Ajay,
If they remember why Pauline Hanson was stripped of her electoral funding they might not want to contribute funds to private hands. Seems if that is true, they are trying a tactic to avoid transparency to the Electoral Act. Unless we can change Public opinion by open and honest means we will never gain the confidence of the voters.

When I saw Bob Brown at constitution dock waiting for the Japanese whaler boat to arrive so he could jump up and scream at cultural difference that appalled him I wanted to yell RACIST.

Why, I don't know. I am against killing whales, maybe his ilk have taught me too well that you cannot say anything negative about another culture without being called racist.

Anyways I don't like Japan killing whales so I will admit, along with Bob Brown, am RACIST.

TEAM !

some things to keep in mind.

1/ I'm sensing that there is a groundswell of passion regarding our Australian cultural heritage. (and other issues)

2/ The Save Australia Alliance, no matter what we may think of it (I have serious reservations ) has great value in that it shows us how an INformal political movement can gather momentum. I found the read about the 'BBQ' meetings fascinating, as I did the self destruction of it's first incarnation due to the formalising of it. (and subsequent in-fighting)

3/ The Cronulla trouble has taught us the impact and power of an SMS CAMPAIGN to notify and motivate thousands of people at critical times.

Putting all this together, it may well be possible that this groundswell of concern, can be channeled into (rather than hijacked) a movement of 'people power' and become hugely significant at the next election. (or before)

In Vic, Bracks is tightening free speech and home education laws !
Election in Nov 06

As would-be candidates become aware of this movement, they will presumably adopt policies which are in tune with where the 'people' are headed.(specially Independants)

The challenge is to convince them that the voting public is actually IN FAVOR of policies that the media would currently crucify as 'discriminatory and racist' etc

I was pleasantly surprised to find the SAA has a plank of 'Peoples Bank' just as I've been raving on about.

The main issues seem to be:

1/ IMMIGRATION and SETTLEMENT. Numbers, races, religions and who is actually controlling these.

2/ RULE OF LAW and its even handed enforcement.

3/ CULTURAL COHESIAN

4/ UNCONTROLLED ECONOMIC RATIONALISM (selling our country to transnationals)
This includes 'competition policy' 'senseless, negatively impacting tarrif removal' Outsourcing of low AND hi tech jobs to o'seas.

I would add 'corrections' to be Government run.

A couple of observations.

If anyone needs proof that ‘Civics’ should be reintroduced to the school curricular, they need look no further than the preceding posts!
In the name of expediency, I can highly recommend ‘The MacMillan Dictionary of Australian Politics’ as a simple, user-friendly reference that - if read alone - would help to stamp out the startling inaccuracies evidenced in many of the comments and relating to our system of governance, the differences between policy and law, ministerial and judicial accountability, pre-selection processes, Political Party status and the distribution of preferences.

Debate, disagreement and dissent are all VITAL components for the health and progress of any society but for goodness sake, know the basics whatever the topic - it makes any argument more influential and as such, more powerful.

Oh and Barns doesn’t need to write on the topic of Mother Teresa as suggested - Christopher Hitchens has done that for us all in his brave and detailed book ‘The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice’ and took his critic all the way to the Vatican - personally!

We have wandered from the thread of late havent we?
New partys and new paths? hardly needed!
We do however need to ask again and again what good can come from ignoreing raceism from a minority?
The Wil Robinson true left and truely lost in space would scream blue murder if I burnt the flag of another country, but silently execpts ours being burnt.
In no way do I overlook mainstream raceism in this event ,nore will I overlook the provacations that lead to it.

Gayle:

I thought "Sacred Cow", the original title of that book, was better. His publishers seemed reluctant to use it. His line was it is a triple entendre and that is something to be proud of.

Apparently there is a documentary that goes with it.