Great to see Howard's Dictatorship exposed. Those of us who owned Guns and were treated like Criminals by Howard in May 1996 saw this coming first. We rallied in major cities and drew crowds that hadn't been seen since the anti-Vietnam marches of the late 60s. Take heed that Bush referred to Howard as the 'Man of Steel'. He may well have used the Russian translation, 'Stalin'!

Excellent points Stephen!

However, you should also point out to older voters (in particular) that in general self funded retirees did FAR better with higher interest rates; just ask anyone who has been trying to live off of their interest income the last few years with 'lower' interest rates. [I've quoted the 'lower' as, has been pointed out elsewhere, our rates are NOT low currently compared to the US, Canada, and a number of other Western democracies.]

The simplistic high/low interest rate arguments are just that; simplistic.

14 September 2004 Press Release RESURRECTING RURAL AND REGIONAL AUSTRALIA Leigh Belbeck, spokesperson from Bindaree Beef confirmed today that the next in the series of important rural policy meetings to be held in rural and regional Australia will be held in Gunnedah on Friday, 24 September 2004.

Dear Margo, I was loaned your book by my sister with the recommendation that it was a must to read this book. It took me 24 hours to read as I found it compelling reading. Like many Australians I was complacent about our rights and lifestyle. Reading your book opened my eyes.

Less than half-way through I was thinking we must set up an internet news services and that individuals should set up their own websites outlining their thoughts. If everyone got involved it would be impossible to silence. When I reached the end of your book (less than half an hour ago) I felt energised that people had already started on working towards improving our democracy.

Congratulations to everyone involved in making this possible. I feel new hope for our world and future when people of goodwill work together to improve everyone's future. Despite being a Labor voter all my life, my first preference in this election will go to The Greens.

As a mature age uni student in my seco

Thanks to Robin Rothfield, the convenor of www.defeathoward.com, for bringing this brilliant article by Richard Woolcott to our attention.

I have been writing to my local candidates in the election asking them to support the introduction of legislation, in the first term of the new parliament, to establish a Commission to review government business and reporting directly to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate in parliament. I want candidates to make a public commitment to it.

The Commission would be something similar to ICAC in NSW and have power to subpeona documents, members of parliament, advisers, public servants, defence and intelligence personnel. It would investgate complaints, matters referred to it by parliament or standing committes and do its own independent audits and investigations of processes as well. It would have as part of its charter an enforceable ministerial code of conduct. It would have public hearings and publicly release its recommendations. Recommendations could include recommendations that a minister resign, further investigation by Federal Police and civil and criminal

Check out the front page of Brisbane City Life. Thanks to NHJ!er Gayle (seat of Dickson) for this. Also NHJ events have been added to the Sydney what's on page.

Gayle will advertise any NHJ event in City Life for free, in any city (I'm not sure exactly which cities it's in). In her words

The what's on pages are some of our busiest and the text down the middle (actual events) gets much better results. Any events, please let me know or tell people to submit them. It costs nothing and if it makes one extra person come along, it's worth it.

So contact her with your events.

Gayle is a successful, professional woman - a swinging voter - who has decided it is time to be heard. For the seat of Dickson she has created Axis of Deceit and Not Happy, John!, published in the latest Australian Book Review magazine. Thanks for permission to publish it here, Alison.
A Cancer in Our Polity
by Alison Broinowski
Governments lie, as veteran US journalist I.F. Stone used to remind us. Worse than that, some of them now defy with impunity the clearly stated wishes of the majority, and international agreements, too. We seem to have entered an era in which the meaning of democracy is being alarmingly redefined. Let us hope it is merely a passing phase.
Majorities in the Anglo-alliance countries now believe that our governments misled us and that the war in Iraq was not justified. This year, for the first time ever, former diplomats and former military commanders in all three countries have signed statements deploring their governments

I'm so furious about the intellectual property provisions in the FTA, I've banned members of all parties that voted for it from using my website, including Labour.

I've notified the national secretariats of all four parties, and sent personal notifications to all MHRs and Senators belonging to those parties.

If anyone else has a similar quixotic urge and would like more detail, contact me via the website.

John Bear

With Guest Speakers:

We at Margo

The government claims it is not responsible or getting extra tax benefits from the rise in fuel prices to record level. 'All the increased GST goes to the states!' We have not increased OUR Federal revenue take says JH! Can some one tell me IF revenue is a percentage of wholesale price or a fixed amount per litre? I dont care if you call it excise or tax - it is still TAX. Further to that, has anyone looked at whether the old 'Import Parity Pricing Policy' is still in force and what impact IT has on the retail price of Fuel? No-one seems to mention that when it comes to fuel pricing issues!

Everyone is angry at John Howard. It's pathetic. I walk by Epping Station every day and I see you guys hand out these crap bumper stickers to people - do you think people will take a bumper sticker seriously? It's really sad handing 'em to high school students. By the way John Howard doesn't run Australia for financial gain, he runs it with the will to make it better. Although not all policies I agree with, who else can run Australia? You? Your neighbour? People seriously think he's like the worst thing to happen to Australia but he's not He's reduced debt accumulated by unwise Labor spending.

NHJ!(HA): The idea of a democracy is that all of us have a hand in running Australia. John Howard has utterly lost touch with this principle, and no amount of making the trains run on time will redeem him for this.

Not Happy John now has a theme song

click here

This is very cool.

Re: Dodgy Campaign Tactics:

Producing or distributing a flyer that purports to be from one party when it is in fact from another is an offence under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) s329, and should be reported to the Australian Electoral Commission.