UPDATE AUGUST 2006

ANOTHER RELIGIOUS SECT PLAYING POLITICS

We've told you previously about the political favoritism shown to the Hillsong Church by the elected members of Federal and State Governments from both the Liberal -National Coalition and Labor representatives.

Very few Australians are aware that three Sydney suburban Businessmen, and the influence their religious sect had politically in four countries.

In the Weekend Edition - July 1-2, 2006 in the Sydney Morning Herald, David Marr exposes the truth in his article "Hidden Prophets."

With an iron hand, West Ryde businessman Bruce D. Hales rules his world church. to his 40,000 followers in the exclusive Brethren, this prosperous supplier of office equipment in the Sydney suburbs is known as the Elect Vessel, the Lord's Representative on Earth, the Great Man, the Paul of Our Day, Minister of the Lord in Recovery and Mr. Bruce.

For 175 years the sect has counted among its strange proscriptions - no public entertainment, no novels, no eating with outsiders, no university, no membership of other organizations of any kind, no shorts ("God has no please in the legs of a man"), no party walls shared with a non-Brethren, no films, no radio, no television and no mobile phones - an absolute ban on worldly politics.

Brethren members have never voted. Since they came together in Dublin 1829 to live their pure life, they have believed it is God's prerogative and His alone to choose Governments, as laid down in Romans chapter 13 verse: "The powers that be are ordained of God." That rule held until the 2004 re-election campaign of John Howard where Brethren- never acknowledging their sect - advertised, leafleted and campaigned on behalf of the Prime Minister.

The Brethren fear God, honour the Elect Vessel and love Howard. "I am very thankful for the current Government we have in Australia, " Brethren representative Richard Garrett told the Greens' Bob Brown a few weeks ago in Canberra. " I mean in my lifetime we haven't had a better Government. We haven't had a better Government economically. Whatever way you look at it we have an excellent Government in Australia."

Within weeks of campaigning for Howard, Brethren were offering covert but well -funded support for George Bush. Intervention in Canada and New Zealand followed. Earlier this year, Brethren campaigned hard against the Greens in Tasmania. The strategy involved billboards attacking the Greens, towed through Hobart's streets by men wearing party masks of freaks and ghouls. The message on the billboards was "Dangerous Extreme."

They cover their tracks. The name of the sect is never mentioned. Their political demands are a seamless mix of business breaks and hard-line christian morality. Under Hales, the Exclusive Brethren have become a new player in the right - wing politics of the world. And they have lots and lots of money.

Australia 2004

A FEISTY night of heckling in the 2004 Australian elections was the first - but neglected - clue that the sect had plunged into politics. Greens candidate and intelligence whistleblower Andrew Wilkie was at the Gladesville RSL campaigning when a dull night turned nasty. "They had such a threatening presence about them," Wilkie recalled. "They weren't violent but they were very aggressive."

Voices from the back taunted the candidate about his own marriage and about party leader Bob Brown's homosexuality. "I completely enraged them by endorsing Bob and his sexuality. It got them really wound up. All in all, it was an ugly experience. I'm pretty streetwise," said Wilkie. "But I was rattled."

Brethren are scattered all over NSW - Windsor, Tamworth, Molong, Ermington - but Howards's electorate of Bennelong on Sydney's lower North Shore is the home ground of Brethren leaders. Mat Henderson - Hau one Wilkie's support team that night, knew the hecklers. " I recognised them all as Brethrens. I went to school with a dozen of the guys who came up to cause trouble. I picked Gareth Hales straight off as he used to be in my roll call at Marsden High.

Gareth is the son of Bruce Hales, who lives in nearby Eastwood. Henderson - Hau says Gareth had come with several of his brothers and his Uncle Stephen. He counted seven or eight Hales plus some Kennards and Chesterfields.

"They're heavy Brethren Families."

Their presence meant nothing to Wilkie or Brown. They didn't connect this rough night in Bennelong with mystery Liberal Party lookalike ads popping up in newspapers in Sydney and South Australia, nor with leaflets distributed across Tasmania attacking the Greens, Wilkie said. "The Greens weren't aware of a broader campaign being waged. There was no time in the last days of the campaign to track down the names and addresses. The scale of Brethren operation in Australia went undetected for nearly a year."

THE UNITED STATES 2004

A FORTNIGHT after Howard's re-election, a group called the "Thanksgiving 2004 Committee" registered with the US Internal Revenue Service and placed ad's in the Florida newspaper supporting the Senate campaign of Cuban - American Mel Martinez, a passionate campaigner against gay marriage. Newspapers reported the committee had registered to late for voters to be able to determine the source of money. Press inquiries got nowhere. A Knoxville map-store owner told the St.Petersburg Times his committee was "working with a large group" but refused identify it. "We like to fly beneath the radar" he said. On election day the committee placed a hugely expensive full - page ad supporting Bush in The New York Times under the banner headline: "America Is In Safe Hands."

The US has tougher rules than Australia for tracking campaign donations. When the financial returns of the Thanksgiving 2004 Committee were published by the Federal Elections Commission in January last year, they revealed that $US 377,262 (almost $A 517, 000) of more than $US 600, 000 raised by the committee came from a Londoner called Bruce Hazell. Press calls to Hazell established little expect that he was Exclusive Brethren.

That the Brethren were last - minute, large scale backers of Bush interested the Federal Election Commission. A spokesman told the St.Petersburg Times that "Any money contributed by foreign national and used to purchase advertising so close to an election violates a 1966 law designed to limited a foreign intervention US elections." The commission now tells the Herald it cannot comment on whether it is investigating the sect's role.

CANADA 2005

A Political conflagration was soon blazing as the Canadian Parliament debated same sex marriage. In March last year, households in the electorate of every member of supporting the bill received a greeting card raging against the legislation. "The suicidal rush to fundamentally change a 6000 year - old institution is the canker that will destroy the roots of Canada's "living tree."

The cars was carefully warned to avoid controversy Canada's hate propaganda law and - there being no election campaign then - it was no offence against Canadian electoral law that the card was signed by "Concerned Canadian Parents who gave as their address a post-office box in a 7-Eleven store in Toronto. Some time in April or May, the concerned Canadians stopped paying for the post box and after that all letters where returned to sender.

"What I do respect tens of thousands of dollars being spent anonymous with absolutely no way to contact this organization," said a Canadian Liberal MP, Mark Holland. "My office been contacted by hundreds of residents who are extremely upset. Maybe this is a acceptable to the Opposition but I would like to know who is behind it. We do not know who is behind it. Is there foreign money?. Is there a political party behind it?"

His questions were answered by advertising agent Ron Heggie a few days before the Civil Marriage Act was passed last July. Questioned by journalist after placing a newspaper ad attacking the legislation, Heggie said he and the "Concerned Canadian Parents" were Exclusive Brethren. He told the Vancouver Sun: "Those who think the Brethren are being unethical and deceptive don't understand there approach to the outside world. It's not that we're hiding anything. It's just that we're not interested in grandstanding."

NEW ZEALAND 2005

The polite world of New Zealand politics have never seen attack advertising on the scale of the anti-Greens campaign in the elections of September last year. Every letter box seemed to receive a mysterious pamphlet denouncing "The Green Delusion." But as the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, said: "New Zealand is a small country - sooner or later the truth comes out."

Someone recognized the name on the pamphlet - Stephen Win, of Fauna Road, Manger - and called the Greens to say he was Brethren. The media co-coordinator of the Greens, Fran Tyler, had an ace: She knew a party member who had brought with him a directory of members when he fled the sect. She checked with him the names on the ads - their were half a dozen or more attacking Labor and the Greens and he confirmed they were all Brethren.

When news of the Brethren's role broke 10 days before polling day, the leader of the Opposition National Party, Don Brash - who seemed to be heading for victory - claim no to know who was behind the pamphlets. We were not aware they were coming out and had nothing to do with it. "But a few days later he had to make the humiliating admission that he'd known all along.

"The Exclusive Brethren have told me sometime back that they were thoroughly fed up with the Government and they would be distributing same pamphlet." More was at stake than the embarrassing sight of a Politian contradicting himself. Under New Zealand law their are strict caps on campaign spending. If National had endorsed or approved the pamphlets, their considerable cost would count under the party's cap. Brash also had to admit Brethren were canvassing for the party and helping place party ads in the streets.

With political disaster facing National, seven members of the Brethren held a press conference to claim the church had no role in the campaign. The ads and pamphlets were the work of individuals believers. "It is not a Exclusive Brethren initiative," said Neville Simmons, an office equipment supplier from Auckland. The claim was dismissed by x-Brethren member Doug Field, who told the Sunday Times: "Nothing happens in the Brethren with Hale's say - so."

Brash lost his chance but Labor and Greens lost a swag of seats. The police investigated the role of the Brethren in campaign - their were also questions about dodgy or incomplete address on pamphlets and ads - but no prosecutions were laid. The investigation revealed the Brethren's budget for the campaign was $NZ 1.2 million ($A 900, 000).

authority of members of the group. "The Brethren has never done this. When the story of the Sect’s involvement in the 2004 elections broke in the Herald in September last year, the church issued the same denials issued when the Brethren were sprung in New Zealand, Canada and the US. A spokesman, Warwick John, claimed the ads and pamphlets were the work of individual businesses men. "The Brethren church has had no involvement in what so ever with the advertisements in New Zealand or any other country."

For ex-Brethren around the world this claim makes no sense. Here is a church were authority over the tiniest details of believers’ lives is maintained by brutal expulsion. For challenging the authority of the Elect Vessel, for watching television for having a beer with a non-believer, members are expelled from their faith and their family. The emotions carnage is appalling. For these people, the idea that individuals Brethren could of their own accord take the revolutionary step of entering worldly politics doesn’t compute.

A recent- and fearful- refugee from the sect told the Herald: "No one would have countenanced doing this without the complete sanction of the leader universally."

In the absence of the Elect Vessel -all but invisible to the outside world – the Brethren delegation sitting in the splendor of Sydney’s Observatory Hotel was as heavy as it gets. Account Phillip McNaughton arranged the meeting. He had grown up in the sect after his father’s expulsion.

The oldest of the elders present was Athol Greene, father-in-law and spiritual advisor to the Elect Vessel. Regarded as a decent man even by critics of the church, Greene was expelled for a while and lived in his garage. Both deferred to quick-tongued, tubby Daniel Hales, the leader’s brother.

The Hale’s excite strong passion among the ex-Brethren. The exiles say the shift into politics – plus a fresh emphasis on business prosperity and greater demands for cash contributions to the church – began in 2002 when Bruce Hales inherited the leadership from his father.

Daniel blamed changing times for Brethren intervening in politics. "I think what you’ve got to see is that there’s been a tremendous shift in the whole world. Go back 50 years when I was a boy homosexuals went to jail. The Judeo – Christian principals, that are biblical, were taken for granted, weren’t they? Sacrosanct. Everybody saluted the flag. Everybody said the Lord’s Prayer. In the world we are now finding ourselves, those things are all up for date." But he assured the Herald Brethren plunging into that public debate are not doing so with the endorsement for the church. "We do it as individuals." He conceded his brother as never disciplined anyone for campaigning and denies similar ads with similar ads placed by members of the tightly knit organization in countries all around the world are evidences of a corporate effort. "It isn’t. It’s got no church involvement. It’s got no school involvement." He added, "You’ve got to allow for spontaneity."

Despite Brethren putting their names to ads with message like "Keep Howard in Bennlong "and" Thank You, President Bush, "Hales insists Brethren are not endorsing people or parties: "We don’t support the political party perse. We support a principle. If somebody is promoting the right principle – that homosexuality is a sin – we’ll support that person."

Homosexuality is hot topic No.1 with the Brethren but respect for the US is also high on the list. In 2004 Brethren ran an ad campaign in New Zealand supporting the US alliance and nuclear ships. Greene explained: "We believed America is for the general good. They get slandered and God knows what. But if Indonesia gets busy, or Iran or North Korea – then I think they might be glad of a couple of nuclear power chips." The tricky part of this meeting – conducted with gusto by these elders – was following the logic that says Brethren are forbidden by God to vote but its fine for them to urge others to vote. How so? "For exactly this reason," said Hales. "I see it as a sin and you don’t. So I’m very happy for you to vote because to you it’s your obligation to the community. But to me, it’s my conscience that doesn’t allow me to vote." They said the church insists on total honesty and lawfulness. But did it show candor to fight Canada’s Civil Marriage Act via a post box in a 7-Eleven? "That’s just a sensible move to avoid persecution and anything unfair," said Hales. "It avoids the Mad Hatter attack, isn’t that fair?"

These men are all businessmen. They apologized for being strapped for time at the end of the financial year. The source of the Sect’s great prosperity are a little businesses – office fit outs, carpets, roofing, small manufacturing, farming – that succeed for the best reason that work is good and they’re known to be honest. Brethren families are forbidden to buy boats and holiday houses, go skiing or spend anything on public entertainment. Booze is allowed but the stern obligation to lead simple lives leaves lots of cash to spare. Hales gives God credit for this material success. "We don’t have a lot to other business interests. We tend to take on small business and just run with it. Our efforts are very much governed by biblical principals." Greene added the text – or the "Touch" as they say in the Sect: "Whatever that you do labour at it heartily." And business has brought a certain relaxation to the rules: e-mails, computers are allowed where necessary for business. "We won’t alter a divinely held Biblical principal we believe in," said Hales. "But we’re not Luddites."

Bob Brown admits his party was "almost culpably naïve" going into the Tasmanian elections earlier this year. Mysterious pamphlets appeared smearing the Greens’ lax attitudes to drugs and attacking the party’s tax policies. But the focus was on sex, homosexuals, gay marriage, sex –change operations funded by Medicare and the foul idea that "Persons (may) choose their own gender regardless of their sex at birth."

Late in the campaign, the Greens candidate Peter Cover noticed this material was authorized by men in the island’s north – east Bible belt. Someone in the party knew someone living down the road from them in Scottsdale. Calls were made. The pig farmer and the carpet merchant on the pamphlets turned out to be Brethrens.

Brown called for a Senate inquiry into the sect – into its tax breaks, government funding for its schools, the impact on families of ex communications and the role the church was playing in "Australia politics and political activities." The Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz flew to the Brethren’s defence, comparing Brown’s action to Nazi persecution of the Jews: "When are leader of a political in Australia starts scapegoating a lawful religious minority the warning bells of history should be ringing loud… once you remove the Green overcoat, there is a Brown shirt lurking underneath." Brown’s call for an injury will be debated in August. The Australian Electoral Commission has confirmed it is still "Considering whether the Exclusive Brethren has a disclosure obligation related to the 2004 federal election." And from the ranks of the Brethren comes the faintest, faintest whisper that some brave souls are thinking of moving against the Hales.

COMMENT: Well may Liberal Senator Abetz, go into bat for the Exclusive Brethren as does Messrs. Howard and Costello support the Hillsong church. The truth of the matter Senator Abetz is, that religious sects have played a major role in giving our Government the dictatorial powers that are being exercised which is not dis-similar to the way Hitler controlled Nazi Germany and Stalin controlled Communist USSR. The Family First political party is supposed to be sympathetic towards the family unit and yet, when Queensland National Senator, Barnaby Joyce refused to support the Howard – Vaile Coalition’s changes to the industrial laws – "Work choices," – Victorian Family First Senator, Steve Fielding crossed the floor of Parliament and supported the Government’s industrial Bill.

Family First have very strong links to the Hillsong church. As for the Exclusive Brethren, they supported John Howard and his Government even through they are guilty of breaching the Australian Constitution and continue to ignore enforcing federal laws.

Link >>>> INVALID DRUG LAWS

The Howard – Vaile Coalition continued to covet the truth about our almost non-existent "Border Security."

Link >>>> "Minding the Gate."

Link >>>> THE TRUTH ABOUT PENSIONS

Link >>>> The real facts about the sale of Telstra.

We can’t believe that Liberal Senator Abetz can support a religious sect to vote in our elections; but are more than happy to finance somebody else to foster their opinion, i.e. newspaper ads and pamphlets letter – boxing. We can assure you we do not support the Greens as visitors to our website would be well aware of this fact.

Sydney residents are doing the right thing and using less water but they are being punished by paying more what, they do use. Sydney Water’s half – yearly report reveals its year – to – date after – tax profit is $85 million, $10 million above the utility’s target. Part of the extra profit is coming from deferring spending in areas such as repairing leaky pipes and delaying the delivery of the a sewage treatment plant. But fees have been rising above the inflation rate, with consumers forced to pay on average an extra $60 a year after the last rise – an increase of 8.7%. On Monday May 8, 2006 Opposition finance spokeswoman Peta Seaton said, Sydney Water was ensuring its big profits did not suffer just because residents were being responsible with consumption.

"Sydney Water customers are paying more money for less water and a worse service," Ms. Seaton said. "And customers should brace for more increases because Sydney Water wants to make certain its bottom line doesn’t suffer as a result of people being responsible with water usage." The Sydney Water report also says that capital expenditure is down 6%, or $36 million. Less money is being spent on asset renewal – including repairing leaky pipes. Sydney Water has budgeted to spend $181 million in asset maintenance this financial year. (2006) but that forecast has been reduced by $8 million. "They are saving money but not repairing leaky pipes," Ms. Seaton said. She said another reason Sydney Water had increased fees was because it had received less than expected in developer contributions. "Sydney Water has budgeted for a total of $167 million in capital contributions from developers in 2005/2006, but in the half year to December 2005 had received only $36 million", she said.

It was reported in April that there was a record of miss management Sydney Water in meeting its licence obligations to reduce water consumption. The bungles are wasting 40 litres of water in breach of its own operating licence. It’s very evident that there’s a different law for Government agencies in comparison to the community rank and file.

Ted Knoblock from Coffs Harbour (NSW) writes; We all feel for those who have suffered losses at the hands of Cyclone Larry, but it might be time to have a reality check on the losses to the banana industry.

After Cyclone Winfred devastated the same area in 1986, the Queensland Department of Primary Industries advised growers that they needed to spread their risk and diversify into other areas. They did, into the Burdekin Irragation area and Mackay region.

That was Ok until six growers, known as the "Big 6," decided they wanted to dominate the industry, and began planting thousands of acres of bananas between Tully and Innisfail (QLD). They planned for more bananas than they could sell, with the aim of removing the small family unit farm from the equation. An extended period of low returns to smaller growers has seen that happen and may have gone out of the industry backwards.

Banana consumers have enjoyed a long period of oversupply and low returns to growers. This is why Coles and Woolworths regularly run "loss leaders" on bananas to get you into their stores.

So when you see the big growers on TV whingeing about losing a thousand acres, don’t cry too much for them.

Remember instead the hundreds of small family units from Macksville to Mossman that are no longer there because of the greed of the "Big 6."

There will still be enough bananas to go around; the consumer will just pay a bit more and buy a few less.

In the 12 MONTHS UP TO October 2005, Australia’s exports to the United States (US) have fallen by 4.7% while imports from the U.S. has risen to 5.7% thanks to the lopsided U.S. – Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that heavily favours the Americans. Many experts who supported thus agreement admitted that they are shocked by these figures. A spokesman for Trade Minister Mark Vaile said, the Coalition Government always knew it would take 5 years before any benefits from the FTA could be felt.

Mr. Howard, Mr. Vaile it would have been nicer if you had altered your supporters and the Australian public that there was a 5 year time span involving benefits with the FTA prior to the release if the trade figures. It certainly exposes the lopsidedness of the free trade deal.

Every concerned Australian who can get their hands on a copy of "How To Kill A Country" should especially turn to page 58 and study the article, "Medicines."

Discover how the FTA with the U.S. is going to destroy our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The evidence is living proof that the Howard – Vaile Coalition Government – just don’t give a damn. The Australian voters have granted the Howard – Vaile Coalition Dictatorial Powers by giving them the majority in both the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament. And when you realise they ignore the majority public opinion by voting to sell Telstra and legislate to introduce "Work Choices" is enough evidence that the Australian community can "go to hell."

It’s worth noting that on Thursday July, 13, 2006 it was made public than under the Howard – Vaile Coalition Australia has had their fiftieth consecutive Trade Deficit, that’s correct four years and two months of consecutive Trade Deficits a remarkable achievement from a Government who are supposed to be our Economic Mentors. What a joke.

This article appeared in the Gunnedah Grey Power July Newsletter.

"Since our last newsletter, contact has been made with Labor politician Julia Gillard, MP for Lalor, on the question of blood being processed overseas. Ms. Gillard has made mention, in the media, of the possibility of offshore processing on a number of occasion.

Further information from Ms. Gillard’s office includes a website where the issue is discussed in detail.

www.arcbs.redcross.org.au/donor

gives access to a 62 page submission by the Red Cross on the need to retain the blood services in Australia.

The talks about opening up the whole blood collection and processing business to any interested party, is part of the US/ Australia Free Trade Agreement. A successful enterprise must prove itself before a panel of so called impartial referees with outside interests presenting a case for the monopoly to be disbanded.

The attempts by Baxters to enter the blood is real with incredible profits to be made out of an essential service. Any interested party will go to untold measures to gain an interest in the supply and manufacturing of blood products.

World Courts have been mentioned for appeal if the panel’s decision does not favour Baxter’s infiltration

How many other instances are there where, under the Free Trade Agreement, successful Oz industries are being put under threat by overseas interests."

It must be noted that, we brought the concessions conceded to the Bush Government for a U.S. – Australia Free Trade Agreement to the attention of the Senior Federal Labor Senators prior to the Bill being put to the floor of the Upper House. The Labor Senators ignored out warning and crossed the floor and voted to support the Howard – Vaile Coalition’s Bill.

The hidden State electricity tax for the coming year has been set at:

Energy Australia $18.812.000.000

Integral Australia $12.275.000.000

Country Energy $8.913.000.000

Total about $ 40 million

The energy suppliers are required to pay these sums to the State Government into what is as the Energy savings fund.

The tax is, of course added to your power bills as well as GST etc. The rip-off sanctioned by the Energy and Utilities Administration Act which orders the publicly owned suppliers to pay up.

The government will object to the compulsorily payment being called a tax and their spin doctors could no doubt prove that the payment is welcomed by the struggling pensioner and charitable organisations.

All public utilities are required to pay a percentage of earnings to the Government in the form of a levy. The authorities become profit driven de facto tax collectors rather than solely the providers of supper efficient services to the owners of NSW, the public.

A profit must be returned to the Government irrespective of the trading performance of the utility. All reasonable requirements such as adequate service and product up dates must come before any money is siphoned off to the consolidated revenue. Sadly, it seems that the dividend comes before any other consideration.

The question of mining prime grazing and agricultural for the short term benefits of supplying fossil fuels to say, Japan is still unresolved. Local groups are worried about the intrusion of mining into the pristine agricultural area with the sheer size of BHP Billiton tending to overshadow genuine farming concerns.

The bulldozer tactics used by BHP relies on intimidation to get their points across with any opposition treated with disdain.

The giant BHP/BILLITON mining consortium continues to do the surveys on the fertile Liverpool Plains with platitudes that their investigations will be fair and unbiased.

The Primary Industries Minister, Ian McDonald has already said that a thousand mining jobs would be economically better than the jobs of a few farmers.

Minister McDonald also suggests that an inquiry into the environmental matters related to the mining developments, by Billiton BHP, will be transparent and unbiased. No need for an independent assessment he says ……… the though appealing to Caesar, comes to mind.

In the best styles of the TV series "Yes Minister" an inquiry should only be initiated if the outcome is known before the inquiry commences. This way there can be no embarrassing surprises.

The buyers of high grade coal have no interest in where the coal is mined or what environmental damage will be done to pristine cropping land.

Both open cut and underground mining have unknown effects on the various water tables on the Plains and any recommendations by the "experts" will be pure speculation. Each site and situation is unique and great caution is needed when decisions are made. Guestimates will be the order of the day and one would have better odds of success when buying scratchy tickets.

It has been said that only a very, very small percentage of land will be actually torn up by the mining ventures…… it is not the amount of ground disturbed rather the effect that the disturbed ground has on the water aquifers and sub soil structure.

The scientific knowledge of the earth’s strata is limited with conjecture, speculation and guesswork being used to favor a wanted result. Most experts have their own favorite theories and their assessments will invariably contain the in concrete ideas.

The mining bodies are only interested in profit and such profits will be obtained with little regard to the environment. The firms will pay lip service to mining conditions but once the project starts all their good intentions will go by the wayside in the name of profit.

The Liverpool Plains have taken millions of years to establish and a false move by the miners will destroy for ever, a part of Australia’s heritage. Many acres of land have been ruined by rising water tables and salinity caused by man’s ignorance of long term environmental factors.

Prime agricultural land should not be ruined for the sake of overseas coal buyers or the returns to the off shore investors who would be quite ignorant of any internal conservation issues in Oz.

There have been plenty of environmental mistakes in Australia over the past 150 years and now is the time to reverse the trend and save the land for our grand-children’s grandchildren. Surely the bureaucrats and politicians can act responsibly and err on the side of caution rather, than bow to the mighty dollar.

St. George has again increased its charges for allowing the public to have their money in a safe place. Minimum credit balance of $3000 is now required before account fees are suspended. For a balance below $3000 the bank now charges $6 per month so that they may use your money to gain a profit for the institution.

It is so important now to look carefully at all the financial transactions and conditions regarding the money lenders…… they are intent on taking the so called widow mite and no source of income is ignored.

Many years ago, the Commonwealth Bank heavily promoted school children to save by way of saving accounts paying two or three percent interest.

Six pence or a shilling a week soon built up into useful deposits and brand loyalty was established at an early age. Now kids are charged an arm and a leg to look after their accountants with draconian fees applicable if balances fall below unrealistic levels.

We were told that deregulation of the banking industry would create competition for customers thus ensuring high interest rates on deposit and realistic lending terms. Trust us, ‘twas said……

"Home Instead," an American franchise held by a Brisbane couple, has set up business in a small way on the Gold Coast and is actively promoting an aged care scheme to the Federal authorities. Home Instead provides various help services for the aged and incapacitated at an hourly rate.

A recent ABC 7.30 report outlined a proposal to change the present Federal ‘aged care packages’ into a type of voucher system with the actual services provided by private enterprise.

The vouchers would be issued to eligible aged persons who could decide where and what service he/she required. The vouchers are valued at $30 per hour and there would no doubt there would be a very competitive streak amongst the providers to gain access to the vouchers.

The Home Instead scheme, as do others, suppliers the services needed by the aged and takes the $30 vouchers as payment.

At present, the supplier of the services gets the grant money and then allocates it as is sees fit to do the aged person's). The new proposal system would see the funds (vouchers) issued to the aged person and that person would then select the organization to give a particular service. The funds would actually be allocated to the person for use at their discretion rather than have the bureaucracy decide who gets what under the limited funds available.

The Federal Minister for ageing, Senator Santo Santoro, has expressed interest in the way the help scheme is being promoted and states that the concept (?) is important to him as a Liberal.

The Government payments to child care centres have made these businesses much sought after and no doubt a similar profit margin await investors in the aged care gravy train.

The private providers would offer a range of services from personal hygiene, shopping service, handyman jobs to transport and provide the service out of the $30 voucher, less the administrative costs.

The labour supplied would be paid a far less hourly rate than the face values of the voucher no doubt on an Australian Workplace Agreement, with the surplus being used to support the franchisee.

The master franchise holder would make unbelievable profits from the sale of franchises without actually supplying one service to a client.

This intrusion into the aged care system is possible because of the United States – Australia Free Trade Agreement where all contracts and services are thrown open to world wide competition.

The American system is up and running in the States and can be spread throughout Australia at the blink of an eye.

The overall health system in Australia is pretty good with a great deal of services available at little or no cost. Heaven forbid that we should allow any of our social services to be run by private enterprise where profits overrides any compassionate consideration for individuals.

This is the true facts about Australia’s devastating Free Trade Deal with the United States.

How To Kill A Country is a result of an in depth research by co-authors, Professors Linda Weiss – John Matthews and Dr. Elizabeth Thurbon.

It’s hard to believe an Australian could sign a deal which so betrays Australia’s interests.

How To Kill A Country demonstrates how the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as negotiated will seriously damage Australia’s institutions, interests and identity.

Three of Australia’s leading policy analysts have investigated the fine print of Australia’s FTA with the United States. What they found is that the lopsidedness of the deal is just the beginning of the story. Most harmful is the sacrifice of our national autonomy and control over key institutions that underpin our prosperity.

The Australian Government claims the FTA will boost Australia’s exports and local economy. The reality is that FTA overturns Australia’s laws and institutions, and turns the country into an appendage of the United States. Australia faces the prospect of becoming a ‘Vanishing Country’ – in the way that Canada is described, 15 years after signing its FTA with the United States.

This book is an Allen and Unwin Publication.

We do not apologise for being repetitive on serious issues therefore, we must remind the Australian Community that the Federal Labor Opposition being made fully aware of the lopsided concessions that the Howard- Vaile Coalition Government granted to the Americans in the United States – Australia FTA still crossed both the Lower and Upper House floor of Parliament to support the Government FTA Bill.

The future safety of Australia’s blood supply could be jeopardised under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States, researcher warned.

The Howard – Vaile – Liberal – Coalition has agreed to recommend to the States and Territories that it be opened up to tender. Researchers warn the long term will leave it vulnerable to loss.

We have no doubts that one of the world’s largest blood processors Baxters will be allowed to tender for blood and have it sent home to the United States for processing in accordance with the FTA.

The Beazley led Labor Opposition cannot be critical of the Howard Government as their party was well aware of the lopsided concessions conceded to the United States in the FTA with Australia, and yet their elected representatives crossed the floor of the Lower and Upper House of Parliament in support of the Federal Government.

Both major parties have signed away Australian Community’s "quality of life" knowing full well the FTA is massively loaded in favour of the United States.

Rolling back the rock covering Liberal factional dirt in NSW has revealed a number of unpleasant and vile practices.

John Hyde Page has done the stone – moving and, in the process, claimed to be a past practitioner of the vile and unpleasant. What he displays is not as downright evil as the 1980 bashing of defenceless MP Peter Baldwin, perhaps the ugliest episode in the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) factional History.

But occasionally it gets close. What Hyde Page’s book, The Education of a Young Liberal (Melbourne University Press), suggests is how, when you get political players young enough, ethics can be bled from them. He recalls a 7 year career – 1997 to 2004 – of running factional battles in the NSW Young Liberals, that gritty political training ground.

Its past presidents include John Brogden, Marise Payne, Michael Photios, Chris Puplick, Phillip Ruddoch and the very first one – John Howard. All political memoirs are self-serving and that shouldn’t be forgotten when reading this book. Hyde Page wasn’t nearly important as he makes out. And one alleged participant in a meeting he relates can’t remember being there and doubts he was.

The book tells how senior ministers from the left and right use taxpayer money for staff who essentially are there for factional not public, service. He mentions Joe Hockey and Helen Coonan, Tony Abbott and John Howard, although at times the ministers might not know what is going on.

The author writes of one displaced warrior who ended up proudly on the staff of the Prime Minister’s electorate office, with a business card to prove it. "This was a step up for Tim, but less impressive than it sounds," reads the book.

"John Howard would have profound difficulty picking his electorate office staffers out of a police identity parade, let alone supplying their names." Hyde Page was a moderate, although he gives no solid ideological reasons for this other than that members of the right repulsed him. On a couple of occasions he even played footsies with the right in quests for personal advancement.

One of the uses for his book is that it warns parties against reliance on careerists – political "professionals" for whom the capturing of number far outweighs representing a community. This is one of the deficiencies the Liberals like to pin on the ALP and its trade union training schools.

"And the Labor Party is falling into the trap of having too shallow a gene pool from which they recruit new members." Howard said in June last year (2005) in comments that apply to his own party. Hyde Page describes the hard core of the Young Liberals of his time as "Melrose Place: A closed little community driven by a mix of tensions – personal sexual and political – and the active Young Liberals were in paid positions with parliamentarians, easy jobs that allowed time for gossip and intrigue that no person in normal private – sector employment would be able to find." The moderates, known as The Group, were ruthless manipulates of individuals and the rules to dominate party branches. They stacked branches, artificially inflating memberships with people who would then take little or no role in party affairs and would alienate genuine members. The branches were hollowed out – a centre of non – performing ciphers with only a thin rim of people to distribute how-to-vote cards, raise money, and maintain community contacts for the party.

It wasn’t just kiddy politics involved. The Young Libs were commandos in raids to take and defend important seats, such as Hyde Page’s long involvement with Wentworth, now occupied by Malcolm Turnball. If the moderates were unspeakable, so were their rivals – the Liberal right which recently has been led by David Clarke a NSW Upper House member with strong church links.

Hyde Page himself a possessor of a strong faith, makes clear this faction could be equably ineffable. Reporters looking into Clarke’s activities regularly get accused of sectarianism, with lots of frowns and tut-tuttering about religious persecution embellishing the charge.

It would be sectarianism if the religious faiths of the central characters were under attack, but they are not.

The issue isn’t an argument over how best to redeem souls in an a afterlife, or pay honour to God’s will here on Earth.

It’s about winning and retaining political power-raw, brutal, nasty, triumphalist, I-can-dance-on-your-face-whenever-I-want political power. Anyone who tells you otherwise about the Clarke forces should immediately shrive themselves.

The use of that power might differ slightly from fraction to fraction within a party, but the taking of it involves the same methods and intent for all.

And it should never be believed that a faction is a gathering of undiluted ideological conformity.

Homophobes abound in the so-called progressive faction of the Liberal moderates, while clumps of pagans have provided much of the muscle for the right.

The aforementioned article was expressed by political reporter Malcolm Farr in the "Opinion" column of the Daily Telegraph, Monday, July 24, 2006

It’s quite obvious to us that party politics is about factions and ambition and this is the elected members and their supporters main aim in lieu, of giving true representation to those in the community who voted them in.