From the ABC (still quiet on the commercial advertising front...)

Military bases offer to US stands, PM says
The Prime Minister has restated the Federal Government's position that the United States is welcome to establish military bases in Australia.

John Howard says a formal announcement was made several years ago to allow American training and operational exercises in northern Australia.

He says at the moment it appears the US only wants a facility where it can train its troops but that they are welcome to have a more permanent presence in Australia.

"As far as I'm concerned, subject always to the proper arrangements that fully respect and maintain and continue to assert Australian sovereignty," he said.

"The notion of bases or operational facilities or training facilities by Americans is something I would warmly welcome."

In July 2004, the then defence minister Robert Hill named the Shoalwater Bay facility near Rockhampton in Queensland, the Bradshaw training base near Darwin and the Delamere weapons range south-west of Katherine as joint training site....

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Gus is pleased:
As usual, the rodent spin cranks up from "never-ever" to "unlikely" to "maybe" to a full frontal invitation for a Yankee invasion at Brownbutt Bay... Most of the people, so used to stop at changing traffic lights, have been conditioned not to see the subtle slow shift from red to green in the cunning words of our grocer...

I know, some people in Queensland are already salivating at the prospect of cashing in with the influx of Yankeedoodle-greenbacks but I will be a stick in the mud and tell them that if the Yanks come along, they come with their own equipment and they build their own camps with your slave labour... They also get pissed every night drinking your discounted grog... After a few years of Yankee condescending you will see it's not such a good idea to have them there, especially after a few live ammos land accidentally in the middle of your town square... Of course the due apologies come with strings attached as not to have a repeat of the damage... so the entire population near by is displaced into the Simpson Desert.

Talk to your local Aboriginal elder to see how it's acted out...

I dunno, but some time in my distant past I recollect being aware that I lived in a democracy, not ruled by one man (the Dictator) but by a parliament, representative of all its peoples.  Seems to me that the current crop of 'people' who represent our interests at regional (MP's) and state level (Senators) have given up all rights to have an opinion.  The alternative government are so like the current government that I can no longer find the difference. 

If we are still in control, why are we letting Jakarta determine our immigration (actually refugee) policy, and letting Bonsai have military bases on our soil.  It's not OK.

The only way it will change is if the Dictator (his party anyhow) gets thrown out.  Hurry up with the next election in the good ol' US of A.  I've had enough of little Dubya's leadership.

Roseanne Byrne