Bash Young Liberals! : Melbourne Indymedia

On March 20 during the anti-occupation rally a very small group of Young Liberals attended with pro-war banners chanting right wing slogans. My immediate reaction was to charge at these bastards and try to smash thier placards and hurt them as much as possible. I was accompanied by several other enraged demonstrators. Unfortunately the more militant socialist groups had already marched away so most of the immediate crowd complained that we where ruining a peaceful march. I stand by the actions we took. When Liberals have the confidence to attend a anti-war demo it clearly isn't a good sign. If people are serious about activism they should realise that change doesn't come from wishing problems away it comes from militant direct action. By standing there debating with a bunch of right wingers at a rally, not only are people wasting time and demoralising everyone, they are giving them confidence to come back and disrupt more rallies. In the ideal situation Young Liberals should be left bruised, bashed and bleeding if they dare show thier face at a rally like that. That way they will be more hesitant about coming next time, and if they do the police will be more likely to quickly move them on.
I am just sick of turning on the TV and seeing rallies presented as being a debate between demonstrators and young liberals. The media always give the right-wingers more air time and often interview them despite the fact that they represent only a dozen or so people in a rally of hundreds. Who cares if the news portrays the protest as violent; they do it anyway, and when they are not violent they don't report them at all. If it looks that way on the TV it just means we look more serious and frankly, it makes us more likely to win our demands.

"I may disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it" (Voltaire 238).

Going the thump solves nothing. The young Libs maybe snotty little pricks. But you sound just as bad. Learn to debate issues. Not utilise force when your teenage ego gets dented.

You can't physcially force ignorance out of them. Just leave them alone and ignore them, starved of attention they will become bored and leave. This has happened at every demo where the Young Libs have attended. A few self-proclaimed "militant direct action socialists" see to it they get a bashing, yet when there ignored they leave.

What we really need is some brave pacifists to form a barrier between our morons and their morons.

I know how to debate issues...
The fact is that these Young Liberals are either too dense to understand or they know all the facts and are rich shits who stand to gain the most out of what we are protesting against. Debating with them is pointless; you waste all your energy and all they do is laugh and shrug when you prove them wrong.

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. Mahatma Gandhi

But it may take at least at decade to three, for you to fully comprehend that, little Gilbert.

We tried ignoring them at the Melbourne uni demo. Channel 10 gave them an interview, we ignored that. The Libs chanted for the cameras, we ignored that. Finally when they decided to wade into the middle of the crowd and try to steal a banner people lost their patience and gave them a shove. At least on March 20 after a brief tussle the cops made sure they where kept away from the rally.

Gilbert - As much as I can sympathise with where you're coming from it sounds like you're distorting the tactic of militancy a bit - your twisting token skirmishes with the liberals into some kind of anti-war strategy. The best direct actions would be occupations of army barracks or liberal headquarters - actions that involve hundreds of people. I guess when a movement is not at its strongest you can start grasping at straws, but I wreckon we should be trying to win the big arguments for occupations and real direct actions - rather than trying to convince ourselves that beating up a couple of liberals would be a huge leap forward for the anti-war movement.

"...My immediate reaction was to charge at these bastards and try to smash thier placards and hurt them as much as possible. ..."

Gilbert,

I bet you call them "fascists", don't you?

Gilbert,

Have a look at yourself mate. Here you are endorsing violence against Liberals at a peace rally! Do you even know the cause that you are promoting. Don't you find it contradictory to be advocating for peace on the one hand and advocating bashings on the other.

You really should wake up to yourself.

"Unfortunately the more militant socialist groups had already marched away so most of the immediate crowd complained that we where ruining a peaceful march."

Usually these groups hide whenever anything happens,then pretend they were at the thick of it the next day.You have a lot to learn Gilby.

i think helen hit the nail on the head when she distinguished individual acts of violence from collective militancy. Yes I agree, attacking small groups of Young Liberals does nothing for the anti-war cause. Certainly not compared with mass occupations or blockades (which are acts of violence in reality).
It may well be personal grudges that provoke attacking Libs. After all, these Young Liberals campaign actively to shut down student unions as well as blatantly corrupting any democratic process, to the point where they are being investigated by the courts. When you think that these people want to run the country it should send shivers down the spine. That aside.
I think all those who preach "peace" and "non-violence" because it's a "peace" rally are ridiculous. If you think you can change something by doing nothing you are wrong. Long boring marches into a park where we listen to some country music are a nice way to meet fellow activists and make for a pleasant afternoon but have no where near the impact of stike action, occupations or blockades. All of which are by no means peaceful. A show of force from a large collective group is what real activism is about not gauntly drudging along in a peace march, ignoring the reality and hoping it will all go away.

Gilbert,

Here's a clue why your stupid peace marches don't work. AND why it makes no difference whether you bash up your political opponents.

At the recent Sydney Local Government Elections on March 27, the Socialist Alliance candidate clocked up a very heathy zero point seven (0.7) per cent of the vote.

An independent won.

The libs got less than 10 per cent as I recall.

Zero POINT seven per cent.

What does that tell you, bozo?

Freepers Down Under
by Sydney's Local-Government Freepers Friday April 16, 2004 at 07:20 AM

What does that tell you, Manly-ratepayer-funded bozo?

If u get in a fight with snotty fat little libererals. U might hurt them, this should be advoided at all costs. That could be your bosses son or even your own future boss or a great leader that could one day send your first born of to war.

Now how does that make u feel. These rich liberals should be left alone not attacked because it's only making the media's job of trying to make them look good easier. Which is pretty easy when they can say that it was hundreds of protesters vs a dozen liberals.

Bashing liberals will not get rid of them as they will just turn up in bigger an safer numbers.
I belive the best and most senible way of dealing with this would be to get hold of these liberals dress them up as efigy's of John Horward and burn them. That way you know that aren't going to come back an belive me thats a really powerful meassage to both other liberals and to John Howard himself.

Cmon you funky young people, forget Leons chemically assisted ramblings.

This is the real news of the day - Mark Latham goes bling-bling
<http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9276520%255E1702,00.html>

FEDERAL Opposition leader Mark Latham today promised the young people of Australia more "bling-bling".

Mr Latham made the pledge during a light-hearted interview on Perth's Nova 93.7 FM radio, where he was schooled on how to appear more "cool" than Prime Minister John Howard.

Cmon you funky young people, forget Chris Parson's chemically assisted Manly ratepayer-funded parrottings for PNAC-Zion, and the defense of his illegal hate-filled activities by various Zionazi stooges within the IMC collective who think his "discussions" and "original" contributions are kosher. For Jehovah's sake, change the subject to something--anything--else.

ZERO point seven percent?

LMFAO

Some MIM Young Lib moved my comment to make me look techno-illiterate.

Here 'tis

http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2004/04/66736_comment.php#66877

======================================
Cmon you funky young people, forget Chris Parson's chemically assisted Manly ratepayer-funded parrottings for PNAC-Zion, and the defense of his illegal hate-filled activities by various Zionazi stooges within the IMC collective who think his "discussions" and "original" contributions are kosher. For Jehovah's sake, change the subject to something--anything--else.
======================================

Whew! - you changed the cubject, "Wil".

Thanks!

"Neca eos omnes. Deus suos agnoset"

So if you want "change" you must take "militant direct action"

Now is it just me, but isn't that what the US, Britian and Australia are doing in Iraq. - They want to chage Iraq, so they too "direct, militant action"

If you're somehow morally obliged to attack the young liberals enforce your point of view... Can't the government do the same.

Oh wait... they're only acting "morally" if you agree with them.... Silly me!

So you want to establish a socialist state, where people aren't allowed to protest when the socialist do something the don't like?

If the young Liberal slimebags like the war so much they should go there and get their soft white smart arses blown off. Fucking imbeciles.

If they chose to harrass and provoke people who wish to express their opposition to the invasion of Iraq they should expect a clip over the ear for being typical young liberal wankers.

Got it dickhead?

If these sweet young things are so fond of dispensing and administering the sweet boot of authority they should at least know what it tastes like.

I thought those bozos were with us
well they looked happy enough to be anyway
anyway if they were in my company they'd change there minds in 2 seconds flat

Hey ED... did you ever consider that those young liberals may want to join, or are, members of the ADF.... who actually WANT to go over to Iraq and fight?

Don't hit me red!
by Peter Costello moderate ALP Friday April 16, 2004 at 09:27 PM

Don't hit me Red! Stop...Don't hit, stop...don't...stop.

Actually the counter-protestors at that rally are more likely to become members of One Nation or some fascist group. Most of them were upjumped white trash NOT yuppies. Look at the banners they had & their comments ("we got the bastard" referring to Saddam). and the first abuse was from them; they inferred I was a socialist & that I should got to Cuba. No wonder I was so pissed off.

Taking action not talking action.
As always there are those that will take direct personal action about a situation & those that are passive & content. The latter tend to be reformists living a comfortable life (by global standards); is there a material basis for pacifism?
Ghandi may have been willing to starve but he never lacked food; like most pacifists he had a comfortable "middle" class upbringing (a lawyer, no less) & adequate food.

I think that many of those pro US supporters got more than they expected or wanted and rightly so. Their banners were destroyed, they got pushed around & their US flag was burnt. Those that sympathise with them or criticise other's actions are merely showing their own lack of political commitment & understanding; SILENCE = CONSENT!

Ignoring them will NOT make them go away, it makes them think that others are too stupid or weak to oppose them. Learn a bit from history, about the rise of fascism, rather than being complacent & accepting.

popefred
(:þ)

If they come for me at night, they will come for you in the morning.

Being strong and defiant does not mean being accepting OR violent.

Young Libs? Simply keep a watchful eye on the little fuckers, chances are that they're too wrapped up in shiny materialist shit to have any longterm interest in politics.

If you can be bothered you'll find that groups like One Nation fervently oppose the Iraq war. They do not support Howard.

These are young libs hell bent on provocation and causing trouble.

Give 'em what they're after, gilbert; a nice big slap. Kick their pampered arses all the way back Wesley college in no uncertain terms. I guarantee they won't be back in a hurry.

I'll be happy to join you in giving our Johnny Howard supporters a dose of reality.

The young libs are fascists .

They are the Australian Falangists.

They support people who kill people to get what they want (usually oversees) .

They support people who use violence against people seeking peaceful change here, we have seen that with attacks on demonstrators at various protests.

When in power the libs and labor right defend there dirty little ideals with force .

We are in a situation where violence is used against us all the time by the state and its henchmen which includes irregular forces (libs and other rednecks).

In short this is war and they are the enemy , we are not in peacetime.

World peace means we dont go setlling scores against our neighboors by force unless it it is in self defence of ourselves or others it is our duty to protect.

To use force in self defence against the irregular forces of the right at home is to defend the position of those who would prevent them from keeping power or gaining it with the resultant consequences on life and liberty.

You can still be a pacifist and fight .

Our task is to bring about regime change at home and to bring in actual democracy where the reason of state is to provide a framwork of human rights and environmental protection for all within our jurisdiction this being defeined as the welfare of the people, where the rule of law exists soley to protect these ideals and where capitalism is what is left when it is protected.

At the moment freedom is what is left after laws have been passed protecting the interests of the fascists- we "are freed do do anything subject to the law".

Wouldn't it be nice to turn that back on them for a change?

This cant be done without a little push and shove , the bullies need to get a bloody nose once in a while .

Why not?

Way to be a Nazi!

The Young Libs are the true radicals - supporting the overthrow of tyranny, endemic clericalism, fundamentalism, virulent hatred of women, torture and anti-minority violence.

Grow up and joing the struggle!

Smash tyranny with GWB!!

Most comments opposing the "give them what for" line are the regular pacifists and the ones who constantly side with the right at IMC. They can dish it out but they cant take it. It says a lot.

Come see the violence inherent in the socialist system!

They're all wannabe Stalins and Pol Pots.

How DARE those liberals have the GALL to excersise their democratic rights too free speech and protest!!!

Shame Liberals shame!

Number 1: Liberal Students

Number 2: What's the matter? Are you scared? Threatened? Worried that we're stealing your spotlight?

If you are the Gilbert that I am assuming you are, you did not charge in and try and hurt us as much as you could. If you did, you are weaker than I thought. Some of us were left "bruised, bashed and bleeding", but hey, we're glutton's for punishment and keep coming back for more. You do realise that the media is left-leaning, don't you? If not, you are much less intelligent than I presumed.

Number 3: Violence on TV will make it more likely you get your demands? What have you been smoking? You are a bunch of militant criminals who are lucky to be out of prison at the moment. The public does not respond well to people like you, who assume that you have a right to destroy privately owned property. Have you not read the papers? The public hates you.

Your protests do not work. Last time I checked we DID go to Iraq (despite your protesting) and we are STILL in Iraq (despite your protesting). Oh, and I do believe the Nelson reforms were passed. Looks like you aren't really having much success. Perhaps it's time to give up, get a life and get back to class.

Lot's of love to you all. Your friend,
Alix

Who do they think they are? These protester rabble are nothing but a bunch of Bush, Bliar, Howard wannabes.

Alix: You do realise that the media is left-leaning, don't you?

Yes yes, the Communist International Conspiracy has taken over our once proud honest Aussie media.
Tell me Alix - what does "left" actually mean? What does "right" actually mean? Seeing you are obviously very intelligent, perhaps you could explain *how* the "media is left-leaning".

Thanx in anticipation.

Hey Gilbert

Stop trying to pick up hippie howlers, they don't shave or shower regularly. If you are looking for a fight with someone who believes in the removal of saddam from iraqi dictatorship then please give me a call - banga, 0425205253.

"If people are serious about activism they should realise that change doesn't come from wishing problems away it comes from militant direct action"

that's funny, isn't 'militant direct action' what the allies did when they got rid of saddam whilst the un held a nice meeting 'wishing problems away'?

i don't have a problem with you because of your opposing view point on iraq. i have a problem with you because what you advocate above is no better than the repression forced upon the people of iraq by saddam.

"i have a problem with you because what you advocate above is no better than the repression forced upon the people of iraq by saddam."

I wasn't aware that a bit of argy bargy (regardless of whether it's "right" or "wrong") was really comparable to the ultra-violence unleashed by Nation states, of which Saddam's Iraq is just one.

Please get a clue.

The author of this article is just as violent, hateful and opposes freedom (especially of thought and speech) as much as Sadaam ever did.

No wonder he and his lurgies were protesting the war in Iraq...

Next time some idiot starts spouting offensive crap at a protest try this:

Sneak up to the nearest cop and flick off his hat. When he turns around in a fit of rage and pulls out the capsicum spray - just point at the Young Liberals and shout "THEY DID IT!".

If joining a young lib counter demo means broken bones then its support will be lost. Simple.

"If joining a young lib counter demo means broken bones then its support will be lost. Simple."
Yep, and same goes for anti-war protests.
So better to get the cops and Young Libs to break each others bones for you.

G'Day,

My name is Julian and I'm President of the Melbourne University Liberal Club; and one of the organisers of the Liberal Students who you've noticed at your rallies.

Firstly, we are not 'Young Liberals'; we are not affiliated with the Liberal Party, though heavily supportive of it. We're a student movement which supports and promotes the liberal ideology on campus.

One of the reasons we are attending rallies is to present to you that you do not have a monopoly on morality -- and on a lot of issues, we feel we have the stronger argument and the better cause.

1) We fully support the intervention in Iraq. Not because we are 'facists' as has been suggested; not because we are 'rich little snots' as has been suggested (I went to a public school in the outer eastern suburbs, thankyou very much!), but because we believe in the ideal of freedom.

We feel intervention in Iraq is fully justified, even though no weapons of mass destruction have been found. Liberating a people from tyranny is a noble goal, and one worth fighting for.

We believe that fundamental human rights -- including freedom from arbitrary government, the right to property, freedom of speech and religion are universal, and that the people of the Arab world are just as entitled to it as those in the West.

2) We support higher education reform. The socialist student movement has a completely unrealistic and inequitable goal -- complete public funding of education.

Firstly, we feel this is unrealistic and undesirable. For the tax-payers to foot the entire bill for higher education is not possible if we want to maintain a competitive economy. In the global world, if you want to remain competitive, attract foreign capital, attain high growth rates, you need to be able to have competitive tax rates -- this means the end of socialist style tax and spend policies.

Also, total public funding means a lower quality of higher education. It constrains Universities by requiring them to be dependent on scarce public funding; why shouldn't they be able to raise additional revenue from students in order to fund better quality education?

Not to mention the unfairness of expecting the taxpayers of this country, many of those who have not even gone to university, to subsidise an investment in education which will largely benefit the student.

For exammple, the people of this country do not collectively benefit from paying for law degrees, so much as the student who then goes on to earn wages far above that than would otherwise be achieved.

Even more disgracefully and hypocritcally, you socialists believe in compulsory student unionism -- something which is particularly harsh on low-income students. The student union fees charged are compulsory and upfront; unlike HECS fees they cannot be deferred, and must be funded out of the tight budgets of students.

Its not like students get a lot of benefit out of these exhorbitant union fees. If its not spent on outrageous extremist activities perpetrated by the likes of people who frequent this very website (recall Paul Coates buying an axe with student money to smash the Vice-Chancellor's door down), its wasted in inefficient adminsitration costs, or outright corruption.

If students were able to choose for themselves whether they wanted to join a student union -- these unions would actually have to provide efficiently the services which students actually want! Imagine for instance if you were forced to compulsorarily pay for a newspaper, that newspaper would have no incentive to print articles that actually interest you - its the same principle.

In conclusion:

We are not facists; we are not rich wankers; we are not mindless trouble-makers. We are the students on campus actually defending values of liberty; and I would say much better considered than the likes of most of you.

As to your plan to 'bash us' ... all I say is I am thankful to live in a lawful society; where you don't have the right to bash me just because you disagree with what I have to say.

Yours kindly,

Julian Barendse
President
Melbourne University Liberal Club

"What does that tell you, Manly-ratepayer-funded bozo?"

That we have jobs.

Young Gilbert suffers from too much testerone and adolescent spittle. That's right, he's frothing at the mouth, little realising how ridiculous he is making himself look.

1. We live in a democracy, therefore folks may turn up to protest Gilbert et al's actions. It's called freedom of speech. Funny how citizens living under oppressive regimes don't get that chance. You are a lucky little boy to have been born in this country. But I bet all you can do is whine how awful "the system" is, correct? People will disagree with your opinions for the rest of your life. Get used to it.

2. As for a post asking for proof that the media in this country are left leaning, well how about the ABC, The Age and the SMH for starters?

3. Comments posted previously about these liberals and young liberals all make the unintelligent assumption that these people are all white and upper middle class. Um, that is a really stupid stereotype to spout and shows an extreme lack of any actual thought processes occurring. Or have you wasted years cultivating gigantic imaginary chips on your shoulders? Get a bit more real, please or quit whining.

4. The concept that Gilbert's desire to pummel those who disagree with his opinions is clearly censorship seems dead to Gilbert and his ilk. Do you not see the kinship between desiring violent censorship of those who disagree with you and ... say a harsh oppressor like Saddam?

4.

So you like the idea of illegal invasions of foreign countries resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent civilians do you Julian?

That explains your "strong support" for the Liberal Party then.

If you support the expression of diverse views in a democracy, why don't you leave anti-war protesters to their business and you and your clever little friends can organise your own pro-war rally? Why seek a confrontation in a tense environment?

You look like a bunch of dumb wankers begging for a tap.

"I am thankful to live in a lawful society; where you don't have the right to bash me just because you disagree with what I have to say."

No, I dont. But the cops do.

"Do you not see the kinship between desiring violent censorship of those who disagree with you and ... say a harsh oppressor like Saddam?"

Or Georgie Bush even.

and my cat is a dog.

Bring it on, you fat hippy freak. Im not even a member of the Liberal Club but I'll turn up just to punch on with idiots like you.

stings like beee k m c

You are a pussy. Rush me, bitch, and you'll get the ass kicking you've got coming. Now, back to your Mom's summer home!

Now, back to your Mom's summer home!
============================

summer home?
mom?

Only smart Americans welcome here.
Go home, stupid American.

"Im not even a member of the Liberal Club but I'll turn up just to punch on with idiots like you."

You and what army you Howard licker.Bring Johnny along and we'll slam dunk him.

look guys, from my experience you're mostly unsunned limps who talk well and fight badly.

but look, back to the original article, anyone claiming to be anti howard and yet at the same time be in support of "direct militant action" should think more and fight less.

The Young Libs are very useful punching bags.

It is unfortunate that violent socialist cults are brainwashing our university students - students who my taxes pay to go to class, not protest.

Thankfully some students represent the silent majority of Australia.

you have to think of it in relation to what the liberals represent.

you're all attacking gilbert for bashing liberal kids, but what about all the damage they do to ordinary people every day with their politics? do they not support the violent treatment of refugees? do they not support the brutal occupation of iraq, and subsequent slaying of thousands of innocent children?

it's the liberal kids who are the reason violent acts of homophobia happen; think about all the homophobia they bred on campus at melbourne uni after the election last year. all of you are talking about them as though they're innocent angels, but what about the violence that they force upon gay and ethnic students every day with their right-wing bullshit? perhaps not all of this is physical, but they sure as hell aren't shy about flooding these students in torrents of verbal abuse, which is equally as shameful.

what's better: letting a liberal asshole attack another person for being gay and just standing there in your little pacifistic world, or fighting back when the chance is there?

it's not gilbert who is the violent one here, it's them.

i agree that it's more constructive to focus on fighting the government itself rather than one or two liberal kids, but sometimes confrontations like these are inevitable. especially when they insist on coming to these rallies specifically to shit-stir.

in short, i'd never personally attack a liberal myself, i don't see them worthy of the energy involved, but can totally understand why gilbert did.

Dogma: "......students who my taxes pay to go to class, not protest.

My taxes to. But our tax status is trivial compared to the issues being discussed. Stop whinging.

Dogma: Thankfully some students represent the silent majority of Australia.

Silent majority? Who are they? I've never heard them. :)

jenna: you're all attacking gilbert for bashing liberal kids, but what about all the damage they do to ordinary people every day with their politics? do they not support the violent treatment of refugees? do they not support the brutal occupation of iraq, and subsequent slaying of thousands of innocent children?

Well put, jenna.

since i'm unalbe to move away from my keyboard and join in a happy normal life full of promiscuous sex and icecream sundaes, I just thought i'd say that simply by having an opinion in my tiny little mind and posting it on here I must be right, and everyone else is wrong and/or fat and gay. so there. if you say I'm wrong I shall threaten to bash you and spit on your new puppy dog even though I have no way of finding out who you are and am probably a weedy little shit who couldn't win a fight against a bag of chips.

"Changeling" - you are so ignorant I had to think about whether I should respond to your stupid, useless and irrelevant comment. However, in the interests of the Australian people, I have decided someone has to put you back in your box.

"Who are the silent majority? I've never seen them" Oh, well - sorry! Aren't you just the smartest cookie in the jar. By SILENT majority I mean the grandparents, the mums and dads, the young people –the 99% of uni students who DON'T attend your protests.

I will explain to you know the term ‘silent majority.’ This is the Australian people. They are not yourself; they are not people who fit into the “Radical / Feral / Extreme / Ignorant” Activist basket. Rather they are part of the “Normal people living in the real world basket” – something you might find hard to understand.

They are the people who wash; the people who send their kids to school and the people who work (shock! Horror!) The reason you don’t see these people is because (1) they do not fit into the “Radical / Feral / Extreme / Ignorant” Activist basket, (2) they are usually out working during the middle of a weekday (work = employment, just in case you were struggling) and (3) they don’t support your radical, extreme and minority view.

1,000 protestors turned up to RMIT City. They turned up with one thing on their minds. Hooliganism. They turned up because they knew this was an excuse to break the law. And of course, there were the handful of hardcore activists who actually did occupy – the group who thought the other 980 protestors actually supported their ‘cause.’

So, out of the 210,000 tertiary students in Victoria, 20 actually supported your action. Well done! What a record!

What you need to remember, "Changeling", is that THERE IS A REAL WORLD OUT THERE.

So get off your “I’m so cool because I’m a feral left winger soapbox and start reading the media. (the MAINSTREAM media that is). They ridicule you. They hate you. They despise you. Because you are rebel troublemakers who are wasting the money of hard working Australian taxpayers. I don’t expect to see a reply from you here anytime soon, because I know you will be IN CLASS, or at least, occupying a classroom somewhere.

"Changeling" - you are so ignorant I too had to think about whether I should respond to your stupid, useless and irrelevant comment. (I mean, fancy suggesting my reluctance to pay taxes is less important than the steady erosion of public access to the tertiary education sector!) Therefore, in the interests - and at the insistence - of the Australian people, I have decided someone has to put you back in your box: but not just any old box, oh no! YOU obviously don't know ME, but I know YOU: YOU'D probably organise an unruly mob to help you escape, just like they did at Woomera. No, this box will be clearly marked 'Violent Socialist Cult Member: Do NOT Open', placed in a safe, and thrown off a jetty.

"Who are the silent majority? I've never seen them". Oh, well - sorry, but if I want to misquote you, it's my right. It's also my right to ride my high horse off into the sunset without so much as a backward glance, cookie jar clutched tightly under my arm, confident in the knowledge that the SILENT MAJORITY will be following. By SILENT MAJORITY I DON'T mean what I say. I mean the grandparents, the mums and dads, the young people – the 99% of Uni students who DON'T attend YOUR protests but instead more closely resemble the thousands of docile sheep WE send to the Middle East each year to be slaughtered. (And are the Muslims grateful? Like hell!)

After having gone to the great effort of providing you with a thoughtful definition, I will now EXPLAIN to you in a LOUD VOICE that I reserve for SPECIAL OCCASIONS the term SILENT MAJORITY.

The SILENT MAJORITY is the Australian people. They are not YOU, you ignorant fool, they are ME. When I speak, I channel their voices. YOU are obviously an Un-Australian. (Possibly Albanian, more likely an Austrian: I don't know and I don't care!) They are NOT people who fit into the “Radical / Feral / Extreme / Ignorant Activist" Basket. Rather, the SILENT MAJORITY are the people who fit snugly in the “Normal People Living in the Real World" Basket – something you might find as hard to understand as I do Big Books With Too Many Big Words.

To put it bluntly: THEY, like ME, are BASKET CASES.

THEY - I mean WE - are the people who WASH; the people who send their kids to SCHOOL; the people who WORK.

Birth! School! Work! Death!

The reason you don’t see these people is because:
(1) you're too busy staring at the “Radical / Feral / Extreme / Ignorant Activist" Basket rather than joyfully leaping into the “Normal People Living in the Real World" Basket;
(2) they prefer WORKING during their lunchbreak, whereas YOU probably try and swindle your boss by taking an extra long one (WORK = EMPLOYMENT, just in case you're one of those lunatics who think women who perform unpaid labour count for anything);
(3) they don’t support YOUR radical, extreme and minority views but rather MY superficial and pedestrian ones, views supported by the overwhelming majority of intelligent, right-thinking people and;
(4) you blinked.

1,000 protestors turned up to RMIT City: I know because I was there and I counted them.

They turned up with one thing on their minds: hooliganism. They turned up because they knew this was an excuse to break the law and they'd grown tired of confining their criminal activities to pushing dope, stealing cars, and jaywalking.

And of course, there were the handful of hardcore activists who actually did occupy – the group who thought the other 980 protestors actually supported their ‘cause’ simply because they laughed, clapped and cheered when they did so: a poor reflection on the state of our education system.

So, according to my calculations - and on the basis of extensive polling - it appears that out of the 210,000 tertiary students in Victoria, only 20 actually supported your action. Well done! What a record! Aren't I clever!

What you need to remember, "Changeling", is that THERE IS A REAL WORLD OUT THERE.

And I find it troubling, scary, and confusing.

So get off your “I’m-so-cool-because-I’m-a-feral-left-winger" soapbox and start reading the media (the MAINSTREAM media that is). Only THEN would I be willing to lend you my "I'm-so-square-but-I-don't-care-because-I-know-I'm-in-the-right-basket" sopabox and allow you to join me and the MAINSTREAM media in channelling the spirit of The Great Australian People.

Ignore the loving words of your grandparents, mum, dad and younger friends: they RIDICULE you, they HATE you and they DESPISE you. Why? Because you are REBELS and TROUBLEMAKERS. And everybody knows REAL Australians hate rebels and troublemakers: just look at Ned Kelly!

You who are wasting the money of hard-working Australian taxpayers: I hope I don't see a reply from any of you anytime soon because my comfort and sanity rests upon the authorities' ability to ensure you won't be engaging in CLASS STRUGGLE; certainly not occupying classrooms, workplaces or public spaces and swanning about the city as if you owned the place

YOU

FUCKING

SCUM.

You are CORRECT Dogma! Obviously I must be Uni student - that explains why I've been in the workforce fulltime paying taxes for over 10 years. It also explains why I'm an ignoramus. It also makes clear to everyone the contradiction between this indisputable fact and the fact that I've never actually been to Uni! It also describes in no uncertain terms the reason I forgot to put an "a" before "Uni student" above.

I hope you demand that the silent Australian People speak up now to show you the gratitude you deserve. After all, they're obviously in such capable and sincere hands. I salute you Sir!

Thanx to both Dogma and Major. Laughter is good for the soul!

:)

I wholeheartedly welcome the young libs to rallies.I'm looking foreward to practising my kick-boxing.

It will give everyone a good laugh watching these self-proclaimed channelers of the 'silent majority' running away or better still getting a serious kicking.

Thank youall for your fan mail; I love hearing from you.

Tonight I have decided to review the radical lefty campaigns of the last couple of years....

S11 protest. FAILED

M1 protest. FAILED

WTO protest - to try and stop the WTO from meeting. FAILED

Anti-war protests x 14 (tro try and keep a ruthless dictator in power and prevent the liberaiton of an oppressed population) FAILED

Anti-Higher Ed reforms x 16 (anc counting) FAILED

Good work! You are all really making a difference!

S11 protest. FAILED

Did it? The looks of fear and horror on the faces of the delegates as they fled in buses didn't say that. They were smart enough to realise that anytime a lynch mob assembles in your honour it's time for a strategy review. I saw that exact thought, that hesitation, that realisation, cross their minds when they saw the surging mass. They might be psychopaths but they're not stupid.

How many times do you get to see something as beautifull as those smug corrupt thugs having to be lifted to safety by hellicopter?

Thank you to The Great Australian People for taking the time away from working and eating The Great Australian Pie to deluge me with messages of support (see above). I frankly don't care what Mother says; as far I'm concerned, my Doctor's medical mumbo-jumbo about 'auditory and visual hallucinations' and 'psychosis' is rubbish: I love hearing from you, so please, keep it up!

(Australians are the world's largest consumers of meat pies per capita, with each person on average consuming over 12 meat pies and a further 17 combined pastries, sausage rolls, and party pies per annum. This proves that the privatisation of the higher education system by the Coalition Government is right and proper, and the sooner you Violent Socialist Mung Bean Eating Cult Members realise this, the sooner the Great Australian People will line the streets chanting: 'We Accept You / We Accept You / One of Us', just as they do each time I pop down the street to get the paper... a MAINSTREAM paper "Changeling".)

...er, where was I? Oh yes...

Due to overwhelming popular demand - and the presence of what I estimate to be between 980 and 1,000 screaming fans outside my bedroom window - tonight I have decided to review

'The Passion of the Radical Lefty Campaigns of the Last Couple of Years', to wit:

S11 protest: FAILED!

M1 protest: FAILED!

WTO protest: FAILED!

Anti-war protests x 14 (to try and keep a ruthless, non-mainstream dictator in power and to prevent the liberation of an oppressed population from an absence of my wisdom): FAILED!

Anti-Higher Education Doubleplusgood Reforms x 16 (ANC counting on over 70% of the vote in the 2004 election): FAILED!

The fact is that not ONE of these protests has even slightly altered my opinion on this OR ANY OTHER MATTER.

Let me repeat:

Not

ONE.

Good good good!

Work work work!

C'mon Australia: let's make a difference!

[Cuckoo! Cuckoo!]

"The fact is that not ONE of these protests has even slightly altered my opinion on this OR ANY OTHER MATTER. "

Of course not! In order to have an opinion you need a brain.

I can't say I read beyond the fourth contribution here, but I think I got a feel for it. I'm going to say that in the right circumstance, yeah, the best thing you can do is to have a go a the right wingers. I don't know if that was a good time for it and I was there. But look back at some monumental anti-working class movements, and the ones that have grown and led to things like the killing of unionists, women, gays, leftists, workers in general. Like Gilbert said at some point, a lot of these people are the kind who benefit from what we're protesting against, ie; war, racism towards refugees, two-tiered education systems, poverty, low wages, third world debt, etc. It all serves their interests perfectly, which kind of takes away the tactic of convincing them that they're wrong or expecting that they'll just float away. It's not that Howard hasn't had someone sit down with him and say that, actually, we were never being swamped by refugees. He knows what he's doing and he knows what he gets out of it. Back to the rightwing kids, the movements they attack, the language they use and their class background (middle) are frighteningly similar to the beginnings of fascist movements in other countries in the leadup to a bit of class argy-bargy. Check out Chile, Iran, Germany of course. At some point if the hard right movements in these countries had been attacked (and I'm not saying kill them, ever) instead of ignored then people's lives would have been saved and maybe the right side (the democratic one that the majority of people are on) would have won instead of the cordones being smashed and murdered by Pinochet, the shoras being overtaken by bazaar-owning gangs and, well I guess we all know about Germany. Sorry if this is dramatic, but where do people think fascist movements come from?

Pustoolio – I understand you have not read past the fourth post. By that stage you may or may not have figured out that this board is aimed at venting frustration at the recent success of the Melbourne University Liberal Club at various socialist rallies. I suggest you read the response of the MULC president, Julian Barendse, before branding the “rightwing kids” as the beginning of a fascist uprising. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that the language used is neither radical nor extreme (the same can not be said for many of the left posts). Further more, the ideals expressed support liberal individualism and democracy, contrary to fascism.

>>>Further more, the ideals expressed support liberal individualism and democracy, contrary to fascism<<<

Yes, all Liberals support political freedom. That's why those who are seeking political asylum are lock away in concentration camps.

OK now I am confused.

The best way to promote peace on a world wide scale, is to physically harm other people?

The best way to promote freedom of speech is to try to physically harm those with dissenting views?

Whilst there is a great difference between the "kicking of arse" of liberals and the outright slaughter of hundreds of thousands of your own people, they both come down to the same thing, physically harming others. The only difference is the degree. I punch you in the face, it is hard enough to break your nose (assualt), it is hard enough to rip your head from your shoulders (murder). The only difference between these two acts is the power behind the punch. So those that compare your desires to bash liberals to that of a despotic dictator are essentially correct. Expecially when you consider that the desired outcome is the same; suppression of dissenting views.

Let me be quite clear in this next point.

George Bush is not a oppressor of free speech. Not in the US and not in Iraq. Before the liberation/invasion there were two newspapers in Iraq, both government controlled. After invasion/liberation, there are now over two hundred independent newspapers. The US forces have closed one down, and that was only because it was being used as a call to arms "to kill every american."

The American invasion/liberation of Iraq has not killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians. But lets for a moment assume that it has. Saddam gassed 70,000 Kurds (those are people), he massacred 40,000 people in an uprising shortly after the first gulf war, 70,000 people have disappeared and these are conservative figures. 180,000 vs 99,999. mmmm.

The war was not fought so that Bush could reward his supporters with post war reconstruction contracts. Haliburton, that alot of you like to think of as a profiteer corporation (and i suggest you look up the word profiteer as it doesnt meen the same as profiter, profit is not a bad thing, without profit there is no point doing anything so why do it?) has not made alot money out of the operations in Iraq. Their return on investment, revenues minus costs as a proportion of cost, is less than 5%. This is not an enormous amount of profit, this is less than a corner store or (organic) farm.

The war was not fought in order to control the worlds supply of oil. The United States is very susceptable to oil price shocks, so it is understandable that some may believe that they want to control oil production. However, actions have not supported this assumption. Firstly, the US has all along been adamant that the oil fields belong to the Iraqi people and that the Iraqi people should be the ones to benefit from the sale of oil. They will hand control of the oil fields over to the Iraqis. The problem is who are the Iraqi people? There is no single authority that can be called a representative of the Iraqi people. Not until elections are held and a national government is formed, which is something the Americans are trying to arrange.

Even if the yanks invaded to control oil prices, it hasnt worked. Oil is more expensive now then it was before the war!! Though oil interests probably did play a role in the worlds decision whether or not to invade, I dont think it was the Americans it interested most.

Who made the most from pre war Iraq? France. Who was set to benefit from securing Iraqi oil rights had the sanctions been lifted from Iraq?? Two large, formerly state owned, FRENCH oil companies. Who has large, undisclosed donations purported to be from Saddam directly and the "Oil for food" program indirectly? The Deputy Secretary General of the UN. So whose actions /inactions seem to be more determined by oil and the profits thereof? France, who vetoed UN intervention and then bleated when the yanks acted unilaterally, and the UN!!

If you call yourself a communist or a socialist consider who in history you are aligning yourself with. Hitler = Socialist (histories greatest monster). Lenin = communist (killed over 140,000 politcal opponents). Stalin = communist (killed over 20 MILLION people). Pol Pot = socialist (killed over 5 Million people). ALL the maniacal, mass murdering, sociopathic monsters of the 20th century espoused politcial beliefs and ideas that are diametricly opposite of those of the Republican party of America and George W. Bush. And yet many socialists, communists and hippies claim that GWB is the worst the world has ever seen.

There is a thesis in psychiatry that we project onto our enemies that which we despise in ourselves. This is quite evident on the left and among sociallists and communists. Hence we have Peoples Democratic Republic of China calling the American Elections process corrupt and a sham. We have BUSH=HITLER signs at rallies, even though Bush and Hitler are at polar opposite positions on the politcial spectrum. (Bush is a capitalist, Hitler was a socialist etc.) And we have those that say we should all live in peace and harmony, with freedom of speech and movement, ready to enforce that belief on other people through violence.

Socialism is about control, central control of the state and its people. Control over where you live, what you do. You own nothing, not even your labour. You are told where to work and fruits of your labour go the the state. Capitalism is about freedom, freedom to earn a righful wage for your labor, freedom to buy what you want, freedom of the economy to invest and progress in the direction that they want. By advocating socialism you are not being rebelious, you are trying to promote conformity.

I hate seeing signs at rallies that say war is not the answer, because what is? War is definitely not the answer to everything, but it is the answer to some things. If war was not the answer this time round what was?? You dont know!

If you stand idly by in the street while the innocent person next to you is being torturred and you have the power to stop it but you dont, you are morally bankrupt and not worthy to be called human. Its the same on a global scale. AH HA! you say but if that is the case, there are many other countries in the world where there are oppressed people and despotic leaders, if GWB and the US had such high minded principles why arent they doing anything to stop them? If the US was to attack and try to overthrow EVERY dictator or despotic regime in the world, Amercia would have to fight on multiple fronts, they would have made overt enemies of most of the worlds population. Lets take the earlier analogy, instead of only one person being tortured there are many, and you can save only one. It would be criminal if you refused to help that one person simply because you couldnt save them all.

I intended only to write a retort to what has been written before but invariable in these matters I find myself expanding my critique to include leftists and socialists view of the universe as a whole. This is because I find you and your kind completely abhorrent. You disgust me. You are hypocritical. You spit on the West and denounce its values, using the liberties and freedom it provides to do it. You are a pathetic, ingrateful child (regardless of your age). A quick scan of the message left before this one will provide another insight that carries over into the real world. Right wing people will generally construct an argument to back their view and opinion of the world. Rather than refute each contention point by point the Left wing will unerringly resort to name calling, imply callous intentions of their opponent, they will call their opponents greedy or facists (look that word up too, Mussolini was a facist, he was also a socialist and an artist), they will say their opponent is only acting in self interest ("little rich white boys" "the beneficiaries of racism, sexism, etc"), they will ignore, overlook and most likely project the evil deeds done by those sharing their politcal beliefs onto their opponents.

You really do sicken me. You and your kind a perrennial victims, hell everyone is a victim of something.

You are convinced that you must be right and that the rest of the country supports you because of the amount of people you have going to your rallies. Think about this, would you be assembling in such "great" numbers to support the fact if America DIDNT go to war with Iraq? When is the next rally in support of the forty hour working week? You dont have one, why? Because that has already been achieved. You only every protest the status quo. There is not point getting together and protesting when you have already got your way. So explain to me the argument that pro war people should hold their own rallies? Why, when they have already got what they wanted? They dont need to, The only place they can rightly show their support is where there are those opposing their view. Your rallies, or as I like to call them hissy-fits.

Protesting never achieves anything. particularily the way you guys do it. If you march down the city street I am traversing, I am not likely to think, "Hey, these guys are in my way stopping me getting to where i need to go. I will seriously stop and consider what they have to say."

As for that twat that said the news only focuses on the liberal protestors, think about it! The counter protesters are the interesting thing at the rallies, they stand out. And the news media IS left leaning (that other twat who said "what is left? what is right?" implying there is no ideological divide in politics, can piss off right now and read something. It is the only way you will learn. Stop being so lazy, this is not a forum for your basic political education!!) The media in America, the BBC, Reuters, Associated Press, expose their politcial ideals in everything they do, ie calling terrorists "freedom fighters" or refering to Islamist leaders as "religious leaders".

Since when was it OK to bad mouth your own country? If you dont like it then leave. It may sound trite but it is truly heartfelt. The people in a truly democratic country elect their leaders. If the majority dont like what a leader has done the wont re elect them. That is democracy. If you live in a country where you dont agree with what the leaders do, and those leaders get voted in again, which is more fair? That you stay an try to change the country to what you think it should be even if the majority dont want it, or that you leave and live in a country that better matches your beleifs? Mmmm. Change everybody else or change myself? Which is most likely to be achievable? Your response, and this is what sickens me the most, is more than likely going to be that the people in the country dont know what they want as they dont know the alternative. They are ignorant. It is the ARROGANT CONDISCENSION I despise you most for!!

You said all in the first line Kimble "I'm confused"

Elaborate, or did you only read the first line?

This is exactly what I am talking about! If you disagree, state a reason.

Dont assume that you know more, prove it, chicken! Why are leftists so intellectually lazy?

"The best way to promote peace on a world wide scale, is to physically harm other people?"

This is true if they are Young Libs or socialist wankers.Both are so brainwashed that they are unable to listen to logic.

Lets hear your logic then!! Liberals are brainwashed?? Do you know what brain washing involves?

This is typical leftist propaganda, anybody who doesnt agree with you obviously hasnt thought things through or they dont have all the information. OR they have spent weeks under deep psychological abuse that has warped their sense of reality, and left them believing mad-crazy things?
Oh yes, its the only explanation!!

Notice no-one on the left here is arguing the "facts" or "logic" of their argument. It is simply stated as truth without support.

Lefties all know from many arguments with liberals that their "logic" does not stand up to scrutiny. They never win argument based only on logic as their position is intrinsicly illogical. They realise they cant win any argument based on logic and so resort to insult and innuendo.

Lefties are wrong, but you are too insecure and foolish to admit it. You are fighting the same battles and losing the same debates over and over again. Shifting the playing field from logic to insults is the only option.

Lefties are intellectually lazy.

for the person who wanted to know "what is left" "what is right" etc, head to this site

If everyone has to be divided into political "left" or "right" i would say im on the right of politics just so you know what to expect in my post hereafter.

You guys who all think that right wingers are all fascists, rich little white boys, etc are you serious? Do you really believe this or are you just name calling? Please answer seriously. I didnt grow up in a rich family, I dont believe in forcing people into a place in life and keeping a boot on the back of their neck to keep them there. I believe that people should be free to earn a better life for themselves and not be punished when they do so. I am in no way homophobic, rascist, anti-abortion, sexcist etc.

I am on the right primarily beacuse i believe in the free market, freedom of opportunity and personal responsibilty. I'lll leave it there cause that isnt really on topic, if you want me to explain further, then ask and i'll be happy to.

I, like any person left or right, do not like the idea of war, and i agree that the deaths and disfiguring injuries of the civilians in iraq is tragic, Howard/Bush/Blair did not go into iraq to do this, nor were they ignorant to the fact that this would happen, each has stated this many times, both before and after the invasion. But these deaths, while tragic, were not deliberate acts of slaughter unlike what Saddam used to perpetrate on his own people. These people were killed for such heinous and unspeakable crimes as having a difference of opinion with Saddam, not joining the baath party (which incidently was a socialist party and had during Gough Whitlam's reign donated money to the ALP) and wanting to end his murderous regime.

Similarly, if you want to talk on purely statistical terms, several people here have already noted that Saddam was responsible for FAR more deaths of civilians that the current war has been. Current estimates put War casualties at around 8000 to 12000, Saddam slaughtered any where between 300,000 to 3,000,000. But then as the great communist Stalin said "kill a man and your a murderer, kill a million and it is a statistic" eh?

Bush/Blair/Howard went into iraq and got rid of Saddam, when the country finally settles down and becomes a stable free state, I believe that the deaths of civilians, again tragic, will have been worth the fight to free the country and prevent even greater deaths at the hands of Saddam.

That is the purely humanitarian arguement.
There is also the WMD arguement.

On several occasion during Saddams reign he used chemical weapons against his own people, and against Iran in the 8 days war.

Before the first gulf war western intelligence agencies believed Saddam had 1 method of enriching uranium for WMD use, after the war they discovered he had 4.

In 1996 (i think) a couple of Saddams sons in law defected to the west and we discoverd that Saddam still had massively greater amount of chamical weapons than the west had previously thought.

In 1998 Saddam kicked out the UN weapons inspectors, and thereafter President Clinton ordered a 4 day bombimg campaign to eliminate known WMD stockpiles in Iraq. but they didnt know if he still had more.

In April 1999 Saddam, faced with an uprising in Karbala surrounded the city with a unit wearing white chemical suits, this calmed down the uprising and the West drew the (perfectly logical) conclusion he was again about to use chemical weapons.

Not only the US, Britain and Australia, but Russia, France, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, and many other countries as well as (former weapons inspector) Richard Butler, Andrew Bartlett, Kevin Rudd and John Kerry believed he had them.

The fact they havent been found is NOT a legitimate excuse for fake moral indignation on your part. The entire western world believed he had them. He used them and he never provided evidence of their disposal. Thus they still believed (shock horror!) he still had them.

Interestingly Libya has addmitted to having chemical weapons at a turkey farm. Source = Iraq maybe?

Would you prefer that Saddam still be in power? Why? Should we have left the iraqi people to their fate until Saddams death? Why? Should we have waited and then waged a war against Uday or Qusay? (his sons for those that dont know) Do you believe that Saddams regime could have been negotiated with? Why?

I believe Bush/Blair/Howard did the right thing, and Kudos to them for having the guts to go do it.

"Would you prefer that Saddam still be in power?"

No, I would prefer that tens of thousands of Iraqis weren't maimed and killed under the false pretense of "liberation" or any of the other excuses proffered by coke fried neo-cons like you. This oil lust is obviously burning a hole in your frontal lobes.

Has spentarse called up the in-bred redneck cavalry? All the arguments of these pretentious neo-con fundamentalists have been dispensed with dozens of times at MIM but waves of living dead keep emerging and smashing their brains against the stones of reason and logic.

You can get it bustin' a thread, you can get it kickin' a head, anyhow I got it now...for a hard earned thirst..you need a burst of bkmc's patented gut bustin' bile.

I can feel one comin' on now...

Here guys, I took the liberty (is that swearing on the left?) to summarise our responses in a nice easy template so that we can churn out our illogical fact-free rebuttal even faster in the future…

-----------------------------

[insert random quote here]

[this paragraph is to be used for unsubstantiated/unproven rhetoric]

[this paragraph is to be used for general right-wing name calling]

[here, we declare the argument true (proof by dogma)]

----------------------------

I hope it helps in our noble quest for equal poverty and misery!

Well lefties you have had two fact, logic based arguments and you have failed in you only attemptto retort. Typical.

Make your argument or accept ours.

You've had two opportunities to show you're human and have failed both times.

Have another burger fathead.

I have just started a course here after 6 years of study at La Trobe and 2 at RMIT Bundoora, and I am sure that many, like I was, will be surpirsed to learn that the student union at melbourne uni is controlled by the Liberals.

But first, reading Julian Barendse's post above infuriated me. How dare a minority try to provoke students into violence. It is typical that the young liberals would engage in such petty behaviour. They have always and will always act like uncontrollable little children. At Latrobe, we dealt with the scum in the best way - brutally.

I just don't get it. I was walking towards union house one day only to see the face of our country's treasurer, Peter Costello looking down at me from a poster in an office window.

I have been an activist all my life. I travelled to Jabiluka, Woomera, Baxter and Curtin as well as protesting in student and general rallies.

So, wanting to find out some stuff about benefits I walked into the office bearer suite of offices today to be confronted with the liberal shrine that is the door to Nick Demeris's office.

After negotiating my way past the two security guards standing in the reception area I knocked on his door and walked into liberal-land with a very simply question for Nick - it was one relating to unemployment benefits.

And did I get the help I was after? No. I was told to check out the centrelink website and then our 'welfare' officer told me that if I needed assistance with any employment matters I could seek assistance from the student union or university employment services.

As I was leaving I asked him why he wasn't standing up to the government and to the university to protect student rights. He asked me what I was talking about, and where my rights had bene "infringed."

They just don't get it do they? Running student union's isnt about running beauty pagents. It's about fighting for students, not political careers.

Now, with elections for a new student union looming, I hope we can all get rid of these aspiring liberal scum and make sure we get an active union.

3-0 thank you bkm(c).

As for you young lady. He asked you a question, "where do you think you rights have been infringed upon". Did you answer him? Did you details every right that has been infringed? Or did you simply state that he didnt get it and never will because he is a liberal?

Wake up to yourself, you are angry at him for not being aware of rights that are being infringed upon, the very rights you yourself seem to have no ability to detail and describe.

There were security guards at the door, eh? Why is that? Because lefties like yourself and other here are too quick to resort to violence to protect these non existant infringed rights. You are to blame for them being there, not him.

The chap seemed quite helpful to your enquiry about employment. I suppose you were offended at his practical response, and implication that perhaps if you have an employment issue you yourself participate in something constructive to remedy it.

Student unions are a pathetic waste of time, mostly. This one sounds like it has a pretty good setup. Compared to the rest that is which are no more than platforms for leftist propaganda and dogma.

Why were you complaining about the poster in the window? Was this simply because it did not conform with your political beliefs? Would you prefer dear old Fidel or the late Che staring down at you?

You said you have been a protester for a long time. That is sad. You will never be happy because you will always have something to protest against, some injustice that gets you all in a tizz. You will be full of hate and never be fulfilled because your goals are not achievable. Australia will never be a commmunist state no matter how much you wish.

You can protest all you like but true fulfillment only comes from being part of a solution, and to be part of a solution you need to know the what the specific problem is to start off with.

three-nil three-nil thre-nil three-nil.

Who ate all the pies,
who ate all the pies,
you fat bastard,
you fat bastard,
you ate all the pies. :)

We are already living in a socialist state Fatboy. Only problem is that it's not socialist enough. Yet.

Still, the tide of history is with us.

BKMCs tip for the day - Burgers won't make you human but they will make you fat. Make that FATTER. Have another one anyway slim. That way the congealed fat will at least make it look like you had brain matter when you eventually get capped or dissected.

Typical.

You are on the doll and you want help. So you turn to a student representative who tells you to look at the relevant website - or worse still - encourages you to seek employment!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get a job and stop whinging.

The Australian taxpayer is sick of paying for you to go and "protest and Jabiluka, Woomera, Baxter, Curtin" etc.

You are no doubt a feral lefty.

You are scum.

You are a doll bludger.

Get a job.

I say the same things to politicians and corporate CEOs when I get the chance.

These political and corporate welfare bludgers make the little people (who are too numerous to even become cannon fodder for factories) look like bloody amateurs when it comes to rorting the hard earned taxes of working men like myself.

study full time and pay tax.

Young liberals dont have jobs. They all live off their parents. Thats why they have so much time to run for positions in the student beurocracy.

BTW Dogbreath, it's DOLE not DOLL.

Try getting an education first before dishing out advice, dopey.

It's no good Artifex, he's gone to take out his anger on his blow-up girlfriend.

Err
by Young Libs=Great punching bags Wednesday April 28, 2004 at 02:18 PM

Gimme some Young Libs.I've run out of punching bags-and they don't work.

Well, thank you 'dogma' for your uneducated ramblings. You are quite unpleasant.

This year's office bearers are fast-demonstrating why students resent them. They have done nothing and will do nothing for us.

The first edition of farrago this year demonstrated, quite clearly, the low standard that we can expect to see for the rest of the year, if there are any other editions. Self promotion of office bearers and politically friendly clubs was the only thing in farrago, aside from the occassional article and ad.

Today the kiddies from the Melbourne University Liberal Club were out in force. In their pretty blue tshirts they stood around hoping to lure innocent voters and making headway as a direct consequence of the hard work of others gone by.

I'd like to know why our education, house and services, womens, welfare and activities officers and the student union general secretary, whose salaries are paid for by our upfront fees were out there campaigning? Hello? Why arent they doign work representing me like they are supposed to?

Ohhhhh,,,, thats right. they don't care about students, they just care about stuffing their political resumes.

x x

They were left there by a shitzu.

It appears the the Liberal Club on campus at Melbourne has been consistently helped by a good samaritan who likes to deliver envelopes and help them win important positions.

Thanks Good Samaritan. We love you, even though you are a cow (completed seperate to the sheep).

("Would you prefer that Saddam still be in power?"
No, I would prefer that tens of thousands of Iraqis weren't maimed and killed under the false pretense of "liberation" or any of the other excuses proffered by coke fried neo-cons like you. This oil lust is obviously burning a hole in your frontal lobes.)

So instead of the 10000 or so accidental deaths as a result of the war, you would prefer the 300000+ deliberate killings, rapes and tortures to continue?

But wait people!! He called me a coke-fried neo-con AND an inbred redneck!!!And wait, my frontal lobes have been burned from oil lust!!! And were fatheads too!!!! Oh no, he got me there, i coulda come back after the first three ponts, but that fathead one just creamed me. What can I ever do against such razor sharp intellect and devastating arguements!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

7 MILLION. Thats right SEVEN MILLION (where else have you heard that figure?) dead thanks to the blockade. An other 40,000 DELIBERATE deaths in the most recent part of the war. And the entire country flattened and the ecconomy destroyed.

Why dont you just go back to writing your resume? At least your good at that.

7million as a result of the blockade eh. ok cool, and who was responsible for the blockade?? not the US, but, lo and behold, the UN!!!!!!! thats right that same entirely virtueous organisation headed by many figures whom Iraqi oil ministry documents showed were involved in the corrupt oil-for-food program. TA DA!!!!

Oh and lets not forget that it was Saddam's decision not to actually supply food to his own people in return for the oil under that program too. But hey Its all the Great Satan America's fault eh fella's?

I dont understand!
by Kimble Friday April 23, 2004 at 02:34 PM

OK now I am confused.

The best way to promote peace on a world wide scale, is to physically harm other people?

The best way to promote freedom of speech is to try to physically harm those with dissenting views?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apparently Fatboy, that's the way it works. You haven't been paying attention to world affairs for the last few years have you?

If people respond to provocation (infringement of freedom of expression in the case of war mongers harrassing peace niks - UN declaration of human rights article 19) by beating up the fascist Young Liberals they will really only be emulating democratic methods advocated by incredibly virtuous people like Bush, Bliar and Howard. Following their fine example, that is how diplomacy should be conducted these days.

"Survival of the fittest" has been elevated to "raison d'etre" of our social, political and social systems

As the YLs advocate a hierarchical society, distorted and unbalanced resource distribution, and perceive themselves as "born to rule", they will naturally expect to be part of that elite minority. This same minority are also renowned for having soft, lazy arses upon which they sit while getting everyone else to do the work.

This will also help explain why they will be getting their soft lazy arses kicked from here to Sunday by the masses who are supposed to be fluffing the cushions for their "leaders" lazy fat arses.

To use an analogy, the YLs are like Saddam flagrantly breaching social norms and expectations and their vanquishers are a "Coalition of the Willing" disciplining anti-social deviants.

This is ultimately the logical consequence of the philosophy that underpins current western systems and values. You want dog eat dog, you'll get it.

But hang on, the social contract of the Capitalist system has a clause?

Fat lazy arses must win every time? Cheating and rigging is de rigeur for them?

That's funny!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RhikoR

I can't be fucked arguing these points with every egghead who bobs up. Saddam was your man. The "300,000+" goes on your side of the ledger along with the recent slaughter.

Here's your homework...

http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2004/04/66736_comment.php#66918

http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2004/04/66609_comment.php#66754

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MIMC - the archives seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Why not get all the archives into files that can be shared peer to peer?

It would be completely naive of me to suggest that the US has always held up the ideologies that it claims it upholds. I absolutely agree that the US has made mistakes in the past with respect to its foreign policy. Remember, we live in the real world, not ideology-land and the world is a lot more complex than the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend type beliefs.
If your going to try and pin those deaths on the US then by that same logic if I go kill someone with a knife, but you gave me the knife, YOU are the guilty one.

Anyone got a knife :)

It doesn't in the least surprise me that you are getting the groups of liberal kiddies all mixed up. There are two groups. The Young Liberals (YLs) are wankers. They are not in the senior party. The Liberal Students are the kiddies who come out and play with you. They are part of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation (ALSF) and they like to make sure normal people know what normal students are thinking.

Hey Amy,

You're right about this year's Farrago - its too right wing.

BTW, Is that you with "the big girth" that Bizzaro Farrago were talking about. Wow - you really need to get some dress sense, a good haircut, and lose some of that weight or you'll be a another old rolled cow grazing on the south lawn.

32- the age that one in the liberal party is finally considered to be an adult.

I know what you mean about those lazy Melbourne OB's Amy. I remember a particularly fat, obnoxious, Unity loving Women’s Officer from last year that did absolutely no work. Imagine that…

I also remember how that callous bitch waged a disgraceful campaign against her own club, did nothing to ensure any election victories and was even complicit in the death of several innocent gold fish! That was until, of course, that club purged her and exposed her for the spiteful and negligent character that she truly was and is.

But don’t cry for her… I hear she has struck a deal to renew her membership with Student Unity. She’ll fit in well with all the other Steers and Queers and, quite definitely, has what’s needed to be successful in the Australian Labor Party.

"That was until, of course, that club purged her and exposed her for the spiteful and negligent character that she truly was and is."

Let me guess.Then she joined a Trot organisation and rose straight to the top.

Yes, you're correct Wankers R Us.

I believe she's joined a 'trot organisation' known as the Australian Labor Party. Its where she spends most of her time.

Hopefully, she's as successful in her ALP career as she was in her Liberal student career.

Because we have it easy.

We get paid $20,000. Below minimum wage.

We work 12-14 hour days. Yeah, dickheads. We've got it easy.

6.15am. Wake up

6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend.

7.20am. Shower and get ready for work.

7.40am. Breakfast.

8pm. Leave home for student union.

9am. Arrive at work only to find radical extremists using the photocopier to print off "rally for Saddam" posters."

9.05am. Turn your computer on. It's not working. Call IT.

9.08am. Listen to voicemail. A death threat, 4 abusive messages.

9.14am. The computer has been fixed and is working.

9.16am. Check email. Eight emails - two from students, three from university and three virusus.

9.28am. Read papers for committee meeting.

9.36am. Talkback Radio interview condemning radical student activists who defaced university property.

9.48am. Prepare for committee meeting. Get coffee.

10am. University committee meeting.

11.42am. Return to office to find radical activists occupying reception and the main waiting area. Assaulted be protestors. Police and security called in. Police and security also assaulted.

12.43pm. Police clear out protestors. Distressed staff sent home to recooperate.

1pm. Lunch.

1.14pm. Called on mobile by media regarding the violent occupation. Return to office and draft media release.

1.29pm. Release press statement.

1.34pm. Read papers for university committee.

2pm. University committee meeting.

2.40pm. Return to office. Appointments with students requiring assistance.

3.12pm. Meeting with senior university officials.

3.45pm. Receive a death threat.

3.52pm. Office window smashed by radical activists.

4pm. Interview with police over radical activist.

4.12pm. Radio interview about radical activists.

4.25pm Student Services/Advocacy/Representation Review

5.15pm Lecture

6.30pm Office bearer meeting.

7.43pm Return to office and prepare report for Farrago.

8.11pm. Photocopy grant application forms and draft letters to grant applicants.

8.39pm. Prepare material for report to university committee.

9.19pm. Browse student politics commentary websites and read defamous, hurtful and untrue statements.

9.50pm. Reply to 5 emails received during the day.

10.17pm. Reply to correspondance (2 letters).

10.53pm. Read tutorial readings for tomorrow's tute. Print off essay due tomorrow.

11.52pm. Leave student union.

12.15pm. Arrive home.

12.20am. Eat dinner.

12.40am. Otherwork for uni/student union.

1.40am. Get some sleep.

Representing you is something we wree elected to do. Something we want to do. It's tough and we cop a lot of shit. So why don't all you cynical mother fuckers just shut the FUCK UP???

Here is another rant.
You lefty scum should read it. All you normal students, don't bother it's only for the scum.

Listen here all you fucking randoms. Time you started learning a few things about life. (Such as the fact you are fucking losers).

Now, some helpful tips on how to stop being a trot loser and becoming a normal 'random' loser.

(1) Go get a job
(2) Stop smoking dope
(3) Stop being a fucking left winger
(4) Stop occupying buildings
(5) HAVE A SHOWER
(6) Stop being a fucking revolutionary - no it's not cool
(7) Stop beating women
(8) Stop being a political hack
(9) Stop being a fring eelement "I fuck Jabiluka prosterstors" freak
(10) dress normally you wierdo freaks
(11) Open your cults membership to cows - no one else wants them.

This is my final post. You are all random freaks. Get lives. (I am only directing these comments to the lefty scum).

Stop posting here. It's sad. You're all freaks.

Hey I've got an idea... Why don't you guys go be human shields in Iraq??? Mwahahahahahahaha. What an excellent idea... Mwahahahahahahahahaha. See if your rally for saddam is welcome there you maggots.

Finally, regards to Moley, Ratty, Finkie, Wesal and the rest. Interestingly the cheese delivery was late today. The delivery guy probably got caught in the rat trap.

In those famous words - "ITS ALL OVER, ALL OVER."

Dogma, Level 2

"Hopefully, she's as successful in her ALP career as she was in her Liberal student career."

Well if she doesn't make it in the ALP I'm sure there'll be a place for her in the leadership of a Trot group.Wankers are always welcome there.

Gday Gilbert and all the other traitorous filth out there.

You may have seen me around, big guy, Leather jacket, Liberals student t shirt...

Now I could rant and carry on likesome ideological twat, but really cant be bothered because we will never agree on anything. What I do want to know however, is why in the hell Ive never been personally assulted in the same way as many of my colleagues?

Over a number of protests, I have seen many female and small male attendees attacked by a bunch of unwashed ferals, yet never been touched to any great degree myself. Whats the matter with you lot? Are you so cowardly as to STILL be afraid to attack a 6'5 biker even when you have a 50-1 numerical advantage?

Hey, I go expecting that there are any number of you who cant control yourselves, such as the older gentleman who decided at the march20 rally the best way to show his opposition for the war would be to spit at us claiming he had AIDS... Now based on that information I'm not about to start judging what the hell kind of perverse ats you perform on each other at the after rally love fest...

Effectively, I wish to throw down the gauntlet, you know my name if not what I look like, so just ask for me at your next anarchic time waste... Im more than happy to take you on, unless of course you simply dont have the balls...

Regards,
Chev. Grant Hunter.

"When they start shooting, you start saluting"

Let me see if I've got that.... big guy, Leather jacket, wearing a "I'm a wanker" t shirt...

Did I miss anything Chev?

OK Grant-see you there.

Grant rides a pushbike.And yeah-you guessed-he rides it with the seat off.

I noticed there are no study or classes in you schedule. How can someone who is not actually a student represent our interests?

I've located your problem Dogma...

"6.15am. Wake up

6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend. "

WTF!!! Excuse me! What kind of yuppie bludger "6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend. " bullshit is this?

You CLAIM to be a "unionist" BUT "6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend. " !!!

Well hello!!!! Have you ever heard of Norm Gallagher or John Halfpenny?

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS BULLSHIT???

Was old Normie up "6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend. " ?

Well now we all know what's gone wrong with the left don't we!!!

Did you drop in and roger Chris Parsons senseless on the way home from "6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend. " too?

Hang on. Don't tell me, Chris Parsons is your "girlfriend"?

Grant - if anyone knows him they better tell him one of his funny bugger mates has just set him up a beauty.

Not that'd you need a gun to deal with the liberal swines.

Having seen the white trash in action at the HECS rally on March 29, it made me wonder why more of us aren't putting their parents private health insurance to good use.

"6.30am. Go for a run with girlfriend."

Perhaps you are brain-dead.Are you the same person that posted the lib party bikie comment too?

I am a Liberal Student and a member of the Young Liberals.
I am also a white, male hetrosexual, pro-gun, pro-life, pro-God conservative.
I have also participated in several of the counter-demonstrations in Melbourne in recent times.

I think it a reall shame that the 'anti-war' protesters chose to ignore the plight of the Iraqi people and simple continue to voice their message of support for rapists, thugs and murderers who wish to see the destruction of the United States and Israel. Oh well, I guess they must be OK if they are against Howard, Bush and Blair?

In response to the quite evident desier to inflict harm upon those such as myself, I can only answer thus.
I am not afraid of you socialist thugs.
In fact I think moer than anything I pity you. Carrying around so much hate against your fellow man must really take its toll upon you.
Socialism is just another totalitarianism. Its devotees would lie, murder, cheat and steal to establish a criminal regime that would serve to be a parasite upon whom it is meant to serve.
If you want violence prepare to be met with courage and a firm resolve not to yield to you and your poisonous filth masquerading as political theory.
Your rantings remind of those of Hitler, Stalin, Mao and other assorted demagogues. You socialists are their very likeness.

See you soon!

God save the Queen.
God bless the USA, UK and Australia. Partners in freedom.
Long live a free Iraq!

Another Right-Wing Warrior

>See you soon!

>God save the Queen.
>God bless the USA, UK and Australia. Partners in >freedom.
>Long live a free Iraq!

>Another Right-Wing Warrior

So, logically, the photo above is perfectly normal for you.

Good honest hard working US troops just doing their job in Iraq!

So would you believe it is "acceptable" to behave in this manner towards students who do not agree with your Liberal Party politics? Cmon, bullyboys like you would love to humilate those students on campus if you could get away with it.

You also would be stupid enough to publish the digit photos somewhere on the internet as well.

G'day Gilbert and all the other traitorous filth out there!

Dogma writes in excruiating detail of:

"The life of an office bearer".

Dude, you call that a *life*?!?

You 'work' (sic) 12-14 hours a day.

That's sad.

But hey, look on the bright side: if you don't like it, you can always write a stern letter to your local MP.

Better yet, you can always stitch up a dodgy property deal with some of your mates! Who knows, you may even make it onto the news!

And yeah, we *know* you have it easy. You get paid $20,000 per annum for:

listening to your voicemail;
discovering your computer's broken;
arranging to have it fixed;
checking your email;
preparing for a committee meeting;
feeding the chooks;
preparing for a committee meeting;
getting coffee;
attending a committee meeting;
witnessing a student occupation;
having lunch;
feeding the chooks;
preparing for another committee meeting;
attending another committee meeting;
talking to students;
meeting with authorities;
acting as a police informant;
feeding the chooks;
attending a meeting;
attending another meeting;
writing something for a student newspaper;
photocopying;
preparing for another committee meeting;
replying to emails and;
replying to correspondence.

Wow.

All that for a measly $20,000 and a step up the career ladder?!?

Throw him/her out before s/he breaks my heart!

Dude, $20,000 per annum is precisely $20,000 more than you deserve. 'Representing' me is something you're constitutionally incapable of doing. Student elections are a farce, and everybody knows it. But really, if doing all that shit is 'something you want to do', then why are you whinging and boring us with the sordid details of the tedious routine that is your sorry excuse for a 'life'? So it's "tough" and "you cop a lot of shit": boo fucking hoo.

Dude, nobody likes a Liberal.

So here's another rant.

You lefty scum should read it. All you students who prefer dogma, don't bother: it's only for the scum, and I know reading words makes brain hurt.

So...

Listen here all you fucking randoms!

Time you started learning a few things about life! Such as the fact that you're fucking losers who probably have imaginations and hence better things to do than being subsidised to listen to voicemail, paying others to fix things you broke using other people's money, checking your email, wading through bureaucratic minutiae, going to meetings, consorting with hacks and pigs... zzzzzz...

Now, where was I? Oh yes:

Thirteen Point Program On How to Stop Being A Trot Loser And Become More Like A Dogmatic Liberal Student Bureaucrat:

(1) Stitch up an election and get a cushy job in return... *with* the Liberals
(2) Just say NO to non-Government approved drugs
(3) Chop off your left wing (but keep your right)
(4) Stop occupying buildings. Stare at them wistfully instead
(5) Have a shower... AFTER you've gone for a jog
(6) Stop being a fucking revolutionary. No it's NOT 'cool' (just ask your Mum, Dad or other Responsible Adult)
(7) Berate women when they don't put out
(8) Stop being a political hack
(9) Join the Liberals
(10) Stop being a fring eelement "I fuck Jabiluka prosterstors" freak
(11) Adopt unusual spellings
(12) Jog into battle waving old school ties
(13) Call women cows (but only behind their backs)

Some supplementary notes:

This is my Last Post, but I'm no musician.

YOU are all random freaks.

I desire ORDER.

Live like ME.

Stop posting here. It's sad. You're all freaks.

I'M normal.

VERY normal.

======

Nazi leader Hermann Goering, interviewed by Gustave Gilbert during the Easter recess of the Nuremberg trials, 1946 April 18, quoted in Gilbert's book "Nuremberg Diary":

Goering: Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece.

Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

http://naw.ijaq.net/conversation_with_Goering.htm

======

Finally, some random comments intended to foster the illusion that the people I know are my friends. Regards to W, X, Y Z and the rest.

In those famous words - "Kill 'Em All And Let A Norse God Sort 'Em Out!"

Dear Trots,

Dogma is incorrect when he says that the life of a student office bearer is a tough one. I eagerly welcome your harassment and death threats, they always brighten my day with the knowledge that you radical freaks will soon be dragged off to the nut house. Nothwithstanding the fact that, in writing such inflamatory diatribes as the ones seen on this website, you are giving myself and my colleagues exactly the kind of attention we have been seeking. In reading these pages I have felt my ego boosted significantly. Cheers! It's quite flattering to think that little old me could cause you all such angst.

By the way:
No one in the REAL world (i.e. that which is outside of a University campus) gives two shits about your politics. Come to think of it, no one on campus cares either! Fancy that!
But please, do come and beat me up, because that way I can get my face on TV and my name in the paper!
See you soon!
Love,
The Baroness

P.S. Rebecca Barrigos for "Miss Melbourne"

The media and police don't give a shit about you spoilt little liberal brats, that's why we can go around splitting your heads for the people at home and the humor of those at the police christmas party.

andy c, you are a moron. The media love the current Liberal Club on campus - they call them up whenever theres a protest on to ask whether the Libs will be there to counter-protest otherwise the media won't turn up.

It's such a huge problem when Liberals are more competent then the left, isn't it?

I am a liberal on campus, and I get quite scared at counter protests. I would not like to be beaten up for voicing my opinion.

From what I have seen, it is not Liberals at protests who are most at risk from the irrational Leftist violence.

It is the innocent animals.

Time and again I have witnessed the placid, well trained quietly standing police horses present at protests come under fire: marbles rolled underfoot, pricking with hat pins, yanking of reins and yelling 'get the animals off the animals! Hurt the horses!' are all common to the tactics of the rather scary left.

Either way I am very frightened of these people and their capacity to hurt.

Oh yes, it just awful isn't it? The lefties and A-rabs are so violent and primitive. They certainly have a long way to go before they catch up with us civilised righties don't they? And the service these days from the little people is just appalling too. They have no respect or decency. Well they wouldn't would they?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prisoner abuse 'ordered by military'
From correspondents in Washington
01may04

ABUSE of Iraqi prisoners that sparked worldwide condemnation may have been ordered by United States military intelligence to extract information from the captives, and was possibly more cruel than officially acknowledged, The New Yorker magazine and Britain's Guardian newspaper reported today.

I am a Liberal on campus, and I get quite scared at counter protests. I would not like to be beaten up for voicing my opinion. That others are regularly beaten up by the police for attempting to voice their opinion, or because they have the wrong colour skin, or because the police concerned feel like it, has never intruded upon my consciousness and probably never will.

From what I have seen, it is not Liberals at protests who are most at risk from irrational Leftist violence. The fact that I am unable to provide an account of what might constitute rational Leftist violence, or the fact that I have attended very few protests, or the fact that my views are derived largely from my reading of the state and corporate owned and controlled media I truly believe is just as it should be, and I am unable at this point in my life to think otherwise, just as I'm unable to explain the occurence of police violence, which in any case doesn't require any explanation for, as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't exist.

Now I would like to tug at your heart strings by an expression of concern for "innocent animals" whose consumption I greatly enjoy but whose welfare I would simultaneously like you to believe is of primary concern to me.

Time and again I maintain the illusion that I have witnessed many criminal acts of violence against the non-human animals that the police regularly use as crowd control mechanisms. These horses are placid, well-trained and stand quietly until such time as they are viciously attacked by protesters for no good reason. That this is a necessary illusion rather than an emprical observation is something of which I am and will probably continue to remain unaware of until such time as I find myself in the unfortunate position of being in the wrong place at the wrong time; an unlikely occurence given my general lack of interest in publicly confronting the forces that both dominate my society and provide me with a reasonably confortable standard of living precisely on the condition that I remain their obedient and unquestioning servant.

In keeping with the intellectual conventions that are a necessary requirement for stable membership of my class, I maintain that police horses regularly 'come under fire' at protests, and always without good reason: that is, never as a form of defence against police aggression.

I have read and heard talk that marbles are frequently rolled under horses' hooves and that they are pricked with hat pins; marbles and hat pins, incidentally, being standard issue in my generic vision of that homogeneous social group for whom I use the term 'protesters'. When I maintain that yanking reins and yelling 'Get the animals off the animals! Hurt the horses!' is also standard behaviour by this same amorphous group, I would like you to join me in pretending that I am not engaged in hyperbole, any more than I am when I further maintain that such actions are all "common" to the tactics of a left which is self-evidently "scary", not only in the sense that it delights in inflicting pain upon non-human animals, but more importantly in the sense that any sign of social conflict with the ruling authorities upsets my mundane pre-occupations with social stability and advancement.

In these and many other ways I am a very frightening person, incapable of understanding either myself or the society I live in. Most sadly, perhaps, I am most especially incapable of understanding those of you who choose *not* to submit to the daily humiliations of a system which is busy destroying the very foundations of human society; a system whose continued rule rests upon destroying each person's ability to think and to feel: in short, the annihilation of human consciousness and all that is precious in being, and staying, *human*.

Livinghell, you are a paranoid git.

You don't know me at all, so the gross assumptions you made in that useless little rant of yours simply demonstrate your own superficiality and shallowness - that's got to hurt!

Your rhetoric aside, I will say one thing:

If I knew who you were, and I saw you at a protest pricking a horse with a pin or trying to get at its eyes (WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED)...

I would want to hit you.

CAPS LOCK ALERT

CODE VIOLATION

CAPS LOCK ABUSE

(WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED)...

IF I TOLD YOU ONCE I TOLD YOU A MILLION TIMES...YOU CAN'T TRUST YOUNG PEOPLE OF CONSERVATIVE PERSUASION ...

CODE VIOLATION (WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED)...

CAPS LOCK ABUSE (WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED)...

INVASION BY CRISCO-ITES (WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED)...

ACCESS EMERGENCY PACK 1 NOW

CHECK CONTENTS (SHOULD BE BOTTLE OF CRISCO AND BROWN PAPER BAG) (WHICH I HAVE WITNESSED)...

REPORT TO SECTOR LEADER FOR INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING WARNING WARNING

WARNING WARNING WARNING

WARNING WARNING WARNING

WARNING WARNING WARNING

Report to sector leader bimbo.

I just got confused by the crisco brown paper bag bit. Huh?

That's OK darls, Chris is a bit confused about what to do with Crisco too.

He seems to think it's some kind of sex aid. I'd tell him about lube but we need to know what kind of effect genetically modified canola will have when applied internally. You know how it is, why fund research when a cutting edge capitalist enterprise like ours can use an unsuspecting public to test our product?

Hey, have you heard my blond jokes yet?

"Livinghell, you are a paranoid git."

And you are a veritable wordsmith.

I don't know you, nor do I wish to, and yet, as demonstrated by your silence, the assumptions I made in the above profile are largely accurate. Indeed, your petulant incomprehension provides further evidence - if any were needed - of your own... shall we say... "superficiality"? Oh, and mastery of tautological propositions.

Your feeble rejoinders aside, I will quote one thing:

"The more I see of the moneyed classes, the more I understand the guillotine" (George Bernard Shaw).

Its really all sad. Elections for the Union Working Constitution Committee will now end up meaning the left get back in, and despite the advice of many people, the Liberal kiddies have lost out.

Instead of working in a way which would ensure a win, they decided to run their own thing, all by themselves. I mean, come on. Had the liberal kiddies listened a long time ago and contested a certain election with a certain faction the union would be theirs, minus the liquidator. But enjoy what youve got you greedy little cv stuffers.

Hey and did we all see the obnoxious wanker if the liberal polo top? The guy we are paying to look out for our welfare was out there al week campaigning. I mean, come on. This is so not cool. I'm glad the farrago has got the guts to stand up to the office bearers who do no work. Rohan, Julian and John can't run the union like a little club, or else, like the club it will get destroyed. And Demeris needs to realize that thuggary gets you nowhere in life. Now, John and their new sidekick are being thugs to the left. This will be interesting given that they will need to negotiate with the left on the union working constitution and in elections.

Its a pity when boys take over serious clubs and destroy them. Oh well. What is everyone doing in July?

Just wanted to say Hullo - I take it you know exactly who I am.

Living Hell - great. So you want to cut my head off. Well, you odd little trot, I will have you know I CAN HAVE MY CAKE AND EAT IT TOO! Unlike Marie Antoinette, I will a) never have my head chopped off by the guillotine, and b) I am not offering YOU any of my cake. This is not because I am a snob, but because you have been unkind for no reason.

You can spout words of four+ syllables as much as you like, but the bottom line is still: if you support violence in protests, particularly against horses, you are a horrible, horrible person who has lost sight of what is right and what is wrong.

You are quite right, I do not understand you at all. This is probably because you are fucked in the head.

You're right liberElle it's much better to succumb dumbly to, or support, a system that makes an artform of animal cruelty.

If it weren't for sturdy demonstrations of our authority the rabble might get the wrong idea. We'd be sending the wrong message. They'd end up thinking that they can liberate with impunity those Beagles and monkeys that your fees bought. You know the ones? The ones that we've been injecting acid and cancer and stuff into their eyes? In the interest of research of course!

No, let's not make trouble, the poor fuzzy wuzzy bunny wabbits might get hurt.

I agree with Jake Anson's editorial in farrago. Nick Demiris, welfare oficer, should
(1) be giving us handouts
(2) be encouraging us to be dole bludgers
(3) printing posters encouraging theft (like NUS does)
(4) organising violent rallies

I mean GET OFF IT. YOU FERALS FUCKS.
GET A JOB.

Good on you Nick. You a doing a great job.

Tim A.

No LiberElle, I don't want to cut off your head, I've no use for it.

Unfortunately, neither do you it seems.

Nevertheless, let me be the first to congratulate you on your possession of a cake, even if it - like your ideas - is half-baked.

Further, may I remind you that:

a) the bastardised version of liberal ideology you espouse encompasses not only your capacity but also your God-given *right* to dispose of cakes as you wish so;

b) no, I am *not* offended at your failure to offer l'il ol' me a slice and therefore;

c) you've really no need to apologise, but I thank you for thinking of me in any case and;

d) your assurance that you are *not* a snob is - unlike your cake - a point well-taken.

Speaking of people who aren't in the least bit snobbish or possessed of the mental vacuity one usually associates with the middle class, I also thank Mademoiselle for granting me permission to use words with four syllables or more... although I would hasten to remind her that:

a) this raises the frightening possibility of her not always understanding what I (or possibly even others) say, so;

b) she *may* want to reconsider... erm, re-think (that's better) her decision.

On this point, I'll await further instructions.

Before I go, a few tips:

1) Using words of four syllables or more may *sound* challenging to a University (of Melbourne?) student, but believe it or not, you're well on your way to incorporating them into your writing. Don't believe me? Well, how about: 'i-rash-uh-nell' and 'cah-pas-i-tee'? They've got four syllables - count them if you don't believe me! Why, you've even used one with five! Can you guess which one? Yes, that's right: 'pah-tick-u-lah-lee'!

2) During the course of your studies, you may well be asked to compose an essay on some topic. This will often require you to first make a careful reading of what others have had to say about the matter. Here's an example of an essay question:

======

"How does globalization in its social, political, economic and cultural manifestations offer insights that help us understand and interpret the events of September 11? How do you think each of the three authors [Eichengreen, Held & Sassen] would respond to the following question:

Does globalization facilitate global violence -

by acting as an incubator of violence due to political oppression, poverty, alienation, cultural hegemony, and severe human rights abuses, or

through porous borders, efficient communications and travel, etc.?"

======

Who is (or is not) "a horrible, horrible person who has lost sight of what is right and what is wrong" - and what relationship this has to their allegedly enthusiastic support for violence against police horses - *may* function as an interesting departure point for such an essay but, generally speaking, Universities are populated by grown-ups, who most appreciate such things as 'evidence', 'argument' and 'logical structure': and - here's the rub - will mark essays accordingly.

PS. Before I say goodbye, I almost forgot:

'su-pah-fish-ee-el-ah-tee'.

Congratulations! That's got seven!

I seem to remember a Women's Officer who once submitted a cartoon as her report in Farrago. The fact that she "did work" was heavily disputed, as I recall. What is it they say about the pot calling the kettle black?

Perhaps if she had spent more time developing initiatives to win elections rather than tearing apart the hard work of others when she didn't get her own way, or sitting on her can writing endless notes about how "great" she is, a certain "good samaritan" might not have delivered her "resignation".

It's a pity when overly-ambitious CV-stuffing females take over good clubs and destroy them with laziness and ego-centricity.

what a disgrace u choose try to undermine the club which formerly welcomed u on the sole priviso that u r an inept former president with no friends.

now 'I' mean, come on. and the lesson in life is this: beware of the feet u stamp on in your own little grab at glory, as they will be the feet attatched to the arse u will have to kiss on the way down.....

Is it true that Nick Demiris is and has been pretending for about 9 months to go out with a girl who vehemently denies any romantic involvement with him?

CAPS LOCK VIOLATION AGAIN

Which one is it; Chris Parsons or Leon?

so, how's the action for a rat these days?

And my original post was removed. But my reply was left up out of context?

If I wanted to know about ratsex I'd start by asking anybody who'd been in four factions in two years.

Well, mr. president, you could ask, but I wouldn't put too much faith in the answer you get.

From what I've heard, the rat was having his ratsex with imaginary people back when he was running with the dems. He very quickly ratted over to 'the rats' (ALS), where by all accounts he quite succesfully maintained his imaginary relationships and even had a bit on the side with some other imaginary girls. After ratting on the rats, the rat stopped talking about his imaginary ratsex (such a gentleman), and entertained himself with tales of a former mayor's imaginary BMW, and the rat's own imaginary job at a law firm.

Following the election, he brought along a very real girl to a very long meeting of the student council that the right were very succesfully fillibustering. Evidently, all those points of order made him quite hot and bothered, because when she wasn't around he told everyone that he had his ratty way with her during the stretch of meeting that he missed. During the next week further stories emerged about how they had "christened" the office of the president. This was considered excellent gossip, as the then-president was thought to be observing a vow of chastity, though Tim O'Halloran did make all sorts of unfortunate remarks about his mother. The only problem with these stories was that the poor girl in question to date denies the entirety of it. The rat doesn't take her to parties because she's always "skiing in france" or something.

Of course, when relating these amazing stories to people, the rat spoke about a letter from his solicitor. The nearby obese nobody in the Empower pyjamas was so impressed that I'm sure he was about to go down on him if last night's imaginary sex hadn't worn the rat out. Funnily enough, the letter is yet to arrive. I guess his lawyers must type much more slowly than mine.

Our esteemed treasurer, the Hon. Peter Costellp, MP, Member for Higgins, has handed down one of the best budgets in the history of Australia.

Some highlights included:

More help for families

This Budget includes the largest package of assistance for families ever, with an additional $19.2 billion over five years.

More generous Family Tax Benefit arrangements will significantly help families with the costs of raising children.

A new Maternity Payment and the expansion of outside school hours child care and family day care places will assist families balancing work and family commitments.
Cutting income tax

Reductions in personal tax worth $14.7 billion over four years will improve work rewards from work and more than 80 per cent of taxpayers will face a marginal tax rate of 30 per cent or less.

boosting retirement savings

$2.7 billion to enhance the superannuation co contribution scheme and reduce the superannuation surcharge, boost incentives to save for their retirement.

Other highlights included:

Fiscal Outlook

The fiscal outlook for Australia remains positive, with a forecast underlying cash surplus of $2.4 billion in 2004-05.

Across the forward estimates, the Government will maintain the budget in surplus, after providing $36.7 billion in new assistance to families, tax cuts and increased incentives to boost retirement savings.

Economic Outlook

The outlook for the Australian economy is for continued growth, with low unemployment and low inflation.
GDP growth is forecast to moderate slightly from 3¾ per cent in 2003-04 to 3½ per cent in 2004-05.

More help for families

This Budget includes the largest package of assistance for families ever, with an additional $19.2 billion over five years.

More generous Family Tax Benefit arrangements will significantly help families with the costs of raising children and improve the rewards from working.

A new Maternity Payment and the expansion of outside-school-hours child care and family day care places will assist families balancing work and family commitments.

The changes to Family Tax Benefit will help women re-enter the workforce after having children.
Cutting income tax

Reductions in personal tax worth $14.7 billion over four years will improve work rewards from work and more than 80 per cent of taxpayers will face a marginal tax rate of 30 per cent or less.

Boosting retirement savings

$2.7 billion to enhance the superannuation co-contribution scheme and reduce the superannuation surcharge, boost incentives to save for their retirement.
More than three quarters of the benefits will go to low and middle income earners.

Providing for carers and aged care

$461 million over five years to provide support to carers
$2.2 billion over five years to increase the number of aged care places, improve the quality of care and help providers build and maintain facilities.

Investing in health and education

$41 billion spending on health and aged care in 2004-05 which amounts to a doubling of spending by the

Government since coming to office.

Investment of $32 billion in schools is further commitment to a skilled, productive and healthy workforce and society.

Investing in Australia’s future

A substantial investment in Science and Innovation of $5.3 billion to provide more funding for research and commercialising ideas.

Investing in infrastructure - AusLink

$1.1 billion over five years for our road and rail systems, in addition to the $2 billion announced in January 2004.

Investing in Australia’s security

$755 million to enhance Australia’s intelligence capabilities and strengthen security arrangements.

Defence measures exceeding $1.5 billion over five years, bringing to $39.7 billion the total amount of additional defence spending by the Government since 1996.

Enhancing support for our veterans

A $289 million package (over five years) to provide extra assistance to veterans and their families.

Funding of $158 million over four years will ensure veterans retain access to medical specialists.

Assisting rural and regional Australia

$73 million in extra drought assistance will make a total of $1.1 billion to support farmers in regions declared eligible for Exceptional Circumstances.

$236 million to extend the Agriculture – Advancing Australia package.

$338 million tax relief for wine producers.

$444 million over five years for sugar industry reform.
Sustaining our environment

Funding of $248 million to implement the Government’s Climate Change Strategy.

$70 million over three years to the Murray-Darling Basin Commission for capital works and important salinity mitigation work.

Delivering more funding to the States

In 2004-05, every State and Territory is expected to receive more revenue than it would have received had the Australian Government not implemented tax reform.

Support for m2006 Commonwealth Games

$273 million over three years to contribute to the successful staging of M2006.

To all you ferals who didn't get the chance to watch the Treasurer deliver the Budget:

DELIVERED ON 11 MAY 2004 ON THE SECOND READING
OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL (NO.1) 2004-05
BY
THE HONOURABLE PETER COSTELLO MP
TREASURER OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

Mr Speaker, I move that the Bill now be read a second time.

Introduction
This Budget is designed to keep our economy strong:

so that people can find work and keep jobs;
so that interest rates for homebuyers are kept low;
so that older Australians can look forward to dignity in retirement;
so that families have more choices.
We can’t do these things without a strong economy. If parents run the risk of being thrown out of work, they can’t have confidence. If homebuyers have to pay double digit interest rates they can’t feel secure. We want to deliver security for families so they can plan for the future. And a weak economy won’t do it. A weak economy won’t pay for the hospitals, the schools and the roads that we all want. And it won’t assist our defence and national security effort.

Over the last eight years so many countries — countries much bigger than us — have gone into recession. We have been challenged by financial collapse in our region, by plagues like SARS, by terrorism and war, by an aching drought that still lingers. We have had many difficult challenges and we have come through.

But it would be foolish to think the challenges are over. Economic management requires careful planning, hard work, and sound choices in difficult situations. Economic management is not an accident or a fluke.

The Budget I am announcing tonight involves huge expenditures of nearly $200 billion.

But for the seventh time since 1997 it will be in surplus.

We will keep to the principles that we laid down in previous Budgets:

the Government will not spend money it doesn’t have;
after we fund our current spending we will continue to make repayments of Labor’s debt.
In net terms we have now reduced that $96 billion debt by $70 billion. The Australian economy is much stronger.

But now we have new challenges. We must start preparing for the ageing of the population. Over the next forty years the number of Australians of working age will grow slightly. The number of Australians over 65 will more than double. Tonight I will announce measures that will work to address this fundamental shift in our society.

And to cope with that change we need to take measures which will help our economy grow to its maximum potential — to help more people into the workforce and make it easier for mothers who are juggling paid work, or part-time work, with the nurture and raising of children.

Tonight I will be announcing the largest package of measures ever to assist families who are juggling work and child-rearing.

And since we need to improve rewards for people who are working extra, looking for promotion, or working to upgrade their skills, tonight I am announcing new tax scales which will lower marginal tax rates for middle income earners.

More help for families
Our plan: More help for families has five interwoven components:

a $600 increase in the level of payment per child under the Family Tax Benefit Part A;
relaxing the income test for this benefit which will give more families access at higher rates;
a change in the income test for the single income family benefit — FTB (B) — which will allow more mothers to access this payment while in part-time work;
a new maternity payment — without qualification — for every mother on the birth of a child;
a very substantial increase in childcare places.
The Family Tax payment, FTB (A), is paid to around two million Australian families. Tonight I am announcing an increase of $600 in all levels of this payment. The base payment, per child, will increase from $1,095 to $1,695.

This new level is, in real terms, more than 100 per cent higher than the amount paid before this Government was elected in 1996.

This increase of $600 will be available as a lump sum to families upon reconciliation of their 2003-04 entitlement, that is, when they file their tax return after 30 June this year and in every subsequent year.

And further to this, tonight I am announcing an immediate payment to all families eligible for the FTB (A) of $600 to be paid before 30 June this year. As soon as Parliament enacts the legislation, eligible families will receive $600. They will then be entitled to the further $600 lump sum upon reconciling their current year entitlement after 30 June 2004. This means nearly all these families will be eligible for an additional $1,200 per child in the next 12 months.

Second, the income test for this benefit will be eased. The phase out for the maximum payment (a sum which is increased to over $4,000 tonight) will be softened so that a family with three children will still receive some part up to $70,920. The cut-off income for a base payment for a family with three children will be raised to $105,572.

Third, tonight I am also announcing enhanced benefits for single income families and families with a part-time second earner. Around 90 per cent of these families receive the additional $600 per child I have just announced. From 1 July they will also receive a more generous income test and taper on the income of the second earner for FTB (B). At present these families lose the benefit when the second earner (with a child under five) returns to work and earns $11,559. This can discourage mothers re-entering the workforce for part-time work. The more generous test will allow part of the benefit to continue until the second earner’s income reaches $18,600. And further, from 1 July 2005 where the mother returns to work, the income from employment will not be counted against the eligibility for her benefit already received. That is, the mother can keep the benefit she has already received when she re-enters the workforce.

Fourth, the Government will roll together the existing Maternity Allowance and the Baby Bonus into a new payment, a Maternity Payment, to be paid to all mothers on the birth of a child. The payment will be a lump sum of $3,000 from 1 July and will rise to $5,000 by 1 July 2008. Those who are receiving the current Baby Bonus will keep that entitlement where it is higher than this. The Maternity Payment recognises the cost of a new child and will assist all mothers many of whom leave the workforce and leave paid work at the time of the birth of their child.

Fifth, the Government will dramatically increase the availability of childcare places to help mothers balancing work and family commitments. In addition to announcements made in December, the Government will add another 30,000 outside-school-hours places and 1,500 family day care places to bring the total new places to 40,000 new outside-school-hours places and 4,000 new family day care places from 1 July 2004.

Allowing for these places means an overall increase in childcare places since the Government was elected of 85 per cent or around 250,000 places.

Taken together, these changes will increase family assistance by around $50 per week for a family on average wages with a wife in part-time work and two children.

The family package will cost $19.2 billion over five years.

Income tax cuts
Mr Speaker, our income tax rates should be kept as low as is consistent with our spending requirements. People on middle incomes should not face the top rate of income tax.

In 2000, income tax was cut by the largest amount ever and last year thresholds were changed to reduce income tax again. Tonight I am announcing new thresholds for marginal tax rates which will cut income tax by $14.7 billion over the next four years.

The thresholds will be lifted in two stages. From 1 July 2004 the 42 per cent threshold will be increased from $52,000 to $58,000 and the 47 per cent threshold is to be increased from $62,500 to $70,000.

From 1 July 2005 the 42 per cent threshold will be further increased to $63,000 and the 47 per cent threshold to $80,000.

These tax cuts will mean that more than 80 per cent of taxpayers will have a top tax rate of 30 per cent or less over the forward estimates period. The overwhelming majority of taxpayers who earn between $21,600 and $63,000 will not face any increase in their tax rate as their income increases. This will improve rewards for those wanting to work overtime or upgrade their skills.

These changes improve the structure of Australia’s income tax system. They make it more internationally competitive. They improve incentive. They will help those with skills receive better reward for effort. The tax cut for someone earning at the top threshold or above will be $42.21 per week.

Boosting retirement savings
Mr Speaker, the Government believes there should be incentives for additional savings by those who want more retirement income than the superannuation guarantee and the age pension provides.

Against the wishes of the Opposition the Government has finally introduced a $1 for $1 co-contribution scheme for low income earners who make voluntary contributions to superannuation.

It is time to take this further. From 1 July the Government co-contribution will increase to 150 per cent of an employee’s contribution up to a maximum of $1,500. This means that if an eligible person pays $1,000 into superannuation, the Government will match it with a $1,500 contribution for that person in their fund. The lower income threshold, up to which the maximum co-contribution applies, will also be raised to $28,000. Above this amount, the maximum co-contribution will reduce by five cents for each dollar of income to phase out completely at $58,000. Currently the co-contribution phases out completely at $40,000.

This will significantly boost superannuation incentives for low and middle income employees and boost their retirement incomes.

The Government will also reduce the superannuation surcharge for those on higher incomes at a cost of $610 million over the next four years. The rate will reduce from its current level of 14.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent by 2006-07.

The cost of the total superannuation measures will be $2.7 billion over four years.

Investing in australia’s security
Mr Speaker, a strongly performing economy can best be sustained within a safe and secure community and nation.

The heightened threat posed by terrorism means the Government has had to move quickly to upgrade national security arrangements. In total, the Government has committed $3.1 billion over seven years since 11 September 2001 to make Australia more safe and secure.

This includes a further $755 million over the five years from 2003-04 in this Budget to continue to improve our national security arrangements.

Intelligence is one of our key weapons in combating terrorism. Our intelligence agencies are at the front line when it comes to gathering information to uncover would-be terrorists, assess the threats to our security, and advise the Government on security risks. These agencies will receive additional funding to ensure that they are well equipped to meet the challenges of the current security environment. The Government will provide $270 million in additional resources for intelligence, mostly for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. This means more intelligence officers, more checks, and more sharing of information with other intelligence agencies to close the net on would-be terrorists.

We are committing increased funding of $207 million to upgrade protective security and more plain clothes sky marshals will travel on more international flights to more locations.

Protecting our nation’s borders is a big part of providing a safe nation. The Government will allocate $150 million for this purpose, including the development of biometric technology and an upgrade of visa processing systems, so that we lessen the risk of terrorists getting into this country.

An ongoing commitment to strong defence
Mr Speaker, this Government has provided substantial new funding for a big step up in defence capabilities and levels of preparedness. Measures in this Budget exceed $1.5 billion over five years, bringing to nearly $40 billion the total amount of additional defence spending by the Government since 1996.

The Government will provide $132 million for the Australian Defence Force contribution to Iraqi stabilisation and reconstruction. Australia will not cut and run from Iraq. This will continue the deployment through financial year 2004-05. The Government will also provide $20 million for an expected extension of our contribution to the United Nations mission in East Timor.

More funding will be provided to ensure that our defence assets including F/A-18 fighter aircraft and Collins Class submarines operate at optimal levels. In this Budget, we will also provide $458 million over the next four years for a range of personnel initiatives, including $357 million to improve the quality and access of housing for members of the Australian Defence Force without dependents.

Affordable, high quality health services
Mr Speaker, Australians need high quality health services with access for all. Such services need very substantial funding. Since coming to office, the Government has doubled spending on health, from $17 billion in 1996-97 to $35 billion in 2004-05.

Recent improvements to Medicare have been announced to provide additional incentives for GPs to bulk bill consultations with children under 16 and concession card holders.

The Government’s new Medicare safety net means that Australians are protected if they face significant medical bills. A Government rebate now pays 80 per cent of non-hospital costs above $300 for those families eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A and concession card holders. For all other individuals and families, 80 per cent of costs are paid once these costs rise above $700 per year.

These changes represent the single largest improvement to Medicare since its inception. And this Government remains committed to the 30 per cent private health insurance rebate.

Tonight I am also announcing new measures to help people who find it difficult to control diabetes with injections. The use of new generation insulin infusion pumps allows these people to administer a steady flow of insulin through the day, without the need for injections. Currently the consumables associated with using these pumps cost around $2,400 per year, which is paid by the person with diabetes. The Government will provide funding of $15 million over four years, so that most users of the pump will now face costs of less than $200 per year. This will particularly help children and pregnant women.

This Budget also aims to help children who are profoundly deaf who can be assisted by Cochlear implant speech processors. These processors need to be upgraded every few years to maintain performance. Currently around 130 children are waiting for an upgrade. The Government will provide funding of $8 million over four years to virtually eliminate the current waiting list in 2004-05 and provide for around 230 upgrades each year thereafter. This will help deaf children get quicker access to this technology which can change their lives.

The Government has a proud tradition of respect for the health and welfare of our veterans. The Budget includes a significant increase in funding of $158 million, so that veterans on gold and white cards are able to see specialists when they need to.

Schools — investing in the next generation
Mr Speaker, in this Budget we are making another substantial investment in our schools. This builds on the reforms and additional funding announced last year for the higher education sector.

Over the next four years, the Government will increase funding for schools by over $8 billion to $32 billion in total. This will provide additional funding for both government and non-government schools.

Our substantial increase is conditional on the States agreeing to implement national standards designed to help students and to assist their parents. Parents have a right to know how their child is doing at school.

All schools will be required to make information about their performance public. This information may include average academic outcomes, improvements on previous years, school leaver destinations, teacher qualifications, staff retention rates and absentee rates.

The Government will work with State and Territory Governments and local communities to develop a National Values Framework. To assist with this process I am announcing tonight that $35 million will be provided for values, civics and citizenship education initiatives in our schools. Every school in Australia will receive an average of $1,600 to conduct forums with students, parents, and teachers on values and educate children on things like the danger of drugs. We hope every Australian child will learn of the damage that drugs will do to them.

Investing In Australia’s infrastructure — AusLink
Mr Speaker, the provision of quality physical infrastructure is crucial to increasing efficiency and productivity in the economy. In this Budget, the Government will introduce a new land transport infrastructure programme — AusLink.

Over the next five years, $3.1 billion will be provided to upgrade Australia’s road and rail systems on top of the $5.6 billion in base funding which covers the National Highway System and Roads of National Importance like the Scoresby Freeway. The additional funding includes $810 million over three years redirected from the Fuel Sales Grants Scheme as announced in January.

With a vibrant and growing economy, the fast movement of freight is paramount. To assist in this task, the Government will pay $450 million in June this year to the Australian Rail Track Corporation, to upgrade its network of rail track. This will allow work like straightening the track on lines from Northern New South Wales to Brisbane to allow faster movement of freight, with wide ranging benefits for producers.

In January this year, the Government announced the extension, for four years from 2005-06, of the Roads to Recovery programme costing $1.2 billion. This funds local roads. Part of this funding will be available to Councils for local land transport projects, such as those which encourage tourism or help get products to markets faster.

Taken together, this significant new investment will position Australia to cope with an expected doubling of the land freight task over the next 20 years.

Recognising the contribution of carers
Mr Speaker, carers who look after those with disabilities are unsung heroes.

Carer Payment is paid to those on low incomes who provide constant care for a disabled person or child. Carer Allowance is paid to those who live with and provide daily care and attention to a person with a disability.

We deeply value the work these people do.

Tonight I announce that around 80,000 people on a Carer Payment will receive an additional one-off payment of $1,000 and around 300,000 recipients of Carer Allowance will receive a payment of $600 before 30 June. These people are devoted to those who need help to look after themselves. We can afford to pay it. And they deserve it. It will cost $255 million.

At the moment, carers who do not live with the person they are caring for are not eligible for Carer Allowance. The Government will change this. $107 million will be allocated from 1 April 2005, to enable carers who provide substantial levels of personal care per week, but who do not live with the care recipient, to receive the payment. This will benefit around an additional 13,000 carers.

Carers are on duty all the time. They give of themselves in a selfless way in demanding circumstances. Recognising this, the Budget includes $99 million to expand the access of carers to respite services. Ageing parents caring for adult children will be entitled to up to four weeks respite a year. We will ask the States to match funding for this initiative.

Investing in australia’s aged care
Mr Speaker, as the population ages, the viability and the level of services in the aged care sector needs to be expanded. Acknowledging this importance, the Government tonight announces a massive new investment of $2.2 billion over five years to ensure that the aged care sector is able to continue to provide affordable and quality aged care for the increasing number of older Australians.

A new Conditional Adjustment Payment for providers will be introduced, on top of the care subsidy the Government provides, which will deliver an extra $878 million in resources for the aged care sector, conditional on providers meeting certain conditions such as encouraging staff training. This will mean that the average care subsidy provided by the Government will increase from $30,500 per year for each resident to $35,000 by 2007-08.

To ensure that we have a skilled and well trained aged care workforce, $101 million will be provided for more trained nurses, including 15,750 vocational education and training places, and 400 new undergraduate nurse places in 2005.

Additional funding of $58 million in 2006-07 and 2007-08 will also be provided to enable an increase to 108 aged care places for every 1000 Australians who are aged 70 years or over.

So that providers can expand and improve facilities, maximum accommodation charges for new high-care residents will be raised to $16.25 per day. The Government will provide a corresponding increase in supplements on behalf of financially disadvantaged residents so they will not have to pay any additional cost. The new change will deliver an additional $439 million in capital funding to the sector.

And tonight I am announcing a one–off payment to providers of $3,500 per resident to be made before 30 June. Costing $513 million, this measure will inject immediate capital to enable safety and building standards for aged care homes to be improved.

Assisting rural and regional Australia
Mr Speaker, we are all aware of the profound economic and social impacts that the drought has had over the last two years. In some areas recovery is underway, while in others the drought continues.

The Government will continue to provide support to drought affected farmers with $73 million in Exceptional Circumstances assistance to areas declared eligible since December 2003, over the period 2003-04 to 2005-06. This assistance includes income support and interest rate subsidies. The Government expects to provide around $1.1 billion in direct drought assistance to farmers and their communities over the period 2002-03 to 2005-06.

And in a measure to support Australia’s wine industry, tonight I announce a tax rebate of $290,000 in Wine Equalisation Tax to every wine producer on an annual basis. This initiative will particularly support small wine producers with domestic sales. It will replace cellar door rebates and reduce tax on the industry by $338 million. This will effectively exempt 90 per cent of Australia’s wine producers from the Wine Equalisation Tax.

Assisting small business
Mr Speaker, a big part of our resilient economy is our resilient small business. To reduce the compliance burden on small business, tonight I am announcing measures which will allow small businesses who are below the registration threshold and voluntarily registered for GST to report and pay GST annually, instead of quarterly.

These measures will benefit around 740,000 small businesses and 30,000 non-profit organisations that are voluntarily registered and currently pay on a monthly or quarterly basis.

As all GST revenue is paid to the States, their approval of these changes will be required. The Government will offer to compensate the States for the revenue deferred in this measure at a cost of $330 million in 2004-05.

Economic outlook
Mr Speaker, the outlook for the Australian economy is for continued growth, with increasing employment and low inflation. A stronger world economy in 2004-05 should rebalance growth from domestic to external sources.

In year-average terms, GDP growth is forecast to moderate slightly from 3¾ per cent in 2003-04 to 3½ per cent in 2004-05. The recovery in farm production will continue, if there is a return to average seasonal conditions.

Unemployment is forecast to remain near 23-year lows during 2004-05. The combination of strong growth, low inflation and low unemployment puts Australia at the forefront of the economies of the developed world.

But we cannot rest. We cannot take this for granted. We must build on the work of the past to face the challenge of the future.

This is a Budget of reform. It contains initiatives carefully coordinated to meet the challenges for families, for our ageing population, for retirement incomes, and to improve incentives with a better tax structure.

I commend this Budget to the House.

Our office bearers at the student union which is under winding up for liquidation have been travelling around Australia, thanks to our money.

We are all forced to pay upfront fees, and these are wasted not on services, but on funding rorts around the country.

A number of office bearers travelled to canberra to meet with MPs during budget week. They went to cocktail parties, dinners, met with ministers, met with Senators and members of the house and caused havoc at APH.

And we paid for it all.

Rohan D'Souza, the general secretary, self awarded vice president, stayed at a costly hotel, getting us to foot the bill.

"The president" and "the other president" talked about one of the office bearers, Julian Barendses thug sidekick, Nick Demiris, blah blah blah, he lied about screwing a hot chick, suprise suprise, the boy is nieve and stupid and he should enjoy the last few months of his political career because he wont go anywhere further. But he is (obviously more importantly) wasting OUR money. He, John Osborn and Brent Crockford, all office bearers of our student union, were seen getting into a cheuffered-driven car on the way to the airport.

And of course they all lie about who they sleep with its because those closest to them are all not very attractive females.

This spending shows us why vsu is an important step in the life of our student union. We are paying for these guys to go around and meet ministers and try and get contacts to stuff their address books. Maybe even trying to brainwash ministers about why they are taking over an important and dynamic liberal group.

After what was the best budget ever handed down by Australia's best ever Treasurer, these are the rambelings of the "Leader" of the ALP:

Transcript - Parliament House, Canberra - 13 May 2004

For the past five months I've been travelling around this great country of ours as Labor Leader, talking to the Australian people about their concerns. It's been the experience of a lifetime.

I've been holding community forums: old-town-hall-style meetings, open to all comers.

Thousands have come along to have their say – community leaders, school teachers, small businesspeople, mums, dads and students.

I call these meetings "democracy in the raw" – a chance to listen and learn, a chance to talk to people face-to-face.

It's an important process, because as parliamentarians we need to be honest with ourselves. The Australian people have become disillusioned with the political process.

We have lost their trust and confidence. And we need to regain it.

Listening to people and addressing their concerns. Staying in-touch with the real-life circumstances of the Australian people.

Tonight I'm bringing those concerns and circumstances to Canberra. This is what the people have been telling me.

On the Central Coast of New South Wales they told me about the need to create new training and employment opportunities for the youth of the district. Plus put them in contact with mentors – role models who can point troubled teenagers in the right direction.

At Gladstone in Central Queensland they told me about the need for more apprenticeships and group training opportunities – workforce skills for the next generation.

In Brisbane, I heard about the need for bulk-billing doctors and a national dental program – something positive to help our senior citizens get their teeth fixed up.

In Adelaide, I heard about the problems in the social security system: family debts and disincentives for people who want to move from welfare to work.

In the La Trobe Valley and Gippsland, they told me about the loss of basic services, particularly in higher education and Medicare.

At the community forum in Bairnsdale, one man summarised what I've been hearing all over the country. He said that people were coming forward with "cries for help".

Cries for increased social investment and better services.

Cries for stronger communities and more lasting relationships.

Cries for a fairer society – where by working hard and pulling together, we can give all Australians a fair go.

Australia needs a government that answers this cry for help – a government that invests in its people and builds the services of a civilised society.

After 20 years of economic reform – some of it Labor, some of it Liberal – our wealth and prosperity have grown.

But surely as a nation, we can make better use of our wealth. We can give it a stronger social purpose.

We can use it to restore our services and rebuild our communities. We can answer the cry for help.

This is what the Australian people are saying: it must be prosperity with a purpose.

Surely in a prosperous nation we shouldn't have 370,000 Australians on unemployment benefits for more than 12 months – many of them young people, without hope and direction in their lives.

Surely in a prosperous nation we shouldn't be losing bulk-billing doctors and Medicare services – the universality of our health system.

Surely in a country like Australia we shouldn't have children falling ill with serious diseases because their parents can't afford the vaccines.

Surely in a prosperous nation we shouldn't have 500,000 Australians, most of them elderly, waiting to get their teeth fixed.

That's the problem with the current government. It's a waiting list government that's turned us into a waiting list nation.

It's got the wrong set of priorities. It's wasting our prosperity instead of turning it into opportunity for all Australians.

Just look at Tuesday's budget. It's a political patch-up job, a short term fix for the next election. It doesn't look to the long term, the sort of future we want for our nation a decade from now.

The Government always spends up big before an election. But then it claws the money back in the years that follow – through higher taxes and family debts, higher Telstra line charges and user pays in education and health. It gives and then it takes. It never lasts.

Tonight I want to outline Labor's alternative approach, the policies and priorities we believe are important for our country – the things we didn't hear about in the Budget.

Labor has been listening to the Australian people, absolutely. But not just listening. We have been responding to their concerns with a new plan for the nation, a new program of social investment.

Investing in early childhood development, in our schools, universities and TAFE colleges. Investing in our doctors and dental services. Investing in families and newborn babies.

And not just social investment. Labor believes in investing in the environment, passing on our natural assets and heritage to the next generation. Taking climate change seriously – ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and establishing an emissions trading system. New national policies to save the Murray/Darling, to protect our native forests, our beaches, our coastline.

And when it comes to national security, Labor will never neglect the homefront. Always, Australia first. We'll establish a Department of Homeland Security, upgrade our port and regional airport security and create an Australian Coastguard – maritime policing for our 37,000kms of coastline.

This is the future for our nation: services, conservation, security. Opening up new opportunities – not just now, but for the next 10 years.

When I became Leader of the Opposition, I said that I wanted to be positive. I said that I didn't believe in Opposition for Opposition's sake. So let me outline Labor's positive alternative, our plan for Australia's future.

Economic Management
Our starting point is better Budget management. The Howard-Costello Government is the highest taxing government in Australia's history. There is no shortage of funds pouring into Canberra. Our task is to make better use of this money: to cut waste and mismanagement, to reorder priorities.

While the Government has gone on a spending spree, Labor has taken a different approach. For every dollar of extra social investment, we've been making a dollar of budget savings – cutting back on government waste. So far, we have identified more than $8 billion in savings, with more to come.

In this Budget, the Government is spending more than $100 million on taxpayer-funded political advertising – spending for the Liberal Party, not the Australian people.

It also plans to sell Telstra, wasting $650 million on consultants and financial advisers. Under Labor, we'll be saving the taxpayer money. We'll be keeping Telstra where it belongs: in majority public ownership.

A Labor Government will reduce bureaucracy, abolishing seven government agencies and cutting a further 13 government programs. And as we examine this Budget, more cuts will be made.

Not all of these decisions will be popular. Some interest groups will inevitably complain.

But the decisions need to be made. Budgets are about choices. And Labor's choice is to cut bureaucracy and wasteful spending to make way for our investments in education and health.

This is also responsible economic policy. A Labor Government will produce budget surpluses in each year of the next Parliament – cutting net debt and holding down interest rates.

We also believe in limiting the size of government. Too much spending, too much bureaucracy is bad for the Australian economy. This is why we will reduce Commonwealth expenditure and Commonwealth taxation as a proportion of GDP.

This is our Budget Pledge to the Australian people. Social investment, Yes, but also an attack on waste and mismanagement.

We also want to grow the Australian economy through more assistance for small business – backing their hard work and enterprise.

We need to reduce red-tape and paperwork, starting with the Business Activity Statement. This involves huge compliance costs - small businesspeople filling out forms for the government, instead of spending time with their families or actually running their businesses.

This is why Labor will simplify the Business Activity Statement. Our Simpler BAS Option will allow small businesses to use a Tax Office ratio to calculate their quarterly GST payments, with no annual or quarterly reconciliations.

This method couldn't be simpler, with just one calculation and just two boxes on the BAS form. It is estimated that our policy will reduce compliance costs by 80 to 90 percent.

Labor will also ensure that small businesses are not smothered by the market power of big business. We want a fair trading environment - strengthening the Trade Practices Act and the ACCC to protect small business against anti-competitive practices.

Labor will outlaw predatory pricing and introduce gaol terms and divestiture powers to deal with hard-core cartels. The ACCC will be authorised to issue "cease and desist" orders to provide immediate relief against market abuse. It will also be given new powers to deal with creeping acquisitions and the exploitation of franchisees.

The Trade Practices Act is now 30 years old. It urgently needs an overhaul – new powers to protect small business against the

anti-competitive conduct of big business. It's time to give the small business sector a fair go in the Australian marketplace.

Ladder of Opportunity
I've always believed in governments helping people – providing opportunity for all Australians. But I also know that people should be willing to help themselves – to work hard, to exercise responsibility. There is no way out of poverty and disadvantage without having a go, without effort.

This is what I call the ladder of opportunity: the importance of hard work, strong communities and the civilising role of government.

I want all Australians climbing the ladder – getting stuck in and working hard, supported by decent community services. The Howard-Costello Government has been taking the rungs out of the ladder. I want to put them back in.

The first rung is education – investing in the skills and ability of the Australian people. Under the current Government, this has been an area of big budget cuts. Under Labor, it will be our most important area of social investment.

Our national reading program will help parents give their infant children the greatest gift of all: reading books aloud, building literacy in the early years.

The parents of each newborn child will receive a series of storybooks. And for parents who lack the skills to read them, Labor will provide new adult literacy services to overcome this problem.

We want to invest early in education. Learning doesn't start the first day of school. It starts the first day of life.

And when our children go to school – with a love of reading and the ability to recognise numbers – their schools must be high-achieving schools.

It doesn't matter whether they are government or non-government schools. That's a tired, old debate. I want quality and opportunity for all our students.

Under Labor's new funding system, all schools will be funded on the basis of need. We will bring every school up to a high national standard of resources and achievement.

The overall funding level for non-government schools will be maintained, but with a different pattern of funding distribution. Under-resourced Catholic, Christian and Independent schools will receive more, at the expense of wealthy schools like Kings and Geelong Grammar.

We will also provide additional funds for government schools – lifting them up to our national standard of resources and results. For the most disadvantaged parts of our society, they have one great hope in life: the neighbourhood government school at the end of their street. It's their passport out of poverty.

As Prime Minister, I won't rest until that hope is fulfilled. Until every school in this country is a good school.

A Labor Government will provide incentives for the best teachers to teach in our struggling schools.

We will also improve school discipline through mentoring, community justice and ‘time out' programs. Parents have got the right to have their children taught in an orderly school environment. Discipline isn't an optional extra. It's an essential part of a good education.

And at the end of the school years, I don't want any talented child who has worked hard and studied hard to have to pause for a moment to consider whether they can afford a higher education. It goes against the great Australian principle that rewards in life should flow from talent and hard work, not your bank balance.

That's why we'll implement Labor's $2.3 billion Aim Higher policy: 20,000 extra university places and 20,000 extra TAFE places, without the need for slugging students. We'll reverse the Government's 25 per cent HECS hike and abolish its full fee system.

We don't want $100,000 university degrees. We want opportunity for all – a pathway to excellence in education.

Youth Guarantee
But still, not every young Australian will take advantage of these opportunities. We need to reduce the school drop-out rate and tackle the crisis in youth unemployment.

Each year in Australia we waste the skills of 45,000 young people who leave school early and don't go on to full-time work or study. They're at risk of becoming a lost generation – dropping out of the system, dropping out of society.

In some communities, the problem is critical: youth unemployment rates of more than 30 per cent in places like Wollongong, the northern suburbs of Adelaide and Wide Bay in Queensland.

As a society, we cannot afford to waste the potential of so many young Australians. We must give them new opportunities to work and to develop their skills.

But so too, we need to demand from them a new level of responsibility – making good use of the education and employment services of government. Working hard and having a go.

Tonight I can announce that a Labor Government will create a Youth Guarantee: young Australians either in employment or education and training.

Under our policy, young people will have just two options: they can be either learning or earning. No third option of sitting around doing nothing.

We'll provide additional work and training opportunities. And young people will be obliged to participate, to do something good for themselves, their families and the community. Learning or earning – no third option.

A Labor Government will abolish TAFE fees for all secondary school students – a financial benefit for these students and their families. This policy will also encourage an extra 15,000 students to stay on and undertake vocational education and training while still at school.

We'll also create 7,500 new apprenticeships. Plus 7,500 TAFE places for 15 to 18 year old students.

For those who want to move into work, we'll create a Jobs Gateway – wage and training subsidies to give 10,000 early school leavers opportunities in the workforce.

And we'll also support 5,000 homeless and disadvantaged youth, with life skills and training opportunities.

So I say to young Australians: if you fall, we will pick you up. We will help you, but we also expect you to help yourself: to respond to our Youth Guarantee, to be hungry for new skills and employment.

The Youth Guarantee is a $700 million investment in solving one of our most pressing social problems: the youth problem. It's a long term investment in Australia's future, a chance to give our prosperity a true social purpose.

Our policy involves the employment of 1,100 Training Mentors, working directly with young people at risk of dropping out. The mentors will help with education and employment, but also social skills.

We should never forget this social dimension in helping young Australians – giving them a sense of belonging and purpose in their lives. We need mentors right across the community – role models who can teach troubled teenagers the difference between right and wrong.

This is why a Labor Government will establish a National Mentoring Foundation, providing training support and other resources for 10,000 new mentors. We will also bring thousands of extra men into our schools – male teachers and community leaders to assist with the development of boys.

Health Care
Another rung on the ladder of opportunity is health care. Medicare must be a universal system, with good public hospitals and bulk-billing doctors available across the country. If it's not universal, it's not Medicare.

The Government talks about a safety net. But you don't need a safety net unless you've turned the health system into a highwire act and families are in danger of falling off.

Labor doesn't believe in a safety net. We believe in Medicare. And we'll never give up on increasing the rate of bulk-billing. We want it at 80 per cent:

Increasing the patient rebate by $5 for every bulk-billed consultation.
Providing incentive payments of up to $22,500 for doctors who reach bulk-billing targets;
And making more doctors and nurses available in regional Australia.
In areas where bulk-billing has collapsed, a Labor Government will provide Medicare Teams – salaried doctors and nurses to deliver bulk-billing through public hospitals and community health services.

There's another responsibility we'll meet in the health system: the provision of dental services. It's not just a moral responsibility, it's part of the Australian Constitution. If the current government won't carry out its duty to the Australian people, Labor will.

We'll create a national dental program: a $300 million investment with an extra 1.3 million dental procedures for aged pensioners and health card holders. This will clear away the existing backlog and give our senior citizens what they deserve: the care of a civilised society in getting their teeth fixed up.

The Government says this is a Budget for families. But without a decent health system, what guarantees do we have for the future of our families?

Every year in Australia 1,800 children contract the deadly pneumococcal disease. Today I met one of the affected families – the Brooks family from Canberra.

On Anzac Day, their 15-month-old daughter, Bella, was diagnosed with pneumococcal, and began a fortnight-long battle for her life. Fortunately, young Bella is now out of danger and recovering well. But that's not always the case. Every year in Australia, 50 babies don't survive this disease.

In an attempt to save lives, the Government's expert advisory group has recommended that a new vaccine against pneumococcal be made available to every baby free of charge. Yet this Government, in all its meanness, has refused.

Why can't it see the compassion and commonsense of this policy - saving the lives of children like Bella Brooks? The vaccine costs $500 and many families simply can't afford it. They're having to make a choice between their limited finances and the health of their children.

Nothing could better illustrate why our health system must never become a two-tiered system. Why Medicare has to be saved. A universal system, not a welfare system.

Nothing could be more important in the creation of a good society than funding this essential vaccine. That's what Labor will do in government, making it available to every Australian child free of charge. Our babies can't afford to wait any longer.

Family Policy

Another rung on the ladder of opportunity is the balance between work and family – spending decent time with our children, nurturing the next generation of young Australians.

Let me congratulate the Government on introducing a new Baby Care Payment - $3,000 for working and non-working mothers to help ease the financial pressures of a new bub in the home.

I announced this policy two months ago, so I'm glad to see it in the Budget. And I hope the Government also adopts Labor's policy to spread the payment over at least three months, rather than pay it as a lump sum.

It's like the reform of parliamentary superannuation. It doesn't matter where good ideas come from – Labor or Liberal – let's get them done for the benefit of the Australian people.

A Labor Government will take this agenda further. We'll improve the rights of working parents, especially their ability to return to part-time work after having a child.

In government, we'll also overhaul and improve the tax and family assistance measures in this Budget.

When he was first elected, the Prime Minister promised to govern for all of us. In this Budget, he's forgotten about most Australians.

He's forgotten about the hard-workers on less than $52,000 a year – the sales reps, the technicians, the shop assistants, the teachers, the office workers (the backbone of the Australian economy) – who expected tax relief in the Budget but got nothing. Not one red cent.

For them, last year's sandwich and milkshake looks like a feast.

Since 1996 the average Australian household is paying an extra $9,000 in Federal taxes. Yet in this Budget, four out of every five families and singles have missed out on a tax cut.

They've been forgotten by the Government, but not by Labor. We will implement a bigger program of tax relief. A broader and fairer tax plan for the future.

That's the best way of growing the Australian economy – giving people incentive and reward for effort. Ensuring that the hard workers – the people who do the overtime, the families with two or three jobs – receive a decent return on their work.

Prior to the next election I'll be announcing our tax plan for Australia – a broader and fairer plan. Fairer for low income earners. Broader for middle Australia. A tax policy that puts incentive and productivity back into the Australian economy.

This Budget introduces three new taxes that affect business. Labor has a policy for a tax cut: to the superannuation contributions tax. We'll reduce the rate from 15 to 13. We want retirement savings to work for the retirement years, not be eaten up by taxes, fees and charges.

And we don't support the Treasurer's policy of ‘work till you drop'. Labor will always protect the aged pension and the superannuation system.

For families, the Government has produced a policy for the next election, not a plan for Australia's future. The new lump sum payment is compensating families for bad government policy – its inability to overcome the family debt crisis.

More than 600,000 Australian families have family benefit debts averaging $900. They are unlikely to ever see the lump sum payment – it'll be eaten up by their existing debt. The Government is spending money without necessarily solving problems. It needs to take a lesson from families themselves.

Raising children is not a temporary job – it takes long term commitment, planning and care. And that's the way governments should approach family policy – don't patch-up for today, get it right for the future.

That's what a Labor Government will do. Families need more assistance and we'll provide it in a more effective way:

Resolving the family debt crisis.
Providing greater incentive for families in the interaction between the tax and social security systems.
And paying the assistance when families need it most – not at the end of the year, but fortnightly – as the bills come in, as the children need new clothes, shoes and school books.
Conclusion
Tonight I've outlined the way in which Labor will answer the cries for help I've been hearing across Australia. Cries for social investment and opportunity: health, education and community services.

Those cries are growing louder every day and this Budget will not silence them. It's not a Budget of opportunity. It's a statement of opportunism.

The Government's had eight years to address these problems and its only response is an election spending spree. It's run out of ideas and it's run out of puff.

I'm sensing that the people want to move past this Prime Minister. They are not really interested in his one obsession: his place in the Guinness Book of Records. They want to get on with the future. Not the past, the future.

The Australian people can't afford to wait another three years:

To restore bulk-billing and save Medicare.
To establish a dental program and vaccinate our children.
To make education more affordable and tackle youth unemployment.
As a Parliament, we can't afford to wait another three years to answer the cries for help.

Australia needs a new government. A government that solves problems and believes in opportunity for all.

A government that delivers better services, fully paid for. A government that uses our prosperity for a good social purpose. A government that governs for the people, not the powerful.

That's my goal – to give this country a government every bit as big and warm-hearted as the Australian people themselves.

A government as big and generous as the country we love. That's what I want to achieve through an Australian Labor Government.

Oh please- blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Yay! Farrago is the worst it has ever been. After a year of censoring by Alex Lew and Scott Crawford now its being censored by the liquidator. http://www.make-believe.org

Has anyone else noticed that our office bearers do no work? Hello? Why are we paying money to these people?

I am going to refuse to pay my amenity and service fee next year. I am not going to waste my hard earned wages on a bunch of lazy people who pretend to do work and pretend to represent us. We should all refuse to pay it might force sense into the uni who rely on the funding annually.

"Has anyone else noticed that our office bearers do no work? Hello? Why are we paying money to these people?"

For the same reason we pay politicians and beaurocrats for doing no work.It's called capitalism(aka stupid used car sales).

A bit quiet on the home front last evening?

Just Amy typing away, with hot water bottle in hand wearing only a pair of socks to keep the feet warm.

Amy a bit quiet on the home front last evening?

Just Amy typing away, with hot water bottle in hand wearing only a pair of socks to keep the feet warm.

Has your membership to the liberal club been accepted yet Amy? If not, doesn't Julian think he could beat you in a real contest?

If what they say about "the enemy of my enemy" really is true, then I guess you've both fluked the odd friend.

If 26 grand and a trip to sunny canberra is the cost of ending Nick's political career then it'd be a bargain at twice the price. Amy, you might not care about his imaginary sex life but I thought it was fucking hilarious.

You, and for that matter your so dearly earnest and deeply unimaginative liberal comrades, should forgo these tedious delusions of adequacy. Leave posting things on the internet to those smarter and funnier than yourselves.

At the moment the team of liberal fuckers running our union are: Julian Barendse - nutcase right wing liberal club presiden, Nick Demiris - barendse's sidekick, John Osborn - former liberal president and a nelson wanna-be and Rohan DSouza - liberal exec member who doesnt do or say much other than trying to make sure the independant student media on campus are happy.

These Liberals went on an oficial trip to canberra, where they met Liberal politicians and they spent our money and they still call for noncompulsory memberships of unions. They should start by stopping spending of student fundings.

You might have seen cartoons around campus showing our office bearers "working hard" for us all. Th elonger we keep up the attacks on these right-wingers the quicker we can break them and the quicker they will resign, and the quicker they resign the better for the student population it will be.

The important thing is:

Nevertheless, let me be the first to congratulate you on your possession of a cake, even if it - like your ideas - is half-baked.

Further, may I remind you that:

a) the bastardised version of liberal ideology you espouse encompasses not only your capacity but also your God-given *right* to dispose of cakes as you wish so;

b) no, I am *not* offended at your failure to offer l'il ol' me a slice and therefore;

c) you've really no need to apologise, but I thank you for thinking of me in any case and;

d) your assurance that you are *not* a snob is - unlike your cake - a point well-taken.

Speaking of people who aren't in the least bit snobbish or possessed of the mental vacuity one usually associates with the middle class, I also thank Mademoiselle for granting me permission to use words with four syllables or more... although I would hasten to remind her that:

a) this raises the frightening possibility of her not always understanding what I (or possibly even others) say, so;

b) she *may* want to reconsider... erm, re-think (that's better) her decision.

On this point, I'll await further instructions.

Before I go, a few tips:

1) Using words of four syllables or more may *sound* challenging to a University (of Melbourne?) student, but believe it or not, you're well on your way to incorporating them into your writing. Don't believe me? Well, how about: 'i-rash-uh-nell' and 'cah-pas-i-tee'? They've got four syllables - count them if you don't believe me! Why, you've even used one with five! Can you guess which one? Yes, that's right: 'pah-tick-u-lah-lee'!

2) During the course of your studies, you may well be asked to compose an essay on some topic. This will often require you to first make a careful reading of what others have had to say about the matter. Here's an example of an essay question:

======

"How does globalization in its social, political, economic and cultural manifestations offer insights that help us understand and interpret the events of September 11? How do you think each of the three authors [Eichengreen, Held & Sassen] would respond to the following question:

Does globalization facilitate global violence -

by acting as an incubator of violence due to political oppression, poverty, alienation, cultural hegemony, and severe human rights abuses, or

through porous borders, efficient communications and travel, etc.?"

======

Who is (or is not) "a horrible, horrible person who has lost sight of what is right and what is wrong" - and what relationship this has to their allegedly enthusiastic support for violence against police horses - *may* function as an interesting departure point for such an essay but, generally speaking, Universities are populated by grown-ups, who most appreciate such things as 'evidence', 'argument' and 'logical structure': and - here's the rub - will mark essays accordingly.

PS. Before I say goodbye, I almost forgot:

'su-pah-fish-ee-el-ah-tee'.

It is still possible to sack the liberal scum.

All that needs to happen is a SGM (special general meeting) where we need about 800 students to turn up and vote to sack them.

So all the Melbourne people out there, get started on the campaign.

We've done it before and the administrators sacked the president, this is the next step.

Let's do it for the students.

We must sack these Liberals and rid them from our union for good.

Well, what did everyone think about the crappy budget handed down by the right wingers?

I mean come on do you think the population is going to accept this election-softener?

I think not.

Its time the libs learnt what a landslide loss is all about.

Defiantely.

Hahahaha you're all computer nerds.

Get a fucking life people.

That's right!

For those who know the real Random Student, the above post is not me.

Once again, I'd like to add that those Office-Bearers are doing a fantastic job representing us. I just hope and pray that I have the opportunity to vote for their re-election next semester.

The REAL Random Student.

Active ... Independent ... Inclusive

Dear Random Student and other randoms,

I too am very impressed with our office bearers, however, I am disappointed that Green Week was shit.

As a conserned conservationist and environmental campaigner, I, like many of my so-inclined friends are outraged. Indeed, the environment department ran a "02" camp earlier in the year - and was this related to their department? No. Just a petty chance for them to recruit socialist-minded people to their cause.

VERY disappointing.

thats not the disappointing thing random student. the disappointing thing is we are paying for the office bearers to go to cocktail parties and get pissed with ministers.

we all thought now the union is wound up that the creditors money wouldnt be flaunted on itnerstate junkets. but it is. from drivers and cheuffer cars to business class lfights to creating trouble in our nations capital. why is the administrator letting all this go on?

There are a lot of interesting rumours flying around about a lot of people. but how dare people make unsubstantiated rumours about where the money came from to pay for this trip. There is no way that they would have convinced the creditor to pay for this trip

I'd like to congratulate the MUSU Environment Officers for the great work they've done this year. Sure, O2 didn't have anything to do with their portfolio--but at least they were doing something. As I understand it they didn't use any union funds to arrange the camp so I can't see what the problem is.
Green Week was poorly organised, true. But my understanding is that this wasn't their fault. I understand that Green Week was actually largely organised by the Environment Collective with the Environment Officers being responsible for all the administration and sorting out the promotion of it.
I thought they did a great job with the vegie bbq and I hear the food they organised for the collective meeting was pretty good too.
They haven't done a whole lot in the way of activism on campus--as one might have traditionally expected from environment officers--but the reality is that their faction doesn't support that, and as I've read here nor does the liquidator.

I understand that the guys have already said that they will be having a Green Week in Semester Two so hopefully they get a better review second time around. At least they are doing what they are supposed to be doing... unlike many other Office Bearers.

Just standing up for some mates.

SO, AMY, HOW DOES IT FEEL NOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE NOT ONLY LIBERAL CLUB PRESIDENCY, NOT ONLY ANYTHING IN THE UNION, BUT THE PRESIDENCY OF AUSTRALIAN LIBERALS STUDENTS FEDERATION?? WHEN I SAW YOU FOR HELP WHEN YOU WERE WOMEN'S OFFICER, YOU DID NOTHING FOR ME. I'M GLAD YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE, YOU BITCH!

Sounds like another liberal male wanker pretending to be someone else on the internet. Get a life.

What did you expect?

My goodness! I despair for my country when I hear views like that. How can someone be so hypocritical as to protest against war with voilence. What are you really trying to achieve?

If you are not there to protest against the PRICIPLE of war what are you there for!?! Go home and stay there so that at least the protestors can retain their integrity.

and your an anti-war protestor

I have always hated young libs. But now I've seen the Left-they're even worse. At least the libs pretend to believe in freedom, the "left" worships slavery.

gilbert I would love to meet you..you indoctrinated little twat..your perception of liberals..maybe somewhat distorted..due to our common sense and resorting to violence as a last resort..but rest assured my little turd we are very passionate..and anger..hatred..savagery is in our blood also...so be careful you tough boy..

'gilbert I would love to meet you..'

Watch out-this dude sounds like a seriel rapist

Seriel rapist;IS member--what's the difference. Both believe the same.

Little shits like you cause the cycle of violence that resolves nothing. Destruction and animosity just continues with destructive and violent responses!!!

There is always bigger fish. Don't start nothing violent, because, you'll probably end up getting a nice bitch slap - bitch!

the libs suck , so who cares ?

Gilbert,

They used to call your type "useful fools." By advocating violence you are actually doing exactly what these "arrogant little snots" as you call them (and indeed they are) want. You are the ally real pacifists and people genuinely committed to change don't want or need. Do you think this will really stop them or rather will it encourage their skinhead allies to come along instead. All you will do is attract people far more undesirable than the "arrogant little snots" and alienate the 90% of our community which is reasonable and needing enlightenment. Why even bother to protest if you don't even believe that we can change people's minds by example and education rather than violence?

I wonder what your real motrivation is. Why don't you abandon rallies and go down your local nightclubs and bash people there instead? At least you will be among your own.

Pablo