UPDATE - APRIL 2006 PART ONE
THE HOWARD LIBERAL - NATIONAL COALITION CONTINUE TO BREAK FEDERAL LAWS AND FAIL TO UPHOLD THE AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION
It was reported that on Tuesday January 10, 2006 Mr. Philip Ruddock Federal Attorney - General gave a speech as Muslims celebrated one of Islam's holiest days, the first day of the Eid Al-Adha-celebration of sacrifice, at the Lakemba Mosque.
Mr. Ruddock said Australians of all Nationalities must "uphold the law of the country." "I think it is important to acknowledge that when you are Australian as all Australians, you have a responsibility to uphold the laws of this country", Mr. Ruddock told the crowd.
It's a shame Mr. Ruddock and his Howard - Vaile Coalition Government fail to practice what they preach as they refuse to uphold the Australian Constitution as well as ignoring to enforce Federal Law, re: the invalid and illegal licensing of the Kings Cross trial injection room. This invalid and illegal legislation was introduced by the NSW State Labor Government, allowing registered addicts to inject illegally imported substances such as Heroin and Cocaine under supervision.
Firstly 'Heroin' is a prohibited import as is 'Cocaine' is, under the Customs Prohibited Import Regulations (item 104 of Schedule4). In effect no Heroin or Cocaine is Manufactured in Australia. With a few rare exceptions in past years, all Heroin detected anywhere in Australia has a chemical signature clearly indicating that it was manufactured overseas. Therefore in effect all Heroin detected in Australia may reasonably be suspected of being imported and is therefore forfeited to the Commonwealth under the Customs Act s 299(b) and consequently must be seized in favour of the Commonwealth under particular laws in Part XII, Division 1 and the Crimes Act.
To simplify the above, prohibited imports at the point of importation, becomes the property of the Crown, and always remains so and the Crown is obliged to exercise and enforce Federal laws in relation to those prohibited imports. But it isn't happening, specifically concerning enforcing Federal Laws.
Could Mr. Ruddock and the Howard - Vaile coalition Government tell us why they have been so selective in enforcing some Federal Laws, and not others, particularly when the others relate to the use, possession and trafficking of Heroin and Cocaine?
Several of the Howard Governments relevant Agencies said drug addiction (Heroin and Cocaine users) is a Health problem not a criminal offence. This statement is concrete evidence that the Howard Government and their Bureaucrats are ignorant of the facts and are totally incompetent. For as a signatory to the International Drug Treaty drug addiction is not recognised as a Health problem.
Following is further proof that we say is a true fact, is a brief "on Heroin by Athol Moffitt CMG QC - retired President NSW court of appeal - 24 years a Supreme Court Judge and was Australia's firs appointed Royal Commissioner into organised crime. Is it possible that the Howard - Vaile Coalition Government and the Opposition Parties have remained silent about these indictable offences because their party Slush funds are being funded by the Drug Cartels?
"There can be neither a trial nor a program without legal heroin. There is none in Australia and non can be imported or manufactured without Commonwealth license. A State law to the contrary would be constitutionally invalid. It is against commonwealth policy to provide legal heroin, even for medical purposes. There are overwhelming reasons why control of heroin should remain under the exclusive control of a central government. Heroin is classified by W.H.O. as a specially dangerous drug and included in Schedule IV as well as I. therefore even if provided maintenance doses were for medical purposes, a maintenance program would be in breach of the convention. There is no purpose in having a 'trial' of something, which cannot be done:" Athol Moffitt CMG QC - retired President NSW Court of Appeal. Justice Moffitt served 24 years as a Supreme Court Judge and was Australia's firs Royal Commissioner into Organised Crime.
FRESHER FRUIT AND VEGETABLES NOT SO FRESH
It's been reported that research commissioned by the Saturday Daily Telegraph found apples up to 9 months old, pears 3 months old, grapes 3 weeks old and cherry 2 weeks old all on the shelves of a City Woolworth's store, and was tested by Sydney Post harvest Laboratory, which found the fruit was of extremely mixed quality. Strawberries, apples and peaches all came back showing they were low in sugar. Woolworth's confirmed it sold apples which were stored for months to a time but said it endeavored to get the freshest produce possible into its stores. This a common practice by major retailers Nationwide.
But there are thoughts vital nutrients and minerals drop, and the quality can drop. Sydney Post harvest Laboratory Director Dr Stephen Morris said, "the taste can drop off after a long period, and vitamin C and vitamin E as well as anti-oxidant levels, which can be cancer preventing can decline."
The shelf life of apples can be extended by up to a year by treating the air in their storage environment with a gas. The chemical is known as Smart Fresh and introduced to Australia in the past 18 months, stops the fruit from producing ethylene, a natural ripening agent. The Product is also licensed for use on other fruits.
Bananas which are picked and transported while still green to prolong their life, are treated with ethylene to bring on the ripening process just before going on shelves. Grapes can be kept for a month by packing with sulpher dioxide pads which delay ripening.
Sydney Post harvest Laboratory, industry consultants, growers, regulators and supermarkets confirmed the use of various techniques. Woolworth's sells apples stored in controlled environments for up to 10 months while Coles also admitted its apples may be stored.
Experts say that the processes are commonly used and allow people to eat produce out of season, benefiting the consumer. The fruit and vegetables is still safe to eat. If what the experts say is correct about the safety of eating these fruit and vegetables then why didn't Woolworth's and other major retailers tell the Australian consumers the truth in their advertising, in so far as many of their products are indeed. not truly fresh.
The reason we published this exclusive article by Darren Behar, Consumer Affairs Reporter in the Saturday Daily Telegraph, January 7, is not to be critical of the journalist but to be critical of Woolworth's, the Regulators, the Sydney Post harvest Laboratory and the experts who major retailers sell Californian Table Grapes and Cherries which are imported from the United States and are sprayed with one of the world's most toxic carcinogens methyl Bromide. Considering that United States Table Grapes and Cherries for domestic sales, being sprayed with Methyl Bromide is illegal from January 1, 2005. One has to ask why are these fruits sprayed with Methyl Bromide are unsafe for American consumers and yet Bio-Security Australia and other experts say its safe for our consumers.
WHEN IS FRESH FOOD, NOT FRESH FOOD? THE MEAT YOU EAT, COULD BE ONE MONTH OLD
People could be eating meat that has been treated with gas to give it a fresher appearance and could be up to 4 weeks old. Known as "Gas flushing" it makes meat look redder with the hope of lengthening its shelf life.
The revelation will further upset consumers following the disturbing discovery that major retailers such as Woolworths and Coles were selling fruit and vegetables that were up to 12 months old. Meat filled with a mix of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen can sit in modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) for up to 1 month with little benefit to taste or tenderness, according to the experts.
Its been revealed that Woolworths and Coles are selling meat that is packed using gas treatment. Many consumers have voiced their concerns about how the fruit, vegetables and meat are treated with gases that could pose future health problems.
A leading nutritionist said "I believe consumers would be very upset about this, and it appears its more about presentation than quality of food." Kerry Melrose of the Australian Meat Industry Council agreed, "this does nothing for the quality of the product or the ageing product."
The two Supermarket Giants Woolworths and Coles admitted they are selling meat in modified atmosphere packaging or gas flushed packaging. Meat is generally purchased by retailers vacuum packed. It is then sliced and re-packed into Clingfilm covered containers and sold.
The Supermarket deny the process is simply about presentation or shelf life, claiming it lets them offer customers quality at competitive prices and helps their distribution. What a lot of hog wash. For example Woolworth's and Cole's meat prices are much more expensive overall, than the Independent butchers.
What concerns us, is the failure of Governments to institute action against retailers such as Woolworths and Coles for their blatant advertising under false pretences, that their food is "fresher." After all these years why did major retailers such as Woolworths and Coles hide the truth from consumers, if they had nothing to hide. How old is their meat products whose prices are slashed and sold at special discounted prices?
INDUSTRIAL WORK LAWS CONFUSED BOSSES
An employer group survey has discovered 85% of Australian bosses do not understand the Federal Government's controversial Industrial Relations Reforms. The Federal ALP (Labor) Opposition believes the findings by Australian Business Limited show the Government was $55 million plus on its media advertising, at the expense of the taxpayer.
Its survey of 1,500 employers found 21% do not feel informed about the changes. A further 63% had only a partial understanding and only 13% believed they were on top of the changes. Only 3% said they intended to make immediate changes.
SUCCESSIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANUFACTURERS MOVING OFF - SHORE
Berri Australia's largest juice maker, on Friday December 30, 2005 joined the ranks of Arnotts, Minties, Vegemite and James Boag's beer by acquiring off shore owners. The company behind Australian Fresh Daily Juice and Just Juice was engulfed by the Philippine food and beverage giant San Miguel in a deal worth $337 million.
Just to mention a few brands owned by San Miguel include James Boag's Brewery, Yoplait yogurt, Pura Mild and the King Island Dairy. This means with every breakfast, lunch and dinner, Australians are giving millions of dollars to San Miguel's biggest shareholder, the Philippines Government.
San Miguel Chairman Eduardo Cojuangco, who is ranked Asia's thirty first richest man by Forbes magazine, had close ties with the late Philippines Dictator Ferdinand Marcos, which he has found hard to shake.
Selling the successful Aussie Food Chains off shore is nothing new. United States companies have owned popular brands Vegemite and Arnott's Biscuits for years. The sale of Berri commenced last year (2004) when San Miguel bought just over half the Riverland Company for $167.5 million.
On Friday December 30, San Miguel purchased the remaining 49 per cent for $169 million. This share was owned by well known Agribusiness investor and former Berri Chairman Doug Shears, who received a nice post Christmas bonanza.
The buyout had been broadly expected since San Miguel $1.9 billion take over of Australian Dairy Group National Foods in the earlier part of 2005.
Berri and National Foods completed merging in October (2005) after 3 months and wide spread job losses. The resulting entity of 3,300 staff is based in one Melbourne building.
Many of San Miguel's Australian brands are owned through National Foods. The "Philippine Company" used National Foods to clean up the rest of Berri.
San Miguel President Ramon S. Ang said that uniting National Foods with Berri had given the larger company leadership positions in the Dairy and Fruit Juice Industries. In a sign of the circular nature of business. National Foods sold its juice operations to Berri in 1999, long before the first discussions of merging the two companies.
In another twist San Miguel's other major shareholder is Japanese Brewer Kirin, which owns just below half of Tooheys Brewer Lion Nathan. Lion Nathan in turn has been attempting to take over South Australia's Cooper's Brewery in a $420 million battle. The South Australia's Brewer is considered the Country's last big Independent Brewer.
Following, are a few of Australia's famous brands now owned off shore.
Vegemite - owned by Kraft in turn owned by Philip Morris Tobacco Company, In Virginia (U.S.)
Arnotts - owned by Campbell Soup Company, in New Jersey.
Butter Menthols, Fantales, Minties, Jaffas - owned by Nestle, in Switzerland.
Bushell's Tea - owned by Unilever, in the United Kingdom.
Cherry Ripe, Columbines, Freddo Frog - owned by Cadbury - Schweppes, in London.
HOWARD, COSTELLO AND VAILE CONTINUE TO PICK AUSTRALIANS POCKETS
A perfect example of what can occur when Government's sell their Utilities such as the Sydney Airport which was fully sold off by the Howard Government.
Passengers are paying nearly $1 billion a year in fees and charges at Sydney Airport as owner Macquarie Bank takes a firm grip on the city's International Gateway.
Commuters are now paying an average $33 before they board a flight. In addition Macquarie Bank's purchase of luggage trolley business Smart Carte means very few visitors to Sydney Airport remain untouched by the Macquarie experience , with almost every airport service covered by a fee. The only service without a Macquaire bank charge is the Airport Rail Link.
Following, are the costs a passenger shells out before boarding their flight.
Short term parking (30 minutes) $ 7
Short term parking (5 - 24 hours) $ 39
Long term parking (1 - 2 days) $ 69
Long term parking (6 - 7 days) $119
plus $12 per day for every extra day.
Taxi surcharge $2
Trolley hire $4
Tolls eastern Distributor $4.50
M5 Motorway $3.30
passenger service fee
Domestic $7.15
International $22.41
Although these inflated prices have come under scrutiny of the Australian competition and consumer commission, the corporate watchdog is the Federal Government's "Toothless Tiger," who is only able to monitor prices but cannot regulate.
For many, driving to and from Mascot means paying tolls on the M5 and Eastern Distributor trolley hire and 2 hours parking costs $33.63. Being guided by that figure, Macquarie Bank earned $866.91 million from its 26.27 million domestic and international travellers last year. The charges have given concern that Macquarie Bank is free to set its own charges without competition.
Where was the National Competition Agency when the Howard Coalition Government sold the Sydney Airport to the Macquarie Bank? How can the Howard Government expect the Australian people to trust this Government when they put profit and double standards ahead of the welfare of our people, and our International reputation.
It is worth noting that the CEO of the Sydney Airport is Max "the Axe" Wilton a former Senior Bureaucrat for Prime Minister John Howard.
A regular complaint by commuters is that the Macquarie Bank has a captive market. They can't say I'll go somewhere else, because there's nowhere else to go.
Commuters think it's unreasonable to have to pay cart hire they believe it should be free. In fact, it's actually more expensive to come to the airport than go to the movies with the family.
What is more interesting is the silence of the Beazley Federal Labor Opposition the Greens, the Australian Democrats and Family First re: the aforementioned cost to airline commuters. Could it be because Kim Beazley was a Senior Minister in the Keating Labor Government who created a financial burden to a major of Australians when they sold the "People's Bank" the Commonwealth.
A NEW YEAR PRESENT FOR ALL AUSTRALIANS FROM THE HOWARD - VAILE COALITION AND THE NSW STATE LABOR GOVERNMENT
Cost for doctors, daily commuters, car registration, TAFE, land tax and recreation rose on Monday January 2, 2006. The higher Medicare threshold came into effect immediately, with bus and ferry fares rising 7%. Under new land tax rules, people with land valued above $330,000 will pay up to 20% more than they did last year. People will only be eligible for Medicare benefits when they spend $500 a year on out of pocket medical expenses.
Meanwhile Senior Howard Government MPs will enjoy their New Year Present to themselves, the best seats at the Commonwealth Games opening and closing ceremonies and major gold medal swimming and athletics finals, thanks to the Australian taxpayer.
Documents show the Howard Liberal-National Coalition Government has bought more than $113,000 worth of premium tickets for the largest events ever held in Victoria. The tickets are available to Howard Government Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, as well as their partners or spouses. They can also be given to guests and VIPs, as well as political advisers. The Government has targeted the opening and closing ceremonies, along with sought after gold medal events in athletics, basketball, cycling, hockey, netball, rugby and swimming finals. Many of these events such as the popular basketball, cycling netball and swimming finals have been sold out for months. Only the bad seats remain in other finals.
The documents reveal 80 top price tickets valued at $590 each have been secured for MPs attending the opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 15. A further 62 tickets to the closing ceremony valued at $420 a ticket have also been bought.
On top of tickets to the most popular events, taxpayers will also pay to fly the pollies to Melbourne for the commonwealth Games, as well as accommodation to the value of $450 per night. These "Political parasites" who are one of the few Australians who do not require qualifications to fulfill their duties. We continue to elect these "party parasites," because we are apathetic and brain dead, knowing full well that these incompetent members receive indexed wage rises of about 16 to 20% while our trained emergency workers such as Nurses, Paramedics, Fire fighters and our Police Force have to get down on their knees and beg for a 4% pay rise, and these our Country's trained hero's are paid at least 25% less than our unqualified politicians.
Although we are 30 years overdue in coming to our senses, its time for fair dinkum Aussies to stand up and say "enough is enough." As repetitively "lets change our ways instead of electing tweedle dee and tweedle dumber" into Government, let's look for a better alternative, for instance let's see if we can escape from the influence of Political Parties and inject and elect a better candidate by checking out the Independents.
If that is insufficient evidence for you to alter your voting habits let's have a glimpse at the ALP (Labor) Opposition.
The NSW State Branch of the ALP lost $100,000 in the collapse of property giant WestPoint. Party officials revealed on Monday January 16, 2006 they made the investment because their financial adviser told them to. As well as embarrassing, it shows how many people were sucked in by the Perth developer's unkeepable promises of high returns with low risk.
It was revealed on Monday January 17, 2006 edition of the Daily Telegraph, 6000 people face losing up to $1 billion in the crash, making it the largest corporate failure since HIH.
WestPoint ceased sending interest payments to investors without warning last month, and victims have already been forced to sell their homes to service the huge debts they are left with.
The lost ALP money came from Labor Campaign Pty Ltd, a $5.5 million slush fund set up by privatising Newcastle and Port Stephens radio station 2HD in 1998.
Some of the party's most powerful figures sit on the Labor Campaign board, including former Premier Barrie Unsworth, the funds chairman. Also on the board are Labor Council Secretary John Robertson, President Sandra Moait, and ALP State Secretary Mark Arbid.
"This was recommended to us, and obviously the board are a bit concerned" a senior party official said. "Everyone's still in the dark as to what's going to come out of it and how much money the trust will get back." Its not something that's good for anybody. This past and future members of the Labor Party have displayed their financial incompetence and yet because of our ignorance could be elected to Parliament to manage our State or Federal budgets.
We bet any visitors to our website who read the previous article who are Liberal or National Party branch members or are true supporters must be in stitches laughing at how inept the ALP big guns are. Well we are about to wipe the smirks off your faces.
It was reported on Friday October 28, 2005 of a widespread branch stacking scandal involving up to 70 members of the Liberal Party has been referred to the NSW police for possible fraud. The NSW branch of the Liberal Party confirmed it investigated 74 instances in which a small group of members used their own credit cards to sign up other members to branches without their knowledge. It is believed the breaches of the party's constitution involved Senior members attempting to renew other's lapsed memberships to stack branches across Sydney. State director Graham Jaeschke said 4 party members had been disciplined after a meeting of the State Executive last week. Mr. Jaeschke refused to name the four but one is believed to be a member of the Right Faction who was involved in a brawl at a party meeting earlier this year. During the brawl at a meeting to establish a new branch guns were allegedly drawn by recruits from the Christian Right.
In this latest incident police action could be taken against the members for falsely entering names against someone else's credit card details. Under the party's constitution, members must only pay online for membership renewal using their own or a family members credit card.
"We have a strong system in place to ensure the constitution is followed," Mr. Jaeschke said. "It was only a handful of people and it was over about three or four years." He said the incidents occurred over a wide number of branches.
Mr. Jaeschke said the four who were disciplined which included suspending their memberships for one year were from both sides of the party's factions.
State director Graham Jaeschke should be sacked if he "honestly" believes that the Liberals have a strong system in place to ensure the constitution is followed, he is living in dreamland. Does Mr. Jaeschke honestly believe, "that a handful of members over a three to four year period where incidents occurred over a wide number of branches" hasn't created a possible infiltration of their branches by say for example members of a Mafia Organisation.
We are intrigued, why political party branches whether it be the Liberal, Labor or Nationals would want to go outside the law to branch stack. There is no such thing as a free lunch, so what are the possible benefits for behaving in this manner? Is there a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Desperate people do desperate things regardless of the consequences should they be caught out.
The most concerning feature of this report was, that guns were allegedly drawn by recruits from the Christian Right. These type of actions can be reliably compared with the behaviour of the Mafia.
THE UNITED STATES COULD BE FACING A BIGGER SCANDAL THAN WATERGATE
In the first week of 2006 a report from Washington (USA) announced that the United States populace was holding their breath for possibly the largest political scandal including "Watergate" as a well connected Lobbyist prepares to testify about members of Congress hooked in his web of corruption.
Thirty years in prison could be the end result for Jack Abramoff, 46 who pleaded guilty in a Washington Court to conspiracy mail fraud and tax evasion. He could also face further charges after he bought a fleet of casino cruise ships from a man who was murdered a few months afterwards.
Singularly, the fall of a high flyer Lobbyist who received $80 million in fees from casino rich Indian Tribes, wined and dined politicians and their most Senior Bureaucrats at his own up market Washington Restaurant, signatures, and flew them abroad for golf days was dramatic story.
But it is more than likely he will assist Federal Prosecutors go after Members of Congress that has Washington on tenterhooks. The most heinous charge is that Mr. Abramoff corruptly influenced public officials and their relatives.
It's been alleged "Abramoff and others would offer and provide things of value to public officials including trips, campaign contributions, meals and entertainment in exchange for agreements to use their official positions and influence to benefit his clients and businesses."
No one was identified by name but it was alleged Abramoff influenced a House Committee Chairman identified as Representative A, "using a lavish trip to Scotland to play golf on world famous courses, tickets to sporting events, regular meals at Abramoff's Restaurant and campaign contributions" to win official favours.
A former top official in the Justice Department, said; "This is going to grow and multiply. If I were on Capital Hill I would be shaking in my boots. If anyone knows where the skeletons are buried, it would be Jack Abramoff.
The scandal threatens to engulf high ranking politicians from both major parties, among them House Administration Committee Chairman Republican Senator Bob Ney, former House Majority Leader Republican Tom DeLay, who accepted overseas trips financed by Abramoff, and House Republican Conference Secretary John Doolittle, who took campaign contributions from Abramoff and whose wife was hired by the Abramoff Foundation.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington head Melanie Sloan said: "Abramoff probably had relationships with lots more members of Congress. He has clearly been spilling his guts for several months."
Abramoff faces a fine of more than $750,000 and mandatory restitution estimated to be about $26.7 million - $1.7 million of that to the Internal Revenue Service for evading taxes.
One wonders if we may have a similar problem in Australia relating to the oil for food program and the Australian Wheat Board. (AWB). the question most asked, is what part has the Howard - Vaile Coalition Government and their relevant Agencies played in this program of bribery and skullduggery?
If the Howard - Vail Coalition Government has nothing to hide, why have they set up an inquiry whose, terms of reference are anorexic? Has the Howard - Vaile Coalition got something to hide?