UNDER-DEVELOPMENT? Howard knows nothing about GOOD ECONOMIC GOVERNMENT. I disagree with his polices on IRAQ, ON BURMA and with the AUSTRALIAN FARMERS.

I agree the farmers needed the "wider-package" but they need (as with the rest of Australia) "so much more" at ground levels. These Times Are Real.

AS far as I am concerned the present government is rowing a boat to nowhere, sinking the greater part of Australia. It has no understanding of true nation building and disables it's citizens rather than practicing valuable debate towards empowerment.

The Socialogy of Development or the Development of Social Development? (Gunter Frank)

Australia is at a cultural and political cross-road.

Costello especially is disappointing. So clever but it seems he has learnt nothing about sustaining a healthly economy. Noted I heard nothing suggestive on Burma, nothing long-term or of vision for the bush.

I have no doubt that the ALP policies are attractive, most of us know what is install and say BRING IT ON. I know it is to be the begining of a national promise we can ALL work with. We need to believe again in Australians.

Our focused well spoken rock star did a good job for clarity on the "climate change" last nite on LATELINE. All his lobby experience has paid off well -experienced- most consise handling on complex topic.

I was grateful as a concerned member of the Audience. The Jouranalist (tough) did a stunning job (Thank You). What Downer did the nite before ... suggesting porkys re: the UN "vote" crediblity and value is embarrassing - untruthful by comparision, and does Australia damage. It does not help productive progress.

Yes Wayne Swan, you are good for Australia, Yes Julia Gillard your voice is clear and strong and Kevin... may the dream for a "safer" world become Australia's work. Australia is a strong nation and I hope it is feeling savy about sorting out the mess.

Howard is isolated by the antic's of his parties lame practicing denials, slander and daffy-duck policies. I find them most erractic and humanly shameful by most accounts.

http://www.miacat.com/
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Titanic?

For the Titanic metaphor to be relevant, the consequences for Australia are nothing short of total loss of law and order and imminent destruction.

Klaas has missed the boat so to speak.

The consequences of Howard's shortsighted stupidity are far greater than Klaas has entertained:

PEAKOIL is colliding with Howard's enforced population growth. By 2025 there will not be enough liquid fuel for armed forces and police to intervene in race riots and ethnic cleansing campaigns in our suburbs. Governments will stand back and watch. If for example the Iemma government plays true to its Italian roots it may well find benefits in fostering riots for certain political and economic gains. Already we have seen a lot of questions like whose electorate the riots started from, surrounding the Cronulla riots.

What all this means is that within a decade as we witness petrol prices reach the magic $10 per litre, Federal government will be too remote and powerless to be relevant. Mischievous state governments based on ethnic minorities and associarted property developer warlords will rule this country, without oil but with an iron fist. Mugabe's Zimbabwe and Pol Pot's Cambodia are not undue similies.

There are those in our society that look forward to this degradation of our nation. If we are to thwart them, first we need to stop immigration immediately. There is no point in using immigration for economic-marketing leverage when it is leading to a Zimbabwe dead-end. Second, we need to get better value out of Uranium. Value adding yellowcake to Pebble Bed Reactor fuels, with corresponding reactor research, will give at least 10X the return on our ores. Further it prevents yellowcake's use in nuclear weapons in a way which no dumb-signed sales contract can ever do.

continued..

Continuing..

So, whilst Howard has become a pest and we need Labor to take the reins, Australian's are rightly concerned that the ALP is too out of touch with the imminent dangers Australian's face both in world affairs and at home in our already overcrowded and violent cities.

It is no use to have Kevin Rudd and a band of green peacmakers like Peter Garrett, all starry eyed with polices shaped two decades ago let loose on a Nation which really is the Tiatanic headed for a bloody nasty iceberg.

Along with Rudd's positive social reforms we want positive nuclear policy and we want a stop to immigration.

We want a FUTURE.

Reply to Gym Fish

Slavery was probably the lowest productivity employment form ever. The most productive work places are those that have the flexibility to match the needs of the workplace with aspirations of the employees.

This goes counter to the labor movement who assume that they know what is best for the employees and that all employees aspirations are the same (one size fits all).

Telling the small businesses and employees that big brother knows best is not the answer to happy employees or productivity.

Slavery is alive and thriving all over the planet as never before largely thanks to the insidious impact of neo-liberalism and globalisation.

What word, other than 'slavery' would you use to describe the following situation, Shadow Minister?

(cross-posted from "Skills shortage imported workers vs local" http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=1040)

In the industrialised Samut Sakhon "trafficked Burmese workers have been found working between 17 and 22 hours per day for as little as AU$10 per month, in the Ranya Paew export seafood factory. ...

"One woman peeled 18-20kg of shrimps per day for which the official rate set at 10 baht (approximately AU$0.37). But her female agent argued that agent's fees and the cost of bedding and food, gloves and hygiene facilities had to be deducted from her wage. She did not receive a wage for the first three months. Anyone, male or female, trying to escape, was beaten in front of others by guards patrolling the factory." (from "Mind the traffic" in the Spring 2007 edition of Dissent Magazine (http://www.dissent.com.au) by Melody Kemp.)

Workers suffered other humiliations including: for women, having their hair shaved, constant surveillance by CCTV and having guns held to their heads if they were considered slack.

(end-of-quote)

Decades after the commencement of the globalisation revolution, which promised to raise the living standards of the poor, these are the working conditions endured by at least tens of millions across the planet.

I have not doubt that John Howard and his supporters intend to make the situation described above commonplace in Australia, and this is already beginnig to happen now, thanks to the combination of 'WorkChoices' and the abuse of section 457 visas.

Go for it, Daggett, even though at 86 have never worked for anyone much, only my Old Man - former union man - just before the Depression who told me while working with workers never act like the bosses' son.

I did have it wrung into my ears from our workers, how without the unions the boss will always hold the whiphand or the big end of the labour stick.

Now with Howard chucking out the Arbitration Laws, and bringing in Work Choices seems simply a ruse telling workers that they now have people at the helm that they can trust.

Surely this is the first time in the whole of Australian history, anyway, that this has happened?

Cheers - BB, WA.