October 12, 1996
Good Morning from the Zundelsite:
I mentioned briefly in a previous ZGram that there is
huge political turmoil in Australia because of a speech to the Australian
Federal Parliament that was made by one Ms. Pauline Hanson who did the unspeakable
- she stood up and spoke up for her race.
It is reported that she has had to go into hiding because of threats against
her life. Word is that media coverage ever since has been non-stop and vitriolic.
This speech was made on September 10th, 1996. Below is a shortened version.
The full text can be read at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~hillj/
"My view on issues is based on commonsense, and my experience as a
mother of four children, as a sole parent, and as a businesswoman running
a fish and chip shop. I won the seat of Oxley largely on an issue that has
resulted in me being called a racist. That issue related to my comment that
Aboriginals received more benefits than non-Aboriginals.
We now have a situation where a type of reverse racism is applied to mainstream
Australians by those who promote political correctness and those who control
the various taxpayer funded "industries" that flourish in our
society servicing Aboriginals, multiculturalists and a host of other minority
groups. In response to my call for equality for all Australians, the most
noisy criticism came from the fat cats, bureaucrats and the do-gooders.
They screamed the loudest because they stand to lose the most -their power,
money and position, all funded by ordinary Australian taxpayers. Present
governments are encouraging separatism in Australia by providing opportunities,
land, moneys and facilities available only to Aboriginals. Along with millions
of Australians, I am fed up to the back teeth with the inequalities that
are being promoted by the government and paid for by the taxpayer under
the assumption that Aboriginals are the most disadvantaged people in Australia.
I do not believe that the colour of one's skin determines whether you are
disadvantaged.
This nation is being divided into black and white, and the present system
encourages this. I am fed up with being told, "This is our land."
Well, where the hell do I go? I was born here, and so were my parents and
children. I will work beside anyone and they will be my equal but I draw
the line when told I must pay and continue paying for something that happened
over 200 years ago. Like most Australians, I worked for my land; no-one
gave it to me.
Those who feed off the Aboriginal industry do not want to see things changed.
Look at the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Members receive 290 a
day sitting allowance and 320 a day travelling allowance, and most of these
people also hold other very well paid positions. No wonder they did not
want to resign recently! This is a crisis that recent governments have ignored
because of a lack of will. We are regarded as a Third World country with
First World living conditions. We have one of the highest interest rates
in the world, and we owe more money per capita than any other country. All
we need is a nail hole in the bottom of the boat and we're sunk. In real
dollar terms, our standard of living has dropped over the past 10 years.
In the 1960s, our wages increase ran at 3 % and unemployment at 2 %. Today,
not only is there no wage increase, we have gone backwards and unemployment
is officially 8.6 %. The real figure must be close to 12 to 13%.
We have lost all our big Australian industries and icons, including Qantas
when it sold 25 % of its shares and a controlling interest to British Airways.
Now this government wants to sell Telstra, a company that made a 1.2 billion
profit last year and will make a 2 billion profit this year. But, first,
they want to sack 54,000 employees to show better profits and share prices.
Anyone with business sense knows that you do not sell off your assets especially
when they are making money. I may be only "a fish and chip shop lady",
but some of these economists need to get their heads out of the textbooks
and get a job in the real world. I would not even let one of them handle
my grocery shopping.
Immigration and multiculturalism are issues that this government is trying
to address, but for far too long ordinary Australians have been kept out
of any debate by the major parties. I and most Australians want our immigration
policy radically reviewed and that of multiculturalism abolished. I believe
we are in danger of being swamped by Asians. Between 1984 and 1995, 40 %
of all migrants coming into this country were of Asian origin. They have
their own culture and religion, form ghettos and do not assimilate. Of course,
I will be called racist but, if I can invite whom I want into my home, then
I should have the right to have a say in who comes into my country. A truly
multicultural country can never be strong or united. The world is full of
failed and tragic examples, ranging from Ireland to Bosnia to Africa and,
closer to home, Papua New Guinea. America and Great Britain are currently
paying the price.
There is light at the end of the tunnel and there are solutions. If this
government wants to be fair dinkum, then it must stop kowtowing to financial
markets, international organisations, world bankers, investment companies
and big business people. The Howard government must become visionary and
be prepared to act, even at the risk of making mistakes.
Abolishing the policy of multiculturalism will save billions of dollars
and allow those from ethnic backgrounds to join mainstream Australia, paving
the way to a strong, united country. Immigration must be halted in the short-term
so that our dole queues are not added to by, in many cases, unskilled migrants
not fluent in the English language. This would be one positive step to rescue
many young and older Australians from a predicament which has become a national
disgrace and crisis. I must stress at this stage that I do not consider
those people from ethnic backgrounds currently living in Australia anything
but first-class citizens, provided of course that they give this country
their full, undivided loyalty.
I call for the introduction of national service for a period of 12 months,
compulsory for males and females upon finishing year 12 or reaching 18 years
of age. This could be a civil service with a touch of military training,
because I do not feel we can go on living in a dream world forever and a
day believing that war will never touch our lives again.
The government must do all it can to help reduce interest rates for business.
How can we compete with Japan, Germany and Singapore, who enjoy rates of
two %, 5.5 % and 3.5 % respectively? Reduced tariffs on foreign goods that
compete with local products seem only to cost Australians their jobs. We
must look after our own before lining the pockets of overseas countries
and investors at the expense of our living standards and future.
Mister Acting Speaker, time is running out. We may have only 10 to 15 years
left to turn things around. Because of our resources and our position in
the world, we will not have a say because neighbouring countries such as
Japan, with 125 million people; China, with 1.2 billion people; India, with
846 million people; Indonesia, with 178 million people; and Malaysia, with
20 million people are well aware of our resources and potential. Wake up,
Australia, before it is too late. Australians need and want leaders who
can inspire and give hope in difficult times. Now is the time for the Howard
government to accept the challenge.
Mister Acting Speaker, everything I have said is relevant to my electorate
of Oxley, which is typical of mainstream Australia. I do have concerns for
my country and I am going to do my best to speak my mind and stand up for
what I believe in. As an independent I am confident that I can look after
the needs of the people of Oxley and I will always be guided by their advice.
It is refreshing to be able to express my views without having to toe a
party line. It has got me into trouble on the odd occasion, but I am not
going to stop saying what I think. I consider myself just an ordinary Australian
who wants to keep this great country strong and independent, and my greatest
desire is to see all Australians treat each other as equals as we travel
together towards the new century."
Thought for the Day:
"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and
murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."
(John Adams)
Comments? E-Mail: irimland@cts.com
Back to Table of Contents of the Oct. 1996 ZGrams