Tony
The only way someone could prove that the AWB, the Government, or any Australian wound up with laundered money in their pockets is with the equivalent of a Jack Herbert, and, like you, I don't think one exists here. Anyway, the Cole Inquiry doesn't run to reverse flows of money, and it would be almost impossible to track any such thing through the various labrynths of world banking.

That the Government will not suffer electorally is a given, because the average Australian probably agrees with the "everyone does it" notion, just like they agree with the "might makes right" notion, until it bites them directly: then they want to blame someone else.

Odsoc

Re AWB stuff-up.

From an ignorant old Aussie cockie:

Questions and suggestions?

1. If we have lost our wheat trade to Islamic countries owing to partnering America why has this not been aired to the Australian public previously seeing we are now in the third year of the occupation of Iraq?

2. Seeing that the US is the main instigator of the attack on Iraq, how is it that America is said to have already gained a contract for over a million tonnes of wheat with the new Iraqi government - and if true does this prove that the new Iraqi government is indeed a US puppet job?

Suggestions:

1. If it is John Howard who is the main culprit, maybe he should be subsidising his Aussie farmers similar to what his Bosom buddy George W’ is doing in Pax Americana.

2. It is interesting that John Howard has suddenly come out in support of the cockies, when with most of Australia’s income coming from pit-stocks, iron-ore, etc, the farmers had been forgotten. Another reason is, of course, though the wheat farmers have greatly increased their yields, modern technology has greatly decreased the amount of bodies doing the job, this greatly decreasing the government’s dependence on country votes. This is so different to the USA, where the Bush regime in its first year, allowed 80 billion dollars worth of subsidies over the next ten years, mainly to gain the votes of the huge graingrowing Midwest, gaining swads of votes alone from cities like Denver, Oklahoma City, and so on. It is over here in Western Australia, that wheat cockies have already got the wind-up, the new head of our National Party, giving the okay to breakaway from the Libs. There has also been a suggestion that we change the name back to the Country Party, becoming once again classic independent agrarian socialists be it either right or left, as we became during the Great Depression.

George C, WA - Bushbred

Bushbred,

I'm afraid John Howard has somehow gotten himself into an amazingly strong position. He has an opposition that looks weak, he has survived Senator McGauran's move from the Nationals to the Libs, our troups are still in Iraq (luckily no deaths) and he will probably scrape through the AWB problems.

The Nationals I'm afraid look destined to become a weaker party in the next election. The Libs really want to rule outright...this is proven by accepting Senator McGauran.

Country people have been let down for years by Govts. but had hope with the Nationals and Libs alliance. Your demographics are working against you and so you have become more and more marginalised.

See how roughly Senator Barnaby Joyce was dealt with when he had the nerve to actually do what he is elected to do... to represent the State of Qld. in the Senate. Senator Joyce does the right thing under the constitution and he is villified by Libs and Nats alike. Remember John Howard always gets others to do his work whilst he is arms length in the background.

If truth be known the Liberals are probably after all National party seats and if it wasn't for the fact the Libs are so weak in Qld. State Govt., the Nationals probably wouldn't be in coalition now. As you know, from John Howard's history, he is prepared to wait as things fall into place. One of his only virtues I'm afraid is patience.

If you reform the Country Party I'm afraid you will only divide the bush's vote further giving the libs more seats. Your only hope is that Johnny, behind closed doors, is actually trying to do a deal with Bush... but Iraq is the market the USA farmers have wanted for years. If Johnny does do the deal with the USA he will hold the country voters in his hand and be one step closer to no longer needing the Nationals.

To Opinionated,

Thanks mate for the further info', which really only substantiates what I was getting at. The Australian wheat cockies have been sold out. Indeed further news I got today, should leave young wheat cockies in a cold sweat.

Talking to Mick McGinnis, a worried member of the
WA Wheat Board executive, he informed me that the main reason Howard and Mark Vaile have panicked is because they have just discovered that Howard's committing Australia to the attack on Iraq has jiggered practically all of our wheat contracts to other Islamic countries. Which, incidently, according to McGinnis, it is just about the lot. And, of course, it looks like our bosom buddies, the Yanks, will get the Iraqi contracts because the US will keep on running Iraq, per Paul Bremer's original plan.

Unfortunately, most of our generation's grandkids, college educations notwithstanding, don't seem to have a clue what is really going on - over-education having seemingly robbed them of the old bush insightliness. Certainly these kid's faith in Johnny Howard and Iron Bar Tuckey is due for a shock, resulting unfortunately in a few bush suicides. Yes, mate, bad planning by Howard and Co regarding our wheat contracts could be a as bad as that. Why do you think John Anderson quit the job of Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader. Under Howard, he could see it coming, not eased one bit by the bi-lateral trade deal.

Bushbred,

Thanks for enlightening me as well. I know when the Iraq war was muted people expressed a worry that it could affect "all wheat sales" to the Islamic countries. I guess what you have stated, sadly, proves this may be correct. Let's hope we are wrong!

Sadly also it may have more far reaching consequences than that for the cockies. We sell sheep to the Muslim countries and a whole heap of other commodities. If the Muslim countries stop our wheat they may stop everything and we have nothing to bargain with. We are a little dot of a country compared to the USA which itself is about 1/3 of the world market. We don't have huge buying power to assist us to trade with Islamic countries like the Yanks have.

The USA has at least got its might and it now has the scapegoat for itself - the Aussies did it...

The AWB problems also divert the attentions away from the USA companies that have done similar things... we seem to be the ones who have been caught.

Farmers have enough to cope with without having extra burdens placed upon them with the Howard Govt's "All the way with USA" policies that won't benefit them. The Howard Govt actually think we are world players like Keating did... amazing!

One other thing - look who is missing from the list on the coalition for the willing http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_orbat_coalition.htm

That's right it is Canada ... another huge competitor of ours on world markets. Canada may be the biggest beneficiary of our joining the war in Iraq adding to it's ability to sell in the Islamic world.

opinionated, you are right. Canada has cleverly positioned itself as a non-aligned country. It doesn't do whatever the USA wants. It is not the subject of terrorist attacks. It doesn't offend its trading partners and their allies by invading their country. It is a prosperous nation. Pretty smart, I reckon. Ask John Howard, why can't Australia be a bit more like that?