looking at all the comments here on your post.

I’m with you girl, but these sarcastic bitter comments are typical of what is out there these days.
Didn’t you know that we are NOT allowed to voice our opinions anymore!!  Sad isn’t it….......

Brett says:

05:44pm | 15/02/10

Anna, when all else fails the commentators will turn to personal attacks. making comments on “you never got a picket fence home” or “vanilla Australian” “Bogun” read those comments and see the bigotry and racism in it’s pure form.  It’s shows a sense of inadequacy and not belonging. I can only imagine how these people get along in life. I can feel how uncomfortable they are. Stick to your beliefs you are among the majority.

Imran Ahmad says:

07:30pm | 15/02/10

Anna, I believe you wanna say coloured Australians. You know why there are lots of non white Australians are working ? It is because there is a shrtage of skilled people in Australia. It is because others who are proud of calling themselves white, havent got the skills to do the job.

About racially taunted thing, I get this every other day. If I can cop with that whats special about you?

Seano says:

09:00am | 16/02/10

Bedazzled? Exactly how has Anna been stopped from voicing her opinion genius? Just because you get to voice an opinion doesn’t mean it deserves to go unchallenged or uncriticised.

Apparently Anna only sees Australian-ness in terms of colour, tell me why that attitude isn’t worth criticising?

Anna says:

09:27am | 16/02/10

I think most of you seem to have gotton on your high horses and missed my point. I didn’t mention “white Australians” or “colour” you all assume that it is about black and white. It is not. I have no issues with people of any culture living in Australia, but that is the problem. They want to live in Australia with their own cultures and flaunt them on us. If I am to travel to say India or an Arab nation I have to change part of my culture to fit with theirs, but it is okay for them to bring “their” culture here. I was told to take my christmas decorations down because my neighbours do not support Christmas - why? did I tell them they can’t play their Indian music - NO!  Live in Australia, work in Australia, but don’t make us change the way WE live.

Seano says:

11:06am | 16/02/10

You claim to have no issues with people of any culture so please define what you meant by “I look at my apartment block of 32 and I am yet to see another Australian”?

How exactly can you look at a person and determine their Australian-ness?

“I was told to take my christmas decorations down because my neighbours do not support Christmas”....Ummm Anna I don’t support Christmas, in fact many Australians don’t. Sounds to me like you violated the bylaws of your building and for some reason you think that your religion gives you rights to do so which of course doesn’t.

But of course you have the right to complain if someone is playing their music too loud, why does the cultural background of the music matter?

You claim not to be racist, and yet you define all of your arguments in terms of race.

anna says:

12:12pm | 16/02/10

Seano - these decorations are on MY balcony, so I did not violate any building laws. Not in the hallway, on the front door - in the confines of my apartment space. My partner and I were told we originally were unsuccessful in our apartment search (in our current building) because we did not fit in culturally? Since when does an Australian not fit into Australian culture - that is what I mean by 32 apartments and no other Australians. Apparantly only people from an Indian or Asian background can rent this building. I was defined in terms of my race and that seems to be ok to you, it is just when Australians say it about other cultural groups that it is “racist”. I condemn racist taunts and jokes, but that does not mean I have to accept the fact that sometimes Australians are made to feel like Australia is no longer home.

Seano says:

12:40pm | 16/02/10

I have never suggested that racism is the province of white Australians. I have actually lived in Asia and been exposed to and seen many forms of racism in my travels. In all cases racism is wrong.

Claiming to be able to determine who is Australian by sight is a racist comment, it’s a simple as that. I have mates originally from India, Lebanon, Russia, Mexico and Korea who are all as Australian as you. Although I’m sure you’d cast your prejudiced eye over them and not see an Australian among them.

You seem to think that every personal slight against you is some sort of racist act when it’s more likely a matter of just living appartment living which has some upsides and some down.

PS. In most appartment builds I’ve lived in you’re not even allowed to hang your washing on your balcony.

anna says:

01:02pm | 16/02/10

Of course - and your comments are not at all judgemental or prejudiced. You are hypocritical in attacking me personally. Who are you to “define” me. You are saying I am defining people by colour (which I have yet done) and yet you are doing the same to me because I am voicing a differing opinion to you. I am not judging you, you are entitled to feel how you feel and so am I. Do you smoke, drink, sleep around? I don’t like these things but as “prejudiced’ as you think I am, I won’t get on here and try to belittle you. You say I should not take it as a personal slight against me when I am told I don’t fit in culturally, so why dont you take that opinion nationally. Other cultures seem to take everything “Australians” say about them as a personal slight when according to you it comes with the ups and downs of living.

Seano says:

01:26pm | 16/02/10

“Of course - and your comments are not at all judgemental or prejudiced. “

Of course they are, I don’t like bigots.

“You are hypocritical in attacking me personally. Who are you to “define” me. You are saying I am defining people by colour (which I have yet done)”

I’ve attacked your comments because they are demonstratably prejudiced. Answer the question, how can you look at someone and decide whether they are Australian or not?

“and yet you are doing the same to me because I am voicing a differing opinion to you”

Where has anyone denied your right to voice your opinion? Why do Hanson supporters constantly assume that the right to voice their opinions should come with an immunity from criticism?

“I am not judging you”

Go ahead love, I could care less. But this is a public blog on a sensitive topic, so why you would think you anyone could post here and not be judged by someone is beyond me.

“You say I should not take it as a personal slight against me when I am told I don’t fit in culturally. so why dont you take that opinion nationally”

You need to go back and re-read what I said.  People will do things that will annoy you, expecially living in an appartment and you have every right to complain. But for some reason you seem to think that being the rude neighour is only the province of those people you label as not Australian.

Anna says:

01:57pm | 16/02/10

Um Seano. Yes a public blog - you question peoples opinions not the person themselves. Did I once criticise you for not following Christmas with some religious slur? Yet I am some religious ‘weirdo’ for putting up decorations.

Come round for dinner tonight - and you will find at the dinner table is my husband and two children - the loves of my life who are all in fact “coloured’ Australians. So it must be a shock after 15 years to find out his wife is a racist - He may be a little disturbed by this development and so will his family considering your little name calling.

They embrace the Australian culture and way of life, and they also embrace their own, which they have never tried to make me or any one else be part of if they don’t want to.

So YES Seano I must be one big bigot! I also

think ‘black’ people are better atheletes
think the ‘chinese’ are more technologically savvy
think the ‘French’ have a better language
think ‘Americans’ have nicer places to visit

Learn to have an opinion without a personal attack on the writer - you never know their circumstances.

Seano says:

02:05pm | 16/02/10

Where have I attacked you Anna? And exactly when did I call you a religious weirdo? You’re making it up; as I suspect you are with many of your arguments.

The question remains, how do you look at someone and determine whether they are Australian or not?

anna says:

02:29pm | 16/02/10

What is it that I am making up? Has your argument that I am a bigot faultered because I am married to a “coloured” Australian??

Ahhh - some people are a little quick in judging others, am I right?

It kinda goes against what you are saying doesn’t it. Not everyone is a racist Seano.

People feel differently, people are different - isn’t that multi-culturalism?

I didn’t say I determined they were not Australian by ‘literally’ looking at them. You assumed that - and your assumptions are the basis of most of your arguments.

Seano says:

02:40pm | 16/02/10

Anna, I don’t care who you claim you are or aren’t married too. I was and have responded to your comments. Particularly “I look at my apartment block of 32 and I am yet to see another Australian”, and your continued refusal to answer the question of how do you define someone as Australian by merely looking?

I know little about you but the more you reveal the less I want to know.

Dale says:

03:11pm | 16/02/10

Ah Seano - wake up on the wrong side of the bed mate. I have been reading this and not once did Anna say she literally looked at anyone and determined whether or not they were australian. Get over it, i would like to see your comments on something that was actually racist.
I feel the same way - i “look around” the shopping centres and I notice the same thing - it is not racism - it is an observation. Don’t worry anna I would prefer to know YOU and not Mr Hypocrite

ted says:

03:30pm | 16/02/10

i would like to know you anna -

Seano says:

03:30pm | 16/02/10

Dale:
“I have been reading this and not once did Anna say she literally looked at anyone and determined whether or not they were australian.”

Anna:
“I look at my apartment block of 32 and I am yet to see another Australian”.

Dale, yet another example of our failing eduction system?

~Mungogerrie~ says:

04:28pm | 16/02/10

“Seano”...the name says it all really…....

Your blogs are personal attacks on people.  Your comments are very vitriolic towards Anna.

You sir are a poltroon!!

Anna, hardly worth commenting to defend yourself against this arrogant person.  He hates Pauline Hanson and that’s that!!

Imran says:

02:47am | 17/02/10

Dale, Here the topic is not about personal observation. The question is still the same.. I am just curious about the following statement made by Anna:
I look at my apartment block of 32 and I am yet to see another Australian. I call the bank, phone company, doctor and I am never talking to an Australian.
The question is, what type of Australian Anna wants to see in her apartment block. How the hell she knew that her bank, phone company and doctor were not Australian..  So far we are getting denials from you guys….
Any answer… Anna/Dale??

anna says:

07:31am | 17/02/10

Please Seano - give up asking the same question it has been answered.

“My partner and I were told we originally were unsuccessful in our apartment search (in our current building) because we did not fit in culturally? Since when does an Australian not fit into Australian culture - that is what I mean by 32 apartments and no other Australians. Apparantly only people from an Indian or Asian background can rent this building”

I was told (as an Australian) I did not fit in to the culture of the building - and in my building resides people from an Indian and Asian background. This is why I stated that i did not see an Australian as being an Australian I was told I did not fit in.

Forgive my assumption that my doctor should speak in english to me. With serious medical problems it is important to be able to be understood.

Forgive me for assuming as an Australian born or even as a citizen you would be flying the Australian flag in the bank office, not another countries.

Forgive me that I am not invited to apartment meetings because they have “cultural overtones”, which I could not understand.

If they are Australians, like myself - why as an Australian do I feel excluded?

Maybe my definition of Australian is different to yours Seano. But I love my country and so should everyone who wants to live here.

Brett says:

01:06pm | 17/02/10

Seano, I’ve read all your comments and regardless of what colour you are, you have some sort of a chip on your shoulder. The communication style I read from you is to attack the person and not the ball.
I’m sure your represent your ethnic group very well.

Seano says:

03:52pm | 17/02/10

Are there any more Hanson supporters with ad hominem attacks pretending to be presenting reasonable comment?

How do you determine Australian-ness by sight? The question remains unanswered.

~Al Grazby~ says:

05:13pm | 17/02/10

The answer:  White or Aboriginal people who speak English!!! Get it!!

Brett L says:

11:07pm | 17/02/10

An Australian is foremost a citizen of this country. Secondly they are a person who has adopted this country as their own and are prepared to defend it against all enemies. They can speak English, and integrate into the Australian lifestyle of mateship, hardwork and helping your neighbour.
They don’t demonstrate about political agendas in other countries, or riot when foreign teams play sport here. They don’t make racist slurs about white women, or make degrading comments about women in bikinis.
They certainly don’t force their cultural or religious beliefs on you by trying to change laws or inhibit their children from free marriage. They are proud to live here and call themselves Australians and do what they can to make this country better. It that you seano?

James says:

07:08am | 18/02/10

Thanks Brett, that clears it up.  So in your opinion, about 90 percent of migrants to this country are Australians.  Likewise, about 90 percent of white Australians, and about 80 percent of Australian Aborigines are Australians.  Interesting definition.

Seano says:

07:09am | 18/02/10

Brett - Fairly typical of a Hansonite to question someones patriotism for daring to question one of their own. This is their ideal of democratic freedom, the hive mind.

Brett says:

08:53am | 18/02/10

James, in 2008-09, 118 196 people were approved to become Australian citizens by conferral, descent and resumption. In 2008-09 about 300,000 new migrants arrived in Australia. So I’m not sure about your maths but mine tell me you figure of 90% just doesn’t ad up.
None of this information is difficult to find.

steve says:

09:02am | 18/02/10

A racist is someone who thinks their race is superior to all others - Hanson wanted a fair go for all…. how is this racist?

Seano- this entire forum you have belittled people to make yourself feel superior - sounds like you are the racist.

James says:

09:47am | 18/02/10

Hi Brett,

So those were cumulative criteria then?  I thought perhaps if a migrant satisfied most or your criteria, but was as yet inelligible for citizenship (you must be a resident in Australia for a certain period before you can apply for citizenship, as I’m sure you know), then perhaps they could be considered honorary Australians.

In light of the cumulative nature of your criteria, I would like to revise my percentages for white and Aboriginal Australians.  If one needs to help their neighbours, that strikes a lot more white Aussies off the “Australian” list, probably putting it down between 70-80 percent.  Actually, its even less again, if one takes into account all the young Aussie blokes who made degrading remarks about what they would do to women wearing bikinis at the beach or local swimming pool.  Oh, and I can’t forget the skinny women making degrading remarks about large women wearing bikinis.  Striking off those would put it down to about 50-60 percent of white Australians.  If one must be hardworking, by which I assume you mean have a job, then a significant number of Aborigines in remote communities are off the list, despite their citizenship status and great willingness to help their neighbours.  Pretty much every Jewish Australian I know is off the list, due to their vocal support for Israel - which is sad as many are truly great Australians.  Support for Israel also strikes off most of the ALP and Liberal Parties too - they have all voted for motions in support of Israel in Parliament, and expressed similar sentiments to the media.  There is also no room for Jehovah’s Witnesses or Quakers in your Australia either, as they refuse on moral grounds to serve in the military, and thus defend the country.  Fundamentalist Christians are gone too, as many pursue a legislative agenda which runs counter to our liberal democratic values.  We’re quickly running out of Aussies here Brett.  If we keep going, it will be you, me - oops, not me.  I support the peaceful reunification of Ireland, and have signed online petitions saying so.

Seano says:

02:06pm | 18/02/10

Steve - I’m sorry that the ability to clearly articulate a sensible opinion is so offensive to you; as it obviously would be to any Pauline Hanson supporter.

Paul says:

02:39pm | 18/02/10

Oh Seano - you are a laugh

There you go again, on the attack.

Yes! all Hanson supporters are stupid!

You are right… I should just take down my PHD because I am just not a sensible person with any sensible opinions.

I hope you have never laughed at a joke at the expense of others Seano, because that would not be very nice now would it?

Come back in ten years and we will see how you feel about mutliculturalism…No one is displaying hatred of any race - they are simply highlighting major issues Australia is facing.

I can’t imagine how you have friends because anyone who thinks differently to you is misguided and silly…on second thoughts maybe those non sensible people ARE the only friends you have….they would have to be to deal with you on a regular basis (Oh No - I didn’t realise I was capable of stooping to your level ....I am a Hanson supporter though)

Brett says:

02:50pm | 18/02/10

Ohh James…......it’s people like you that make this world such a complicated and difficult place to live.
Clear your mind to peace for two minutes, then consider for one minute what you’re trying to achieve by all this literal language with nothing more than guess work. Does it really serve any purpose?

Seano says:

02:56pm | 18/02/10

Paul - you must be a Hanson supporter with a PHD in rocket surgery to have so easily missed the obvious.

All I asked was for Anna to explain how she can determine who’s an Australian by sight and all I’ve had from Hanson supporters other than Brett’s clear marginalisation of much of the Australian populace, are fairly lame insults and personal attacks.

And yet Hanson supporters wonder why people are contemptuous of them?

The point remains that it’s not up to Anna or anyone to tell others they are or are not Australian based on a narrow perception of how those people live their lives or what the Hansonite hive mind qualifies as acceptable Australian behaviour or attitudes.

My immigrant mates born in India, Korea, Russia, Mexico and Lebanon have every right to consider themselves Australian regardless of what cultural influences they bring to this country or the opinions of Hanson supporters on how they should or shouldn’t live.

paul says:

05:13pm | 18/02/10

um seano - anna answered your question three times and it is quite clear - she was discriminated by being told that as an Australian she did not fit in - she cleary stated that if everyone else living in the apartment was Australian - why did SHE not fit to - can you clarify what is wrong with that statement. Maybe they are Australian ...who knows ... but telling her she didn’t fit in the culture of the building is beyond me if these people are really living by the Australian way of life.

If you are all about multiculturalism why is this not an issue for you? She was determined as an ‘ill fit’ because the rest of her apartment block were not born and raised here. And maybe this maybe a tiny problem for you fair enough - but it is that behaviour that makes it hard to accept people of other cultures - because they do not want to be apart of ours.

Seano -She said by this token they are not Australian and it is deemed racist, but it was okay for them to say to her ‘you don’t fit in’....

She has clearly stated this and everytime you seem to skip over this statement - you want her to say it is about colour or something that truly makes this a racist statement and she won’t because she is NOT a racist.

Seano says:

09:14pm | 18/02/10

Paul - I’m about as interested in your justifications as I am your insults. In an appartment block of 32 migrant families not one identifies themselves as Australian? My work brings me into contact with many migrant familes and this sort of ratio is so far removed from the thruth your argument is laughable.

Your justifications aside, Anna has absolutely has not answered the question. She’s certainly ducked it, she’s certainly made excuses based on slights real or imagined. And of course various apologists have weighed in with their insults but she certainly hasn’t answered the question.

My last word on this: You cannot claim to be able to look at someone and determine whether they are Australian or not. And really who is anyone one of us to tell someone else whether they can consider themselves Australian?

Unless you’re Australian Aboriginal WE ARE ALL descended from migrants.

Rant on Hansonites, rant on.

steve says:

05:12am | 19/02/10

Hopefully it will be your last word and you will pack your bags and go too. Australia does not need anymore people like you.

You are an dampner on Australia Seano - I wish there was some way to justify your stupidity but I can’t seem to find anything.

I hope you are never an ‘ill fit’ in any place Seano - because unlike Anna, Paul, Dale who see a problem with this, you will simply believe it is okay and this attitude will continue until we no longer live in Australia, but in a country of cultures we don’t understand.

If you speak to someone with an accent don’t you automatically assume where they are from? and yet this to you is racist

I live in Australia and I have the right to speak to an English speaking doctor, the right to call my phone company and speak to an English speaking employee.

Lets just hope your work takes you far away from here.

James says:

09:34am | 19/02/10

No Brett, people like me do not make the world a complicated and difficult place - it is already complicated and difficult.  Political realists like me simply recognise that fact, rather than bury our heads in the sand and pretend that people and things can be simply classified according to colour, culture, religion and other irrelevant things.  There is good and bad in every group, and even then there is no clear line where good become bad and vice versa.  Everything comes in various shades of grey.

Vicki PS says:

11:39pm | 15/02/10

Actually, Brad, her argument was much more specific and simplistic.  Pauline complained that it was unfair that indigenous Australians got so many material benefits that weren’t available to ‘ordinary’ Australians.  The very naughty bit was that she couldn’t actually come up with any accurate instances of these benefits, so she went on to accuse tribal aboriginals of having eaten their babies, and thus, presumably, rendering themselves undeserving.
Truthfully though, Brad, what I hated most about Pauline was her horrible whining voice—worse than a dentist’s drill.  I just wanted to slap her every time she opened her mouth.

Amy Brunner says:

10:45pm | 16/02/10

Vicki P.S.

I’ll give you an example, and I do believe that Ms Hanson did give specific examples. 

EXAMPLE:-

Two sisters living next door to each other in a Brisbane suburb, one family Caucasian / Asian, family two (through the sisters) Caucasian /Aboriginal. Family one’s children catch the school bus and pay their own way on school excursions: family two’s children have a taxi take them to school and their fees for school excursions paid for by ATSIC.

You ask me how I know, I know the sisters, they are twins.

Read Pauline Hanson’s Maiden Speech

P.S. I am anything but a raciest, by he way, one of my daughter’s has aboriginal heritage, I had a long standing relationship with a man of Chinese decent, I have friends who have come to Australia from all over the world, they are here to make a new life for themselves and their families; which doesn’t mean forgetting where they came from, but it does mean getting on with the business of becoming an Australian.

Vicki PS says:

11:32pm | 15/02/10

Actually, Australia’s immigration policy is skewed in favour of wealthy business people, which explains a lot.

Brett says:

05:36pm | 15/02/10

Actually I didn’t see any, and I didn’t see or hear anything about it on the TV or radio.
The correct way to spell celebration is with a “C”.

Alosia says:

10:29pm | 15/02/10

I never went but gee I would have liked to. I envy you and hope you had a wonderful time

Vicki PS says:

11:30pm | 15/02/10

Why, o why, is it necessary to invent a conspiracy of a media spin campaign, heavy politicians feeling threatened, corruption of the judicial system by “Them” in order to have her “valid and widely supported views” silenced?  Isn’t the far simpler and more rational explanation that Hanson’s views were sh*t that the sensible majority roundly rejected, and that she failed because of her own ineptitude and greedy ambition?
(P.S.  Her fish and chips weren’t crash hot, either).

persephone says:

05:01pm | 15/02/10

Lynda, as I asked earlier, please provide evidence of these things.

i. a children’s centre not celebrating Christmas;
ii. nativity scenes without Jesus;
iii. no depicting of Easter (whatever that means).

Until you do, I’m assuming you’re making this stuff up.

fluffy says:

04:50pm | 15/02/10

eloquent accurate concise with a whiff of intelligent humour.  good job.. well done.

Baz says:

10:06pm | 15/02/10

re your example of Japan, well up to 15-20 years or so ago Australia still was like that. The changes since that time have been astounding - you notice that particularly when you’ve been away a couple of years. Since then we’ve totally sold ourselves out. Such a collapse in sense of morals, community, good will, looking out for each other, etc. All you have is these trying-to-be feel-good multiculturalists who got an education at our uber-liberal universities (who no longer accept debate but rather enforce leftist groupthink), who somehow have convinced themselves, and try to convince others, that it’s all good for us.

Instead you have incredible selfishness of people (particularly the younger generations, eg 20-somethings), communities increasingly split on racial lines because people of all colours DO prefer living with their own (oh but I can go eat a kebab and Chinese food and the shop owner even smiles at me!), neighbours who live next to each other for years and have never even spoken, crime getting ever nastier and more violent and more random (shoving a glass in someone’s face? I mean HELLO? How often did this happen back in the day?) , the majority of people not being listened to whatsoever, people not being able to afford a place to live, etc.

The old ways are all dying out. I largely blame the liberal progressives that want to turn the world into a borderless melting pot where nothing really means anything anymore, and anybody who disagrees is backwards and all sorts of evil etc. We’ve gotten so soft, we don’t want to offend anyone, everyone is ‘equal’ so we can’t for a moment assume that lumping vastly different cultures together in a short space of time is possibly not the brightest idea and might not always work out. We’re basically England, just 10 years behind. Thankfully, as you mention, the Japanese, among other Asian, Middle-Eastern etc cultures, are not so stupid.

Now surely the leftists will be along with their derision, their sarcasm, their petty offensive remarks, but I think anyone who thinks this country has not suffered as a result of the changes (various) that have taken place over the last 20 years ago is either in serious denial with their rose-tinted glasses on or lives in a cave. There will be a day in the not-too-distant future when people will have had enough, of that I’m sure. At the moment people earn too well to care too much about anything other than getting pissed and watching the footy on their big screen tv’s, but one day that will change.

Imran says:

03:24am | 17/02/10

Baz, its not about softening. It is about need. The fact is, Australia do not have enough skilled and qualified people to fullfill the needs of the nation. Therefore, people need to come from somewhere and hence skill migration started. If we invite people from other countries for our need, we need to compromise your lifestyle in lots of ways. Because the poeple whom we are inviting have their own needs as well, in terms of culture, religions, languaged etc. So people should not live in dreams that all migrants will live on their terms. We need to accept the reality of present.  If we dont like this, we better manage everything by ourselves, however, it is not possible in Australian context and its too late for that anyway. So we need to learn how to accept things in terms of whatever we have got and then only we can live in peace.

Vicki PS says:

11:21pm | 15/02/10

Sounds like you want your democratic representation served to you on a spoon, with a nice dollop of gravy on top.  What have you actually done to make your voice heard?  Do you participate in a political party or community interest group?  Do you communicate with your elected representatives?  Do make an effort to inform yourself about the objective facts of an issue before taking a side?  As Mrs Gump said: “Stupid is as stupid does”.  Pauline clearly believes Britain has more to offer as the Land of Opportunism.  I fear she will be disabused of that notion, but at least her bitter self-interest will make her feel right at home.

6clegs says:

11:55pm | 15/02/10

No, you’re probably not ‘‘stupid’‘. Close minded with a generous dollop of entitlement mixed in, yes.

I bet if your local MP did drop around just to say g’day, you’d be moaning about them not being in the office or House.
Crikey, just what do some people expect of their MPs?! - to drop around for a beer with every single constituent?

Sorry “CQSteve”, all i’ve got for you is :aw diddums:
It must be hard being an employed white male trying to pay off the 2, probably 3 cars, house/s, credit cards, pool, yearly overseas holiday, and keeping the family dressed in brand names. I’d feel sorry for you, but am too busy caring about Australians that have ‘done it tough’. I hope that you never know the sort of Tough that they’ve known - but then again, it might make you & others like you more generous of spirit, for it.

Imran says:

12:34pm | 16/02/10

Brett, most of coloured Australian read news. The news that comes on channel 7,9 or 10 is not a news, it sounds like it a local activity channel. News of ABC and SBS in better than them where we get to see what is going around the world and we get information from around the world.

Vicki PS says:

04:44pm | 16/02/10

You watch too much TV, Timmo.  “Government of the People, by the People, for the People” is from Abraham Lincoln’s address at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, PA, USA during the American Civil War, in Nov. 1863.  I frankly doubt that you were ever taught this as the definition of Australian democracy: nor do I see its relevance to us.

Is the Government your ruler?  Of course it bloody well is: like it or not, it is Her Majesty’s Government, under the Constitution.  What you erroneously call “People’s Assets” are in fact Crown assets.  How can you seriously demand that immigrants do a better job of conforming to Australian society than citizens like you, who know so little about OUR Constitution and system of government?

persephone says:

09:09am | 16/02/10

WHAT silent majority?

8% is not a majority, and they’ve been far from silent.

And if they were a majority, WHY would they be silent?

Too scared to speak out when everyone agrees with them?

Can we please replace that rather worn out and totally inaccurate phrase with ‘loud minority’?

Amy Brunner says:

11:04pm | 16/02/10

persephone…......

I just could not let that one go… 8% ! Where do you get your information from.

1996 Pauline Hanson attracted some 48.6% of the Primary Vote when she stood for Oxley.

1998 36% of the Primary Vote in the Federal seat of Blair.

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party gained 22 percent of the Primary Vote,  translating to 11 of 89 seats in Queensland’s 1998 State Elections.

Just some facts…......

no opinions,  no judgements….....

rahi says:

03:28am | 17/02/10

Absolutely right Persephone.

James says:

09:40am | 17/02/10

Just to put the 48.6 percent in context, Amy, in 1996 she was standing for the Liberal Party.  A more accurate way of putting it is “the Liberal Party candidate attracted 48.6 percent of the primary vote”.

Just another fact.

Brett says:

04:02pm | 17/02/10

chuzoo, SBS and ABC don’t count. They are not determined by popularity and or ratings for their income. SBS and ABC are Government sponsored institutions that follow the political line.
And everybody does wear their heritage it’s called ethnic appearance.
I can’t make sense of some of the comments around here.

Brett says:

01:30pm | 17/02/10

Imran, I think you are 100% correct. We should aspire to be like a 3rd World Country with 42% of people living below the poverty line, 42.5% of the children in India suffer from malnutrition, below average literacy, pan-Indian social construct of caste system , economical exploitation of low-ranking landless labourers and poor artisans, pavement dwellers, water supply and sanitation inadequate, No city in India has full-day water supply, open defecation is widespread, At least 735 people, including civilians and security personnel, were killed in Maoist violence in India last year, up from a total of 640 in 2008,  violence erupted south of the Kashmiri summer capital Srinagar after thousands joined the funeral procession of one of two rebels killed in a gun battle, religious battles daily, they really love each other!  I got to go back to work now. Yes a lovely place to aspire to!

Imran Ahmad says:

01:09am | 18/02/10

Brett, as an Australian I wont say anything bad about my country, however, what do you say about recent attacks on Indian Students? What about the discrimination that is being done here on these posting about Muslim women. Dont you people get any other constructive topic to discuss about? Indians are so illiterate that we find them working here on many high positions now, because non coloured Australians are less educated and less qualified than them to do the job.
Brett, you are right about what you said in the middle part of your post on 08:03pm | 15/02/10

About TV channels, not everything is determined by popularity, there is something that is called quality, I am not sure some people know what this is about.

I would like to let you know Brett that this is not because of Multiculturalism. This is because of some western colonists have got advantage of their simplified bahaviour, looted their resources, treated them like animals and divided those people to rule over them for their own interest.  I am sure you know what I am talking about. India is not same now what you have seen or read. Nothing changes in a day but the facts are entirely different now.

People need brain and logical thinking along with education to understrand few things.
No hard feelings please.

Brett says:

08:37pm | 18/02/10

Imran, (I promised myself I wouldn’t do this). Your comment 02:09am | 18/02/10 paragraph 3 I agree. And this part I do feel sorry for. But it is not related to the average/ordinary white guy.  The person who did this is also the enemy of the ordinary/average white guy. You say “the colonists took advantage of the simplified behavior” this in itself is racist to say, but forget that right now, because it’s true this is happening. And sometimes we must say things that do sound racist.  This illustrates such an important point: we cannot debate the truth. Your comment here is true. The wealthy white people did and do exploit racial groups with simplified behaviors, and they got and get rich from doing it. But us ordinary white guys got nothing from it. We are slaves too. Black, white, green or grey, the real fight should be between the rich and poor. Those who have exploited the past and used slave labour to become rich. They are on both sides of race. (many are bribed by rich white guys) The common man and women (black or white) should not fight each other, but unite to fight the injustice of wealth distribution.  Look at those wealthy people, they are 100% isolated from all the comments on this site. They have a lifestyle that excludes any interaction on a basic level. They want us to fight each other, it keeps to them the power and diverts the attention. Really think about this: If you were a multi millionaire with all your bills paid would you really be so concerned with this topic?
Look at the people with all the money, do they really care about this argument? Only if it costs them money. The war in the end will be rich against poor, but the diversion right now is black against white.

Rahi says:

12:39am | 18/02/10

Colene Frood,  I know he was the first Australina PM, however I am sure lots of Australians dont know about him. However, we are not living in 1907. The point here is, Edmund Barton did not know much about multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is all about humanity, it is about the concept that all human beings are equal. Multiculturalism is about accepting all humans, disregard of race, religion or the languages they speak. However, during Edmund Barton’s time I believe White Australian Policy was on peak and it is not fair for other linguistics when he said, We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language…  In a true multicultural society people speak many languages.

Seano says:

02:58pm | 18/02/10

Barton didn’t say that. Google the quote, it’s an internet hoax. The original quote was from Roosevelt.

Colene Frood says:

12:15pm | 19/02/10

Rahi, in 1907 there was no such concept as multiculturalism.

If you were not so defensive about Multiculturalism, and read his statement in the context of it being a statement made in 1907 you would realise that that possibility (his statement) was the closest thing to multiculturalism possible at the time.

The man was not deriding all other cultures at all. Australia has been practicing a form of multiculturalism.

All Australians understand that Australia was built on immigration.

The multicultural immigration until recently was totally acceptable to the previous multicultural inhabitants of this country, as we and all our predecessors (including the aborigines, for there was a different race of people inhabiting this land before the aborigine) came from somewhere else.

The difference between then and now is that a small number of current immigrants to this country, are not happy to accept the Law of the Land. They agitate for the ability to live under different laws to other inhabitants.

This idea is simply illogical and unworkable. It is a complete nonsense to think that there can be two sets of rules for people living and working next to each other.

This statement of 1907 is relevant today when it comes to a cohesive society, it is not the denial of, as you say,  “all about humanity”.

Can you really believe that we could have a cohesive society if we all spoke different languages, what do you think the newspapers would be like, the size of phone books, or would you think that a newspaper publisher should be imposed upon to print a daily paper in as many different languages as would be spoken in your multicultural Utopian world. Television news casts would take hours. The “sub-titles” on television programs would fill the screens.

I don’t believe that the “current inhabitants” for want of a better terminology, want the “newer immigrants” to Australia to give up their heritage, I don’t.

But this country is established, it has its society conventions in place, it has a official language, it has its laws.

We have had political peace in this country for over a hundred years.

What I say to all immigrants to this country is, if you wish to live under different laws, speak a different language, and live within a different set of society conventions, then there are any number of countries where you would find what would suit you better.

Just as I would have no right to go to India, Iran, Iraq, Germany, Brazil, Sweden, China, Greece or Indonesia and demand to be able to be understood if I spoke in English, then immigrants to this country do not either. Same goes for marriage laws, society conventions or political process.

Australia has enshrined in it’s Constitution, religious freedom, which was never meant to allow for Muslim Arab Immigrants to go to the beach and spit on and verbally denigrate the young women in this country from not being covered in “head-to-toe” clothing.

Multiculturalism cuts both ways….....................

Colene Frood says:

08:37pm | 19/02/10

Seano,

I stand corrected it was not Edmund Barton in 1907, according to a number of web sites it was Theodore Roosevelt, although there is much conjecture as to when he said it.

There are some that say it was read publicly at a meeting on January 5, 1919.  Roosevelt died the next day, on January 6, 1919

Nevertheless it does not diminish the sprit or the tenor of the sentiment.

JOHN HOWARD, PRIME MINISTER: We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come.

Just as I decide who comes into my home, and whether they come in the front door or the back.

Just for the record, I don’t like what is happening to this country, so I am leaving, for I have found a place more to my liking.

I do not intend to tell you where it is, for when Australia becomes like the UK or Denmark, and I know more then a few who came here from the UK to escape this so-called Multiculturalism, only to realise that they were only one step ahead of the Colonisation and Invasion, and you want to get out, you and yours won’t know where to go, to try your failed experiment again.

Multiculturalism is akin to Socialism in the way that the advocates of these regimes are so blindly convinced, as are religious converts, that their way is the only way that they won’t accept that the theoretical does not work in practice.

It is the “human condition” in both cases upon which they stumble and fail.

Just as all the Socialist and or Communists “experiments” have failed, so too will Multiculturalism.

Russia, North Korea, Cuba. China too would have failed except for its “Special Economic Zones” which have been for the most part developed by the western industrialist.

Denmark and the UK have had their fill of Multiculturalism.  These two countries opened their doors their minds and hearts to the people of the world in the sprit of Multiculturalism only to find the very people who ostensibly came to make a better life for themselves have become the enemy within.

We here in Australia are asked repeatedly to respect all others cultures and religions, but there are those among them, the immigrants who are supposedly seeking a better life, who do not respect ours. Following is a case in point.

In his revealing book, The Year The Dragon Came, Chinese author, Sang Ye says: “China is a country with a strong xenophobic, isolationist tradition; a place where deeply racist sentiments are not uncommon.”
Sang Ye based the book on interviews with over one hundred Chinese immigrants living in Australia.  It is instructive to hear what the immigrants think of Australians. Sang Ye says, “Nearly all of the interviewees here referred to Australians as “devils” (guizi) or “foreign devils” (yang guizi) or the slightly more polite “foreigners” (laowai), apparently oblivious to the fact that in Australia, its they who are the foreigners.”
None of this evokes any response from the elites and the journalists.

I expect you will now write in reply, something along the lines of, “and good riddance to you too” go ahead, I am sad to leave, but for my peace of mind I find,  I like Pauline Hanson have no alternative.

Seano says:

08:25pm | 21/02/10

Colene. You’ve put words in my mouth as well as Edmund Barton’s. I have not suggested you go and nor do I think you should or that you need to for that matter. But that’s my opinion you obviously make your own choices. I will point out that one of your fellow Hansonites (steve, a brilliant example of the breed) has suggested that I should leave because apparently in a free western democracy having a differing opinion that you can and will defend is a crime against the Hanson hive mentality.

Colene all I did was point out that those words were a hoax. And as far as I’m concerned the fact that whomever perpetrated the hoax felt that the deception was needed to make the point must by definition “diminish the sprit or the tenor ” of those words (not to mention the fact that they were talking about the American condition way back in the last century).

I wont get into argument about multiculturalism you obviously have your opinion but I would like to point out that Australia is not the UK or Demark and that we also have had a long and largely successful history of multiculturalism (it’s been going on since well before I was born and I’m in my 40’s) so this “sky is falling” attitude seems to be a bit much.  Of course you and Pauline can invite who you like into your homes, no argument. But what you fail to understand no matter how many electoral defeats you experience is that you don’t speak for ‘90% of Australians’ and you don’t even speak for the majority, silent or not. BTW I’m certainly not claiming that I do, I’m just stating an obvious that fact strangely for Hansonites seems difficult to grasp.

Finally Colene I really hope you’re not leaving because Pauline says she is, because if you think Hanson can live without the oxygen of publicity I think you are mistaken. She’s not going off into obscurity or at least not for long. But then Pauline is a funny old broad, supposedly heading to the UK where multiculturalism is apparently such a failure.

Timmo says:

10:15am | 23/02/10

Good on you Omegaman and rightly put. While they are there the aussie Gov. who rule us like kings and queens should give us a bill of rights so that we feel that we have some. But I suppose that will never happen. Maybe we should dig ole abe up. A lot of people think that he was good. And I was taught that at school about democracy etc. Those school teachers back there, they were wrong too. Well I suppose in regard to Australian Democracy the phrase, ” Once a Penal Colony always a penal colony.” will always stand firm here, as very different of Abes great address to the americans, and wrongly I presumed that it might be the cornerstone for all nations to follow. But Vicki ups as a Expert on the subject of non democracy has put me in my place. And you have lifted me up. You are a Believer in democracy also. We had the “Magna Carta”, as the cornerstone of our democracy but I think they burned it, even tho king john wrote “forever”, in the treatise and i think from memory that was in 1014. But if I am wrong i’m sure vicki Ups will correct me on that one.