Horus: << Still, it was worth the read just hear the reasoning of labor strategists: “Listen, I know how much you hate Pauline Hanson. You've got to understand that we have a deliberate strategy here. We want to destroy Hanson by sounding like her and attracting her voter base away from her. It's part of a deliberate strategy, and it's temporary. It was supposed to be temporary.” >>

Too funny, Horus. Irfan was a candidate for the Liberal Party, not the ALP. That's why I said it was good to hear the Liberal strategy from the horse's mouth.

The Howard government went after the racist Hansonite vote and largely won it back from One Nation. The Libs have maintained the same execrable strategy ever since. Rudd is guilty of me-tooism with respect to asylum seekers, but his government has been slightly more humane than his predecessor's.

Not as much as you might think, pelican.

>>Pericles Are you talking about international trade or free trade, they are quite different.<<

The nature of international trade depends very heavily on a country's commitment - or resistance - to free trade.

If we start to slap tariffs on imports, the next thing that will happen is that those countries who are affected by it will slap tariffs on our exports to them. Should we decide that our apple-growers need protection from imported apples from (say) China, the Chinese might decide to buy their wheat from Russia instead of from Western Australia. And so on.

Free trade is critical to the efficient running of international trade, which is a significant factor in keeping our cost of living under control.

I was simply surmising on likelihood of an Amazon-books-style relationship.

"I wonder sometimes whether the people who resent the arrival of other nationalities and religions into this country are the same people who would like us to close our borders to international trade."

Also phrased as: "people who buy into protectionist trade policies also buy... protectionist immigration policies."

Yes Pericles but you more than implied a fear based mentality when there are many detractors of free trade among economists who believe any benefits of FT are limited to a small group and that some tweaking is required.

To associate that with a 'bogan' mentality is to me avoiding the essential arguments but it's a free world and no doubt you and I both will go on thinking the way we do for as long as we believe that stance to be correct.

I merely pointed out your error (as I see it) in likening racists and fear mongerers to the anti-free trade movement.

Irfan, I gave you the answer you seek quite some ways back... The Majority of migrants, and the majority of Australians (as was so helpfully pointed out to me) live in the Major Population Centers... But the fact remains, that while that allows them to dominate the Senate - THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DOMINATE THE LOWER HOUSE... Why? Because around about half (IIRC) of the Seats are based on rural/semi-rural/etc. electorates.

As for these bogans you disparage so much... The ones who work hard all day, piss their pay against the wall and have little time for whining migrants, political correctness, etc?

They ARE now being targeted by the Liberal/National Coalition, but they ARE the former BASE of the Labor Party. You see, the Labor Party was born of hard working men, Shearer's in fact, who decided to strike in the 1890's in North-West Qld. The strikes were put down violently by the Army (the Light Horse in fact - it is why they wear the Emu plume), but from that was born the Labor Party, which was wholely and solely for the WORKER, not the effete, snobbish, cliques that characterise most Labor Electoral Offices in major cities now...

That is why the Labor Party is going to have to split. The average Labor voter of this ilk, really couldn't care less if the Navy SANK the boat people, would prefer there was no migration whatever of whinging foreigners and are sick to death of being told what they can and cannot do in the spirit of political correctness. They are YOUR "bogans", to me, they are broken down into many groups...

Meatworkers(AMIEU), Forestry & Manufacturing(CFMEU), Electrical Tradespeople(ETU), Construction(now also CFMEU, but used to be the BLF) and the wharfies(AMU) to name a few... I don't think you'd like talking to them mate, they are classic Aussie's (ie. Your Bogans) for the most part.

The Unions need their own party, maybe it could work in coalition with the Labor Party, but they cannot stay married to it. It has been coopted by the snobbish, minority cliques.

Custard, I am definately a hoon, probably a racist, & have no problem with boat people, as long as they stay away from Oz. Hell, I'd probably be happy to let them in, if we only gave them a tent, & tucker for a few months, rather than keep them in better conditions than many old Ozies, but I'm not sure if that makes me a bogan.

What ever, can I apply for membership in your new party. It sounds to me like that is the sort of place I belong, or would like to, anyway.

I'm afraid it would be a small party, mate, not too many Ozies want to do real work these days.

Irfan,
Getting on towards 48 hours since I asked you for further explaination, so it appears that you do not intend to contribute to this thread.

You implied racism without giving any evidence of racism taking place and the mob followed you all the way to 50 plus posts.

Not sure if that makes you a 'troll' or a 'dog whistler', well done!